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Alina dropped her hand and raised her head to the other woman. “What?” She asked, her eyes moving from left to right.
“It is something you will have to do when Dereck takes over the company,” Dereck’s mother added.
Dereck shook his head and spoke through his teeth, forcing to restrain himself. “She wouldn’t have to move to Connecticut because I am not moving to Connecticut. I will not be taking over the company.”
“Huh,” was all his mother said.
The family ate the rest of their breakfast in silence and when they were finished, departed for their tasks. Dereck’s father went into the home office to sign some documents Dina had brought home while his mother stomped off in the direction of the gardens, screaming for a maid as she went.
When they were alone, Dereck laced his fingers with Alina’s. “See, that wasn’t so bad.”
Alina fanned her face with her free hand. “Speak for yourself. I almost fainted.” Then she sighed. “I don’t think your mother likes me very much.”
“She just doesn’t know you.” Dereck massaged the back of Alina’s hand. “Trust me, once she finds out what a wonderful person you are, she would be fawning over you.”
A Lamborghini drove up to the front of the house then and stopped by the fountain.
“Wait here,” Dereck said, and he ran off to speak to a man who came out of the lavishing vehicle. The man was dressed in a dark brown Prada suit and had a Rolex on his wrist. His hair was slicked back neatly and his shoes shined from afar. Dereck greeted the man with a handshake and a slap on the back.
“One day he’s going to realize that you are not right for him, that you don’t fit in and you never will,” Dina approached Alina from behind. “And when that day comes, he’s going to leave you for someone who does.”
Alina turned around to confront Dina. “I know that you’re just saying that because you’re looking out for your brother, but I promise you, there is no reason for concern.” Alina pushed out of her chest and furrowed her brows. “I love Dereck and I will never hurt him like that again.”
“You’re wrong.” Dina held Alina’s eyes. “I’m telling you this because you don’t fit in. You can never be one of us.” Dina folded her arms and began to walk away, leaving Alina with one final statement. “If I were you, I’d save myself the heartache and leave before that day comes.”
Alina swallowed hard and turned her attention back to Dereck. A woman had just emerged from the car and the man was introducing her to Dereck. She wore her hair in a neat wrap on top of her head and her slender body was covered with a sharp pants suit. This woman was poised and elegant, the type of woman who represented their countries in beauty contests. It showed in every movement, as with the aura of being elite.
Alina watched Dereck as he engaged in conversation with the couple.
This was the type of people he was used to, the type he grew up with. Maybe Dina was right. Though Alina had made a successful life for herself, she would never fit in that society.
22
Alina handled the last strokes with care and precision. After all, this painting was the major feature of her exhibition. The rest of the painting had been completed weeks ago, but with her heart in turmoil from her temporary break up Dereck, she placed the completion of her work on hold.
She cleaned the last line of the painting, rest the brush on the table, and leaned back in her chair with a heavy sigh. Now that it was completed, Bailey could finally stop harassing her about the piece and could complete the details of the exhibition.
“I almost froze to death without your sexy body to keep me warm.” Alina raised her head to find Dereck standing at the doorway.
Her hands reacted immediately, covering the painting before he could venture further into the room. “You know you’re not supposed to see the paintings until the exhibition,” she said with a curl on her lips.
Dereck took three steps and, with his long stride, it landed him just beyond Alina’s reach. “You are so distrustful. Why do you assume I came in here to see that painting?” Dereck’s lips slightly curled into a smile. “I came to check out the other fabulous art you have in here.”
Alina’s art room was a personal exhibition of her work. She filled the walls with many portraits, some modest and others not so much, leading her parents to deduce that she was the artistic version of a porn director. That was just one of the many reasons she didn’t get along well with her parents.
Dereck was walking around the room now with his hand at his back, accentuating the lines of his toned chest and arms. His physique was not the only mouth-watering aspect of this man. Dereck was also very handsome, even in his unkempt state. He had dark hair and most days he sported rugged facial hair which did wonders to hide his pronounced jawline but made his gray eyes more conspicuous.
“Uh-huh,” Alina said, keeping her eyes on the shirtless man as he made his way to the ottoman she placed by the window. The view was not spectacular as the many skyscrapers of New York City surrounded her, but Alina sometimes liked to take in the fresh air, or as fresh as she could get while getting ideas for her next painting. “You know I don’t believe you for one second, right?”
Dereck peeked outside without actually stopping and made his way to the other side of the room, where Alina kept a sculpture she had won in an auction. Like many of her paintings, the clay woman shamelessly bore her imperfect body in the most provocative posture.
“Whether you choose to believe me doesn’t change the truth,” Dereck said, his eyes now locked on Alina. He had almost lost her once. Fueled by hurt and revenge, he drove her away. Luckily, she loved him enough to give him another chance. What would he have done if she had refused?
As he looked at her now, her teeth gently biting at her lip, the tingling sensation in his groin returned. Alina was an expert in causing instant arousal with her small waist and firm backside. Whether she was a natural blonde, he did not know, but her shoulder-length hair suited her well, especially with her full lips and flushed cheeks. She was a relatively petite woman, but with those stunning sapphire eyes, she was never unnoticed.
A thought suddenly came to Dereck, filling him with excitement. “You know,” he began, his heart beating harder at the thought. “I don’t believe we’ve ever made love in this room.” Alina’s eyebrows went up immediately and she tilted her head, watching the bulge in the front of his joggers. “We’ve done it in every other room, except this one.”
There was a twinkle in Alina’s eyes and a teasing in her voice when she said. “The rest of my apartment is only one room.”
