by Lyza Ledo
Chapter 2: Then There was Kohl
Jayde
When we were out of the aisle and Kohl was long out of sight, I pulled my arm away. “What is wrong with you?” I shouted angrily not caring that people were openly staring at our exchange in the baking aisle.
“How dare you!” He said matching my anger perfectly.
“How dare I? What are you doing here?”
“Why haven’t you returned my calls?” He retorted quickly.
“I’m not having this conversation with you again, Antonio.” I said walking away.
“Jayde,” He breathed, “Don’t go.” His voice was full of hurt, the hurt I was inflicting.
I stopped walking, this was my problem. No matter how much I didn’t want to be with Antonio, I just hated to hurt him. I hated to hurt anyone, but our relationship dynamics didn’t work. He was controlling, I was a free spirit.
“Antonio, you know I don’t want this.” I said turning around to face his pitiful expression.
“Then why do you come back to me?” He said moving closer and stroking my arm, lovingly.
“It’s not that I’m coming back—” I started.
“Then why were you with me last night? Why were you with me last Saturday?” He said firmly.
“I was drunk. I don’t think.”
“You can’t keep using that as your excuse. Some part of you wants to be with me or you wouldn’t end up with me.” He said as his green eyes landed on me full force. When I first met Antonio, I was sure there was no male that could counter how gorgeous he was. I was under his spell after only a few chance meetings. What I hadn’t known was the ugliness that really lived in Antonio, no amount of beauty could hide. He was a controlling, egotistical, misogynist.
“Maybe but right now, I don’t want to be with you. You can do so much better than me, Antonio.” I tried for a sympathetic tactic.
He looked crestfallen, but there were only so many ways I could say the same thing delicately. I felt bad hurting him this way, but it would only hurt more if we actually tried this relationship thing again. Antonio was also a very jealous guy and I was a very flirtatious girl with a lot of guy friends, it just didn’t go together and never would. I wasn’t even considering the fact that Antonio was just as flirtatious as me only sometimes, he was a little too flirtatious. Despite my free spirit, I was not okay with his cheating. He had burned me too many times to ever forgive him.
“Okay, I get it but…never mind.” He said and walked away without so much as a goodbye.
“So you just broke that guy’s heart.” A deep and sultry voice said from behind me. I whipped around and there he was still as beautiful as I remember. Kohl with the coal colored eyes. He was tall, well over six feet, towering over me. His hair was long enough that it curled at the edge of his neck. A bit of his dark locks were pressed to his forehead by his hat. He had an angular chin and straight, narrow nose that was strong and fit his typical Brazilian features well. His skin was a few shades lighter then my caramel complexion but it seemed that he had made friends with the South American Sun.
“You heard all of that?” I asked embarrassed.
“I wanted to make sure he wasn’t going to hurt you.” He replied completely serious. The smile that had been on his face disappeared making his full lips press together and narrow, like he had eaten something sour.
“That’s really nice, but I don’t even know you.”
I started walking back to get the groceries I had come for and Kohl fell into step beside me. I threw some things in my cart and continued walking, maybe speeding up a bit.
I looked up at him, “What are you doing?” I asked never slowing down.
“Having a conversation.” He said strategically angling his fedora so it slightly covered his eyes, making him that much more mysterious and sexy. Wow, I hadn’t liked a guy instantly in a very long time.
“Well I need to get going.” I said grabbing the flour and sugar that were the last things on my list.
“I’ll walk you.” He responded casually, just as smooth as every other thing he had said to me.
“That’s nice, but no thanks.” I replied uncomfortable about how forward he was being.
“Okay, can I ask you a question?” He said placing the intensity of his gaze on my face making me take a sharp intake of breath. Man, he was sexy and a little too old for me. Mom would flip if I brought him home.
“Yes, Kohl.” I said afraid of what he was going to say. I was just hoping it wasn’t an invite to a party or a date because I wasn’t sure if I could say no to that face.
“Were you adopted?” He questioned casually. I couldn’t help but stop in my tracks.
“What?” I asked in disbelief. What kind of question was that? I barely even knew the guy.
“Are you adopted? You seem rebellious? It’s common among adopted children.” I couldn’t do anything, but continue staring at him. What was I supposed to say to that?
“Actually I am. Am I that obvious?” I asked curious to hear his next absurd question.
He smiled, showing perfectly white, even teeth. “Yes, it is.”
I was next at the register and checked out with Kohl still walking beside me. “I guess this is the end of the line.” I said preparing to grab my bags off the counter. Kohl glided beside me and in one swift move was holding all my grocery bags. “Thanks, but I can carry that.” I said trying to take the bags back but he wasn’t having that.
“It’s okay, I’ll carry them to your car.” He said a crooked smile coming to his face. Man, that was hot. I think we needed to call an ambulance soon. One more sexy act by him and I was going to melt onto the pavement. I had never felt so undone by a single person in my life.
I tried to clear my head from the fog Kohl was putting me in. “I actually walked.” I challenged hoping he’d give up.
“I’ll drive you home, then.”
“No thanks, I’d rather just walk.”
“I don’t mind walking you.” He tried again. He was persistent. So I gave in besides why did I want to get away from him so bad? He was hot. Damn, Julio was going to give me an earful for this one later.
“Thanks, I guess that is okay.” He smiled again and we walked out the double doors of the grocery store toward my street.
“So when were you adopted?” He asked again sounding too casual for such a personal question.
“When I was a baby, not exactly sure when.” I said with a shrug.
“Are you from around here?” I asked when another silence fell between us.
“You can say that.” He said again very elusive.
“Why won’t you answer any of my questions?” I tried as we stopped in front of my house.
He laughed and oh my goodness the sound was making me lightheaded. What was he doing to me? I barely knew him. His face went serious again, his hat partially covering his dark, smoldering eyes, but they found me and held me in place.
“I guess this is my stop. Thanks.” I said grabbing the bags from his hands.
“I’ll see you around, Jayde.” He said as he brought my hand to his full and perfectly kissable lips. My mind was racing with less than angelic thoughts and I had just met this guy. What was going on?
“Bye.” I choked out barely able to keep from hyperventilating. He smiled and started walking down the street.
“That didn’t look like Antonio.” Julio said from behind me.
“Are you my father?” I asked snidely.
“No, but I am a concerned friend and you woke up in Antonio’s bed this morning. Did you remember that?” He said pointedly.
I rolled my eyes, “I remember and actually ran into him.” I snapped exasperated.
“At the grocery store?” I nodded, “And?”
“And I broke it off with him again.”
“Poor guy.” Julio said with a shake of his head. “How many break ups is it going to take for him to get it.” I shrugged and headed towards my front door wi
th Julio not far behind.
Kohl
Keep walking. Don’t turn around and question why she is talking to yet another guy. I kept walking, walking until the city was dissolving behind me and I was getting closer to the Solimões. I was getting closer to home. I needed a break from this world.
My phone started vibrating as soon as I reached the river. Sometimes I really thought Philip could tell exactly when I was near water and just when to disrupt me from any peace and quiet.
“Your majesty, I have urgent news.”
“What’s wrong now?”
“Sy is insisting on meeting with you today.”
“Tell him I have more important things to do then to pretend to come up with another treaty.” I replied irritated with this conversation already.
“As you say. One more question?” He paused waiting for me to protest and when I didn’t he continued, “Have you found her yet?” Philip asked lowering his voice to about half the volume he was originally speaking in.
“I think so, her name is the same and she will be turning eighteen in a few days--”
“A few days! Sire you cannot be up there for a few days hell will break loose if Sy knows you’re missing.”
“Well make sure he doesn’t know I’m missing, Philip. You can handle that much?”
“Yes sir, but I hope you don’t take offense to what I am about to say. Why must you wait a few days for this girl, why won’t you just go back for her?”
“I have to get her to trust me, or nothing will work out.” I replied going over my meeting with her.
“Have you made contact?” Philip’s no-nonsense voice questioned.
“Yes, that’s how I found out she was adopted and will be eighteen. I already found a hotel and will not be returning until I have Jayde.”
“But…but what if she doesn’t believe you?” He asked and it was a sensible question considering everything he was talking about.
“I don’t plan on telling her anything until she starts experiencing symptoms.”
“Stay safe, your majesty, and I will keep you informed about Sy’s plans.”
“Thank you, Philip, I must be going now.”
“As you wish, good day.”
“Bye.” I said and then the wheels started turning. Sy had to be up to something and nothing good could come from Sy’s plots, except another mess for me to clean up. I looked at the waters they didn’t seem as enticing as before so I headed back to town. I had my work cut out for me if I wanted to return to Encante before Sy realized I was gone. I headed back to the place I needed to be, Jayde’s house.
As I walked back, I thought over our exchange this afternoon. Jayde was surprising the only thing I had remembered about her was her wildly dark curls that fell everywhere but flat on her head. I had forgotten how startlingly green her eyes were, but that also could be because the last time I saw her she was two and I was six. I needed to stop thinking like this. She would be a colleague soon, if she had stayed she would have been like a sister to me. Beauty didn’t matter, her leadership skills are what mattered and from the few days I had watched there had been nothing to impress me. She was shallow and let her instincts get the better of her. She seemed to be a walking folklore and she didn’t even know it.
My work was cut out for me with her. She would never believe what I said to her until she saw it with her own eyes. Luckily for me, we wouldn’t have to wait very long for that to be a possibility. Once Jayde was eighteen there would be no denying her destiny if she doesn’t believe me she will see it for herself and come running to me fearful. I could already foresee what was about to happen.
I finally made it back to her house she was sitting in her living room with the tall guy from before he seemed beyond enamored with her, but from the way she kept looking at the front door she wanted to be anywhere, but home. Her eyes wandered to the front window I was standing near like she sensed I was there, but I knew she couldn’t see me. No one could see me. That was one of my many tricks to play with human minds. It was easier than a human taking a breath. It was second nature to me. I had been honing my skills since my parents’ death. My uncle William wanted me to be prepared for anything even if I was still a kid. I was the only heir to Encante-North, at least until Jayde returned. I had to master my skills early. Lucky for me, I was a very good student and over a decade of training didn’t hurt either.
“I just need some air, Julio.” Jayde said as she walked out the front door. She closed the door behind her and slid on a mint colored sweater over lightly tanned shoulders. “Kohl?” she whispered walking toward where I was.
She couldn’t see me she was still technically human. My tricks still worked they had worked earlier. I stayed motionless waiting for her to realize she hadn’t seen me.
“Kohl?” she whispered again as she came within a few feet of where I was standing. She didn’t see me thankfully. “I could have sworn I saw him.” She muttered mostly to herself. “What is wrong with me?” She groaned as she sat in a swinging bench set beside the bushes I was standing next to. “You are never going to see him again. Grow up, Jayde.” She said still talking to herself. I couldn’t help but laugh at her inner monologue. “Is someone there?” She asked looking back at the window again. “I’m going crazy!” she said running a hand through her now tamed dark locks.
I started heading away from the house ignoring my inner voice and wanting to talk to her again. I headed out of her garden after all I couldn’t just show up next to her. “Jayde?” I said standing at the open front gate of her yard. She looked up and I couldn’t mistake the relief I saw on her beautiful face.
“Hi,” she said shyly as she leaned back into the swinging seat. “Come in, sit down.” She added a little braver and despite my better instincts screaming for me to leave her alone until the time came, I just couldn’t.
“Sure,” I replied as I walked towards her and sat in the swing where she was still curled up trying to keep warm in the cool Brazilian nights.