Chapter 20: Chapter 20

"What do you mean by that?" She calmly asked despite how sweaty her hands were becoming and her frenzied dizzying heartbeats.

He chuckled wickedly, placing his hand on her waist.

She eyed where his hand was warily and directing her gaze towards him, she glared at him.

"I can sue you for sexual harassment, Mr. Xavier." She threatened.

He frowned for a split second then doubled over in fits of laughter.

"Well, that was not what you were saying last night." He taunted.

Maya tipped her chin defiantly.

"If that will be all sir, I will take my.."

"I just want you to want me." He whispered interrupting her mid-sentence.

He smirked watching her reaction to his statement, the confusion in her face as his words sounded familiar to her amusing him.

"Fuck me, Xavier." He cheekily whispered, his lips close to her ears.

Her eyes flew open as she stared at him in disbelief. But slowly as she stood there confused and trying to understand what he was hinting at, she could see blurry images of her at the party with Xavier, the statement which sounded oddly familiar started making sense as she remembered uttering those exact words to him.

She stared at him mortified, her face was crimson red as suddenly the tiles became interesting to watch.

"So... Miss Luke are you still even remotely interested in suing me after coming so hard on me yesterday?" He asked menacingly.

She swallowed hard and then with her head held high, she turned towards him.

"The mere fact that you could touch a woman without her full consent paints you as a sex-starved maniac and that will make an interesting headline if this comes out in the news so... Still disgusting!" She stated and with a huff, she walked out of the office with her head held high and with confident strides.

"Nice," Xavier whispered, as he couldn't help but love her cheeky response.

***

Xavier could bet he was drooling, like the epic mouth-hanging saliva dripping drool while Maya walked ahead of him torturing him with curves he couldn't help but visualize having to unwrap, freeing them off her clothes like a kid on Christmas morning unwrapping his presents.

She was still displeased. He had made her ditch her friends and in her words was made instead to go to a dumb charity ball which will make her want to pluck out her eyes and bash her head against the wall ~ repeatedly.

She was wearing a backless red gown with a high slit that showed off her legs. Her lips were covered in pink lipstick, her hair firmly pinned into a tight bun, her mouth in a tight line, she was angry but looking like a fucking goodness.

My goddess, he thought to himself.

She scoffed as he goes all gentlemanly. Opening, the door of the car for her.

The topaz gemstone he had made her wear sparkled in the dark reminding her she was wearing a precious stone worth more than her net worth on her neck and ears.

Ignoring him, she walked to the other side of the car, opening the door herself and leaving him hanging.

He chuckled, shaking his head slightly.

"Seriously a Lamborghini?" She asked immediately he got inside.

"And of all the colors a fucking Yellow Lamborghini on my driveway?" She asked raising her brow.

He shrugged.

"Can you try to be less visible? I know that's not a word you are familiar with but in my neighborhood, people with super expensive cars draw the attention of onlookers." She raised her brow at the onlookers who pretended to be busy but were just blatantly craning their neck to see the occupants of the car even though the glass was tinted.

He smiled.

"You look beautiful Maya."

She frowned and then turned facing the window, not uttering a word.

***

"Fuck." Xavier cursed seeing the paparazzi just waiting to feast on them once they step out of the car.

"What is going on?" Maya asked nervously as she stared at the horde of reporters awaiting them.

"I think there was a tip-off to the media that I will be in attendance, but it is nothing to worry about. Remember to smile, don't say a word, avoid eye contact, hold my hand tight and try not to fall." He sharply ordered making Maya more scared while he immediately came out of the car running to open the door for Maya as the paparazzi scurried in his direction.

She squealed squeezing his tux jacket tightly as the cameras as firecrackers flashed at them.

She gasped noticing the bemused expression on his face, mystified that he finds her discomfort amusing.

His strides didn't falter once despite the reporters around him, demanding attention from him as he hooked his arm around Maya's waist, his Pokerface expression in place.

"No comment" He simply replied to every question thrown at him. Most of them questioned his relationship with Maya.

They stood momentarily in-between intervals for some pictures and even though she was overwhelmed by the whole attention she couldn't help but admit that seeing Xavier in his element, taking control was kind of hot.

The sharp nod, the polite no thanks to offer for an interview, Maya suspected it was a routine. He knew what to expect when to expect it and what to say.

Maya's gasped as they both stepped into the dimly lit hall.

It felt like she had stepped into a scene of a movie in the '60s, a celebration of the elites and them alone.

The classical music is played by the pianist at the side of the room. The animated cling clang of glasses as discussions are being made.

She could see the fake smiles and forced laughter, they all merely tolerated themselves and were sworn enemies in one room.

The wealth and class oozing from them were intimidating as she noticed exquisite gowns of different types which were worth a man saving on their bodies and a child trust fund on their neck and dangling on their ears as they all smiled, laughing loudly while they indirectly taunted each other.

She fingered the precious stone on her neck, now understanding why Xavier had insisted she wore one.

Xavier rolled his eyes tempted to make a run for it as he sighted Mr old money and Mr. I just started my own business from afar.

Despite how many times they have introduced themselves to him, the nicknames he had given them had just stuck in his head.

He knew how the night will go if he indulges them, they will first butter him up and then tilt the conversation towards themselves boring him with their wealthy and social lifestyle in a bid to impress him, and then predictably just like the other nights they will hand him their complimentary fancy cards once the night was over which Xavier usually discard once they turn their back towards him.

"I am sorry." He whispered to Maya.

She looked at him confused, wondering what he was sorry about.

"Gentlemen," He started as the men closed the distance between them.

They smiled at him, their eyes eager and their mouth itching to go right into talking about themselves.

"I will love to engage in a conversation with you very intelligent and successful men..." He paused amused at the way their eyes brightened with tears at his compliment. "But my date here is a big fan and had requested to have a conversation with you both. Don't hold back, she is a big fan, and considers you guys geniuses." Xavier added smiling as the smile on their faces grew.

"No, I did..."

"Look at how excited and fan-struck she is..." He whispered, tugging her cheeks as he practically handed her over to them and laughing at the horrified look on her face, he briskly walked away.

***

Maya seethed in anger as she grabbed a glass of wine from one of the waiter's trays, sipping it and wishing its rich flavor will soothe the brewing anger that she was beginning to feel turned into an inferno for Xavier.

Firstly, he had introduced her to two men who never seemed to stop yapping about themselves, they had talked so much that she had sneaked out and they didn't even notice, because they were too obsessed with themselves.

Secondly, he had disappeared into thin air and had left her alone.

Not minding that like a fish out of water, she was in a foreign environment, and alone she had to fend off unwanted glances, lewd comments from smug billionaires wearing six-figure designer tuxedos and believing it gives them the right to make advances at anyone.

She was also at the receiving side of disapproving glares from women who couldn't hide the fact that her presence was a bother to them.

"Good evening."

She turned to meet a surprisingly familiar pair of blue eyes on an older man who should be in his mid-fifties but had the gait of a youthful man, standing tall and fit. His calculative cold stare giving her an appreciative appraisal made her recoil in disgust.

She stared right back at him and looked away, taking a deliberate slow sip of her wine.

"I will know if I have seen you before, but I haven't. You are a new face and that is uncommon in gatherings like this since we always know who is who in our knit tight society. So who are you, beautiful young lady?" He asked, not hiding the unveiled lust in his eyes for the much younger woman in front of him he has been monitoring ever since she sneaked away from Rob and Tom.

He didn't have to ask, to know they have bored her to death with tales About themselves.

"I.."

"Maya.."

Maya turned, not believing how happy she was to see Xavier even though he looked pissed off.

His blue eyes were a shade darker, his jaw clenched, his hands fisted as he walked towards them, his eyes set on the man next to Maya.

"Son.." he whispered.