When Racheal stepped out of the walk-in closet, Steffan was on his laptop. She walked around and climbed into bed. Her body felt all strung up, despite how exhausted she was.Steffan glanced at her and turned back to the laptop. “You know you can always use my gadgets, right?” He said. “Keep up with the outside world.”Racheal stared at him from her pillow. “But the agreement was that I couldn’t. You were there in that meeting.” “That will change soon.” He said with an irritated frown. “For now, use mine.” She said nothing. He was rarely at home. She wondered how many hours a day she would get to use it. And if she would even dare.Racheal watched Steffan quietly, wondering if perhaps this man would finally be her ticket to freedom. He stood up and went into the bathroom. Racheal looked longingly at the laptop he left. Should she do it? Would she even dare?She heard him turn on the shower, and the sound of water beginning to beat the floor. She tightened her lips, as her heart
Racheal froze for a moment, as her lips got consumed with Steffan’s fiery one. He sank his fingers into her hair, pulling her head back so he could claim her lips even further. They were still lying side by side on their bed. She tentatively placed her hand on his shoulder, feeling the hard flesh of it as she had always wanted to. This seemed to fire him up. He ran his tongue over her lower lip, coaxing her to part her lips. He swooped in for her tongue immediately she did, sending hot sparks down between her legs. Finally, he slowly pulled back and stared into her eyes. The blue of his eyes seemed strangely bluer.“I like you.” He said, in that low voice he had, the baritone reverberating in his throat. His words evoked feelings she did not think possible, in her. “I like your full lips and the way they press together when you are hurt or angry. I like the beautiful lines that immediately appear around… here.” He tongue darted out and swiftly licked the spot he was referring to
Racheal checked the drawers in the walk-in closet for new sheets, and found some. She made the bed quickly. She was changing into a new nightdress in the bathroom when she heard Steffan walk into the bedroom. She listened to him move around, and then there was silence. She suspected he must have gone to bed. Racheal sighed, a little relieved. She would not have to face Steffan just yet after how badly she had just behaved. She stepped out of the bathroom, and paused. Steffan was still awake and sitting up in bed. She awkwardly joined him, wondering if she had pushed the man away for good. She sat up beside him, feeling too unsettled to lie down and prepare for sleep. Steffan suddenly pulled her close into a hug.“Skylar is probably fine and enjoying her own honeymoon.” He said. She sighed in relief as tears escaped her eyes. Why was he always so kind? Well not always. But why was he often so willing to shrug things off. And how was he always able to see through her thoughts?
Racheal and Steffan maintained silence for a few minutes. She glanced at him through the mirror. He was looking at her, waiting, expectant. She looked away and sighed. “My mother disappeared, really. I don’t know where she was buried.” She said, picking up her belongings and returning to their bedroom to wear her dress. Steffan followed her not long after.“Why?” He asked, when he came in.“You remember my step-mother?” She asked, thinking about the day she told him how her step-mother had maltreated and tortured her.“Yes.” Steffan responded. His voice sounded strange. Racheal glanced back quickly, and looked at him. His eyes were like a dark pit. She wondered if she should continue with the story, since it was already upsetting him so much. She decided to continue. He did not like when she was tight-lipped, and she did not want to spoil the good mood they had been sharing since last night. “She was my father’s mistress, a few years before I was born, while my mother struggl
The long presidential convoy, shiny and awe-striking, finally arrived at the venue. Citizens were lined up at the gate in their hundreds, waving and trying to see through the tinted glasses of the fast cars. The stadium, one of the biggest in Yin, was packed full. People in their thousands were gathered to watch their most beloved member of the presidential family get appointed over one of the most crucial ministries the country needed after so many years of war.“Ready?” Steffan turned to Racheal in the car. She looked at him, and the incident of the chicken blood came back to her. Since that time, she had a huge fear of crowds, and this was the largest she had seen. Steffan took both her hands in his. “There is no need to be scared, just don’t let go of my hand. No one can break through the security this time.” He said.She nodded. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. Then he got out of the car, and walked around to open her door. Racheal put her hand in his outstre
Racheal watched the ceremony continue with different speeches from several other people. She sat still trying not to think about her father. She kept her eyes on the screen, studying the faces of people she did not know and may never meet. Some people had brought their children, and she thought how foolish that was. If she had a child, she would never bring them to packed spaces like these.The thought that she would possibly have a child within the next year, at the rate that things were going made her shiver. She did not want to have a child in this circumstance. It frightened her.She felt Steffan watching her, and turned to him. He smiled at her, she smiled back. It was a good thing he did not have the ability to read every single one of her thoughts. The president finally climbed the stage to give his own speech. She wondered if he knew her father was here. Spencer Sherrod was a cunning man, he probably knew, and approved it for her father to be allowed into the country. Wha
Racheal walked back to her seat, partially blinded by her tears. She walked right into Steffan’s arms. He hugged her close, as he fetched a handkerchief out of his pocket.“You did well baby.” He said. Racheal smiled through her tears, and looked up at. This was the first time he was calling her a pet name. He dabbed the tears off her face, took her hand, and began leading her out. Their guards converged around them quickly.She glanced around the stadium at the people still cheering loudly. She knew there was no taming this crowd anymore. They had gone into a festive mood.But still, it felt awkward to be the first person leaving. She looked at Steffan, he was so audacious and non-comforming. The crowd was thicker and struggled to touch her even more now than when she had arrived. The soldiers had to point their guns to keep them back. She sighed in relief when Steffan finally helped her into their car. He climbed in after her.“Where are we going?” She asked. “My father’s reso
“How are you feeling?” Steffan asked, as the waiter, assisted by another female staff, began to clear their table. Racheal pushed her chair back, and stood up.“I am Ok.” She said, and walked towards the floor to ceiling window. She stared out at the lake that bordered this side of the resort. This was truly a beautiful place. The water took on the colour of the sky above, grey. She suspected it would rain before the end of the day. It had been windy from the time she arrived at the stadium. Even now, the weather was misty, although some rays of light still broke through the clouds.She felt Steffan come up behind her, and hug her. She held his hand but did not turn back. She wanted to just stare out at this beautiful place, and not think about all the things that were not so beautiful about her life. Her meeting with her father a few weeks after he sold her off to this place frightened her. How would she look at him, how would she hold herself from lashing out at him if he dared b
“Mind Skylar’s head.” Steffan said, watching her get out of the car. Racheal cradled six month-old Skylar’s head in her arms and got out of the car. Steffan turned and walked ahead towards the courthouse. She knew he did not like this, neither did her mother, but she wanted to lead a new life from now on.She would only allow any dispute to be settled by the court no matter how long it took, instead of the torture, killing and all they had done up to the point that she had Sterling.“Maman," Sterling said, peeking his head around his father’s shoulders.“Yes, baby.”“Maman.” He said again, and she smiled at him. Steffan adjusted him in his arms as they walked into the building.It was an informal courtroom, and the biggest case in Xen. This case was what had disgraced Roslyn and made her lose the elections. Journalists waited outside for the final hearing.She and Steffan sat side by side after the judge took her seat, and the accused began to be escorted in by the cops. Roslyl
Racheal followed Steffan into his house quietly. His housekeeper greeted her warmly. She nodded at the woman. She was surprised to see Chef Bennett come out.“Dinner in five minutes, sir.” Then he paused. “Mrs Sherrod.” He bowed.“Make a place for two,” Steffan said. Those were the first words he had said, since she told him she missed him.“Sure, Sir.” Chef Bennett responded.“You kept him?” Racheal asked, as Steffan led the way upstairs. “You liked him.” He said simply.She said nothing more. He surprisingly led the way to his bedroom on the second floor. It was a dark masculine room, wide, dark and intimidating.She stood in the middle, unsure of how to act, or what to do next.He dropped his bag on the bed, and glanced at her.“I am sorry I hurt you.” She said. He paused, midway into sitting on the bed, then started to take his tie off.“That’s rare. Women never apologize.”She made a face at him. But continued anyway. “I was conflicted. I wanted to be with you, but I was
Racheal sat on the toilet bowl, staring at the pregnancy test kit. It clearly read positive. In denial, she took others. They read the same thing.She hurried back to her room and pulled on a dress. It would be stupid to make the same mistake twice. She sat nervously in the backseat as her chauffeur took her to the hospital.She waited nervously as her blood got drawn, and patiently waited for the doctor.She could not smile back as the doctor said.“Congratulations Mrs Sherrod. Would you like to see your baby?”She climbed the table, and stared at the ceiling as the doctor smeared a cold gel on her flat belly.“You are about seven weeks pregnant.” The doctor said excitedly. “Look at your baby.” She held her breath and turned.She could hear the heartbeat of the fetus as the doctor pointed out where the baby was in the sac. It was so tiny, she burst into tears.The doctor helped her up and soothed her, telling her it was OK to cry, that days like these were an emotional day for
The president is dead did not cover the horror of how Spencer Sherrod had died. He stared at his father’s coffin the next morning as the priest talked on and on. He had wanted to kill this man. He had wanted to kill him with his own hand, so why was he reacting this way to the man’s death?His mind kept going back to how Spencer had looked in the video he had seen. He was headed for a meeting, surrounded by his guards, edgy and nervous, and alone.The old woman had come from the crowd, begging an audience. He had hesitated, but asked them to let her through. The woman had hugged him, even as his guards had yelled that it was against protocol.One had even reached out to pull her away. Then flames. He shook his head as he remembered the explosion sound. They had quickly found out the woman was the journalist’s aged mother. The journalist Spencer had killed at Racheal’s office.He felt someone squeeze his arm. He looked down at the little woman. She was the only good thing in
“We should start moving. I don’t want Limuel’s men to find us here," he said as he stocked the fire. She dropped a plate of Ramen in front of him. He smiled up at her, and she smiled back.He did not mind if he lost all his wealth, and became doomed to this kind of life, as long as he had her. She was all he wanted now, all he had ever wanted really from the day he met her.“It will be a few hours still before we can start moving.” She responded. He nodded and picked up his meal. She walked closer and sat beside him. He turned to her, caressed her cheek, and kissed her lightly. She returned his kiss, enthusiastically, the way he remembered, the way he liked.He loved how much she loved his touch. They were soon grappling at each other, their meal forgotten. He squeezed her warm soft body as she moaned his name and dug into his back. He savored the warmness of her, the fullness of her curve, the lusty way she matched his thrusts, squeezing tight around him.He did not want to
Racheal sat shocked, staring at Steffan’s face, just barely able to see it in the near darkness. But she could see clearly enough the honesty in there. His blue eyes were clear and honest, open and pleading.“You should have said that when I wanted to hear it.” She said, shaking her head, starting to move away. But he held her.“I should have. I was a fool not to have.”“I even told you once that I loved you. You said nothing.”“I am sorry.”“Stop apologising. It won’t fix anything," she said, trying to pull away. She did not have to hear this, she did not want to hear this. It would make leaving him that much more difficult. It was easier walking away from a man who hurt her, and had never admitted to loving her even once. But now…“Racheal.” He said, taking her face between his hands. “I love you. I have always loved you. My heart stops at the thought of losing you. The day Isaac told me you were dying, the day you sent that divorce document, my heart completely stopped beatin
“I thought you changed. Apparently, you did not," Steffan said finally, looking away. “You are still as stubborn and careless as ever.”His words stung her.“Careless? You sound like I got some warning that a certain Limuel was after me and ignored it.”“I tried to warn you. I sent a dozen messages, tried to make an appointment,” he blew up.She shrank back. Well. There was no way she would have known. She had his number blocked, so there was no way she could have seen his messages. She still did not know how he had gotten her new contact number by the way. She could not think of any of her staff who could have given him her personal number.She knew he was in contact with Isaac, but could Isaac have given him the number?“After all that has happened to you, I don’t know how you can still put yourself in danger like this.”“One could say I was in danger, hiding with you in a storm like this. At least Maman would think so.” She said quietly, lowering herself to the floor. That got
“What are you doing?” Racheal asked as she watched Steffan walk towards one of the many couches in the room. He said nothing.He placed a bright flashlight she suspected he must have found wherever he found the axe on the floor, lighting the whole room up. He raised the axe, and began to hack at the couch.She stared at him in shock, at first not understanding what he was doing. Then she turned back, and shut the heavy bolt on the door. He had to make fire somehow, or they would freeze to death before the storm was over. Between the both of them, they could probably buy a million couches for this family.She walked further into the living room, past him, checking the whole place out. The only place that was open to them was the hallway, the open kitchen in the living room, and a tiny bathroom at the end of the hallway. All the other rooms were firmly locked. She was not very eager to ruin their locks like she did the front door.She walked towards the kitchen, and turned on th
“What? Why?” Racheal screamed in confusion as she watched Limuel’s guards pull a limp Steffan up.Then they began to pull him to pull him away, his tall frame causing his foot to drag behind him.“I had a suspicion he might come here.” Limuel said, pulling out a big cigar.“What did we do to you?” She asked, looking from Limuel to Steffan, who was being dragged away.“I have no problems with the Sherrods. Just you.”“What?” She asked just as she saw Limuel’s toddler run out of the house. The guards tried to stop the child who was not warmly dressed for the weather. The toddler screamed. He just wanted his father.Lukas Limuel turned at the commotion. “Let him through," he said, standing up. The child broke through the barrier of guards, and ran into his father’s arms.“I don’t have the time to explain anything. I hear your mother has suddenly returned from the dead. I believe she will pay a decent price in exchange for you as compensation for what your family did to us.” Lukas sa