In His Arms

Sophia

“Where is she?” I barked into the phone.

“Take it easy, love. She is fine where she is,” John answered.

“You’re really testing my patience, John. Bring my daughter back to me now, or else!” I could hear the sound of my own heart beating hard against my ribcage.

“Or else what? You think you can just run things as you see fit? You decided to divorce me. You terminated the contract for the imports project, something that could have given me a lot of money and now you want to take my daughter away from me?”

“Well, you should have thought about all of that when you went about from one lady to the other. You don’t deserve anything form me, John. You don’t even deserve to be called a husband.” I suddenly realized that I was still in Dominick’s mansion as my voice reached a very high pitch, I decided to calm my nerves. “You don’t deserve Beryl,” I added, my voice barely above a whisper now. I need to catch my breath.

“But she is happy here with me. In fact, I am going to make sure you never see her again. Remember your past, Sophia. No judge would give you custody of Beryl.” I could hear the snicker in his voice as he said that. How dare he try to use my past against me?

“You want to use my past against me?” I asked.

“Same way you used your power to cancel my contract.”

“It was my money in the first place,” I retorted.

“Well, if you want to have Beryl again, you need to restore the contract.”

I leaned against the frames of the big mahogany door that led into the interior of Dominick’s mansion.

“I thought your reason for taking Beryl was because you are her father and you loved her. You are now willing to use your own child – our child to blackmail me?” I almost scoffed.

“Don’t try to put it that way. I love Beryl, but you must do what ought to be done.”

“What ought to be done? Are you delusional? It’s my money, you prick. All the investors I pulled in for you are my people. I was only doing your miserable ass a favour.”

“I won’t talk much, Sophia. Grant my requests and you get to see your daughter again,” he said.

“You don’t know how much trouble you are in, John. My lawyer investigated and we found out that you presented a fake court order to the hospital. You will surely do time in jail for that, coupled with the fact that you are forcefully holding my daughter. You’re in one big mess, John. If I were you, I would do the right thing and return Beryl to me.”

“I can’t do that,” he replied and the line went dead.

I stared at my phone for a few moments, anger welling up within me. At that moment, I had the feeling to just fling my phone into the night and yell out in anger. I suddenly felt a warm hand on my shoulder, and that familiar musk scent filling my senses. I melted.

“Everything okay?” he asked.

His voice made me weak at the knees, and I was exerting a lot of strength restraining myself from jumping on him and…

“Yeah, yeah, everything is fine,” I answered, standing back upright. I didn’t know when he had come out of the mansion.

He moved closer and wiped a tear from beneath my eye. The sensation I felt from his touch was maddening.

“I am sorry, I didn’t know you were there,” I said.

“I wasn’t planning on eavesdropping. It’s just when I heard you yelling I had to come out to see if you were alright. Are you alright?” He asked again.

I opened my mouth to talk. I felt like pouring out everything in my heart to him, but the words caught in my throat. I had to remind myself that he was my chairman after all.

“It’s fine. You’re not obliged to tell me. But I really need you to come inside. It’s cold out here,” he said holding my arm. The weather suddenly grew chilly and just then the wind carried a curtain of rain which sprayed gently over us. It had started raining.

As if out of impulse, Dominick quickly shielded me with his tall frame, and I felt him close behind me, his familiar scent filling my senses. It seemed as if I had lost control of my body as I sank back to his body, wishing he could just lift me from behind.

He led me back into his mansion and I returned to the chair on which I had been sitting. He walked out of the room and returned shortly later with a blanket which he handed to me.

“Would you like some tea or coffee?” he asked.

“Coffee, please.”

“Sugar and milk?”

“Yes, please.”

He walked out of the room again and this time, I sank into the sofa and closed my eyes. There was something very comforting about Dominick’s house. Initially, my plan had been to quickly come here with the report and head back home, but now, I didn’t feel like going home anymore.

Five minutes must have passed before Dominick walked in some moments later carrying a saucer and a cup.

“Thank you,” I said to him, receiving the coffee. He left the room once more and I took in the sweet, soft aroma of the coffee before drinking. It was exactly how I liked coffee when I tasted it.

He returned shortly with a cup of coffee as well and sat down facing me. I glanced at his cup and realized his coffee was black.

“I hope you like it.”

“Yes, I do very much, thank you. Did you make it yourself?” I asked.

“What? Do I not look like a man who can make his own coffee?”

“No, I don’t mean it that way,” I explained.

“I was just teasing you,” he said, smiling. “My butler has retired to bed, so I had to make it myself.”

Putting on his glasses, he took the file he had placed beside him and resumed reading. I watched as he carefully scrutinized the documents. I didn’t mind the fact he was taking his time, after all, this place had suddenly seemed more comfortable than my empty house.

“Do you need some time off work?” He suddenly asked, looking up at me.

I remained silent, not knowing what to say in reply.

“I heard a few things you were saying to who I assume was your husband on the phone, and that’s why I am asking if you need some time off to maybe you know, clear your head and sort things out.”

“But I am supposed to be preparing for a training.”

“That can wait. I think you should take the time off so your work doesn’t clash with what’s going on with you.”

“Alright,” I answered.

I understood this was coming from the chairman, but I also knew this wasn’t a good time in the company to be taking a short leave from work. There was a lot to do. I just had to figure out a way to navigate my current circumstances in a way that doesn’t affect my work.

I found myself dozing after a while. I was struggling to stay awake, and the coffee did little to help me. This wasn’t my house and I cannot get too comfortable. I was exhausted from compiling the report and all the drama going on in my life. I also hadn’t slept well for the past two nights, and now my head was beginning to throb. I felt myself give in to the exhaustion.

I wasn’t sure how long after that, but I suddenly felt someone lift me up from the sofa like a child. I wanted to fight him off but instead, I found myself sinking deeper into slumber as his warmth overwhelmed me.

Where was he taking me to?