Compensated

"I'll stab those eyes with a fork if you don't take them off my fiancee. She's with me so how about you look for someone else to borrow?" Denzel angrily declined Hunter's request. I didn't say anything when his eyes narrowed at me. Why should I say anything? I wasn't able to pick sides. My side was obviously Denzel. He was the one dating me. I couldn't let him down just because of his sensitive eyes from Hunter.

Besides, since these few days we haven't been seeing each other, I had some breath of fresh air. A lot more time to think about myself and not other people's problems. Lena's scars had been bothering me and I keep trying to figure out what was going on despite how much she didn't want to talk about it or even act like I was saying what was right.

"You need to calm down, Denzel. I just had some important things to talk about. She has to hear my side of what happened years ago." Hunter continued to press on.

"That's a dumb excuse. What if she wasn't able to make it to the party? How would you need to share the so-called important stuff?" Denzel taunted him.

"I don't know what's pissing you off. We are only friends." Hunter pointed out.

"Some friend you are to coerce her into getting a tattoo she wasn't prepared for. I wouldn't appreciate it if you stop trying so hard to take what's not yours." Denzel replied, still not backing down.

I was getting sick of it.

"Please, guys. Let's not ruin this night. We can talk about this some other time. There are cameras everywhere." I chipped in. "We'll talk some other time, Hunter."

He agreed with a smile before walking away from us.

"Of all my cousins, my mom had to let this asshole into our lives," Denzel complained under his breath and I laughed.

"You both need to stop this fight. You practically look good together as best friends. Not with those three rich and annoying grown men you hang out with." I rambled.

"I can be friends with him once he stops trying to replace me. It's starting to get on my nerves. And he knows the perfect way to do it is to try to steal your heart."

"I don't like him that way," I noted out loud.

"I'm glad you don't." He lowered his head and locked lips with me. I was still getting used to his savoring kiss. He always wanted to leave me breathless with his tongue.

"Easy love birds," Kimberly giggled, walking past us with a bouquet in her hands.

"Easy? I'm just getting started."

He enfolded my lips in another hot kissing section and if not for the high event we were in, I would drag him by the belt to the bathroom and make him give me a quick one. I haven't felt him there yet but I knew it wouldn't take long before we both discover in that way.

The party finally started and Raven stood on the stage to make the opening cheers. I've not been to these kinds of fancy events before so I didn't know how it's really supposed to go or if we'd just walk around the house drunks in our hands. I decided to let Denzel lead the way and I'll follow. He must have attended these kinds of gatherings a million times. My face turned sour on seeing Justin approaching us in a matching suit with Denzel.

"This is interesting. Are you two a couple now?" I asked checking every detail on their suits.

"He wanted to know what I was wearing so I told him. I guess his stylist is not in town for him to actually dress like me." He whispered and I chuckled.

"What's funny? What'd I miss?" Justin asked when he was close enough.

"You missed the part where you looked like a duck," I answered smiling proudly.

"Come on, I already apologized, Sheldon. I'm sorry for treating you like a servant." He pointed out before turning to his friend. "Please, tell her Denzel. She should quit with the insults. I've been through a lot lately."

"That's enough, I'm not ready for your drama right now." Then, I faced Denzel. "Excuse me, Mr. Possessive but I need to go to the restroom."

He smirked. "Can I come with you for a second?" He offered and I giggled.

"What for? Stay here and don't even think about looking at any girl or you'll be in serious trouble." I warned and he winked at me.

I was blushing like a bride on my way to the restroom. Denzel and I are getting more touchy and romantic with each other. I didn't know this relationship would take this turn because we despised each other before. Now, I just wished we could go home and spend the night talking to each other.

After using the toilet, I stepped out to wash my hands in the sink. I was surprised to see Lena there, pressing soap into her palm. I joined her and we washed our hands together.

"Hey, Sheldon. I'm so glad you could make it. I love your dress, It's dashing." She remarked.

"Thank you. I love yours as well." I was beaming with smiles. I don't know why I pretend with her. I can't be real with what I truly feel inside.

"Please, enjoy the party. I helped with some of the preparations." She offered.

I wanted to just smile, thank her and walk away. But then, I remembered I had a mystery to solve. A mystery centered on her scars. I was confused if I should bring it up or let the sleeping dog lie.

And of course, I decided to give it a shot.

"Lena, something happened that night I brought you home drunk. I was able to see your back and there were really scary scars on there—"

"What are you talking about? You got me naked?" She half yelled.

"No, I didn't. I only unzipped your dress because you asked me to. And then I saw the marks. Are they from Mr. Morgan? Don't be scared, please let me know what's going on with you." I swallowed not knowing how she will take this.

"You must have been hallucinating. I don't have any scars on my back."

"Don't deny it, Lena. Just tell me why he did that to you. Is it because you refused to give him shares in your company? Is it money trouble?" I maintained my suspicion.

"Mind your business. You don't know anything about this family. Why are you making stupid assumptions? Nothing is wrong with me, understand that." She huskily shouted heading for the door.

"If I was only hallucinating, show me your back. Unzip your dress and let me see it." I asked. "We are both female. Nothing is illegal right now. You just have to prove to me that you're okay and no one is hurting you."

"I repeat, it is none of your business. Get that into your damn mind." She stated dismissively before storming out of the restroom. I sighed, despondently. My plan was a complete failure. She wasn't going to open up that easily, much more to a stranger.

I gained my confidence back before heading back to Denzel. A soft violin tone was playing in the background to mute the voices of people talking to one another. When I reached where he was, he was greeting someone with a handshake. The hairs on my skin rose when it turned out to be the CEO Hunter and I delivered paintings for. I couldn't believe he was at this party too.

He shook me tightly and told Denzel how much I look like a model and he wanted to talk with me. I'm not impressively tall so I wondered what made him say so. The man and I started talking as she stepped out of the garden of the house. He wanted privacy because he could have just spoken to me right there.

"You remember me, don't you? I remember you from the hotels. I can't believe you are getting married to Denzel. Does his family know about your previous dirty life? You need to compensate me for not exposing you earlier. You know I could have easily done that but I held back because I knew I might get something in return." He explained, sneakily rubbing his hands together.

"Compensate you? Or should you be the one to compensate me? I know about your wife's nudes that she leaked mistakenly. Don't make me dig up what will ruin your wife's image in the kid's welfare company she works in. Trust me, it's not that hard to pull out." I answered watching his smile fade into a frown.

"How the heck did you know about that?" He queried, tugging on his tie.

"That's enough threatening, Sheldon. This evening is too peaceful for all this chaos." Hunter said coming out of the shadows. I almost jumped out of my skin thinking it was one of the guests.

"Mr. Drewson, you can go back to the party. You have nothing to worry about. Nothing will be leaked and no further damage will be done. Let me handle this." Hunter asked him and he glared at me long enough before leaving.

"Silly old man. He thinks I'm scared of him." I booed from behind Hunter. He immediately grabbed my wrist and dragged me toward the further side of the garden. "What is it? Let me go, Hunter!" I demanded and fought for the release of my wrist.

"I didn't tell you that so you can go around threatening everyone who's ever pissed you off. You just exposed me as someone who can't be confidential. Why are you so difficult, Sheldon? Why?" He barked, shaking me by my shoulders.

"I'm sorry! He was going to use my past against me. I had to stand my ground now that I had something strong against him. I don't have the money to compensate his stupid ass so I had to think of something to defend myself with. You of all people should understand me!" I was still wriggling for my wrist back.

"I understand but there are consequences for your actions. I can't just give you a hug and pet you are behind like my job isn't on the line. I do my best to get trustworthy clients. I can't have them question me. Not even worse." He emphasized.

"I'm sorry..." I drawled.

"It's alright. That's enough pleading or I might actually beg you too. This is over. What's done is done. We can only prevent it next time in the long run." He released my wrist and I rubbed it shakily.

"What's done is done? That wasn't how you felt about the politician's daughter. You still loved her, didn't you? Why did you let them hurt her?"

"I never let them do shit to her. The kidnap was done by people I didn't even know. And when I was so close to finding her, they killed her in order to teach me a lesson."

"What lesson?"

"That I can't save anyone on my own. I was tracking them on my own, ready to burst them down but my approach was noticed by the kidnappers and they killed her just to teach me a lesson. After that, I recruited some guys and we worked together to find those kidnappers, I killed them all. One by one. I was able to save a few victims in their hideout. But I wasn't able to bring my girlfriend back. She was gone. It was a nightmare. I'd rather die than live through that again, you know what I mean?" He smiled at me but tears were lurking around his eyes.

"She's in a better place," I comforted him.

"You're right. She is."

I opened my arms and hugged him. He was buff so I couldn't hold all of him. He smelt like apple-flavored perfume. I inhaled it and he chuckled when he noticed what I was doing.

Just then, Denzel showed up at the garden entrance.

"Denzel...!" I called untangling from Hunter. I personally was waiting for that cold moment when he lashes at us for disobeying his orders to stay away from each other. My cheeks heated up.

"The bidding has started, let's go." He said stretching his hand toward me. I took it without wasting time and we entered the house together. His reaction was not what I expected.