KAISER

I spurt open the small door and jet out through the narrow way. I can hardly breathe, feeling confined in the large, chaotic mall with different elated shoppers enjoying their day. My head feels like it's going to explode.

What's happening?

Why did I have to do that? It wasn't meant to happen. It was out of plan. I shouldn't have kissed her, but fuck if her lips hadn't tormented me for all the weeks she's been here.

But the little devil let me kiss her. Why would she let me kiss her?

For fuck's sake, I fucking cheated on Riley with the devil.

I know I've done things, not to mention I've touched Daisy twice and cum to the thoughts of her a few more times than I can count, but I didn't let her touch me or jerk off the times after she'd cum all over my fingers and tongue. I restrained myself, denying my aching dick the pleasure she's cursed to it. I was supposed to hold back from this one too, no matter how tempting her lips were. It was only about her. She was the devil, not me. I shouldn't get involved in her sins.

Two ladies pass by and wake the realization of the unexpected slap the devil dropped on my face.

I will give her one thing, though: guts. I thought she lost it through the years, but even that only turns me on. Fuck. I shouldn't be surprised; she's nothing but a sham, always bringing up a deceitful pretense. She's good at masking innocence and naivety to get to me. She's nothing but my life destroyer, always bringing me down.

I frustratedly push my fingers through my hair and pull until I feel my scalp hurting, but not overwhelming enough to drown out the tingling in my tight brief. Frustrated at my body, I kick the wall with my boot before taking two steps at a time down the staircase and darting out through the exit.

It took everything not to pull out my rigid hardened cock and take it out of its misery with a few strokes, but I resort to driving to the community health center that I'm supposed to be abandoning. All the time, I can't think clearly; her lips have consumed every ounce of me. I can still taste her and smell her from the contact we made. It takes me a while to remember I have to call Center Yorker and demand a ride for the girls since I've abandoned them at the mall.

I arrive at the community health center, hoping for some relief, but immediately I take a turn and have my hand on the doorknob to the unity room, I halt.

Caden was present.

Fuck!

"You know you can let out your pain," Reagan said.

"I don't have pain," he opposes.

Through the glass, I can see the seating circle is occupied with patients, except for the empty seat meant for me.

"Caden, you're angry. It's okay not to be okay. We are all here for you." Reagan waves around, indicating everyone with the conning smile she believes could alleviate her patients' problems.

"You think you can resolve everyone's problems just by sitting there with a cup of whatever fuck you desire? I hate to break it to you, Reagan, but you know nothing. Your small talk never helps. It's just a waste of time believing this was a good idea." He bolts up from the chair and makes his way to the door.

Towards me.

Shit.

I step back, leaning against the wall, and dig out my mobile phone from my jeans pocket, appearing fixated on Instagram, when truly, I still do not get the meaning of the application, just like the other social media Riley registered on my phone.

"Caden!" Reagan calls convincingly after him when the door swings open.

"Go fuck yourself," he grumbles, releasing the door with an unnecessary thud to prove his wrath.

"That was a bit too much," I remarked, amusedly.

He stops forthwith when he notices me, it is like his face is about to change color to red and two horns growing out of each side.

"Tell Daisy she might run as far away from me as she believes, but I'm always going to catch her, and when I do, I promise she will prefer the coffin over here." His eyes flare with fury through the outrage. It's clear how promised his words are. And fuck if all of me isn't triggered to strangle him by the neck until there is no life left in him. What the fuck? He doesn't get to threaten my Daisy.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I step towards him, resentment erupting through every vein of my body. He thinks he gets to talk that way about my little devil? No! That's an absurd intention. He should know better than to meddle in my affairs.

Although Caden might be cocky, he does know how to control his territory until now that he's trying to step into mine, and that's something I don't find civil.

"Consider it a head start. Get her running, my friend," he warns.

"You're not going to touch her," I emphasize every word.

"We'll see about that, Governor's boy."

And with that, he disappears into the elevator.

In case I didn't mention, well, after the final election results came out yesterday, it made my dad the legally elected governor of California, and that was the man who promised me to retire, but then again I've never taken his words for truth. These are people who are only obsessed with the pyramid of their achievements. What will ever be enough for them?

I came here to have some words with Reagan regarding the kiss that now become my least issue, but after hearing from Caden, all I can think of is Caden had something to do with why Daisy changed her major this morning. I am apprehensive about the whole situation. I don't know if I should worry, but I certainly am.

Disquietude mantles me, and I can't wait for the elevator. I follow the stairwell to the first floor and hop into my ride, heading back home with every intent of conferring with Daisy. She must tell me what's going on pertaining to Caden's sentiment towards her.

Arriving home that day, it's like Riley feels the need to put up a barrier between Daisy and me.

Any move I try to make, I have to draw back. Riley is everywhere, surrounding the house, mostly soldering with her friend all the time.

Anxiety develops in me after hiring some man from a security guard online site. I go into self-treatment and deplete a bottle of wine, spending the night wasted on the couch.

I think that's how the following days go by. Desiccated. Riley's either urging me around or bonding with Daisy. She spares me no chance for a word with Daisy. All I want to know is Caden's obsession with the girl who lives in my house.

Well, until one Wednesday afternoon, I'm lounging in the first row of some business class when Paul, Daisy's security that I hired, texts me about her dining with my asshole friend Malik, who's sitting right next to me with some girl in his arm.

"Where have you been today?" I snarl at him after reading the text.

"What?" Malik asks, confused.

"You heard me. Where the fuck did you eat your lunch?"

"Dude, don't tell me you're all Mr. Undertaker because of that." He rolls his eyes like it's some kind of usual thing.

"I told you to stay away from her." I'm annoyed and can't control the anger in my tone.

"And I think she needs a friend. So what's wrong with that? It's not like I'm aiming for her panties." He shrugs, uncommitted, and shoves his tongue in the girl's mouth.

Asshole.

"Malik," I warn him.

"Easy, man." He chuckles, slapping my shoulder with his free hand.

"Don't fucking 'easy' me," I rasp before springing up from the class and emerging out of the lecture hall.

How dare he? He knew she was out of reach, yet he went for her. He had lunch with her.

He talks about what she needs. He is in no position to tell me what she needs. Does he think he knows Daisy better than I do? For fuck's sake, she was my best friend, my neighbor. He knows nothing about the girl in the diaper sucking her thumb, the girl I spent ten years with since the baby stage.

"Where is she?" I send a quick text message to Paul, and he wastes no time replying with the address.

Finally, I will get to be alone with her after all.