My legs almost wobbled when I heard Sebastian's crude words.
He seemed to really enjoy my response, I caught his amber eyes glinting devilishly.
I pulled my chin from his hand before taking a step back from him. "Why are you doing this to me? Are you playing with me?"
One of his dark eyebrows raised with mock surprise. "Shouldn't I be the one asking you that question?"
Damn him and his beautiful mouth. He had a point, I tricked him first.
I folded my arms across my chest and put on my brave face to bluff him. "Then what do you want from me?"
"One night with Daisy," he answered without the slightest hesitation. "Whatever your price, I'll pay."
My mouth gaped slightly while my traitor body gave a different reaction. "Do you... really know who I am?" I asked to be sure.
"You're Ludmilla Benson, age twenty-five, a junior reporter at The Daily Wire," he answered flatly.
"Right," I replied, nodding firmly. I'm sure he already did some background check before sending those Daisy flowers to my office this morning. So he's obviously playing with me right now.
I took a deep breath to calm my anger but failed when I saw his eyes glint again. "Mr. Moran... I'm not an escort, so please stop asking me to sleep with you!"
He blinked slowly, unimpressed with my sudden indignant burst. "So, escort Daisy was only your disguise?"
I nod stiffly. "I'm not an escort," I emphasized again. He looked like a smart man, but just in case.
He was silent for a moment, but in this dim light, I could still feel his gaze lowering to my low-cut cleavage.
"Then why did you disguise yourself as an escort sent by Nicholas Shaw? Shaw doesn't seem to remember he sent you that night." His tone changed drastically, from mocking to low and menacing.
My body froze when I realized I just fell right into his trap.
Sebastian Moran bent down again and whispered in my ear. He smelled so good I had to close my eyes to maintain my focus.
"So... am I going to go to the police station with Miss Benson tonight... or will I come home with Daisy?" His warm breath, a contrast to the cool air in this ballroom, made me shudder.
"Did you just threaten me?" I whispered back.
"Yes," he answered blatantly before pulling himself from me. "Because I hope I could go home with Daisy tonight," he added with a cold smile.
"I'd rather sleep in prison than sleep with you."
One corner of his mouth twitched amusingly. "Are you sure, Daisy?"
"I'm not an escort!" I almost shouted, luckily there was no one around us. All the invited guests' attention was still focused on the main stage.
"Why me? Shouldn't a man of your caliber be able to find any woman?" I asked, a bit frustrated and amazed at the same time.
"You are right." He agreed easily. "A man like me should be able to get any woman I want... That's why I have to have you."
His shameless answer stunned me. I gritted my teeth in silent fury. "I'm expensive, I'm afraid you can't afford me, Mr. Moran."
"Oh, don't worry Daisy, I'm a rich man. Name your price."
This overbearing arrogant man!
"You can't buy me!" I replied indignantly.
"Of course I can. Or your efforts chasing Bill Kovach all this time will only be in vain if we get the police involved," he continued lightly.
Did he found my recorder? He already knew I was investigating Bill Kovach. A hint of fear started creeping up to me.
It didn't sound like an empty threat either and he probably was the one who shut down my investigation report in The Daily Wire.
Sebastian Moran wasn't a man to be played with.
There was only one way to deal with a man like him. I had to bluff him.
"I'll sleep with you if you hand me Bill Kovach," I said in a slightly trembling tone. "I want evidence. Every trace of his embezzlement and his corrupt schemes. Hard evidence too."
And I would also take Moran down along with Kovach. He's not stupid, he knew I could take him down along with Kovach if he agreed to with my conditions.
He was silent but the cold smile on his face had faded and replaced with contemplating look. "Isn't it too expensive? All of Bill Kovach's dirty secrets exchanged with one night with you?"
I noted how he deliberately wouldn't acknowledge Bill Kovach corruptions. Instead, he used save words like 'dirty secrets'.
See? He couldn't betray his precious partner in crime just for sleeping with me. This time I won—
"Seven nights," he said suddenly. His face twisted up into his charming crooked smile and made my heart beat faster. His beautiful eyes searched my face for a moment.
"Bill Kovach's whole secret for seven nights with you. You must come to me every time I call you. No excuses."
I was too shocked that I couldn't open my mouth to reply. For several minutes we just stared at each other silently.
"Mr. Moran, it's almost time for you to give your speech." A woman dressed in black suit appeared behind him.
"I'll be right there in a moment," Sebastian replied without taking his eyes from me. He waited for the woman to leave before continuing to speak to me. "I would love to come home with you tonight, but it seems you still have work to do. I'll call you for our next schedule."
"Wha—"
"But I need at least a taste to help me through the night."
Sebastian grabbed my waist before I could react. One of his hand cradled my face so I couldn't run before he kissed my lips.
No, this wasn't a kiss. He was devouring me like a starving man. His teeth bit my lips with enough pressure, forcing my lips to open.
He smelled delicious, like spicy breath mint mixed with expensive male cologne, and a hint of something I couldn't describe but his smell made me drunk with strange sensations.
Every place Sebastian touched with his bare hands burned my body.
The tip of his tongue touched my tongue making me shudder in his embrace. Something sharp and pointy traced my lower lip sensually, but I was too busy kissing him back to pay close attention.
"Ou... Ouch," I moaned when I feel stinging pain on my lips.
Sebastian licked my lower lips slowly before pulling himself away from me. He took a few deep breaths before licking his lips to erase traces of my lipstick while looking at me with those lustful eyes.
I stared back at him dazedly, heart pounding hard on my chest and I still panting like a dog.
At that moment I realized what this dangerous man could do to me with only a kiss. How embarrassingly helpless I was every time he touched me.
"Don't forget to wear your red dress, I really like that dress." He lifted his hand to brush the corner of my swollen lips slowly while eyes still burning me with its intensity.
"I expect our seven nights will be worth the high price you put on, Daisy."
Sebastian flashed me his crooked smile again before walking away.
I stood alone in the corner of the dark ballroom, still breathless and speechless with how fast he handled our situation.
I hadn't even say yes.
***
I went straight back to my apartment after Sebastian Moran finished his speech. To hell with my report, I would just have to make do with what I gathered so far.
No wonder Mr. Rochester asked me directly to cover tonight's charity event, surely Sebastian Moran had something to do with that request.
A bouquet of white Daisy flowers appeared on my desk the next morning, they were smaller than the previous one.
Staring at those beautiful white flowers first thing the morning got me a little bit queasy.
I threw away the flowers after taking out a small white envelope that was pinned between the flowers.
Zoey looked at me with her bewildered gaze when she saw me throw the flower in the trash, but she didn't say anything.
After returning to my cubic I opened the white envelope, inside there was a black card made from thin steel with the Magnus logo engraved on it and a piece of paper.
'Saturday. 21:00 '—S.
There were no pleasantries or secret message on it, only a line containing our meeting schedule. I squeezed the paper in my hand and threw it into the paper trash can in my cubicle before turning my attention to Magnus membership card on my hand.
The membership card I borrowed from the woman I met in the toilet at that time was red, different from the one I currently hold.
The one I hold right now looked more sleek and exclusive.
I guess he's not a man who could take a 'no'.
"Seven nights..." I whispered as I stared at the black card in my hand that looked simple but also very luxurious.
Seven nights with Sebastian Moran... my heart skipped a beat every time I remember the night I spent on his lap at that time.
I had a problem though.
It seemed Sebastian thought I was an experienced woman.
I bit my lip then leaned my back on my chair. Should I tell him I'm still a virgin? But my chance to expose the Bill Kovach corruption scandal would likely disappear.
What would it feel like to give my virginity to a man like Sebastian Moran?
We'd only met twice but I couldn't deny it... I'm also a little attracted to him.
I sighed heavily.
"I must be crazy," I muttered to myself before turning on my computer and dove into my work to forget that man.