Just The Right Black

Chapter 4

Ariana stood, unmoving, staring at little Miss Perfect in front of her.

"I don't think you heard me right." She said,

"No, I did," Ariana said, "I just need to know who you are before I let you in."

"Excuse me?" She was taken aback, "Who are you to keep me from seeing Jace?"

"His bodyguard." Ariana forced out of her mouth, "And who are you?"

"I'm Heather Hall,"

Ariana had no idea who she was and Bridget wasn't yet back to confirm who she was.

"Can I go in now?"

"Uh, could you wait till Bridget gets back?" Ariana asked, "I don't know who you are and I can't let you in without confirming you're who you say you are."

She scoffed surprisingly.
"Actually, I can't."

"Then you can turn around and head back the same way you came."

"Is Jace in his office?" She asked, getting pissed.

"I can't disclose that."

She tried getting past Ariana but Ariana was quick to hold her down by her hands and keep her away.

"Jace!" She shouted his name, "Jace!"

"What's going on?" Bridget chose that moment to come back.

"Get your hands off me!"

"What's going on?"
Jace joined in on the little gathering forming outside his office.

"Who the hell is this?" Heather asked Jace.

"Heather," Jace wondered what she was doing there, "I didn't know you were coming today."

"Neither did I." Bridget said,

Heather glared at Bridget before looking back at Jace.
"I called you, but you weren't answering."

"I had a meeting, I forgot to take it off silence."

"And then I get here and this happens," She slipped past Ariana and went into his arms, "Who is she?"

"She's my bodyguard."

Ariana blinked, the word 'bodyguard' still not working for her.

"Well, she's doing a wack job."

Maybe because it isn't really her job.
Jace thought.

"Let's go into my office."

She glared at Ariana before she turned around and walked into his office.

Ariana turned her gaze from the door slamming behind Heather to Jace. He was already looking at her and she expected him to say something but a moment passed and no words were said.

"I'm sorry." Jace said before he turned around and entered his office, shutting the door behind him.

Walking towards his desk, Jace wondered how he could have forgotten about those eyes.

Ariana turned around to find Bridget smiling.

"What?" She asked,

"Just glad you survived your first meeting with Ms. Hall."

"She isn't that bad." Ariana said, "Just used to having everything her way."

"Ain't that the truth." Bridget said before heading back to her desk.

Ariana finally sank down into the chair and let out a sigh like it was pure bliss.

Once again, Ariana was lost in her mind but very well aware of what was going on around her. She snapped out of her reverie and out of her seat when the door behind her opened. Jace and Heather walked out and Jace shut the door after them.

"Green, we're leaving." Jace placed his hand on the small of Heather's back as Ariana followed closely behind them.

"Green?" Heather asked, "That's her name?"

Jace said nothing as they headed towards the elevator, passing Bridget's desk on the way.

"Goodnight, sir," Bridget said,

"Night, Bridget." He said, "You should head on home too."

Bridget nodded,
"Will do."

Ariana looked at her with a smile. She wasn't used to smiling but Bridget was around her mum's age and had been kind to her.

Bridget mouthed a bye and Ariana mouthed one back.

They got into the elevator and Ariana stood in front of Jace and Heather. She pushed the button for the ground floor and honestly swore when she heard as Heather snickered and chuckled. She could almost hear Heather's big smile.

Oh, wait! She did.

Heather was telling Jace about something a mutual friend of theirs did and it was one of those conversations they would talk about but something about Ariana being on the elevator with them just made it weird. He couldn't wait to step out of the elevator.

And neither could Ariana.

She almost sighed in relief when the elevator dinged open into the lobby. She stepped out and waited for Jace and Heather to step out before she resumed walking behind them, her gaze sweeping the room.

They all stepped out of the building, and Ariana spotted two cars parked in front. One had Marvis waiting outside and the other she guessed was for Heather.

"I don't want to leave you yet." Heather said to Jace when he walked her to her car.

Ariana walked towards where Marvis stood, both greeting each other with a curt nod.

"I'll see you soon." Jace said,

"You promise?"

"Of course." Jace placed a kiss on her cheek.

"Bye." She slid into the back seat of the car.

Jace shut the door for her and waited for the car to leave before he made his way towards his car.

"How was your day, sir?" Marvis asked.

"Great Marvis. Thank you."

Marvis was about to go open the door for him but Ariana beat him to it.
"It's fine, Marvis. I got it."

Both Marvis and Jace stopped and looked at her. Marvis was the first to turn around and head to the driver's seat but Jace still looked at her.

"You don't need to do this, you know."

"Yea, I know."
But watching Marvis open the door and then go around to the driver's seat was driving her insane. Besides, opening his door was all the action she'd gotten.

"I think you might want to get in now."

Jace waited a second before he slid into the backseat of the car. Arian shut the door and got in the front passenger's seat. Marvis pulled out of the spot he had parked in and straight into the traffic.

Ariana thought was literally all over the place. She needed to get to Wang as soon as possible or she was going to lose her shit. Her heart was already starting to race just thinking about being in the ring.

She glanced into the rearview mirror and blinked when she met Jace's gaze. She held it for a second, which was a second too long before she snapped her gaze away and focused it on the road ahead.

Jace slowly looked back down at his laptop which was open on his lap. He hadn't meant to look up but found himself looking at her when he did, then those green eyes met his.

Unfortunate coincidence.
He thought.

Ariana glanced at the rearview mirror again to confirm that 'the look' had been a mistake on his part. Jace chose that exact moment to look at the traffic ahead and his gaze shifted to the rearview mirror again.

This time, Ariana didn't look away.
"Problem, Mr. Black?"

"None."

Ariana raised a brow and held his gaze for a moment before she slowly shifted it to back to the road.

This time, Jace didn't take his gaze off her.

She was an enigma.
Jace smiled as he thought.