Billionaires Meet Millionaire (A Steamy Romance) (11 page)

"Why
didn't you go to your next door neighbours or something?" Niall
clarified.

"Oh
bloody fuck." Olta thought. "Please don't mean what I think you
mean."

"Don't
know them really and they weren't home anyway. I'm sorry to have
been a bother." Olta said instead. She wanted to break the eye
contact but somehow she couldn't. The amusement made way for
disbelief and the twinkle faded. It was a pity the light mood all
but evaporated.

"I just
wondered, is all. Why do you apologize so often? And don't deny it
because in the few days I have known you, you must have apologized
over fifty times." Niall was stern.

Olta
shrugged, unsure of what to answer and feeling rather
uncomfortable. Why did he have to bring this up, again?

"I
haven't really noticed. I mean, do I really?"

Niall
nodded, the disbelief was melting away. It was replaced by
a look like the one he had given her at their lockers on Monday.
Reminding herself that she had to keep breathing Olta decided to
try to jumpstart the game again. Hopefully Niall would drop
it.

"Guess I
have a lot to apologize for then. So, these various kinds of
investments are they all legal?" Niall didn't seem fazed by her
actions and the smirk came back.

"Don't
think I would tell you if they weren't but yes to my knowledge they
are.What does your mother do?" Olta smiled at him gratefully. The
game was back on.

"She
works as strategist for an international marketing firm. When is
your birthday?"

"January
1st and yes, I'm always happy about ringing in the New Year.
Yours?" Olta snickered lightly as she recognized his automated
answer to the unasked but inevitable question.

"Mine is
worse. April Fool's day and no, I'm not joking nor am I a joke."
Niall looked at her incredulously before he smirked a very big
smirk.

"That is
far worse." He said, laughing. Olta nodded solemnly before joining
his laughter, covering her mouth as she did but not breaking the
eye contact.

"Do you
think my clothes are dry?" Olta asked as their laughter faded. She
was worried that if they continued the game she would go tread on
more serious matters. Better to quit while you're ahead.

Niall
looked at her questioningly and Olta could have sworn she
saw disappointment flash through his eyes before some sort of
realization took its place.

"I think
so." Niall said, glancing at his watch. "Should be, I set the timer
for thirty minutes. That should be enough, shouldn't it?" Olta
nodded as Niall got up and walked to the door.

"Be right
back." He said, unlocking his door and walking out.

Olta
let out a deep sigh as she heard the door being locked
behind her. Smiling to herself she wondered whether she should be
offended by the fact that Niall had locked her up, twice. She
decided she wasn't and instead let her mind replay the last half
hour.

Talking
about an emotional roller-coaster. She had gone from nervous to
relaxed to uncomfortable to giddy and back again. She had learned
more about Niall in half an hour than she had all week, albeit it
more from the things that had been left unsaid than his actual
answers. Perhaps she shouldn't have played it so safe.

Niall
, on the other hand, hadn't played it safe with his
questions about her apologetic behaviour. What had that been about
anyway? And the only thing he had managed to do was very nearly
kill the mood. Thankfully only nearly. Maybe they could talk a
little more. They were going out after all.

Suddenly
realization hit Olta, hard. She was going to go out with Niall. She
felt her hart quickening and was hit by a full attack of the
butterflies in her stomach.

He wouldn't
have proposed it if he didn't like her, would he? They were still
on, weren't they? The past half hour had been fun, hadn't it? She
hadn't made a complete fool out of herself, had she? Could it
really be that he might like her? As a friend, of course.

Before
Olta could explore any of these doubts properly she heard a loud
voice calling through the house.

Daniel
.

He was
calling for Niall.

Olta
sprang up. She felt a wave of gratitude towards the locked
door.

Then the
lock turned and Niall quickly entered the room. Olta took her
clothes out his arms. He looked at her grimly and only nodded as he
turned to lock his door. This was a bad situation.

"Niall,
do not close that door. Out. Now." Daniel's icily calm voice came
through the door.

Niall
locked his door and rested his forehead against it. Olta
stood frozen in her spot, shivers running down her spine. She
realized she was afraid; she only froze up like this when she was
truly afraid. The last time she had frozen up like this very bad
things had happened. This situation was really bad.

"How
about no." Niall said matching his brother's tone.

"Out.
Now." Daniel repeated. Olta heard Niall sighed softly.

"No." Still
calm but less firm.

Mentally
willing herself to move Olta finally found herself heading for the
bathroom.

"Really not in
the mood for this." A voice filled with menace and cruelty.

"Fuck
you, bastard." Niall spat.

"We've
been over this a million times. You're the bastard, not me. At
least pretend you have half a brain cell." Daniel sounded
exasperated.

"Now.
Out."

"No."
Niall sounded calm and defeated.

"Niall."
Daniel said warningly.

Olta
had made it to the bathroom. She dropped her clothing
unceremoniously on the floor and turned to look at Niall. He was
still leaning into his door.

Olta
closed the door quietly and copied Niall stand in the
bedroom. The bedroom door lock turned and the door
opened.

"Finally." She heard Daniel say, before she heard the door
close and the lock turning again.

"Well,
suspicions confirmed." Olta muttered dryly.

She pushed
herself of the door and started to undress. Her hands were
trembling uncontrollably. Taking a couple of deep breaths she tried
to steady herself.

A loud
thump sounded from the hallway, quickly followed by another. And
another. Olta looked at the wall in horror. Another thump, this
time right outside the bathroom. And then silence.

Olta
needed to get dressed, now. She had half a mind to go and
break the lock and throw herself between them but she knew that
would be stupid. Not only would she probably not be able to break
the lock but throwing herself between Daniel and Niall didn't sound
like such good idea. Sure, she could use some moves but she doubted
whether she would able to take Daniel on. She feared that Daniel
would not take kindly to finding her here. And yes, she was simply
afraid of Daniel.

Olta
was also scared of Niall' reaction. She understood
perfectly well that this was the reason why he had wanted to go out
with her. He had wanted to get her out of the house. How was Niall
going to handle this? Hell, how was she going to handle this? The
last she wanted was for Niall to cut her off because she had lousy
timing. just when it seemed they were getting somewhere.

Apparently
something in her brain had been bypassed as she was suddenly aware
of lacing her shoes. Her hands were still trembling but they were
getting the job done. Sighing deeply she straightened herself. She
opened the bathroom door and positioned herself against the door
frame, waiting for the lock to turn yet again.

C
hapter Eleven

"You
fucking little shithead, you almost broke my nose." Daniel growled,
kneeing Niall in the stomach.

Niall
grasped for breath and tried to keep his balance by leaning
against the wall. Daniel, however, kneed him again and Niall sagged
to floor.

Daniel
was exceptionally angry. He hadn't even bothered with the
usual insincere niceties. As soon as Niall had locked his room and
turned to face his brother the first punch had hit his stomach. And
he had taken to hitting the face, a sure sign that things were very
wrong.

Niall
didn't have to ask what had brought this anger on. If he
had been wondering what his brother had been up to, he sure was
getting his answer now. All he could hope was for Olta not to alert
Daniel his presence. Niall knew his brother wasn't above hitting
girls. When it came to exercising his power Daniel wasn't really
above anything.

Why oh
why had Daniel come home early.

For a
moment there, life had been going great. Olta had been in his room,
looking so good in his t-shirt and with his sweats hugging her
hips. They had been playing that silly questions game. Olta laying
off of anything too personal and him rattling her cage. He had been
a bit pushy with her, he knew that. But the girl kneeled down on
his carpet with her straightened back , her hair all curly from the
rain, and her eyes on his was a mystery he wanted to understand.
Alice and Matilda were right, he had to admit that now. He doubted
whether he had to be too careful with her though. Olta was clearly
capable of defending herself if she felt need to. Okay, so he
shouldn't make her feel like she had to. Great job he was doing
there.

Because
instead of having dinner with him, Olta had learned about the
dancing. Nobody was supposed to find out. Ever. Hell, the only
person who suspected that there was more going on than an
occasional fraternal brawl was Matilda. And she only suspected it.
Now, a girl he really, really liked, the first girl he had ever
liked like that, knew after knowing him only a couple of days. And
as if that wasn't enough his dancing partner didn't particularly
care for her. Somebody really had it in for him.

But
maybe he could still spin it. Tell her that it been just a fight.
Maybe then he could keep his dignity intact, what was left of it
anyway. Niall figured that probably wouldn't work though. After
all, this was Olta he was thinking about. The very observant Olta,
who had a complete blind spot when it came to herself. Niall would
have smiled if he wasn't in so much pain.

"Fuck.
Why." Niall heard himself mutter. He then realized that Daniel had
stopped his moves since was he down. Instead he felt his brothers'
eyes observing him.

Daniel
squatted down beside him.

"Let me
answer that for you." Daniel all but whispered, his voice thick
with his cruel ice.

Niall
felt Daniel grabbing his hair and jerking his head up. He
turned it so that Niall had no choice but to face his brother.
Niall tried to push him away but the angle his body was in hampered
any effective movement of his arms. Daniel chuckled swatting Niall'
attempts away.

"Pathetic." He
said wearily.

Niall
scowled but kept silent. He hadn't seen this look in
brother's eyes since their father had decided to take Niall instead
of Daniel along to London last year. And yeah, that had been a nice
little dance too. Daniel was beyond furious.

"Anyways, as to your question. I'm actually interested in
why you think I'm more than a little upset right now." Daniel
said.

He kept
scowling at his brother; no way was he going to answer him.

Daniel
tightened his grip on Niall' hair and yanked his head
closer.

"Waiting." Daniel simply stated.

As best
as he could, Niall shrugged and his scowl gave way to feigned
indifference.

"Do you
think it could have anything to do with your new friend? You know,
the little Dutch girl, not too bad looking, kinda hot even. You had
to show her the ropes this week. Ring any bells?" Daniel yanked
Niall' head again.

Niall
kept up his show of defiance but he knew that he wasn't
very convincing. Still, it was better than giving in.

"You
know, the disrespectful bitch who doesn't know what's good for her.
The fucking whore who not only has her lunch in the cafeteria but
at your fucking table. The slut who doesn't go anywhere without you
or one of your fucking friends." Daniel paused for a moment. Niall
was working hard not to let Daniel get to him and failed. He
snarled and Daniel grinned.