Chapter Five
Asli punched the GPS address into her navigation system, the one Ahmet had sent her earlier. A nagging doubt crept into her mind - was it wise to meet him in secret?
If anyone spotted her, wouldn't it seem like she was forging an alliance behind her father's back?
She pushed the thought aside, 'What the hell? What am I afraid of? I am the Lady boss everyone is afraid of,' she recited to herself, trying to calm her nerves. She was feared by many, and intimidated by none.
As she pulled up to the hotel, Asli decided to keep a low profile, parking the rented car in a discreet location. Whatever the reason was for choosing this place, she didn't want to announce her presence just yet.
She surveyed the surroundings, her trained eyes scanning for potential threats, and the absence of bouncers but one security personnel raised her suspicions. Was this a deliberate move to lull her into a false sense of security or this place was simply a harmless meeting spot?
With a deep breath, she approached the receptionist, who greeted her with an unsettlingly cheerful smile. Asli wondered what she was so happy about. Her instincts prickled; in her world, people didn't smile without a particular reason.
However, the conversation was brief and afterward, she took her to one of the rooms. Asli rolled her eyes when she saw the empty room. He could've met up with her in the bar or the pool side or somewhere other than a room.
She folded her arms, her mind racing with what Ahmet was thinking. What did he think of her? That she was some naive little girl who'd follow him anywhere? Or run whenever he called?
As her gaze wandered, her eyes landed on the sleek, designer bag beside the bed. Suddenly, she recalled the small gift he had hinted at. Initially, she hesitated to touch it, but her curiosity soon got the better of her. She approached the bag, her fingers trembling slightly as she opened the parcel. 'Is it a bomb?' Her senses heightened.
Inside, she found a lingerie set that made her heart skip a beat - a red fitted strap-like back suit with a daring cut-out in front. The see-through fabric seemed to irk her because she knew the fitted design would undoubtedly accentuate her curves. Yet, the thought of wearing something so revealing for a man made her skin crawl, and she couldn't help but wonder why he would choose such a daring gift.
Just then, the door burst open, and Asli's hand instinctively went to her gun, dropping the fabric on the bed.
Ahmet stood in the doorway, looking taken aback. Unless he was faking it, did he really think she'd come unarmed?
"Put that away," he commanded, his tone grating on her nerves. Asli's fingers tightened on the trigger, her annoyance simmering.
"Or else?" she challenged, her voice low and even.
"Shooting me once should be enough," Ahmet replied, his voice firm. "I've never been shot twice by the same person. They don't live to see the next day." His words dripped with confidence, but her anger flared.
"I shot you? You shot me!" she exclaimed, incredulous. Why was he talking as if she had shot him? Why was he twisting the truth? Was he reminding her he got to shoot her?
Ahmet's face contorted in shock, his eyes wide with feigned innocence. "You must be a damn good liar, huh! Now, do you want to claim I shot you?" he asked, his voice laced with confusion. Asli's anger faltered, replaced by curiosity. Why would he deny their history? Shooting an enemy was a badge of honor, not something to be ashamed of.
Her teeth clenched as she struggled to calm herself. Asli didn't have anger issues but when it came to this gorgeous man, she seemed to be losing her patience.
'Gorgeous man.' The words replayed in her mind, reminding her she had just thought of him as gorgeous. What was wrong with her? One minute she was ready to put a bullet in his head, and the next, she was noticing how his eyes crinkled at the corners when he looked confused.
'Ugh, traitorous brain!' She mentally slapped herself. 'Focus, Asli! He's trying to manipulate you.'
However, unfortunately for her, her brain betrayed her yet again by noticing how Ahmet's hair curled slightly on his forehead. She rolled her eyes inwardly. Seriously? Now was not the time to be thinking about how cute he was. She was here to negotiate, what could keep him quiet.
"Make it quick," she snapped, trying to silence the voice in her head. "What do you want in exchange for keeping quiet?" She wasn't here to indulge in petty thoughts about his looks or the fact that he was accusing her of shooting him instead.
She pushed her gun back into her pocket as he gently closed the door behind him, the soft click echoing through the room. He walked slowly toward her, his eyes locked on hers, his left hand reaching out to cradle her cheek. She recoiled, her instincts screaming at her to pull away, yet her skin tingled at the gentle touch. She hated the way her body betrayed her but loved the warmth that spread through her veins like wildfire.
His thumb stroked her cheekbone, sending shivers down her spine. She tried to toughen herself against the sensation, but it was no use. Her heart raced, her pulse pounding in her ears. She felt as if she were drowning in his gaze, lost in their dark, mysterious pulls.
As his warm breath danced across her skin, she could've sworn she heard him whisper, 'You're so beautiful when you're scared...' But she dismissed it as her imagination, convinced that he despised her just as fiercely as she loathed him.
As suddenly as it had appeared, his hand vanished, leaving her skin feeling bereft and chilled. She hated that she missed his touch, hated that she'd craved it even in the first place.
Cursing herself for her weakness, she swiftly regained her composure, hardening her expression and her heart. She wouldn't let him see the effect he had on her, wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing he'd gotten under her skin.
As she struggled to maintain her composure, she caught a glimpse of a sly smile playing on his lips, as if he was satisfied with the effect he'd had on her. The sight of it sparked a flare of resentment within her, but before she could react, he turned away, his movements fluid and deliberate. He settled into the chair beside the gift bag, his eyes fixed on the contents within, his smile still lingering like a challenge.
"I see you didn't like my gift," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. She felt a surge of anger at his perceptiveness. "What's not to like?" she spat, trying to sound indifferent, but he just raised an eyebrow. "Don't play dumb. You know exactly why you don't want to wear it." He leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers together as he watched her. "I think you're just afraid of what it would do to your precious reputation, maybe your ego. Or do you have a problem with your body?"
She felt her face flame up with fury. "How dare you," she shouted, her eyes filled with despair. "I'm here for a negotiation, not to indulge in your twisted fantasies." She walked closer to the door, fists on her hips, and scowled at the man. "I'm not sure what kind of games you're playing, but I'm not interested. Tell me what you want, or I'll walk out of here right now."
His eyes never left hers. "What can you offer me?" he asked, his tone casual. Her eyes trailed over him.