A smile tugged at Veda's lips.
Staring right into the eyes of the man with full of proud. She finally understood the plot. The victory was on her side at the moment. Veda managed to look through the scheme the man was holding against her as if she was easy to manipulate. But she was not in fact.
He could never fool her. The beam across Veda's face amused Lucius Ford so that his right brow rose along with a smirk tugged at his lips. He would be lying if he said she was not that fascinating. He must admit she got an alluring yet pretty face with a beautiful smile.
But the hidden meaning beneath that exquisite grin never failed to shock him always. Making the atmosphere thrilling even more. He favored this feeling of pleasure Veda gave to him. She did it so well. He liked how it was hard to see through this young woman.
He fancied the fact that her smile and expressions held each disguised meanings under. He enjoyed this excitement. It made him eager to discover those secrets beneath her expressions. "Player number one has stopped the game" The dealer announced.
Seizing the cards from the table as he began to flip through. "Starting with number one card.." he voiced with a calm gaze. Revealing the first card in the middle on top of table. "Number two adds up which means total is three at the moment" The dealer declared, assertively.
It was when Lucius smiled.
Take a look at this young woman in front of him. Her expression did not even show an ounce of shame for lying about her cards. She maintained that tranquil face so well that he required to make her disclose more emotions. "Next card is four" The dealer proclaimed.
Pulling the card out which the man played. "Another card is three. For now the total number is ten" The dealer stated. Not even a sound came up from the young woman. Veda just observed the cards which the dealer was taking out onto the table. Ignoring the stare from Lucius.
She had no interest to increase the sexual tension around the table. Gazing back into the man deeply could make it appear as a pair of eyes full of passion. Not to mention the alluring smirk across Lucius Ford's face. The intense gaze which he did not mean was too much.
Veda believed the man just peered at her in curiosity. Not knowing how Lucius Ford was admiring her quietly with passionate gaze in fact. "The next card is six; follows by four. The total has become twenty" Dealer divulged. Pulling the cards out slowly to increase the curiosity.
But if only he knew the fact that both the players were not that excited nor curious to find out the cards. They two quietly swam in ocean of thoughts with different type. Lucius could not cease himself from admiring Veda as she wished for the time to pass quickly.
"The next cards are two and seven"
Again, the dealer announced. "Now the total has risen up to twenty nine. The last card will decide the winner and loser" Thinking the two players were eager to discover, the dealer proudly held the last card. "If it is less than thirty or thirty, player one loses. If not, another wins"
He explained. And finally the card laid top on the cards. It was the moment, Veda's lips curved up into a satisfied smirk at the sight. "The last card is number five which means it is more than thirty. Player two loses! The winner is player one!" In shout, the dealer declared.
Delight surrounded the young woman so that her gaze lifted to mock the man. However, instead of a shocked expression with agape mouth, Lucius Ford wore a grin. Surprising Veda wholly. What was this meaning? Why was he beaming? He literally lost the game.
She expected him to be upset. Not smiling back at her like that! "Your dear friend did not even help you in the end. Tell me how you managed to find out my last card" Sounding amused, Lucius ordered. The unexpected command from the man stunned Veda entirely.
So he knew it all along. No wonder he had been raising the cards higher like a fool; he purposely was showing the numbers off to Aria. That was why he did not lift the last card. He pretended to be an idiotic person through out the whole game just to entertain himself.
How surprising.
A chuckle escaped between Veda's lips after processing the situation. A smile flashed across her face. Looking up into the eyes of the man. There was a hint of admiration mixed with hatred. She disliked how he fooled her. It appeared as if she was entertaining him for fun.
"Your eyes" Veda responded. Slowly, she leaned forward to rest her chin upon her palm. The attractive beam displayed still. The reply managed to quiet down the man. His eyes? What did she mean? He was certain he maintained the calmness. So how did she get to see through?
"The tranquility you kept up might have tricked others. But you blinked more than three times just in ten seconds which pointed out you were panicking slightly inside. I know you felt anxious for a second because of me" With a smirk tugged at her lips, Veda provoked.
Thinking the man was going to jump up from the seat in irritation. However, Lucius never reacted as she anticipated. "You are correct" He confessed. A smile still formed across his face. It was the moment, Veda frowned. Why was he keeping that beam still? Wasn't he furious?
He should find the current situation exasperating! "It is strange how you can fill me up with anxiety for a moment. The excitement you can bring is beyond my expectations" Lucius commenced to admit what he was feeling. Completely stunning the young woman.
Thrilling?!
Did he just say he found the situation pleasurable?! 'Oh, lord. He truly is a psychopath as Aria alerted' In disbelief, Veda stated. "Enough with your deranged admission. It is making me nauseous" A serious expression appeared across the young woman's face at last.
Stopping the man with full of disappointment. Her reaction caused the man to grin. This. He was talking about this. The way she responded with unexpected words thrilled him. "What is your request?" He voiced. His gaze focused on Veda who was about to get up.
"Protection" Standing up from the seat, Veda disclosed. Her eyes locked with the man's still. "Why?" Lucius questioned. Noticing the hidden secret under the request. Even though, the young woman already expected this man to ask the reason, she still panicked.
It was not like he was a gentleman who would give free hug and kisses. This man named Lucius Ford was one of the top crime lords who could murder literally anyone anytime as he pleased without getting into prison. Commiting crimes was one of his daily works.
He could kill her for discovering his identity even. "Put me into no-harm list" Instead of an explanation, Veda requested. Hushing down the man wholly. The smile across his face had disappeared completely. So she knew all along. No-harm list could be handled by crime lords only.
Everyone was aware of it.
Now, this young woman asked to be in that list which was hard to get in. Lucius fell into deep silence. She only encountered his introduction. How did she straight up believe he really was the crime lord, Lucius Ford? Every clue pointed out, Veda Ambrose schemed everything.
The moment, the man discovered the truth, his gaze switched with a heartless cold one. Then he got up from the seat in tranquility, to approach near to the young woman. It caused Veda to grit her teeth in pure shock. Not showing any other expression than a calm one.
She restrained the urge to step back so she would not seem like a simply frightened weakling. "As expected, you were pretending to be clueless about my identity" Tilting his head, Lucius whispered. Gazing down at the young woman who did not reply to him at all. She reminded silent.
Staring back into his eyes with full of courage. "You have a minute to detail the reason why you require to be shielded by me" The man gave a chance due to the fact that he made a deal with this young woman. "I accidentally murdered someone" Hopelessly, Veda confessed.
It was the moment the man fell into silence. "Who is it?" Lucius asked. "I have no clue about the identity of the woman actually. But her lover is Edward Gable who is chasing me down to kill me right now. And I want to survive till the end" In short, Veda described the situation.
She did not have to detail. This man would know who Edward Gable was for sure. Veda gulped as soon as Lucius Ford's gaze blazed. Fastly enough, his hand rose, only to wrap around the young woman's neck with full of force. Surprising Veda and Aria who was observing.
"Fuck.."
Under her breath, Veda mumbled.