7

One month and a half later

[The Villa]

It looks empty.

Where was Chase?

Just after the security out front let her in, they said the owners were probably inside.

Not one word about Chase, or even Pablo.

She was afraid to ask further because those guys looked really quite terrifying with their guns in their hands, especially the withering looks they cast her way.

They must get a kick out of scaring normal people.

Her new challenge was finding her clients in an extremely large mansion which, in the first place, looked like no one even lives there.

"Miss Sage...?"

At the sound of her name being called, Lyari wheeled around, almost like a deer caught in headlights in the middle of the big foyer.

The sound of doors closing echoed in the hall, likely caused by the figure who was now stalking towards her in lithe strides.

She paused, eyes dilating as she focused on the man.

His features could have been symmetrical, if not for the crooked smile on his wide mouth. He had unusual tanned olive skin which signified he had foreign blood mixed in there.

What struck her the most at first sight was his distinctive shadowed black eyes, currently appraising her with mild interest.

The summary of those was only a red flag in her mind.

"You're the architect, right?"

To top it all off, she didn't exactly know who this guy was. But he seems to know a thing about her. Right now, his thick eyebrows were slanted low in concern towards her lack of response.

"Yes, you're right. Um, do I know you?" She asked, snapping from her daze.

He crossed his fingers in front of him, crackling his knuckle bones. That was when she saw the dried blood smeared on them.

"No, I'm Cassian, but I go by Cass."

At this point Lyari felt more than mildly nauseated not only from the sight of blood, but about everything that was unfolding in front of her.

"You're Chase's friend..."

He nodded, before something behind her back caught his attention. She was temporarily forgotten, and a serious expression took over his former amicable facade.

"Sandejas, where shall the boys take the body?"

"Just leave him be, Cain," Cassian instructed the man who had approached them from the opposite hall, his accent noticeable this time.

The other man nodded. "Got it."

"Okay, go on in there. Clean up the mess."

Lyari glanced longingly at the direction of the door, her natural instinct going on a full flight mode. Maybe getting this project was a bad idea after all.

Once they were alone again, Cassian gave her a distracted look. "Come on, Miss Sage. Take a walk with me, outside."

They were outside.

Her black duffel bag was left behind on one of the armchairs by the nearest den.

Not knowing what else to do in the absence of Chase, she followed Cassian in silence until he stopped in front of a shiny black Bentley. Their footsteps crunching in the gravel driveway ceased.

The car was clearly imported, making Lyari wonder just how rich this dangerous guy was.

"I thought we we're going for a walk?" She asked, finally breaking silence.

He glanced back at her with a slight glower. "Walk? Thought I meant go for a ride, walking in this heat is not really advisable."

He opened the door to the passenger seat and motioned for her to get inside. The stumped Lyari could only comply.

They were stopped momentarily at the gates by the security inquiring where Cassian was headed, he then assured them he was just off to Fabella's and that seemed to pacify them.

Then they were driving down the road.

"Was that your car back there?"

"Yes, it's mine," she answered with a tight smile.

"Hm, I must say I regret not getting to meet you the last time."

She didn't have a reply to that, and as much as possible avoided looking at his face, keeping her eyes on the road instead. Right now, he was smirking at her brazenly.

He drove slowly as his tires were creating a havoc with the dusty road.

"Now, where are we going..." He muttered, almost to himself, "any ideas of a decent place to crash a party, Miss Sage?"

With a frown, she hedged, "N-no? I haven't been here that long."

"Great, I just know a place."

"And may I ask where that is?"

She just hoped he wasn't going to dispose of her body somewhere.

"Just a club, you'll see."

"I'm sorry, Mr Sandejas. But I've already said I was going to meet with Chase at your house. I can't, I can't just go to a club with you."

From the periphery, she saw him cringe visibly.

"Cass, call me Cass. Christ, Sage, you make me sound like my old man."

"Okay... Cass, I have work to do regarding your house renovation."

"I'm aware," he said snidely, "but Chase is not in yet, I should know. And you'll be seeing him soon enough, so don't you go worrying your pretty ass now."

He had just reassured her. It was her turn to assure herself. At least, he gave her a clue about why Chase didn't show up earlier.

"Fine," she muttered, " where did he go anyway?"

This time, he was the one who didn't answer. Or maybe he didn't hear her as he had his eyes focused on the road.

Silence ensued for sometime, and Lyari found herself sweating profusely through her white shirt despite the coolness of the car's interior.

When they reached a bend in the road, Cassian slowed the car until it came to a stop directly under the shade of a Narra tree.

She glanced at him in confusion, and as she did so, she came face to face with his searching vivid black eyes. The reason she could see those orbs clearly was because he had moved closer to her, his cool minty breath was almost a whisper on her face.

Too close for her liking.

"So, what do you think?"

"Wh-what?"

"I have a question for you, Miss Sage," he continued with that strangely endearing smile.

"What is it?" She snapped quietly, all too aware of the man's face just inches away from her.

"You look so tense I can almost feel it, why don't you get it on with me?"

This couldn't be happening.

A slow burn crept to her cheeks, then to her ears. She looked away, deeply offended and thoroughly confused by the thundering of her heartbeat.

Her shaky voice was almost a whisper when she managed to answer.

"No. I don't think so, Mr Sandejas."

He gazed at her closely for a moment, then tutted on his teeth. His lean body was back on his seat in the driver's side in a flash, and the faint smell of expensive musk that had been wreaking havoc in her senses ebbed away in his distance. Truth be told, no man had ever invaded her personal space like he just did.

She was finally able to breathe properly.

But the tension that had been there ever since she got in the car still hadn't subsided.

He looked at her again, and with a roll of his eyes he said, "Alright, feisty one. Let's get moving."

He had just threatened her professionalism. What's wrong with this guy?

"Get off the car with me," he instructed her while taking off his seatbelt. "Now."

The inflection in his tone could make a head spin in it's suddenness. She removed her seatbelt, watching as Cassian unfolded his tall frame out of the car. She did the same.

Lyari tried to forget about the fact that Cassian Sandejas had just propositioned her. It was a futile effort.

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