The Billionaire's Assassin [COMPLETE]

File 14: Don't Do Relationships

Santa Barbara, California

2010

Rex sighed in defeat, his head hanging low before looking up into Maya’s unwavering eyes. They contained haunting questions he knew he had to answer or he’d lose her completely. “Before I start, I’d like to state that I’m not that guy anymore. I don’t want to be that guy with you.”

From the way she crossed her arms over her chest, leaning back with a vacant expression, he knew his fear just came true. She was retreating from him. “I just tutor you in Korean, so I don’t care what kind of guy you are outside of our sessions.”

Straightening himself properly, he breathed in as much confidence as he could muster. Maya was different. Why? He was still trying to figure that out, days spend wondering why she smiled basked in his mind and heart. And he couldn’t let that go.

“Maya, I like you,” he began, eyes yearning for her not to turn away. She kept her gaze on him, trying to conceal the fluttering of her heart. “I like you more than I’ve liked any girl. And I want to be better for you. I’ve made mistakes and treated many girls horribly, including Jenna.”

“What exactly did you do to Jenna?”

Beneath her arm, she was clenching her hand, her mind swirling with the worst possible scenario. She knew Jenna and Rex had a short and messy relationship (if it could be called that) before she arrived. It was Jenna’s job to secure a position by his side at all cost for the mission. However, she hadn’t been foretold the reality of what the price would be.

Now she knew.

Rex stayed silent for a moment, contemplating how he should explain himself. Nonetheless, he knew he’d be the villain in the story no matter how he paraphrased it. “Well, when she first arrived, I thought she was cute. So we started hanging out and we got...a bit closer. For a while, I think she thought we were dating--which we weren’t. But I took advantage of the thought and after this crazy party, we...slept...together.”

Maya knew there was more to the story, keeping silent as he mustered the words to continue. “And I panicked. I don’t do ‘relationships’...” That moment, he scanned Maya with sorrowful eyes. They’d only known each other for a few weeks, but he knew there was a spark he’d never felt before when he first laid eyes on her. And if he wasn’t careful with his words, he knew that spark wouldn’t see the light of day because of his cowardly mistake before. “...I didn’t want to be in a relationship with Jenna. Or any other girl but...but I hurt her right after we slept together.” Keeping his eyes to the table, he could hear Maya’s breath heaving. “She left my house but came back for her phone and caught me with...Olivia. I think a part of me knew she’d return and I wanted her to catch me so she would realize the hard way we weren’t anything.”

The screech of her chair sliding against the floor abruptly clambered at his heart. This was it. Jenna was close with Maya, best friends even, so of course she’d run for the hills. He anticipated the curses, the final goodbye, never talk again. A ping ached in his chest. To cancel their date tomorrow.

She slammed her textbook on the table, startling him. “Let’s get started at the next chapter of our vocabulary. Take out your book.”

“Maya--”

Looking at him with striking eyes of bitterness, she interrupted him before he could sneak into her mind with sweet words. “What you did to Jenna was horrible. And you probably did it to countless other girls. But I’m not going to be one of those girls. I’m not interested in sleeping with you or any relationship that would involve that, so let’s get back to studying.”

“Maya, what--”

“And I’ll still hang out with you this weekend. But as friends, nothing more. Got it?”

With a tentative nod, Rex agreed half-heartedly. “I got it.”

*~*~*~*~*~*

The last time Rex had been this anxious about going out, it’d been for a trip to Disney when he was still in grade school. Nerves fluttered below his skin. Breathing in deeply, he tried to settle his heart rate while he checked his watch. She texted that she’d meet him at the restaurant instead of him picking her up as he’d intended. After his confession, he knew he needed to tread lightly with her. But would she skip out? That thought had raked through his mind since he’d admitted his mistake. And most importantly, how could he convince her to trust him with her heart?

His fingers pressed against the cool chain of his uncle’s necklace. For good luck. He spent the better half of the day asking for male guidance for what to do and say during their “hang out.”

“Here’s some advice: be genuinely honest about how you feel even though she might push you away after finding out…” Uncle Leo scrutinized him discouragingly. “...your past hobbies.”

“Is that what you do with mom? Be honest with your feelings?”

Leo practically choked at the accusation. “What are you talking about?”

Rex gave him a playful shove. “I know you like my mom, for years now.”

“She’s married to your father, my friend. Why would I do such a thing? And why are you spouting such foolishness?”

“Because you make my mom happy when you come around. When dad’s around, she looks miserable. I just like seeing my mom happy, that’s all.”

The seconds flew by before Leo could bring himself to reply. Rex, since he’d known him, had always been an emotionally intelligent child although he tried to hide it. Reaching behind his neck, Leo unhooked his chain and dropped it in his hand before handing it to Rex. “Good luck for your ‘hang out’ with this Maya girl. She must be something for you to be all nervous like this.”

“Thanks, Uncle Leo. And she is something. Something amazing, I just know it.”

“Is this seat taken?” a familiar voice asked.

Rex looked up at her, unable to contain his boyish grin as he stood up, adjusting his tie awkwardly. “Nope, not at all.” Taking a seat, Rex’s eyes drew every inch of her in. Maya wore an olive green mid-sleeve shirt and a black mini skirt with ankle boots. Internally, he purred like a hungry cat, masking his desires with a gentle smile.

The restaurant sat by the bank of the beach, overlooking the endless ocean while the sunset. Known for their expensive seafood cuisines and calm atmosphere, he started to appreciate his mom’s advice more. His mom had told it was the most romantic place a girl could ask for and she was right, noticing Maya’s gaze along the shimmering horizon.

“Rex, be honest,” Maya began, her eyes lingering out the window. “Are you playing around with me?” After the full question slipped her lips, she finally looked over at him.

Pinching his lips together, he drew in all the confidence he could muster, despite the palms of his hands sweating. “No,” he confessed candidly. “I like you, Maya. And I don’t take liking someone lightly.”

“Why me, then? There are prettier, more willing girls. Was it because I was new?”

Rex chuckled at the question, leaning closer to her. She didn’t inch away, which pleased him. “Believe it or not, I was drawn to you. You’re beautiful, smart, charming, the list goes on. Honestly, it’s the first time I’ve wanted more than just s*x from a girl and that’s new to me. Wanting to be chivalrous and open is new to me. But I want to be better for you.”

A cool, electrical sensation coursed down Maya’s spine, taking in his words. To think, she almost didn’t come, her morals and duty split into two. Half of her wanted to stay because of how he hurt Jenna but the other wanted to know if she was just another prize to be won or if he wanted to change. Staring at him now, greens eyes always hypnotizing her with a passionate chill, she tried to settle the excitement. She couldn’t relish in hope; not with her targets son. But analyzing the way his white dress shirt clunch to his lean body, sleeves rolled to his forearms to display his muscles, she found herself holding on to hope.

She snapped out of her thoughts when the waiter arrived and they ordered before Rex returned to the conversation with his own inquiries. “Now may I ask you why you’re asking me this if we’re just friends, nothing more?”

If he was being honest, she would have to be too. “Because a piece of me likes you too. And I’m not willing to get hurt when there are perfectly notable signs to avoid you.”

“Are you saying, you’ll give me a chance to prove my worth?” There was no denying the sparkle in his eyes that had Maya’s pulse racing. There was something about him she couldn’t put her finger on but she was still curious to piece him together.

“Yes, a chance.”

“That’s all I need.”

Throughout their evening, they swayed from one topic to another enjoyably as they spoke about their likes and dislikes, pieces of exposable past laughs, and future endeavors. Maya found herself loosening up to him, laughing at his petty jokes and getting a cramp in her jaw from smiling so much. There were times she had to remind herself that Rex was only a mission. After they were done with Micky, they’d head back to the agency for another assignment. And Rex would just be a fond memory. So why not bask in it?

After dinner, Rex insisted on walking along the beach, Maya taking her heels off to enjoy the warm sand. “You know this is my first date s***h hang out, right?” Rex informed her, warmth touching his cheeks.

Maya granted him a puzzled expression. “Your first?”

“Yeah, I told you I don’t do this sort of thing. I actually had to ask my mom and Uncle Leo some advice for tonight.” Taking a piece of paper from his pocket, he presented it to her with scribbles and outlines of checks and exes. “I made a list of what to do and not, just because I was so nervous.”

“Yet, you are the school Casanova. Why is that?”

He shrugged. “What can I say? I’m a chick magnet. I never had any trouble with getting girls to like me but finding a sensible relationship with them has always been a struggle. I don’t have the best relationship goals to follow from my parents. Plus no girl seemed to pique my interest for something further. And if they did…”

He let his words fall to the ground, the sound of the ocean crest hitting the shore and voices along the pier surrounding them. They continued to walk, Maya unable to find the right words to finish his sentence. The scenery of the ocean, seagulls flying overhead, and the cheering chatter kept them calm but sprouted an ambiguous feeling as the tried to gather their thoughts. Rex didn’t divulge that much about his home life, especially with his father gone to who-knows-where, prickling at Maya’s insides. She wanted to ask more. To remove the strain beneath his eyes when he spoke about his parents.

Gingerly, Rex entangled his fingers within her, pausing their steps to spin her closer to him. There were surprise and fever in her brown eyes that made him want to dive into her every being. “I get scared of committing myself and getting hurt, like you.” At the mention, she coyly looked down at her bare toes. “However, I would like you to take a bold chance on me. For the first time, I want a relationship, even without the sex.”

Her eyes flicker upwards at him and for the first time, he could tell she’d become worried, maybe even frightened of his statement. Why was that? “You don’t do relationships. And neither do I. So why now?”

“Because it’s you.” With his free hand, he scratched his neck nervously. “You’re mature in the places I’m immature. I enjoy being with you, flirting with you. And if you were my girlfriend, I’d be able to do this…”

With a gentle finger, he lifted her chin upwards to meet his lips. Relaxing in his passionate touch, Maya drew closer as that spark that now fueled her entire body with heated pleasure. His hands wrapped around her waist, lips molded perfectly with one another. They were soft, inviting, everything they’d wondered about and more. It felt all too surreal until Rex finally pulled away breathlessly. Maya blinked herself back into reality, heart thumping uncontrollably while she still clung to his embrace.

“...I’m having a birthday party soon,” he sighed, pressing his forehead to hers. “I want you to come and tell me your answer there. But I don’t think I could handle rejection right after I finally felt those lips.”