Talk To Me

16. Who bit your neck?

Another day, another evening. Time had slipped through Kind's fingers like sand, unnoticed. By the time he left Swalha's place, he felt a curious sense of transformation, as though he were a newly minted man. The revelation that Cherry had harboured such deep-seated disdain for him over the years had been a shocker. Despite his best efforts to maintain a respectful distance from his relationship with Wale, it turned out he'd hated him all along. Of course, he'd meddled a bit, suggesting gift ideas, planning anniversaries, orchestrating reconciliations whenever the pair squabbled, whether it was over the colour of the paint on the wall or something of actual substance.

Yes, he'd had his share of temptations, and sure, there'd been opportunities to stir the pot, but he'd never acted on them. So why this unrelenting hatred? He had every right to dislike him, he supposed, but hate? That seemed a bit excessive. He'd suffered, too, hadn't he? He'd been forced to watch the woman he loved shack up with his best mate, forcing himself to swallow the bitter pill of reality and move on. Unrequited love was a curse to be endured, but Wale, at least, seemed to care for Cherry. She'd praised him endlessly, struggled on his behalf behind the scenes, and when their doubts crept in, who did they both turn to? The good hearted Kind. He'd been the sounding board, the relationship guru, the fixer, and now, in hindsight, he felt a bit of a mug.

As his taxi came to a halt, the driver apologetically said, "Sorry, sir, I'm not allowed to go beyond here." Kind settled the fare and climbed out, greeted by one of Todo's ever-efficient butlers.

Todo's bungalow stood in an affluent neighbourhood, a monument of extravagance. Kind couldn't help but compare her to Wale. The two were strikingly similar, yet worlds apart. Wale, with her hatred of flaunting wealth, believed it had played a part in her parents' deaths. Todo, on the other hand, revelled in luxury, basking in the finer things in life. Todo never sought attention; it simply flocked to her. Wale on the there hans only craved attention from those she held dear, indifferent to the rest of the world. Even so both ladies had a habit of monopolising Kind's time and energy, as if they were competing in a silent tug-of-war.

When Kind reached Todo's room, the door swung open before he could even knock. Todo wasted no time, for she pulled Kind inside, shutting the door with a sense of urgency and pressing her body against him. No words were exchanged, just an intense, unspoken desire. How long had Todo been waiting for him?

It had been two days since that chaotic incident separated them, and Todo, it seemed, had been counting the minutes. She was aggressive, pleading for Kind to take her, desperate to make up for the time they'd lost. 

Todo had fallen hard for Kind from the very first time she'd seen him at the gym, but Kind had barely noticed her, so Todo had done what any love-struck millionaire might do; befriended Swalha and played the long game. Eventually, she'd confessed her feelings to her, and she'd orchestrated the introduction to Kind. Bless her tremendously.

After their passionate reunion, Todo turned to Kind, breathless. "You're loved by many people... but I'll love you more than all of them. You'll see." She smiled, but her words were laced with a kind of vulnerability that made Kind's heart soften.

"And I'll do my best to honour that," Kind replied, half-serious, half-playful. "Maybe one day, I'll love you back the way you deserve. Between us, I fear I'm the one gaining the most out of both of us."

Todo flushed and quickly turned away, embarrassed. "When did you become a poet?" she mumbled, her back to Kind. "Talk like that, and I might actually believe you."

Kind chuckled, pulling her into an embrace. It felt right, holding her like this. Todo's desire to possess him was clear, but it came from a place of love. Wale, on the other hand, had no such excuse. They were just friends, after all. Cherry had it all wrong to bring himself to verbally admitting to hate him.

Todo broke the silence, sitting up and sighing. "I still can't believe that they hurt you. My former bodyguards told me you tried to control the situation. The physical wounds were one thing, but when I woke up and realised you'd been taken from me, that was the real pain."

Kind got up, putting on just his shirt. He knew this conversation was inevitable. Today had been a day of revelations, and he was keen to get it all out in the open. "Wale... well, let's just say she's got some issues. She thrives on attention, you know? Positive, negative, it doesn't matter, it's all fuel for his fire. She's always looking for a reaction, and when she doesn't get it, she acts out. If she were a true narcissist, it'd be easy for I could just ignore her, but it's more complicated than that. She knows how to push my buttons, how to get under my skin. She's not interested in making herself the victim, though. No, she wants me to react, to engage, to be as wrapped up in her as he is in me."

Todo listened quietly, unmoved, though her face betrayed a flicker of irritation. "Don't expect me to like her just because she's your friend. With the way you've described her, she sounds insufferable. Why on earth are you still pining after her?"

Kind laughed softly. "I ask myself that all the time." He placed a hand on Todo's shoulder and whispered in her ear, "Another round in the shower?"

Todo's face lit up with desire. She couldn't bring herself to say no, even if it meant breaking her back in the process. In a flash, Kind had swept her into his arms, carrying her off to the bathroom like a man possessed. Their passion was insatiable, the heat between them building until they were both utterly spent, lying on the bathroom floor, gazing at each other with the kind of lust that begged for more.

By the time they emerged, hours had passed. Kind's stomach growled loudly, prompting Todo to laugh. "I should ask them to get dinner ready," she said while dressing up. "Your tummy is angry and hungry." 

Kind heard her, but Todo's smile is what got his attention. He smiled back, happy that the earlier tension was gone. "I haven't eaten much the entire day, I should have asked Swalha for something to bite when I was at her place."

"You were with her?" Todo seemed shocked. She had assumed Kind would be with his obnoxious friend hidden somewhere never to be found.

"She called to see me today morning and I went over to her place. It has been one hectic day but that is a story for another day unless you wish to know." Pulling Todo to him, he continued, "I don't want to hide anything from you."

Todo placed her arms on Kind's shoulder pulling him close for a kiss. "No need, you're here and that is all that I care for now," she said then kissed him again. Just then, Kind flinched then placed his fingers behind his neck, gently rubbing it. "A bug bit me."

"I noticed a mark there actually but assumed it was an injury you got when they took you away." Ending their embrace, Todo said as she walked behind Kind's back. There was a sudden silence from her side and this worried Kind. 

"Is it that bad? I didn't feel anything before but after the shower, it itches a lot."

"No." Todo quickly turned away to hide her reaction. Kind had been bitten...a love bite perhaps that she hadn't put there herself, and as she gently placed a large bandaid on top of the bite mark, she remembered receiving a call from Swalha that fateful night asking if she was okay. Her only concern was if Kind was safe and his location. Swalha had mentioned Kind had been drugged and was with his so called friend, which meant if Kind had been with Swalha since morning then something must have happened the night of his abduction. Maybe Kind made out with his friend, but that was impossible. Kind had been honest with her since the beginning of their relationship, according to Swalha's explanation, a doctor had seen him concerning the drug and said he was to return to consciousness by morning, which meant, he was likely unaware of the bite.

The mark had to have been put where Kind wouldn't visibly see but those behind him would...or was it for her since Kind came here freely? Perhaps a warning from Wale to her.

Kind's friend is a foe after all!  She was jealous!