Chapter 0179
“I don’t need your help,” I said lamely.
This mysterious man saw me in my most embarrassing state. I felt ashamed and upset.
He nodded like he agreed, but I could sense the sarcasm in that simple gesture. The man was upsetting. Scratch that. My body’s reaction to those broad, imposing shoulders, the way his eyes raked my face, lingering too long on my lips, the odd flutter in my stomach. These things were upsetting.
“Meet you in an hour,” he said again like he knew for sure that I didn’t mean what I said about not needing his help.
“I’ll pick you up at Molly’s.” He started walking away.
I opened my mouth to protest that I wasn’t interested, but the words didn’t form. He was already crossing the road to the SUV truck parked a few feet from my car.
The man was five minutes late. I had grown impatient, waiting at Molly’s diner. I was sitting outside on the bench because I didn’t want Mrs. Martin asking me questions. Especially once he arrived.
I assured myself again that I was here to hear how he could help me. That was all. This was not a date.
As flattering as it was that someone like that asked to meet me for coffee, I knew better than to think that there was a romantic purpose attached.
“Five more minutes, and I’m outta here,” I muttered.
In exactly five minutes, I lifted my gaze and spotted the ink black SUV truck speeding towards the diner. That could be Sara’s big shot baby daddy turned boyfriend.
I had seen him driving that type of car a few times. But he was out of town with Sara and her son. Deep down, I knew it was my strange man before the car drew near enough for me to see him.
He pulled up in front of the diner, got out and came around to meet me.
‘I know a better, more private place. Let’s go there. C’mon,” he said as he opened the passenger door.
This man could be an evil human trafficker. I hopped into the tall car without a word, ignoring
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the warning in my head.
As he shut the door, I caught sight of Mrs Martin looking at us with interest. At least, that was a witness in case I was never seen again after now.
When he joined me in the car, I was about to complain that he was late but got distracted by his scent. A sensual woody fragrance that reminded me of dawn and morning dew slowly rolling down a leaf.
I wonder what soap was that. Maybe it was his original masculine fragrance. I swallowed, relaxing on the seat as he cut into the road.
The ride was silent with him occasionally glancing my way. In about fifteen minutes, he spoke finally while pulling into a luxury hotel downtown.
“There’s a nice restaurant in here.”
Soon, we were seated across from each other in a restaurant within the hotel. The inside of
the place was more impressive than one would think. The waiter took our orders almost as
soon as we sat down,
“Molly’s make good coffee too. We could’ve stayed there,” I murmured.
“I don’t want cars in our discussion, I suspect you don’t, either. That’s why I brought you here.
You don’t like it?” he asked.
I was taken aback by the gentleness in his tone.
“Uhm… no, it’s alright, I like it. It’s really calm. And private like you said,” I blabbered.
“Are you hungry? I doubt you’ve had breakfast. Why not order some food when he gets back.
with the coffee.”
This wasn’t a date, and I didn’t need this type of confusion.
*Look, Mister…” I didn’t know his name, so I waited for him to supply it.
He waited too, then gave a half smile, like he was enjoying the suspense. This whole thing should’ve begun with exchanging names first. Or maybe it didn’t matter to him.
Moments passed before he said at last,
“Carlisle, Jake Carlisle.”
As he spoke, the waiter brought our coffee and deposited it on the table, making me momentarily forget that I was about to complain. The fragrance that filled the air re–echoed his words to me. I really hadn’t had breakfast. In fact, I’d had nothing since lunch yesterday.
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I stopped myself from reaching for my coffee too soon. Afraid that he would think I was a country bumpkin who was unrefined.
Silence descended after the waiter left. I began to grow more impatient with the suspense, not to mention the hunger. As I lifted my cup to start with the coffee first, the strange man dropped the bomb.
“So you’ll be my wife,” he said gently. I’ll help you once we’re married.”
1 spat out my coffee, setting down the cup carefully and picking up a napkin.
No context, no prelude, just straight to a marriage proposal?
No, this was not a proposal, It sounded like an order.
Watching him grab a napkin too, I slapped my chest, trying to avoid coughing uncontrollably. He dabbed at his face and the table in front of him.
A series of arguments followed. More like a Q and A, from which I also learned that I was never getting SCX from whatever he was proposing
I stood up to storm out of the place but got ordered me to sit back down. Which I did.
Barely five minutes went by before I found myself considering the wildly crazy idea of actually manying this stranger. Someone whose name I had only just learned.
“Wait, how do you even know my name? And what do you mean you’re bound hands and feet and heart? How can cuting me possibly free you?” I asked.
“I know a lot of stuff about you, I’ll explain all of it as you get to know me. You’ll learn a lot of stuff about me too,” he replied.
His tone was so convincing. I opened my mouth to speak when a phone buzzed. It was his because he lowered his head sharply.
It seemed like he would ignore it, but he huffed and breathed,
“Hold that thought. Hello.”
His eyes moved around the vast restaurant as he listened to what was being said on the
other end.
When he spoke to the caller, his voice was low and curt.
“Elder Atlas, Sergeant Hawke is locked up and will be dealt with.”
My heart slumped into my stomach. Was there any other Sergeant Hawke in Orphic Valley? I
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stared open–mouthed as Jake went on.
“Also, your son is fine now. And I’m not the one you should be calling about this, Elder. Send your complaints or questions to the Chief Warrior’s office from now on, yeah?”
He hung up.
The look on his face indicated that he wished he hadn’t taken that call in front of me.
“Sergeant Avery Hawke. He’s in trouble, isn’t he? What do you mean he’s locked up and will be dealt with?”
