Chapter 8

• Flashback Continues...
• Niccolo Point of View
• "Are you sure, Mr. Russo?" Laura, my PA asked hesitantly shifting from one leg to another.
• This is fourth time she is asking the same thing for which I already gave answer too. Why is she acting ahead of me? Am I the boss here or is she dreaming to take my place?
• "Read my lips, Laura; I want a full background check on Mr. Ivanov and a full documented copy of his illegal dealings. Call Oliver and get him to work on it. Am I clear, Laura?" I enunciated every word and said harshly. She just nodded her head slightly but still stood in her place without leaving my damn cabin.
• What is her problem?
• Why did I even hire her in the first place?
• "What is it again?" I asked sighing in frustration.
• "What if he retaliates for what you are planning to do, Mr. Russo?" There she goes again. I am already irritated due to many reasons, not to mention Bella being one of them, now even my PA started giving me advices for my actions.
• "Are you going to tell them, Laura?" I asked slowly, trying to control my raging anger. Laura shook her head furiously in denial and gasped in fear.
• "Of course not, sir. I would never dare to." She replied back with an exclamation.
• "Do you think Oliver would backstab me and give such crucial information to Ivanov?" I again asked softly to which she shook her head furiously again.
• "If I don't tell anyone, you won't tell anyone, Oliver would never tell anyone then how the hell would Ivanov retaliate? By the time I am done with him, he will not be able to lift up his face and look into other's eyes. Now will you please do as I instructed or should I give you insurance for the safety of the job given?" I said sarcastically to which she smiled at me awkwardly and rushed out of my room.
• No doubt Laura is a nice girl with good morals and she is the only PA who did not flirt with me and worked diligently but she freaking asks so many questions?
• Her every answer starts with question and her every work ends in a question. If I was not satisfied with her work, then she would be searching for another job by now.
• My thoughts came to a halt when I heard my office landline phone ringing displaying Laura's code number.
• Argh! What is it now?
• "Mr. Russo, I am calling Oliver to come and meet you this evening like you instructed. Should I continue with it?" There she goes again.
• "Yes, Miss Gray. If it is not too much work for you, then please do." Why are people testing my patience lately?
• The first one is Ivanov and the second and the most concerning person is Bella.
• Ivanov tried to outwit me by scamming the money I invested in their legal holding by diverting to his illegal casinos.
• He must be thinking I'm a fool.
• I scoffed at the thought of what I planned for him. After I am done with him, he will not even have capacity to afford a shed t keep his head.
• I may be very young compared to other Businessmen but I am not a fool. I am handling the whole Russo Empire from almost five years; does he think I'm a kid?
• As this stress is not enough for me, Bella has being stressing me out with her weird behavior from past many days. I don't know who is teaching her and what she is been taught but that girl is trying to get too cozy with me.
• Although I loved how it feels to be so close to her, her self-conscious, self confusing acts are worrying me. Phoebe Smith who was so innocent to think that sex is kissing, is now making moves on me.
• Like few days ago when I took her for a night walk to an ice cream stall, she asked me what kind of cream I liked which really, really sounded like an innuendo by the way she kept fluttering her eyes. But what made it absolutely funny was she herself must be confused of the meaning.
• Later when we got our ice creams and eating them, she suddenly she turned towards me reluctantly and looked down at her hand for a second and asked, 'Nicco, you like cookie dough ice cream so much, is there any other cookie tastier than this?'
• I was so tempted to answer, yes there is but refrained myself and my throbbing member before giving her a ridiculous look. I was so stunned at her suggestions that for a moment I wondered if she was doing it intentionally or was she just being her innocent self.
• If she was deliberately commenting in such a way, then where is she learning them from and why?
• What was wrong with her that she was being touchy feel with me and sometimes initiating kisses on my cheeks? She never kissed me unless I tricked her into it then why now?
• I wonder what made such sudden change in her.
• Was it because I confessed my love for her? But she pretended ignorance so I can clearly see it in her eyes that she doesn't feel the same for me.
• Or maybe she does but still unknown about it.
• Whatever it might be from the day she unveiled her temptress moves, I started keeping some space between us. I need to know what has happened to her first.
• But with her touching and suggestive comments, it's getting very hard to have my senses in control. God must be testing me.
• "Mr. Russo." I heard Laura knock my cabin door and enter the room with few files.
• "Yes, Miss Gray. Get me the notes you filed in the meeting from yesterday along with the deal papers." I ordered when she handed me the essential documents that needed my signature.
• "Yes, sir. Miss Phoebe Smith is waiting in the lobby outside for you, Mr. Russo." Phoebe is waiting for me? Unannounced and here?
• "Let her in and do not disturb us until I say so." Laura nodded her head positively and walked out to lead Bella inside.
• What is she doing here?
• Before I use to drag her to the company building and she used to get embarrassed every time I took her here. Now she came here by herself without even informing.
• Oh Bella, what are you playing at?
• The change in you is amusing but it is getting me worried too.
• "Nicco." She smiled coming inside and taking a seat on the couch. I arched an eyebrow at her comfortable self and moved to her with intended strides.
• I will have to find out what she is trying to do from past these days.
• "I didn't expect you here, Bella." I said bluntly hoping for her to get upset and spill what was going on in her mind but to my utter surprise she freaking pouted.
• Bella never pouted that way; at least not intentionally. She hates it when someone pouts.
• "It's been one week you last came to meet me. I missed you all these nights so much." My throat constricted the air and choked me into coughs.
• Okayyy!
• "Sorry I was busy with work." I said hesitantly and moved closer to her and held her hands in mine. "Can I ask you something, Bella?" Bella nodded her head giving me her famous smile to me.
• How will I breathe if she does such magic on me?
• "Do you find something unnatural between us from past few days?" I asked narrowing my eyes to her anxious looking eyes. Her eyes were moving left and right in fast pace.
• But she quickly composed herself and laid her head on my shoulders which again she never did before. "Yes. You look more handsome day after day."
• I could've scoffed mockingly if this same statement was made by anyone other than Bella. But coming from her mouth made me proud and confused.
• I am quite sure she is not attracted to me in that way then why is she complimenting me like a mistress would do?
• "You look beautiful as well, Bella. Anything else you find strange? Strange between us, strange in me or strange in you?" I tried again hoping for a decisive reply from her.
• "No. Everything is going on how it should be then why are you asking me numerous times, Nicco." I moved back a little gazing her overall for few times, trying to understand her.
• Everything is going on how it should be?
• Strange...!
• She smiled cheekily at me and wrapped herself around my arms laying her head on my shoulder again. She started playing with my coat buttons while humming a tune.
• "Bella, are you trying to seduce me, somehow?" This doubt has been eating me from many days but I was ignoring it as my Bella was not the kind of person to go for something like that.
• Is she really trying to tempt me into doing wicked things to her?
• ~*~*~*~*~*~