“What?”
“He sold his house and some of his businesses,” she says.
I look over to him, wondering if it’s true. A part of me is screaming not to care, but the other part wants to know.
The quarrels of lovers are the renewal of love.
~Jean Racine~
Ember left after lunch, leaving me at the restaurant by myself. Not entirely by myself as Zeke is still here. Though he hasn’t entered, he’s not even looking in my direction. I wonder what I should do about him? I want to know if what Ember said is true. But a part of me doesn’t want to engage in any conversation. It will just bring heartbreak, of that I’m sure.
As I walk out, he watches me. I stop and stare at him and he stares straight back. His blue eyes assessing me. He doesn’t say a word though he never has been big on words to begin with. Only when it suited him.
He follows me all the way home and once again says nothing as he walks with heavy steps next to me. Once we reach the apartment door, I wonder what should be done. How long will he stay without me talking to him? Would it be easier if we talked this out, so we can both go on with our lives? To stop whatever this is, that’s happening here, even though I’m not quite sure what that is.
“Why are you here, Zeke?” I ask turning to face him, as I open my door and take a step inside.
“I want to talk,” he tells me. I open the door further and allow him entry. His clothes that came in the box are still sitting on the floor in the entryway. He steps over them and doesn’t say anything about them as he follows me in. I sit on my couch, and he goes to sit next to me, but I want distance between us. I shake my head before he has the chance to sit, and point to the single chair located across from mine. He does it without a word and sits down.
“Talk,” I tell him, watching him carefully. His face is straight like he’s trying to think of the correct words, but he’s struggling.
“I fucked up,” he says playing with his phone in his hand. I nod, agreeing. Fucked up doesn’t even cover it. “So did you,” he says. I want to scream at him, telling him he’s wrong. But I don’t, because I did as well.
“Have you come here to clear the air, so you can go back to where you came from?”
His face scrunches and his eyes hold mine. “No,” he says shaking his head.
“Then why are you here?” I demand.
“I want to start over. I want to help you fall back in love with me,” he says and I can hear the meaning in his voice, his eyes are locked onto mine waiting for my reaction. I don’t give him one at first, I just sit there. Running everything through my mind. He can’t change; he’s the man and will always be the man I met, the one that’s dangerous, bad, and the devil. But that’s the man I also fell in love with. But so much has happened, so much has changed. I was put in a dangerous situation because of him and ultimately I was hurt because of who he is and what he does.
“Stop thinking, I’ll explain everything tonight. Just meet me out the front at seven,” he says and stands. He watches me and walks a few steps forward and kisses me on the top of my head and walks out the door shutting it behind him.
I sit in my seat not moving, thinking about what he’s just said. And what his plans are for the evening.
****
Later that night I’m dressed in a black leather skirt and a black matching top. My hair is straightened, framing my face and I’m sitting bouncing my leg up and down nervously as I wonder if this is a good idea.
His knock comes softly on my door. I stand in my heels and am afraid I’m going to lose my balance, my legs are that shaky. When I open the door, he’s a picture of sex. Total sex appeal oozes from him; his stubble that was on his face earlier is now gone. He’s dressed in a black suit, with a purple tie against his crisp white shirt. He looks me up and down and produces a bouquet of gorgeous flowers. They’re yellow, my favorite color. I smile against my better judgment and take them from him, thanking him and his sexy smile doesn’t leave his face.
“Are you ready?” he asks. I don’t know how to answer that, am I? Will I ever be? I decide to not use words and nod my head instead. He places his hand out for me to take and I decline. It’s too fast, too soon.
****
On the car ride over not a word is spoken, he hired a driver and we sit in the back. His eyes on me, my eyes straight ahead.
“Are you going to look at me tonight?” he asks from right next to me. I don’t answer, words have gone blank in my head and nothing is reaching my mouth. “I hope you do,” he says. The car comes to stop and he exits coming around to my side to help me out.
He walks into a very chic restaurant, there are waiters waiting in line at the front as we enter. It’s hidden, and extremely high class. I wonder how he knows about such a place, and I also wonder where all their customers are.
“Mr. Takon, we have your table ready,” the waiter says and escorts us back to a single two seater table in the middle of the restaurant. All the tables are empty and are pushed away from ours. The restaurant has glass chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling. The décor is white and gold. There are golden flowers lining the room everywhere.
Once we’re seated, wine is poured and the waiter tells us our first course will be arriving soon. Zeke is looking at me as I continue to be mesmerized by this stunning establishment.
“Do you like it?” he asks, breaking my thoughts and bringing them back to solely him.
“It’s charming,” I answer him truthfully. “But where are the customers?” I ask him and he smirks.
“I booked it out for just us, for the night.”
“Why?” I say.
“Because you need special, and we never did special. I want to start again,” he says.
“I can’t forget everything, Zeke. There’s too much to forget,” I say looking down to my hands in my lap.
“I know, but we never did this. I never wooed you. They say that’s what you’re meant to do. I didn’t, I went straight for what was mine, what I wanted.”
“I was never yours,” I squeak out.
“But you were, as I am yours.”
I try shaking my head. “You’re not, you had your rules. I accepted the rules. I didn’t ask for more. So I left.”
“You didn’t have to ask for more, you had it all to begin with.”
“That’s not true.”
“I’m gonna make you fall back in love with me, Bexley because I love you.”
“You can’t do that, love doesn’t work like that. Don’t say those words, because you think that’s what I want to hear. Say it because you want me to be your last breath. Say it because I’m all you see. Say it because I’m in you, I’m stuck to your soul. Say it to me like you mean it, not to make yourself feel good.”
“You said falling in love was hard, but staying in love was the hard part. It may have been hard for you, but it was never hard for me, Pixie. Your fucking stuck to me, I don’t think I could ever stop loving you. It may have taken me a while to get to that, to say that. But you will see, I’ll make you see,” he says and stops as the first course arrives at our table. We eat without so much as another word, the heavy words have now been said. What else is left?
Conversation is kept light after that. I start to wonder about what Ember said and want to ask him. But I don’t want to give false hope, where hope isn’t there yet.
“How long you staying here for?” I ask, touching the subject but not delving in too deeply.
“For as long as you do,” he says quietly.
“What do you mean?” I ask not understanding.
“I mean, I’m here for you. I’ll go wherever you go.”
“What about your club? Your work?”
“What about them?” he says inclining his head to the side, not giving me answers.