Invisible String

Chapter 47 - Love Story

I walked away, feeling better than I had earlier in the day. I went back to Jaiden's, and he was sitting on the couch and got up when the elevator doors opened.

"Where have you been?" He asked, clearly upset.

"I wanted to get out of here for a little while. I went back to my apartment."

"Why didn't you answer my calls?"

"Calls?" I asked while patting my pockets for my phone. "Shit." I looked up at him, apologetically, "I must've left my phone in my apartment."

His chin raised a bit, and a questioning look crossed over his face. "Hannah, we need to talk."

"Jaiden, please, I don't want to fight with you," I said, walking towards him and dropping my purse on the floor and kicking off my shoes. "I feel good. Happy." I smiled at him widely, and his jaw clenched as I drew closer. "I'm letting go," I said as someone came out of the nearby bathroom and startled me. "Jesus Christ!" I shouted, stumbling backward.

Jaiden walked around the couch, over to me, and grabbed my elbow. "Hannah, this is my friend, Alfie."

"Alfie?" I asked quietly as the man approached us. I glanced into Jaiden's eyes, and his jaw was still tightly clenched. He was also sweating, and his hand, which was placed on my back, was shaking.

"It's nice to meet you," Alfie said, reaching out and shaking my hand, then he leaned over and kissed it. He was very tall, at least six foot five, and had very light white skin with short, blond hair that laid flat on his head, and blue eyes that reminded me of the daylight sky. He was thin, in a well-fitted, grey pinstriped suit. When he pulled his hands back, he adjusted the cufflinks on his jacket and smiled a perfect smile at me. "I've heard so little about you."

Jaiden's grip on my arm grew tighter, and he said, "I haven't seen you in a while," forcing a smile onto his face.

"Yes," Alfie laughed, "It's been too long, Jaiden."

He touched Jaiden's shoulder while passing by, heading into the foyer. "I have to get going, but Jaiden, I hope to see you at the party on Friday. And please, bring your lovely girlfriend. I'd very much like to get to know her better."

"We'll see," Jaiden said. "I know I have meetings that day, but we will try to make it."

"I do hope so," Alfie smiled back at him. "Lovely meeting you, Hannah."

He nodded at me, still smiling as he stepped into the elevator and leaned against the back bar, his legs crossed in front of him. The doors shut a moment later.

Jaiden let go of me. He was enraged. I'd never seen him this mad before. He walked into the bathroom hastily, and I followed behind. He searched through it for minutes, tearing about the room, going through towels, the medicine cabinet, and the cupboards. He even looked inside the back of the toilet. I stood back, completely scared and confused. He looked crazy.

"Jaiden, what are you doing?"

"He left something. I know he did," he said, searching through my make-up bag. And then he pulled something out. It was a small bag. I walked closer to him, and Jaiden was furious, breathing heavily, staring at the bag. I looked at it closely and noticed fine, nearly clear rocks in it.

"Is that...?"

"Yes," Jaiden said, walking over to the toilet and throwing the bag into it. He flushed it, staring down until it was done. He looked over at me and didn't say anything. He wasn't staring at me, but more through me. His mind was elsewhere.

I walked over to him and put my hands on his outer arms and said, "Who was that guy, Jaiden?"

His eyes flickered as if he was pulling himself away from his thoughts and truly looking at me. He rubbed his fingers down the side of my face, his jaw finally unclenching. "Hannah, please don't worry about it."