You know that moment when you make an entrance and everyone just snaps his or her heads towards you and suddenly there’s silence? Complete, pin-drop silence?

Yeah that’s what Marco was witnessing right now. Even then he didn’t really care. He ran his fingers through his hair, in frustration and took a seat at his usual booth. He could still feel the gazes boring at him, but living all of his life in the spotlight, not having privacy at all, had made him grown accustomed to it.

Today he didn’t even run his eyes in the place to look for the one woman he had been coming here specifically for. No, today he just kept his eyes lowered and his fingers in tight fists, as they drummed onto the wooden table in front of him.

“What can I get you Sir?” The achingly familiar voice spoke next to where he sat, and betrayed the underlying nervousness in it that was palpable then.

He whipped his head to meet her fiery blue eyes, which seemed a little worried by the looks of it. He almost wanted to punch a hole into the table before him then. Nobody really did give a shit. It was all a farce. But somehow, he managed to rein in his emotions that were in a wild frenzy inside him.

“Nothing,” he bit out in a flat monotone. He made sure his voice betrayed no emotion. He noticed as a tiny little frown formed on Vanessa’s face. It was as if she was trying to work out an extremely difficult problem in her head.

“Are you done? Now leave.” His voice came out a lot more coldly than he expected it to, and he saw as Vanessa visibly flinched and her features slashed with hurt. But as soon as it had appeared, her face was the perfect mask of nothingness again.

“Okay.” It was all she said as she turned around to leave him. He realized what an asshole he was being to her then. At that point he hadn’t even registered the fact that his hand had flown out from by his side and was now gently gripping Vanessa’s wrist, stopping her in mid-step.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

It was the only word that kept on swirling in his head at his stupidity. By now, Vanessa had turned around and was now looking at him with inquiring eyes. Her eyes slowly left his, and lowered, her gaze pausing at his hand still holding onto her.

“I’m sorry.” He muttered under his breath, watching as her face lifted and her eyes widened with shock. It was as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Then again, he should have known what her reaction would have been.

Obviously she was going to get shocked if a guy who filled out a suit as well as he did, was apologizing to her for being an ass.

Yes. Completely justifiable.

“Sit here for a while?” Marco gently asked her. He was surprised his voice had come out so soft despite of his mood. Hell, it was the first time he was talking to someone like this if he didn’t count his family.

Vanessa stared at him, dumbfounded before turning around and looking into the direction of –now that Marco noticed- a group of gaping women, some of which were dressed exactly as Vanessa was. He tugged her hand again; withdrawing her attention from the group of women she was now glaring at.

“No I don’t think that’s going to be the best idea sir.” Vanessa replied uneasily.

He didn’t know why but a pang of disappointment rushed through him. Nobody really cared, did they? No matter how rich he was, or how successful, or how good looking, at the end of the day, that’s exactly what he was.

A hollow person, just decorated with the best jewels and the best accessories from the outside. That’s entirely what called people towards him, didn’t it?

And here, stood Vanessa Laurenz. The first woman –besides Gabriella- who had showed zero interest in what he had to offer and all that he could give her. But, obviously, she hated his guts

The fact was like a cold bucket-full of water right at his face.

…

Vanessa almost regretted turning him down when he asked her to sit with her for some time. For the first time, since she’d met Marco Arthur Davinci, had she seen vulnerability in his eyes before they had turned passive and unfeeling. She watched as he stood up, running his fingers through his hair, and walking out of the diner from where he had entered from in the first place.

“Was that Marco Arthur Davinci?” Mirrah asked in a deathly calm tone when Vanessa walked back to their table with her head hung low.

“Yes,” came Vanessa’s reply.

“You never even t–”

“Mirrah not now. Please,” Vanessa cut her off in mid-sentence. She wasn’t in the mood to be interrogated. Her mind was still on a certain dark blonde haired man who had walked out without giving her an inviting look for the first time in almost three months.

“Huh? He’s my boss and you couldn’t even bother telling me? Whatever!” She huffed, slid out of the chair and stomped out of the doors.

And another temper tantrum today.

“What did he want?” Phoebe asked quietly, catching onto Vanessa’s mood. Sometimes Vanessa wondered why she was best friends with Mirrah anyway. She never really did get when to shut up or when Vanessa wasn’t in the state to talk. Phoebe knew how to handle things with her even though she’d known her for a very short time.

“He wanted me to sit and talk,” Vanessa answered a little hesitantly making Phoebe’s eyes widen in wonderment.

“And what did you say?!” piped in Esme. By now she’d had even forgotten Esme’s presence by her side in between all of the drama, so hearing her voice surprised her a little.

“I told him it was inappropriate and he left…”

With the way her friends were looking at her, Vanessa wanted the ground to open up and swallow her. Being in such an open scrutiny was never really her thing.

“What?” she asked growing a little self-conscious.

“Go after him! What were you thinking Vanessa?” Phoebe exclaimed.

Something in her head clicked then. She didn’t know whether it was déjà vu or an adrenaline rush, but she was finding herself walking away from her group of friends with increasing speed towards the exit. The cool breeze hit her face making her flush a little when she stepped outside.

He would have left by now. What was she even thinking coming after him after taking such a long time?

Her eyes were roaming across the streets looking for Marco, hoping he’d somehow appear across the sidewalk. She was so lost in her reverie that she didn’t even realize where she was walking until she crashed in to a hard frame. Clearly jolted out of her ministrations of the street, she looked up to see a surprised man looking down at her.

“I’m sorry, excuse me,” she muttered under her breath and was going to walk away when she tripped over an empty beer can on the sidewalk. She was about to fall when a pair of hands reached out and steadied her.

“Are you o-” The stranger’s question was cut off when they both heard faint gasps and entwined moans coming off from some distance.

“I’m sorry, give me a minute please,” Vanessa mumbled as she made her way off to the noises. She didn’t know what she was expecting or even hoping at that point, as she followed blindly into the slightly darkened alleyway. Her heels clicked ferociously onto the damp, cemented sidewalk. Missing out a small puddle of water before her, she stumbled once again, making a clattering noise. She mentally cursed herself at her clumsiness.

Pulling herself back she glanced up and saw something she had never expected to see even in a million years.

It was Marco Arthur Davinci. But that’s not what surprised her. What shocked her to the bone was the woman in his arms, locked in a passionate kiss with him. The all too similar golden hair blew in the breeze, as the both of them groaned again.

It was her best friend Mirrah.

A lump, the size of a football field lodged into her throat. She had thought he cared. For a few seconds there at the diner, she had actually been stupid enough to think that he cared when she’d seen vulnerability and pain in his eyes.

“Hey, I’m not too sure if you should be there…” the man she’d encountered earlier said from behind her, causing

 the two passionate individuals to break apart and look at what had interrupted their moment of privacy.

“Yeah,” was all Vanessa managed through her throat, thick with tears that by some miracle did not slip from her eyes. She wasn’t even sure why she felt so devastated then. She had no right to feel that way.

“Vanessa…” she heard Marco stutter, breathlessly as he pushed away from Mirrah and made a move towards her.

“Stop,” Vanessa held her hand high. She did not know what she would have done if her nerve at that moment had not hardened. She continued, “Just stop. If for one minute, you think I’ll buy your bullshit, then think again.”

Her voice was cold and rigid. This man was never going to change. This asshole was never going to change.

She didn’t even know she was crying until she felt a tear fall from her eye onto the base of her neck. The little movement didn’t go unnoticed by Marco and his face scrunched up as if she had slapped him. Without another word, Vanessa turned around and left all three of them standing there.

She kept on walking straight ahead back to the Diner when something cracked beneath her. With the way her foot had twisted, she realized her heels had just gave up on her.

Great. Just great.

She bent down and swept up her heels in her hand. She didn’t know whether she’d imagined it but she heard a pair of footsteps approaching her.

“Vanessa…” she heard Marco speak from behind her. What was he here for now? What did he want now. Wasn’t Mirrah enough to quench his thirst? The brewing jealousy she was feeling then, made her realize how irrational she was actually being. It wasn’t as if Marco was her boyfriend. She didn’t own him and neither was he bound by her.

He would have, if maybe she’d returned his interest. A vague thought flashed through her mind.

“Vanessa, please listen to me.”

He was now catching upto her. Vanessa cursed her heel inwardly. Stupid betraying twelve years old Jimmy Choos.

“Vanessa please!” She felt him grab her arm making her drop her shoes on the sidewalk and coming to an abrupt halt.

“What do you want Marco? No really, please do tell me!” she sneered at him and a look of what appeared to be regret crossed his face.

“What you saw… there on the sidewalk, it didn’t mean anything Vanessa” he claimed standing there before her, looking at her deeply in her eyes.

His statement however caused Vanessa to get extremely angry. Who the hell did he think he was.

“Oh yes! Trust me I know. Sucking face with everything that has a vagina is your hobby. Now do me a favor, leave me the hell alone! Her fury was past its limit now. It was almost as if she couldn’t even recognize herself.

With that, she was about to turn away from him once again, when she felt him grab her roughly and haul her flat against his hard chest, making her heart go wild. He yanked her close to her, until their faces were inches apart, as he stared into her burning blue orbs.

And with that, he slammed his lips to hers.

A/N Dedicated to  evanesceStar for her amazing cover-making abilties! :) x

What do you guys think? Sorry for updating after such a long time. Family emergency :(