CHAPTER 9 : THE KEY PENDANT

Celine

“Think, Celine, think,” I muttered as I paced back and forth in the bedroom, biting on my nails while I racked my brain on how to get close enough to Antonio to get the key pendant around his neck.

He would be leaving for the office in a few minutes and I had to act fast before he did.

“I need it done as soon as possible,” Antonio's voice echoed from a distance, followed by the sound of footsteps.

With Adrenaline pumping through me, I rushed to the door and opened it carefully, peaking through the tiny space. Mattoe was nodding repeatedly to whatever he was saying in a hushed voice, both smartly dressed in tailored suits as they walked side-by-side down the hallway.

“I'll grab the La Costa report and meet you outside,” Antonio said to him when they reached the stairway, walking straight towards the bedroom while Matteo headed down.

He was leaving already. I panicked. I had to do something. It was now or never. I spun around swiftly, my anxious eyes searching around for anything that could buy me some time. An idea struck me as my gaze landed on the glass of half-drank juice I'd abandoned on the dresser earlier this morning. I scurried over to where the glass rested and grabbed it, rushing back to my earlier position.

As his footsteps neared, I waited patiently by the doorway, holding the glass loosely with one hand. I listened, paying apt attention to his steps so I could get the right timing. 1, 2, 3. I took a deep breath to calm my racing heart, then pulled the door open and stepped out, colliding right into his chest with deliberate force. Juice erupted from the glass, splashing across his white shirt and navy blue suit.

“Oh my God!” I let out an exaggerated gasp, my mouth parting open in mock horror.

His head tipped down slowly to assess his ruined clothes, his face a mix of shock and annoyance.

“I am so sorry, Antonio,” I apologized, feigning remorse. “I can be such a klutz sometimes.”

“Do you just walk around with your eyes at the back of your head?” he scolded, looking up to me with a deep scowl.

“Geez, Mr. grumpy,” I said playfully. “It was merely an accident. You could just change into something else. Here,” I quickly reached for his chest region, aiming to feel the key underneath his clothes. “Let me help you with that.”

He stepped back before my hand could reach him, his scowl deepening.“You know what,” He sucked his teeth. “I can't deal with this right now. Not when I have an important meeting to get to.”

I smirked subtly, turning to him as he walked past me towards the bedside. He took off the suit and threw it into the laundry basket, then loosened his tie and yanked it off, doing the same to the white buttoned-down shirt. As his bare body came into view, I felt my eyes slowly tracing the fine lines of his ripped abs, up to his taut muscles, all the way to his manly forearms.

I instinctively held my breath, heat waves flushing through my entire body, accelerating my pulse to the point where I could feel the vibration in my ears.

My forehead creased in confusion, my mind and body at war, each of them clamoring for their own rights. I knew I had to turn away. My senses prompted me to look away, but my body just wouldn't seem to comply. For the first time ever, I was actually seeing him as a…. man. A dangerously attractive man.

What was wrong with me? Why were my hormones all over the place all of a sudden? I'd seen his bare chest a number of times before and it never moved me, so why now, when I should be focusing on more important things.

“Seen something you like yet?” His voice jolted me instantly out of whatever daze had briefly spelled me, my gaze locking with his. “Or do I have to take off a little bit more?” His hands slowly loosened the buckle of his belt, a tiny spark of amusement igniting his eyes. But they were gone in a flash, that I questioned if my short-lived infatuation had made me imagine it.

I swallowed inaudibly as I quickly averted my gaze from him, my cheeks flushing red with embarrassment. He'd caught me staring and that was even more awkward than the effect it had on me.

“Your little strip tease isn't going to work on me,” I said a little too aggressively, masking my nervousness. “You’re so not my type.”

He shook his head as his hand lowered from the buckle, a single chuckle escaping his lips.

Focus, Celine. I cautioned myself. This was just your mind playing silly tricks on you. Remember what you were after. Right, the key! My head snapped up to his neck. But to my greatest shock, the necklace wasn't there.

My eyes widened slightly, my heart sinking into my stomach. How on earth was this possible? Did I just go through all that trouble for nothing? He always had it on. Always.

I paused briefly, thinking. Could Matteo have said something to him in the study to make him suspicious of me?

I looked up at Antonio who was busy on a call, explaining to Matteo that he'd be down in a minute.

He didn't seem suspicious, but it was Antonio we were talking about here. He was hard to read. There was no way of knowing what he was actually thinking.

My eyes followed him as he tucked his phone into his pocket and strode into the walk-in closet we shared, his back turned to me as he began to look through an array of suits and ties for a change of attire.

I observed him briefly to be sure the coast was clear, before taking featherlight steps towards the laundry basket, pulling out his suit jacket from it. I dipped my hand into the first pocket, my gaze remaining on his back, then the other, but I couldn't find the key in both.

My eyes scanned the room swiftly but carefully, my mind working frantically to connect the dots. He had just stepped into the bedroom so it couldn't possibly be here. The last place he'd gone into wearing the necklace was his study. It had to be in there somewhere.

I tossed the suit jacket back into the laundry basket, hurrying towards the door. I had to get that key before he went back for it.

“Where are you going?” his voice echoed from behind me.

My body jerked to a stop just halfway across the room, my breath hitching as I whipped around quickly to see him standing by the entrance of the walk-in closet, fully clothed in a striped suit and plain tie. “Nowhere,” I replied softly, concealing my panic with a tightlipped smile.

His gaze on me lingered for a little while, his expression blank, then he looked away, walking over to the safe at the edge of the bed. He inputted the passcode, the lock clicking open. He reached into it and grabbed a document from it, then dipped his hand into his pants pocket, pulling out the key pendant.

My eyes bulged in surprise as I caught sight of it, my lips parting slightly. “Shit,” I mumbled under my breath.

He placed the necklace down on one of the documents and shut the safe, heading towards the door.

I grabbed a fist full of my hair in my palm as he exited the bedroom, pushing it back in frustration. “Fuck,” I breathed. I was close. So damn close.