Time To Heal [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: THE COURTSHIP

"Put me down, DEVIN!" Ana screamed with outrage to the Neanderthal, pounding furiously against his broad back for good measure. Not that it was serving any purpose, she felt like one of the minuscule Lilliputians trying abortively to harm the giant Gulliver with small pins.

"Don't hold your breath baby," he replied insolently patting her on the butt.

Aware that a phalanx of reporters was starting to surround them with their cameras, Ana schooled her expression into an impassible one but for once she felt her mask slip. It was difficult to maintain dignity in the upside position she was it, whenever she turned to address her abductor, it felt like she was talking to her butt.

Irascible anger gripped her at the realization that the tabloids were going to have fun at her expense, the images of the scandalous pictures which were going to be splashed in the gossip magazines making her cringe inwardly. Incredible at it might sound, she had managed to dodge a single disgrace throughout her career, the ignominy being written about her had always been counterfeit. In fact, knowing how relentless the media was about the privacy of celebrities, she had made it a point to protect herself fiercely from scandal.

All for nothing.

"Do you know I've never been photographed in a scandal?" she fumed, rage rendering her voice husky when Devin forcibly dumped her into the back of a black limo. She realized her mistake a tad second later.

"Oh really?" he retorted scornfully, unfazed by the fact that she was so angry that she could bite his head off. "You can always say it was your double," he teased cheekily making her want to strike out. He anticipated her reaction because he caught her wrists in his hand in one firm grip and scooted her aside when she refused to budge, nearly sitting on her lap.

Eventually, it left her with no choice than to move away, her personal space being invaded by his obtrusive presence. Looking away from hi, she tried to calm her raging breaths, trying to figure out her status quo. What was he doing in her life again?

How the hell did he know about her bitchy cover anyway? It was a supposedly professional secret, known by very few of her close ones.

Sulking, she refused to acknowledge his presence, locking her jaw in a tight crunch to keep a hold on the anger. She needed that feeling of absolute fury to keep herself intact again, not to fall apart near him again. Never, she vowed silently to herself. It was enough she'd fallen apart after having left him in the hotel room the last time.

While he'd remained unaffected. Yet again. It was like history was repeating itself, except this time she knew better. She would rather die before giving him an inch now. Lost in her self-preserving mood, she completely missed the fact that the car was heading towards one of his properties.

"Where are you taking me?" she attempted an inference of insouciance in her voice, not because she felt in any kind of danger in his company but still fretting because she was with him. He had the uncanny ability to create havoc in her carefully laden life.

As soon as they had started to drive, Dev had completely ignored her removing his mobile to type furiously on his tactile, not even bothering to show any interest in her. At the sound of her voice, he barely glanced in her direction, continuing the task at hand like she was insignificant.

Piqued, she snatched the phone from his hand, glaring at him with exacerbated breath to his completely unruffled demeanor. Cocking his eyebrows haughtily at her, he grinned back insolently which irritated her even more.

"Stop playing games with me, will you?" she snapped in an annoyed voice.

"No games," he acquiesced in a wan voice as if talking to a child and not a very bright one at that, while she knew he was just teasing her. It didn't help her raucous mood at all.