104. Mar

Three weeks later.

I've been indoors since I arrived at Nina's and no one had come for me. It felt unusual to acknowledge that I was free from Leo now and he wasn't coming to get me, or the least, sending someone after me.

All I've done is lay around in bed and wait for someone to barge in again, sent by Leo but that hasn't happened. I was starting to feel miserable at the fact that Nina has been letting me stay and all I've been doing is eating and sleeping. Maybe I should go out and get a job somewhere or something, now I was convinced Leo set me free.

Later.

Nina came home excited. I had to find out why so I asked. I asked why she was that excited and she told me about her office party. She told me how they were featuring big personalities from City A and beyond.

She told me she was allowed to bring a plus one but didn't have any other person to bring. It would be her ex-husband but they were no longer together. And it would be me but I haven't gone out in a long time... unless I decided to.

"I'll go with you," I announced to her.

"Aren't you hiding anymore?" She sounded worried.

"If Leo wanted to come get me, he would have sent someone long before now."

"What about the FIA, are they no longer after you?"

"Omar probably thinks I'm dead at the hands of Leo by now. The only problem here is that I don't have a dress."

***

At the party, two days later.

I stood at a corner sipping from the glass of wine in my hand as I watched other people dance at the center of the party hall. Most of Nina's colleagues brought along their partners with them so it was more like a couples party.

It wasn't bad to not have a partner when I was standing with Nina alone as she gossiped with me about what her colleagues had been up to... but her stupid Manager had to come to request a dance. I urged her to go dance with him but I surely regretted doing that now that I was alone with just my drink to talk to.

There was no difference that I was at Nina's party and not at home. I was still bored and alone.

"I should have just stayed at home," I muttered to myself.

"Are you talking to yourself now?" Leo's voice asked and I just knew my mental health was starting to deteriorate because Leo couldn't be the one asking that.

I was now hearing his voice, just great, and I thought I had enough to deal with already. I sipped from the glass and sighed. I decided then and there that I was leaving. I kept the wine glass on the table in front of me and turned around to leave but couldn't believe my eyes.

Leo. He was standing there. He was standing there, watching me talk to myself for a while now. It was he who asked me that question, and I had thought I was just hearing things.

"I thought you said I was free? What's this? You've come back for me, haven't you?"

"I have come back, but not for you, to you."

"What?"

"Let's dance, we'll talk while we dance."

"I don't want to dance."

"You don't want to dance or you don't want to dance with me? Which?"

"Both."

"I miss you," I heard him say.

"You miss me. Me? You miss me?" I couldn't be more shocked.

"Yes."

I scoffed unbelievingly, "Do you miss me or do you miss making my life miserable?"

"Can I show you something?"

"..." No words from me, I just stood still, listening to this man talk. He was at Nina's party and wasn't wary that they would notice him there, he even asked me to dance with him.

An idea suddenly hit me. I could make him pay for all he made me go through while with him. I was going to announce his presence to the little crowd.

"Attention!" I clapped my hands to get everyone to look at me.

"What are you doing?" Leo smiled, annoyingly.

"Embarrassing you. Can I get everyone's attention?!" I asked louder and the DJ reduced the loudness of the music and finally, everyone looked my way.

"Spotlight please!"I requested and the spotlight came on me. "Oh please," I stated dramatically. "You simply cannot put the spotlight on me when Mr Vance himself is here."

The spotlight left me and spotted him. I would love to see him explain as to why he was at the company's party. He surely wasn't going to be able to explain that he came for me.

"Mae?" Nina rushed to where I stood with a whisper."What are you doing? My manager was going to introduce Mr Vance to everyone himself."

"What?" I turned to her, full of surprise.

"The company has been trying to get Leo Vance's attention for a while now, and finally he's here at one of our parties and you, a non-staff introducing him to the party..." She slapped her forehead."I hope I'm not in trouble."

Leo was welcomed with applause and introduced more properly to the other business moguls around.

I hissed and walked out of the party. I wanted to use an elevator but it was taking forever so I got tired of waiting and started down the stairs. I got to the long flight of stairs, about to leave the building but someone pulled me back.

It was Nina. "Are you leaving?"

"Yes. Is your manager mad at you?"

"No."

"Thank goodness. Sorry, I almost ruined things for you here." I told her and made to leave but she followed.

"My daughter is gonna return home tomorrow morning. Her father will drop her."

"Oh okay." I nodded before stopping a cab.

The cab left me right in front of Nina's house. I started to search my purse for the key she left with me earlier. When I finally found it, I started to open the door with it but stopped when I realized that there was someone behind me. I could tell because the person's shadow was cast over mine on the door.

I immediately turned around, ready to defend myself but I saw Leo standing behind me.

"Fucking hell," I cursed in relief."You followed me."

"We weren't done talking, were we?" He took a step closer so I turned around and opened the door to go in. I was about to slam the door at his face but I guess he predicted that because he held the door before I could shut it. Then he let himself in after me, only then did he close the door.

"You're not allowed to be here," I started to panic.

"Says who?" He asked before finding the light switch and turning on the lights, but he set it to be dim.

"Nina doesn't like visitors, and she most certainly wouldn't be glad to find you here if she returns."

"She won't be back till tomorrow morning, it's an all-night party."

"..." I became mute. I had nothing else to counter his presence but the fact that I did not want him in the same place as me, breathing the same air as me.

I still have nightmares of the times I stayed around him; the people I killed, and the people I've watched him kill... and all for what? I didn't even get to kill Lade.

"You didn't let me tell you how much I've missed you."

"Oh, you mean how much you've missed making my life miserable?"

"Maybe that?" He chuckled like I just told a joke. "You look stunning in that dress." He complimented but I couldn't find it funnier.

"You've seen me in much more beautiful dresses and you never complimented me, what makes you think I'd believe that lie you just told?"

He chuckled again, "That has to be one of the reasons you hate me, huh?"

Well, that's one thing he's said to me tonight that's accurate. I hate him. I hated him and he knew damn well I did.

"If you'd let me, Miss Yrote, I'd like to change your perception of me. Let me show you a side of me not everyone gets to meet."

"If you're gonna force me to go back with you, then let's get it over with." I folded my arms.

Leo started towards where I stood in the living room. My senses suggested I move back to give him some distance but I didn't do that. I was curious. What could he possibly do now that I wasn't expecting?

He came close enough to lift my chin with his curved index finger. I knew it. He was trying to intimidate me with those scary eyes of his. He looked me in the eye for a while but I didn't let him win, I stared back without blinking, and then out of nowhere, his lips found mine.