Hypnotic Magnetic Seduction

by Yolanda Dumas

  Trying to calm what seems to be heading into an irate situation, Officer Needles speaks next. “Yes ma’am, Mr. Naylor did escape from our custody. He was considered a low-risk inmate and given the opportunity to work in a program for grounds detail around the city. Unfortunately, Mr. Naylor wasn’t discovered missing until an hour into the work detail on Monday of last week, and we’ve been searching for him since.” Lena didn’t like the sound of Wayne being able to escape so easily from the people who her tax dollars paid to make sure he was in their custody.

  “How did he find me? I have only lived here a few months. I don’t have contact with anyone in his family, and I never gave the district attorney’s office my new address either.” Officer Pinson clears his throat again and answers “Ms. Campbell, Naylor has been out on these streets for several days. It’s possible he was in contact with his gang associates. The Outlaw Squad may have been keeping tabs on you without your knowledge and informed the suspect of your new living arrangements. More than likely he waited for the right opportunity to seek you out. We can guarantee you this will never happen again now that he is back in our custody. He’s become a high-risk inmate now and will spend all his time in a jail cell. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused you.”

  Lena looks at them both with anger and frustration written all over her face. These people are paid by her tax dollars to protect her from something like this happening. They put her and her daughter in harm's way. Officer Needles notices Lena’s frustration increasing and tries to diffuse the situation by changing the dialogue. She asks “Did you stop Naylor from attacking Ms. Campbell? We found him practically unconscious. We found no marks or bruising on him to indicate how he was blocked from getting to you.”

  Fahim steps up behind Lena furious with what he took as the cops interrogating Lena. He answers sharply “I’m the one who stopped that asshole from getting to my woman. You better be glad I was able to control the anger I felt and still feeling and not killed him. I’m putting you all on notice. If it happens again and I find this Naylor culedo anywhere near fiancé, I won’t be held accountable for what happens to him!” “Sir” Officer Pinson replies authoritatively “we would strongly advise you not approach the suspect if the situation occurs again. Let the police trained for these situations handle it.”

  Fahim didn’t like Officer Pinson’s smart ass reply and is about to tell him exactly where he can shove his advice, but Lena places her hands against his chest. She looks into his eyes saying silently “I’m okay.” He kisses her again not caring they have an audience, walks out the door saying “I’m going to get the groceries and delicious meal I brought for us to eat out of my truck. I’ll let you deal with these lightweight clowns and get them out of here!”

  Angered by his rude comment, Officer Needles stresses “Ms. Campbell, we urgently advise the both of you to let the people who are paid and trained for situations like this to handle it. I’m personally guaranteeing this won’t happen again!” Lena stares back at the officers as if they have lost their minds. “If it wasn’t for my future husband” repeating Fahim’s previous characterization of their relationship “I could have been seriously hurt or even dead before your army of officers arrived. Not to mention my daughter suffering from Wayne’s hostile attitude if she had been home. And by the way, when you leave my property it still better look the same as when you arrived, parked all up in my yard like that. Now, do you need anything else from me?” She looks back at them with disgust written on her face.

  “No, ma’am. Wayne Naylor will never bother you again.” “I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, but I won’t hold my breath with your guarantee. Goodbye!” Lena bitterly states. As the officers’ exit, Fahim shows them both what he thinks of the whole situation by the scowl embedded on his face as he walks through the door as they walk out. He’s carrying the grocery bags from Krogers and several other bags giving off the aromas of delicious cooked food and keeps walking down the hallway toward her kitchen never addressing the cops.

  Lena stands in the doorway watching the team of officers shove Wayne, who has handcuffs around his wrist and feet, in the back of a police van. They all leave with her property not destroyed. She closes the door making sure it’s secure before turning to follow Fahim to the kitchen and see what he’s brought for them to eat. Lena is also curious to hear why he told the cops she is his future wife.

  CHAPTER 8

  Lena walks into the kitchen noticing Fahim has set the food he purchased on the island table. The coffee maker is percolating, and he is standing at the counter making fresh squeezed orange juice. She sees Fahim is slicing fresh mangos and chopping them into tiny pieces to place inside the pitcher with the orange juice to enhance the flavor. Licking her lips as her stomach growls, she sits down at the table savoring all the distinctive smells. She’s amazed at the dishes of food arranged buffet style in styrofoam containers.

  Lena sees huevos con chorizo, Spanish potato and onion omelets, torrijas and waffled breakfast quesadillas with homemade maple syrup. She looks on as Fahim sets the pitcher of freshly made orange juice and a fresh pot of coffee on the table. He also places a full cream and sugar set on the table along with plates and eating utensils. He even adds a couple of bottles of water. To feel like she is to contributing to their cozy breakfast together, she walks over to the cabinet grabbing glasses for the juice and cups for the coffee setting them on the table as well.

  Lena feels Fahim’s eyes on her again and without even looking his way her body heats up from his intense scrutiny causing dampness to pool between her legs wetting her panties. Lena blushes, hoping he doesn’t notice her embarrassment. With her eyes hooded, she looks over at him from the corner of her eye seeing him lick his lips as he stares hungrily at her, his hazel eyes dark with arousal. Lena licks her lips as her body heats up from the electrifying atmosphere.

  To take her mind off the emotional moment, she clears her throat and asks “Did you think you were feeding an army Fahim? It’s way too much food for the two of us.” “Speak for yourself, Lena. I have a very healthy appetite” he boasts. He’s now standing directly behind her, and she notices the double meaning behind his words. Rattled, she takes a seat grabbing a plate and begins dishing out some of the delicious food. Fahim smirks at Lena’s flustered state. Instead of pursuing the arousing moment, he follows her lead and grabs a plate piling it with food to eat instead of sampling her luscious lips again.

  Once they are eating, some of the sexual tension in the room diminishes. Enjoying several bites of the omelet and chorizo dish, Lena looks over at Fahim who is sitting across the table from her and asks “Why did you tell the cops I am your future wife, Fahim?” “Because I felt they need to know along with your ex you are under my protection. What better way to inform them by saying we are involved romantically.” “Oh! Okay” she says a little disappointed by his answer expecting to hear him say something different.

  Fahim notices the slight disappointment in her voice and quickly decides to use this opportunity to speak what is in his heart. He quickly adds “And I’m madly in love with you Lena. I want to have a romantic relationship with you, and I hope you feel the same way. You probably assumed I wasn’t taking things seriously when we were spending so much time together. If you did you would be wrong.” Fahim rubs his hand down his face after pushing back from the table and looks over at Lena saying point blank “My love for you is unyielding Lena, and very real. The reason I come to Tennessee so much is to see and be with you. I never thought of settling down with any of the women I’ve dated over the years. Since meeting and getting to know you, Cupid has struck my heart with his arrow showing me you are the woman it loves. I felt it the first day I saw you at Rodrigo and Robin’s wedding, but you didn’t know me, and I didn’t want to scare you away.”

  “Lena you so beautiful, smart and down to earth. Having fought your way through challenging times for someone to be so young, you’ve become a strong woman and mother. I admire you fo
r not letting the struggles you endured define you or your life. Taking care of Tamisha, working and going to school shows you’re a fighter, going above and beyond to get what you want in life, never giving up.”

  “That’s just a few of the qualities I love about you, Lena. You listen when I talk to you about situations going on in my life. You’re not scared to let me know your opinion on things regardless if I like the answer or not. When we touch, my blood heats instantly with desire for you. Hell, just being near you or constantly having you on my mind does that to me. I love Tamisha as if she is a part of me. I consider her my daughter too, Lena.” While speaking, Fahim has left the chair he’s sitting in and made his way over to where Lena is sitting. He grabs her hand in his turning her body, so they are facing each other and making eye contact. “Lena, I’m putting my heart out here on the line hoping you feel the same way about me. I planned on asking Robin to have a chat with you to see if you ever considered us being more than friends.”

  Taking a deep breath, he keeps confessing not giving Lena a chance to respond to his bold statement. “When I saw your ex-boyfriend trying to force his way inside your home and yelling hateful words about you, I snapped. As I stood over him beating his ass, I had to restrain myself remembering if ended his life I would never have the opportunity to be with you or experience having you as my lady love.” He waits for her reaction to his heartfelt words, and it isn’t what he expected. There is sadness in Lena’s eyes instead of happiness, and she lowers her head breaking their eye contact. Concerned he may have exposed his intentions too soon, he lifts her chin until they are looking into each other’s eyes once again. “Lena I hope my admission of love doesn’t scare you?”

  Lena didn’t know what to say or how to react to Fahim’s impromptu declaration of love. She has strong feelings for Fahim, but she is still distrustful at giving her heart to another man; especially after having such a volatile relationship with Wayne and barely surviving. She thought she was moving forward regarding the negativity of her past, but Wayne reminded her once again of their abusive relationship. There is also her developing relationship with Gerard. True, it’s still in the early stages as they get to know each other. But she still wants to see where things may lead between them. She’s not ready to put all her eggs in one basket. Fahim baring his heart is not what she expected to hear. Lena remembers her earlier conversation with Tura, and she knows it’s time tell Fahim she’s also dating someone else. After his soulful confession, she doesn’t know how he will take her revelation.

  Sighing heavily to build up some backbone, she stands to turn away from Fahim. She pushes the plate of delicious food away from her, after losing her appetite, to buy some time while clearing her throat. Taking several deep breaths, gathering the courage to say the right words, she looks at him saying with a steady voice “Fahim I do care very deeply for you. You brought me out of the shell I molded around myself after the years of being in an abusive relationship with Wayne. My feelings for you are unyielding and I do want to explore them further to see where it leads. But before we can move forward, you need to know there is another man I’ve had a few dates with and I’m interested in getting to know him as well. I believe the two of you have met. His name is Gerard Conway, and he works for Patrick Alcoa.”

  Fahim’s face is unreadable as she continues. “I’m going about this all wrong. What I’m trying to say is I’m not quite ready to commit to a serious relationship with anyone. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to stop seeing you. I know this isn’t what you were expecting to hear but I’m not the type of person to string someone along. And so you know, I’ve only been sexually active with one man, Wayne Naylor, the father of my daughter. So whoever I choose to have a serious relationship with will be the one to have my heart and my body completely. All I ask of you Fahim is not to give up on me. I care for you so much, and I want to see where things between us will lead. But again, I repeat, I’m not ready to take that next step.”

  Fahim had prepared himself for her initial rejection. He knew it would take some time to get to know each on a more personal level to let their feelings grow stronger into the love he knows deep in his heart exists between them. What he wasn’t prepared to hear was another man being interested in seeking a romantic relationship with Lena. Gerard Conway is a roadblock he wasn’t expecting. Fahim remembered meeting the white boy at the Alcoas’ wedding. But he didn’t know they were interested in the same woman. That white boy may become a problem, but he isn’t going to let this unpleasant news deter him from building a life with Lena and Tamisha.

  Taking several quick breaths to bury the hurt he’s feeling, he smiles. “No worries, Lena. It means I have to work harder to prove to you I’m the man you want to trust with your heart, the one to place your faith with. I am going to show you I’m that man. I want you to recognize my love is all you will ever need.” Fahim looks at Lena again and continues “I know confessing my true feelings would be a surprise. But Lena with all the time you and I have shared together you had to sense how I feel about you woman! I mean, I make it a point to see you several times during the week and it not like I live in the vicinity. I stay in New York, and you’re here in Tennessee. That alone should tell you where my feelings lie. Lena, I admit I’ve dated a lot of women. None of them and I repeat none of them have touched my heart in any way. You are the only woman to burn affection into the thick wall surrounding it. There is something special developing between us. The chemistry we share is intense and passionate. You can’t tell me you don’t feel it too!”

  “Fahim, I love the fact you have genuine feelings for me. I enjoy the spontaneous surprise visits you make to my job, at school and here at my home. No man has every bought me flowers, breakfast in my home, shared meaningful conversations with me or spent quality time with me and included my daughter in some of our outings together.” Taking a deep breath, she continues. “As I’ve told you during some of our many discussions, Wayne treated me like the bottom of his shoe. It’s been refreshing to know I can attract the attention of someone as kind, loving and very handsome as you are Fahim. Maybe I’m foolish for not jumping at the opportunity to be with you. But I need for you to understand I need time to discover if my heart is ready to take a chance on letting love in again. So if you happen to show up unexpectedly don’t get upset if you find my time is occupied by someone else.”

  Getting frustrated with the conversation, Fahim returns to where he was sitting and picks up his fork eating the cold food that now tastes like sawdust. It was something to do to keep from saying something he would regret later. Lena follows his lead and sits back down picking at the cold food on her plate taking a few small bites when Fahim shuts down their conversation. Nothing is said, and the silence in the room is deafening.

  Unable to take the uncomfortable scene around them, Lena tries to lighten the mood in the room by asking “How is your business doing in New York Fahim? You spend so much time here; it’s hard to imagine you’re able to visit as much as you do.” “It’s called micromanagement Lena” he answers with a bit of sarcasm in his voice. “I have a great team of employees dedicated to doing an excellent job at all four of my restaurants. “’Salsa Puerto Rican’ is very successful in New York, so I don’t need to be there every day.”

  Getting angry he continues “You know what your question sounds like to me Lena? It sounds like you don’t want me coming around as much anymore. Have I become a nuisance the way I pop up all the time? I mean you just said not to give up on you but turn around in the same breath and question the amount of time I spend here in Tennessee. It makes me think you don’t want me to be bothered so much anymore. If that’s the case tell me and I will go on with my life without you. You will find I’m not the type of man to chase after a woman who doesn’t want me around. I pegged you as different from other females I’ve crossed paths with.” His anger is at the tip of boiling over the more their discussion continues. He picks up his plate and carries it to the sink dumping the remaining
food down the garbage disposal no longer having an appetite for it.

  Lena doesn’t know what to say or how to answer any of the accusations Fahim has made against her. As she ponders what to say next, Fahim turns to face Lena. In a more relaxed tone, he admits “I want us to have a relationship, Lena. I know my heart, my mind, and they both say you’re the woman for me. But I’m not going to let you play me either having me sit on the sideline while you figure out which man you decide you want! ”

  Now Lena is mad as hell and very upset. She can’t believe how Fahim is talking to her. She walks over to where he’s standing and pokes him in his chest yelling “Don’t be putting words in my mouth I didn’t say Fahim. Don’t try to turn my concern for you spending so much time away from your businesses as me wanting you to stay away from me. I told you I have very strong feelings for you, dammit. But what you need to understand is I’m not ready for a serious relationship yet not after what I’ve gone through with Wayne who once again reminded me today of everything he’s put me through showing up here the way he did.” Lowering her tone, Lena continues “But I would like to see if the feelings I have for you are as real as they feel. I don’t want to be jumping into the first serious relationship after being in an abusive one with my ex. If this is about Gerard, you need to know we are only friends but I want to see if we have more between us other than friendship.”

  Getting in his face, she looks him straight in the eyes. “Wayne Naylor is the only man I’ve had a serious relationship with. He was charming and loving in the beginning. We were intimate, and I gave him my virginity freely. Afterward, his true colors became evident, and he treated me very badly. After Tamisha was born, he denied she was his child, and she is the spitting image of him. Later in the relationship, I found out what type of man he really was, a drug dealing pimp and an abuser of women. I have every reason to be wary of whom I want to give my heart. I may have strong feelings for you, but I’m still getting to know you like I’m getting to know Gerard. If you can’t deal with a little competition or understand why I need to move slowly then maybe it not meant for you and me to see where whatever this is between us will go.”