SHADOW
SEDUCTION
WRITTEN BY : NOEL INNOCENT
CHAPTER ELEVEN: HER LAST RETORT 3
We spent thirty more minutes in the
church before leaving. Sitting there, all I could
think about was why people bother to go to
church. I certainly don’t get it; yes, the pastor
talks about holiness and the rest, but is all that
true?
Why should I try to be holy when God doesn’t
seem to care about me? My whole life has been
difficult, and it’s still difficult. He isn’t helping
me, so why should I obey him?
Those were exactly my thoughts. But by the
time we all stepped out, everybody greeted each
other, even people I didn’t know shook my hand
and wished me good morning. It was like they
all knew it was my first time.
“You too should use a cab,” Arthur spoke to
Angelo and another guy before opening his car
door. “Get in.” His gaze met mine, knowing
exactly what he wanted. I got in, shut the door,
and he did the same, turning on the engine.
For some reason, I didn’t want to look at him. I
didn’t feel shy or anything of that sort, but these
days, the way he looks at me feels like he can
read my soul. “Lacey?”
“Yes?”
“You’re trembling.” My gaze looked at my
trembling hands and leg. “Are you cold?” Still
refusing to look at him, I shook my head. “Are
you scared of me?” I still shook my head.
“Avoiding me?” This time I nodded without
thinking.
“I mean no.” I quickly looked at him as I tried to
cover up what I just did. It was then I realized he
parked the car at the side of the road, paying all
attention to me. “Why aren’t you driving?”
“You might be catching a cold.” He took off his
jacket and covered my body. “You really soaked
in that water last night; you might get a fever.”
Looking at him, I noticed how worried he
seemed. “Are you okay?”
“I am. You don’t need to worry.” Grabbing the
jacket from him, he withdrew then looked at me.
“What is it?”
“Lacey, can I say something about what
happened earlier?”
“Sure.”
“If you ever decide to go back to Edwin, I will ki||
him.” I stared at the raw darkness in his eyes. “If
I hear you permit him to touch you, I will destroy
you to the point where death is what you will
wish for.” Silence engulfed us after he said that.
It’s not that I don’t have anything to say, but if
you look closely, he seems frustrated, pained,
and angry.
What confuses me is why he looks so sad. “I
understand.” My words would have shocked
him. He looked at me taken aback. “Can we go
back now? I’m really hungry.”
“Are you okay?” He furrowed his brows. “You’re
agreeing to…”
I cut him off. “You told me to bear with you for
six months. I plan to do that.” After that, the
drive home was silent. None of us said a word,
and by the time we got back home, I opened the
door and hurriedly went inside.
“He has eyes everywhere. Do you think it will be
easy to get her… I have…” Angelo stopped
talking the moment our eyes met. “Miss Lacey.”
He smiled, and I looked at him. “Is there a
problem?”
“Of course not. Excuse me.” I moved upstairs
then shut my door. After doing that, I picked up
my phone from my bed. Monica’s text message
was the first thing I read; her words concerning
Edwin truly did make me sit on the bed, broken.
My hope scattered all over again. I truly thought
he had forgiven me. I thought he wanted me
back. I thought we would finally get together.
“Lacey, I…” Arthur shut the door behind him
before our eyes met. The tears wouldn’t stop
falling from my eyes. “Lacey, are you okay?” He
rushed to my side and bent down. “Did I do
something wrong?” He looked so worried as he
cleaned my eyes. “I’m sorry.” More tears
dropped from my eyes.
“He keeps hurting me,” I cried. “I don’t know why
I love him this much.” He looked at my phone,
the message, and then his eyes met mine again.
This time he seemed so angry, angry at me, for
what?
“Lacey…”
“Help me.” My words seemed to have shaken
him. “Please make me love you. I want to.”
“Nobody can love me, Lacey.” He stood to his
feet. “I’m sorry, but you need to get over this on
your own. I would prefer you don’t cry over him
or even mention his name to me, ever again.”
“Arthur?”
“Do not confuse all these for love, Lacey.” He
looked at me, for a split second, he looked so
broken. “I’m not a man who will invite love into
his life ever again.” He moved towards the door,
said one last thing before leaving, “Sleep, we will
be heading out by six,” and after that, he shut
the door.
That made realization hit me. I know nothing
about Arthur, not his likes or anything, but that
doesn’t even matter. I’m not interested, but if I
need to love someone else, I need to get
interested in this man.
But he said it himself; he is unlovable.
Shutting the door, I clench my
hands. How dare she say all that to me? Crying
over that bastard, give me a break. There are
certainly better things to cry over.
“Please make me love you.” Those words ring in
my head again. What does she see me as? A
stepping stone to use in order to cure all her
problems?
“Sir?” Angelo rushes to my direction. “We have
issues in the downsite.”
“I’m not in the mood; deal with it for me.”
“But sir?” My gaze moves to him. “Okay, sir.” I
watch him leave before I sit down on the couch.
The whole mansion finally quiet. Closing my
eyes, I think about everything and what annoyed
me the most. “d@mn Edwin,” mumbling that
name, I exhale.
I’m running out of options here, seriously out of
options. Getting up, I move upstairs to my
bedroom, shut the door, and then take off my
shirt. I pull out my drawer, grab a pack of
cigarettes, and light just one of them.
Looking out the window, I draw in the smoke,
feeling the burn in my body. “Arthur?” Hearing
that voice, I smile. I must be hearing things now.
A knock sounds on the door, making me turn
around.
“It’s open.”
And there she is, Lacey, standing right there with
a tray and glass cup on it. “Miss Linda asked
me to give you this.”
“What’s that?”
“Coffee.”
“Come in.” She steps in, shuts the door behind
her, her face all flushed down to her neck. “You
should put on somecloth ” I look down at my
bare chest before pulling out the cigarette and
blowing the smoke out.
” Have you taken a nap?”
” I can’t ” she drop the tray on the bed and look
at me ” am not sleepy and am bored ” I furrow
my brows at her words, she remain silent,
expecting me to say something else, looking at
her I could not understand why she is trying to
talk to me.
” You’re being weird ” I mumble
” Huh!!!!”
” I said you’re being weird ” moving closer to her,
I place my hand under her jaw and lift her face
up a little to meet my gaze ” do you perhaps like
me now? ”
She slap my hands from hers ” of course not,
am trying to get used to being around you ”
” For what purpose?” I furrow my brows
” You said I should withstand you for six
months ”
” I did say that ” putting back my cigarette in my
mouth, I look at her ” that doesn’t mean we
should get close to each other” sitting on the
bed, I drop the cigarette on my drawer.
” How am I supposed to get over my trauma if I
don’t get close to you ” looking at her, I wonder
why she seem so determine to get close to me,
is she taking what she asked me to do
seriously?
” Lacey” I frown ” I will not love you ”
” I never said you should” she move closer,
hands folded and a smile creep into my face ”
so???”
” I understand” holding her hand, I pull her close
to me, me sitting on the bed while she stand
between my leg ” what will you like to get use to
first ” watching how her whole face hit up, I grin
” a kiss or just a slight touch of your lips ”
” What?”
” Pick one ”
” Th…th….the…se….se..se.. second” she
stammered before I use my fingers to touch her
lips, my eyes didn’t leave hers, the moment she
gasp I put one finger in her mouth and her eyes
widen
” Will you mind licking it?” She remain
motionless for seconds but when she was
about to do just what I asked, my door slung
open
” You did not cut…..” George stop talking the
moment he saw us and lacey, she quickly step
back and ran out of the room, my glare move to
George who lift up his hands in surrender.
Looking at that finger, I out it right in my mouth,
f-__-k….she taste just like strawberry.
TBC