ʙᴜʀɴɪɴɢ ᴅᴇꜱɪʀᴇꜱ

Chapter 10

Sebastian

This night passed almost like any other. The blurred lights of the city streets blinded me as my mind became clearer. Laser sharpness and concentration are exactly what I've started to lose sight of, these past few weeks, and I can't afford that.

The darkness was the dawn for me, and the sunrise is the twilight of my life. At least the one that I am currently living.

As the stream of lukewarm water splashed over my body, washing all the demons and angels off my shoulders, I thought about last night's charity dinner. About her.

I tried to remove the feel of her skin from my palms, but no amount of soap could do that. Because her touch was etched in my mind, even though it had long since faded from my skin. The material of her silky dress made me itch and everything about her gave me an allergic reaction.

I wanted to, knowing I had to, avoid her, but what you run away from is what you run to the most. Her proximity was sickening and difficult, but her distance was far worse.

They say that whoever likes to play with fire should be careful not to get burnt. By all accounts, I will set the whole world on fire. Both mine and hers. And I would dance in that whirlwind of fire and smoke, even though I knew it would take me through all nine circles of hell.

I wanted her to be as far away as possible, but I needed her to be close. Paradoxically, just like my life.

As my car sliced through the air like a knife, I called Gabriel, putting him on speakerphone.

"Gabriel, Irene informed me that you did not submit the certified contract. Today is the last day of the legal deadline to submit it to our board. Bring it to me as soon as possible so I can sign and submit it."

Even though it was raining outside and its heavy drops were invading my car and the horizon in front of me, I didn't miss his worried tone on the speaker.

"Mr. Reese, I . . . The contract is not . . ."

"Is there a problem?"

My patience wasn't at an enviable level these days just like now, when I cut his muttering to a sharp halt.

"Of course not. Amelia has the contract, and she took the day off. But that's no problem, I'll tell her to deliver it to you as soon as possible."

"Perfect."

I ended the conversation without allowing him to elaborate on his further explanation.

The smell of precipitation mixed with the wet soil on the side of the road filled the interior of my car through the ventilation. That smell, along with the sound of the rain itself and the fact that I would see her big, hazel eyes again calmed me down on several levels.

When I got to the office, Irene let me know with the look in her eyes, that the day would not go as planned.

"Good afternoon Mr. Reese."

She got up from the reception desk and started walking alongside me, glancing from the side for nosy ears. She whispered to me quietly and inconspicuously.

"The message is in the third envelope from the bottom."

She handed me a pile of mail and putting on a well-practiced smile, returned to her seat.

"Here's your mail for today Mr. Reese."

When the large door closed behind me, I settled comfortably in the chair and turned to the large window that looked out on tons of concrete and glass, neatly arranged in a row of buildings and skyscrapers.