Burning Passion

CHAPTER 27: HIS GAME

* * * 

Evening...

She's hesitant to step inside the car, but she has to. Nikki takes a deep breath and climbs inside after a moment of reluctance. 

Tightly, she clasps her palms on top of her lap. She was nervous, which she usually would be. Although the car's AC was at a high temperature, beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.

Miss Erika now starts the car and joins the traffic on the next avenue. After passing the second avenue from the street where she lived, the car took a right turn.

And after 10 minutes, the car entered a complex which was just not that far from her neighborhood.

The thumping in her chest even getting louder. She always stares at these twin tower buildings from her bedroom.

Could it be possible that this guy could view her bedroom from his condo-unit? Seriously? Did he watch her bedroom every time he texted her during the night? Now she's right to her guess. He is just around her neighborhood.

She glances at Miss Erika after she stops the car in front of the parking lot elevator. She handed her a silver envelope.

"The key cards of the condo are inside, along with the password written on a piece of paper. The unit is on the 60th, the top floor. Head to your left, and you will see a door. I am not waiting for you, but don't even try to run. You know what the consequences were."

She nodded even though she was dazed, understanding what she was telling her. Nikki gets out of the car and walks toward the elevator.

Arriving at the top floor, she heads to the left as Miss Erika instructed her. Taking a long breath, she opens the door with the key card and types the password.

Pushing the door, there is an entryway before another entry. Both corners have a long console table, and there is a woman's slipper on one of the shelves.

Nikki took off her three inches stiletto and wore the house slipper. She also hanged her coat to the stand she noticed before the staircase.

She climbs a total of three steps, then pushes the door to open. Taking the 10 meters long corridor, Nikki was welcome by a high ceiling living room.

She gasps in awe. Despite its interior design meant for a man, it was pleasant for a woman's eyes. The floor-ceiling windows are tall, which gives a majestic view outside.

She glances on her right side. She realized it was a kitchen, and on her left side was a closed-door room, a part of the corridor wall. She wonders what it was, but she wasn't here to know what with that room. She proceeded to the middle, the living room.

Nikki looks up, and it dazes her to stare at the high ceiling. It looks like the half part of this condo-unit comprises a living room, dining area, one closed room, and a kitchen. She saw a door hidden behind the staircase. It must be a door to a bathroom and a laundry. Her gaze landed upstairs; there was a door on the corner and a door near the stairs.

Now she's confused about what to do next.

Nikki strides closer to the window suits herself to look outside and watches the traffic below and her neighborhoods. Hugging herself, Nikki stared at her reflection. The heaven cried for real, added to the chill she is feeling right now.

She was wearing a knitted off-shoulder long sleeve that hugged her body. It was five inches high from her knee so that it can consider a short-fitted purple dress. Even though she lacked height, people praised her legs which became one of her best assets.

It startled her when her phone vibrated inside her black purse. She draws out the gadget and reads the messages. It was from her mother. She felt the guilt.

The excuse she told her is she was meeting a friend who she hadn't seen for years. Her mother was happy that finally, she would go out like tonight.

Lucy reminded her daughter to take care and stay dry, not to catch a cold when rain suddenly poured down in the evening. Upon sending a response, another message arrives. It was from him.

"Go upstairs, left door." 

She looked up, and there were just two doors. The one close to the stairs is the left door, and the right one is on the corner. Could it be that he was in the other room?

But she has to follow him, as the life of her mother is in his hands. She must not care too much about his privacy. As long as he will help her and give his blood to her mother, she will be fine.

Nikki takes a deep breath. Her knees are quivering in every step she takes gradually toward the second floor. Shivering hands, she opens the door instantly; she breathes the cool air from the room's AC.

Stepping inside the bedroom, she saw a purple box on the bed. Nikki opens the cover, and it reveals to her a black chemise from a famous brand, The Bella Collections Classic Lingerie Limited Edition. She saw this one on her Instagram feeds.

Staring at the skimpy clothing, she wishes if she could only disappear from where she stood, or the ground shakes and eats her... but like what she keeps repeating to her mind, she sees no choice for her, which hiding is not an option. Her mother's life is in his hands.

The room was lit with a soft light coming from the bulb near the bathroom door, which the rest of the room is dimmer.

Nikki heads to the bathroom and plans to take a quick hot shower. The room is cooler than the living room. It gives her chill down to the bones. Hoping he will decrease the temperature of his bedroom. Nikki prayed.

Stepping into the bathroom, she could not admire the grandness of the bathtub and the extravagance of the washstands when she was this nervous.

Could she lock herself inside? But she cannot just stay here forever. It is better to end the night quickly.

Nikki looks for a hairdryer, and she finds one in one of those drawers. She dried her hair before wearing the black chemise, and tears threatened to plummet from her eyelids.

Nikki wipes the three beads of tears, dropping them into her chin. She inhales and exhales three times while her eyes shut close. She scans her silhouette before she comes out of the bathroom. 

She was likely playing the game of a complete pervert man. A man who has hidden desires, but he won't show them in public. She won't mention the name of this behavior, but he is leading her to that path. And because she needed him for her mother, she cannot oppose but allows him to play her innocence.

Heaving deep breaths, she picked up the blindfold places on top of the footbed, and she sat down, where she was supposed to sit as he instructed.

With trembling fingers, she covers her eyes and fastens the soft fabric behind her head. Resting her palms on top of her lap, she holds the lower end of the lingerie when the bedroom door opens.

THIS IS HIS GAME.