CHAPTER 5: Broken-Hearted Girl

Months passed and their love only seemed to blossom or so Kira thought. She expected him to pop up the question at any moment now. Last night when he had called for her, she was certain it was finally going to happen.

She lay spent in his warm arms wishing the morning could be delayed for a while longer. She couldn't fight the smile that played on her lips.

She'd be at peace even if she died now. On second thought, she wouldn't.

She still had a lot to explore with Alex.

Sex with her previous lovers was good but sex with Alex was perfect.

Her heart fluttered at the memories of how he fit into her so perfectly came flooding into her mind. His touch made her wild –something she never thought she could be. A part of herself she never knew existed.

She was a smart woman but being with Alex made her think only about pleasing him. Every touch, every breath, every thrust was with finesse. Alex was the man that existed in every woman's imagination. His love-making was an art. Rough and gentle, Detailed and thorough. A rare specimen and he was her man.

She didn't know whether to be grateful to her best friend for dragging her out of her bed to the club on the outside of the town that night or to shove her head in a soak-away for leaving her in the hands of a stranger till dawn.

Who had taken more bottles that night? She or Tess?

She couldn't say exactly but that incident had led her to Alex. She had in her drunken state thrown herself at him. Unchaste words about how sexy he was and how she'd want him to bed her came out in a drunken slur. Memories of that night were hazy.

How long now? –One year!

She had been his concubine for that long. She couldn't bring herself to tell him she had fallen in love with him, that wasn't the agreement.

Days after they met in the club, she begged to know why he hadn't taken advantage of her that night and he had told her he preferred his women pliant and willing and that he wanted something casual.

Kira had agreed, either way, the man was too beautiful to resist. She never in a million years thought she'd be a man's concubine but she was desperate to have him any which way.

Alex's lashes fluttered as he stirred awake. She never got tired of staring at his beautiful features. Memorizing each detail like it would be her last. He had the looks of an Arabian prince, sometimes she doubted his western roots. 

She snuggled closer to draw in his scent and that was his moment of awakening. He jerked upright and his eyes darted straight to the wall clock.

Ten minutes past eight! Shit!

He was late.

How could he have fallen asleep so quickly right after sex?!

He needed to end this quickly. He was getting too comfortable. He never fell asleep in his women’s arms. This was his longest fling. 

"So, when do we meet next? This weekend?" That came out sexier than she intended.

He dragged his eyes away from her tousled red hair and overly kissed lips. The woman was sexy, that had to be why this was going longer than he planned.

"I have to fly down to Georgia. Business won't run itself, will it?" He hurriedly finger-combed his hair. He couldn't go to work looking like this. 

"And the next? Or the one after?" She offered desperately. Her entire life now revolved around him.

“Didn't you say Tess would be opening her floral shop in two weeks?" he asked her hoping she would let go. This was starting to hurt his heart and he hated it.

"I'd just tell Brandon to help her with the extra hands she'll be needing. I'd tell her something came up." Her eyes were pleading.

He couldn't do this anymore. He had to end this.

With a resigned sigh, he said, "Truth is, I don’t think we should still see other. I don't even have time on my hands. This has been on for too long. I should have ended this earlier. You deserve better Kira. You deserve much better than something that has no definition to it. I'm sure there's someone out there for you.”

Kira felt her heart freeze and she stared lifelessly at him.

“You need someone to hold and love you. That person isn't me, Cherie. I'd compensate you handsomely. That's all I can offer." He had never felt this worse, but this needed to be done. 

Her blue pupils darkened, rings of violet watered. He was ruthless in cutting his women off because they never played by the rules

Damn women! They always forgot rules and Kira forget every rule in his book.

"Aah!” She let out a small cry and he stared up at her.

“It's about her, right? Antoniella!” Kira spat. “She doesn't even love you! Can't you see it?" 

His eyes widened at the mention of that name. 

"Don't dare act confused? I've heard you mention her name twice in your sleep for the last six months. Whoever she is, she doesn't even love you! She never will, she's probably in the arms of some other man! Multiple men maybe, getting fucked like the whore she probably is!" 

It was the wrong thing to say and she regretted it the moment it left her lips but it was too late to take it back. Alex had already heard her.

Alex's cheek flushed as anger clouded his features. His facial muscle became rigid. He grabbed her by the chin and pulled her face suddenly closer to his.

"Antoniella was a woman in more ways than you can ever dream. Do not ever mention her name again!” His voice grew louder and his dark eyes flashed with fury.

They were coal black, the darkest shade she had ever seen them.

"You've crossed the line and now we are truly done. I do not ever want to see you or hear from you!"

He pushed her away and got off the bed. He put on his clothes as fast as lightning and started towards the door. It was at this point that Kira’s panicked soul returned to her. She couldn't afford to lose him. Not now that she was in love with him

She went after him and hugged him from behind. All she needed was for him to hug her, love her, and want her. She didn’t mean any of the horrible things she said.

He stiffened and all the anger he felt dissipated involuntarily. It felt like she could control his emotions and this made him scared of what he could feel for her.

"Please Alex, I'm sorry. I went too far. Whoever she was, Alex, don't leave me. What do you need me to do? I've invested too much time in this, hoping you'd feel something real for me…" she said. She held unto him tighter and looked into his eyes.

The tears brimming in my eyes were starting to fall. She looked lost, frail, and in love. –What? She couldn't be in love with him, but the look in her blue eyes said otherwise 

"Alex, I lov-" she started to say but he stopped her.

He couldn’t hear that word from someone else –not ever!

"Don't Kira! Don't say it. I do not want to hear it. You can't feel that way. I'm sorry it has to be this way but I just don't deserve it. You're a desirable woman.  It was fun while it lasted. I can't do this anymore.”  

He saw what his words were doing to her, every word was a lash. But what had to be done had to be done. He said the words that shattered her forever, and he saw her die a thousand deaths. He felt the pain tug in his heart too but he couldn't let her see that.

He walked out.

The door slammed, shattering Kira’s heart into tiny fragments. Her throat was constricted and tears fell freely down her face.

Her legs wobbled and she fell to her knees. She hugged herself tight, whispering silent prayers. Hoping and praying that Alex would come back to fix her. But he never did.