Hush (27 page)

“Siva! This isn’t necessary!” she cried. I tried to hide my smile. I liked it when she said my name… even if she was yelling it. 

She glared at me. Finally she threw her hands in the air and said, “Okay! Okay!” I grinned in triumph.
“I’ll go with you if you’ll just stop going through my stuff!”
she snatched a bra from my hands. “But only on a temporary basis. I’ll continue to look for my own place.”

My face fell.

“I can be very convincing when I want something, Sloane,” I said and narrowed my eyes at her.

“I can too,” she hissed. I resisted a smile but it came out anyway.

“You’ll come with me now. I’ll have you furniture put into storage today. I’m aware that my father said that if anything was left he would take,”
I said. Looking around I wondered why he would want any of this. It wasn’t exactly Rajas Kapur’s style.

She looked up at me, her golden eyes peeking through, and said “Thank you.”

I grinned. “You’re welcome,” I whispered.

Cheater

I watched her as she stood in the middle of the closet, hands on her hips, biting her delectable lip. She was looking at the clothes, packing for her trip, and I noticed that her suitcase was completely empty. She had to leave soon and I hated to see her go. I loved her so much that being without her created a strange ache in my chest. I wanted to tell her I loved her, I did, but the concept was so foreign to me that I wasn’t sure she would believe me. Sloane had bewitched my heart, stolen my soul, and saved me. Yes, she
saved
me.

Her long hair hung down her back. The wavy strands changed colors in the light.
Black, brown, red, orange, so many colors.
Her hair was a rainbow.

I couldn’t resist not touching her any longer. I wrapped my arms around her waist. She immediately responded by leaning into me. I pressed my lips to her cheek in a gentle kiss and then said, “Aren’t you going to be late?”

She turned in my arms so she was facing me. She blew a piece of hair out of her face. “Yeah,” she sighed. “I don’t know what to pack.”

I laughed. “Typically you start with clothes.”

“Maybe the problem is that I don’t want to leave you. Can’t you come with me?” Sloane asked and pouted those perfect lips of hers.

My lips turned down in a frown. “I told you Sloane. I can’t.” I said.

The little box in my pocket burned a hole. Inside that box was the ring my father gave my mother. The bastard may have bought it but it had belonged to my mum. She had given it to me one day in the hospital when she was in one of her more lucid spells. “Take it. Find right girl.
Happen one day. I know,” she had said and tapped her head. She had then stuck the ring in my hands closing my fingers around it before she went back to singing one of her songs.

But that day had come. I had found that right girl. Sloane.

I had it all planned out. I was going to fly out to her hometown. Show up on her mum’s front porch. Tell her how much I love her and then I was going to pull out the box get down on one knee and ask her to marry me.
To be my wife.
And in a perfect world she’d say yes.

“I know,” she sighed and turned back to her clothes.

“I really do want to meet your mom,” I said and meant it. I used to say things all the time and never mean them but Sloane made me want to be better.

She bit her lip and said,
“Siva, it’s fine real
ly. Go back to bed. It’s early.”

I kissed her bare shoulder and she shivered. I loved that I affected her as much as she did me.
“I want t
o see you before you leave,” I
said. “You won’t be back until, Sunday.”

I was dreading being without her. I needed her. I felt like without her I might suddenly go back to my old ways. I didn’t want to be that person anymore.

“I’m going to miss you,”
she said, leaning into my body. I wrapped my arms around her and held her close. I breathed against her neck. She was going to miss me. No one had ever missed me before.

“I’m going to miss you too, Sloane. More than you know,”
I said against her neck before I pressed my lips there. And miss her I would. Just as I had never been missed, I had never missed anyone before. It was a strange feeling.

“You know what they say; absence makes the heart grow fonder,”
she said.

I chuckled.
“I’ve never understood that saying.”

Smiling and pushing at my arm she said,
“You need to go. I’ll never get packed if you keep standing here talking to me.”

I pressed my lips against hers. I loved the little noise she always made when I kissed her. I don’t think she even knew that she did it. “I’ll go make us breakfast,” I grinned.

I opened the refrigerator and grabbed the carton of eggs and the bacon. I set to frying everything so that it would be done when she came downstairs.

I watched her walk by the kitchen, with her bags in her hands. I could hear her drop them by the door and then she came into the kitchen just as I was sliding the eggs and bacon onto a plate. She slid into a seat. Her multi-colored hair hung down around her face. I loved her hair, it was unique like her.

I slid a plate to her, poured her a glass of orange juice, and sat down beside her.

“You best hurry.”

Suddenly, my chest felt heavy. In a matter of minutes she would be leaving.

I swallowed and said thickly, “Jacob will drive you to the airport.” I winced at my own words. I wanted to be the one to take her. I wanted to spend every last possible second with her. But work had interceded and I wouldn’t be able to take her. Sometimes, having your whole life revolve around your job was a killer.

“You’re not taking me?” she asked. The look on her face broke my heart.

“I want to,” I said and meant it. “But I can’t. I have some important stuff to do for work. A couple of people are supposed to be stopping by.”

“Oh,” she said.

“I’m sorry,” I said. I wanted to take her so bad
ly
. I wanted to tell her I loved her and most importantly I wanted to marry her. I hoped my plan would work and I could surprise her. It was probably odd that I wanted to ask her to marry me and I hadn’t even confessed my love to her. But- that was me. Odd. I never did anything normal.

“
It’s fine, really,” she said. “I’ve got to go.
I’ll miss you.”

“I- I’ll miss you too,”
I said. She leaned into me and pressed her lips against mine kissing me passionately. Her fingers tangled in my hair and then left my hair to press against my cheeks.

“Bye,” she said, putting her forehead to mine.

“Bye,” I said a little breathless.

She bit her lip and said, “I’ve really got to go.”

“Stay,” I breathed.

“Tempting,” she smiled. “But my mom would kill me.”

“Well,” I grinned, “You’re no good to me dead.”

“I guess I’m not,” she giggled.

I kissed her again before leading her to the door, grabbing her bags, and walking her to the elevator.

“Bye,” she said again as the doors started to close. She looked sad.

I waved.

Then she was gone.

* * *

I was sitting on the couch looking at the sapphire and diamond ring when someone knocked on the door. I closed the jewelry box and stuck it back in my pocket. I stood and walked into the foyer, opening the door.

“Morning Alexa,” I grumbled. Could they not have sent someone else?

She smiled and thrust her ample chest out, which was enhanced by her tight dress.

“Here are the files you requested,” she said and handed them to me, making sure our fingers brushed in the process.

“Thanks,” I said rather rudely.

I opened the folder and proceeded to glance through them.

I felt her hand on my arm. “Alexa,” I said in a warning tone. Her hand ventured lower. “Alexa,” I said again, this time moving away from her.

She pouted at me. “You know you want me,” she said. “I can see the way you look at me.”

“No Alexa. I’m not interested. You have the wrong idea,” I said.

“I don’t think I do,” she said and grabbed my belt.

I dropped the files onto the coffee table so that I could use both hands to remove her from my body. But she used the opportunity to attach her lips to mine. Shocked, my body froze.

“Siva! Siva!” I knew that voice. Sloane. Oh, fuck.

I pried Alexa’s lips from mine. She smiled triumphantly. But I was still in a compromising position and when Sloane saw she assumed the worse. “Siva,” she gasped.

“No!” she said, shaking her head back and forth. I could see tears reflecting in her golden eyes. “No, no, no!” Tears coursed down her cheeks as she walked backwards, away from me, “Siva,” she said like she didn’t know me at all. That broke my heart.

“It’s not what you think!” I cried, heartbroken. I watched her climb in the elevator. “Sloane!” I screamed, running towards the elevator. The doors started to slide closed. “Fuck!” I yelled in the hallway and pulled at my hair. That shattered, heartbroken, look she gave me just before the doors closed would haunt me for the rest of my life.

I strode back into my flat and slammed the door closed. Alexa flinched.

“You bitch!” I screamed. I clenched my fists so I wouldn’t hit her. My body was shaking all over with my barely controlled rage. “You are fired! I never want to see your face again! Get out of my fucking house!”

“Siva,” she said. “It’s okay. We can be together now. The way it’s meant to be.”

“Are you fucking crazy? Get out!” I pointed at the door.

“But-”

“Get out!” I growled. When she didn’t move I added, “Now!”

But still she stood there.

Losing my patience and my temper, I upended the coffee table, threw the cushions off the couch, threw a
lamp which
smashed into a wall and broke, and finally crumbled to the floor.

“Siva,” said Alexa.

“I’m telling you,” I said in the iciest voice I could muster. “To. Get. Out.
Now!
”

After a moment’s hesitation she left.

I put my head in my hands and cried for the first time in my life.

* * *

Someone came barreling into my apartment. I closed my eyes. It better not be Alexa again.

Looking up my eyes met the blue gaze of Jacob. Relieved I let out a breath I had been holding.

Jacob surveyed the mess before helping me up.

His fist flew at my face and I fell to the floor clutching my nose.

Jacob’s face was red and spittle was flying as he yelled at me. “You no good piece of shit! Sloane is a nice woman!
A nice woman that is in love with you for some unknown reason.
I don’t know what you were doing with that woman but you need to get off your sorry arse and find her and explain. Do it n
ow,” then he kicked my leg. “Do it!”

“I-” I started.

“I don’t care what you have to say,” said Jacob. “Just go find her.”

* * *

I drove myself to the airport. I ran through the building to the gate she was supposed to be at but I didn’t see her anywhere.

I looked and looked. Resigned that she was gone, probably forever, I bought a coffee and collapsed into a chair in the small café. I stared into the liquid.

The coffee wasn’t nearly strong enough to quench the ache in my chest. No, I needed a cigarette and a drink for that.

I was fighting tears when from beside me I heard, “What are you doing here?” The question was hissed through clenched teeth.

“I thought you were gone,” I breathed, looking at the woman before me. My relief though, was overshadowed by her anger.

“I changed my flight before I came back to tell you-”
she stopped herself before she could say something else. Her mouth snapped closed and she crossed her arms protectively over her chest. Her golden eyes darted wildly around, looking at anything but me.

“I wan
ted to explain before you left,” I said and wrapped my hands around the Styrofoam cup of coffee just so I wouldn’t reach out and touch her.

Her mouth narrowed and her eyes darkened.
“I don’t think there’s anything you need to ex
plain, Siva. You cheated on me,” she shrugged like it didn’t matter.

Sloane’s reaction made me angry. My hand slapped the table and she jumped. “I did no such thing,” I said pointing at her. “Alexa-”

“Alexa? Is that her name?”
she sneered.

“Yes, that’s her name,”
I said through clenched teeth.
“She works for me,” I said. “Nothing more.”

“I’m not that cozy with my
co-workers,” she hissed.

“That’s why I fired her,” I said.

“You fired her?”
she asked softly.

“Y
es,” I
said, “she was out of line
. I’m sorry you had to see that.
”

“Mo
re like sorry you got caught,” she
laughed.

“No,”
I
hissed. “Never Sloane. Do you hear me? I would never do that.”

“
It looked like you did,” she said, a tear falling from her eye.

“Exactly,”
I
said, “
looked
like. You don’t know what you saw.”

“Oh yes I do. Little Ms. Perfect Alexa had her hands all over
you
and her lips far too close to yours.”

“Dammit, Sloane,” I
said. “Listen to me. Please, I’m begging you. Begging you,”
I
repeated. “Please listen to me. Please believe me.”

“Why?”
she asked.

“Because I love you,”
I whispered, loud enough for her to hear.