That One Time by Marian Tee

call.
    Mari’s smile faded when she looked back at Ayah. She was clearly having fun, the guys she spoke to were clearly smitten with her, but it was also glaringly obvious she wasn’t taking any of the guys’ words seriously.  
    Ayah, Ayah, Ayah. What did that Luuk guy do to you to make you like him so much?
    ****
    A waiter blocked his way the moment he tried to enter the café. “Wait here.” He had a curiously militant expression on his face, like he was expecting an enemy to come anytime. The way he was looking at Nic now, it was clear he was that enemy.
    So far, Hong Kong was truly leaving a bad taste in his mouth.
    Lifting a brow, he asked dryly, “I suppose you know I’m looking for Ayah Chandler?”
    The waiter repeated stoically, “Wait here,” before promptly turning his back on Nic and entering the café.
    He would give the guy five minutes , Nic decided. He knew from Ayah’s stories that her boss also owned the café. It could be that they thought they were just protecting her from the big bad Western wolf.  
    A woman emerged from the café, a dark-haired local dressed in a lacy blouse and pencil cut skirt. She looked like a fashion executive – or to be specific, a fashion executive dressed for battle, considering the glint in her eyes.
    “You are Luuk Aafjes?”  
    How many people had Ayah told about him anyway? And what the hell did she tell them that made everyone seem to want to come after Nic with pitchforks?
    He inclined his head to the side, not saying yes or no. “I’m looking for Ayah.”
    “I know you are,” she told him frostily. “The question is, why are you looking for her just now ?”
    Nic asked coolly, “And this is your business because?”
    “Because we prefer that she dates a nice man from here and not a lying jerk like you.”
    “Not while I’m fucking alive,” he snapped right away. She appeared startled at his words. He supposed he could have toned it down, but…unlikely. Ayah – dating another man? No fucking way would he stand for that and especially not now that he had decided to…
    Never mind what he had decided. The most important thing was to get Ayah out of this shitty speed date as soon as possible.
    Ayah’s friend was still looking at him suspiciously, but he didn’t give a fuck. The more time he wasted here, the more time those assholes had with his Ayah. He said without preamble, “You either let me inside peacefully and I will not make a scene, or I will get this whole place shut down.”
    Mari blinked at the man’s threat. He sounded like…he meant it and that he could carry it out easily. Her gaze narrowed. The way Ayah described him, Luuk Aafjes had seemed more like an ordinary white-collar worker in Europe, but there was nothing ordinary about this man. His height, his looks, and the way he spoke and moved – everything screamed money, power, and authority.  
    It was just so like Ayah not to notice all of that!
    Lifting her chin, Mari said, “I don’t care who you are or what you can do. Before I let you in, I want you to know that we all think you’ve been leading her on all this time and we all think it’s suspicious that you’re suddenly here.”
    When the man started to speak, she shook her head profusely. “No! You do not get to speak until I’m done.”
    The man lifted a brow.
    Gah! So smug , Mari thought. Whatever did the sweet Ayah see in this jerk? She continued hotly, “All this time, Ayah’s been loyal to you when we all know you never even called her your girlfriend.” Planting her hands on her hips, she finished ominously, “If any of us find out that you’ve hurt her, we’ll kill you.”
    His expression did not alter, meaning he still looked like a cold handsome bastard. But his voice was even when he said, “Fair enough. Now can I come in?”
    Those were the only words he could manage to say. Nic felt like his world had started spinning in the wrong direction at what Ayah’s friend had revealed.  
    Over one