Chapter 5
“All of a sudden, you are quiet. Ares?” I grumble, walking out of the house and to the car.
One little kiss on the cheek, and Ares has been MIA.
“You’re a fucking coward.” Opening the car door, I am met with silence, but my scar pulses, reminding me that Ares is still there.
Soraya and Nisa are already buckled in, singing “Gnarly” by Katseye with raised voices.
I feel a sense of pride that the women who entered my home in fear are now singing at the top of their voices.
I did that.
“No, we did that, Aric.”
“Oh, so now you speak?” I reply.
Soraya looks at me. “Huh?”
“Oh, not you, sorry. Talking to myself,” I state and move the car down the driveway.
Soraya taps her chin and smirks. “You know, they say talking to yourself is a sign of being a genius.”
I laugh. “Well, call me Einstein, then.”
Nisa chuckles. “Hello, Mr. Einstein.”
Soraya tilts her head to the side. “You know, Einstein suits you. I will call you Einstein from now on.”
Another song starts, and I can see Nisa’s little shoulders shaking.
I look across at Soraya, and she is also moving in her seat. She turns to Nisa, singing and pointing. “I ain’t thinking about you.”
“This song is annoying. Who is this?” I chime in.
“Katseye, Einstein. And they are not annoying,” Nisa replies.
Soraya reaches around and gives Nisa a high five.
“Phobos got me a yearly subscription to Spotify,” Nisa shouts.
“You don’t say.” I smirk. Of course, my sons are smitten with Nisa. She is their new little sister.
For the next thirty minutes, I listen to Nisa and Soraya singing Katseye at the top of their lungs. I haven’t felt this…what’s the word?
“Content.”
“Yes, that’s it,” I whisper as I park in the mall’s parking lot. Nisa is already unbuckled and exiting the car.
Soraya tries to unbuckle her seat belt. “I think it’s stuck.”
“Let me see.” I lean over.
I bend, trying to get the seat belt out. I inhale Soraya’s warm honey smell, and it feels like it rushes through my body.
I tug the seatbelt one more time, and it comes out. I look up, and Soraya’s eyes look soft, and her breathing is deep.
“Thank you.”
I swallow, pulling away. “No problem. Let me open the door for you.”
Closing the door, I jog around the car. Opening the door, I put my hand out, and my heart thumps as her palm touches mine. I enclose it and help her out of the car.
Nisa is at our side, jumping in excitement. “Can we catch a movie after?”
“Maybe, let’s see.” I am still holding onto Soraya’s hand, but reluctantly, I let it go.
SORAYA
I swallow as we enter the mall. With another man, if they held my hand too long, I would’ve pulled it away slowly.
With Ares, I wanted him to hold it a little longer.
I feel so safe and cozy. That’s the thing with Ares; I feel safe and protected.
But…I don’t know; something feels off. I didn’t even wear my baseball cap today.
I’m fighting the urge to reach out and grab his hand.
I will settle for the way his hot hand hovers right over the lower part of my back.
It takes an hour or two, but we got all of Nisa’s school supplies and some extra outfits for the house and school.
“We have to get you a phone.” Ares guides me into the mobile store. His phone rings, and he stares down at it and frowns.
“See what you want, and I will be back.” He turns and steps out of the store.
“Husband?” The cute male store clerk asks.
I shake my head. “God, no.” I look back at Ares. “He’s my boss.”
The store clerk pushes back his dark hair. “What are you looking for?”
I point at a phone; meanwhile, Nisa is holding my hand and playing a small game on the iPad attached to the table.
As the clerk tells me about the phone, he smiles, and his dimples appear. “How old are you?” I ask.
“Twenty-nine. What about you?”
“Thirty-three,” I reply.
“I always had a thing for older ladies. Maybe after this, I can get your number?” He comments as he leans on the counter.
“The only thing you will be getting is a death certificate to send your mother.” Ares’s shadow is cast over me and the store clerk.
The clerk trembles a little. “Me, um, go…help. Arista, help this couple.” The store clerk places the phone on the table and walks away.
I turn and look up at him. “What the hell was that?”
Ares ignores me as a new clerk comes. “Have you seen the phone you wanted?”
Is he ignoring me? “Come on, Nisa, let’s go to the car.”
Nisa’s completely oblivious to what is happening and walks alongside me, talking. I don’t look back to see if Ares is following us.
Just as I’m about to exit the store, my eyes catch the cute store clerk as he raises his hand to wave. I feel…what is that? A warlike aura, a threat? My throat closes a bit, and I pull at my shirt collar. I look back, and Ares’s eyes are squinting at me.
I turn back and head to the elevator. We can sit in the car and wait for him.
ARES
I was speaking to one of my gun dealers. I had an issue on another port. I was pulled away mentally when she uttered, “God, no.”
God, no? Is she so disgusted at the thought of being my wife? Doesn’t she know that if she were my wife, she would want for nothing? The moment the store clerk started flirting, Aric and I changed places.
I felt like ripping off the store clerk’s head. Why did he even think he had a chance with something that was mine? Whether she knows it or not, she was mine.
“She is not yours.”
“Shut the hell up, Aric.”
The elevator door opens, and I walk out. I see Soraya leaning on the car with her arms folded.
“Stay calm.”
My blood was boiling. “I am fucking calm.” I whisper. I can feel Aric rolling his eyes at me.
My footsteps echo throughout the parking lot.
“Pick a phone. I bought five. I can carry back the ones you don’t want.” I walk in front of her.
“Keep the phone. I’ll buy my own,” she replies, turning to open the car door.
My palm presses against it, keeping it shut. “Don’t test me, Soraya.”
She turns and smirks. “Test you? You don’t own me.”
I stay silent because she is right. My gaze drops to her pink lips as she speaks and then drags back to her eyes.
“You threatened a complete stranger. Promising to send his mother his death certificate? Really?”
I shrug. “I was not issuing a threat.” I was being straightforward.
Soraya sighs and shakes her head. “Unbelievable.”
“I didn’t appreciate how close he was to you.”
She laughs hard and disbelievingly. “Close to me? You must be the most jealous man I freaking know.”
My eyebrows knit together. “You know other men?”
“Ares—” Before she can say more, my mouth crashes to hers.
Our teeth clink. She tastes of sweet cream and sin. Her tongue tangles with mine as her fists clench the lapels of my jacket.
My hand grips the side of her neck, holding her tightly.
I pull away, my breath ragged. She’s blinking up at me like she is trying to find the words.
Her lips are parted, her eyes are wide, and her chest is rising and falling fast. For a moment, she doesn’t speak.
Can’t. Like she’s trying to remember how to formulate words.
I lick my lips and savor the taste of her cherry lip gloss. She swallows and exhales shakily as she realizes what just happened. Slowly, her fingers unclench my jacket.
I love the shock that is still lingering in her gaze. I bend, opening the car door beside her. “Get in the car, Little Flame.” With little protest, she slides in.
I jog around the car, open the door, and slide in. Just as I close the door, I feel it. “There is a God watching.” I scan around the parking lot.
“A god? Yes, Einstein. God is always watching.”
I smirk as I roll out of the parking lot. At least she called me Einstein. That’s a nickname. That is technically a win.
“No, it’s not.”
“It is for me,” I mutter. I look across at Soraya. She folds her arms and turns her head to the window to watch the passing streets.
SORAYA
What the hell just happened? We were arguing, and then my tongue was in his mouth, and unfortunately, I loved it.
Who am I? Some days ago, I was running from my fiancé; now I was making out against a car like a teenager.
I should’ve slapped him, screamed at him or something.
But no, not me. I stood there in shock at a kiss I thoroughly enjoyed.
His mouth tasted of smoke and mint. I hate the traitorous side of me that didn’t want to stop. The part of me that wanted more.
I close my eyes, inhaling his expensive musky scent that clings to my body.
I rub my head. Deep down inside, I can’t put my finger on it, but…
This is not safe. He may make me feel safe, but I know he is not.
Despite knowing and feeling all of this, my body doesn’t seem to care.
I need to remember my role in this. I am hiding out.
I am not here to start a new relationship.
I need an action plan for Elias and my aunt and uncle.
“Maybe I could ask Ares for help?” My conscience suggests.
From the corner of my eye, I look at him. Even when he is driving, he acts like he is in control, like power is rolling off him. But that’s the thing; it’s not an act, is it? That is who he is. Like his name, he is powerful, strong…intimidating.
“If you keep staring at me, I will pull over and finish what we started outside the car,” he murmurs as he rubs his finger against his bottom lip.
I look back, only to see Nisa sleeping. Her mouth is hanging open, and her head is resting on the car door.
“There is no need,” I reply.
“Hmm.”
The rest of the ride is silent. Once we get back to the house, Ares takes Nisa in his arms. Phobos comes out of the house and takes the bags.
“What are you doing here?” I hear Ares ask Phobos.
Phobos says something under his breath, and I hear Ares begin to speak a different language. Phobos nods as he listens. His face is taut.
“I will get it done,” Phobos replies.
He follows us into Nisa’s room. Ares gently places Nisa on the bed.
“Are you staying for lunch, Phobos?” I ask.