Fatal Attraction Vol. 2 (3 page)

Zoe

He stood in front of the window, naked. Every muscle on his back was taut, along with his hips. If he had thought of posing for a sports magazine, his naked back posture would rob the heart of many thousands. His hand was flexed on the window, he was searching something. His pose was not relaxed, it was stressed. But why? Why would he be stressed after this amazing night full of sex?

He turned slowly, his eyes fixed on me, his lips were smiling. Opposite to what I thought about his posture. "What were you looking at?"

"How much do you exercise in a day?" "Couple of hours, before I had to work."

"Care if you tell me where you work?"

"Not where, but yes I can talk about what I do for living." He turned back to look outside. The streets were dark, but the traffic was lighting the world outside. It was almost four in the morning, but the traffic was as usual. New York never sleeps, that's what I learned from the moment I was aware of the city's night life. Thanks to my ex-boyfriend, I got to know about the night life very well.

"And what is it?" I was curious. Sleeping with a masked man was great for sex and anonymity. But knowing nothing about him was turning me awkward from inside. And thinking it through, he was not a stranger anymore, although I don't know his name. The sex we had, had more to it than just the physical touch. He was a sensual beast, he knew what I wanted and acted based on that. That is the one quality I missed completely in my ex-boyfriend. With him, it was always what he wanted.

"I told you, I'm a lawyer. Not a well known one, but I make a good living."

I giggled. "If you can afford a suite like this, it’s a bit more than good."

"Well, that comes from my inheritance. My dad earned it for my family." His voice turned a little emotional.

"Your dad?"

"He passed away when I was fifteen. My grandmother raised me after that. But then she passed away last year." His voice had a touch of sadness.

"I'm sorry for your losses. What about your mom?"

"I don't know. I remember my dad and grandmother taking care of me. Dad told me once that she ran away with someone when I was a kid." He turned back smiling. But I knew it was a hurt smile.

Impulsively I walked to him and wrapped him in my arms. Our naked bodies touching, but sex wasn't on my mind. For me he was the troubled man who needed a hug.

His hands wrapped around my back. "I'm sorry, I troubled you with my sad past."

"No, nothing like that." I felt lonelier after hearing his past. I wanted to pull his head on my chest and console him until he feels better.

***

"Zoe, what are you doing tonight?" a large file fallen front of me suddenly.

I almost dropped my coffee mug. I was thinking about the stranger and last night. My eyes jumped in the direction of the voice, Mark was standing in front of me. "Oh Mark, it’s you!"

"Who else you were waiting for?" his bows raised. His gray eyes were fixed on me. And he distinctly reminded me of the stranger in the last night.
How would it feel to be in Mark's arms? Would it feel the same as with Mr. M?

"
Zoe, I'm talking to you. I don't have time to disappear in your dreams." He moved his hand in front of my eyes.

I flicked my eyes. I was lost and I wasn't making any sense, even to myself. "Sorry. What did you say?”

"I asked what are you doing tonight?"

"Nothing, why?"

"We are going on a date tonight." He smiled mischievously.

"Date?" He didn't make any sense. Why would he ask me on a date all of a sudden? "I thought you are going out with Rachael."

"And who told you that?" he was taken by surprise.

"I just guessed. And why date?" he was my mentor, and though he was kind of sexy, I didn't fantasize about him that way. Heck I couldn't fantasize about anything other than Mr. M's sculpted body.

"We are working for the whole night." He pointed to the file he just threw on my desk. "We need to finish filing this case by tomorrow morning."

"But..."

"I don't care what else you have planned for the night. But if you want to work for me, you better get started on this." His eyes were studying my face. "And if you don't think you are up to the mark, ask Justin to allocate you with someone else. I'll get Rachael do this for me."

"No sir, I will do this." I replied. All my fantasies were thrown back on the ground. My boss was in front of me and he just reminded me why I was there.

"Good. And I want it perfect. Because I don’t accept anything less than perfect, Miss Walker," he smirked. For a junior partner he had a lot of attitude in him.

"Yes sir." I looked at the file. It was a really big one. Mark studied me for one more moment and walked out, putting his hands in his trouser pockets. His back reminded me of the Mr. M's back. I guess both of them had almost same physics. "Zoe," a familiar sexy voice echoed around me.

Now it was Daniel standing in front of my cubicle.

"Hello." I smiled at him. He was perfectly opposite to Mark, he was soft, caring and had a decent attitude towards women.

"What are you doing this evening? And don't tell me about work. I'm just asking for a quick dinner across the street. It's a nice restaurant." His eyes were baring the same hope again that I would say yes.

"Sorry, Daniel. But it's already going to be an all-nighter here. I can't waste any time,” I picked the file and read the name of it. We had to go head to head with another firm for a merger and that firm was of my dad's firm.
Fuck.
My face twisted in fear. I never thought that I would be going against my dad's firm so early in my job cycle. And that too when my dad didn't know I was working in his rival's firm.

Zoe

"Are you sure about this?" Olivia ate another slice of pizza. She loved the Double Cheese Marguerites. That pizza was the cheapest one you can get anywhere. I always wondered how could she remain sexy and fit though she ate pizza almost every other day. "You are practically going against you dad's firm. And he is going to find out I can bet this pizza over it."

"Do you think I have a choice here? What should I say to Mark, that I can't work on this because my dad owns that firm? I can't do that, he doesn't even know I am Mr. Walker's daughter."

"But you haven't told your dad about your job, have you?" She sipped her wine. How could she drink wine in the morning? God only knew what her plans were for the day after drinking the wine in the morning.

"I can't. You know he will force me to quit it and come live with him. And I can't go back in that jail again. And he will stop my allowance too."

"Do you really need that? You are earning yourself now."

"Do you think that this small amount I'm earning will suffice to cover my bills? And more than money, he will kill me for not listening to him. You know him, he is the person who least believes in my dream. And when I decided to go to law school despite his warnings, he didn't speak to me for almost a year. And that hurts. I love that man no matter what, but I can't remain a puppet for him and marry a rich lawyer, so he can grow his business ties." It was a hard and complicated relationship with my dad. I loved him no matter what, but his ways were different.

"I understand your pain, Zoe. But someday he is gonna find this out and if it's not from your mouth, then it's going to cost you more."

"I know and just imagining that is killing me from inside. I'm afraid that I might lose him that day." A lone tear came out of my eye.

"Anyways, who is this Mr. Patrick going against your boss Mark?"

"Someone new. I never heard his name before."

"So there are strong chances that he doesn't know you either. There could be a hundred Zoe Walkers in Manhattan. It's a big city, my dear." Olivia smiled at me and gave me a bit of hope.

"That sounds good. So as long as no old men come with him, I won't get caught and I can work with peace. Thank God."

She looked at the wall clock. "Don't you have work to attend to today? And speaking of the time, I will be late tonight. Going on a date."

"Are you ever planning on settling on one guy? A serious relationship?"

"Surrounded by guys like your ex, I don't want any serious relationships ever in my life. I'm happy with one-night stands."

"I guess you’re right." I felt sad, my experience with my ex was worse and no one should get the same treatment I got from him. Suddenly I felt lighter for Mr. M. He was actually saving me from reoccurring misery.

"Chill Zoe, I was just giving an example. I didn't mean to hurt you. And moreover Scott is in your past now." She moved closer and hugged me. I hated her sometimes, but when I needed her she was always there. "Thanks for being with me, but I need to run now. Mark will kill me for being late."

***

I was watching outside of the bus window when I realized the woman sitting next to me was crying. My head turned automatically to check on her. I thought she was in trouble. And she was. I don't know for how long, but she was weeping silently.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

She looked at me for a moment and then looked away. I guess she didn't want to share her pain. Actually I was foolish enough to ask her in the public place. The woman stepped out one stop before mine. I wondered why she was crying. But I couldn't worry for long because my own issue was larger than life for me. If my dad found out about my job, I would be out of his life for sure.

I didn't noticed when I got off the bus and stepped in my firm building. I didn't even notice which life I caught or who was around me in the lift. I was so in deep thoughts about my dad, I became aware of the surroundings only when I stopped in front of Mark's office.
Gosh, this is getting difficult.

I peeked inside from the glass door to see if he was already in, and to my surprise that woman I saw in the bus, was standing in front of Mark, crying her heart out. What was she doing there? And what was her relationship with Mark?

Few minutes before

Mark

"Fuck, Fuck." I pushed my hair back. There was something wrong in the merger papers, but I couldn't just find it. My thoughts were turning over and over to Zoe Walker.
Why can't I get her out of my mind? Why is she bothering me so much that I lose my focus from my work?
I'd get no answers. I was again and again drawn to her body’s god-sent scent.

Why do you smell so good, Zoe?

Something moved in front of me. My eyes jumped up to a woman was walking in my office. My head burst with the anger. How could she walk in without my secretary informing me?
I should fire her for letting this woman in.

She slowly walked in front of me. I could only see her dark blue eyes; she had covered half of her face with a black scarf. What was she trying to hide under that scarf? And why did her eyes feel so familiar? I felt like I had seen them somewhere.
But where?
My mind couldn't trace it.

"How the fuck did you get inside?" I snapped. I hated people who came to my office without advance notice. Only one person could walk in like that, my boss. And that woman wasn't my boss. I was already frustrated with myself; I just wish I could see my secretary so I could fire her on the spot.

"I need your help." Her voice was petite, but sweet, and I didn't recognize it. I knew her eyes, but I couldn't recognize her voice. That means I have seen her somewhere recently.
But where?

"Jenna, where are you?" I peered outside to find my secretary.

"I told her that your boss, Justin, called her into the conference room."

"What? Why did you tell her that? And how the hell do you know Justin?"

"Isn't his name there on the wall?" she looked at the elevator corridor.

"Damn, you are smart and I don't like smart people." I hated that she tricked my secretary. I should hire someone smarter than Jenna. "Now get out. I don't have time for your shit." I snapped again.

"No, please don't do this to me." She started sobbing.

"Now you are getting on my nerves."

"Mark, please. You have to listen to me." Her voice rose steeply.

"Oh fuck, stop this drama, please. Contact the cops, I'm not on public duty here." Why the hell was she here, and who was she? Her scarf was still covering her face and I couldn't guess where I had seen those eyes.

"Please, Mark, I came here with high hopes," her hands darted to her scarf, which she dropped down from her face. I had seen that face in today's newspaper. She was being charged with an insider trading case, and she was trending on Twitter all morning. Five billion dollar insider trading, that is huge number.

"You’re Genna, aren't you? The lady who traded five billion dollars? Wow, you have real guts to come here. I know cops are searching for you everywhere. I should just turn you in." She was smart, brave and naive. She had walked into a lawyer's office when she was wanted for such a high profile case.

"Mark, I'm not guilty. Please, listen to me. I need your help." She started sobbing again.

"Take it as a favor, Genna, I'm not calling the cops right away. Go and find some other lawyer who you can trust with your shit. I don't have time for this."

"But Mark, we should at least hear her side of the story." Zoe walked in. "I think she needs our help."

Not her again. Where is my fucking secretary Tina, how could she just let anyone walk in?

"Zoe, not now," My voice raised for a moment.

She looked at the woman for and walked in front of me. "Mark, please. At least let's listen to her story and then make the decision. She was crying on the bus as well." Her eyes narrowed.

I bit my lip. Now Zoe was getting on my nerves. I was already angry at her, my secretary and that woman. And Zoe was still pushing me. "Zoe, I don't care what you think about her, but I can't help her." The usual me spoke. "If I'm not clear, you can record that and listen to it over and over a hundred times."

"Mark, just this once." Zoe pleaded again.

I couldn't control myself any more. I grabbed her arms and pinned her against the nearby wall. "When I said I don't want to help her, I meant it. I don't care what fucking soft spot you have for her."  My face was an inch away from hers and her red, bold lips were calling me. I remember the way her lips were pressed on mine a couple nights back, the way they had wrapped around my cock. Her scent was drawing me in. Without any thought, I crashed my lips onto hers.