My stare was murderous matched to an even poisonous glare from my father, we stood with our eyed fixed on each other, my jaw set even and ignoring the pain that radiated through my face from my father’s hard punch. Our relationship had always been chaotic, his love and attention was earned and no matter how much I tried, I never seemed worthy of it. I fought it every time, always desperate and frantic - fighting for a word of praise from but no matter how hard i tried, I never did it well, it was never enough.“I made you!” he roared “You’d be nothing without me – ”“You’re wrong” I matched up to him “You’re the one who’d be nothing without me, that’s why you’re scared that if I get back together with her again you’ll get exposed for what you made me do. Don’t you interfere anymore – it’s a warning”“What are you going to do?” he was squaring up to me and I know had to pick my words carefully, I could see his hands squeezed in punch and ready to strike if I angered him again. I backe
*“Jessica got engaged yesterday” Those words washed over me like a turbulent tide, waves crashing and sending me into a state I could only express as severe shock. What Jessica? I only knew of one Jessica that worked in K&H, or maybe there was someone else that I wasn’t so familiar with. I was going to ride with that thought until Cara continued speaking.“Her boyfriend Nathan is one of those big shot lawyers and he’s really sweet, planned out a whole surprise proposal before she got back from the work trip”“That’s so romantic” the other lady cooed and I crunched my fingers tightly beside me.Damn! It was her.Immediately, the elevator doors swung open and just before I stepped out, there was someone coming in and I looked up to find Jessica with her ever distant gaze before she locked eyes with me. I don’t know about her, but my hearts skipped several beats in just a fraction of a second. With a quick reflex, my eyes shifted to her fingers, and it was no rumor. Just there, was a sw
JESSICA’S POV“Nothing happened between us” Nathan assured me a hundred times even though I had told him a million times that I did not care if anything happened between him and his co worker. How could I care when I was far from innocent, when I was still bothered with the attraction I felt for Parrish. I looked at Nathan, and at this time Janet had conveniently excused herself from out midst. There wasn’t a single ounce of guilt hiding among the crevices of Nathan’s smile lines, his smile was hard enough and his cold hands seemed permanently glued to my waist. I needed a break, I just got off a five hour flight before I was thrown into this overwhelm and I needed to sit down – no I needed to lie down, or better still I needed to run away.*He saved your life Jessica, you owe him that. It’ll be selfish to break his heart.So I stuck around, for as long as people rallied around me and shoving their hands in mine for handshake, I could only think of one thing – Parrish.*I don’t want
I froze instantly, pulling my hands away from Parrish’s cheek, and finding a way to step away from him even in that tightness. Cara had shock registered across her face as she threw her eyes between the both of us“I’m sorry – I didn’t mean to interrupt. I just wanted to check if you were okay” Cara said with a pensive look and I wasn’t sure if it was from seeing the boss and I in a weird position or if she was just still nursing a pout from Parrish’s earlier reprimand.“You’re not interrupting anything Cara, same thing Mr. Holmes was doing – checking if I was okay” I said back to her and then looking at Parrish who seemed rather unphased and in fact had a smug look on his face. I rolled my eyes at his cockiness and then looked at Cara “Well since you’re here do you mind reprinting the documents, I have some emails to respond to” I said and I walked past out of the room and to my desk without much as a glance in Parrish’s direction.*So you’re completely over me Jessica?God, he was
It was his hands I felt roaming my body, massaging the tension away from my shoulders – soft but manly. The firmness of his hands fit perfectly unto the softness of my skin, slididng over my collarbones and collecting at the deep curve that sat on my neck. I took a deep breath and allowed myself to relax, I wanted to take his hands and take them to my mouth to lick the deliciousness away, so when the words *Oh Parrish* flew out my mouth, I didn’t realize my mistake until those hands were forcefully pulled away from my body and Nathan’s voice came ringing in my head.“What!!” My eyes shot open and I gasped to find Nathan’s hurt expression pouring down on me“I’m – I’m sorry, it was a mistake” I tried to defend but it sounded pointless as Nathan was walking away into the bedroom and I desperately followed him, his footsteps loud with anger and mine timidly compensating.“You’re thinking about him, aren’t you?” he whipped around to face me by the time we got to the bedroom.“I’m not – i
I arrived at the bar Parrish was in about twenty minutes later, it was booming down here. The lights streaming outside of the club was pulsating and casting kaleidoscope colors against the dark night sky. As I made way through the throng of people to search for Parrish, the bass of the music reverberated through my veins boosting the anxiety that I was trying to curb. My eyes scoped the area and the beat of my heart rhymed with the beat of the music that I felt a sense of urgency grip my heart. It was extremely tight but I made my way to the counter, trying to fit a face to the voice I heard on the phone but each of the bartenders were sporting a frustrated look already, I wasn’t sure whom to approach. Still, I chose the one with the deepest frown – she seemed the most agreeable regardless and that scorn on her face wasn’t fooling anyone, especially not with the butterfly tattoo on her shoulder.“Hey – I’m sorry – ” I started “Talk fast hon” she shot back at me not in a cruel way but
PARRISH'S POV*Then I’m happy for youOf course, I wasn’t happy for her. Well, maybe I was but not in the way someone would expect me to. I was happy that maybe she was with someone better than me, she deserved someone better than me, someone who wouldn’t abandon her because he was a coward and he couldn’t stand up to his dad. With a sharp intake of her breath, she proceeded to withdraw from me but I just needed one more minute so I held her back, trapping her hand in mine. I held unto the softness of her palms, relishing the feel of her hands against my skin while she wiped my face.I didn’t say anything, I didn’t want her to say anything either. I wanted to bask the silence that held our longing because words would ruin it. I would tell her I couldn’t be with her and she’ll turn away in scorn leaving me dejected. It was better this way – no words, just her hand in mine and my eyes fixed on hers, enthralled by her captivating eyes.“I should get going” she said after a while and my c
PRESENTNATHAN’S POVI followed her, I mean I had to follow her. It was the only way to curb the chaos in my head after I had called Sophie and she neither sounded drunk nor did it sound like she was at a bar but she weirdly insisted that Jessica was with her. I knew something was up and I knew Jessica was lying to me. From the guilty glint in her eyes to her hushed tones and it cut deep across my chest that I couldn’t sit still.Immediately, I picked my car keys off the dining table where our dinner still laid untouched and I went out into the driveway and followed her cab. It wasn’t a really long distance from the house to the bar where she entered. My heart thumped in chest hoping it was actually Sophie she was going to meet. I parked a few meters away, far enough so she couldn’t recognize the car, but close enough to see everything. I watched her go inside the bar in a sort of panic and I waited – and waited until she cam out still, but she was alone. My forehead creased in fru