Seduce him.
Seduce him.
Seduce him.
The words kept echoing in my mind as the car moved along the road. I had spent an hour or two before getting ready for 'school' researching on the internet about how to seduce a man, a married man.
I was tensed up, disgusted, and still mad at Ilay and myself. But I had to do what I could to survive.
"Does he give you a hard time?" Someone asked, startling my soul and mind back to reality. A reality in which Milan the damn target was the one behind the wheel after Ilay asked him to drop me off on his way to his office. But from what I had learned, Milan's office was in a completely different direction. This was just Ilay being his dominant calculative bastard setting the floor for me to work my magic.
I cringed at that term.
A nervous chuckle and then, "A little. You know your brother, hard to deal with."
"Just let me know if he dares cross the line."
I glanced at Milan and wondered what kind of a person he was. Like Ilay, I could tell that Milan was just as terrifying as his younger brother. There was a dark side to him that he was trying so hard to lock inside of him but I could tell it was suffocating him. Unlike him, Ilay laid bare his shadows and even danced with them.
"Thanks."
The car went back to the bothersome silence for another two minutes before I composed myself and gathered enough courage.
"So um...what was Ilay's childhood like? He never tells me anything." Not like I ever asked.
Milan's knuckles turned pale as he gripped the wheel with all his might. If he was a character from Marvel, I was sure he'd have snapped it in pieces.
"He, uh, he-"
"Oh wait, we should talk about this over coffee or something. I'm sure there will be useful details I'll learn to help me handle him better."
Milan chuckled tensed. His face had also grown a shade lighter and one could see his nervousness written all over every inch of it. To divert the conversation, I asked about his kids. The ride was more livelier until we got to the academy gates.
"You may drop me off here. I'll walk in by myself."
"Okay," he agreed bringing the car to a halt on the side of the road.
My hand reached for the buckle, ready to leave when the devil's voice whispered something in my ear. A trick that had been used too many times in movies, the usual 'stuck-belt'.
"Fuck!" I cursed faking a struggle with the buckle.
"Any problem?" Milan asked in his gentlemanly voice, drawing my eyes to him.
"It appears to be stuck. Gawd!" I exhaled looking away before I could laugh at my poor acting, "Would you mind..."
"Oh, sure."
Why was he so obedient and gentle? It made me want to defy Ilay's orders and have him punish me. But then again, Milan wasn't exactly as he portrayed himself to the world. He had already cheated with his stepmom. Not forgetting that he forced a twelve-year-old to have sex, he must have been as fucked up, if not more, as Ilay.
As expected, he undid his seat belt before leaning in my direction yet careful not to touch me. I waited patiently until he was close enough, my heart beating irrationally and my breathing forcefully slowing down.
It had to look believable and accidental. And I had to do it in the little window Milan was presenting.
"Does it-" I jumped into action, faking a question while turning my head in his direction, making sure my timing was right, and bang! I successfully managed to brush my lips on the corner of his in what could also be called a kiss.
My chest constricted mercilessly before we snapped our faces away from each other.
"I'm sorry," I apologized meekly as he cleared his throat, daring not to turn my way.
"It's ok- oh look, it's unstuck!" Milan beamed sounding unaffected by what had happened.
I frowned in my soul but put a wide smile on my lips thanking him.
**************************************
Throughout the day, I didn't see Ilay which made me feel both relieved and nervous. Had something happened to him? He should have at least texted me.
Dang! Text me? Was I insane?
We weren't that close for him to care about such things.
And as training came to an end, the dread that had been hanging in there spread rapidly in my heart like a fire.
I was about to go face Ilay, his family, and most importantly, Milan.
I kept wondering if he had thought about our little kiss or if he saw through my lie. Also tensed over how to draw him in without making him suspicious.
****************************
I caught Faina's stare fixed on me while a conversation was ongoing among the others. They at some point, began speaking Russian and I could feel some discussions were about me.
Fuck Ilay, leaving me with his evil family without saying a thing to me.
But their gossip was bulshit to me.
I had grown some thick mental skin all thanks to Ilay.
When dinner was over, I volunteered to do the dishes just to help me pass the time rather than go to my room and die of boredom. The servants allowed it like they had the other night and only cleaned the kitchen floor and counters.
Once they were gone, I let out one long sigh and put on my AirPods, isolating myself from the world and losing my mind about the music as well as the dishes I was washing.
Something brushed my ear before taking out the left AirPod. I gasped jerking around, carelessly dropping the bowel I had been washing in the sink till it shuttered.
"Calm down, calm down." Milan laughed cupping my shoulders as our eyes finally met.
I glared up at his face and shrugged him off. Ah fuck! Had I just wasted such a golden opportunity?
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Kally. I didn't think you were easily startled."
"You could have said something," I pointed out but he just laughed again.
"I did. You were listening to-" he put the AirPod in his ear, "-um... Billie, right?!" The flicker of excitement in his eyes looked like a child finding their lost favorite toy.
"You...like her?"
Milan nodded taking off the AirPod. "I'm sorry for alarming you, Kally. I came for some beer and wanted to ask if you like one."
How charming, not.
I shook my head. "I hate beer. But I wouldn't mind your company."
Yes, nice move Kally. I just had to entertain him for a few more days before making the bigger steps.
Milan smiled warmly, something that Ilay lacked.
I fell into a trance as I wondered what Ilay's genuine warmth would feel like. He'd probably melt from his own feelings before he could extend them to others.
Looking at Milan up close, he looked more similar to Luka than he did with Ilay. But their blue eyes were just the same.
I grew a bit curious about what their mom looked like. She must have been a beautiful woman to bring forth such gorgeous kids.
We talked about myself, with Milan asking questions, not hiding his curiosity.
He was easy to converse with because of his vast diverse knowledge. And before we realized it, everything was squeaky clean and our time together was about to end.
I was a little sad, genuinely sad because I hadn't had such a decent conversation with anyone in over six weeks.
"...I'll head up now. Thanks for your comp-"
Without alerting me, Milan pulled me into a tight embrace. "Thank you, Kally. Thank you for talking to me."
I patted his back, feeling suffocated by his strength. "You're welcome. It was nice talking to you as well."
"Gawd!" Milan sighed pulling away. He ran his hands through his blonde hair, "It can be so suffocating here sometimes. I hope you don't drown in this ocean of a family."
I smiled sliding my hands in my hoodie pocket for some warmth. "Trust me, I can swim just fine." A believable lie because he didn't know me.
Catching a glimpse of his vulnerable side made me pity him just a bit. Was his darkness caused by someone else as well?
*******Join Patreon and read to chap 81 of this book plus Haven and Disarray and Stalker Me Mr Stalker.. all for only $5****