Just The Right Black

Chapter 26

Jace knew she hated it when he went out for lunch. It wasn't hard to figure out the first time I went out for lunch that it made her very uncomfortable. She always wanted to be professional but being in the midst of high class, snobbish, judgemental people made her kind of uncomfortable. Standing in the middle of the five-star restaurant he went to for lunch didn't help because she got stares from everyone. She also didn't give a rat's ass what anyone said or thought about her, but the attention she got made her squeamish. And if that was what it took to get her to sit and have a conversation with him, then he would gladly get his hands dirty.

"This way, Mr. Black." The maître d'oeuvre led him to his table.

Ariana followed quietly behind him as much as he wanted her to walk ahead of him for once but she wouldn't think twice before she gave him the 'I'm the bodyguard not you' speech. So, he just let it go.

"Thank you." Jace smiled at the maître d'oeuvre when they arrived at his table.

Jace had another urge to pull out a chair for her but decided against it. He didn't want to make it obvious that he came out for lunch to have a conversation with her. So, he sat down and gestured for her to take the seat across from him. She started to say something which he was certain was along the lines of 'I'm your bodyguard' but he shut her up before she could get a word out.

"Do you want everyone staring?" He asked her, drawing her attention to a few people that were watching their table.

Jace smiled inwardly when her jaw clenched. Ariana pulled out the seat without any complaints and sat down.

Jace let out an inaudible sigh. It drove him insane when she brought up the 'I'm your bodyguard' speech. It made him want to ravish her and drive her into oblivion. She constantly used it as a shield and he wasn't sure if she used it to drive him away or protect herself. Or both.

Jace glanced at her and swallowed when her tongue darted out and licked those lips he knew would taste as sweet as he imagined maybe even better. He snapped out of his thought when the waitress stopped at his table.

He looked up at the waitress who smiled at him, her cheeks a shade of pink.

"The usual, please." He smiled up at her,

She looked at Ariana, almost glaring.
"And what will you be having?"

Jace knew for certain she was going to say nothing and he wasn't going to sit across from here eating while she had nothing.
"She'll have the same," Jace answered before she could and she glared at him

The waitress disappeared and Ariana rolled her eyes. Everyone was smitten by him.
"Looks like you've got yourself a fan."

Jace smiled,
"Jealous?"

"Not in the least."

"You seemed like you wanted to rip her apart."

"She was rude," Ariana looked away from him, "No one, no matter how high or low in the society you are should be rude especially in a professional capacity. You have to be more reserved and put your personal feelings aside."

Jace studied her for a moment,
"Is that what you do?"

"What?" Ariana looked at him, confused,

"You stay professional and pretend like whatever I do doesn't affect you?"

Ariana's breath caught in her chest and her heart pounded in her ears.
"Professional or personal, I'm always like this. This is my normal, so I don't have to pretend." She picked up her glass of water and took a sip. "Whatever it is you think you do to me goes unnoticed."

Jace's jaw tighten and Ariana could have sworn she heard his teeth grind.
"Why do you have to be so darn hard?"

Ariana looked away from his piercing gaze.
"Mr. Black..."

"Jace dammit!" Jace hissed between clenched teeth and the people at the nearby table turned to them.

Ariana adjusted in her seat.
"Jace...I don't understand what is going on or what you think is but I'll have you remember that I'm your bodygu..."

Jace got up so fast, his chair slid back almost falling and he walked away heading toward the entrance. Ariana got up and went after him then headed to the car while he spoke to the maître d'oeuvre apologizing for the inconvenience. Jace paid for the food they ordered before he walked out of the restaurant.

He didn't look at her when she opened the door for him. He got in without a single word and Ariana shut the door and got in the front. Marvis pulled out of the parking spot and headed back to the office. Ariana continuously but unintentionally glanced at Jace in the rear-view mirror as he stared at his phone and texted away looking ticked off.

What's wrong with him? Why did he suddenly leave the restaurant?
Ariana wondered why he got up so fast and left the restaurant.
Did he remember he had something important to do?

They finally arrived at the office and Jace was out of the car before she was. He walked briskly through the entrance to the elevator with her following behind, as usual, matching his long strides.

What crawled up his ass at the restaurant?

Jace walked straight into his office once they got to his floor and he slammed the door behind him. Good thing she decided to give him his space and lag behind him, else she would have gotten slammed in the face.

"What wrong with him?" Bridget asked as she stopped at her desk staring at his door.

"Beats me."

"What happened?"

"I don't know, we were at the restaurant when he got up angrily and left. He hasn't said a word since."

"And what did you say?"

Ariana looked at her in horror,
"Me?" She pointed her forefinger to herself, "What makes you think I said something?"

Bridget tilted her head, giving her the 'really?' look.

Ariana sighed, giving up,
"I was trying to make him understand that I'm just his bodyguard. He's been behaving strange with me lately and he brought it up at lunch."

Bridget smiled.

"What?"

She shook her head and looked back at the computer screen in front of her.
"I'm not going to interfere where fate is concerned. You know that saying: Karma's a bitch?"

Ariana nodded.

"Well, it's worse when you mess with fate."

Ariana frowned.
What the heck was she talking about Karma and fate for?

She just wanted to know what she knew regarding Jace's current state.

Mess with Fate, Karma's your date.
Ariana scoffed.

She didn't see those two anywhere. At least she hadn't seen them since her dad's killers were put away. Those assholes had a date with the bitch of all bitches.

Karma.