Audaciously Interesting

Alana remained frozen behind the curtain, her pulse pounding violently against her ribs.

The black SUV sat across the street without moving, its dark windows revealing nothing about whoever was inside. She tightened her grip on her phone, forcing herself to breathe as memories of Roy's cold smile flashed through her mind.

Another minute passed, then, without warning, the engine came to life.

The SUV slowly pulled away from the curb before disappearing at the end of the street.

Alana didn't move immediately.

She continued staring through the window long after the vehicle had vanished, her heart refusing to calm down. After everything she'd been through, she no longer trusted her own mind.

Maybe it was Roy, or maybe it was just another neighbor's guest. Either way, when she finally returned to bed, she could no longer sleep at all.

The weekend passed in a blur, and Monday morning arrived far too quickly.

After barely getting a few hours of sleep, Alana forced herself out of bed and got ready for school. Today wasn't just her first day at a new university. It was her first day as a transfer student joining in the middle of the second semester of her final year.

The timing couldn't have been worse.

Fortunately, the university had accepted her transfer despite the semester already being underway, thanks in no small part to the generous donations her family had made over the years.

Carrying the Gates name came with certain privileges most people could only dream of.

She grabbed her bag before heading downstairs, where Brandon was already waiting to drive her.

Brandon pulled up in front of the university's main entrance before turning to her with a warm smile.

"I'll be here by four o'clock, young miss."

"Thank you, Mr. Brandon."

Alana stepped out of the car, slinging her bag over one shoulder before looking up at the sprawling campus. Students streamed in and out of the buildings, chatting and laughing as they hurried to class.

She let out a slow breath.

Being the new student during the second semester of her final year wasn't exactly ideal, but there was nothing she could do about it now.

"Keep a low profile and blend in," she muttered to herself.

After confirming her lecture hall on the timetable saved to her phone, she headed inside.

By the time her last class ended, the tension in her shoulders had eased considerably.

The day had gone much better than she'd expected. Apart from a few curious stares and introducing herself to several lecturers, nothing particularly embarrassing had happened.

Feeling hungry, she stopped by a café just outside the university gates. The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air as she joined the short queue.

A few minutes later, she collected her sandwich and iced coffee before making her way toward the exit.

Her phone vibrated inside her bag.

Thinking it was Brandon letting her know he'd arrived, she instinctively reached for it.

At that exact moment, someone walked through the entrance. Her shoulder slammed into the stranger.

The plastic lid flew off her iced coffee, sending the drink splashing across the man's crisp white shirt and expensive charcoal trousers.

Alana froze.

"Oh my God... I'm so sorry."

The man slowly lowered his gaze to the stain spreading across his clothes.

For three long seconds, he said nothing. Then he looked up.

His striking green eyes locked onto hers, cold enough to make her stomach tighten.

Now that she was actually looking at him, she almost forgot how to breathe.

Jet-black hair framed a sharply sculpted face that looked as though it had been carved by hand. His jaw was perfectly defined, his lashes ridiculously long for a man, and his lips carried a natural reddish tint that somehow suited him.

She found herself staring at him, unable to look away.

"Quit drooling, you dumb imbecile."

Alana blinked, snapping out of her daze.

Did he seriously just call her that?

"You don't have to be so rude." She frowned. "I already apologized. And if you weren't blind and probably stupid, this wouldn't have happened."

His jaw flexed as he took one slow step toward her before leaning down until his face was only inches away.

"Watch how you speak to me."

"Or else what?" Alana shot back, refusing to back away despite the warning in his eyes.

By now, people had begun pulling out their phones to record the confrontation.

"I was only trying to help," Alana added, pulling a card from her purse. "Look, I'll buy you another outfit. Are we good now?"

His gaze dropped briefly to the card before returning to her face.

"You think that's the problem?"

"What else would it be?"

"You ruined a five-thousand-dollar shirt."

Alana rolled her eyes. So he was one of those rich assholes.

"So what. It's still a freaking shirt."

His brows drew together. He couldn't believe the woman.

"It was coffee, not sulfuric acid." She folded her arms. "People spill things. The world hasn't ended."

A muscle ticked in his jaw.

She had apologized and even offered to replace the clothes. And somehow she still had the nerve to argue with him.

"Alana?"

A familiar voice interrupted the growing tension. She turned to see Ryan hurrying toward them.

His surprise at seeing her lasted barely a second before his eyes shifted to the man standing opposite her.

His eyes widened.

"Roman."

Without another word, Ryan grabbed Alana's wrist.

"Come with me."

"Ryan, wait..."

Ignoring her protests, he practically dragged her out of the café.

Roman remained where he was, staring after the pair. His gaze lingered on the glass doors long after they disappeared outside.

He glanced down at the coffee soaking through his shirt again.

"Fantastic."

Every single customer in the café was staring at him.

Now his coffee break was officially ruined. He turned and walked out without another word. Outside, his driver was already holding the rear door open.

Roman slid into the back seat before shrugging off his stained suit jacket and tossing it onto the seat beside him.

"Back to the office, sir?" the driver asked.

Roman loosened his tie.

"Yeah."

The car pulled away from the curb.

Most people apologized once, lowered their heads, and practically begged for his forgiveness.

That girl had apologized, then insulted him. His jaw ticked, but the corner of his lips lifted into an amused smirk.

There was something oddly exciting about the way she had spoken to him.

What an audaciously infuriating woman.