Chapter 23 Chapter 23
ALINA'S POV
He grinned. Eyes twirling with playful mischievousness, totally contrasting his overall male aura. And well...job.
I didn't see it before, but Mark was a real chatterbox underneath everything.
While he smiled happily, I was sitting in utter confusion and displeasure for literally everything at this point.
"How do you know how many drinks I've had?" I asked,
"This is the official staff bar, Angel. We keep tabs on everyone here, all of which made possible by the collar you're wearing. Your movements, emotions, blood and pressure level is all recorded in real time by that tiny Insignia. So every time you drank, it caught the sizzling of the drink and counted as a glass. Adding up on the pad over there."
My mouth fell open. Eyes fixed on the said pad, just right beside the control board thingy. And there it stood;
Alina - 19
"Oh God," I moaned silently, "I'm going to be sick. You're telling me every time that I've been mad today, this stupid collar thing has been recording it? Live? And that bastard had access to these records??"
Mark chuckled, "Such colourful words, but yes. He does. Which makes it even more amusing seeing you two following each other all over the place. All in 'each other's faces'. What is going on with you two?"
"Yeah, What's that?" Another voice cut in then, Ms. Vega. Her ponytail wiping past me before she came into view. Bold red painted on her lips. White lace all over, boobs to toes.
Hot.
Very hot.
I would be turned on, but I was having some major reality check right now and the next words that fell from her lips didn't help the situation.
"Did you somehow know the Boss outside work?"
"W-what?" I stuttered, eyes bulged. "Outside work? What is that?"
Everyone knows what that term is, why ask.
It's what people back at Boldlines used to refer to Nicole and Joe.
Refer to people seeing each other.
Sleeping together.
Having sex.
Fucking.
So me and Roman...oh God no.
NO!
"What do you mean what's that? I'm asking if you knew the Boss before now." Ms.Vega pressed, smiling. "Like did you two somehow meet or...you know. You act like you do. Like you're familiar."
Familiar??
"Like a divorced couple I know." Mark added, chuckling. As if this wasn't worse already!
"They keep fighting and quarreling despite already signing the papers. In fact they moved into the same neighborhood just to keep seeing each other and fighting."
"That's true love," Ms. Vega commented, chuckling. "They should get back together."
Mark chuckled too. Both of them amused but nothing about this was amusing to me at all.
Divorced couple? True love?
Official signal?
Me and Roman? All in one sentence?
The hell no!
"Nothing of that sort is happening," I suddenly blurted, alarmed. "I do not know him, I assure you. I didn't know- I've never met that man in my entire life!"
"You've met him now."
"Exactly, now." I emphasised to Mark, serious. "We're not divorced or anything like that."
"That's alright. I only asked cause you two seem sort of comfortable every time I see you two." Ms. Vega brushed off, shrugging. "But no need to get all worked up, Spunk. Have some more drinks, relax. Look at you all tensed."
They both chucked in unison again. Like this was a joke. It was a joke. Only I was taking it so seriously. So personal.
Because everything about this was personal!
We were familiar.
We were comfortable with each other before now.
We did know each other before now! So permit me if I felt like everything was choked up, and I was screaming in capital letters in my head!
But all of these... none was as important as the fact that Ms. Vega thought of all of these on her own. I mean, what prompted her to see or consider if we were familiar or met before or had something going on outside work??
And of she could think so, how many more people around thought so too?
Mark was already asking questions.
The workers... They didn't think so, did they?
Work related relationships were strictly condemned. Strictly. Especially for women.
I couldn't afford such a problem right now. I absolutely could not, especially over a relationship that ended several thousand nights ago!
That relationship was dead, buried, and would never ever see the light of day.
So no.
I couldn't let It affect my life right now. Again.
No!
"I need to speak with Roman." I swallowed, shaking my head. "I need to clear this out as soon as possible."
The mere thought about everything brought panic. My entire system turning upside down, my hands reaching for extra more glasses to push it all away. Meaning more drinks in my system and on the board.
Honestly, it was a wonder how I wasn't feeling the effect of these drinks to be honest. A real wonder.
I guess drinking myself drunk multiple nights after receiving a positive pregnancy report when the father was not in the picture, does give me some agility when it comes to drinks.
Whatever anyway.
It was all in the past.
After a few more talks at the counter, I went back down to Seraph wing. Roman's wish, right? But after that, when it was time for me to call it a night, I headed to that office located in the private hallway.
Roman's office.
A knock, and I was in.
Just in time to see him switch off the TV screen. Wonder why though, he wasn't leaving for home like I was.
"And to what do I owe this visit?" He mused, watching as I neared his desk, my features calm. Shoulders tensed though, cause you never can be relaxed with Roman.
"I say we call it truce." I announced, cutting right to the chase.
"Truce?" He repeated, confused. "Whatever are you talking about?"
"Truce. A levelled ground. Balance. Peace treaty-
"I know what the word means." He cut me off, narrowing his eyes. "Why are you coming in here and talking to me about it? That's what I want to know."
I sighed.
Better to get done with it and get home.
"Look, you and I don't like each other." I said, "That's fine. That's good. The feelings are mutual, but can we keep our differences aside and just work?"
"Just work? Isn't that what we've been doing? Are you confused right now, Consultant Ali-
"Can you just please," I snapped, cutting him off. Irritated by that title again. "Can you listen to me. Actually hear me, I know it's difficult for you. You're biologically unable to do that by default, but can you please?"
"Biologically?" Now he rose up. Slowly. Scoffing. Obviously offended but I've had it with him tonight. This was the very end of the stick.
"Let's put our differences aside and work as professionals." I said, shoulders squared. "We have to, else more people will start talking."
"Talking? Talking what?"
"They're saying that- look, let's just do this. Okay? We shouldn't let whatever history we have affect our work, or make someone notice us."
"Notice us?" He picked at my words again. Smirking all over now. "You're saying really strange things right now, Consultant Alina."
"This isn't funny."
"Yes, but can you please explain to me what exactly people are going to NOTICE between us? What is that exactly?"
"They're talking about divorced couples, true love and shit, Roman."
"Love??" This time he laughed. Loud. Green eyes sparkling with absurdity as he neared me more. "You're getting really interesting by minute. What kind of love are they talking about? Or should I say, what kind of love are they noticing between us? Are you falling in love with me? Again. Are you making excuses to-
"Oh you wish!" I brushed him off, stopping those words before they could land cause I knew they were all trash. Through and through. The arrogance oozing off him right now could literally choke a person and every living thing within a hundred meter radius!
"Falling in love with you? Again??" I scoffed, "I must be dead in the brain or something. Not in this lifetime. NEVER in this lifetime."
That had him frowning fast. His smirk finally falling, nose crunched in distaste. "What is that supposed to mean? I was only joking but what the hell?"
"You heard me loud and clear." I said to him, "And since you did, you must've also heard the part I said we should call it truce. So no more you trying to piss me off, make my workload worse, try to control or get under my skin. In return, I'll do my job, and stay out of your way. Deal?"
"What did those words mean first?"
"It's a deal then." I finalised, flashing a forced smile and turned to leave.
"Hey. Hey!" He called out after me, "I'm not done talking. What did you mean never? Think you can't fall for me? You're too good or what? You fell for me once, it can happen again."
"Not in this lifetime." I assured him, pulling his door open. His unamused expression following me as I walked out.
"Hey."
"Hey!"
"Al
ina stop right there, I'm not playing with you."
Playing with me?
"We were never playing, you air head!"
"Air head? That is the third time you're calling me that today. You still respect me as your boss? I can send your ass packing right now."
Yeah, yeah. Whatever.
"Flex your ego packed muscles, Romie boy. That's all you've got anyway."
I just kept going.