Dark Layers Volume 2: Dark Layers (6 page)

"Well, if you don't want her, what's the damn problem? And anyway, Anile was fine. I was gone for all of one hour."

The girl Derek is with huffs as if to say, 'yeah right - one hour my arse'. I start giggling, knowing what she's referring to -
Mr. Floppy
. I laugh harder and my eyes fill with water. Elijah looks at me but he is nowhere near laughing. His face is hard, unreadable. Oh dear, did Derek's words rub salt into the wound?

Derek turns his attention to the girl, "you know where the bus stop is Love." He snaps.

She is open-mouth shocked, as Elijah and I are.

wh-tch!

She lays one on Derek's gorgeous face for his mockery. He holds it - stupefied. Now he is left open-mouthed! I look at Elijah panicked, telling him to do something in unspoken words.

"Okay. I think you should leave," he addresses the girl, "and I think you should also go home Derek. I will attend to Aniles' needs."

Derek admits defeat and strolls off without so much as one word, completely drunk out of his mind. The girl leaves in the other direction and I swear this could be amusing sitcom material.

"Right, I'm going home to." I mumble and aim to leave but Elijah gently tugs on my beehive hair and immediately stops me. I lean my head back in frustration.

"Elijah - please, I want to go home. I have an early hangover and I need to sleep."

"You are coming with me Anile. I'm not finished with you just yet."

"Elijah," I breathe annoyed. I turn to face him. "Why did you come? Are you jealous because I was with your brother?"

His mendacious eyes try to deceive me. "No." He frowns deeply.

"You are lying; I can see it in your eyes Elijah." I point a mocking finger at him.

"If you truly think I am, then you are a dangerous woman to assume playing with the boundaries of jealousy are safe."

"I measure my love by the extent of my jealousy." I mumble. I start to feel dizzy - fuzzy. Everything is getting blurry.

"Everyone should." Is the last thing I hear Elijah say before I pass out.

I ABRUPTLY WAKE
with the most pounding headache.

"Ugh!" I snort.

I'm in my comfy warm bed. My duvet is so thick and comforting, it swallows me whole. My room is still nice and tidy - bless Derek for cleaning. Slowly and delicately, I manage to climb out of bed. I stand holding my head in shame as last night's events flash through my mind - oh dear God! Elijah must think I'm a stormy petrel!
Ha, that's the understatement of the century!
I manage to drag myself to the kitchen in desperate need of a coffee - or at the least to smell the aroma scent from the beans. Once I sleepily bump into my kitchen cupboards, I stand still at the sink, eyeing Elijah’s cup – sorry, my cup - still sitting dirty in the sink. I foolishly smile with glee and grab it - I want to taste some of him that might linger around the tip. I glance up at my apartment and idiotically drop my cup in the sink.

"Holy shit!" Now I'm awake! "What the hell?"

There are flowers everywhere, all beautifully dressing the living area. White orchids are in pink pots upon my sideboard - ten of them; roses of every colour available are dotted around my floor; and red tulips are laid around my sofa and upon the counter tops. How I did not smell them before I saw them is way beyond me! I'm frozen in place at the sight of it all, but I somehow manage to tear myself away to grab my phone - I need to call Derek.

He answers quickly - thank heavens!

"Anile. I'm sorry about last night." He says shamefully.

"Forget that Derek, you need to get over to my place, now!"

"Well open the door then, I'm just walking out of the lift."

Holy hell, our connection is off the charts! I cannot believe he's already here when I was going to ask him to come over! I shut the phone down and walk in a daze to the front door, eyeing every flower while shaking my head - I'm smiling so much that my cheeks hurt. On my way to the door I'm met with lily petals scattered on the floor. I try desperately to stop smiling before my face breaks into two but it's near on impossible -
Elijah.

Before I completely open the latch on my door, Derek swans in with a hangover that matches mine, almost barging me into the wall.

"Derek!" I admonish.

"Nice pyjamas - but green is not your colour, and you should wear a gown, not a two piece." He says as he makes his way into the living area. I pout at his guru observation. I do not tell him about the flowers, I follow him and wait to see if they have the same affect on him as they did me.
Checkmate!
He stands stupefied, speechless even, and just looks at me with raised eyebrows.

"I know, right!" I joke with a huge - all teeth showing - smile.

"That man is either fucking crazy or he is in love with you Anile."

"Oh don't be so ridiculous Derek. He wants...." I frown. I'm lost for words, really lost for words. I rub my stupefied head. He doesn't want sex, he doesn't want a relationship; so what the bloody hell does he want?

"See, even you cannot explain this, Miss Smarty Pants!"

I fall into the sofa with Derek. He snakes his arm around my shoulders and we sit upon a bed of roses - literally!

"I'm guessing he has picked up on the fact that you love flowers." He jokes.

"Ha, ha, very funny."

"Anile, this is mental. Who actually does this?"

Mr. Perfect - that's who!

"Beats me," I smile giddy, "I woke for coffee and was welcomed by beautiful flowers. I am not complaining."

Derek frowns deeply - a look with a cause for concern.

"Anile, just because he spends a fortune on flowers for you, it does not mean that you should reciprocate in favours."

"What do you take me for?" I snap - eyes wide, "you know me better than anyone and yet, you still have to tell me this?" I gasp, annoyed and flabbergasted at his statement.
Elijah would not even give me the chance to thank him - stupid!

"I'm just making sure you know that you don't have to give yourself to Elijah, Anile. I don't grant you favours for something in return - neither should he."

"I know you don't ever expect anything Derek." I *sigh*, knowing he's right.

I wonder if Elijah has changed his mind, or even decided he just wants sex?

As I lean into Derek to rest my fried egg head, I notice I'm sitting on paper. I grab the paper from beneath me. I eye it curiously. It's a brown envelope with my name typed onto it – no address, just my name.

"What is that?" Derek says.

"Strangely, I cannot see through paper Derek." I joke. He playfully pokes me. "Don't do that, it bloody hurts!" I gasp.

"Just open it!" He says excited.

Pondering over the idea on whether to open it or not, I start to weigh up the pros and cons, but give up and give in quickly. Yes, I know, I'm a sucker! I rip the top open like an animal. Oh my! There is a note, from Elijah himself, and hand written so formally which makes me smile.

Miss Gooden,

I stayed on your uncomfortable sofa last night to be sure you were not sick while you were alone.

Please eat something healthy today and drink lots of orange juice, it has high amounts of vitamin C - which I am sure you will need!

Until Monday, Princess,

Elijah x

Until Monday?

"Let me see!" Derek says elevated as he snatches Elijah's note free from my hands. "Until Monday?" He asks confused.

I pull the remaining papers free from the envelope. It's my work contract with Darks Lawyers. Signed, sealed and delivered. Holy shit! I smile while biting my lip in excitement and only wish I was not hangover so I could celebrate.

"He has given me my job back, Derek."

"What the bloody hell! Are you going to take it?"

I slowly nod triumphant. I'm not sure if this is completely going in my favour - knowing Elijah, there is an alternative agenda, I'm sure.

"Yes I am going to take it. I started on an important case and I hated that I had to quit half way through."

"That was not your fault Anile and you know it."

"Either way, I'm back there now. I think I will demand a different office though, I don't want to be near Elijah in that sense - not yet. For now I want to work, make him take the money back he gave my father and move on with things, Derek."

"Sounds good to me Sweets. Now you are moving on, maybe you will give into me and accept my relationship proposal?" He jokes as he nozzles my hair with his nose.

Cringe!
I hate it when he asks me such things. It only means I have to repeatedly knock him back, which I hate also.

"Derek." I whisper in a, 'you know you cannot keep asking me this' kinda way. I still want Elijah, I just need to wait until I'm ready - or when he's ready.

He rolls his eyes and sits back, sort of unaffected. Wow, he's more like Elijah than he even knows.

"I'm nodding off for a few hours Sweets, lay back, let's get some rest." He mutters, changing the conversation.

"Give me ten minutes and I will join you. I'm not feeling on top of the world and I could use some more sleep."

Derek gets comfy on my sofa and I scoot off to my bedroom with my contracts; I want to see the small print and see if Hester was right.

Opening the contracts, I search relentlessly through every page but the small print really is quite well hidden. I get to page thirty and see it's nicely tucked between my job description and the NDA - bizarre. The Terms and Conditions seem normal and relevant but, the Termination of Contract is outrageous!

Termination of Contract

Termination of contract will only be accepted by Darks Lawyers - Mr. Elijah Darks - if you are not currently working on an
assigned
case (personal cases can be taken with the Second Party if they depart from Darks Lawyers.)

In the event of the Second Party attempting to terminate their contract with no authorisation from Darks Lawyers - Mr. Elijah Darks - Darks Lawyers will begin with legal proceedings to obtain all financial assets from the Second Party and/or person/s financially responsible for the Second Party.

The Second Party must fulfil their contract to the finalized agreement and the finalized date and/or when the contract has been given a revision date - the revision date must state it is regarding the vacancy, not the
Second Parties salary.

Holy shit! That is just the gist of it! Elijah did assign me to the Timothy Allen case, it's not personally mine! The sneaky Bastard!
He only did this to keep you close because he likes you, jeez!
Romantic? I'm not sure. I'm not sure I even like the fact that he's deliberately trapped me. I huff in annoyance at how much of a rollercoaster life has been since I met him, but, what the hell am I suppose to do about it now?

I quickly shower and change my pyjamas. Once I'm refreshed, I drag myself back to Derek and lie with him on the sofa - allowing myself to fall into a deep and needed unconscious state - Elijah and his obscure ways will still be here when I wake up.

SATURDAY CAME AND WENT.
It was thankfully uneventful.
I have heard nothing from Elijah but I know he's hanging his silent treatment out to taunt me. I find it funny really because I will not be contacting him - I'll see him Monday as he said.

- At God knows
what time, I wake to excessive banging at my door and completely crap my pants. I sit up in a frenzy.

"Derek, wake up!" I scream, almost pushing him off of my bed.

"Are you okay Anile, what's wrong - have you had another nightmare?"

"No, no nightmare," I point with trembling fingers, "the front door. Someone was banging at it."

He's on his feet and charging out of my bedroom and towards the front door before me. I quickly register the dawn upon us. Damn it's early, too early for a Sunday. I should be sleeping until at least noon.

Derek opens the door in full force and is ready for whoever is trying to torment me - I'm hidden behind him like the chicken shit that I am.

"What the fuc... - who are you?" He snaps.

"Jezebel," I say astounded, "what are you doing? Why are you here and banging on my door like a lunatic?"

She storms past Derek and I into my living area. Cheeky cow!

"So, it is true then." She snaps.

"What?" I ask confused as I follow her, "why are you wet?" I wonder because her deep brown hair is dripping wet but her bright red trench coat is bone dry, along with the rest of her clothes. I stare out of my window and try to see if it has been raining; I'm sure it hasn’t - nope, it's dry outside. 

"Are you with my husband?" She says.

"What?" I mutter.