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#Chapter 57: Phelps
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2023-07-09 11:28:51Ardal
I stare into my phone, poised to notify Kadeem that I’m not coming into work today. I’d rather die than face him after yesterday. I can’t believe I burst into tears in front of him and particularly for telling him out of nowhere (at least from his perspective), to stay away from me when he was being kind. Worst of all, though, is the tsunami of emotions I feel when I’m around him. I picture myself heading for the forest instead. I could take the day off and just let my wolf run free for a while - an exquisite escape from reality. Simply the thought of it brings a measure of relief. I stop myself just short of texting him. The sooner I rip off the bandaid, the less painful it will be. My phone lights up with a text from Jack. My heart does an awkward flutter and I feel my stomach tighten into a knot. “How’s Erbao?” I type back quickly. “He’s good,” I say - which
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Ardal Kadeem’s hand interlocks with mine and a familiar warmth floods over me. Five children are giggling and hollering feet away, but they fall to a dim background hum. Amber afternoon light spills from the windows, highlighting Kadeem’s chiseled features and chocolate brown eyes. The worn leather band of his watch is pressed against my wrist, a gentle reminder of the passage of time, even in a moment that seems endless. We’re standing so close, I can find the rippling scar that lines his neck - a badge of survival from a vicious fight when he was 17. I can see the jagged one at his right temple - a trace of the car accident Susan used to erode what was left of our marriage. Just as easily, I see the constellations of freckles that dot his arms, and the dimple in his cheek that deepens when a smirk plays upon his lips. There’s the dark hair I used to rake my fingers through, the lip I used to softly bite, and the eyes that seem to darken when he grows angry or detached. The same
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ArdalI can feel my heart pounding in my chest and I see Kadeem’s eyes flash with anger. He steps forward, looking Jack squarely in the eye.“What if there was? What would it matter to you?” His words drip with contempt as he gazes at Jack, challenging him.My mind reels at this sudden confrontation between them and I try desperately to think of something to say that will diffuse the situation before it gets out of hand, but before I have a chance, Jack speaks up, his face now bright red with indignation.Jack swallows hard to compose himself, but his hands are trembling. “It’s clearly not just me who finds your attention unacceptable,” he spats out in an appalled tone.In an instant, Jack has won me over. He’s sensitive to my writhing discomfort, and he’s not just trying to win a pissing match with Kadeem. Instead, he’s focused on a chivalrous defense to preserve my dignity.“And it matters to me,” he says, “Because Chelsea is my girlfriend
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