Episode 2

Once he was out of sight, Tory could feel herself heaving a deep breath down in peace and bliss which caused Blade to laugh.

“You like him don’t you?” he taunted her.

“No sir, it is just that I find him naturally attractive that is all” Tory denied but then when she thought of what she had just said, coupled with the smile on Mr. Blade's face she felt her cheek becoming all shades of pink.

Tory and Balde had a long series of conversation up till ten pm in the night and when she discovered that it was late into the night, she stood up and was about going.

“Wait a bit, let me get my keys” Blade stated and head inside to grab his keys once more.

While he was away, Arnold his friemd, came into the living room all dressed casually and once more, Tory feast her eyes on the young man.

“Like what you see?” Tory was brought back to reality by those statement and shook her head in disapproving manner to get her thoughts together.

He approached her and stood in front of her, towering over her like he was some sort of giant. Tory felt the urge to touch every nerve of his body but kept her hands to herself.

“My friend hired a good girl and a nanny to fix him up while he is busy with stuffs. You my dear are actually the better art” He whispered to her eyes, sending chills to her spine.

“Don’t think your empty words can sweep me off my feet” Tory stated but deep down she knew they were actually having effect on her.

He held her hands and whispered to her ears saying “Those aren’t empty words my dear and you know it” She glanced back at him, almost melting in his arms because of his words, but knew better not than risk her job at the early stage of it.

“If you will excuse me, I will be on my way to the car” she sneaked her way out of his grip and head back to the car.

While outside the house, she felt the cool breeze of the night hit her as she wanted to ease the rising tension between both of them

.

One thing was certain, Arnold was a fine young man but if she really needed to follow her intuition, she sensed he was a certified play boy who goes around with anything feminine.

“Ah! There you are; I thought for a second that you had actually gone home” Blade stated as he came out to see her making a call.

“Not really, I just came to get air” Troy lied.

“But there are implanted air conditioners in the room or aren’t they working” Blade asked

“I preferred in some bizarre manner, the cool breeze of the night; it is fresh and okay for a healthy living human being like me” Tory stated

Once Blade had dropped her at her apartment, she changed into her night pyjama and dropped on the bed, thinking of Blade's friend Arnold and how he handsome he was. She felt attracted to him but then she also felt something pulling her back from falling for him and she thought it was her intuition trying to tell her the actual truth.

“What do you think about the girl?” Blade asked his friend upon his arrival at home while he decided to check the stock exchange news at twelve midnight.

“Well for starters I think she is gorgeous and seemed cool headed not one of those girls you can classify as being rude. Also, I love the way she speaks with so much command in her tone and I feel there is more to her that I do not know of” Arnold stated.

“Funny how you were able to depict all this within the minutes she spent over here” both men laughed.

“Anyways, I intend taking her to the balls tomorrow what do you think?” Blade stated to the surprise of his friend.

"But bro, I thought you made a resolution not to get married ?" Arnold asked still surprised that his friend taking someone he intend to take as his own, to a ball.

"Listen, aside the facials that she has, I feel this sort of connection with her, letting her slide like that would be deterimental on my own part"

Arnold decided to excuse himself on the ground that he wanted to go to bed while he left his friemd watching the stock exchange news once

While he was in his room, he felt annoyed with his friend's plan to take Tory to the ball. While he was still contemplating about the the thing, an idea struck him and he smiled to himself as he knew what to do.

If his friend was his competition on having to get Tory to himself, he was beyond confident that he would win.

He loved how Tory looked at him and how she reacted to every of his touch. Arnold was sure that if his friend hadn't offered her the job of being his personal Nanny, she would have succumbed at that moment.

Tory was beyond surprised when she had received the text from her boss that she was going to a ball with him. As much as she wanted to decline, she thought of how much of a help be had been to him and so decided to take him up on the invite.

The ball room was beyond glamorous as it was lit up by various colours of lighting which reflected on people's dresses, causing them to look quite beautiful than she had imagined. Tory felt she was under dress as she walked along with her boss who was greeting the other guests that came along. They also greeted her too and she respond with either a simple handshake or a smile that depicts openess.

"Tory," Mr Blade tapped her, causing her to look up at him

"what I wanted to talk to you about is for you to act normal, stop feeling you need to live up to the hype in this room. I know they are all famous people but then act like you know them be confident of yoursel. Do you understood?"

Tory swallowed a huge lump of saliver and nodded hoping she hadn't made any mistake that warranted him to make those remarks.

"Ah!! Mr. Blade!! quite a pleasant surprise to see you at my ball" Alfredo the host said. He was putting on white trench coat with turtles neck, and round those necks were diamonds that Tory could swear cost a fortune.

"Indeed, when I heard of your ball, I thought to myself, I have been engrossed with so much work that I have missed so much fun and that is why I came" Blade stated.

"And who is this beautiful lady" Alfredo asked looking at Tory in awe.

"Meet Tory, she is my date for the night" the two exchange pleasantries with Tory composed enough not to freak out that the famous opera singer just shook hands with her.

She had read of his work in so many text and didn't know that one day, she would be meeting him face to face.

"So Mr Blade, I hope you don't mind, I need to see you in private please" Alfredo pleaded.

"Alright then" he turned to Tory and whispered to her ear "Just go ahead and mingle with these people, you will like the vibe I promise" and went along with Alfredo.

Tory was all alone and decided to go and sit down by the bar counter when she noticed someone familiar sat down directly opposite her staring with a smirk on his face.

"I do hope that you remember me?" Arnold asked.

Tory knew Blade's friend but didn't expect him to be at the ball but then it was for the creme d la creme so it wasn't a surprise either.

"Sure I do know you, you are my boss's friend" Troy confirmed.

"May I have the honour of dancing with you?" Arnold stretched his hands and Troy decided to take it because she obviously couldn't reject her boss's friend offer.

He pulled Tory closed to him and she looked up at him and saw him smiling before wrapping his arm around her waist and lifted her up, placing her up in his shoes. Tory was enjoying the dance and so decided to go along with the flowad the entire dance floor stopped to watch the two dance in awe.

Arnold twirled them both away and Toryy grabbed him by his neck and crushed him to herself using the hand that he wasn't holding. They were twirling so quickly that everything went blurry.

They both began to laugh and Tory becoming much bolder whispered to his ear "Never knew you could be such great dancer"

"And you too mi lady" he replied after which the music stopped.

There was a sounding applause as the two head out of the dancing florr to the bar counter once more.

They were indeed having a good time "Well, I can say I learned how to dance from dance school but you my dear are a natural born dancer" Arnold once again complimented.

"Not as good as you were darling" Tory could not believe that word slipped from her mouth but she didn't care a bit as she was enjoying the entire moment.

"Arnold sweetie" they both turned and Tory opened her mouth wide in shock at the presence of who was standing at her front. Selene Vegas was Mexican most sorted after model; she had that dream body that every lady wanted.

Troy noticed the shock in Arnold's face as the Mexican model threw her arms around him and peppered him with kisses. What shocked Tory wasn't the attempt to show dominance by the model, It was the fact that Arnold was responding to the kisses.

"If you will excuse me Arnold, I need to go find Mr. Balde" Tory stood up to her feet to go find out where he was.

Tory was searching through the crowds for Mr. Blade when she saw him with a group of people discussing. Mr. Blade on the other hand noticed Troy's moody face and excused herself from the discussion in other to go meet her

"What seems to be the matter" Mr. Blade asked.

"Nothing sir, it's just that I am experiencing mood swing at the moment and i will like to sleep take my leave" Tory stated with a hoarsed voice.

"You cannot just leave the party like that,Tell me who offended you?" Mr Blade asked with a pissed look on his face.

"I am being honest Mr. Blade, no one did. It is just some personal stuff I am facing at the moment" she stealthily turned and saw Arnold whispering something to Vegas's ear and then stood up and approached them.

"Ah! Arnold, it is good thing that you are here; I need you to do me a favor, can you take her home? I am currently speaking with some important clients at the moment" Mr. Blade stated.

Arnold turned to her and smirked "It is no problem dear friend" and Tory had no choice but follow him to the car.

Upon arrival at her apartment, she tried getting out of the car but noticed it was lock and turned to Arnold with a questioning look.

"Tell me Tory, was my act the reason you left the ball?" Arnold asked .

"Open the door at once or else I will put a call to Mr. Blade" Arnold raised his hands in surrender and unhook the door.

While she hurriedly went to the door to open it, Arnold held her arms and drew her closer to himself.

Tory hated that he had this much effect on him.

"Look I want you to know that Vegas is actually my ex. We do not have anything to do with each other anymore. I want to say that the first time I saw you, I took a liken to you and found you really attractive and I will not jeopardize It for anything in the world. I love you Tory" Arnold's word struck her like vocal chords and she felt herself melting in his arms. Arnold decided to try something he had wished to try this while; he drew closer to her and kissed her.

"I knew this would be what it ends up to be" The duo freeze and turned around to meet the blaring pissed look of Blade.