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Chapter nine

Miguel took a sip of his drink ,staring at his Rolex afterwards .

" Oh, I almost forgot. I have a meeting with some clients in a while, "he then said and Crystal paled and turned to him.

"Now? Really ?" she asked as if the concept of being left with two unfamiliar men was highly petrifying.

Miguel apologized as he stood. Nick wasn't stupid, he could clearly see that he was lying. It wasn't something he was particularly good at. He watched as Miguel shot Matt a look.

Those fools!

Crystal stood and gave him a quick hug and Nick unknowingly fisted his hands at the sight.

A couple of minutes later, Matt also made up some emergency that needed his immediate attention. He didn't even try making up something smart. Just said that he had something in the fridge that was about to expire and he needed to get rid of it before he forgot.

He was surely going to pay for that later, Nick thought as he watched him leave.

He should have left as well, that much he was sure of.

Because Crystal Lockwood was by far the most dangerous person he'd ever met.

He had fought a lot of people, killed even more. But none of them had ever made him feel weak.

Until now.

Crystal interfered with all his senses. Made him uneasy in a way he had never been.

The first few minutes flew by in silence. So that's what it felt like to be in an awkward situation.

He hated it!

"Um.... it's nice to see you again, " she purposely referred to their last interaction. Which was the last thing he needed at the moment.

He didn't respond. Just pretended to be busy taking his coffee.

"So what do you do? "

He shot her a look from the brim of his cup, took a sip and gently placed it back down.

"I do a lot of things but I doubt any of them will interest you. "

Short clipped words

"How do you know that? You'd be surprised at the things that interest me. "

She leaned in.

Getting impossibly close. He took one breath and her scent flooded him. Messing with his thoughts. He gripped the edge of the table till his knuckles turned white.

God! What was she doing to him!

"So you're a lawyer. " It wasn't a question, more of a surprised comment.

She nodded, her face going dull, then she looked at him and smiled.

"You haven't answered my question, "

"And I don't intend to. "

That clearly surprised her. And it showed clearly on her face. She was a person who wore her feelings openly.

She then pegged him with a level stare. Didn't smile. Didn't talk Just stared at him as if searching for answers only his eyes could give. And as uncomfortable as it made him feel, he didn't want her to stop.

But she did, then she pushed her now empty glass aside and took his coffee, gulping it all down.

Nick stared at her with a rather bemused expression. The fact that they had shared the cup suddenly seemed highly erotic.

Great, now objects were turning him on. She placed the coffee down with a frown.

"Urgh.... that's so bitter! " she said as she looked around. Nick stared at the pink top she was wearing over her ripped jeans. It revealed a tempting amount of cleavage.

He was instantly hard. All he could think about was ripping it off her and doing all sorts of highly inappropriate things to her full and perfect breasts.

'God, I'm starving. I haven't eaten for like three hours. " Lines formed on her brows and she looked honestly worried. And for the first time, Nick felt like smiling. But he didn't.

"Then order something, " he advised and proceeded to gesture the waitress over. It was the blonde one again. She looked over to where Matt had sat and frowned.

"Can I get you anything? " she asked and Crystal picked the menu that had been placed on each table. She looked around once more before ordering.

"Yeah, I'll have the chicken Alfredo. And a cheeseburger with fries .Double on the fries. Oh.. and maybe some nachos. Yeah, I want the nachos with everything on them. Double that too, will you? And a smoothie, strawberry. Thanks. "

Nick could only stare as she closed the menu and waited. The waitress looked a little awkward but turned and asked him if he wanted anything.

"You mean there's still gonna be food left after that? "

Crystal cocked her brows for a moment, then she burst out laughing. The sound shot through his spine, burning him.

The waitress clearly wasn't sure whether he was joking, he looked so calm.. serious.

"I'm okay, " he finally said and she nodded and left.

"Why orders so much food? "

As far as he knew, pretty little rich girls didn't eat a lot. He had seen quite a few at Dahlias restaurant. They at most took three bites.

"Cause I'm hungry?.. And it's not that much. "

"Then you and I have very different definitions of the word much. "

When the food came, she surprised him again by eating most of it. Crystal Lockwood was definitely not your average rich girl.

"I never got to thank you for saving me the other night. "

Why did she have to keep bringing that up?

"Forget it. it was nothing. "

She picked up a French fry and tossed it in her mouth. And Nick watched her as she slowly chewed. unable to look away.

"No it wasn't. Who knows what those men could have done to me. I could be dead right now, "

She drunk whatever was left of her smoothie, Nick studied her every move. Took note of her every action as if his life depended on it.

"But you're not. So let it go. "

Cool words But images of what he felt like doing to those men blurred his vision. Ways in which he wanted them to hurt.

"I can't. They treated me like some..... slut, "

"Then maybe you shouldn't have dressed like one. "

The words were out before he could stop them.

Regret.

A feeling so foreign to him, yet so real.

"What? "

Crystal suddenly didn't feel like eating anymore. Had he just called her slutty?

No. He'd said her dressing was slutty. But it didn't matter, that was just as bad.

Or maybe it was the fact that he didn't look at all apologetic.

"I mean -"

"No! Don't worry about it. I know exactly what you mean! "She cut in sharply.

Then she stood . How dare he. He didn't know the first thing about who she was yet he was judging her. She grabbed her purse then glared at him.

The warmth in her eyes was gone. To be replaced by what Nick recognized as rage.

"You know what? You are no different from those men. You look at someone you've never met then judge them as if you've known them their whole life! "

"You're misun-"

"Save it! I'm leaving. I wouldn't want to ruin your reputation by letting you be spotted with a slut."

Nick leaned back against the seat. He would never understand women.

"I never said that! "

A fake smile, then she rolled her eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Let me rephrase that. By letting you be spotted with a woman who's dressed like a slut! "

Then she turned to leave, colliding with the waitress in the process.

"Miss, you're bill. " she handed her the paper but Crystal didn't take it

"He's paying! " She snapped before stomping out.

Nick crossed his arms. She was bad for him. It was probably good that she had left. Now they'd never have to meet again.

But although that's what he thought, his plans were very different. She was a puzzle to him. One he intended to solve, and how great was it that he'd soon have all the time to do just that.

He was most likely going to regret his actions. But right now, that was the least of his concerns.

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"Stupid bastard! Who does he think he is? " Crystal asked herself as she went through her closet. She'd been at that for half an hour.

She pulled out a lavender dress. "Slutty? He doesn't know what he's talking about! "She muttered to herself as she stood in front of the mirror and held the dress to her.

She then threw it on the floor. Next to a heap of other clothes.

Why did it matter so much what he thought anyways? She didn't even know his last name.

Yet his words had stung. More than she chose to admit.

And no matter how much she tried she couldn't bring herself to hate him.

Why!

He definitely deserved it. That self righteous, arrogant, cold, eery, strong, hot..... she threw herself face down on her bed.

Something was seriously wrong with her. But it wasn't her fault. He was by far the most attractive man she'd ever met. And considering that both Matt and Miguel were pretty hot, that was saying a lot.

He was so damn composed. It had taken all the control she had not to reach out and touch him earlier on. She felt as if he was constantly watching her, even when his eyes were elsewhere.

Those eyes that held so much depth.

That made her forget where she was.

That made her ache for him.

He must have come from a line of Greek gods or something. "That arrogant prick! " she said out loud.

Not only had he insulted her, he had invaded her mind. Erased it of all other thoughts except those that included him. But damn him if he thought he'd mess with her.

She stood and went to her drawer then took out her sketchbook before going back to the bed.

Drawing would definitely get her mind off things. it always had.

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