⚛The Case of the three men.⚛

               💛 Talia 💛

"So, Roly, about that date, I will take up on your offer." I pretended not to have heard Sean.

Roland looked confused. "Talia, I thought you said -"

"Forget what I said, just text me the place and I will be there."

I shifted my gaze to Sean who didn't seem pleased then back to Roland and tried acting seductively. "Or you could pick me up."

Sean cleared his throat. "Ahem! Talia. Are you done?"

I ignored him. "Roly, darling, let's go have some food. I am starving especially after last night, I feel worn out."

Sean clenched his fists.

"I don't have time for this let's just go."

I grabbed Roland's hand. "Let's go."

"Talia, he is talking to you. It is rude to ignore people talking to you -"

"Yes, Talia. Listen to your friend," Sean stated.

"Now? Karma." I dragged Roland with me leaving Sean standing there.

Payback!

* *

"So, he is the guy you told me about?" Roland asked as we sat down in a coffee shop a few blocks away.

I nodded and smiled sheepishly while Roland looked at me.

"What?" I questioned.

"You think I went too far?" Roland didn't utter a word.

I flickered my gaze to the table. "I think so too."

"Don't stress yourself. Is your brother's friend still coming? Didn't he say he would be here before dawn?"

"He did. I wonder what's taking him too long," 

Roland coughed glancing at what appeared to be behind me.

"What?"

When he didn't respond, I took that as a cue to look and I almost sank on the chair I was sitting on when I saw Sean standing behind me.

"You? Ooh, ...? Let's go, Roly."

"You are not going anywhere. If you want to leave then come with me," Sean said.

Roland stood up. "Excuse me. Who are you -"

"Sit down!"

Roland mutter silently. "okay," as he sat down.

Sean began, "Are you done playing games?"

"Why? Do you have somewhere to be rather than here? I bet she's waiting for -"

"Are you coming with me or not?" he asked as he kept on checking his watch.

I wanted to say yes and go with him but I remembered he ignored me and probably banged the receptionist.

"Talia, I think your ride is here."

I sighed in relief and stormed outside spotting Jack talking on the phone before he hang up.

"Hey, doll." He engulfed me in a hug.

"Thanks for coming, Jacky," I said after pulling away.

"Anything for you, doll. Where's the guy who got you in this mess?"

"Angel! Talia!" both Sean and Roland spoke at the same time.

"Doll, who are they?" Jack asked.

"Sean and Roland. Roland is the one who helped me yesterday," I said.

I noticed Sean giving Jack a cold stare. "Talia, let's g-" he said.

Jack cut him off. "No. She's not going anywhere with you, you are to blame for all this."

"Says the man who plays the victim!" Sean spat.

"Jack, let's go."

"Don't come looking for me when you find out the chameleon camouflages! Stay smart and safe," Sean said before leaving.

After saying our goodbyes to Roland, we headed to Jack's place.

"You finally cleaned it?" He nodded.

"Talia, thank you for trusting me enough to call. That man you were with is dangerous and a fugitive. I don't want you around such tension." Jack caressed my cheeks with the pads of his thumbs.

It felt awkward. "Okay."

"Can I go shower now?" I interrupted the moment.

"Yes. Make yourself at home. I don't have any female clothes, you can put on mine. I have something to take care of at work."

****

At around noon, Jack wasn't back yet and having nothing to do, I began to clean his cave. From the dirty dishes to his unkempt bedroom.

He was a man, after all, I wasn't surprised with the messy house.

I found a couple of books on the floor and one, in particular, captured my attention rules of negotiating with the Mafia.

"Interesting," I blubbered.

Placing it on the nightstand by his bed, I made a quick note to read it later. Who knows? It might come in handy in future.

Then I heard the doorbell and rushed to it, peeking through the hole to confirm the person before opening it.

Two pairs of arms engulfed me in a hug, "Umm. . . guys, . . you are suffocating me-"

"Shut up, Tally. Just enjoy the moment." Zara scoffed.

"Uuuh,"

I began and was cut by Prem. "Not another word, missy."

Thank God they pulled away otherwise I would have suffered from post Para hugs, that's Prem and Zara ship name.

"I missed you guys."

Zara smiled sheepishly while prem gave me the stare.

"I am sorry P, I-"

"Come here, you little trouble maker. I forgive you." Surprisingly I didn't buy that coming from my own best friend who hugged me.

He whispered to my ears, "You don't get off the hook easily."

I pulled away. "I knew it!" Zara who had made herself comfortable on the couch holding a remote turned to face us, her facial expression is questionable.

"So, did he finally propose to you. Oh don't tell me yet, you guys married by the roadside church?" Zara began.

I pulled away from my best friend's embrace and gave him a questionable look wondering what amount of cover-up stories he made up this time.

"I-"

"You are speechless! That can only mean my dearest Prem was right." She said then turned to him, "Baby. . . see what love does...am so in love...Talia is in love..."

"Aaaaa, . . . Prem, please tell your wife to tone it down. Never heard of the song by the way. " I went and sat on the couch next to her.

"Fiance!" They both said at the same time.

I rolled my eyes. "Really? Aren't you already engaged or something?"

"Still fiance, Tally. Let me enjoy the title for a while. By the way, am starving," Zara said.

I got up heading to the kitchen. "Okay, whatever,"

°

°

"So, the marriage fake story you told your wife still exist?" I asked Prem when he followed me in the kitchen.

Prem scratched the back of his neck. "Kind of. I may or may not have said something of that sort." I raised my brows.

I nodded. "cool."

"Do you trust Jack?" Prem asked.

"Yes. Who wouldn't trust him? My brother did."

"You once did. Well, I just don't trust him, that's all. But if you do, it's okay. Where's my brother in law?"

We both laughed. "Somewhere probably having the best time of his life. Don't tell me you miss him?"

Prem just laughed. "More like you saying that for yourself. I miss seeing how nervous he makes you and how your face turns cherry when he's around. Haha, haha, . . ."

I slapped the back of his head. "Ouch! What's that for?"

Hours later Zara and Prem left and soon after Jack arrived. "Anyone came looking for me while I was gone?" he asked.

"None. Were you expecting someone? A woman may be. . . mm, ..." I joked.

"No, silly. Besides I have you here with me that's all matters."

I was confused for a moment.

Yes, am here with him...

Why does it matter?

"I don't understand. . ."

"Don't mind me. Let me hit the shower. In case you wanna join me, the door is always open."

Is Jack flirting with me? This is new.

"No thank you. I'll just be here, doing absolutely nothing."

"Alright. It's your loss, doll."

After minutes of sitting idle, I decided to check on Jack, he sure took long. He wasn't in his bedroom since I could hear the shower running.

Never seen a man taking a forty minutes shower.

I tiptoed and stood by the bathroom door, calling out, "Jack, you okay in there?"

No answer.

"Jack?" I called again.

Then I heard him. "Be out in a minute."

I sighed and was about to go away when I heard him curse, "Fucking piece of shit!"

I quietly stood by the door trying to hear as much as I could get. "You listen here, I don't answer to you or anyone. As far as everyone knows, he's not my son,"

The other person must have said something to make him angry. "To hell with the deal, I ain't you handyman!"

It went quiet and I took that as a cue to leave before I got caught.

"Missed me yet?" Jack asked later.

I shook my head.

"You look cute in my shirt. You should wear them often."

I just smiled having nothing to reply.

Jack sat next to me on the couch. Noticing the tension, I began, "So, any progress on the case?"

He shifted his gaze to the tv not looking at me as before. "Yes. I told you the dude you were with is not to be trusted. I think he was involved."

Any normal person in my shoes would have cried or felt shattered after hearing this but surprisingly I didn't.

It's not cause I wasn't happy with my brother's killer found but the person in question, made my heart skip a beat.

No. It can't be. Sean said he would be never hurt me.

"Not going to say anything?" I shook my head.

"He lied to you. Well, I am always here for you." Then Jack hugged me.

He mistook my silence for accepting Sean's guilt.

If only he knew how much that perfect, handsome, hot, stranger meant to me that I could care less what Jack or anyone said.

I pulled away and facepalmed.

"Baby doll, I don't like to see you like this," Jack spoke as he removed my hands and caressed my face using the pads of his thumbs. His touch felt weird.

"You are cute."

Okay, now that was too much flirting in a day.

"Your hair, I love it -"

"Aha, Jacky Cans. Since when are you a poet?"

He focused his gaze on me holding the tips of the strands of my hair.

"Jack, I'm. . . a-"

Within a second he kissed me and apart from being shocked, I felt disgusted since I saw him as a brother.

"Stop! Stop! What are you doing?"

"Kissing you. Why?"

Is he seriously not getting the vibe that he is like a brother.

"Why? Please excuse me." I turned to leave and he spoke.

"Don't tell me you don't feel it. Besides, I know your brother would want someone he knew to date you."

"What are you saying? Do you hear yourself? Enough! Let me make this clear, I have never thought of you that way. I only see you like a brother."

"Cut the bullshit, Talia! You and I both know you were always into me but you feared your brother."

"I am just gonna go. I can't deal with all this shit right now."

"You can't leave," he said.

"Why not? Why can't I leave Jack?"

"You are not safe out there."

"Tell me something new!"

"You don't understand. I can't protect you out there."

His eyes darted back and forth between me and the door.

"What did you do, Jack?"

"Forgive me, doll."

Before I could understand what was happening a loud bang was heard and the door flew right in causing me to scream aware of the now current situation.

Both my menses and fear attacked at the same time.

As I waited for the unknown. . .

Hello, did you expect things to turn out that way?

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