Hours early before the engagement party...
Bruce's POV
"You okay back there?" I asked as Dakota sighed deeply for the third time since we got on the road. She glanced at me and quickly looked away.
"I'm fine."
"You don't look fine." I said and she sighed the fourth time.
"You wouldn't get it if I told you." She said quietly.
"Try me."
"Okay, fine. I have a board meeting." She said, her right hand twisting the other one.
"That's it?"
"What? Okay, maybe I should set the scene here. I'm this twenty four year old privileged kid who knows nothing and I'm going to meet this intelligent, experienced people to give an account of how I run the multi-billion company they invest their time and money into so excuse me if I'm nervous." She said and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. It was like Parker to take what wasn't rightfully his. He couldn't offer the upper hand to someone who knew what they were doing rather than his twenty four year old? With each hour that passed, it was like hatred instead of blood was coursing down my veins.
"No, I didn't mean it like that."
"Then what did you mean?"
"You seem pretty smart. I think you can figure it out, whatever it is you have to say to dazzle them. It'll come to you." I said and she giggled.
"Did you come to that conclusion because I wear spectacles?" And because you were too in your class.
I try to laugh. "Well, not just that. You also wear your hair in a ponytail."
She laughed out loud this time. "Thank you." She said when she quietened down.
"For what?"
"Making me laugh." I dragged my eyes away from her smiling face and tried to focus on the road... On the goal.
"Have you thought about what I told you?"
"About what?" She straightened immediately.
"Don't do that."
"Do what?"
"Act clueless. You know what I'm talking about."
She sighed. "Look, if it's money that you want, you can just say so."
"What?"
"I don't want you lying to me anymore."
"I'm not lying to you." I said and she studied me closely.
"Have you seen my sister?"
"Yes, I saw her this morning at the elevator after we—"
"You've seen her and you're still interested in me?" She asked, snickering. I frowned. Didn't this girl know how freaking hot she was? It almost drove me insane. This part... This wanting her part is supposed to be an act, yet she consumed my thought. All of it.
And here she was... Doubting herself.
"Well, maybe that's because it's you that I want."
The smile slowly slide from her face and her cheeks stained, going quickly from pink to red.
"And you want me too. I know you do. At the elevator you wouldn't let go. You didn't push me away."
She closed her eyes and sighed again. "I have a boyfriend."
"Who cheats on you. Maybe you should get even."
"I don't want to get even, Bruce. You think I like this dilemma I'm in? I've only known you for a day and I... Here I am." Her voice broke and she stared out the window. "I don't even know what I'm doing most times. And this moment is one of them. I don't know anything but I'm certain that I don't want to hurt anyone just for the fun of it."
My heart dangerously warmed lightly. I'd have hit the chair hard if I was alone. I was going to do this dangit!
The car had barely stopped when she raced out of the car. Her hands shaking as she tried to let her hair down. The rubber band caught in her hair and I got out of the car to help her.
Whirling around, "please keep your distance. I find that I'm like an animal in heat whenever we're atleast five feets away from each other. I have a company to run, dangit!"
I chuckled and her eyes finally met mine.
"What's funny?"
"You're beautiful when you're angry and you're right."
"About what?"
"Everything. I'm sorry that I had you feeling..."
"Loose? You held me up in an elevator."
I winced. "I'm sorry about that too."
"You're sorry it happened?"
"Shouldn't I be?"
"I'm not sorry it happened." She said, her emerald, green sea gaze dropping to her shoes.
"I don't really get what you want me to do anymore."
"Say you're sorry and stop talking. I have a boyfriend." She said and I smiled. She really was a child.
"I'm sorry." I held my hand open for hers. "From now onwards no more funny businesses." I said and she stared at me for a while. Then nodded and smiled sadly. She started walking towards the building, her messy hair forgotten.
"Dakota." I said and she turned around. It's been the first time I called her name. I could tell she liked it. She might have given me the upper hand without realizing it. "Your hair."
She reached up and gave it a firm thug, sending it tumbling down over her shoulders in waves. She smiled shyly and turned back to the building.
As I watched her walk away, I was certain of one thing. I had to make her mine. Even though it if had to be short lived.
***
"You're late!" My mother said as she opened the door to her luxurious apartment. I smiled and kissed her cheek lightly. The diamond stud earrings I'd gotten her for her last birthday gleamed for the hallway chandelier and my heart swelled with pride.
I'd made it my uttermost goal to get her out of the street and in the kind of life she deserved. I was glad I made it. For her.
"I got you something."
"Not another diamonds, I hope!"
I chuckled. "Rubies."
"Oh, sweetheart, you know you don't have to get me anything else. You've given me more than I could ask for. Everything I dreamt of, you became. I know your father's proud too."
"He'd be more proud once Parker Harper got a taste of poverty and shame."
She sighed. "Son—"
"Don't try to talk me out of it, mom. It's already happening. I get to drive Dakota Harper around. I live in the white house. This is what I've been dreaming of ever since— no one's talking me out of it."
"Dakota though? She seems... Kind."
I scoffed. "She's not, trust me. Even if she wa,s, I don't really care."
Skyler made her way out of the kitchen, a wide smile on her face. She had a large spatula in her hand.
"Hey, you."
"Babe? What are you doing here?"
"I came to cook for your mom."
"Aren't you going to be missing out on work?"
"Meh, I took a break. You never really realize how hard it is to serve plates and refill wineglasses until you're doing it." She said, walking up to me. She pouted her lips and I couldn't stop myself from leaning in and kissing them passionately. Only when I did, I could only see green eyes. I quickly leaned back and both of them frowned.
"Are you okay?"
"I... Yes. Yes, I am. I just... Well, I'm hungry."
Skyler smiled brightly. "Good thing I made pasta!"
***
"There's something about her that is... It's alarming." My mother said several minutes after we'd all eaten and Skyler had gone back to the Whitehouse.
"Are we talking about your pesky neighbor again?"
"No. I'm talking about Skyler. She's... She has this thing about her. She seems dangerous."
"You mean she's passionate?"
"I mean she's dangerous. She's not like the other women you let into your life. She's here to stay and she's going to do anything to stay."
"Okay, just say it, mom. Whatever it is."
"Just be careful with her, alright? She's hard to hate but she's also kinda hard to like. There's something about her." She said, frowning. I rolled my eyes and got up, willing myself not to get upset at my mother's conclusion about Skyler. I kissed her cheek and made my way to the door.
"See you next week, mom."
She stared at me for what seemed like hours. "I just hope that when the time comes, you'll let yourself live."
***
"How was the meeting?" I asked Dakota as she gracefully made her way to the car.
"I got out there alive. I'm thankful for that."
"That bad, huh?" I opened the door for her and she slid into the car.
"It was horrible." She said and carefully took her shoes off. "Sometimes I wish I could just run off and be Dakota for a moment... Not president of the company. Not the president's daughter. Not Harry's girlfriend. Just Dakota." She slumped against the chair and set her spectacles on the bridge of her nose.
"What if I told you I knew a place?"
"What?"
"You want to escape? I might be able to help with that."