+++

"Flower? Is that you?"

Someone called me from behind. I turned around, my eyes widened in double a I spoke breathlessly,

"Tyler? Oh my gosh! I can't believe it's actually you!"

"You best believe it flower"

He said as he gave a soft chuckle that made me even wider. For a second, my mind was no longer engulfed with Noah but the man stood in front of me. A squeal leaves my mouth as I quickly run up to him, my arms wrapped around his neck.

He had his arms wide open and gladly accepted me. He wrapped his arms around my waist, hugging my tightly as he buried his face in my neck. We stood like this for a few seconds before I pulled back, looking at his face.

I only smile wide as my hands move on it's own accordingly to his brown hair, combing it. I push his hair back, an even wider smile plastering on my face. Even though I haven't seen him for long, my cheeks already were aching at the mere sight of him.

As a back story, Tyler and I were a couple back in the days. We ended our relationship on good terms as we both felt that it wasn't working out. Instead of cheating on each other we came to an agreement and ended the relationship on good terms.

It was a relief to the both of us secretly since whenever we saw each other we would mentally give ourselves a pat on the back for not allowing any awkwardness to be lingering. Personally, it was my biggest achievement. Not having any awkwardness with my ex,

"Ah don't do that, it took a good half an hour to style and fix"

I roll my eyes, a smile making it's way as I playfully speak,

"Oh and you complained that girls take forever"

"Hey in my defence, a guys gotta do everything he can so that he can be handsome and to potentially find his other half!"

I shake my head at his comment,

"Beside from have really high self confidence and a really big ego, I want to know what the hell you're doing here or better yet what you're doing in general."

Before giving me a response, his eyes rack around the room as he rolled on his heels. His eyes find mine once again before giving me a Cheshire smile. He leans in a little as he spoke in a hushed voice,

"Don't tell anyone but... I'm on top James Bond mission"

I scoff, this time folding my arms around my chest as I face him,

"Oh really? And what is this top James Bond mission?"

He looks at me before giving me a knowing look. His eyes fall somewhere behind me for a brief second or two before he refocuses back on me. He gives me a look that was foreign with me. I copy his actions before he takes a step forward.

I blink first, breaking our little stare down as I take a step back, creating a little distance between us both. He took another step forward and I merely copied him innocently. I scrunch my eyebrows together, his actions confusing me a little.

"Ty what's going on?"

I ask, but got no response. This time, I take a couple of steps back only resulting him to take one deep step forward, coming too close for my liking. He snakes his arm around my waist, bringing my body to his.

On instinct, I place both my hands on his chest, trying to create as much space as I could but it was impossible. I look up, already seeing him look elsewhere, a smirk plastered in his lips. He never backed away from smirking nor did he break from whatever he was looking at,

"Ty stop"

He didn't heed but instead looks down at me and gives a breathtaking smile that once made my heart swoon. He then moved to bury his head in the crook of my neck. He mumbled something against my skin allowing me to only pick up a few words,

"Don't hate me okay? Remember... James Bond mission"

Before I could say another word or try to move him from me, I freeze. Unable to move. I feel my heart race as I finally registered what happened. Tyler had just kissed me. I tried to remove myself from him once more but failed to do so as he was much stronger. I weakly speak,

"Tyler.."

I start but never finish off my sentence as within an instant, Tyler's touch is off me and now smashed onto the floor with someone hovering on top of him. Everything around me was in a blur, my vision of Tyler also in a blur.

I part my lips as short breaths escape my lips. I tried giving myself a pep-talk to come back to reality but when I do, it's already too late. I gasp as I see Noah throw multiple punches at Tyler's face. My face pales as I look to my left seeing Marcus watch in shock.

Rosalie stood next to him with a smile on her face, somewhat satisfied. Of course she had something to with it. She was practically dancing outside the venue... I should've known... I look back down at them, Noah still throwing punches and Tyler trying to defend himself,

Without hesitation, I approach them and tried to break the fight but it was useless. I hastily tuck my hair behind my ear as I tried to pull Noah away from his forearm but he didn't budge. It was like he was seeing red and nothing else mattered. I screamed, hoping that it would work,

"Noah stop!"

Useless. He didn't listen and just continued to throw punches. In distress, Joshua runs forward and tried his hardest to pry him off. Even though Joshua struggled to the max, Noah was no longer on top of Tyler.

Now that Noah was a good distance away, I rushed over to Tyler and helped him up. He stood tall and unfazed. One arm protectively holding his stomach as the other wiped away the blood that was dripping from his nose and busted lip,

"Are you being fucking serious kitten? He literally just harassed you in front of me and your helping him?!"

I give a quick glance to Noah seeing him throw daggers at Tyler. Not giving him attention, I move so that I was stood in front of Tyler. I use my index finger and push his forehead back so that his head was tilted back.

Back in the past, the status of both Tyler and I was strong. He was the star player of basketball. Since I was his girlfriend, I was classed as elite. I had cocky guys from my year come up and try to date me but Tyler didn't allow it.

Instead, he would get himself into trouble by getting into random, useless fights. I wouldn't know about it since it happened whenever I wasn't present but the aftermath was a whole new story. I would see the faintest marks resulting me to aid him. I whisper, eyes never leaving him,

"I'm guessing you're okay?"

He chuckles, his body vibrating in humour. He lifts his head back and looks at me straight in the eye. He raises his own index finger and bops my nose making me blink at his actions. At his simple actions, Noah only struggled once again in Joshua's arms making him grunt,

"Fuck man when did you get so strong? I need a whole army to tame you down"

He whined. I turn to face them both seeing Joshua struggle. A lot. Behind me, Tyler took a step closer, and placed a hand on my waist delicately. I closed my eyes in defeat only for him to whisper,

"This is part of my James Bond mission too flower"

"Get the fuck away from her"

Noah seethed. Why was it that this was happening to me? Why wasn't this happening to someone else instead? I opened my eyes and looked around, seeing all eyes focused on us four. Marcus watched us closely with Rosalie still beside him on the platform.

She had her arms folded across her chest, a wide smile plastered on her face and that's when it clicked. This was officially all her doing. The 'James Bond mission' that Tyler had was illustrated by Rosalie herself. The wide smile on her face, the glint in her eyes said it all.

Why didn't I see this as soon as he brought it up? Tyler for sure was not one that was into business, he was more into sports. I thought to myself, why wasn't the warning bell rung in my head??? Why did the warning bell ring only after he was thrown to the floor???

Noah still struggled in Joshua's hold but stopped briefly as I called his name. I held eyes with him for as long as I could but it was short lived since he looked away first. A hard glare directed at Tyler's hand that was still placed on my waist.

"He's still touching you"

He seethed. I could tell that he was restraining himself but who was I to kid? He was about to loose his shit again any second. I sigh as I take a step forward towards him making Tyler no longer touch me.

My eyes drift to his hands seeing them balled. I then look at Joshua and give him a nod. He understood on what I wanted him to do and let's go off him. The room was silent, like it was us four alone. I walk until I was stood in front of him. Picturing us two alone, I speak in a soft voice

"Noah..."

He doesn't heed to my voice so I tried something else. I lifted my hands and placed them both on his cheeks and for a split second I catch his attention, his eyes dark and fiery. I give him a broken smile trying to see if it eased his anger. It didn't.

Instead, it fuelled him and made him stare at Tyler. I tried once again, this time rubbing my thumbs against his short, prickly stubble. I sighed as I tried for the nth more,

"Noah ignore him. He's always been like that. He's just trying to mess with you"

He was silent but I could see the waver in his eyes. I took the chance and spoke,

"Come on, zone in on my voice. I know you can do it. Don't make me use what I wrote on that note during the charity event"

Vivid images took both Lily and Noah back to the day when they were at the charity event as they were against each touch,

"Don't... you're making it so hard for me right now kitten, if I could I would take you right now, right here"

Noah spoke with lust plastered in his words. At that moment, his mind and thoughts were filled with Lily alone. Clients, business partners and company employees were in one ear and out the other. His mind and attention solely fixated on Lily.

It drove Noah crazy as he saw the new side to Lily. A playful one. He always thought that she as innocent and hardworking, but now that he saw the hidden playful side to her, he completely lost it. He wanted her so badly that it ached.

Before Noah could touch her any further Lily stopped him. She pulled out a crimped, white folded piece of paper. She handed it over to him as she gave him an innocent smile, one that drove him insane. He took it from her fingers with confusion. She only spoke seductively,

"Open it when you need it the most"

Noah eyed the piece of paper before opening it carefully. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he read what was written,

"Lets allow the table to be swapped. I'll be the dominate one for a couple of minutes and you get to be the submissive. Once the time is up, we go back to the way how it was xxx how does that sound?

Oh and before you add on any small clauses; I get to pick when it happens x"

He hastily looked up, expecting to see Lily in front of him still but found her no longer there. His heart hammered like never before, his emotions sky-rocketed. His eyes racked the sea of people, trying to find her but he knew... she had escaped and left him with blue balls.

He looks down at me wearily. I was finally getting his attention but it was wasted by the voice of Tyler

"Stop wasting time flower, come back to me... you know he's not worth it. I can make you happy like before in the past..."

I, myself, tried to block him out but it was hard as I had Noah who tried to attack him again. I placed my hands on his chest, feeling his rapid heartbeat. Even though I had my hands on him, it distracted him a little but it still wasn't enough,

"Noah, come on. Stop making a scene. Everyone is watching. You're grandfather is watching everything that you're doing"

He looks down at me as he spoke harshly before looking back at Tyler,

"Let him, at least he'll know not to mess with me. Move before I hurt you without realising"

"I'm not moving. Do not make me do something that I really don't want to use right now"

He still wasn't listen as he tried to get around me. I assumed that Tyler was still messing with him for him to react like this. I turned my head to the side to catch him smirk proudly like he was the one with the upper hand,

"Come on Noah, I've told you already. He's like that. You need to ignore him"

"I want him out of my face and away from you"

He seethed harshly. I sigh, not knowing what to to. As if it couldn't get worse, Tyler made a comment that only pushed Noah,

"Hey mate, what makes you so worthy for flower? From what I've heard, you've made her cry. You know you're a player, why deny it? I swear you were going out with that bimbo"

I turn around at his words as I question,

"How do you know all this? You don't work at the company"

Tyler only smirks as he answers,

"Flower, it doesn't take a fool to figure it out. Besides, he's a dick. I was outside when you stepped out the car, the disrespect he gave as he walked away"

My mouth was slightly parted at his words and from behind, I hear Noah breath heavily through his nose. I shiver at his words as he spoke through gritted teeth,

"You better shut the fuck up before I give you a black eye"

Tyler scoffs as he raises an eyebrow,

"You can't touch me because Lily won't let you. Like that bimbo of yours, I hold a dear place in Lily's heart. In other words, I'm untouchable"

Red flag. So many red flags were waving in my head. I quickly turn around to see him but I blinked, not seeing him. Turning back to Tyler, Noah strikes another punch at him, making him collide with the floor.

I gasp as my hands cover my mouth. My eyes scan around the room seeing everyone mirror my actions. He kicked Tyler by the stomach making him release a grunt. No-one stepped up to stop him.

What do I do? Should I use it? Should I not? The questions repeated over and over again. I look back at the stage, already finding Rosalie stare at me. We hold eyes before she gave me a slight grin. Ever so faintly, she gave a nod and that's when I felt like crumbling.

I knew that nothing would stop Noah. Not even his parents or grandparents. Tyler had pissed him off and there was no denying it. With a biting lip, I weigh the options once more before whispering to myself defeatedly,

"Fuck this crap"

I march my way up to Noah and raise my hand to his shoulder. With a little force, I spin him around. He was breathing fast, his eyes dark with anger. Despite wearing heels, I was still shorter than him so I tip-toed and snaked a hand to the back of his neck.

I tried imagining that it was the two of us couldn't as both reality and fantasy glitched with one another. I move to press my lower half with his and brought my lips millimetres to his. My eyes were solely trained on his lips.

I felt his minty breath mix with mine as I refused to look him in the eye. I didn't want to face him with regret... I wanted this to stop. The fight. The heartache. The heated tension between us. I swallow down the dryness as the words that left my lips were barely audible between us only,

"You chose this"

+++