LIGHT FROM THE DESERT✓

||CHAPTER 20||

||ZAWADI||

The long and boring drive is finally over. I got to the city at around four and the heavy traffic drained all my patience. It took forever to get to Kes' place. I didn't tell her I was coming as my first thought was to surprise her. However, when I got home she wasn't there. I dropped off my luggage and took a cab to the club. Kim mentioned that he was going to stay at the club with Jason handling something. I didn't want to tell him that I was in the city either. It is all about surprise.

It's six o'clock. The club is flocking. I make my way through the door and the familiar stuffy air and loud music engulf me. I clasp on my purse with utmost care. In such a place you can't afford to be careless. It can cost you your fortune. My whole being is eager to see him and the more steps I make towards him, the more it feels satisfied.

Sheila takes note of me and comes running in her six-inch heels. She has always looked great in the club dressing. If I am honest, I have missed her. She was a close friend in the few days I worked here. A woman with a heart of gold. Life should be nice to her cause she deserves it.

"Zawadi," she squeals pulling me into a hug.

"Hi, Sheila, "I greet in a wide smile.

"Hi," she responds.

"I missed you. I thought you were never coming back here. You just disappeared into the thin air," she chuckles as she checks me out.

"I'm here now," I smile at her. "Though I need to see the boss urgently," I tell her.

I can't delay anymore. My patience already ran out and all I want is to get to him, hug him so tight and then kiss him.

"Oh, don't tell me you got fired or something," she looks at me in concern.

"No, no, no. It's nothing like that," I assure her.

"Whew!" She lets out a sigh of relief. "I'll let you head there," she says.

I nod and walk through the crowd towards the hallway. I feel bad for letting her think that I am back. If she only knew that I am here to see Kim for unofficial reasons and there is an interview for another job awaiting me she'd surely be disappointed. But it's not like we are so close anyway. No need to get all empathetic. I take on the stairs. A few men look at me. I ignore them. They are not who I want and they should keep their hungry looks to themselves. As I ascend, the atmosphere changes into a quieter and cooler one.

I get to his office. My heart pounds in excitement in my ribcage. I can feel him in there. The door isn't locked so I don't bother knocking. It's bad manners but it's bad enough I miss him so much. The door slowly opens. I step in only to find him with a familiar figure. The woman he was with the first time he came to the club. I saw her clinging to him. Anger coils its shreds on my skin. Jealousy crawls in my heart. It's becoming hard to breathe.

He's standing behind the couch and has his hand on her neck, lifting her face to look up to him from behind. When he sees me, he doesn't flinch. What I see is a dark flash go behind his eyes. Familiar and erotic darkness. He stills to watch me. His glare is so intense and penetrating. He the one making it hard for me to breathe now. Not jealousy or anger.

"Hey, baby," he greets.

The woman struggles to look at me but Kim doesn't let her. He tightens his grip on her. She is pretending to like it even though I can that she doesn't. She hates it and more so because I just walked in on them.