"No," she said quickly and handed the man his coffee and pastries. "And even if he was, I really doubt a kid like you would intimidate him so please back off. I don't want trouble."
I didn't back off. The man narrowed his eyes at me and sneered before grabbing his order and walking off.
"Does he come here often?" I asked with a frown.
Iris let out a sigh and shook her head. "Stay out of it, please."
She went towards the back and I followed her. "You should hire a security guard," I suggested. "You and Sierra are alone here and this place is open till late. It's not safe."
"We can't afford security," she replied and turned to give me a serious look. "I don't mean to be rude, Ziad but it isn't any of your concern. We're fine."
I lifted a finger and pointed towards the front of the patisserie. "That didn't look like 'fine' to me, Iris."
"We can't avoid unpleasant customers, okay. He's not dangerous. Please, just go back upstairs." She picked up another tray of doughnuts and walked out to the front, leaving me standing there.
Yeah, I frequented the patisserie a lot these days courtesy of my growing friendship with Sierra. It got my dad off my back while I avoided my friends and soccer to nurse a heartbreak in secret. Abbu thought I was in love with Sierra and I didn't bother to correct him so he left me alone most of the time. I had also stopped going over to Skye's place and made excuses to Jacob as to why I couldn't hang out over there.
In the space of these two weeks, I'd started to find Sierra's aunt kind of fascinating. It had been slightly difficult at first but I did finally admit to myself that I had a preference for older women. I just hadn't realised it till now.
Iris was my distraction, the only thing that worked when I wanted to stop thinking about Skye. She was beautiful and pleasant to talk to and she also tried so hard to hide her attraction towards me which intrigued me even more. I wasn't the one who was nervous this time.
Sierra had told me her aunt had had one boyfriend in her early twenties who had broken her heart and she hadn't dated ever since. Instead, she'd devoted herself to looking after her niece because Sierra was adopted and there was no mom in the picture. Her dad, Logan, was actually gay and he'd just wanted to have a kid and be able to give her a home. We became friends quite quickly after she shared that bit of information with me.
"Zi? Are you coming back upstairs? We still have to finish that assignment." Sierra poked her head through the doorway that led to their two-bedroom flat and raised her eyebrows at me.
I liked this girl a lot but sometimes, when I felt like I was making progress with Iris with regards to my seduction attempts, Sierra could be an annoyance.
"I'll be right up," I murmured to her and she smiled at me before returning to her room.
"Now would be good, actually," Iris spoke up from behind me, bringing in an empty tray to place in the sink.
Again, I watched her as she went about her tasks in the kitchen area. She was wearing a clinging black top today with a skirt that reached just above her knees and her short hair was tied back in a tiny ponytail with wisps of it curling around her cheeks. I found it hard to take my eyes off her. Iris caught me in the act and blushed again before averting her gaze and it made my lips curve slightly.
I would have her soon. Love was bullshit, anyway. It hadn't brought me anything but pain in the end. So I'd decided to take a leaf out of my best friend's book and sleep my way through the angst of adolescence. What else was there to do? My life had lost its meaning, to be honest. Everything I'd hoped for, everything I had been...was gone now.
~~~
Skye
"Hey, mum, any chance you could have one of my paintings displayed in your next gallery exhibition?" Isabelle asked me cheerfully as we sat having dinner on Friday night.
I laughed at that as I dished some gravy on my plate. "Give it a few more years, honey," I told her. "You've got the talent. It just needs refining."
"I think the colour schemes she uses are too unrealistic," Ben piped up, making one of his rare observations. "It looks more cartoonish than authentic."
Isabelle threw a pea at him and he dodged it before giving her a look that spoke volumes about how immature he thought she was. I just smiled to myself. It was still amusing to know that they had once been tiny babes who drove me nuts with their crying and now, they had opinions.
Jacob excused himself to go upstairs and I nodded at him, wishing I knew what was going through his mind these days. He'd withdrawn into himself so much since the day he'd found out about Jasper and I. I'd tried talking to him several times but to no avail. He simply said he was fine and left it at that. Cole had spoken to him as well and I didn't think he'd gotten through either.
Later, Izzy and Ben finished helping me with the dishes and I headed upstairs, going straight to the bathroom to have a soak in the tub and giving my husband some privacy. He was on video call with Jasper and it would probably get raunchy since it was their date night. They never broke the tradition even if Jasper was in a different time zone.
One more month and then, he'll be back. I missed him so much this time. Mostly because I felt bad for how I had rejected him during our last conversation. It had been a panicked reaction on my part and by the time I had realised that I didn't want to let him leave without making it up to him in some way, it had been too late. He'd already been on his way to the airport.
As for Cole, he wasn't even speaking to me. Yup. My husband, the peace-maker, had started to give me the silent treatment. He only said something when it was absolutely necessary but at all other times, he kept to himself and spent hours working or remaining occupied with chores and the kids. And Jasper's name was absolutely forbidden in the bedroom. Cole refused to hear me say it. If I did try to bring it up, he'd simply get up and walk out. It was so damn frustrating.
I finally emerged from the bathroom to find Cole asleep, his bare upper body exposed with the sheets wrapped around his hips as he lay on his stomach. He'd definitely jerked off during his call with Jasper. I'd bet on it. It wasn't as though he was getting his satisfaction from me because we hadn't slept together since the night we had fought.
I reclined on the pillows next to him trying to read a book but my gaze kept straying to his body which I knew was naked under the sheets. There was no way I was going to ask him for sex though. He probably wouldn't even wake up. And turning to Jasper to get my kicks was out of the question now. I needed to speak to him properly once he got home. Sort things out before jumping in his bed.
I let out a breath and then snapped the book shut before picking up my phone. Maybe I'll send him a text. Just a goodnight text. It wouldn't hurt, right? He was probably really lonely over there. The more I thought about it, the more my heart convinced me that he was telling the truth when he said he wasn't sleeping with anyone else. Jasper wasn't the type to lie just to get me to be with him.
After sending him the text, I smiled to myself and waited for his reply but it never came. I waited for half an hour. He couldn't be that busy. I even sent him a little apology text after and he still didn't reply. Frowning, I scrolled through his Instagram, hoping to get an idea of what he was so busy with but there were no new posts.
As I absently glanced through my Instagram feed, my gaze caught on a photo of Ziad. My fingers paused in their scrolling and I blinked at the picture. He was looking really hot and...kind of mischievous as he paused in front of the bathroom mirror wearing nothing but a towel, his chiselled abs blatantly on display. I was trying to zoom in when I accidentally liked the photo. Shit.
I closed the app at once and took deep breaths. Way to go, Skye. Caught stalking your teenage ex-lover's profile. Classic.
He looked good though and being ignored by the two men in my life made me miss those moments I had shared with Ziad when I had been the centre of his attention. I almost texted him out of sheer desperation but held myself back. Cole was right here and I was supposed to stop all this nonsense now. It would be a shame if
a man like Jasper could change his ways for me while I started to regress. So I put my phone away and settled into the pillows, pushing aside my boredom and my loneliness as I waited for sleep to arrive.
****
Chapter 22
Armaan
The plans spread out in front of me had kept me occupied since five a.m. It was almost eight now, the library gradually filling up with morning light as I studied the designs for the house I was going to be working on next week. It was a humble project but designing after so long brought me so much peace. This was what I did best, after all. There was a knock on the door and Ziad called out carefully before entering.
"Hey, Abbu, are you busy? I need to ask you something. It'll just take a minute."
Slowly, I leaned back in my chair and regarded my son calmly. "Are you sure? One minute?"
He smiled a little and shook his head. "Maybe longer," he replied, walking over to the desk. "I just wanted to ask if I can go to Milan tonight. With Sierra."
The look I gave him was speculative. "Milan?"
He pulled out a chair and nodded. "Actually, she's going to see her dad but she asked me to come and I thought it'd be nice, you know. I could take her shopping and stuff. Show her around the city."
I clasped my hands together in front of me on the desk and studied him thoughtfully. "Are you planning to spend the night?"
Ziad cleared his throat and said, "Er..yeah. But...I'm going to need some more money because...well, you know stuff is expensive there and I really want her to feel special."
With a quirk of my mouth, I got up from my chair. "Not many eighteen year olds can say that they are going to take their girlfriends shopping in Milan." I gave him a genuine smile as I walked around the desk and patted him on the shoulder. "I'm proud of you. At least no one can call my son a cheap date."
He regarded me with a sheepish look. "Abbu...it's your money," he mumbled, looking away. "I'm sorry I have to ask-"
"Hey. Don't you ever say that. Don't you ever apologise for exercising your rights as my son." I frowned as he glanced back up at me. "Everything I own belongs to you and Aaliyah."
He smiled at me and it was so good to see that. To see him happy after worrying about him for so long.
"You're the best, Abbu," he told me with feeling. "But aren't you forgetting someone?"
I laughed at that and shook my head at him. "Yeah, Jas isn't interested in my money. She's got enough of her own. Besides, she's more comfortable spending on me than letting me treat her."
Ziad started to laugh too. "Yeah...I know, right? I mean, the strip dance-" He stopped abruptly and sobered up.
I wasn't sure what to say as we both stared at each other. Shit. I tried to be discreet but it was apparent that my kids saw and heard things that Jasmine sometimes made me do. I thought we'd been quiet when she'd asked me to entertain her the other night complete with stripping to music and giving her a lap dance. This was awkward.
"So can I go?" Ziad broke the silence first and it was a relief.
I folded my arms and shrugged. "Sure. But take Jasmine with you. I'm busy with a project so she can accompany you. She was talking about going to Milan this weekend anyway."
My son opened his mouth and regarded me with disappointment. "Why does she have to go with me?"
I raised my eyebrows at him. "I know you think you're old enough but Milan is a big place and you've never gone alone."
"But we won't be alone," he said, sounding a little frustrated. "Sierra's aunt will be going with us too."
Aunt? "Who is this aunt? I don't know her. I've never heard of her."
"She's Sierra's guardian and she's cool. Her dad will be meeting with us too for dinner. Please, Abbu. We'll be with two adults. You don't have to worry."
"Well then I don't see what the problem is if Jasmine accompanies you as well. Make it three adults for my peace of mind. She's cool too. You don't have to worry about her ruining the mood or anything."
Ziad made a face at that and I started to wonder what he had against Jasmine going with him. I couldn't just let him go all the way to Milan and spend the entire night away from home with people I'd never even met.
"Do I want to know what this conversation is about?" Jasmine's cool voice sounded from the doorway.
I smiled at her from where I was leaning against the desk. "Zi's planning to spend the night in the city with his girlfriend and her aunt so I was thinking you could go with him and get your stuff done as well. I'm really busy with work."
Jasmine strolled over to us and glanced at Ziad who was still sitting there looking disappointed. "Girlfriend and her aunt?" she repeated in a mocking tone. "Well, aren't you a busy kid."
"I'm not a kid," Ziad muttered.
She ignored him and leaned into me while looking up at my face. "Come with us," she murmured. "We haven't gone out to party for so long. Let's make it a family thing."
Ziad might have let out a soft groan of protest but I hardly noticed anything when she was wrapped around me this way. "Baby, I have to work-"
"You can work there. We'll get a large suite. I won't bother you for a couple of hours. But you're coming out for dinner and then we're going to have lots and lots of fun."
She made everything sound so tempting. And she was right. With the game season, I'd been caught up with my soccer teams and my business associates and friends. We hadn't been out anywhere except to a local carnival last month.
"Okay,” I said. “Aali would be thrilled, I guess. She's always saying she gets bored around here." I grinned suddenly, warming up to the idea even more. "Hey, how about if I ask Cole and his family to come with us too? He seems down lately. I think there's some tension with Skye but a trip to the city might cheer them up. The kids would love it."
"Awesome," my son muttered, pursing his lips and staring at the carpet.
I frowned at him, still not sure why he was so determined to go on his own. Of course I wouldn't intrude on his time with Sierra. We could do it all in one day and I would rest easy knowing he's safe.
"I'll let Aali know," I said and Jasmine nodded at me.
"Thank you so much, aunt Jasmine,” I heard Ziad say to her as I exited the library. “You saved the day. Once again.” I was surprised to hear the sarcasm in my usually well-mannered son's tone. Jasmine just laughed in response in that wicked, careless way of hers.
~~~
Ziad
I couldn't believe this. I mean, I loved my family and this would have been pretty enjoyable under different circumstances but I'd hoped that my dad would be okay with me going to the city with Sierra and Iris. It would have been perfect because I had been planning to book a hotel room and when Sierra would be spending time with her father, I'd have had some rare moments alone with Iris. Instead, my entire tribe was going with me. Iris already thought of me as some kid and this was not going to help change her mind. It was frustrating but they all seemed excited about the trip so I tried not to sulk. Instead, I plugged in my earphones and leaned my head back against the seat as Abbu drove us out of Pavia and towards the city.
We checked into a hotel named Milano Royal. Jacob’s family occupied two rooms just one floor above us while Sierra and Iris were next to them. Abbu had paid for everything. Initially, they had planned to stay with Sierra's dad at his tiny apartment somewhere in a cramped district but Sierra and I had managed to convince Iris to join us here at the hotel.
I had a stroke of luck at around five p.m when I left Jacob's room after a round of video games and went to ask Sierra if she wanted to go out. I could have texted her but then...
Iris answered the door and I almost went hard just at the sight of her. Seriously, this woman was killing me with the yes-I-want-to-but-no-I-can't vibes. The way she looked at me...god... She was wearing something in red...some kind of silky dress and her curves in this one were blowing my mind.
"Sierra's in the shower."
"I love your outfit."
We both spoke at the same time and she blus
hed again. I made a grown woman blush every time I talked to her and the knowledge excited me to no end. Why was she so virginal at her age? It made me curious as hell.
"Do you want to go out with me?" I asked her and she gave me a sharp look which caused me to rephrase my question. "Sorry, I meant to say, do you want to go out with us? Because I was going to take Sierra and I was wondering if you'd prefer to supervise or something."
Lies.
Iris appeared puzzled. "That's okay. Why would I want to intrude on your time? Just get her back before seven because that's when we're meeting her dad for dinner," she told me.
Okay. I hadn't expected that response. "Are you sure?" I asked her innocently. "I mean, I've never actually been to the city on my own and it's not always safe out here. We might need an adult with us."
She regarded me with a hint of suspicion at first but then she let out a sigh and said, “Okay. Let's just go for an hour or so."
I was beyond thrilled. I took them to one of the most expensive shops for women's clothing in the south side of Milan. Driving in the city wasn't as easy as speeding along the Pavian country roads but I managed it.
The store was huge with an elegant, sophisticated ambience and filled with every accessory known to fashion. Abbu had generously handed me one of his credit cards and I was determined to splurge. The salesman that was assigned to attend to us was happy to assist Sierra as she browsed and tried stuff on with my encouragement so I had an opportunity to talk to Iris privately.
There was nothing stopping me this time from buying things for a woman I wished to impress. No rules or boundaries. No secrets or fear of being 'caught' doing something that might hurt those close to us. I didn't like to admit it to myself but it did feel freeing. I could never give any presents to Skye because she had been determined to keep me as just a sexual companion and because she said it would be too risky or suspicious.
Thinking about her pricked at my heart again and I pushed away those thoughts determinedly to go and find Iris at the far end of the store. I needed her to distract me from my pain again. She was in the lingerie section, discreetly checking out some sexy underwear and that made me even more curious about her. I'd never bought lingerie for a woman before. Wasn't even sure where to start.
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