Chapter 15
He is annoyed to know that Tyler is Stacey's former boss. He needs to do one of his plans quickly. Even if he is her devirginizer, he has no assurance that Stacey is all his. There are too many assholes around her.
Heather frowned when she saw that Nick seems to be in deep thought. It is annoying to think that he is not really listening to what she is saying. She has to make the first move because she feels that though he is talking to her, Nick's mind is somewhere else. She wants all his attention. He is elusive but she will make him finally appreciate her. She stood up then got one of the chairs and moved it near his seat. She touched his hand to get the glass of rum from him. She turned the glass. She drank from the side where Nick took a sip then she licked her lips after finishing the booze while looking at him seductively. She slowly ran her fingers from the back of his hand to his forearm and then his bicep.
Nick's forehead creased when he felt Heather's hand on his arm going down to his six-pack. "Stop that!" He said with a scowl.
"You said we're going out. When?" she asked while pouting her lips.
He narrowed his eyes. Heather is very pretty too. She has shorter hair than Stacey. Like her sister, she has mestiza features. But she is too agressive for his taste. Besides, it's Stacey he wants. "I'll call you." he said tonelessly.
"How? You don't even have my number." she said with a pout.
"I'll find a way. Sorry Heather but I have to go .See you around." he said before standing up. He is done questioning her about Stacey anyway.
Heather curled her lip in frustration and annoyance when Nick left her on the table.
***
"Mate! Are you leaving? The night is still young!?" Billy asked him and he just nodded.
"Hey! Heather is very pretty and obviously she has the hots for you so why are you going? What's wrong with you?" He asked with a frown.
"I am not interested. Enjoy the night. Happy birthday again! He just nodded at him again and waved to Jim before going out.
Next day...
(STACEY)
She looked up from what she's doing when she heard her mother called her. She was making a sandwich for herself. She stayed the night at Eve's and she just got home hours ago. She slept again and just woke up. It is already late in the afternoon. She can afford to sleep for long hours because she sings at the bar at night. She has plenty of free time during the day.
"Do you want some, Ma? "she asked her mother before going back to what she was doing.
"No. Thank you. Where's Amy? Why didn't you ask her to prepare food for you?"
She got her plate and sat down on the kitchen table to eat. "She is watering the plants."
"What time did you go home?"
"Past 6:00 in the morning, Ma." she answered without any emotions in her voice. Her eyes are on her plate. Her mother sat on the chair opposite hers. "Are you mad at me?" She asked with a sad voice.
She put down her sandwich which she was about to bite into. "I am just your daughter so I don't have the right to be mad at you. I am just a little hurt with what happened. Anyway these things usually happen. am used to all this so don't worry, I will be fine." she said before pouring orange juice to her glass.
Her mother touched one of her hands. "Stacey..please don't think that I always take your sister's side because I love her more. I do love you equally but since you are older, I expect you to be more understanding. She is still a little childish compared to you. Please Stacey.. don't get tired of having your younger sister's back."
"But I can't do that forever, Ma! Now I even had to quit my job! I can't be her lifesaver all the time! I always try to save her but she doesn't even seem to appreciate all that I do for her!" she said bitterly. She is giving up. She can't always be sacrificing for her ungrateful half-sister.
"I'm sorry, Ma. Please just let me do what I like. I want to stop being a big sister to her. I am really tired. It's for my own good. I hope this time, you will understand me. Can you do that, Ma?" she asked before taking a sip of her juice. She pushed the plate with her sandwich away from her. She doesn't want it anymore. She lost her appetite. She often has this kind of conversation with her mother but nothing changed. She is wishing hard that her mother will be more considerate of her.
Her mother sighed. And evading her question, she said, "You always come home really late. You didn't even sleep here last night. Why not find a better job? I think you should consider the modelling job they were offering you. Of course not for a men's magazine. You can probably do ramp. I am sure you will earn more compared to what you are earning now."
She crossed her arms in front of her and leaned on her chair. "Ma, don't worry. This is just temporary. Anyway I have enough savings so I won't ask money from uncle John or you." "That's not what I meant, dear." Her mother said with sadness in her eyes.
"Look Ma, eventually I will move out. I know I don't have a place here. I am going to start to look for a more stable job and then leave. Please excuse me. I need to do something." she bit her bottom lip to stop it from trembling. She is on the verge of crying. She stood up to put the sandwich in the fridge.
Her mother stood up too and went towards her as she goes to the sink to wash her glass.
"Stacey, this is your house too. You don't have to go."
"That's not true, Ma. We both know it. It's okay. I came to accept that." she said tonelessly.
"Miss Pretty!!" came Amy's shrill voice as she giddily screams her pet name for her.
"AMY! What's with that voice?! " her mother looked disapprovingly at their housekeeper.
"Madam! There is a very good-looking man asking for miss Stacey! " Amy's eyes twinkled while she smiles from ear to ear.
"Is it Tyler?" she asked her.
"Miss pretty, have you forgotten? I call sir Tyler, Sergio don't I? The leading male character in my favorite Mexican soap opera? FYI.. the man in the living room is not sir Tyler."
"Are you sure that it's me he is looking for?"
She had to be sure. So far, Tyler is the only man who sometimes comes to their house to woo her the old-fashioned way. He brings flowers and chocolates for her.
"Holy Molly eating macaroni Miss Pretty! Will you just go there and talk to him? Where are your manners? We shouldn't let such a handsome man wait! I am already embbarrassed as it is because he saw me with my wet apron on ! And look at me! My hair is such a mess too! I have to fix myself before I go out and bring some drinks for him. Go now miss pretty before he leaves! " Amy said to her before walking to go to the servant's quarter.
Stacey rolled her eyes but before Amy totally left the kitchen, she turned to her mother, "Mrs. Williams, hold on to your orders okay? I have to freshen up first!"
Her mother exasperatedly tapped her own forehead in exasperation.
"Go on Stacey. See who it is. I will check the food in the fridge and pantry. I have to cook dinner. Your sister will be home soon."
***
She almost stepped backwards when she saw him. He is standing near the sliding door leading to the veranda. His hands are in his pockets while he looks at their garden. He is wearing a light blue long- sleeves dress shirt minus the tie and he has light brown pants on. He probably came from his office. He looks so hot as usual.
Nick felt her presence. He slowly looked at her from head to toe. She has her hair loose. She's wearing a white sleeveless body fit shirt and dark green shorts. She has silver flat sandals on which show her smooth nice feet. Her toes are very cute and they have red polish on. He is looking at her body appreciatively as any normal male would. He can vividly remember how beautiful she is especially without her clothes on. His dick reacted.
"I think Amy made a mistake. She said you were looking for me. I guess she misheard you. I am sure that you want to see Heather not me. She is not here yet but she'll be home any minute now. Just wait for her.." she said in a voice without any emotions before turning to go to her room.
She doesn't want to waste her time talking to Heather's man. She knows her bitchy half-sister so well. She might think that she is flirting with him if she saw them together. She'd rather take a nap before going to the bar instead of having a chat with Mr. Grumpy.
"I want you, not your sister." She heard him say.
That halted her. She slowly turned to him again and with one raised brow, she asked, "Excuse me?" She feels what he said has a double meaning.
A grin broke his lips and he moved closer to her. Not too close. Just a right distance. He crossed his arms on his chest.
She frowned. He is looking at her with intensity. She did her best to look directly at him too. He may be as hot as hell but she won't let him intimidate her. "Don't get any wrong ideas. You are pretty but I never get involved with women with boyfriends. So you are safe with me." he said with a sneering smile.
He said that to fish more information. He wants to hear what she will say. He is curious who her real boyfriend is. Her former boss or the dickhead she was with last night. According to Heather, that Tyler is her boyfriend.
Stacey let out a smile which doesn't reach her eyes. "You are not even supposed to say that because you are already with my sister. Like you, I also don't want to be involved with any man who has a girlfriend..especially if the girlfriend is my half-sister." she said coldly.
She wants to kick his shin out of annoyance. He is really very condescending. It makes her want to hit herself too because she is pissed with herself. She used to fantasize about him a lot but then she realized that not all good looking men are ideal men. Now she is more determined to look past guys' appearances. Most of the time, very attractive men have bad attitudes. Nick tops them all. She swallowed a smile when his grin disappeared.
Nick stopped grinning when it suddenly came to him that as Derick, he doesn't count as her boyfriend. Stacey said their relationship has no label. That is fine with him. He was waiting for her to deny that she has a boyfriend but what she said didn't give away anything. He stopped himself from gritting his teeth. He should look nonchalant.
Mind control Alcantara...mind control...Don't ruin everything! he advised himself.
He will find a way about those men soon anyway. He has to change the subject and say what he came here for.
"I want you to work for me so I am offering you a job." he said tonelessly.
Stacey's forehead creased. "Did you just say you are offering me a job? Is this a joke?" she asked with an almost shrill voice.
This man has probably lost it. She thought.
"Your sister said that you used to work for an ad company but you quit. And she hinted that she's quite worried because you always come home late because of your new job."
She can't believe that her half-sister would say such a thing. And since when did Heather start to care about her? She probably said that to Nick so she will sound like a caring and loving sister to her. Heather's bitchiness to her half-sister would definitely turn Nick off.
She will definitely not be a part of her drama. " No. Thanks." she retorted.
"Listen to me first before you turn my job offer down. We are in need of a graphic designer just for a few months. If your work is satisfactory, we will hire you permanently. The pay is good and you have a lot of perks. And since you are Heather's sister, you will have more days off."
Nick had to add that last part to convince her that he's doing this for her sister. She should not know that his motive for offering her a job is to stop her from working at the bar. He wants her to be as far away from the fucking bastard she was with last night. He also doesn't want her to work for her former boss, Tyler.
Without her knowing it, she had given him the right to keep an eye on her when she decided to agree to "Derick's proposal."
Since he met her, he realized that he has no desire to share her with anyone.
Stacey is now Derick's woman. His woman. And Nicholas Derick Alcantara always protects what's his.