I Dare You To Meet Me
Chapter 1

-I swear Dad, I don’t need a driver, let alone a bodyguard to watch over me, I’m 20 years old and I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.

I say into the phone while repeating for the umpteenth time the speech I had been telling my father since the first day he knew I was coming to California to study a year of international relations.

-Daughter, please be reasonable, we don’t know what could happen at any moment and I cannot let anything bad happen to you.

I smile at the slight tremor in her voice that she tries to hide, but roll my eyes at her need to keep me safe at all times.

-Dad, I’ve been very reasonable all this time,” I murmur with a tired voice from walking and talking at the same time, “Since I got here I tell you or mom when I’m on my way to the University and when I’m back in the apartment, we talk by video call almost every night, besides, do you think I don’t know that the building’s security guard tells you every time I go out and when I come back,” I tell him with a little bit of complaint in my tone.

A sigh sounds on the other end of the line.

-Forgive me little one, but you are my only daughter, my baby, my princess, I can’t just stop worrying about you, although I know it’s about time I give you a little more freedom so you can spread your wings and replace your place in the world. My father’s muffled voice makes me regret for a second that I chose a university so far away from my family, but I stand firm in my attempt at independence.

-Dad, no matter how far away I am, I will always come back to you, I will not stop loving you for a single second, you will see how a year will fly by, when you least expect it I will be back in Russia emptying your bank accounts in my favorite stores and you will be wishing then to send me back,” I tell him jokingly trying to change the mood of the conversation, at the end of the street I can already start to see the campus.

-It would be a pleasure to see those infinite bills on my credit card bill every month-end,” he says amused as well.

-I’m going to remind you those words the next time I go, so you won’t be able to reproach me for anything,” I tell him as a warning with a smile, I had already arrived to the parking lot and people as usual, stopped to watch me when they heard me speaking Russian, “Hey Dad, I have to go, I just arrived to school and I have to go to class, talk to you in the evening.

-Okay daughter, I also have to go to a meeting with some partners from Novosibirisk, have a great day, I love you.

-I love you too daddy, make lots of money.

-Always,” he says with an egocentric tone and I let out a laugh before cutting the call.

My feet carry me through the cars and people in order to reach the entrance to the building, I had first period economy, and if I didn’t hurry I was going to be late, causing the teacher to leave me extra homework.

With the intention of avoiding punishment at all costs, I hurried my steps. I was so distracted in my thoughts that it was no surprise when I ran into a wall of muscles.

-I’m sorry-.

I said between my teeth as I rubbed my nose from the blow, I raised my head to see the guy I had collided with, or rather I should say man.

He was tall, he was almost half a head taller than me, and that was saying a lot since by my Russian ancestry I was tall. When my eyes met his face my breath caught in my throat, I was used to seeing handsome men, but this was a whole new discovery, his features were hard and sharp, his skin was golden from the sun like any good Californian, his black hair was disheveled as if he had just gotten up, he had a cold look that made me shudder. His eyebrows were bushy and furrowed with annoyance. His lips were thin but shapely, while his overall physique was impressive, you could tell he spent a lot of time working out, and tattoos covered his arms from his shoulders to his wrists.

-He said in a mocking voice, and that’s when I realized that I had been staring at him up and down with my mouth open, a strong heat in my cheeks informed me that I had blushed.

-I’m sorry, I was distracted and didn’t see you,” I tell him this time in English without being able to look away from his beautiful green eyes.

-I forgive you only if you tell me your name, beautiful. He said in a thick voice that sounded incredibly sexy to my ears.

The blush on my face increased when he called me by that name causing the discomfort to be erased and a smile to appear on his face.

-Anabella, nice to meet you,” I said softly as I hugged the book I was holding tightly in my hands.

The man in front of me stretched out his arm, and his hand captured mine to take it to his mouth and leave a k**s on the back of it.

-I am Demian, but everyone knows me as Hades.

A sigh threatened to leave my lips but I swallowed saliva to avoid it, I licked my lips feeling them suddenly dry, Demian’s eyes following my every move.

-Hades, like the Greek god? I asked curiously. His smile turned into a sly grimace.

-Himself and in small person.

I was about to ask why he was called that, but the bell interrupted me, and that made me remember my earlier rush to get to the classroom on time.

I make a frustrated grimace.

-I have to go, I don’t want to be late for class.

I tell him with a regretful voice, he gives me a half smile while he lets go of my hand, which he hadn’t let go of all this time.

-I hope to see you again Anabella.

The way he said my name made me melt inside, but I just smiled a little at him before answering.

-We’ll see.

And without letting him answer I turned and continued on my way, I felt his gaze fixed on my body at all times, as soon as I reached the door I turned my face to watch him one last time, and now with the distance I could appreciate his impressive body better, besides noticing his clothes, he was all in black, from the military boots, the pants with many pockets, a sleeveless shirt, and a leather vest. Next to him were two other men wearing the same vests and trying to get his attention.

But Demian ignored them as he watched me watching him, winked at me, which brought the color back to my cheeks, and I gave him a bright smile before disappearing into the building.

I was late for class, but not even the ten-page essay I had to turn in for the next day about the importance of punctuality erased the good mood and smile I had since my encounter with the tattooed man.

And in the evening when my parents asked me about my good mood, something inside me prompted me to tell them a little white lie and tell them it was because of a good grade I had gotten on one of my exams.

Which wasn’t entirely a lie, because I had indeed gotten a good grade on my accounting exam but it wasn’t nearly the reason I was so happy.

That night when I went to sleep, I dreamt of strong arms holding