Mr. Mysterious In Black (13 page)

In one swift move, Natalio was before me, breathing my air. His arm snaked around my waist, pressing me into him as he clamped his lips down on mine. I didn’t protest, I
couldn’t
. Like a slave to him, my mouth opened, welcoming him. He kissed me, hard and fierce, confident and demanding. Then abruptly, he pulled away. A kiss that was harsh and clipped…but slaking.

Eyes closed, I stood reeling in darkness for several moments. When I opened them, Natalio was gazing down at me, his brow raised in that signature, wet-my-panties way. “That’s why,” he whispered.

My heart was a pounding tattoo and my knees jellied. Only hot air escaped when I tried to speak. “I-I’ll…go get…dressed.”

Natalio’s lips curved up in a complacent smile. “Good.”

Touching my slightly swollen lips, dumbstruck by his assault, I turned and wobbled my way down the hall.

What the hell?
Will I ever be able to resist him?

Will I ever be able to stay away from Mr. Mysterious in Black?

“Y
ou look beautiful, Sadie,” complimented Natalio as he led me outside. His fingers gently drummed where they were rested on the small of my back. Determined not to speak, I nodded. I’d decided, while I got dressed, that two could two play his game. So I’d opted for an ankle-length, navy blue velvet off-the-shoulder dress—which was self-made, incidentally. The smooth velvet material leeched onto my skin, accentuating my ample hips and a mid-thigh split displayed the length of my left leg. I hadn’t much time to school my hair, so, utilizing a golden hairpin, I’d pulled away my lengthy hair from one side of my face, revealing that side of my neck. Intentionally did so, because I knew he was fascinated with my neck. Oh yes, two can play the game.

All done in hopes that I would have the same effect on him as he’d had on me when I’d caught sight of him standing, devilishly sexy, in the living area earlier. His sharp intake of breath when I’d sassed down the hall preened and primped, and his lingering eyes on my partial neck, had told me that he did. And inwardly I’d smirked, feeling rather complacent.

Natalio opened the passenger door of his vehicle and stood aside for me to enter. Such a gentleman when he wanted to be. And I loved the fact that, as wealthy as he was, he hadn’t anyone driving us around and opening my doors for me. Proved just how much he craved control. He wanted to open all my doors and maneuver me in
every
way. And
I
wanted him to.

Politely I smiled, being sure to avoid his eyes. What a pretentious game we were playing. When he entered on the driver’s side, he twisted and reached for a black pinstripe jacket that was on a hanger in the back. “Guess I’ll be needing this after all,” he mumbled as he shrugged it on. “That dress is…hell, it’s…damn. Who’s the designer? I want to buy you a dozen more like it.”

“Sadie Francé,” I muttered.

He shot me a doubtful glance. “
You
made that dress?”

I folded my hands in my lap and kept my gaze straight ahead. My silence would tell him that I’d fallen into a deeper sulk for his doubting my skills.

But in all veraciousness, my silence was my implement of hindering him from initiating a conversation. I wasn’t really able to speak just yet, for I was still in vertigo from that kiss. My mind was in disarray and I needed a few more minutes to recover my equilibrium. He wielded too much power over me and I needed to keep my wits about me. He would simply look into my eyes and my body instantly responded to his unspoken words.
My body
understood and yielded complaisantly, when
I
barely knew what’s happening.
My body
was in tune with him, striding alongside him, while my subconscious struggled to keep up. Trying to comprehend what the hell was happening. I didn’t know who he was, but already I think I was enslaved to him. If I could manage to avoid his eyes, then I’d be safe.

How he viewed my reticence to his question, I wasn’t sure, for he refrained from another word. So we drove in silence to the restaurant, and I tried not worry about his current thoughts. Instead, I closed my eyes and inhaled as the air conditioner permeated his expensive fragrance that was subtle but declared ‘I am man’.

When I sneaked a peek at him, I saw that he was trying to smother a smile. But I dared not ask what about. I couldn’t bear to hear the sound of his smooth, caressing voice if he spoke right now. I’d melt.

We were greeted politely by a gangly, brown-haired waiter at the entrance of a restaurant called
‘Vibrato Grill Jazz’
and were led to our table. Warm and inviting was the décor; dimly lit with an intimate ambience. A live jazz band played soothing music on a stage situated at the front, creating that cozy and romantic aura. I closed my eyes and sighed, allowing myself to relax at the sweet melody of the saxophone.

Natalio’s eyes were hot on my face as the waiter continued with his obsequiousness before leaving us to decide on our meal. Maybe he knew the blue-eyed tycoon. I was the only idiot who didn’t.

“Still sulking?” I heard Natalio ask. “Are you going to talk to me anytime soon?”

“Yes,” I replied with my eyes fixed on the menu. “Crispy Calamari for appetizer. Wild Mushroom T—”

“I’m not the waiter,” he snapped.

Taking a sip of my water, I chanced a quick glance at him. He seemed irritated. “What do you want to talk about?”

“I want to know why you’re upset with me.”

I sighed. “Natalio, will you stop playing dense? You know why. Why did you lie to me?”

He gazed at me, imploring me to look him in the eye, for my eyes were fixated on his chest. But I didn’t. That would be my undoing. “
How
did I lie to you, Sadie? I just didn’t tell you who I was.”

“Why?”

“Because I wanted you to recognize me, dammit,” he said in a rising voice. “Not me, Natalio Nelson, proprietor of ENEN, but
me.”

What the hell did that mean?

Because I wasn’t up for an angry Natalio tonight, I decided to ignore his building ire. With a shake of my head, I sipped at my water before speaking at a measured pace. “You are the most confusing, contorted, convoluted person I’ve ever met. I can’t understand you. What is it that you want from me?”

“Look at me, Sadie,” he prompted.

I did and immediately regretted it. His eyes blazed with passion, igniting my own.

“I want
you
. I want you to want me. I want you to
see
me,” he told me with the same pace and limpidity as I’d spoken.

The waiter returned, but Natalio held my gaze as if no one was there. Sighing, I tore my eyes away from his and addressed them at the waiter, placing my order.

He wanted me. Why didn’t he just say that from the night at the club?
Sheesh
.

Once the waiter had disappeared, I asked, “For someone of your status, how do you travel alone? Aren’t you afraid?”

Natalio chuckled. “Afraid?” He chuckled harder. “No, I’m not afraid. And no, I don’t travel alone. I’m always secured.”

“Where are they now?” I glanced around the restaurant searching for anyone in dark suits and dark eye shades. Cipher.

Natalio smirked. “That’s for
me
to know.”

My lips quirked in annoyance.”Why are you so withholding?”

“I’m not. Well, only…for now.”

“Why? You think I’d want you for your money? That I’d treat you differently if I knew? If you were looking for an
un
-rapacious,
un
selfish woman who’ll love you for you, then a strip should’ve been the last place you checked, buddy.” I was beyond exasperated. “But get this, if your money was your only attraction, well, for me, you wouldn’t be worth the goddamned trouble. Trust me. It’s like trying to find my way out of a maze with your complex ass.”

He lips twitched and before he could speak the waiter approached with our wine. Opening and pouring with grace and flourish.

When we were soon alone, Natalio spoke. “I’ve never thought that of you. As a matter of fact, everything I’ve ever done is for you. Everything that I have is also
yours
.”

Heaven help me, this dude must be suffering from some sort of illness.
Dementia, maybe? Maybe he’s deluded?

In over my head I was with this man. Were his savoring looks and praiseworthy body really worth the trouble? Slowly, I rolled my head around on my shoulders, brought my palm to my forehead and whined, “Ohhh, pleeaaasssee, Natalio. Will you just be forthcoming and stop with all the riddles already?”

He tried to repress a smile and failed.

He found this funny? This man was giving me a headache and he thought it funny? I was infuriated. “Listen up, Sphinx. I’m no goddamn Oedipus Rex. I absolutely suck at solving riddles. So if you got something to say, then spit it out. You’re giving me a goddamn headache.”

“Your neck,” he whispered. And I noticed his breathing was slightly ragged. “Why didn’t you pin both sides of your long, bountiful hair? I love to see that graceful neck of yours.”

This man…

There I sat, baffled, bewildered with a tinge of anger and he was adoring my neck. Could he get any more frustrating? “Stop digressing,” I snapped. “Or I swear I’ll wear only turtleneck tops from now on.”

Natalio grinned and I almost melted. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Oh, you obviously don’t know me very well.”

“Okay,” he sighed, straightening himself in his chair. His expression grew determined and serious. “Sadie, it might sound crazy to you now, but you mean
everything
to me. It’s been a long wait but you have no idea the contentment it brings me have you in my grasp. I won’t tell you straight up what you want me to tell you because, as I have told you time and time again, I’d prefer you to find out on your own, because I’m not sure how you’ll react. I want nothing to be forced. Nothing to be fake. I want you to want me—no, need me. I want you to love me. Fall helplessly in love with me just like—” he stopped abruptly, and leaned back in his chair. “You see? I’m getting carried away.”

I blinked at him, blanked. What in the world was he saying? This barmy, mourning billionaire wanted me to fall helplessly in love with him?
Why?

Palming my forehead again, I took a long sip of my wine. There was no understanding this man, because all he did was talk in parables instead of coming straight with me. What did he want me to find out on my own? Had he known me before? Or was he just a complete stranger trying to take disadvantage of my illness? But then, if that was the case, he would’ve been telling me all kinds of tales about my so-called past. Maybe he
was
from my past and wanted me to remember him on my own. In truth, there were times, like whenever he laughed and relaxed his facial features, that I thought him familiar. But that was just it, he was reminding me of someone that I couldn’t remember. At that moment, I was highly frustrated.

Shaking my head, I took another sip of my wine, placed the glass down, then immediately reached for it again and gulped it all.

“Look, Sadie,” he began. “I don’t want to scare you away. I want to keep you in my life. I could tell you, but only if I was sure that once you knew, you’d take my hand and skip gleefully away with me.” He gave a childish smile at the latter—knowing that such was childish jabber. “But I’m worried you might run. And I don’t want you to run from me. Only to
love
me
.
”

Refilling my wineglass, I crinkled my brows, asking, “Have you known me before? Assuming you know about my amnesia, are you from my past?”

Natalio closed his eyes for several heartbeats before opening them again and saying, “Yes.”

“Then why don’t you just tell me who you were to me instead of starting over? You don’t think that’s easier?”

“I could. But how would you know if anything I tell you is true? How would you know that I’m not just making things up to make you be with me? I don’t want to tell you stuff and then you start embellishing it with your imagination. If I try to remind you of the past, you will force yourself to remember, and what you remember wouldn’t really be your memory. It would be what I told you along with your own imagination.” On a heavy sigh, he ran a hand over his face. “Look, Sadie, it’s not just about who I was to you. It’s about how things…I can’t…I can’t tell you. I want you to remember. And you will. I have faith. Even though I shouldn’t.” He made an anxious chortle. “Of all the doctors I’ve spoken with, only one gave me hope that if you’re around me often, you
might
remember
fragments
of your past with me. And I’ve spoken to
a lot
of doctors. That doctor’s daughter had been in a car accident and suffered the same fate. He said that four years after the accident she began having scattered memories of events leading up to the very accident. However, he did label it ‘a miracle’.” Natalio laughed at his last words.

Just like all the doubtful doctors have ever told me about my memories not being real, Natalio was doing the same and it angered me. But then, anything about this situation tended to anger me, which is why I hated talking about my past. My amnesia wasn’t so severe that I’d forgotten my entire past. The only memories that I’d lost were the memories two years prior to my head injury. So I wasn’t
that
bad. I wished people would stop making me feel like a damn freak.