45

Amira’s POV
Her gaze was fixed on the man next to me, and when she made eye contact with mine, her pupils dilated and she took slow, steady steps towards me. Donald was clearly trying to get her attention, but she dismissed him with a wave of her hand. He sighed and mouthed “sorry,” my way. The only reason I was afraid of Chloe was that she was like a mother to me, constantly questioning me whenever I met a guy.
“Who is this?” Her lips curled into a sweet smile.
“My name is Skyler, nice meeting you,” he said as he extended his hand for her to shake.
When he said his name, my mouth literally watered. I’m not sure why I thought his name was hot because it was an original name, but it sounded so hot on him that I felt my panties get a little damp. I pleaded with Chloe not to embarrass me with my eyes while keeping my mouth shut, but she didn’t even look at me.
“Chloe,” she said as she introduced herself, ignoring Skyler’s hand.
With a grin on his face, he cleared his throat, dropped his hand, and looked at me. He gave me a wink before turning his gaze to Chloe. When Skyler looked at her, she had a scowl that quickly turned into a smile.
“Would you like to stay over for dinner?” Donald inquired.
My eyes widened as I stared at Skyler, shaking my head no. But he just smiled at me and his gaze shifted from me to Donald. He followed Donald to the kitchen, nodding his head.
“How do you know him?” Chloe inquired as she glided over to me.
“I don’t know him exactly, I just met him at the club?” My response came out as a question instead.
“How did he find out where you live?” Her tone became more solemn.
“I have no idea,” I sighed as I made my way to the kitchen.
“To be honest, he’s pretty hot,” She came over and followed in my footsteps.
“You have a husband,” I said, shaking my head disapprovingly.
“That doesn’t mean I can’t point out a hot guy when I see one,” she grinned and winked at me.
Skyler and Donald were preparing dinner, both wearing aprons and walking around as if they owned the place. Actually, Donald did, but Skyler was just a guest, but let me tell you, he looked hot as fuck in that apron.
By this point, every thought in my mind had stopped existing, and I reveled in the sensation of excitement and happiness. This is what I’ve wanted since my parents died in a tragic accident. I didn’t know much about Skyler, in fact, I didn’t know anything about him other than his name, but he made me feel safe and secure. I wanted to keep living this way, happy and free.
Laughter filled the room, and I found myself smiling as Donald threw his head back and laughed at what Chloe said. At this point, I could see why they fell in love; they complemented each other. I wanted to fall in love with a man who would complete me whole, but I doubt they could handle my personality.
My gaze was drawn to Skyler, and a sigh escaped my lips. I wasn’t sure what made him so appealing; sure, he was hot and eye candy, but I wasn’t sure he could handle my personality or if he ever liked me. Technically, we only met a few weeks ago.
“Dinner’s ready,” Chloe said as she waved me over.
We both began to set the table, and once the food arrived, we all took our seats. I glanced at Skyler, who was already looking at me as we began to eat our food in silence. My heart rate increased as we made eye contact, and I quickly returned my attention to my food.
“So, Skyler, what do you do for a living?” Chloe sat back and took a sip of her wine.
“I manage and run a company,” Skyler stated unequivocally.
“I apologize if this sounds rude, but how old are you?” she inquired, raising her brows.
Skyler took a bite of his food and said, “Twenty-seven.”
“OK, I approve; you may date her,” She grinned and clapped her hands in delight.
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Amira’s POV
I glared at Chloe, who gave me a sheepish grin and shrugged her shoulders as I choked on my food. Sighing, I shook my head in disappointment and continued to eat, oblivious to Skyler. After a brief moment of silence, a kick on my feet drew my attention to Skyler, who gave me a small smile.
I smiled back at him and looked down at my food, sighing as the plate was nearly empty. My hands reached for my glass of water, and I gulped it down to quench my thirst. My gaze shifted from the cup to everyone else in the room.
I had no idea what Skyler held, but in just a week, I found myself constantly thinking of him, and whenever he was away from me, I yearned to touch him and feel his sweet warmth that calmed my erratic heart. When he was in the same room as me, it felt like time stood still and it was just the two of us.
“So, Skyler, do you have a girlfriend?” Chloe slyly inquired.
“I wouldn’t be here if I had one,” He winked at me as he looked at me.
Chloe’s eyes met mine, and she gave me a sly look that said, “bang him and get it out of your system.” Even though I didn’t tell her, she knew exactly what I was thinking. But I wasn’t one of those girls who would shag a guy and then leave him the next day; instead, I wanted a relationship in which neither party would cheat and their love would grow stronger with each passing day.
But I don’t think I’m ready for a relationship just yet; without my parents, I just felt empty, and I couldn’t ruin the guy for selfish reasons. A hand rested on my lap, and I turned to face Skyler, who smirked and squeezed my thigh.
“Stop thinking so deeply,” he said as he leaned in.
I tried to swat his hand away, but he just kept it firmly on my thighs and returned to his food. To be honest, I didn’t want him to take his hand away; instead, I wanted it to explore every inch of me, but I knew that would be awkward given that I only met him a few weeks ago.
When I heard the phone ring, I jumped up from my chair and walked into the living room, looking at the caller ID. Dread washed over me as I stared at the unknown number; my mind told me to ignore it, but a part of me still wanted to answer.
I clicked the green button and held the phone to my ear, ignoring that little voice inside my head. The silence engulfed us like warm blankets, but I could still hear the other person’s breathing over the phone. A part of me wanted to end the call and put down the phone, but I didn’t.
“Hello”, When I heard the person chuckle, my voice came out shaky and I swallowed.
My pupils dilated and my breath caught in my throat. As those buried memories flooded back in, the four walls of the room seemed to close in on me, and I took a deep breath to calm my racing heart and mind.
“How are you getting along without me, baby?” His deep voice rang out over the tiny phone in my hand.
“Why are you calling?” I mustered the courage to inquire.
“You understand why, babe,” His tone was lighthearted, as if he was amused by my terror.
“You’re sick,” I hissed, clenching my fists when I heard him laugh.
“You know I am,” he said between laughs.
“I told you to leave me alone,” I bit my lip to keep the scream from escaping.
“Come home,” he said softly, as if he really cared.
“No,” I said, cutting the call short before he could respond.
All those long-forgotten memories and feelings buried deep within my heart came flooding back, never stopping. My mind was screaming in agony, but no one could hear me. How could he have found me? I thought I’d escaped him, but now that he’s found me, he’ll make my life a living hell.
The phone rang again, and I bit my lower lip, unsure whether to answer it. I pressed the green button and brought the phone to my ear after a few seconds.
“Please, just leave me alone,” I begged.
“I just miss my wife, honey.”
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Amira’s POV
My heart knew this wasn’t a dream, but rather my own reality that I had created. They told me he wasn’t a man worth my time, and that if I ever fell in love with him, I’d have to pay the price. Those warnings, however, went unheeded because I was blinded by his charming side. By smiling their way, he knew how to melt a girl’s heart. He never showed his evil side until we married.
He made me fall in love with him without my knowledge; he was a cunning man who played me like a doll. I wanted to believe I had forgotten him, that I had erased every memory, every cry, and every pain from my mind and heart, but how could I when he always knew how to find me?
People who knew him told me to stay away from him and forget about him, but as a naive nineteen-year-old girl, I believed every lie he told. When I discovered who he really was, it was too late to flee.
He revealed his true colors to me on the day we married; it was late at night when we arrived at our house, and I was exhausted and just wanted to sleep. I told him I didn’t want to do it, but he didn’t even listen to my objections and took me against my will. At that moment, it felt as if the man I once knew had vanished and been replaced by a stranger.
I assumed he was drunk and tried to forget it, but by the next morning, he was hitting me. Initially, he hit me in places where it would not be visible. More bruises appeared all over my body as the days progressed.
“Babygirl, I miss hearing your voice,” I scowled and shuddered in disgust at his groan.
“What do you want?” I gritted my teeth as I heard him groan once more.
“I need you to come home,” he said, and I heard a shuffle on the other end of the phone.
“I am in Italy,” he said, causing me to freeze.
“No,” I said, my eyes welling up with tears.
I quickly hung up, making sure to turn off the phone and bit my lip to keep the sob from escaping. My body shivered as I felt his touch burn at the back of my mind, bringing back all the pain I had been through.
“Is everything all right?” A hand on my shoulder startled me.
“Y-yeah,” I replied, turning to face Chloe.
Her brows were raised in question, and when she saw my face, her entire demeanor changed as concern took over. Her eyes widened as she looked down at the phone and saw the blank screen; I guess she put two and two together.
“H-how did he find your number?” she asked quietly, making sure no one could hear her.
“I-I have no idea,” I murmured, blinking back tears.
My tense muscles began to relax as her hands softly rested on my shoulders and rubbed them gently, and I let out a muffled cry as I felt immense pain in my chest. I looked up when I heard a shuffle around the room and saw Chloe’s hands, holding out a pill for me to swallow.
I took the pill from her hands and swallowed it without hesitation. I tried to calm down by taking a deep breath, but it didn’t work, I began to rub my chest, and the pain gradually subsided. Chloe knelt down and gently rubbed my back, allowing my head to rest on her chest.
“Are you all right?” she asked after a few moments of silence.
“Yeah,” I said, my voice scratchy.
“Let’s go back before the guys get suspicious,” I said as I stood up slowly with a forced smile.
She nodded and took the phone from my grasp, placing it inside the drawer where we knew it would be safe. I shuddered disgustedly as I felt his hands skim my body once more, swallowing the lump in my throat. Perhaps these fantasies would drive me insane before I had the chance to live my life fully.
When we walked into the kitchen, the guys gave us a friendly smile. I dared myself not to look up at Skyler and get lost in his eyes as I sat down next to him. His hands rested on my thigh once more, and instead of terror, I felt safe.