Chapter 5 If I'm Interested In Knowing

• She exclaims to herself... Casey turns around, noticing the imposing figure of Cauther, speaking from the darkness of her uncle Genaro's office. All she could see of him was the tip of what she assumed was a cigarette.
• —And you seem determined to shorten your life if you keep smoking.
• —At least it will be in a slow way.
• —But much more agonizing, apparently you don't care about what your family will accuse you of. What are you doing here? —She crosses her arms.
• —Family? —He whispers very lowly —. I'm smoking a cigarette, I thought it was obvious —She rolls her eyes.
• —I mean, at this meeting.
• —West, it seems he didn't skimp on his invitations. Apparently I'm on his list of... friends.
• She frowns, as he never attended this type of events. It was strange to see him at one, which is why she got scared a moment ago, if it hadn't been for his voice, she wouldn't have recognized him.
• —You shouldn't be smoking in my uncle's office, he doesn't smoke. It will leave the smell everywhere —She says squinting her eyes, unable to see him clearly.
• —Do you think I care about that?
• —That was very rude, Mr. Acrom.
• —Wow! —She watches as Cauther finally emerges from the darkness looking intimidating and dangerous —. So I've been rude, Miss Monroe —He tosses the cigarette off the balcony.
• She tries to say something, but only manages to swallow saliva and stay quiet. She stares at him, but she can't hold his gaze.
• —I was wondering what you were doing in this place, I saw you go up quickly and wondered what you would be doing —He questions, putting his hands in his pockets.
• —It's none of your business. And I'm going to ask you not to follow me.
• —Oh! But of course it's my business —He takes a few steps towards her —. Soon you'll be my partner, and I'll need all kinds of information about you. So, if I'm interested.
• Casey's heart began to beat strongly, to the point where it could come out of her chest without her permission. She presses her lips together and questions herself, why was she acting this way? Then, she senses Cauther's closeness, making her hair stand on end.
• —I don't understand —She answers with fear in her voice.
• —Oh no?! —As strange as he was behaving that night, he still maintained that expression so inert —. Tell me something, Miss Casey, why do you like to go up to the terraces?
• —What? —The dark-haired girl furrows her brow, feeling cornered between the balcony wall and her father's friend.
• —Do you do it because you feel suffocated by your father's power, and you're trying to escape a little from his control?
• Casey widens her eyes at being discovered by a man who never spoke more than two words to her. How was he able to see beyond? It made her feel so vulnerable and nervous at the same time.
• —I don't know what you're talking about —Cauther sharpens his gaze, shortening the little space left between them, placing both hands on the balcony railing, which meant Casey was between his arms, but without him laying a finger on her.
• —You're a little liar, Casey Monroe. What a shame! You're not lucky tonight.
• —Ah! —She replies with a thread of voice.
• —I hate lies.
• The dark-haired girl slightly opens her lips as she finds herself cornered between the concrete and that huge body in front of her. Her father's friend was definitely acting too strange.
• —I'm not lyi...—She was about to respond hastily.
• But her words were unexpectedly stopped, out of nowhere her lips are sealed by Cauther's mouth. The slight contact took her by surprise, she couldn't even close her eyes from the impact. But the touch only lasted a few seconds, as Cauther pulled away from her, maintaining that damn expression so reserved on his face. He didn't even hold her waist to give her a normal kiss, he simply approached her and kissed her.
• Casey observes Cauther's penetrating gaze and feels weak in the knees, her legs turning to jelly and her heart racing like a runaway train. How was it possible that her first true kiss was with her father's business partner? A man who showed no affection for anyone. But that wasn't the real question she should be asking, the real question was, why the hell had he kissed her?
• Suddenly, her innocent eyes catch a hidden, dark smile amidst all the seriousness. It wasn't just any smile, it was... mocking? A game? Was he enjoying himself at her expense? Her damn first kiss was just a joke to that man, how dare he? The dark-haired girl clenches her jaw, thinking that Cauther was the most despicable being in the world. And yet her father trusted him. What would he say if she told him that his precious friend had kissed her?
• She couldn't stand being a fool's plaything, so she pushed Cauther aside and ran towards the interior of the office, then stormed out.
• Cauther wipes the corner of his lips as he watches Casey run off, her outburst only making her seem so... he licks his lips, still able to taste the sweetness she left on them. Perhaps the sensation would last for a very long time, so he decides to take a cigarette out of his jacket. He lights it up and takes a drag, the taste of nicotine seeping through his senses, but he still couldn't rid himself of that taste of innocence he had extracted from her.
• Finally, he exhales the smoke from his lungs. At first, he was convinced that Casey couldn't be as innocent as his intuition told him, especially when he saw her enter the house with that hint of mischief in her dress, and damn, that dress was a sinful sight. If it were a crime to wear such outfits, she would have been arrested long ago.
• Genaro West had invited him to that charity event that ended up being a scandal. He hadn't planned on attending, but to his dismay, Rafael warned him that he might not attend, and his warning forced him to go against his principles. But attending didn't mean he had to socialize with the guests... however, he made an exception with one of them.
• In the end, his presence at that tasteless party wasn't so bad, he ends up letting out a slight smile as he takes another drag of his cigarette.
• [...]
• With her blood boiling in her veins, Casey descends the stairs. Inside, she curses Cauther, calling him an idiot, arrogant, selfish, and a jerk who only thought of himself. If it were up to her, she would never see that damn man again.
• As she reaches the bottom step, the young woman runs into her uncle, who stops her by the shoulders. She had been so distracted that she hadn't paid attention to who she had bumped into.
• "Where are you going in such a hurry, girl?"
• "I was... I'm going out for a bit, uncle."
• "What are you talking about? Your father just arrived."
• "What?" She looks in the direction her uncle was pointing, her father was talking to a group of businessmen.
• "He was looking for you, where had you disappeared to?"
• "I went... I was in the... sorry uncle, I have to go greet my father." She decides not to tell him anything about Cauther.
• She apologizes to Genaro and crosses the room towards where her father was. The path was a bit difficult due to the crowd of guests. She lifts the train of her dress to avoid it being stepped on, and just as she is about to exit the crowd, someone grabs her arm and pulls her back into the throng of people.
• Suddenly, Casey's chest is pressed against Cauther's chest, but what?! She wonders with surprise mentally. How did he get down so quickly? And why the hell did he pull her like that so suddenly in the middle of everyone?
• "What the hell are you doing?" She whispers too low for anyone else to hear.
• "Don't tell me you don't know how to dance?" He asks, squeezing her waist with a bit of force.
• "Don't you dare," she warns, clenching her jaw, occasionally glancing around to see if they were the center of attention or if someone would help her out of this mess.
• "Are you threatening me, Casey?" She locks eyes with Cauther, he was looking at her fiercely, sending shivers down her spine.
• The harsh features of that man were so noticeable, yet at the same time, so, intriguing?, but...