31. On a Date

Laura - Her apartment
I dash inside my apartment and into my room. Not having too much time to change and get ready for tonight keeps me on edge. My dresser isn’t as packed as the one in my room at Paul’s villa, but it should suffice.
“What are you up to?”
I turn around to see Alisa on the threshold, with her hands on her hips.
Scouring through the clothes, I answer, “I’m in a hurry. It took me a while to sneak out of the office building and ditch my bodyguard. I have a date tonight with Bogdan Badea, the guy who tried to kill Paul and–”
“Is he hot?”
I roll my eyes and toss a shirt into the air, looking for something more acceptable for a posh restaurant. "According to your criteria, absolutely."
“Good! Maybe he’ll take your mind out from the wolf. Or are you thinking of playing them both?”
“I don’t think of Paul that way. And this is a… business meeting of sorts.”
“Yeah, right. The more you deny your S&M relationship with Paul, I start to believe it’s growing into something even bigger.”
As I take out an ankle-length flowing dress, Alisa frowns. She yanks it from my grasp and orders, "You go brush your hair or something, and I’ll pick something out for you as I always do."
She dresses me up once again, finding decent clothes and styling me with elegance. Although it's less glamorous than the gown from the previous night, it looks good paired with high heels and accessories, such as a beaded necklace and a black sash.
Realizing that it is rush hour and I’ll get stuck in traffic, I call for a cab and thank Alisa as I hurriedly scurry outside. Getting a driver’s license isn’t something I thought useful, but I reconsider my decision as I wait outside. Loud honking comes from the people trapped inside the jam, heightening the bad, troubled vibe I have inside. Am I doing the right thing by going out with Bogdan? What will Paul think if he finds out?
The drive to my destination takes more time than it should have. I don’t like being late, but this time I don’t have any other choice. The cab stops in front of the barrier at the city center. From here on out, only pedestrians are allowed.
Stars twinkle in the sky as I stroll through the city center. The dazzling lights startle me at first, but I get used to them fairly quickly. Even though I’m a bit late, the high heels don’t allow me to walk any faster than this. The rocky pavement looks great for tourists, but it’s dangerous for classy girls going out on a date wearing fancy shoes.
As I enter through the glass doors, I swipe the room with my gaze. The restaurant is packed, and almost all the tables are full of people. If I ever were to get agoraphobia, then this would have been the right time.
A woman approaches and inquires, "Hello and welcome to Mama's. Have you made a reservation?"
I raise an eyebrow, not being used to the regulations of high-end restaurants. "I'm not sure, but I believe Bogdan Badea is expecting me."
She nods. “Please follow me.”
I comply and follow her into the labyrinth of tables through which she glides unimpeded. When she sees Bogdan's radiant grin, she realizes she is no longer required and goes away.
“I’m glad you made it. I was worried there for a bit,” he says before I even have the time to sit.
“I had a lot of work at the office, and the traffic is crazy.”
“Indeed.” Bogdan nods, his smile never dwindling even a bit. “I hope you don’t mind that I’ve already ordered wine and starters.”
"No, of course not." I smile back and try to read his mind. He only seems to care about my looks at the moment, which reminds me why I rarely go on dates. I’ll have to wait until the conversation sparks some deeper things in him.
Once the waiter delivers what he asked for, I decide to try to stir him up.
“So, tell me, Bogdan, what do you exactly do for a living?”
"I invest, buy and sell stocks, sometimes even taking enough shares from a company to get into the executive board, as I did with Wolves Inc."
This time, emotions hype up his thoughts, and I dive in to hear them. ‘Only when I have a personal stake in that firm. I’ll take Paul down one way or another.’
His voice takes me out of his mind. “By the way, how did you come to work there? How did you meet Paul?”
“By accident.” I give him my best smile. “Maybe it was a fluke since it seems like a nice place to work.”
His thoughts are once again running wild. 'She isn't telling me everything. There's more to their relationship than meets the eye. I know Paul has feelings for her. I feel he cares about her based on how he behaved hearing about our date. I'll take her away from him and torture him.'
This man truly hates Paul. But of all I picked up from him, a single thing remains etched in my own mind. He’s convinced Paul has feelings for me. Is that really true? I don’t know anymore, but he seems pretty convinced about this.
I press forward with questions, receiving little in return and giving back the same amount.
Bogdan has an annoying tendency to answer questions with questions. He's a charming, elusive kind of guy. I fight the impulse to roll my eyes and look toward the doors. My mouth hangs open. I can’t believe it! Paul is entering the dinner with a gorgeous woman by his side.
The way he moves draws my attention like a rabbit in a trap. He exudes a charming confidence, a swagger that screams, 'I know I'm one of a kind.' He's wrapped his arm around the waist of the woman, who leans in as if supporting her own weight is too much for her.
Paul pulls out a chair, and the woman flashes a dazzling smile as she takes the seat. He leans down and kisses her bare shoulder as she beams at him with a radiant smile. What the fuck is he doing? Who’s that woman?