The Game Of Love (#1)

Chapter-6 The Devil Again

Hazel walked through the beautiful foyer with its polished white tiled floor and was amazed at the luxury around here. The walls were white too and the one to her left had shelves in them which were decorated with exotic bonsai plants and lighted with recessed lightings, making them look even more pretty.

"Cute," She smiled at them, her sneakers making no noise on the floor before heading on. At the far end, she came across a huge matt black double doors.

She rang the bell and could hear it ringing inside. Ideally, she wondered who lived here. In her imagination, it would be a newly-wed couple. The guy could be a businessman or an investment banker and the wife could be stay-at-home or working at someplace like Vogue. She also imagined them having two dogs. Two cute pomeranian dogs, one white and one brown. They would be fitness enthusiasts and would go for a run around Central Park every morning, throwing fancy parties on weekends. She had no idea from where she got all that from but she smiled at her imagination nevertheless.

There was a buzzing noise that startled the crap out of her and she heard a lock click on the double doors. Hazel frowned, contemplating for a bit, and then noticed the security screen outside.

"The owner must have seen me," She thought and tried the door. As expected it was opened, so she gave it a slight push with her foot and walked inside. The door automatically closed behind her but Hazel was too dazed to respond. She was completely blown by the interiors of the apartment. 

The room was huge if she could even call it a room. It stretched as far as her eyes could see. Across her, covering the entire place was the huge floor-to-ceiling windows that looked down at the sprawling city. It took her breath away, just staring at the stunning vista. There were four big white pillars placed adjacent to each other and Hazel looked up to realize that the two of them supported the sitting area/ balcony with its intricate glass railing upstairs. The walls and the all-over theme was white and grey and it all looked extremely sophisticated and luxurious. So far she had only seen these kinds of homes in those glossy magazines like Architectural Digest that Madison buys. But now she realized that they do exist in reality.

"Welcome, Ms. Connery," A strong masculine voice said and she turned to see a guy walking down the dark wood and glass stairs to her right. She froze immediately in recognition as he looked up at her, a big grin on his face.

What the f**k?

"You!" She exclaimed, glaring at him. He was the last person she expected to see here. The same bastard, the bad encounter six months ago. The f*****g asshole who left money for her after they hooked up for one night as if she was a hooker or something. And the worst of all that was...that she can't remember his name. What the hell was his name?

"What the hell are you doing here?" She demanded as he leisurely walked over to her, the shitty grin never leaving his lips.

"I kinda live here," He answered and pointed towards the white weirdly shaped couch. "Please, be seated. I think we need a proper introduction, don't we?"

"The hell we do. Just get your delivery, give me my money and I will leave," Hazel snapped, irritated.

"Do I really look like I will be interested in pizza, Hazel?" He asked, c*****g his head to the side as his dark eyes appraised her.

"Then why the hell did you order? And wait for a second...how do you even know my name?" She inquired and he smiled at her. "I don't think you remembered it,"

"I know more than just your name, sweetheart. I hope you haven't forgotten that night? I haven't," He smirked. "Now if you will sit down, I can let you know why I lured you here. And by all means, leave the boxes on the table. I will pay once I am done talking with you,"

"No thanks. I will pay for this myself. My treat and I am outta here now," She scowled. "Enjoy Barney's pizza," She shot him a look, shoved the pizza boxes on the coffee table, and ignored the amused look on his face before heading towards the door. He said nothing but she could feel his eyes on her all the damn time. Grimacing to herself, Hazel tried the door and was baffled to find it locked. She tried again, a little harder but it was useless. The bloody door won't budge.

"Open the damn door!" Hazel snapped and he rolled his eyes at her.

"Jesus, don't make it look like I am kidnapping you or something. If you will sit down for five minutes, it will spare both of us a lot of time. I am a very busy person, Hazel. And I am sure you are too. So please if you would, or...I will make you sit down myself,"

"Are you threatening me?" She hissed and he shook his head.

"I am warning you," He answered flatly. "Now if you will," Hazel glared at him while he just simply stared back at her in response. Sighing, she made her way towards the couch and gingerly flop down on it.

"Now that's more like it," He grinned as he took a seat beside her. "I don't think you remember my name, I am Damien Hamilton. Nice to meet you,"

Damien Hamilton, that does rings a bell. Hazel stared at him and wished wholeheartedly he was not so brutally handsome. He was so good-looking that for a moment she lost sense of everything. His face was chiseled and sharp, eyes dark as molten dark chocolate and the almost black hairs made him look exotic and somewhat dangerous. She blushed as she vaguely remembered that night and her eyes drifted to his lips. She bit her lips and shook her head.

Get a grip! You, i***t!

"Like what you see?" Damien asked, smirking and she turned scarlet, scowling at him to cover that up.

"What do you want?" Hazel demanded and he c****d his head to the side again, staring at her intently. She didn't like the way he was looking at her. Like he would love to strip her out of every single piece of clothing on her body this very moment.

"I have a life-changing proposal for you," He answered. "A proposal that would change everything in your life, Hazel,"

"I do understand what life-changing means," She said and couldn't help but sound sarcastic. "You...have a proposal for me?"

"You sound like I am asking to marry you," Damien replied, equally sarcastic. "Yes, I have a proposal for you, Ms. Connery. Why else would you be sitting here?"

"How the f**k do you know where I work?" Hazel demanded and Damien smirked. He reached out and slowly ran his thumb over her lower lips. She was startled for a moment but quickly gathering herself, she slapped his hand away.

"Stay away," She hissed. "I haven't forgotten what you did last time,"

"Well, the past is in the past," He answered, smiling at her. "Trust me, what I will propose to you is better, bigger, and much more er...lasting, I guess,"

"And what will that be?" Hazel demanded, frowning at him. Damien stared at her and then shook his head.

"Not now. It will take some time to explain it all to you. Detailed discussion, if you will. And I have a meeting in precisely ten minutes. I am sure you will have other er deliveries as well," Damien murmured. "What time are you free tonight? We can have dinner here and I will explain it all to you, okay?"

"I don't want to have dinner with you and I have to be at work by nine," Hazel answered flatly and it was Damien's turn to scowl.

"Must you make it so hard for me?" He demanded. "My driver will pick you up at seven and drive you back here. And about your work...I will take care of it. Anything else?"

"You cannot just have your way like this!" Hazel protested, getting angrier by the minute. "And please don't tell me you know where I live,"

"I always have my way, baby girl," Damien hissed, moving closer to her. He smelt so divine, pure masculine that for a moment Hazel almost lost track of what they were talking about in the first place. "And I even know your shoe size so," He added and she stared at him wide-eyed.

What the f**k?

"That's an invasion of privacy!" She protested and Damien scoffed.

"Please...anybody can get their hands on such information if they wished to," He answered, sitting back. "Now about dinner. My driver will pick you up at seven and well, that's that, I guess,"

"What makes you so sure that I will come?" Hazel challenged and Damien shrugged.

"I am not confident about whether you will come or not. But I am confident that I will make you come," He smirked at her again and Hazel didn't know what exactly he was talking about. She narrowed her eyes at him and he just smiled at her.

"I always get my way, Hazel," Damien murmured, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "So I will make sure that you will be here tonight. What I suggest is that, don't make it hard for me. Because, what I am going to offer you...nobody ever can. So, be sensible and I will see you tonight,"

Hazel stared at him blankly, blown by his audacity and Damien grinned at her. Moving closer, he grabbed her chin and lightly placed a kiss on her lips. It was one of those kisses, the briefest of touch that lingers throughout the day, making you yearn for more, and without saying this out loud, Hazel knew that against her better judgment, she will be back here tonight.

"Tonight," Damien whispered, before moving away and Hazel gulped, completely speechless.

As she rode down the elevator, she tried all sorts of possibilities in her head as to what he might want but there was no reasonable conclusion that made sense to her. Why on earth will he have a proposal for her? It was a question, the answer to which lies with him and that she will uncover in exactly five hours. If she decides on hearing him out. 

Five hours before her life changes completely...