Chapter 19

Maya’s P.O.V

I cannot believe that I spent the last half an hour getting ready to go out with Leslie.

I decided to spice things up by wearing a cute lavender long sleeved dress I’d had for quite a while now and a pair of white flats. I even borrowed Ann’s curling iron just to curl my hair and dabbed some red lipstick on my lips. I didn’t look too bad; some might say that I even looked cute. I had asked Ms. Duke’s permission to go out for the night and she had shockingly sent me off with a smile. Who knew that she and I would end up on such amicable terms?

“How do I look?” I asked Lexi, who I had face-timed to show my outfit with a twirl.

She pressed her lips grimly. “You look too pretty, Maya. Why don’t you just wear a pair of jeans, a top and call it a night? You know what, I’m not in love with the idea of you going out with this loser. Didn’t you say his name is Leslie?” she said with a grimace.

I ruffled my hair and then went to pick up my phone from where I had perched it on the dresser. “Dude, I’ve been bored for some time now and I need to breathe in some fresh air. Besides, it’s not a date, we’re just hanging out. I don’t see that could possibly wrong with that.” And there really wasn’t a problem, was there?

Lexi sighed and then smiled weakly at me. “I guess you’re right. Just be safe out there. I heard that people get stabbed a lot that side in the night. I expect all the details when you get back,” she winked and I blew her an air kiss before I ended the call.

After making sure to straighten my dress, I walked out of the room to the foyer. “Ah, going somewhere, are we?” a derogatory voice sounded from behind me.

“Ah, being a nosy creep, are we?” I refuted in a mocking voice before spinning to see Miss Meredith looking at me with utmost disdain. Would this pain in the neck ever leave me alone?

She smiled acridly at me and rolled her eyes. “I see you’ve managed to bewitch Leslie as well. Was it your mission to be a scarlet woman here in London, Knight?” she asked, her brow raised condescendingly.

My temper flared as I took an ominous step towards her. “What exactly is your problem with me?” I charged in fury, making sure to glare daggers at her. The reason behind her constant glowering and scathing accusations bothered me so much to the extent that I couldn’t be at peace with myself.

Meredith too stepped forward until she was a foot away. “My problem is that you came out of nowhere and have upset the balance in this household. Theodore is on edge because of you, and I don’t appreciate that you can’t just leave him alone.”

Ha! Is this woman delusional or just downright stupid? Had she no idea that if anyone didn’t want to be near her beloved boss it was me? Ever since that man walked into my life, he’d sent me on an emotional rollercoaster. And lucky for him, he wasn’t the one whisked away to a foreign land where I was finding it hard to cope with the madness that went on around him. And also, unlike him, I couldn’t just pack my back and run off to wherever because I was still deeply mingled with this crappy debt I owed him.

I was about to back hand her with my venomous words when the twins came barrelling down the stairs and effectively dissipated the situation before it escalated any further. “Maya! Grandma told us that you’re leaving. Can we come with you too?” Aiden ran up to me and grabbed my hand in his.

“Yeah, we’re tired of being here all the time and want to go too,” Brianna beamed, her eyes glistening with hope.

I smiled down and both of them, totally ignoring the demon who was standing beside me. “Guys, I can’t go with you,” I told them gently and they both pouted. “But maybe we can go to an amusement park someday this week? How does that sound?” They both nodded their heads in glee. “Why don’t you go watch something and I’ll see you when I come back?”

After hugging them good bye, I let them go off to the screening room. Passing an infuriating smirk in Meredith’s direction, I sashayed over to the door and waved her off with my middle finger. I didn’t miss the way her eyes widened at my crude gesture. That will teach her to not take me for a fool.

Outside, the sun was setting and a gentle breeze made the trees’ leave rustle in a somewhat melodic tune. I noticed Leslie walk up towards me, looking fresh in a pair of dark washed jeans and a plaid shirt. He was definitely handsome in his own right but he didn’t quite stand a chance with- don’t you dare compare him with that incorrigible British fiend!

“You clean up well,” he commented with a low whistle and I tried to brush it off with a sarcastic eye roll. Deep down, the little girl in me was jumping about all giddy. Who didn’t like being told they are pretty?

I slapped his shoulder playfully. “Wish I could say the same about you,” I joked and he held his chest in feigned hurt.

“Ouch, that one hurt darling,” he voiced in his enchanting Cockney accent. Since when did I find his accent enchanting? Get it together Maya! “Are you ready to have the time of your life?”

I tilted my head at him. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Leslie.”

“We will see about that,” he quipped with a lopsided grin.

And so, our night out in the city began.

***

“I hate to say this, but tonight has been anything but boring,” I admitted abashedly, taking a spoonful of the ice cream he’d bought me.

I wouldn’t say the date (because let’s face it, it was like a date) had been picture perfect since his mode of transportation was a well-maintained motorcycle. I had no love for those death traps and the fact that he had made me get on one had me in constant fear that I would fall off and crack my skull open. I bet he was very thrilled when I held onto him as tightly as I could all through the ride.

Our first stop was the London Eye and for this one I had to subdue my fear of heights because it wasn’t every day that one gets to ride on a gigantic Ferris wheel. The view from the summit was exquisite, I couldn’t even conjure words adequate enough to describe it. I won’t like and say I didn’t scream a little on the way up but Leslie like a good champ, held my hand the entire time. We also went to see Big Ben, but from a distance. Till now, I still don’t understand what the big deal about that giant clock is.

Then after we’d done a bit of wandering and window shopping, he finally took me to a quaint Pizzeria right in the heart on London. The pizza was good but nothing compared to the one’s I’d tasted back at home. The UK so far was lacking in that department. Next, he drove us to a park where he’d bought us some ice cream and we were enjoying a walk.

“So, tell me, how did a goddess like you end up working for a cold brute like Mr. Duke?” he asked casually. I almost choked on my ice cream, making me beat my chest to soothe the pain.

I cleared my throat. “That, isn’t any of your business,” I replied with a degree of sneakiness and he snorted at my response.

“Oh please. Don’t tell me he somehow wooed you with his surreal looks. If that’s the boat you’re sailing in, get ready to sink without a doubt. Mr. Duke is a damaged man with loose morals. He won’t settle for you, or anyone after what happened with his ex-wife,” he spoke and for some odd logic, I wave of discomfort pulsated in my chest.

“FYI, Leslie I don’t think he’s that handsome and I’m not the least bit interested in him,” I bit out bitterly before finishing up my ice cream and dropping the container in a nearby trash can. “I’d like to get back to the house now. It’s getting late and I’m tired.”

He nodded and also discarded his ice-cream container before we headed back to his bike. About thirty minutes later we were back at the Duke mansion. I mounted off the motorcycle and handed him his helmet. I gave him a curt ‘goodnight’ and was about to enter the house when he caught me by the arm. “I had fun tonight, Maya. Can we do this again sometime?” he looked at me with hopeful, hazel orbs. Going out with him wasn’t bad but was I willing to do it again?

I tucked a loose strand behind my ear. “I’ll let you know, Leslie.” He smiled at me and leaned forward to place a kiss on my cheek. It didn’t make my heart race but it did make a warm feeling wash over me. I made steps toward the front door and waved him goodbye, before I shut the door behind me. Removing my shoes, I went over to the kitchen barefooted in the dark and opened up the fridge to grab a bottle of water. I was about to shut the door when somebody did it for me.

“Where have you been?” My eyes widened in panic when I matched the voice to Mr. Duke. And much to my disbelief, when I pivoted, I came face to face with a shirtless him, his stormy eyes blazing and face hard as a rock.

FML!

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Hello lovely people. Here is the long awaited chapter. I know waiting for updates on the weekend is quite tough but...my updates are always worth the wait, aren't they?

Don't mind my cockiness...how was the chapter?

What do you think about Maya and Leslie's date? Could they be a cute couple?

And who do you think asked that ominous question towards the end of the chapter?

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Next update is on Friday.

Toodles,

~Deetronite.