RENT A HEART

CHRISTOPHER's POV

I think she was in shock. She just kept staring at me, her eyes wide and unblinking, unable to speak. Not knowing what else to do, I pulled her into a tight embrace, a silent reassurance. We stayed like that for several moments, the loud music fading into a distant hum, before I gently released her.

"Did anyone touch your drink?" I asked Eve, my voice low and urgent. She shook her head, her gaze still unfocused.

"Are you sure? Are you feeling lightheaded or weak at all?" I pressed, needing to be absolutely certain she was okay.

"I'm fine, I promise," she replied, her voice barely a whisper. "They weren't close enough to touch my drink. They just asked us to dance, and I said no."

"Good. Good," I said, a wave of relief washing over me.

I had discreetly notified my personal bodyguards as soon as I noticed those men. They were notorious for harassing women, drugging them, and even assaulting them, and I knew deep down that Eve and her friend would be targeted as soon as they made their way upstairs.

"And who are you?" one of the men sneered, stepping forward.

"And why should I answer you?" I countered, my voice deceptively calm. "Get out of my way while I'm being nice, or I'll break every single bone in your body." I was barely holding onto my anger, desperately trying to stay composed for Eve's sake.

"I would do as he says," Frank said, stepping forward to stand beside me. "You certainly don't want to see him angry."

Immediately, the four men backed down, their bravado crumbling, and cleared a path for us.

"This isn't over," their leader spat, his eyes burning with resentment.

"Oh, I promise you, it isn't," I retorted, my voice dripping with a coldness that made him flinch. I tightened my grip on Eve's hand and led her towards the stairs.

My discreet bodyguards dispersed as soon as we reached the ground floor, melting back into the crowd, their presence no longer overtly necessary. I and Frank, however, escorted both Eve and her friend towards our table in another, more secluded VIP section.

"Hi, I'm Christopher. I don't think we've met," I said, extending my hand towards Eve's friend.

"Hi, I'm Stephanie. And, yes, I've heard a lot about you," she said, her eyes sparkling with amusement. She squeezed Eve's hand knowingly.

"Have you now?" I chuckled, glancing back at Eve, who rolled her eyes at her friend's teasing.

"What were you doing here? I didn't know you frequented clubs," Eve said, her tone a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

"I don't," I replied honestly. "I just had a meeting with a client here a few minutes ago. What would you like to drink?" I asked, trying to steer the conversation away from my reasons for being there.

"Oh, no, I've had enough," she said, shaking her head. "I just want to call it a night."

"Alright, then let me take you home," I offered, concern lacing my voice.

"Oh, don't worry. Stephanie will take me home," she said, dismissively.

"Oh, no, I can't, Eve..." I heard her say, her voice suddenly dropping an octave, filled with a newfound interest. "What's your name?" she asked, her gaze fixed on Frank.

"Franklin, but you can call me Frank," he said, offering her a charming smile.

I looked at Frank, finding the whole exchange strangely amusing. He hardly ever told women his real name. Strange indeed.

"Franklin will drive me home, while your boyfriend will drive you home," she declared, winking at Eve. "Come on, Franklin, let's go," she said, and with a playful tug, dragged a slightly bewildered Frank along with her towards the exit.

I chuckled softly at the scene unfolding before me. Nobody ever bossed Frank around. Ever. But here he was, practically beaming, following Stephanie's commands with a goofy grin plastered on his face.

"What's funny?" Eve asked, her tone edged with annoyance. She was clearly not thrilled with her friend for leaving her alone with me.

"It's Frank. I might be wrong, but I think he's finally found his kryptonite," I said simply.

"Let's go then," I said, offering my hand. After a moment's hesitation, she took it.

We drove in silence, the hum of the engine filling the void between us. All the while, I wondered what was going on inside her head. Was she going to ask me about Lexi? Did it not bother her that I was with someone else? What was she even doing with Frederick at the restaurant? And why hadn't she called at all these past three days?

I wanted to ask her all of those questions, to break through the wall of silence she had erected between us, but I didn't know how to go about it. And it seemed like she didn't want to have a conversation at all.

"Why didn't you ever call?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper, but loud enough to cut through the silence.

Her question caught me off guard, and my mind raced. I pondered on what to say, how to answer honestly without sounding too desperate, too eager. Should I tell her I was angry that she had dismissed the moment we shared at the club on her birthday? Or better still, say that I stayed away because I wanted to remind myself that this was just a contract, a business arrangement and nothing more?

"I, uhmm, I was busy, that's all," I stammered, the excuse sounding weak even to my own ears. "What about you? What have you been doing?" I asked, turning the focus back on her.

"Oh, nothing much. Just work at the office and preparing for the summer fashion show," she replied, her voice carefully neutral.

"That's cool," I said, a warmth spreading through me at the small glimpse into her life. I was slightly happy that she had shared her plans with me, even though it was brief and impersonal.

"We're here," I announced as I pulled up in front of her impressive mansion.

"Thank you for tonight," she said, her voice softer now, "and for driving me home after my best friend abandoned me." She chuckled, a light, airy sound that chased away some of the tension that had been building between us. I couldn't help but smile when I saw her beautiful dimple deepen with the curve of her lips.

"Is something on my face?" she asked curiously, touching her cheek.

"No, actually, I was admiring your dimple," I confessed, my gaze lingering on the indentation. "It's perfect." The compliment caused her to smile even more, revealing the dimple in all its glory.

"Can you make time tomorrow so we can grab lunch or dinner?" I asked, seizing the opportunity to see her again.

"Oh, I can't," she said, a hint of regret in her voice. "I'll be going on an important business trip tomorrow, but I'll still come back tomorrow, but that'll be late into the night." She looked at me apologetically, as if she had personally wronged me.

"It's fine then," I said, trying to hide my disappointment. "Whenever you're free, let me know."

"Good night," she said, leaning towards me. And then, she gave me a light, fleeting kiss on the cheek, a touch that sent a jolt of electricity through my veins, before she gracefully exited the car.

I waited until she was safely inside before I drove off, the image of her smile, and the lingering warmth of her kiss, imprinted in my mind.

------

"Let me get this straight," Lexi began, her brow furrowed with concentration.

"You entered into a fake relationship with a woman because you didn't want to be pressured into an arranged marriage by your father, and this woman, too, is also being pressured to get married by her mother. And she doesn't know you're a Luther, correct?"

I nodded, confirming her summary of the chaotic situation.

"But she happens to be your ideal woman, and you fell in love with her at first sight. Correct?" she asked again, a knowing smirk playing on her lips.

"Wait, hold on," I interjected, feeling the need to clarify.

"It wasn't love at first sight. Yes, I liked her the moment i walked into that private room at the restaurant, but it wasn't love." I insisted, trying to downplay the intensity of my initial reaction.

"There's no such thing as 'like at first sight'," she countered, waving away my objection with a dismissive hand. "So we're going with the latter." She argued while I just sighed.

"You don't think she likes you back?" she asked, her voice softening with genuine concern.

"Yeah, I mean..." I trailed off, my voice tinged with doubt.

"Her first love from high school is back in the picture and actively trying to court her, even though he knows she's in a relationship. Fake or not."

"Childhood crushes from high school don't necessarily mean first love," Lexi argued, shaking her head. "And even if it was the case, there's no guarantee that she still likes him now. People change, Chris."

"I don't know, man," I sighed, running a hand through my hair. Just then, my phone rang, shattering the contemplative silence.

"Go on with your call. I'll go take my shower," Lexi said, rising from the sofa and heading towards the bathroom.

She was currently staying at my penthouse while she sorted out a permanent residence for herself.

"Hello, who is this?" I asked the caller, not recognizing the number.

"Hi, it's me, Eve. I'm back and currently on my way from the airport. We need to talk tonight. I have some important information to share with you," she said, her voice sounding slightly strained.

"Alright, no problem. You can come to my condo. I'll send you the address," I said, a knot of anticipation tightening in my stomach. There was a beat of silence on the other end.

"Hello? Are you still there?" I asked, concerned.

"Yes, I'm here. You can send the address," she said, her tone clipped, before abruptly hanging up.

I sent the text immediately and waited, my mind racing with possibilities. What could be so important that she needed to tell me tonight, after a long and tiring business trip?

From the airport to my condo was barely fifteen minutes, so I started tidying up my apartment, even though it was already sparkling clean. It was a nervous habit, a way to channel my restless energy.

"Who was on the phone?" Lexi asked as soon as she emerged from the bathroom, her hair wrapped in a towel.

"Eve. And she's on her way here," I told her, bracing myself for her reaction.

"Oh, shoot," she said, her eyes widening. "Then I'll head upstairs. Good luck," she chuckled, giving me a knowing wink before disappearing up the stairs.

Just a few minutes later, I heard the alarm at my door ring. I walked swiftly to the door and checked the monitor. It was indeed Eve. She looked beautiful, as always, but visibly exhausted.

"Come on in," I said, pressing the button to unlock the door.

"You have a really nice place," she complimented, her gaze sweeping across the modern, minimalist interior as she stepped inside.

"Thank you. What can I get you?" I offered, eager to make her comfortable.

"Just a glass of juice, if you will," she said, her eyes fixed on the bottle of orange juice on the kitchen counter.

"You seem really exhausted," I observed as she gratefully gulped down the juice, nearly emptying the glass in one go.

"Oh, that I am," she acknowledged, a weary sigh escaping her lips.

"You could have left this until tomorrow," I suggested. "I mean, whatever you wanted to tell me, you could have gone home and rested and then tell me tomorrow."

"I thought about that," she said, shaking her head. "But with my schedule, I might forget along the way. It was better to just get it over with."

"Alright then," I said, my voice gentle, "what is it that couldn't wait until tomorrow?"

She took a deep breath, as if gathering her courage. "Well, it's my cousin's wedding," she began. "Estranged cousin, if you may, but I'm obligated to attend. Same with every family function, regardless of what I feel about the celebrant. I had completely forgotten about it, and only got reminded today when I saw an advertisement for their wedding. And I was wondering if you could go with me. Can you come with me, please?" she pleaded, her eyes searching mine.

"Of course, I would go with you to every family function, as long as --"

My words were cut short as she launched herself into my arms, wrapping her arms tightly around me in a sudden, heartfelt embrace. "Thank you so much," she whispered behind my ear, her voice warm and breathy, sending a pleasant shiver down my spine.

"Anything for you," I said, returning her embrace, my arms tightening around her. "Anything at all." The words were sincere, spoken from the heart.

I noticed she had stopped responding. Her body had gone slack in my arms. Gently, I pulled back slightly and looked down at her. And that was when I realized she had fallen asleep, right there in my arms, in my apartment. Exhaustion had finally claimed her.

I couldn't help but smile. "You must be so tired," I mumbled quietly, careful not to disturb her. Gently, I scooped her up into my arms, cradling her weight against my chest, and carried her towards my bedroom.