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( CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: LIKE A MOTH TO A FLAME ) April, 1993
❝ my love is blind can't you see my desire...❞
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Devon's hand lingered on the doorknob. His exposed arms wrenching his suitcase across the polished threshold as he timidly examined the fretting glass door that grandly peered inside the domineering Malibu beach house. The young man's brow brimmed with sweat, the strange slice of heat wafting across the sunny neighbourhood was such an alien departure from the cold, wet winter weather back in New York.
Sometimes the two cities seemed like they sat on other ends of the earth. Nonetheless, Devon was glad to be in Los Angeles on his own terms. Over the past two years, trips were normally filled with an overload of work as well as last minute brainstorming in preparation for another job. Devon certainly underestimated how much free time he truly got in the space of these past two years, where it was filled with nonstop jobs and many late, backbreaking nights. But this time he was travelling to LA for personal reasons. Reasons he couldn't disclose to anyone just yet.
While the secrecy was somewhat exciting and bone chilling, Devon could hardly grapple with this double-life he was living. Even as he calmly waltzed into this chic topical mansion with his velvet cap tilted in front of his eyes and diamond earrings subtly flashing everyone's line of sight, he couldn't fathom how different his life was.
Devon's family thought he was in LA to work on yet another job. They probably even thought he was staying in a humble hotel room with nothing but cheap duvet covers and dry room service to keep him company. However, it was quite the opposite. Janet Jackson—his very famous girlfriend—now wanted him to move into her sleek home that sat on the outskirts of the white, sandy Malibu beach.
While Janet arrived in LA a few days ago to start filming her new videos, she kindly sent a car to pick Devon up and take him to the beach house after his flight landed. Once he arrived, his brown eyes were immersed with so much concentration, forgetting the extent of Janet's wealth. The second he stepped inside, the lavender aroma sent him in a trance, making his senses that much more in tune with his surroundings.
The sun was blazing in the sky, filling the open, spacious house with natural light. The pristine glass doors and windows were opened wide, giving Devon the opportunity for his gaze to still passed the shadows of his cap and appreciate the amazing view of the beach. His new sneakers lightly treaded on the tiled floors, tirelessly dragging his luggage behind his feet in an attempt to absorb everything standing before him.
It appeared that everything was still the same from when he was last here. The white rugs, the blue silk throw pillows, and the splashes of colourful art pieces that hung on the wall. As Devon strolled deeper into the house, he felt his body ache with the dreary, overbearing need for sleep. His flight this morning was early, and he still hadn't become accustomed to the wonkiness of jet lag.
