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  "Because you are a curse to her life. How much money do you have in your bank account?" she opened her binder again. She opened a specific page. "Yes, Less than a grand. Do you know how much her shoes cost?"

  This was getting creepy. She even had my bank account details. Was I living in the 1930s or something? When anybody could see how much I have in my account by just visiting the bank?

  "Two grand. Do you think you can afford that much money for her shoes?"

  I couldn't believe the way she was acting. "What are you trying to do, Mrs. Clark? Make your daughter unhappy? What kind of mother are you?" I couldn't control my emotions. If she wasn't Eva's mother and a woman, I would have punched her already. But she was a woman, and I didn't know how to deal with her.

  "To save her from you." She waved her hands in frustration and sat back on the chair. "She doesn't know what she is doing. If you think with a calm head, you will understand. I have saved her from many troubles already, and I'm sick of saving her again and again."

  "Why are you doing this? I love her and she loves me." It was becoming harder for me to control my anger.

  "I'm her mother, Nathan. I know what her love means. She would get bored with you in no time. She will ditch you in a few months."

  "Then I would live with it," I said, and walked out the door. I couldn't stand her nonsense any more. She talked so badly about her daughter, and she had no right in controlling my life or Eva's for that matter. That moment, I decided to get Eva out of her mother's influence.

  I checked my cell, it was already past six. I had two messages from Eva. She was waiting for me. But I couldn't go to meet her after what had just happened back there. I needed time to think, I needed time to get my head straight. Only Jack Daniels could help me at that moment. I needed my friend.

  ***

  Eva

  Ticking slowly, I looked at my clock again. I had been waiting for Nathan for almost an hour, but he didn't turn up. I messaged Nathan twice, but no reply. I didn't call him because I thought he was stuck in the interview. And I didn't want to disturb him in his interview. The waiter asked me twice about the menu. I looked back at my watch, and the hour clickedto eight p.m.. "Damn you, Nathan." I clenched my teeth My cell vibrated, I checked, and it was a message from Nathan.

  Sorri sweetheart couldn't meet you. I got no job and I couldn't come thereee. Loveee you.

  It looked like something a twelve-year-old had written. I double-checked it was from him. My thumb moved to the redial button. "You deserve a kick in the ass, Mr. Brown," I ssaid to myself. I decided to to to his house.

  "Cab." I waved my hand.

  When I walked in Nathan's apartment, the door was wide open and Nathan was lying on the couch with an empty bottle of Jack Daniels on the floor. I put a sheet on him and messaged my mom.

  Sorry, Mom, got held up with a friend. Staying with her tonight.

  I didn't want her to know about Nathan then. That news was planned for some other day.

  Chapter 9

  First Fight

  Nathan

  I was running like a horse, running for water. My throat was dry because of the hot air all around me. I saw a glimpse of water at the end of horizon. I ran faster and faster. I knelt down in the water. I dropped my hand in the lake to drink some. “Ouch, it’s hot.” Everything around me blurred and I couldn't focus my eyes on anything. The landscape swirled and turned into a woman’s face. Who is she? And where am I?

  Eva's face materialized from thin air. I sat up in my bed immediately, but I wasn't on my bed. The material I was sleeping on was soft and had a leather feel. I was on the couch. Eva was standing near me, holding a hot cup of coffee in her hand. I snapped out of my dream, but my finger was still burning. "Why the hell are my fingers are burning." I groaned in pain.

  "Because your fingers were dipped in hot coffee." She looked in my eyes with disappointment.

  "But how come you are here?" Everything still looked blurry to my eyes. "Why am I on the couch?"

  "Because you stood me up yesterday. Damn it, Nathan, you told me that you were going to come. We had an evening planned. Do you know how embarrassing it was to sit there for a couple of hours, alone?" Finally, I got to know why she was pissed off. "And when I came here to check on you, you were laying on this couch, drunk."

  Finally, the pieces came together. "Your mom." I was about to spill out the truth, but then I stopped.

  "What about my mom?" Eva asked furiously.

  "Oh, nothing. I was going to ask, how is she?" I lied to her.

  "Damn you, Nathan. I'm talking about your attitude and you are asking me about my mom? What's wrong with you?" She plunked the coffee mug on a nearby table. I was afraid that she would break it and coffee would spill everywhere.

  By her thumping action of the coffee mug, I remembered my meeting with her mom. She had thumped her coffee the same way Eva thumped it. I looked at the floor, feeling ashamed of everything. I wished I could tell her everything, but I couldn't. "I'm sorry, Eva. But I messaged you."

  "Mr. Brown, I don't want to talk about it. Drink your coffee. I'm leaving in a minute." She walked in kitchen.

  With lots of guilt and grief, I sipped the coffee. Grief was for her mother's actions.

  Shit. The coffee didn't have a single ounce of sugar. "It is sugarless." I followed Eva in kitchen.

  "Am I your servant?" she asked in a cold voice.

  "Are you from Russia?" I asked slowly.

  "Nathan..." she clenched her fingers. It was clear that she was controlling her anger.

  "Are we in the cold war, dear?" I asked her the straight question.

  "No, we aren't," she replied in low, sad voice.

  "Then why? Why such talk?" I couldn't bear that she was angry at me. Her simple gaze of disappointment broke my heart. I couldn't stand being a disappointment in her eyes.

  "Because you were not there when I needed you." Tears splashed from her eyes. I wrapped her in my arms. She resisted it and pushed me away.

  Forcefully, I pulled her back into my arms."Then you should tell me what happened."

  "I waited for you in the cafe for more than an hour. The waiter looked at me like I was an idiot." She started sobbing silently.

  I cupped her face in my hands, and wiped her tears with my thumb. "I'm really sorry, darling." I hugged her tightly and brushed my hand over her back. "Calm down and tell me what happened?"

  "My mother, she wants me to get into the fashion industry. She will force me, Nathan, and I don't want that."

  "Sit down first." I walked her to the couch. Taking a seat in front of her and I took her palms in my hands. "Listen, sweetheart." Slowly, I stroked her palms with my thumbs. "Where do you see yourself in five years?"

  "She made me confused."

  "Answer my question first," I persisted.

  "If you ask my heart, I want to be an athlete. I have always seen myself in my running shoes. When I was a child, I won my first race in school and that was greatest moment of my life. My mom and dad were there at the school that day. They were happier than I was. My mother gave me expensive running shoes. It is a special memory in my heart." Her face showed a soft smile and her eyes were lost in memory. She looked so innocent. For the first time that morning, she smiled like a child. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, inhaling her fresh scent inside my lungs. Her cherry red lips were inviting me for a kiss, but this was not the moment.

  "What a beautiful memory. But why did everything change?" I placed my hand over her heart.

  "After few years, my mom took the business over. Then everything changed. She changed, her attitude changed. She became so driven that sometime I feared that she was not my mom anymore. She is like a business tycoon, who cares more about her business than family." Her face turned dark. I felt sorry for her. She had never expressed such feelings in front of me.

  "I'm sorry, babe. I don't want to comment on your mother." I touched her chest. "But I want to tell you one thing. The real wish lies here. Se
e how happy you are thinking about that special moment?" I touched her head. "The confusion lies here. It creates pictures you don't want to see." I pulled her chin up to look into her eyes. "The world is scary out there, Eva, and the heart is alone, packed in a tiny space. You will have to listen to it. It will make you happy, with more happiness than money can buy."

  She smiled faintly. "Thanks, Nathan." She hugged me. "You are my inspiration, but why did you need to drink yesterday?"

  "Financial conditions can be worse sometimes, and old habits die hard. I don't want to hide this from you, but I'm..." I cleared my throat. "You know, not good on the financial side." I told her the less scary truth, the truth I cared less about. I couldn't speak about her mother, it would have killed her on the inside. For the first time she had opened her wound to me, and it was nothing other than her own mother. If I had told her about my meeting with her mother, she would have died, right then and there.

  Slowly, I had to get her away from her mother's influence. I could see what she was trying to do with her. Maybe her intention was pure for her daughter, but she was going to hurt her.. .and I couldn't let her do that to my love. I must be the reason for her smile and not the sorrow. If that meant me training with Mason, then so be it.

  "Don't worry. You will come out of this soon." She stroked my face. "I will make you forget it." She came forward and kissed my lips. Her cherry, sweet lips touched mine and a passion ignited inside my heart. A passion for her, craving for her skin. I felt my inside aching for her body, I craved for her touch. I pulled her closer to me and replied with an equally strong kiss.

  "I love you, Eva." I whispered in her mouth.

  "Love you too, baby." She replied by playing with my tongue.

  Chapter 10

  Dysfunctional Family

  Eva

  "Baby..." I brushed my hand on his bare, sexy chest.

  "What?" He pulled me closer and kissed me hard. He tasted better than anything. My heart urged me to wrap him in my arms and go one more time. But before I could say anything, his hands were playing with my bra strap.

  "No." I slapped his hand.

  "Why do you think that I’m going to listen to you?" he asked with a teasing voice.

  "Because I have some plans," I said, kissing his bare chest.

  "What can be better than this?" His hands were moving freely on my bare back. He had already snapped the hook out of his way. His other hand moved to my panties, and I knew that if I didn't stop him, we would end spending a few more hours in bed.

  "Meeting my mom," I whispered in his ear. His hand suddenly stopped. His face turned dark. "But why?"

  I laughed hard. "What a way to stop a horny boyfriend." I waited for his smile, but it didn't turn up. "What happened? Didn't you like the idea?" My stomach muscles tensed in a fraction of a second. Nathan was taking too much time to think and that wasn't a good sign. I expected better from him.

  His face turned uneasy. "Eva..."

  "You don't have to do this, Nathan. I totally understand you." I said the words, but deep inside I was tensed, disappointed by the choice he was making. Maybe I expected too much from him.

  "Damn, no. I am not saying I don't want to meet your mother." A smile appeared on his face. "I'm more than happy to meet your mother."

  "Then?" I asked, still uncertain about his reaction.

  "I mean now? I meant I am not prepared at all. She is... you know, one of the richest women in the states . And I don't have..."

  I punched his shoulder. "Oh, that. You almost gave me a heart attack."I giggled. "I thought you are backing out on me."

  "No, I'm looking forward into our relationship. Why should I say no to meeting your mother?" he chuckled.

  "Thank God you didn't, Nathan." A sweet smile appeared on his face. "I wish I could reward you with something special for this." I kissed him hard.

  "What's stopping you?"

  "I told her in the morning that I was coming with you noon, sharp, for lunch."

  "What?" he almost shouted. "You told her about me?"

  "No, fool. I said I was bringing a friend." I winked at him.

  "I don't believe you." His eyes grew bigger.

  "You better," I replied and ran in the kitchen.

  "What should I wear, Eva?" he shouted from bedroom.

  "Nothing in front of me, but anything decent in front of my mother." I smiled with the thought of last night. The way he did the things he did brought a smile to my face.

  ***

  "Are you sure?" he bugged me again. He looked nervous. After a few days of our relationship, I was asking a lot from him. But I wanted him to meet my mother, know my family. Nathan was the real deal for me, he wasn't Jacob. Whenever I looked in his eyes, I saw love and passion. Nathan was full of life and that was what I loved most about him.

  "Don't worry, my Prince Charming." Nathan was wearing a blue jacket and light blue jeans. The jacket fit his muscular body perfectly. He looked like a Hollywood actor in that jacket. Whenever he came closer to me in the cab, his cologne made me crazy about him. I wanted to tear his clothes off and make him mine in the cab, but we had planned lunch with my mom, and she wouldn't have liked any delay. Keeping myself away from the handsome hunk was more than difficult for me. "Let's go, but I must warn you of one thing. She can be cocky, sometimes. Just don't mind if she goes over the top." He looked worried. "Don't worry, I’ll ll stop her if she does." I tried to convince him, but I wasn't sure myself.

  "I know." He muttered.

  "You know?" I didn't understand him.

  "Nothing. Let's go." He walked inside the hotel.

  I followed him. I knew mother was waiting for us in the restaurant. When we walked in, I saw she was already sitting at a table with Mason. What. My mouth fell open. I hadn't expected Mason to be there.

  "What is he doing here?" Nathan growled. Still in shock, I turned my attention to Nathan. His eyes were narrowed on Mason and his hands clenched in a fist.

  "Trust me, I’m wondering the same. Let's go. I'm not sure what she is planning here." He resisted, so I literary dragged him with me. I knew he didn't like Mason and he had his reasons. I wanted to know what my mother was doing with him. "Hi, Mom. Hi, Mason." I greeted the duo. Mason turned and smiled. "Hi, Eva, and hello Nathan." He reached out his hand to Nathan.

  "Hi, Mason." Nathan ignored Mason and put his hand in his pocket.

  Mason smiled. "Mrs. Clark invited me on a business lunch. I hope you two don't mind me being here."

  "No, Mason, please," I replied. I knew it was the worst condition for Nathan to be in. He was meeting my mother for the first time, and his enemy was sitting in front of him. The situation couldn't get any worse than this.

  "So Mrs. Clark, I was saying that it wouldn't be possible for me to do business with you right now. You should get someone dedicated on your web project. Someone like Nathan, here," Mason said.

  I looked at Nathan. He was looking at Mason with piercing eyes.

  "That's an unavoidable excuse. But I must say, I gave you a good offer."

  "Indeed, it was," Mason replied. "I think I should leave you with your family."

  "No, please don't. I invited you to lunch and wouldn’t like it if you leave. So what if we don't agree on business. Eva is my daughter and she would understand. And so will Mr...?" she looked at Nathan.

  "Mr. Brown," Nathan said with an icy voice. I couldn't determine if it was my mother's effect or Mason's effect on him.

  "I hope you don't have any problem with this, Mr. Brown." My mother's crucifying question went to Nathan.

  "No issues, ma'am." Nathan looked into her eyes. For a moment, I saw flames coming out of their eyes, like they were fighting. But then my mother looked back at Mason.

  "See, Mason? Now they also agree."

  "But I insist. I have some urgent matters to attend. Sorry for your inconvenience." Mason stood up.

  "I can't force you. It was nice meeting you, Mason" My mother accepted his apology.

  "Bye
, Mason." I waved good bye. I knew his awkward position with Nathan, but I remembered how much he helped us getting together.

  "Eva." She looked at me. "I didn't know you have a boyfriend in New York. I thought Jacob was the last one." Nathan kept gazing at my mother.

  "Mom, you are making me feel awkward here. I didn't even tell you that he is my boyfriend."

  "I have experience, darling. You can't keep your hands clean, I know that very well." She gave me a disgusted look. My muscles tensed. Instantly, I realized bringing Nathan here was not a good idea. "So, Mr. Brown. My daughter's latest boyfriend. What do you do?"

  "Hmm, I thought you knew that already." Nathan replied in the same icy voice. "For the record, I work as a freelancer in IT and a kick boxer by hobby."

  "Now I understand."

  "What, Mom?" I bit my tongue. I shouldn't have asked that. Letting her talk more would be a big disaster.

  "Why? You two are together."

  "Nothing like that, Mom. Nathan is a good guy and he loves me, not like you."

  "That's a brutal accusation, darling," she laughed. "Anyway, Mr. Brown, Do you know that I gave my daughter a Mercedes yesterday?"

  Nathan looked at me surprise.

  "When, Mom? I don't remember you giving me anything."

  "I told you on the way to the hotel that I will be ordering a car."

  "But I thought that was for you." I was clueless about what she was saying.

  "No, honey, that was for you." She smiled mischievously. "I'm feeling hungry. Let's eat." She asked the waiter to bring the food. As usual, she had planned everything in advance. She planned for food, drinks and everything, exactly the way she planned my life.

  "Mr. Brown, do you know this is the world's finest wine? It is from 1890 and cost three grand for a bottle."

  "I didn't, but I'm not sure about the taste. I like Jack Daniels better than this." Nathan gave a piercing look to my mother. I again felt the flames passing between them. "If you don't mind, I would like to order one."

  "But that just doesn't suit..." She gave a disappointed look at Nathan. I couldn't understand them both. It was like they had had a cold war going between them for ages, but they had never met before.