Fire

It was the 40th anniversary of my father’s one and only.

No, not his wife, his company...

Yes, I know...How boring.

I would much rather celebrate a fake blonde’s 20 something birthday ...huh or maybe not...Nevermind.

That way or another the situation is tragically hilarious to me...

I looked at my reflection in the mirror. I had flaws that I was very aware of but I tried to focus on my good traits my eyes..my amazing dark mane...

I had a simple white silk dress on which made me feel like a bride. Which was most definitely was not the case, but my hopes were high on that part...

They always were so I simply avoided the thought and then I felt arms around my silk covered waist which startled me at first but when I looked up my eyes met with the owner of the blue stare on my face, I relaxed and leaned into the arms which are so familiar.

I watched these arms grow along with mine...Ever since that I know I existed I loved and craved these arms...

I hold his hand when he softly whispered back my recent thoughts to me:“You look like a bride.”

“Your bride?”

He smirked:“Oh, I most definitely hope so.”

“Your very virgin bride?”

I asked to not to start a fight but just to negotiate..maybe, hopefully...

I lost his hold of my hand as he lost his playful attitude.

“We talked about this particular issue so many times Jade...Seriously just get it into your thick skull will you?!”

He looked furious and annoyed all at once but yet again he looked like my Daniel so I couldn’t care less.

“Fine!I’ll just die as a nun and haunt you then!“I smirked wickedly.

“I am all kinds of crazy deal with it” my smirked said...

He laughed and gave me a small peck on the cheek:“You’re such a child sometimes.”

I rolled my eyes to him in a playful manner.

“Anyways, I’m not done getting ready. I’ll meet you downstairs?”

He winked and step out of my room in his perfectly styled hair and tuxedo.

I feel nervous looking at him...He looked flawless, perfect...My anxiety doubled looking at his lean back.

As I gazed back at my reflection one last time I scoffed and took the stairs down to the party downstairs. As I was going downstairs I imagined that cliché scene where the girl takes her time going downstairs to meet the boy and midway their eyes meet kind of bullsh*t...

Don’t get me wrong when I call it “bullsh*t” a secret part of me wants to live that...with Daniel, I thought I would get rid off my desperation of affection but I was so very wrong...I was never satisfied yet I was in love...we were in love...

What I meant is “we are in love period”

Is it just my mind going crazy or my wild imagination ever since Daniel left for Paris to go to University something is different or maybe missing? I honestly can’t tell...

I ignored all of the negative thoughts eating me inside and focused on my very high heels and how I dressed flowed with every step down then I heard my fathers baritone voice:“What the hell are you doing here?”

He looked pale and his voice sounded troubled. As I follow my father’s gaze by the door I saw a man. I swear for a second I lost every thought I had in my mind...I just looked mesmerized and stunned. I believe he was the most handsome man I have ever seen. Don’t get me wrong Daniel himself is so gorgeous and I love him but there was something about this man. He wasn’t as approachable as Daniel he was intimidating and he carried himself with such authority I felt like I was crossing the line when I examined him that attentively. He was so tall and so muscular that even I the 5′9 me felt like a dwarf next to him. His dark black hair was styled back and under his thick eyebrows, I saw two green emeralds glimmering with sarcasm.

“I told you that we were going to meet again.“He said and smirked looking at my father then our eyes met.

I felt both too warm and too cold as I shivered under his intense green gaze. He didn’t hide while he looked all through my figure and when his eyes met again with mine again I gave him a daring look. I hated the way he made me feel when he was doing so. I should have been disturbed but I felt somehow...excited...

What is the actual hell wrong with me?

Our small interaction was disturbed when Daniel called my name stepping out of the main ballroom unaware of the tension between my father and the Handsome Devil just stepped in.

“Jade where the hell have you been?! I’m growing old here!” he said while he sighed with frustration.

I tried to take him out of the room by almost running next to him and grabbing him by the arm and dragging him back to the ballroom.

“I’m ready;let’s go then.”

But we were disturbed by the stranger:“Have you lost your manners, Daniel? I don’t recall you as a rude man.”

That was the first time I saw Daniel terrified his face crumbled like he was in terrible pain.

But after a moment he shrugged of his surprise and just simply put:“Hi, didn’t see you there mate” he said and put on his fake smile the type he used to use back in school to get away from trouble.

Then he calmly let me drag him back to the ballroom when I looked back at the stranger who made both of the two most powerful man I know sh*t their pants, I saw his gaze focused on me and our eyes met again and for a second I thought I saw curiosity in his eyes. But his gaze was too intense I couldn’t hold it for too long and focused on getting away from there to question Daniel.

But we were disturbed by too many guests surrounding us and with formal chit-chat and oh how do you do’s ignoring the fact that we know their husbands are f*king their secretary how sexual frustration made them best friends with their plastic surgeon and how they are way too excited about the new gardener etc. with these people it was always the same twisted story in different versions.

Daniel was way too silent the whole time and when he offered to go get us drinks I acted like I forgot to tell Daniel something so important about tonight’s organizations so I could excuse myself.

I followed Daniel and fastened towards to the bar and tapped his shoulder. He flinched and looked back and when he noticed that it was me he furrowed his brows at me.

I didn’t give him any chance to speak:“What is going on? Who was that guy?”

Daniel rolled his eyes to me.

“Are you making out stories again? It’s not its time or place.”

I scoffed.

“Daniel don’t lie to me there is obviously something going on; you are acting weird, my dad is behaving like he is terrified of something..or in this case someone!”

Daniel looked at me with anger, desperation, and hesitation...

“Okay, yes...fine!“He looked everywhere but my eyes.“It should be your father who should explain to you this; just ask him why he is the way he is and he will tell you...it’s not my place to tell you.”

I looked at him with confusion and then he met my eyes with his blues and this time with complete strictness:“But you should know that Gavreau is no good news. You stay away from him. Change your path if you run into him”

He looked dead serious...And I was there gaping with a blank expression on my face. I found myself nodding he turned around got only his whiskey from the bar and walked away brushing past me.

They were definitely hiding something from me and I needed to find out...

I grabbed a drink without looking and have a big sip without looking what it was...My taste buds suffered because of the heavy whiskey taste. As I shake my head while wrinkling my nose in distaste I felt someones gaze on me it was him “Gavreau” as Daniel told me. I suspect that’s his name..I felt my thoughts and myself drawn into him again so I tore my gaze away from his as it was fire and started walking away towards my father’s study. I had a truth to reveal.

I found my father walking back and forth in worry. He looked up as I walked in and used his handkerchief to wipe off his sweat off his forehead. He looked annoyed even before I start with my questions..He didn’t even give me a chance to speak.

“Not now.Out.“He pointed towards the door.

My curiosity was stronger than my fear so I showed the nerve to still ask:“What is going on father? Who was that man? Are you okay?”

He looked pale but angry:“That guy was unwelcomed to the party! He thinks he is too smart!” he nervously laughed and pointed at me “You! You.. stay away from him. Don’t mess things up for me!“He gestured the way out again.

“You should at least give me a more detailed explanation father what is happening? I need to know I have never seen you like this you seem really troubled...I’m worried. You should talk to me maybe I can help?”

He looked like he was thinking for a while then he shook his head mocking me he laughed:“You’re just like your mother. An idealist...a fool.”

He barely spoke about mum and I was terribly offended on her behalf. I felt tears blurring my vision and I stepped out slamming the door knowing that I crossed the line way too much that I will face the consequences of my father’s ill temper real soon but I didn’t care my mum was my Achilles heel and he knew it damn well. She died while giving birth to me and I knew my father hated me for it but thinking he even treated my mum as he does to me made me sick to my stomach. Wiping my tears I talked to myself:“Who the hell is he?!”

Then I stopped walking into someone...it was more like slamming into a hard wall; my head hurt so I yelped while bouncing off the hard chest that I bumped into then strong arms stopped me from falling and then my teary vision met with two emerald green eyes. They had a yellow streak in them it was so pretty that I was late at noticing that he spoke to me with his deep voice. I was so closely leaning to him that I felt the vibration of him talking through his chest. He looked at me with a chilling smile:“You should be careful” he said and released his hold on me. I shivered not because I was afraid it was because I suddenly felt cold without his heat. He started to walk away from me but he looked back at me:“I’m Jacques Gavreau.I’ll leave you with my name for now; Don’t ask to many questions little one. Curiosity kill the cat they say, ever heard that?”

He smiled and this time he looked genuine. Then he continued walking away from me.

F*cking hell I’m in trouble.