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And now, what she wanted the most was within her grasp as long as she played her cards right.
When they were alone again, she said in the same hesitant tone, “Thank you for agreeing to meet with me at such short notice.”
“You said it was urgent.”
She started playing with her table napkin, wanting to appear restless and hurt. “Why are you so cold?” Looking at him entreatingly, she said, “I didn’t mean for things to turn out that way, so please don’t get mad at me.”
After a pause, Vassi expelled his breath, saying, “I’m sorry.” He shook his head. “And I’m not mad at you. I suppose…I’m just having a hard time accepting that something happened between us.”
Daniela slowly picked up her fork, and this time she didn’t need to feign tension. This time, what she struggled to hide was her anger. Did Vassi even realize how insulting his words were?
“All I can say now is I’m sorry. I promise it won’t happen again.”
Daniela’s hold on her fork tightened. She had hoped he wouldn’t say that. She had hoped that after mixing sleeping pills in his drinks, having him wake up next to her in bed would be more than enough for him to realize that she was his perfect match.
But…she had also been prepared if things didn’t prove as simple as she hoped.
“I understand,” she whispered. “But Vassi…what if there are consequences?” She heard Vassi suck in his breath and smiled inwardly.
Oh, Vassi. Daniela wished she could tell him to just give it up. She had wanted him for so long, stupid beautiful boy. Did he really think she would let him slip out of her grasp so easily? If she could have raped him while he was drugged – if she could have somehow forced him to impregnate her – she would have. But sadly, the laws of physiology were beyond her ability to manipulate.
And so now it was back to lies and deception.
Which wasn’t so bad, she thought. They had gotten her this far already. There was no reason why more lies couldn’t get her to the finish line.
When Vassi still didn’t answer, she raised her gaze to his. “Vassi,” she appealed shakily. “Won’t you say something?” She waited for Vassi’s face to soften, but instead his silver eyes narrowed.
“How can there be consequences,” Vassi said softly, “when you said we were protected?”
Shit. Had she said that? Worry skittered down her spine, but Daniela forced herself to ignore it. “You k-know they’re not a hundred percent effective.” She willed herself to cry, and the tears came easily. “I’m j-just scared, okay? I have my whole career ahead of me, and I don’t know what I’ll do if I end up pregnant.” She tried reaching for his hand across the table, but instead Vassi pulled his hand away.
Daniela was more shocked than furious. The Vassi she knew could never be this rude, and especially not to her – his very special friend, which was how the media these days liked to refer to her as.
“We’ll cross that bridge if we get there.”
And now, Daniela realized what had changed.
Vassi was on his guard with her, and now she could not read him at all.
Shit.
She quickly changed tactics, adopting her old one-of-the-boys attitude in hopes of making Vassi relax again. “You’re right.” She flashed him a deliberately too-bright smile, wanting to portray herself as someone determined to make the best out of things for the sake of their friendship. “We shouldn’t talk about things that haven’t happened yet. I mean, for all we know, nothing could have happened.”
Vassi inclined his head. “Let’s hope for the best.”
For the rest of their meal, she tried her best to be the old Daniela Vassi had liked and trust, but it seemed like the harder she tried, the more distant he became.
Shit!
Where had she gone wrong?
When it was time to go and Vassi walked her to her car, she turned towards him suddenly, hoping she could accidentally kiss him, but it was as if he had already been expecting it. Before she could make a move, Vassi had stepped back and offered his hand to her.
“Friends?”
Shit. Left with no choice, she made do with a handshake, saying limply, “Friends.”
She got inside her car, and conscious of Vassi’s gaze following her, Daniela forced herself to remain calm as she drove away.
But the moment she was sure she was out of Vassi’s sight—-
Daniela screamed.
She made an abrupt turn to park in front of a convenience store, tires screeching, and causing the other vehicles behind her to step on the brakes and honk their horns at her.
Daniela didn’t care.
Screaming and screaming, she pulled her own hair in anger and struck the steering wheel with her bare hands repeatedly.
Even without Vassi having said a thing, she knew that he had somehow guessed her motives. If she didn’t do something drastic, she would lose him forever.
