The Devilish Assassin Meets The Angelic Detective

"What is she doing here at Arison's Birthday Party? Is she planning to do something again with the Arison Family?" Black Shadow could not stop himself from wondering after seeing Catseye.

James invited him also to this party however he was very occupied early this evening by the girl whom he just met in a club before.

After meeting her, they started to go out and spend time together. For him, his interaction with her was just a pastime as of now since he was still recuperating from his injury.

"I need to find James and warn him about Catseye." Black Shadow said as he gave up on searching for Catseye for now and he went to look for James.

Meanwhile, James and Selena were still in the room talking to each other.

"You have great timing my dear little sister. Good job!" James praised her.

Selena and James had planned everything. It started from the time Selena received James's message and she left Elle in the room. She knew that after she left her brother would enter the room.

Selena went back to the banquet hall while holding the white dress. She came to look for Erick. She asked him to accompany her from going to Elle.

She said to Erick that Elle might be shaken up because of the commotion and she needed Erick. Since Erick was concerned about Elle, he followed Selena right away without suspecting anything.

"I thought you would do something more rather than hugging her," Selena said to James as she sounded a little bit disappointed.

"Why you sounded so upset? Are you not happy? Erick looked so mad just a while ago." James asked her.

"It is natural because he was jealous. He saw his girlfriend hugging a guy. But they will still reconcile after this. What Elle will have to do is to explain it to him." Selena complained.

"So what are you saying is you want me to force Elle and do something intimately with her?" James asked her with disbelief.

"Yes!"

"My dear sister don't be too impatient. Even if I do that, she will just say that I force her and Erick will still listen to her. And he will become more protective of her and he will make sure that I will stay away from his girlfriend." James explained to her.

'Besides Elle just gave me a chance to become her friend and I won't waste that chance. I can't do that to her even if I really wanted to do it with her. I should control myself.' James thought to himself.

"If you really want to break them apart then I should win her heart and make her give herself to me willingly and not by force. Do you understand Selena?" James had a serious tone this time.

Selena just nodded as she realized that her brother had a point.

"Let's go back in there. Guests must be looking for us. Besides I need to deal with Chlarice." James said to her. Then soon, the Arison siblings went back to the banquet hall.

Along the way, James saw a familiar figure of a man standing in the hallway wearing a suit and a mask. He frowned. Seconds after, he recognized the man. It was Black Shadow.

"Selena, go ahead first. I have to talk to someone first." Selena just nodded and complied.

"Happy Birthday Boss!" Black Shadow greeted him with a meaningful smile.

"How's your wound. Can you start working now?" James asked him.

"Hmm, I am recovering well. Thank you for the bullet that you gave me." Black Shadow said sarcastically.

"I already told you that the circ.u.mstances left me with no choice. Blame it to Catseye." James said as he justified his action.

"Speaking of Catseye... I saw her just a while ago inside the banquet hall. She is here." Black Shadow said to him.

"What?! Did you just say Catseye is here?" a shocking expression appeared on James's face. Black Shadow grinned widely and nodded to confirm it.

"Then what are you doing here? Where is she?"

"I lost her in the crowd. The guests are wearing all white dresses, I can't tell where is she now. Let's check the CCTV monitor to find her." Black Shadow suggested.

"F*ck!" James cursed at himself.

"What's wrong?"

"I already ordered the staff in the CCTV control room to delete all the records for tonight. And I asked them to switch off the camera for the meantime."

"Huh? Why did you do that?" Black Shadow was looking at him with disbelief.

"Because of certain someone," he mumbled as he thought about Elle.

Black Shadow burst out into laughter.

"I think Catseye is very lucky tonight. Haha"

James shot him a glare.

"Black Shadow go protect my mother and my sister. I need to warn all the security personnel."

___________________

Meanwhile, the girl they were just talking about was finally able to catch up with Erick.

"Erick! Wait!" Elle shouted at him. They were both outside the hotel already.

Erick heard a familiar voice calling his name. It was Elle. He was contemplating whether he would stop and turn to look at her or he would continue to walk away.

He chose the first one so he stopped on his track and he turned around to see the girl.

He was still enraged of what he had witnessed but the time he turned around and he saw Elle, his icy expression shifted immediately.

He saw Elle panting. The sweat droplets on her skin began to run down her face. She was drenched in sweat, it soaked her already wet white dress.

Elle felt relieved when finally Erick stopped. The perspiration lay cool on her skin and it cooled further by the breeze and she began to shiver.

Erick saw her reaction so he walked briskly towards her. He removed his tuxedo and he wrapped her body using it.

Erick's brows locked further when he noticed Elle was not wearing anything down her feet, she followed him in barefoot. 'D*mn! Did she run and follow me without wearing her sandals?'

"Why?" Erick asked her as he looked at the petite girl in front of him.

She knew he was talking about why she was walking barefoot. "To catch up with you. I can't do that if I am wearing my high-heeled sandals."

Erick felt guilty for her.

"Why did you leave? Why are you mad?" Elle asked him right away. She could feel it. Erick was furious.

Erick didn't answer her questions right away. He was just staring at Elle intently with his serious expressions. Elle stayed silent and waited for his answer. Her eyes never left his eyes.

After his long silence, Erick finally spoke up.

"Elle... let's stop pretending," Erick said to her.

Elle looked confused when she heard his remarks. When she heard it, she felt something stings in her heart.

'Why is he telling me this out of the blue? Is he tired of pretending that he is my boyfriend? Did he believe Chlarice?'

Elle looked away from his gaze. She looked down so that she could avoid his intense gaze.

"Do you... do you hate me now Erick?" Elle asked him.

"Of course not. I don't hate you, Elle." Erick said right away after hearing her question.

"Then why are you telling me this? Are you tired of pretending as someone that you are not?" Elle asked him again.

"Yes." Erick softly mumbled.

Elle looked up only to see the sadness in Erick's eyes. Elle did not know what she should feel right now.

She was about to walk away when suddenly Erick grabbed her hand and pulled her into a hug.

"Elle I am sorry. I cannot stop my feelings anymore. I know I am now becoming greedy when it comes to you."

"Every time I saw you with other guys I felt really restless and threaten. I got jealous of your Boss and I even got jealous of my friend Bryan."

Elle was at loss for words. She could not comprehend yet what Erick was trying to say. And now, hearing all of these, she wanted to laugh.

'Seriously??! Erick was jealous of those two dimwits... Charles and Bryan?'

"And just now, I got really jealous of James. Elle calls me greedy and selfish but I just don't want to see you close with other men except me."

"Elle I want us to stop pretending. I want us to be real... a real couple. I like you, Elle. I think I've already fallen for you!" Erick finally took all his courage to confess to her.

His hug tightened as if he was afraid that Elle would be taken away from him anytime.

Elle's eyes widened. She could not believe what she just heard. She was shocked beyond belief.

Erick just asked her to stop pretending and now he confessed that he likes her and he already falls for her.

Erick released her from his tight hug. He wanted to see Elle's face. He held both her shoulders and he glanced at her dark alluring eyes.

"Elle I love you!" Erick said once again. Elle could feel his sincerity in every word that he said. His words were like music in her ears that soothes her heart. His eyes also spoke for his feelings right now. 

Elle's mind went bankrupt at this moment. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She tried to speak but the words were stuck in her throat.

Erick knew how shock Elle was feeling right now. He could see it in her expressions.

When he said those words it seemed like he had relieved himself of something heavy which had weighed in his heart for too long.

Now the anger and jealousy he felt a while ago were overpowered by the nervousness he felt as he waited for Elle's response.

He was afraid that Elle would reject him. Every second passed seemed like torture for Erick. Elle remained silent and it seemed like she already froze on her spot.

Erick was left with no choice. His heart was about to explode from nervousness and his mind was about to go crazy just waiting for her response.

So Erick bent down to claim her lips. He started kissing her with light and gentle motions. Seconds passed Elle's lips also started to move. Erick smiled in between the kiss when he felt Elle started to respond on his kiss.

This was the only alternative way he could think of to confirm whether he had a chance for Elle or he had not.

Erick put his hand at the back of her head while the other hand was cradling her back as he pulled her closer. Elle also raised her hand and put it at the back of his neck while her other hand was on his face.

He parted his lips slightly and went for her lower lip, gently sucking and nibbling on it. Then he moved to suck her upper lip and gently placed his tongue underneath.

The pleasure he was giving her could not stop her from m.o.a.ning in between their kiss. 

As the kiss became fiercer and hungrier they pulled each other closer until there was no space left between them and they could feel the beating of their hearts against each other's chest.

As they broke away after what seemed like ages he looked at her with so much passion. Elle saw Erick's eyes sparkled and his lips curved up into a smile. Then, Elle felt lost once again at that moment. 'Wait... What just happened again?'

Erick moved his head closer to Elle as he held her face using both hands, his thumb caressing her cheek. He leaned in, so his forehead rested against her. They both closed their eyes.

"You don't have to answer me right away. I will wait when you are ready. This kiss is enough to give me assurance that I have a chance and perhaps I have a place in your heart." His voice was low and husky.

He planted a kiss on her forehead once again before he said: "I think, it is time to go home now my lady, shall we?"