Chapter 28
Daniel
I toss my pen, when my brain finally acknowledges that I’ve read the same paragraph about five times and still can’t comprehend what I read. I’m a damn good lawyer and I can read, yet I find myself stumbling and not comprehending anything I’ve read. I can’t concentrate, no matter how hard I try.
Patrick has avoided me for the most part of today, and fucking Aaron’s crude advice is for me to get laid or go piss in someone else’s coffee.
The usual anger that would have flared within me was absent.
Instead, I walked away. I’m sure he was as stunned as I was by my silent exit.
The forceful slam of my office door echoing through the office was my goddamn response. Fuck him.
“Are you going to address what’s got you worked up?”
I sigh and relax into my chair that feels very uncomfortable.
Though it’s designed for comfort and worth every penny, right now it feels like needles are poking me all over on this chair.
Closing my eyes for a moment, the answer to my irritability comes to me: “Anu”.
My eyes flash open as the answer is revealed.
I haven’t seen her in four fucking days—looking at my watch—and ten long hours. I only spoke to her once for less than two minutes in four days. We’ve texted and that’s about it. I have traveled for two of the four and the remaining two she has spent at her friend’s place.
Every inch of me wants to see her. Finally, you admit the obvious.
Picking up my phone, I open the picture of her schedule that she has pinned on the fridge and right there it shows she has a lesson in an hour and will probably leave soon.
Checking the phone tracker I’d managed to put in without her knowing, I tell myself that I have her brother’s permission to watch her is why I’m tracking her not because I have an inherent need to know her every move, I see that she’s home — at least that’s what the phone states.
Getting off my chair, I dash out, not pausing to speak with Patrick.
“Will be right back,” I say as I walk away. I call Zack to have the car ready that I’m on my way down.
My elevator ride feels long but it’s moving fast and hasn’t made any stops, I get to the ground floor in record time and get swiftly into my car.
“Take me home,” I say to Zack. Like a magic cure, all the tension and apprehension leave my body and being.
I sit back and watch as Zack moves through traffic, not paying attention to the direction.
When he pulls up less than ten minutes later, that’s when I realize he has brought me to my apartment building.
I’m about to yell at him when I remember Aaron’s remarks and pause.
“Zack, next time I say take me home, I mean where I’m currently living with Miss K.”
“Sorry about that sir.” He puts the gear in drive and gets back onto the road.
“Just get me there fast.” I can’t tell him why I need to be there fast. I check the tracking app again and see that she’s still at the apartment, but she’s going to leave soon. I know how she dislikes being late for her student appointments.
“It’s rude to be late and more so when the person waiting for you is a young eager student. It kills the morale when you are late,” she’d said. I remember how stern her face was when she said that to me. I smile just thinking about her.
We pull up to the building, and I’m already halfway out the door—like a rocket’s lit under me. I don’t wait for the elevator. I charge up the stairs, two steps at a time, breath ragged, heart pounding for reasons that have nothing to do with cardio.
At the third-floor landing, I pause in front of our unit door to catch my breath—but not from the sprint.
Before I can even reach for the knob, the door swings open.
And there she is.
Everything chaotic inside me stills. I am calm.
Her hair is styled in, big twists framing her face, the rest of her braids pulled back in a ponytail.
Skin glowing, eyes wide with surprise. A white lace eyelet blouse looks delicate and dangerously sexy on her.
Black ripped jeans clinging to her hips like they were sewn on by hand.
And that scent—God. Rose and jasmine. Familiar. Addictive. Home.
My heart calms at the sight of her. She’s a vision I’ve missed in every damn way a man can miss a woman he’s falling hard for.
“You’re back!” Her smile could knock the air out of my lungs.
I fucking love that smile. I relish that smile. I own that smile.
“Yeah,” I say, voice low. “Got back last night. Did you come home?” My brow arches.
I know she didn’t. I barely slept, watching the door like a fool. Her tracker was off—probably dead phone or turned off on purpose.
“No, I stayed at Nkem’s,” she says softly. “Just came to change and grab my lesson plans.”
Right. I nod like its news to me.
“I forgot some documents,” I lie.
Her eyebrows lift, and I can see it—just for a second. The flicker of did you come back…for me?
I did. Fuck yes, I did.
She opens the door wider, stepping aside so I can step in. As I move past her, she steps out.
No!
I want to stop her. I want to say something that will make her stay. Just for a minute. Just long enough to pretend that we’re not pretending about our attraction.
“See you later,” she says before turning to leave.
“See you later,” I reply. I want more but I don’t want to shock her before I can close the door.
“Are you in a hurry?” Her quick outburst stops me in my tracks.
“No.” My answer is immediate.
“Do you mind dropping me off at my lesson? If it’s out of your way, I can get an Uber.”
“No, I don’t mind, just give me second.”
The moment she steps back inside the unit, my calm is back. I make sure to close the door and race to my room to let out the rest of the relief I felt just seeing her. I text my PA.
Me: Cancel all my meetings for the next hour.
Patrick: No meeting on your calendar for the next two hours, but Aaron did stop by to speak to you.
Me: keep me in the loop if anything changes but forget Aaron
Patrick: Got it.
I step back out. I see her waiting by the door.
“Did you find it?” she asks, and for a second, I forget about my lie. I quickly recover. “Turns out my PA had it with him.” Major pat on the shoulder for my quick recovery.
She nods as I move towards the door.
“Would you mind if I ask for an extra favor?” Her tone is sketchy, like she feels I’m going to say no. Only I have already said yes to her request, because every request from her is fucking Yes from me.
“What’s the extra favor?”
“When we get to my lesson location, do you mind walking me to the door, giving me a hug and kiss on my cheek?”
I maintain a calm facade, though my mind is racing at the thought of hugging her close, but I can tell there’s more. I nod and nudge for her to tell me more.
“The dad of my student is a bit handsy and too flirtatious for my comfort. He’s married and I’m teaching his son, who is a very good student.
The dad seems to think I fancy him.” What the fuck…
. “And I might be open to an affair with him. I told him I have a boyfriend. He has somehow convinced himself that I’m lying or I’m only playing hard to get.
Unfortunately, he’s going to be home today when I get there. ”
Motherfucker is about to have a fucking bleeding nose and broken fingers. We are so taking care of this MF.
“I’d be happy to introduce myself as your boyfriend.” I watch as she grins.
“Thank you.”
“No need to thank me. Isn’t that what we agreed to?”
“Yes, but he’s not a set up from my dad.”
“If you don’t want him, he falls in the same category of guys we need to chase away from you.” Never mind that every guy needs to stay away from what’s mine. Are we claiming her now? Yes, we already did.
We head out and get in the car. She gives Zack the address. I notice the Navi said ETA thirteen minutes. That’s close by.
“Any other lessons today? I ask.
I know there isn’t another lesson on her schedule, but she’s quick to change schedule, which I’m starting to realize is her trademark.
“Jordan already agreed to send a ride for me. We have a session later today.”
“Good,” I say, but I’m injecting myself into that plan today. It is nice having her next to me. Her floral smell engulfs my nostrils. I’ve missed the calm and comfort her presence brings me.
We soon arrive at the house. Soon as we pull into the driveway and we get out of the car, the front door swings open and a boy about eight years old runs toward us, hugging her.
“You made it, Ms K!” He’s beaming and turns to me. His look is immediately skeptical.
“Nick, this is my boyfriend, Mr. Wyler,” Anu says to him. He waves at me, not leaving her side. I hear the footsteps and turn to the man who I’m quite sure is Nick’s father. He’s tall and looks about my age.
His face is a myriad of emotion that I can’t decipher, but it’s clear he’s stunned and unhappy to see me, the boyfriend that does exist.
“Richard,” he says in a deep unfriendly tone with his hand proffered for a handshake.
“Daniel,” I say in a firm tone, taking his hand in a strong grip that he didn’t expect. He winces a bit, though he’s quick to hide it. “Makayla’s boyfriend,” I conclude to him, and he drops my hand.
“Come on, Nick. Ms K will be in soon,” he says in a snide tone. The boy stares at Anu with a slight frown on his face.
“Just saying goodbye, I’ll be in soon. Go and get our lesson set up,” she assures him. He nods with a smile.
“Okay,” he says, running off, but Richard doesn’t leave, almost like he expects me to get in the car and leave, so he can walk Anu inside the house. Motherfucker.