Chapter Four - Sylas

Breathtaking is the word that comes to mind when I spot Aurora enter the cafe. Her red curls bounce around her as her icy blue eyes search the place for me. I take a few more seconds to just admire her. How effortless she looks in simple jeans and a shirt. How radiant her skins glows. 

My heart swells and thoughts run wild in my head. Thoughts I shouldn’t have about another man’s wife. 

I lift a hand to catch her attention. Her face breaks into the most affectionate smile that makes my breath hitch when she sees me. 

She hurries over and I stand to greet her. Only to go rigid as she throws her arms around me. 

“Sylas,” she says. Her voice is like a siren’s call, tempting me to want her to repeat my name. 

Then the surprising situation hits me. Why is she here and not with her husband? 

She had taken a week off for her honeymoon, so her call was the last thing I was expecting. I step back without hugging her back and my eyes reflexively narrow. 

“What’s wrong?” 

Has her deadweight husband done something already? 

The thought shouldn’t be making me thrilled but it does and I feel a pang of guilt. She’s still my friend. 

“Nothing,” she smiles. “I just wanted to see you. How are you?” 

I feel the start of a frown. Something is definitely wrong. “I’m fine. Are you okay?” 

Her face instantly changes and alarm bells go off in my head. 

“Something happened to me,” Aurora starts after we’re seated. “I’ve not fully believed it yet. A part of me thinks I might be dreaming and I’ll wake up anytime soon and be back in that nightmare.” 

Her wide gaze is disconcerting. “Have you been drinking?” 

“No, Sylas,” she says indignantly. “Though I could use a strong cup of coffee. But later,” she adds quickly, reaching out a hand to stop me when I move to stand. 

I sit back down but she doesn’t move her hand from my wrist. Heat blooms under my skin at her touch which I ignore and carefully pull my hand back. 

She notices, stares down at her hand for an uncomfortable minute and then snaps her gaze up to me. “What I’m about to say will sound very crazy but I promise you that I haven’t gone insane.” 

I shift in my seat, giving her my full attention. “Go on.” 

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe me but it’s the truth.” 

I remain quiet to let her continue. 

Her eyes take on this horrified gleam as her beautiful mouth opens. “I was—” Her voice instantly cuts off. Her face pinches together like she just swallowed a nail and turns beet red. 

“Do you need water?” I’m already out of my seat. 

She shakes her head, waving me down. “No. I don’t know what’s happening. It’s like—” 

A flash of realization crosses her reddened features. “I can’t—oh. I don’t think I’m supposed to talk about it.” 

“Talk about what?” I sit back down, watching the redness fade from her face. 

“Everything.” She sounds defeated. 

All my life, I’ve never known Aurora to act like this. It’s so out of character. I can’t stop the blame I quickly place on her new jobless husband. 

What does she see in him? 

One day into the marriage she’s acting like this. People fear the powerful force of a woman sitting in front of me. And she’s behaving like a drunk. 

“Stop looking at me like that.” 

“I’m worried,” I respond. 

“No, you’re judging me. But I promise it’s nothing like that and I will set everything right.” 

I don’t understand her words and I put it out of my mind. 

“Is that why you called me?” 

She smiles at me. “Yes. I also wanted to see you. We haven’t been to this cafe in a long time.” 

I blink, taken aback. “Yes well, you’re married and I’m busy.”

I seem to have said something wrong because her face falls. 

“Yes.” Her voice lacks all the excitement I heard yesterday as she said her vows. 

I want to ask again if she’s alright. My curiosity nags at me as I watch her bite her lip and cast her gaze around the cafe. Maybe the marriage is not what she expected or maybe she’s realized how crazy it is to marry a man you’ve known for only two years—that has no work and no zeal to get one. 

But I know Aurora. It takes time to get her to talk about things. Many call her uptight for this reason. With all she’d been through, I don’t blame her. 

Shoving away my thoughts for later, I decide to enjoy her unexpected company. 

“Should I get coffee?” 

Her attention returns to me. “Yes, please. Muffins too, I’m hungry.” 

I rise and go to the counter. Shortly, I return with her order and black coffee for me. 

“So did you have the meeting with Mandy? What did she say about joining our business?” 

Before I can answer, her phone starts to ring. Aurora shoots me an apologetic smile, thenpulls out her phone.

“Hey honey,” she says in a sugary voice that makes my fist tighten. “Yes it’s going well.” 

I resist the urge to roll my eyes and hide my face behind my cup of coffee. 

I’ve seen men like him. Parasites. 

Something in me wants to protect Aurora, to keep away from him but Aurora would fight me and I might end up losing her. 

“Don’t worry about cooking,” she says airily. “I’ll buy food for us. Okay…I love you too.” 

I might never understand why she loves him but once she hangs up and smiles at me, for a moment I’m happy to have her gaze on me. My chest tightens. 

The effect she has on me is like a drug. A drug I need to stop taking. 

An hour later as we wrap up talks about the office and our expansion into the local sector, I can’t shake the worry creeping in my mind.

“I’ll see you later.” She stares at me hopefully. 

I pick up on the way she says it and it gives me a pause. “Of course. I won’t stop being friends simply because you tied yourself to a—questionable man.” 

Surprisingly, she laughs. 

We stand, ready to say goodbye.

“Goodbye, Sylas.” 

She takes my hand and gives it a light squeeze. 

I’m too shocked to do anything but stare. My heart beats off kilter.