I'm so sorry for the delay! Senior year is keeping me insanely busy. Don't forget to review, rate and follow. You support means so much to me, it's what keeps me going. Without further delay, here's the long awaited chapter...

Blair wanted to glare at him. If looks could kill, she was sure she'd become a murderer tonight. The man was so infuriating! How dare he treat her like that? How dare he?! She was boiling with contained anger and was ready to spit venomous words and to blow him off for good once she turned around to face him. She'd show him who Blair Waldorf was and why the other debutantes feared and respected her so much. She was the Queen of the Upper East Side and she refused to let anyone, less of all Chuck Bass, tarnish her perfect and pristine reputation. It was time that womanizing Basstard got to know the real Bitch.

However, something stopped her: Blair had noticed an unfamiliar emotion haunting his usually confident deep voice – which currently was slightly out of breath because of his running to catch up with her. Blair could have sworn she heard an emotion suspiciously resembling concern coming from him. Well, well. Blair pondered for a second as she let her scowl fade and allowed her beautiful facial features to relax as she kept him expectantly waiting behind her, expecting her anger. It was quite interesting: Chuck Bass indeed did seem to genuinely care about her well-being and seemed concerned about her going off alone, not to mention he did look upset at being the one to blame for her lack of carriage. Plus, she did seem to find him everywhere she went. It just couldn't all be a coincidence. Besides, he always appeared to be trying to seduce her and kept sending her confusing messages and signals which, for the life of her, she couldn't decipher. Maybe that was his own twisted way of wooing her. She began to contemplate the situation seriously. He might just have a fixation on her. It actually made a lot of sense. Men like him (insanely rich and spoiled) always wanted what they couldn't have, what was off their limits. All of it was… interesting to say the least.

However, as much as the idea of him being that interested in her sort of secretly pleased her, Blair couldn't forget or ignore what had transpired between them tonight. The situation she was in was still dangerously precarious, her reputation was in line. She still need him to be silent, to keep her secret. Maybe, Blair thought, she could use this twisted fixation he seemed to have with her to her advantage.

Maybe she could just push him and persuade him enough so he wouldn't reveal her secret. She smiled cunningly; she was starting to come up with the naughtiest of plans. Plus, wouldn't it be fun if she could manage to successfully seduce the most notorious womanizer in the city (and maybe in the country)? She felt liked she'd behaved like the perfect and innocent society lady for way too long and missed her old days of cunning and scheming. Seducing and manipulating Chuck Bass could be so much fun and she'd missed being a bad girl. Blair was already starting to carefully plan her next move, already loving this new game she was planning to engage both of them in. Blair quickly decided it couldn't hurt to try – plus, if he really was already interested in her, it would be so much easier – so she tried and placed the most credible distressed expression on her beautiful face and pouted her full red lips before turning around to face Chuck. She didn't really expect the effect she had on him and couldn't help but notice he visibly swallowed a lump in his throat. It felt so good to feel wanted again. Oh, the Queen was back.

- I thought for a second that you'd let me wander off alone. – Blair said in her tiniest, whiniest, and most adorable voice – On these cold and darkened streets full of burglars and… God knows what else!

She let out her most credible choked sob and wrapped the dark cloak more tightly around her petite frame while pouting her full red lips and focusing her huge brown eyes on his disapprovingly. Chuck tried to keep the eye contact but couldn't help but look away after a few seconds, looking downright embarrassed and… regretful. Blair smiled in her insides all the while maintaining her innocent facade. It looked like playing the damsel in distress really worked in her favor. Who knew Chuck Bass could become a sort of distorted version of a knight in shining armor?

Just at that moment, Chuck took a hesitant step towards her and unexpectedly handed her his expensive fur coat. Her heart warmed at the gesture because it meant so much more coming from him but she ignored it as best as she could, willing herself to refocus on her plan. Blair looked up at him gratefully with her big chocolate dove eyes and finally allowed herself to do what she had refrained herself from doing so many times before: she let herself sink deep, deep into his dark gaze.

Unexpectedly, Chuck found he was once again hypnotized by her beautiful and enticing brown eyes. After some minutes that seemed to drag on forever, Chuck finally looked away and cleared his throat. He was becoming uncharacteristically uncomfortable around a female; this would be a first. Chuck cleared his throat, which had suddenly become very dry, and spoke in what he hoped was a calming and comforting voice.

- Well, Miss Waldorf, my carriage is just down the street so, seeing as I'm the one to blame for your abandoned state, if you will allow me, I'll have the delightful pleasure of escorting you home.

Chuck's voice lacked his usual sarcasm and sounded dead serious. Blair said nothing and only stared down at the ground, biting her bottom lip nervously and allowing distress to cloud her beautiful features. She didn't put Chuck's coat on and just awkwardly carried it in her arms, running her fingertips distractedly over the soft fur lining the coat as she pretended to have an inner turmoil. Chuck immediately observed her hesitance and inner debate to let him escort her back home and it sank in: she distrusted him. He felt like a failure again, like he could never do anything right.

He felt like he needed to prove himself to her; to show her that she could trust him and to convince her that he would never willingly harm her. He had no idea why this was so necessary but it was. He needed to see trust in her eyes because he knew he could protect her. Why couldn't he just be honest for once? Well, the answer to that was simple and obvious, he was just too caught up in his little tactics and games to ever get out and, honestly, he enjoyed them too much to ever give them up. It was the way he was. It was who he was. He anxiously ran his long fingers over his already messy dark hair. Chuck felt quite frustrated about her mistrusting him and desperately tried apologizing to her. The first time he ever apologized to someone in his life. Another first.

- Miss Waldorf, I'm sincerely sorry about my shameful behavior earlier. I must admit that my judgment was more than a little… clouded seeing as I am a man who enjoys a little mystery, especially in a woman. I know I shouldn't have sent your carriage away when it was your only means to get back home in safety. Please forgive me because I wasn't thinking about the hardships and discomfort I could have caused you, I was just so caught up with…

Blair finally looked up at him and once more bit the corner of her full bottom lip enticingly.

- …you. – Chuck finally said in a husky, almost breathless whisper.

He took a deliberate step forward, therefore successfully breaching the small space that had been in between them. Almost reverently, he cupped Blair's face with both his elegant hands. He caressed her left rosy cheek with his thumb. Blair secretly reveled in the warm and gentle touch of his strong hands in her delicate cheeks and unconsciously leaned further into his touch. He leaned in closer. Now he was just a breath away from her. She allowed the last of her control to slip for a while as she let her mind grow foggy and melted under his warm touch. She enjoyed every second of it, though she'd never admit to it. Later, she knew she would convince herself everything had been part of the plan.

- Blair, please, I'm sorry. Please trust me. I promise to get you home safe – whispered Chuck with a soft persuasive voice Blair had never heard him use before and that seemed to caress her name.

She felt breathless and her throat was dry. She felt the full crashing power of his heavy, hypnotic gaze on her and she could barely think straight anymore. As if by under a trance, Blair realized she could barely manage to form coherent thoughts and much less mutter a word under the scrutiny of his intense gaze.

- Okay – Blair said breathily after a few moments.

Slowly and tentatively, Blair undid the bow that held the cloak around her with shaky fingers and Chuck watched her every movement in a daze. Under the moonlight, the stars and the light of the street lamps, she looked almost ethereal and impossibly gorgeous. Chuck Bass was sure he had never seen a woman more attractive or beautiful than Blair Waldorf in his whole life. However, he shook out of his awed contemplation just in time to collect the cloak from her hands and watch in fascination as she slowly put on the expensive fur lined coat he had handed her before. He caught a glimpse of goosebumps in her thin, ivory white arms and had the impulse to hold her tight and caress her so she'd be warm and the goosebumps disappeared from her flawless skin. He had never had that impulse before. About anyone. Ever. Decidedly, this was definitely a memorable night full of firsts.

Once she was ready, Chuck couldn't contain himself anymore and followed his impulse. Following his instincts, he placed a strong arm around Blair's petite frame protectively as he gently led her to his waiting carriage. Blair allowed herself to revel in feeling his expensive and masculine scent all around her and enjoy the feel of his strong, muscular arm around her, protecting and encasing her. She felt somehow treasured and couldn't help but notice how her shoulders fit perfectly within his grasp.

She noticed his carriage was huge and ostentatious, with golden ornaments inside and out, luxurious scarlet velvet seats and magnificent ebony black pure-breed horses to pull it. Blair was marveled by such opulence and beauty. She had never doubted Chuck Bass was a man with good taste. Chuck noticed her awed expression and felt immense satisfaction wash over him. He smirked with playful arrogance and helped her get inside the magnificent carriage and climbed after her.

- To the Waldorf Residence Arthur. – said Chuck with authority to his coachman as soon as they were both comfortably seated.

The ride home seemed to go by in a blur. Although Blair knew for a fact that there ought to have passed at least twenty minutes since the carriage was going at a very slow pace. She knew she was nearing her home and was startled to find that she felt far too comfortable right where she was, sitting beside Chuck Bass, and hadn't the least desire to get out of the carriage and away from him. Strange. Very strange indeed.

Blair wanted to frown upon coming to that disturbing realization but finally decided to ignore it and just enjoy the moment, just like she ignored every other thing in her life that she didn't quite understand or particularly disliked to think about. Later she could pretend like it never happened. She needed to focus on her plan, on seducing Chuck Bass into keeping his mouth shut. She turned to face him and found him lost in concentration, already watching her intently. Blair couldn't help the pinkish blush that spread over her beautiful features, further enhancing her beauty under the few beams of light coming in from the carriage windows. For the first time, Blair genuinely wanted to lower her eyes, fazed by the intensity of his own penetrating gaze. However, he forced her gaze to meet his.

"Well, this could be easier than I thought", Blair reflected on her insides, taking in the intense way in which Chuck Bass was intently observing her. What worried her deeply was that there wasn't just lust and want showing in his dark, hooded eyes but also something else… something she didn't dare put a name to. Something she was too afraid of herself. Something that could just complicate everything even more.