THE BAD BOY OF MANHATTAN
Chapter 43. Yes Or No?

"Elric, why are you here (why are you here)?" James frowned at Elric who had just walked out of a room.

"Why are you here (why are you here)?" Elric asked back. But just a little talk. He knew his godfather was after Emma.

While Emma who felt the tension between the two men, especially Elric who showed an unpleasant face to the presence of James, tried to melt the atmosphere. "Elric shared an apartment with me, James ...."

"Owh .. Is it true, El? You're out of Greenwich?" James, who had been looking at Emma, looked back at Elric.

"Yeah." Elric answered.

"I'm going to change my clothes" Emma said with a smile from James.

"Sit down, El .. I want to talk to you." James asked Elric to sit in front of him. After the young man landed his tat pan on the chair, James began his conversation. "Dad and your mom know you live here?" tanyakanya.

"Not yet."

"Why did you decide to share an apartment with Emma?"

"Why? Do you mind?"

James chuckles. "Of course not. I'm just wondering, El."

"Where are you taking Emma?" elric asked while folding both arms to the front of his chest.

"To a romantic place, to my apartment, I need a comfortable place to talk to Emma."

Elric grieving. "Don't your boyfriend mind you being with another girl?" said cynical.

"Oh, come on, El. You know I don't have a boyfriend."

"No serious boyfriend" Elric cut. "You don't mess with Emma, James!" He warned.

"Calm down, El ... she's special (she's special)," James said as he rolled his eyes at Elric.

Elric shook his head slowly. Her eyes were on Emma who had just come out of her room. Well-favoured. Still with her old fashion style, but Emma is still beautiful. He didn't want this girl to go with James Howards.

"Wow ... you look ... beautiful (you look .. beautiful)," praised James as he moved from his seat. Her praise made Emma blush.

Elric doesn't like Emma's reaction to James' praise. Does that girl like her godfather? Ah, of course he likes it. Didn't Emma talk to him about it often?

"See you later (meeting), El," Emma said, making Elric realize James had taken the girl out of their apartment, leaving her sitting pensively with a pouting face.

***

James takes Emma to his apartment in the Hudson Yards, an elite area on the Hudson River that divides New York. A luxurious apartment that made Emma amazed. A whole new life this time he set foot there. James' apartment is the second luxury place after the Bradley family residence he once visited. Emma thought, it's fitting that so many women go after James because they want to enjoy all the facilities that man has. Besides, he is also handsome and famous.

What dreams did Emma to be able to meet James Howards and be noticed by him. However, Emma felt she had to keep herself fortified so as not to fall for all that was in James, before believing the man was sincere and wanted it. He did not want to add to the suffering that had plagued his life, by giving his heart away to James, and in the end, he was just playing tricks on him.

Of course Emma was fascinated by that handsome creature. But, he tried not to be hysterical and as much as possible to control himself not to be nervous when he saw James coming from the kitchen carrying two long-legged glasses filled with dark red liquid. Sauvignon rouge (red wine).

"Thanks" said Emma, receiving the glass that James offered her. From the look of his eyes that could not be separated to look at him, Emma knew, this man would immediately ask the question he threw a week ago.

"I can't wait to hear your answer, Emma."

"I ...." Although he warned himself not to be nervous, his heart still could not be compromised.

"Emma .. I'm not very aggressive, am I? I'm sorry if I seem too demanding" said James, who saw Emma as nervous, as usual.

Emma swallowed her saliva. His throat suddenly felt dry. He forgot to hold a glass of wine. He gulped down the dark red liquid to wet his throat. How do you answer James?

"At least, give me a hint of whether I should continue to expect you or not" James said firmly.

Look at that guy. Emma thought, James does not like long-winded. He took his wine back. Then, he ventured to ask something. "Hannah?"

James raised both eyebrows. "Hannah?" He repeated Emma's question.

"You and Hannah ...."

"I have no commitment whatsoever to him. If you accept me, I won't see him again."

"What ... will you commit to me?"

"Yes. Of course (of course)."

"Can ... I ask you something?"

"Please, Emma."

"Why me (why should I)?"

James' lips revealed his sweet smile. He put the glass he was holding onto the table. Then he shifted his seat closer to Emma. He grabbed the glass in Emma's hand and put it on the table. "Do you believe love at the first sight (you believe love at first sight)?"

"I don't know. I've never experienced it." Emma smiled shyly. His cheeks may have been red at this time. She felt like an innocent girl who had no experience of love. Because he had never been in contact with any man. During this time he only focused on the problems of his parents' household, which made him withdraw from everyone around him.

"That's how I felt when I saw you for the first time. You're gonna think it's some kind of seduction or bullshit. But that's how I feel, Emma." James looked at this sweet girl before him with a sincere look. What he said is true. And he wasn't seducing the innocent girl.

"But why me (but why me)?" Emma wanted to make it clear why James chose her.

"There's a whisper in my head that I've had enough to play around and it's time to see the future." James raised both hands. "I'm not a jerk who likes to play with women. I had a bad experience with some women that I felt like my relationship was serious and was going to level up to the next level. So, there was some time I felt traumatized to commit to a woman." James stroked Emma's face with the back of his hand. "But, ever since I saw you in Greenwich ...." James traced Emma's face with his fingers. "I know you're the one (i know you're the one)."

Emma who had been lowered now ventured to face James. The gaze of that pair of gray eyes was so deep that it hit his heart. It was not intimidating or even domineering, but the gaze was so gentle, that it was able to get her swept away.

***