CHAPTER 5: KISS FOR A CUP

“One more kiss, come on, babe. Can't I have a bit more of you before you go?” the man beside Elena said as she continued to get up from the bed. The man was a bit dark skinned and she knew that he was an American, but other than that, she had no idea who the man was. The only thing that she remembered was that she had enjoyed herself the entire night with him. She even had a feeling that her adrenaline rush was the only thing keeping her from feeling whatever bruises she knew she had acquired last night.

The two of them woke up a bit earlier, and after two rounds of casual sex, she realized that she needed to go. Elena was not someone who liked being late, especially when it came to meetings about business or job interviews. No matter how delectable this man looked and felt, she knew he was just there for the time being, and she needed to leave before she missed another opportunity to get a higher salary.

“The sun is up, and I have to go somewhere important,” she said as she began to pick up her discarded clothes on the floor and all over the room, "Thanks for last night, and thanks for the…umh, this morning, but umh, I really have to go…" she while stuttering a bit as she realized that she was still naked.

She then began to calm herself down and thought of a smoother way to exit, but the man just chuckled and stood up to pick up his own clothes as well. They were now both naked, but none of them cared, especially Elena, since she was in a hurry to leave. It was a silent gesture telling her that they both just need to end everything there. All the things that they have done within the four corners of the room, would never leave the room. Whatever happens, the moment they were out of the room, it was as if none of it happened. It was a regular occurrence with one night stands, and she hated it, but after the failed interview yesterday with the company she was applying to, she didn't really care what happened. All that she wanted to do was to leave and never look back at what had happened that night.

Elena tucked in a few strands of stray brunette hair from her face to her ear as she quickly wore her shorts and blouse. She realized that some of the buttons popped, so she had no choice but to wear the blouse with her bra slightly seen. It wasn't such a big deal, but she still hated it knowing that her neighbors back in her apartment would instantly think she was a slut who just came back home from a good night out with her boyfriend or whoever they thought she was with.

Elena can't wait for the new job her friend was telling her about, and she needed to hurry or else she'd be late for her meeting. However, the man cleared his throat, and she remembered that she wasn't alone in the room while she was fixing herself. She was fair skinned, and as she began to dress herself, she felt the eyes of the man on her. She looked up and saw that he was indeed checking her out and watching every move she made. He was leaning against the nightstand beside the bed, while she was sitting on the far side of the bed and began wearing her socks and picking up her shoes. She raised an eyebrow which made her metallic gray eyes look sharper than usual when she saw the man smirking at her. She just winked once and continued what she was doing.

The man coughed once, and Elena once again looked up to see that she was now standing straighter and was no longer leaning against the small nightstand. Her eyes traveled lower at the bulge that was beginning to form again, and he held up her hand when she saw him walk towards her. 

"I'm sorry," she began as she stood up and picked up her small bag, "I forgot your name, but I am in a hurry, and I seriously need to go." She said as she checked her phone again and cursed when she saw that it was almost time to meet her friend.

"My name is Ajax," the big buff guy said, "Your name is Elena, right? If I'm not mistaken."

"Yes," she said as she tried to hide her confused look. She never thought that the guy would remember her face. 

"I'm sorry, Ajax, it was nice to meet you, but I have to go," she said as she finished grabbing everything that she knew she had and grabbed the door knob of the room they were in. "Don't take this personally, but I hope to never see you again. Thanks for the night…" she said and gave the guy a node and a small smile, to which he returned with a smirk on his face and a small wave.

"Where in the world are you, Elena Lubov Knight?!" Her friend Ali nagged at her right as she picked up her phone, "I have been waiting for you for ten minutes. You know I still have a job I need to return to, your highness," she said sarcastically. She could hear the stress in her friend’s voice with a hint of sisterly nagging.

"I am on my way, you royal grouch," Elena said as she got in the taxi, "Buy me a lasagna, chicken, and get me something for my headache," she said as she groaned. 

The amount of alcohol she had last night, as well as the session she had with the guy made it impossible for her to focus. She instructed the taxi about the small café located just below the company that her friend Ali was talking about.

"Hey, Mr., can you speed it up a bit? I'm sorry but I am really late for a meeting, and I just need to get there in time," she said as the taxi increased its speed a bit.

Elena made sure that before she left the room, she was able to accidentally grab a ball cap that the guy was wearing. She read the name under the ball cap and the initials A.J. was on it. She groaned in frustration when she realized that the situation felt like one of those novels she would read when she was back in highschool. Now, she knew that the cap wasn’t something to be worried about, but the instant worry she felt made her think that she would meet the guy again in the future. 

She looked at her phone as it rang, and it was her friend Ali who was on the other line. Elena took a deep breath before answering the phone. The fact that her friend was calling her made her send a silent prayer that the woman on the other end of the line won't kill her for being late.

"You are late!" Ali shouted as soon as Elena answered, "My boss is already calling me, Lou," she said. Her friend used the familiar nickname she had, which meant the woman was mad at Elena, but she was barely keeping herself calm.

"I am so sorry! My entire system was filled with alcohol last night, and I passed out and woke up late, and-"

"Alright!" her friend said with a frustrated sigh, "Don't go to the meeting place. Instead, go home, fix yourself, and I'll just directly send whatever requirements and instructions you need, alright? I want you to get this job, so you better get it, Lou" There was demand and urgency in her friend's voice and she instantly squealed which startled the driver a bit.

"Ali, do not worry, I will get this job. I promise!" She said as they ended the call.

"Hey, sir," she tapped the uber driver's shoulder, "Can we change routes? Let's go to the nearest Starbucks." Elena was willing to spoil herself a bit before going home and sleeping some more. 

"What the?!" The man hissed in pain as Elena's body collided with the man's arm and they were both burned with hot coffee.

"Oh my God!" She hissed as well in pain as she tried to put pressure on the burnt area.

Elena looked up to see that the man in front of her was jaw dropping even while he furiously tried to signal someone and pointed to his clothes. A towel was flung to her and she caught it just in time. She looked up at the man who was now silent but aggressively trying to wipe the coffee from his obviously expensive suit. She saw that there was a pin on the man's suit, and her eyes widened as she made a run for it. Elena knew that pin, and she knows that if you mess with someone who was wearing it, you'd be in enormous trouble.

"Get her," she heard the man say as hands grabbed her arms and pulled her back.

"Hey! Let go of me!" She complained and tried to kick one of the two men dragging her by the hand, but the man was able to evade her kick. "Dragging a lady is illegal! You can't do this!"

"As beautiful as you are," the man spoke with his rough and deep voice, "You still need to pay for this suit." He said while Elena refused to look up and just looked at the man in her right who was holding her arm a bit too tight.

"That hurts," she whined as she tried to pull away her arm, "let go of me right now!" She insisted as she pulled hard and the man was able to let go.

"Hey miss," the man in front of her  called, and she looked up, "As mad as I am with the suit and the burning feeling from the hot coffee," he began and looked at her up and down, "my anger is not that intense, and I would forgive you if you would tell me who you are and tell md that you beg for my forgiveness. Or else you can just pay for this suit," He said nonchalantly to tease Elena more.

Elena felt rage fill her as she slapped the man. The two men beside her were shocked, and as her eyes focused more on the hot yet arrogant guy in front of her, she realized who he was.

"Y-you…You're from the Mezzaluna company!" She said with an obvious shock in her face at the memory. However, her shock changed to irritation when she earned a teasing smirk from the man in front of her.

"Well, miss, I see that you're not that ignorant after all," he said as he walked toward her and shortened the distance between them. Now, they were nearly just a foot away from each other.

"I'm Michael, and you are?" Michael said with a teasing smile when he saw that his teasing began to piss her off. He liked how he annoyed the woman.

He wanted to go to the Starbucks branch that he owned so there wouldn't be any people when he uses a secret passage to enter. He made sure to tell his staff to close it for a few hours, but the moment the woman entered and spilled his coffee, his anger increased and he wanted to fire everyone. He wasn't normally a hot head, but today was an exceptionally annoying day for him. However, as he saw the woman who tried to run away, her exotic beauty and the way she met his eyes intrigued him. He decided to entertain himself with her.

"Stop staring at me," said the woman in front of him and he gave a genuine throaty laugh. She was feisty, and he loved it.

"I'm sorry," Michael said as he watched her meet his gaze with equal boldness, "I guess I forgot that you're a completely hot stranger who just spilled coffee all over ny new coat." He said with a wink and Elena hated the fact that she blushed hard.

"Well, Mr. Mezzaluna member," she said, "I'm sorry for what happened. It was a mistake, and I shouldn't have tried to run, but I will NEVER beg for forgiveness, I will only ask." She said as she crossed her arms and lifted her chin in stubbornness.

"How about a kiss?" Michael said as he walked closer and bent his head. His lips were a breath away as Elena swallowed her scream, "Payment is not my style, especially if it's from a woman as beautiful as you," he said in a whisper, and she realized the two guards were gone.

The man was able to empty the entire coffee shop without her noticing, and it was terrifying, and yet intriguing. He made her feel things she knew she shouldn't feel towards a stranger. The man was crazy, and she didn't care if he was an employee of a powerful company. She kissed him and bit his lips hard.

Michael groaned in pain as he retaliated from the kiss the woman gave. She wiped her mouth and gave him a pissed off look before speed walking away from him. The woman was crazy and he loved how his body reacted.

"Leave her for now…" he said to his guard who spoke to him through the earpiece he was wearing.