Dark Faïz ( Book 1 ) [ COMPLETED]

Chapters 9-3

We arrived at our destination without any obstacles. A valet standing in front of the airport departure gate seemed to be waiting for us.

— "Hello Mr. Mattew, Miss Reyes," he greeted us.

— "Thank you, Alex. Deposit my car in its place, in the basement of my building," he told his butler.

— "Very well," the man said, rushing about. He was in his forties, with a short, neat cut, and was dressed in a dark suit without the slightest crease.

He got behind the wheel of the McLaren and started it without delay. Faïz naturally picked up my suitcase in addition to his travel bag. Once inside the building, I was surprised by how few people were in this huge airport. It was only five in the morning. Maybe that was a big part of the reason for their absence.

— "I am so used to seeing LA with a crowd that I can hardly believe what I see," I confided to Faïz.

— "Entry and exit into and out of the country are now highly guarded, if not almost impossible. Your father's absence at Christmas attests to these new measures."

— "Yet your father still lets you travel as you wish."

— "I work partly for the government, at least for the moment," he grumbled resentfully in a low voice before resuming. "Many people are trapped here by this Dome. The reasons given are new, with often lengthy reforms to get a visa and a promise that everything will be back to normal as soon as possible."

— "But that's not true, is it?"

His serious look proved me right. The damn Dome alone was a real sanctuary. A horrible thought crossed my mind: what if Faïz wanted to put me on the first flight to Paris? After all, New York would be the perfect excuse.

— "Show me the tickets!" I said in a panic.

— "What?" He stared at me, stunned.

— "I want to see the plane tickets!"

Faïz in turn looked at me, full of mistrust, not understanding my sudden change in behavior.

— "We'll go to the company's private lounge and you'll calm down there. Okay?"

My reaction had irritated him, but I persisted by firmly reaching out my hand in his direction. He gave in, giving me the tickets with an angry gesture. My round trip to New York/Los Angeles was well stipulated. Moreover, in business class. I blushed, ashamed by my disproportionate behavior, at the limit of paranoia.

— "Is that okay? As you can see, I was not mistaken about the destination," he said in an acid tone.

— "I'm sorry, Faïz. I was thinking... Well, I was afraid you'd want to get rid of me."

— "You don't say!"

Offend by his remark, I gave him as black a look as possible, realizing that I would have to put up with his moods for the next three days. He walked away from me quickly. After a few minutes of walking, we went to the First Luxe Polaris lounge. A young hostess with endless legs, batting her eyelashes at the sight of Faïz, welcomed us to this very private, top-of-the-range high lounge, with a hushed atmosphere and subdued lighting. End of the world or not, the rich always had the right to their crown of power. I sat down in one of the chairs, which instantly began to massage me. A wall inscription indicated the location of the spa—with showers. A background of soft music floated throughout the large room. After an hour of waiting, half-asleep, a soft female voice began to resonate throughout the room, which woke me up. It was time for us to board. Faïz put away the files he'd been working on. As he passed through the boarding gates, his phone started ringing. He hesitated for a brief moment to pick up and then approached me, whispering,

— "Get in, I'll meet you there."

Before I could even say anything, he disappeared from the room, leaving me alone with the chills his breath had caused.

— "Madam? Your ticket, please."

A second hostess with a perfect bun and impeccable clothes held her hand out to me. I reluctantly gave her my boarding ticket, turning around one last time to try to see Faïz. Getting on that plane without him made me nervous.

— "Bon voyage, Miss Reyes," the hostess said with a big smile.

**

I was accompanied to a private cabin, well separated from my neighbor's. I was pleasantly surprised by this ample space. A bed with real bedding was waiting for me, as well as a very generous catering service. I did not dare to look back at the economic class, being far too ashamed of my status as a privileged woman. I considered myself a daughter of the people, ready to give this place up, if someone came to ask me for it.

— "Madam, would you like a glass of champagne?"

A hostess appeared in front of me with a tray, on which several glasses and alcohol were placed.

— "No thanks," I declined immediately.

She nodded politely. In many states, alcohol consumption was very strict, so it was better not to laugh about it. I noticed that the plane was much less full than when I'd arrived in Los Angeles. I saw myself at the airport again, waiting for Lily, eager to meet my new family. That old life seemed so far away from me... That Zoe was gone. Faïz suddenly reappeared at my side, and my fears and questions vanished.

— "Sorry. I had to take the call," he justified himself in a low voice.

— "Nothing serious?"

— "No. Are you comfortable? You don't need anything?"

— "It could be worse," I teased him.

— "Yes, there was a timing problem with our jet," he replied with an amused look, visibly getting into my game.

He stared at me with a charming look that I didn't recognize. I turned my head, uncomfortable, towards the hostesses, who had taken her place in the aisles to give us instructions, as well as the recommendations in case of problems on board. Once the act was over, we took off for New York. The first light of dawn lit up Los Angles, and the view from above was simply magnificent. The Airbus slowed down when passing the Dome, which was darker than the first time I had crossed it. From then on, there was no longer any question of an almost invisible sail. My stomach knotted, realizing that there were very few things on this earth.