I do not own Skip Beat!

Thank you Yoshiki Nakamura for all of your incredible talent.

Chapter 4: The Party

There she stood with her cat-like features in a floor length black silk, backless dress that dipped to the little dimples in her back and clung to her figure like water flowing over her naked body and cut low to reveal her cleavage only to be hidden by strategically placed black lace that teased the imagination. It was held up by thin little straps that seductively clung to her sensuous shoulders with yards of the shimmering gossamer material flowing behind her that moved with her hypnotically swaying hips. Her blonde hair was perfectly curled in large waves and swept to the side over her left shoulder and pinned with small black roses. Her cobalt blue eyes were set off by a cold smokiness and her sensuously plump lips burned themselves into his mind with a blood red that set his mind aflame. This is not the old Kyoko, he thought as he felt the temperature in the room rise as she approached him. His tie was too tight, the air was too thick and his suit was uncomfortable. How was he going to survive this night?

"Daddy said that you're my escort tonight." She stated in a bored tone.

"Yes..." He struggled to answer but, the words weren't coming out and breathing was getting more difficult.

"Well, are you going to stand there staring or, are we leaving?" She asked sweetly but, with a hint of venom in her tone.

"Ah.. Yes, this way Miss Marshall." He answered as she nodded.

"And what should I call you?" she asked already knowing what she was going to say to him.

"You can call me Ren."

"Or, should I call you Kuon?" He felt the verbal slap as she refused to look at him by training her eyes straight ahead and past him, holding out her gloved hand for him to take.

This is going to be harder than I thought, he sighed.

"So.. You knew?" he asked quietly.

"Of course I did Baka! I was naive, not stupid! Anyone with more than half a brain could figure it out with all the hints you threw my way." She spat with fury.

"What do you mean? I never told you anything to make you suspect."

"You're kidding, right?" she said dryly as she narrowed her eyes at him. "Put on your happy face, we'll continue this discussion later." She commanded as they reached their destination and the chauffeur left to open their door.

For four long hours he felt like a mouse in the jaws of a cat practicing hunting. There would be moments when she would relax and he would let his guard down only to be dragged back by his tail and batted around again. It was pure hell, but in his view he deserved it. I must be a masochist, he sighed as the little goddess made her rounds accepting compliments, hugs and superficial kisses along the way.

"Do you hate me?" He asked quietly thinking he knew the answer as he stared into his drink.

"No, I don't hate you if that's what you think." She commented staring across the ballroom at nothing as she sat at their reserved table. "I'm just very pissed off at you."

A weight lifted from his chest and a warmth that he hadn't felt in years filled him. A smile of relief crossed his lips.

"You're not off the hook yet. So don't get any ideas." She told him as she sipped her wine.

"I know..." He sighed. The hard part was over. The not knowing had ended.

As they rode back to the hotel he couldn't help but notice the small things that he had missed before, like the tiny ridges her garters made as they hid beneath her dress on her legs or, how her nipples pressed against the cloth in the crisp night air, how her long eyelashes brushed her cheeks as they flicked against them when she blinked. He reveled in her sweet smell as her petite body was warmed in the limo by the air and her faux fur wrap. He cleared his throat to try and remove the nagging desire to reach for her and take her in his arms.

"Come up to my room once you've changed so we can talk." She commanded.

He dutifully nodded. There was no way he was going to squander this opportunity. Things needed to be explained, clarified and settled. By the morning he would make sure she knew how he felt under no uncertain terms, no more lies, no more misunderstandings. This needed to be done. Being without her was exhausting and he couldn't bear it any longer.

His heart sank as he watched her escort the young dark haired man out of her suite. His name was Danny? He almost turned to leave, but she caught sight of him and called out to him to come in. With a heavy heart and the thought that someone else filled her thoughts he entered her suite and sat where she motioned him to.

"Would you like some tea?" She asked tightening the thin cloth belt on her floor length black silk robe. She had spun her long tresses up into a twist and secured it with a clip. Small tendrils that escaped fell loosely about her neck. Her stockings and garters teased with little flashes as she moved about the room. His eyes were held captive.

"Was that your..." he started as she set his tea in front of him flashing a brief glimpse of the top of her breast as her robe slightly slipped open.

"My manager, his name is Danny." She smiled. "He kind of reminds me of Yashiro-san. He's here with his fiancée Amanda." she finished.

"I didn't mean to lie to you Kyoko..Please believe me." He pleaded as she sat next to him on the sofa.

"If you must know, I've given it a lot of thought since then. I know you had your reasons, but that's not what bothers me the most." She told him with hurt in her voice.

"What bothers me is that you didn't trust me. You felt you had to lie to me and not only that, you teased me with it. Stringing me along with the fairy nonsense and laughing at me about it. That's what hurt the most. Was I really that amusing to you?" She asked as the tears threatened to escape.

"No! I would never do that! I never laughed at you Kyoko." his hand reached to her to be slapped away. "I didn't tell you because I didn't want to destroy the only good thing you had left of your childhood. I wanted you to be able to cherish it for as long as possible. If I thought even for a moment that it would cause you pain I would have confessed on the spot. I love you. I never wanted to hurt you." he confessed to her staring at the coffee table in front of him not wanting to see the rejection in her eyes.