Chapter 43: Chapter 43

(Vivienne)

I took long angry strides towards where the man was. I hated anyone ordering me around and Victor was taking advantage of my fear of him to such a length.

I wasn't going to take his orders anymore. Yes, I was his surrogate but I had the rights over myself and what I chose to wear however now he was getting rid of my closet for his selfish gain.

If he didn't like how I dressed then that was on him not me and upon taking a left turn and entered the quiet passage which was a little dim with beautiful lighting.

I put on an aggressive facial expression that screamed murder. I did not get angry very easily but I failed to understand why rage was boiling inside of me

"I'll show him what happens if anyone messes with me...that grumpy man" I mumbled to myself as I took huge strides that made a sound each time my feet landed on the floor.

My breathing had increased when I reached the door to the so-called gym. I stopped for a while to make sure what I was wearing was okay and tied my hair in a messy bun and exhaled and inhaled deeply as if calming my nerves when I angrily pushed the doors open. I was expecting to see a man decently doing workouts.

At least he was supposed to be wearing something more decent but immediately my eyes landed on the man...no no on the naked man doing poses like a pro, my jaw dropped, my mouth open and my eyes widened to the point where the air getting in them hurting my eyes didn't seem to affect me. The sight before me was so great so sinful and so forbidden that I failed to look away. I wanted to close my eyes, turn back and leave like an innocent virgin I was but the way his body flexed each time he did a certain pose made my heart race

I wanted to ask if those were shorts he was wearing or just his briefs, toned legs hard with veins popping out attractively. My eyes traveled to his thighs and reached where the gray shorts ended and my lips went dry. Forget that but I didn't have to look at something else which would forever remain as the most shameful thing I happened to see but I couldn't help but notice it, hard and outlined.

"I... should...go," I said mentally but I didn't know I voiced out the words out loud and the man using a treadmill would have heard if he didn't have those cordless earphones jabbed in his ears. I guessed the music was too loud for him to notice an intruder was standing behind him busy checking his hot body out.

For a second I thought it was the wrong man I was seeing but his hair got me.

The way he had tied it a little above his head with a few wet bangs falling over his face. He turned off the treadmill and did something before he stepped down.

I was alert but couldn't move. My legs were stuck with no way of moving. He walked to the glass table and took a bottle of water. I thought he was going to drink but hell no.

He removed the bottle top and poured water on his face and it dropped down like the serene oceans then down his red parted lips.

The sight was sexy and hot and when the water traveled to his neck then his chest. I swallowed dry saliva not sure if there was even liquid forming in my mouth but the scene before me made me go dry.

My mouth was dry and my lips chapped. All I could manage was to stick out my tongue and licked my lips to moisturize them but even so, they seemed dry.

He put the bottle down and walked to a pair of dumbbells lying across the room. I failed to understand why he was obvious to my presence but I stood there and watched as his workouts continued.

The way his back muscles flexed each time he lifted the dumbbells had me looking at his abs, I had to count and I saw eight

"Oh god"I muttered in great amusement. This was sinful. I wasn't supposed to be admiring him. I was too young to look at a man like him with such eyes.

I felt ashamed and embarrassed at the same time that I finally regained control over my body parts and turned my head away. I averted my eyes from the man and fixed them to the sides.

All the anger I felt vanished. I didn't even remember what I came to the gym to do because the sight of the hot grumpy man was embedded in my head, especially that something which I saw but tried to ignore I didn't see.

For a second I thought the man was seducing me. It was believed that only women managed to seduce men with their beautiful bodies but right now Victor had climbed the ladder of the most handsome men and I was damned if I would get any sleep or face him later

"I gotta go"I mumbled and prepared to flee the scene unnoticed but that wasn't likely to happen when

"Ms. Payton, Any problem?"That voice which I knew too well and that deep masculine voice that sounded throaty and more aggressive made me curse mentally as I closed my eyes shut because I was caught. The shameless surrogate was busy watching the boss

"Well..I...how are you?"I was damned to gather any good words to say instead the worst thing happened. My mind signed out. Logged off that I couldn't form proper words to say even when I turned to look at him with a nervous smile.

I didn't dare look anywhere else other than his face and he looked hot with wet hair and his beard and all screamed sexiness. His expression was dark and his eyes were narrowed into slits as he looked at me as if trying to read my mind.

His gaze was penetrative and sharper and I felt embarrassed as I fiddled with my sweaty hands. Where was the anger I had earlier? At least I needed to give him a piece of my mind

"Ms. Payton, do you need anything…?" he asked and I watched as he opened another bottle of water, and took a sip before he closed it. I guessed he was done because he had a white towel draped around his shoulders

"No...I'm...well... nothing ``I stammered nervously, waving my hands in the air as if to make things normal but the grumpy man just looked at me with a blank expression thinking that I was a lunatic. A runaway crazy girl but I wasn't

"Next time try to close your mouth when watching...it's a free show"Victor was surprised when he spoke, grabbed my hands and shoved the bottle of water he had in my hands, and let go of me.

I was shocked and frozen in place even when he prepared to walk away. I didn't move and he paused and turned to look at me. I tilted my head and my eyes met with his

"Ms. Payton, while living here...kindly learn to be a little mindful, especially with my private matters". Just like that he added in a low voice and walked away leaving me like a soaked cat.

I was supposed to be the one to tell him things but now I was holding a bottle of water in my hands. I slowly turned around and regained my wits

"Such a grumpy man" I scoffed in disdain and looked at the bottle. How dare he act like he was some handsome king. Or some Greek god who all women loved

I left the gym looking confused. Julia told me not to disturb Victor, did it mean he did his morning workouts like that, in just briefs or shorts with just sneakers.

"What kind of a man does training in such clothes...is he crazy...I mean that's why people invented sweatpants or jeans or leggings or decent knee-high male shorts but…"I blurted out to myself as I walked around not even sure where I was going but I couldn't stop wondering about what I saw then I stopped when I saw Beverly approaching me. I cursed hoping she didn't hear what I was saying to myself

"Good morning Vivie," she said with a smile and I was happy to see her. At least she was different from Monica who was always cold and so full of herself

"Morning Bev...tell me what brought you here?"It was a ridiculous question to ask knowing Beverly was Victor's right hand as well as my trusted person. Hence she chuckled as we walked back to my room.

"Well Monica called me...she said we have to go shopping and since Victor approved...I came to help you get ready"just like that my day was ruined. My mood was foul and I was angry but this time my anger wasn't directed at Victor but myself.