Running Away From My Betrothed

I push myself inside and shut the door behind me. I drop my handbag on the grey settee and was about to head to the kitchen for a glass of cold milk when I noticed something on the floor.

Red stilettos three inches high!

I freeze, staring at the unfamiliar shoes.

Aside from the fact that I dislike the color red unless it's a rose, of course, this is not my size. Besides, I don't normally wear such high stilettos. I might also be a workaholic, but I am such a neat asshole who would rather get late for work rather than leave my house in a mess. I make sure everything is where it should be before I step out of my house. I also don't recall either Sherry or Rose owning these shoes, and even if they did, they can't be here without my knowledge because they don't have a spare key.

So, whose pair is this?

I shift my legs and shuffle upstairs, albeit with a heavy heart.

I thought I was dragging my legs and my lazy wasted ass, but I got to my bedroom door much faster than someone who ran up the stairs. Keep in mind that I have looked into the other two rooms in this house, but that pair of shoes appears to have entered the house miraculously. I didn't see anyone.

This is the only remaining room that I am about to check, and it's my bedroom. Nobody would dare to enter my bedroom except my boyfriend, who is not transgender, dah!!

I slowly turn the door open, and the first thing that greets me...

"Oooh... aah... Faster Leo... Oh, my..."

"Oh, my goodness! LEO!" I assist the blonde babe beneath him in moaning, but mine echoes with a loud scream.

My phone, along with my jaw, drops to the floor as their ugly faces snap at me. My mind spins a thousand degrees. I am benumbed!

I blink a couple of times, hoping to open my eyes and realize I'm just dreaming, but...

"Ellie." More horrendous than the sight of his standing tail between his legs is the way he flatly mumbles my name as he hovers off the whore, his dick leaving her hole with an annoying noise.

I am still in denial. That is why I am not crying. But this pain is tearing my heart from inside, perhaps summoning me to wake up to the disgusting absurdity before me. But, how can this be?

This is so not happening!

I lean against the wall, tears streaming down my cheeks. Finally! I guess reality just hit me now. I'm trembling, unable to believe that this two-legged snake by the name of my stepsister and my man are shamelessly screwing in my own home. And in my bed!

What the fuck is this?

No, way! No, how? How did things come to this point? The point of my fiance fucking a whore who happens to be my stepsister in my very own bed? How long have they been making a fool of me, to the point of bringing this heinous act into my bed?

"I'm sorry you had to learn this the hard way."

I snap my eyes open in the direction of this smelly, rotten bitch. She has the nerve to open her stinking mouth to me after sucking the balls of this... I dash to her from the corner of my bed, where she is perched, and trying to cover her pathetic nakedness with the duvet.

Wasted efforts, though! She can't even get the suffocating smell of their fornication out of this room. I am choking on it. Everything stinks! They both stink!

I swirl around and serve her what I can afford.

"Aaah!" She hadn't expected that. I savor the pain she is experiencing as a result of that resounding slap before grabbing her by the neck and dragging her from the bed.

"You bitch, let me go!" She screeches while struggling to breathe.

I smash her ugly body on the cold floor. She screams once again. "The floor would have suit you better, if there was mud or garbage on it. Because that is what you are - a shameless, disgusting trash, Nelly!"

Leo begins to walk to her aid, but I give him a firey look. Just one glance was enough to stop him in his steps. I'm glad he was quick enough to pull his jeans on; otherwise, I don't think I could stand both of them naked any longer. His white boxer is still on the floor, along with the clothes of this other bitch.

I have a million questions. I need answers. But not in front of her. I'll deal with her later. In another way.

I try to keep my cool and look her in the eyes after she manages to get to her feet. "Collect your belongings and leave my sight and my house. Make sure you are the one to explain this to Dad and your mother so you can sugarcoat it a little, because if you let me do it, I don't think my father will want to keep an illegitimate immoral bitch in his house for another minute."

She scoffs, "Don't you worry. I will proudly tell my mother about this act of mine. I don't think your father has time for such nonsense, though. But if he finds out, I believe he will thank me, and you should do the same, because you no longer have to break Leo's heart when you finally embrace your fate tomorrow. Or have you forgotten what your twentieth birthday entails? I can invigorate your memory."

She is neither ashamed of her betrayal nor remorseful about it. What a gutty witch, huh! "You don't have to," I squeal, taking a step closer, "I am fully aware, and I was in total control of everything. I had it all in controll, until you decided to screw my boyfriend and ruin everything for me. I swear there will come a time when I will make you pay for this betrayal. That I pinky swear! You know how possessive I am of what belongs to me. I don't share, and this, Leo, was mine! He was my man! Yet you had to mess with me like this. Get ready for my karma. It will be served hot and spicy."

She collects her pieces of clothes from the ground, and she has no remorse about swinging her naked ass in my face. How deplorable! Even though Leo and I have been dating for two years, I can't picture ever swaying my naked body in front of him like this harlot is doing. Her front? Yack!

"Leo, you know where to find me." She remarks as she leans in to kiss his lips, and this shameless he-dog has the audacity to kiss her in return? Under my watch? So, when did they get this comfy? wasn't this a one-time fuck?

She is purposefully rubbing her enormous boobs against his bare chest, which makes me regret all the times I have lied on this chest. I curse the day I met this bastard.

She exits the room, but opting to take pleasure in irritating me much further as she does so.. "Out of pity for pain," she starts, earning my full attention, "the fact that this didn't just start today is something else I would like you to get in your bullhead, dear sister. I have been so kind to your partner, giving him the fulfillment you have been withholding from him all along while you have been busy killing yourself at work. We have been servicing each other for..."

"Nelly!"

Ooh! The cheating jerk just found its voice!

Yahallah!

"Chiao, baby. See you around."

She slams the door, leaving me alone with this complete stranger whom I don't even recognize.

I believed in the things he showed me and I was convinced that they were all true. The affection, the adoration, the love, the fucking promises. Every gawddamned shit that spewed from his mouth! I foolishly fell for it all. I believed in the great love we shared. What a great way to open my eyes, huh? With Nelly? I could have maybe understood a little if it was some other bitch. But, Nelly?

My eyelids are covered in tears, but I can still see him albeit blurry. Somebody tell me why his head is now bowed? Did he suddenly grow a conscience?

"Why Leo? How on fucking hell did we get here?" I ask, tears streaming down my cheeks again. I thought pain had slapped me, but if that was pain, I don't know what to call this slapping sensation that robbing me of even the ability to breathe, probably.

He keeps a straight face for a moment, making me think a little. What did I ever do to deserve this?

"What is the reason why you would hate me this much?"

"Ellie, it's for the best! You have a carved-in-stone fate awaiting you tomorrow. You will start a new life and I have to do the same. We have got nothing to fight your fate, and that fate does not include me. It is that simple."

Really? That is all the explanation I deserve? He had to make that point only in this way? I take a step closer, my anger dripping with heated venom. "I was fighting for you, Leo. For us. Because of the intense love, I believed we shared. If you knew you wouldn't support me to the very end, why then did you allow us to come this far? Why did you have to humiliate me this way, make me feel like trash, and hurt me this much? Is screwing that whore, that bitch, on my bed your greatest idea to slap the reality into me? Did you have to disrespect me this much just for you to prove a point?

"The deed is done, ELLIE! And we don't stand a chance against your father." He is even yelling at me now. He is so done with me.

I weep. Bitterly! And all he does is just stare at everywhere in the room but my direction.

This moron was the love of my life. I loved him so much, and God knows it. However, everything has a limit. I love and respect myself way too much to false myself on a worthless idiot like him. I guess this is where it all ends. To hell with the hopes and plans we shared, to hell with my clinging to this phony love, and to hell with my belief that he will be the one to rescue me from my impending doom tomorrow. Fuck all the time I wasted with him!

This battle is now mine alone!

"Ellie..."

"You know what I most regret?" I cut him off. He had all the time in the world to speak, now it's my turn. "It is me placing my entire faith in you like a fool, and falling for your lies," I say, calmly.

"You know that I did love..."

I wave my index finger to cut him off. "It will take more than simply screwing my sister or fucking any other useless bitch to break Miss Riccaford, Leo. I will eventually get past the hurt and resentment I feel towards you right now. That was such a cheap move for a man! Nonetheless, I will set both of us free. Go and be with her or any other bitch that you damn please because I, ELLIE MARRIE RICCAFORD, BREAK UP WITH YOU, LEO DYLAN THEODORE!"

Leo's hazel eyes lose the gleam that formerly lit up his face, which goes somber. He must be experiencing ego-related distress. His egotism was always high. But I care less now. He can even die for all I care.

It was my pride that he touched. I will never be able to forget that. Never. And he better never cross my path again.

After grabbing his tee and shirt from the floor, he storms out of my house and my life, leaving me wondering how on earth I will get him out of my heart. And how I am gonna face tomorrow now that the only hope that I had is all gone.

Life is such a screw!

My tears begin to flow again as I crouch on the floor, trying to stay as far away from this awful bed as I can. However, they do not last long as my phone soon begins to ring from the spot where it had earlier fallen to the floor.

I drag myself and crawl towards it. My father's name on the screen adds more to my despair and dread. "Papa," I greet, striving to contain my sobs.

"Dear, hello! My memory almost failed me. Please come over. We need to talk about a few things ahead of the party tomorrow."

I knew this damned call couldn't have been about anything else. "Alright, Papa! I am... I will head over there right away," I say.

I drop the call, and close my eyes, reminiscing on how my life is taking a sharp turn. Do I still need to fight this cursed fate? What for? The idiot that I was fighting for has discarded me like I meant absolutely nothing to him.

All in all, whether I have something to fight for or not, whether I am doomed to be tied to the fate that my parents chose for me tomorrow or not, I need to meet my father. There is no time to cry. I grab my car keys and get out.

Minutes later.

My eyes have been wandering on the beauty of this compound for minutes since I arrived. I had a recap of both the sweet and bad memories that I had here. "You seem to be pondering something?"

I withdraw my attention from the space I have been staring at for ages and look in my father's direction. "My princess, what is the matter?" My father lifts my face and places his finger under my chin.

I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I didn't notice his arrival. My eyes fall on his face, the lantern lights giving me the pleasure of studying his features.

He has aged a great deal. Even his black beards are being dominated by the white ones. His face is starting to crease, and his chiseled jaws now appear more angular than they previously did. His eyes have a thin film over them that I have never noticed. When did my dad get so old? Considering that we see each other frequently at work, I wonder if we are this distant that I missed all of these changes. He is still strong for a sixty-five-year-old man, but he has aged so much.

"Wait, you are not okay," he remarks again, his eyes cruising around my face. "What happened? You were just fine when you earlier left the office?" He queries.

Everyone would be able to tell that I have sobbed uncontrollably even under the not-so-bright moonlight. Thanks to my crimson nose and eyes and the velvety eyeballs. "It is nothing, papa. Let's talk?"

I stomp past him and lead the way inside, the serene aura welcoming me right away as the memories I have in this mansion come flooding in. Both good and bad. I was about to start savoring in the beautiful aura and let the memories flow over before my eyes fell on this piece of trash sitting down at the dining table next to her mother and acting as if she didn't just come from fucking my boyfriend. Now this rotten shithead just ruined the aura!

I should have brought the surprise I had planned for her, but I decided it would be more rewarding to see her reaction in the light of day rather than at night. I can already picture her face turning pallid and her big eyes popping out of their sockets. I'll so deal with this bitch! She can not screw me like that and go scot-free. Never!

I walk and sit in my permanent spot next to my father, opting to mind my own business and also act cool if I can. I don't want this whore to see how much she has broken me.

"Will you not even greet us, Ellie?" Gracia, Nelly's mother, speaks while shifting in her chair, acting as if she owns the entire castle. Or as if she merits such a title as the one she bears. Beh!

"I can tell you two are doing okay. But if it brings you any joy, then, hello, Gracia!" I say it sarcastically.

"We are doing fine," she responds in the same tone and manner as mine.

Well, that is us. That is how we have been from the beginning and how we will always be until the end.

I give them a sarcastic smirk after brushing my eyes on their faces. "Exactly why I didn't bother asking. Why on hell wouldn't you two be okay anyway?" I shrug my shoulders.

She shrugs back. "We were worried you wouldn't come." She shoots, and her miniature ostrich gives her a fleeting glance.

Oh, they were so worried? Poor creatures! I mean, fuck them! Are they trying to start a fight with me? Well, they know who the fuck wins, and that is me, Miss Riccaford! The one and only legit child of the great Richard Riccaford!

"And what on hell made you perceive that, Gracia? Or do you mean to say, You two wish I wouldn't show up?" I snap.

"And why would we wish that?" The wrinkles on her face suit her so well! They should become permanent. Maybe then my father will lose interest in her and kick their annoying asses out of our lives. Then I can live in peace.

I bank my eyes on the restless bitch. This shameless whore has the balls to return to this house after sleeping with my boyfriend. "Enlighten me, Gracia. Or better yet, Nelly can," I fire back.

"Huh...m...e! Oh, Please! Leave me the hell out of this!" The way she appears uneasy, huh? She seems to have taken a shower, but sadly, she could not scour off that disgusting scent of sex. She still stinks with the same rich sex aura!

Given her discomforts, she may not have had the courage to confess her sins. Much better! It will make my small surprise more enjoyable. "I don't understand why you would think I would let my father down, Gracia, unless any of you had a specific reason to want otherwise. Furthermore, this is my home. Regrettably, you both can't say the same," I say, and this always hurts them to the chore.

I zip their mouths with that. I nailed them.

She serves herself a full bowl of some freaking garbage-stinking noodles while shrugging her shoulders.

Father clears his voice, speaking, "If you are done picking at each other, can we get down to the issue at hand?" His wife passes him a bowl of noodles and chicken curry while his rich, domineering voice echoes through the area.

The food appears to be more or less delish, however, I lost my appetite for anything since an hour ago. "I'll just have a glass of juice," I say as I pour myself some. "I'm here now, Papa. Tell me what I need to know," I inquire while I savor my bland drink. Is this still my favorite Del Monte pineapple? Crap!

He nods in agreement. "Yes. It's time for me to honor my end of the bargain. Tomorrow you will meet your betrothed, and the wedding preparations will commence.

Clear as the day! Plain and simple! No riddles nor parables! As if it were as simple as what just came out of his mouth.

"But Papa," I begin in defense and disapproval, "you already know how I feel about this. I have often, always stated that I object to this arranged marriage. Can't you do something?" I beg.

He shakes his head. "Ellie, there is nothing that we can do. I can't go back on my words."

"And you are so pleased with this, Papa?" I snap, feeling hopeless and helpless, "You are okay trading me off? Your only child, papa? You are not even going to think about how I feel or what happens to my life after that ridiculous marriage."

"Oh, please! Quit acting so dramatic! It's just marriage, not a death sentence! What a crying baby!" Nelly fires.

Who invited her into this discussion? No, who actually lied to her that she has the right to pop her nose in this matter? As what?

I should put her in her place, but I have something more urgent to handle first. And I don't want my emotions to betray me. I should not give her another reason to smile today. Her spade is in the fire.

I turn to my father. "We better talk in your study, Papa. After all, this is an exclusively family matter between father and daughter," I mutter as I stand on my feet, my father doing the same.

I don't give even just a glance as father and I walk upstairs to his study. The pain of what Nelly did to me and the fear of what my tomorrow holds guides my steps to my father's study.

We get in, and we both sit across from each other. "Back to what I was saying, my dear. so..."

"My decision is final, Papa," I cut him off boldly, "I am not marrying him."

I furiously stand up while he crosses his hands across his chest and leans back to his swivel chair. He says, "Neither you nor I have a choice. You must do what needs to be done."

I glare at him. "You don't feel sorry for me, Papa? Not even sympathy for your daughter can make you change this."

"I have told you from the start, Ellie, and you have always known that this was bound to happen. We cannot do anything. You have to do this."

"Well, I do not want to. I am not going to." I stand my ground, unbended and unthreatened, unwilling to bow to this absurdity.

"Ellie, please," His voice detonates, his gaze fierce on me, "don't rile me up. I beg you, don't make this any more difficult for me; everything is on the line."

"I know. But tell me, Pa. What is more important to you? Your daughter's life or your reputation and company?" I challenge. I know he has a choice here. There is always a choice in everything. He can do something if he wants to.

"You know that if I had to choose, Ellie, you would be the one I would choose. However, that is not the case here. This is about me keeping my word and fulfilling my pledge to a specific person." He stands up and walks to me. "Damian Riccaforte is a good man, and I can bet my life and my fortune on that. At some point, you will come to adore him."

Ooh, wow! Do we really train our hearts to love, or do we love what our hearts choose? What shit of love is this one?

"How could you possibly have such faith in someone you know nothing about, Father? What if he turns out to be a psycho, a crazy maniac, a drug addict, or a pusher? What then?" I argue.

"I know the Riccarfortes way from childhood, my dear. What you are thinking of them is an insult," he says.

As usual, there is no chance of me winning this battle against my father. There is no point in begging or arguing. It will all be just but a waste of time and energy in the end.

I nod bitterly. "I suppose there is no other way to go about this, Papa?" I ask. The irony is that only I have the final say on this one. Only I have the answer to this question.

He shakes his head. "I'm afraid not. My hands are tied."

However, mine are not, Papa. My hands are not tied, nor am I caged, nor will I let myself be forced into this cage. I will do whatever I possibly can to save my ass. There is no way I am risking my life merely because of a ridiculous agreement. If you can't end this absurdity, then I will, Papa. I just hope that someday, you will find it in your heart to forgive me.

My heart is racing as I collapse into his arms for a hug. "I'll leave to get ready, Dad!" I say as we pull away.

He smiles, hugging my shoulders. "Alright. Be careful on the road, my dear. See you. I love you," he says, rubbing my shoulders gently.\

"I love you too, Pa," I say from the bottom of my heart.

I love him so much. I still respect him so much. But sometimes, we ought to put ourselves and our interests before anyone else. Selfishness is sometimes not a crime. And this time, I am choosing myself and my happiness.

I turn my back to him, tap my feet on the floor, and walk out.

I am driving south on an obscure street in the middle of a winter night in a modern city when all of a sudden my car stops in the middle of the road. The engine wouldn't start despite my chronic exertions to restart it. I glance at the fuel gauge on the dashboard with heavy eyes as anxiety and panic pervade my entire being. Damn! The tank is empty! Really excellent. Freaking wow! How come I didn't notice?

With my heart thumping in my chest, I kick the door open and drag my lethargic, worn-out self outside. I am not accustomed to spending so much time in the driver's seat. Heck! My longest solo drive so far has probably been an hour. And now, since I fled out of the office, how long have I been driving? My watch reads ten minutes to midnight. I am worn out. I am so drained. How I managed to maintain control of the steering for such an absurdly more than eight-hour drive is indecipherable.

It was at exactly two in the afternoon when the meeting ended at the Ricca court where our main office is located. All the city's offices of our hotels were shut down during that time in honor of the engagement party. Everyone was invited, and they were all anticipating the grand grandeur event. I giggled as my employees teased me and expressed their wishes as they left the workplace. Little did they know that it would be one hell of a party.

After lying to my father that I needed to check on something real quick in my office before following him back to the house, at around five in the evening, he left, and I locked myself in the office wondering whether I was ready for this. Thirty minutes after everyone had departed, I hopped in my car and after making a few laps on Nairobi's clogged, bustling roads, I took a U-turn and veered off while depressing the pedal. The road's name and its destination were unknown to me. I just made the initial turn away from what was expected of me without caring where I would end up.

That is how I eventually found myself wandering here in the splendid metropolis of leisure and pleasure, as they like to call it -Mombasa City. It is one of the most tremendous cities in this country. In the south it borders Tanzania and is on Kenya's outskirts. Heard of the vast Indian Ocean? Well, this city serves as one of its shorelines. Incredible, isn't it? I am not sure why I oddly ended up here. The irony! My situation has absolutely no connection with this city at all, yet here I am. Lost in this city.

That aside for now.

I stamp my feet on the surface of the new city feeling apprehensive despite the lovely street orange lights blazing above me albeit dimly. The street is perfectly clear, more kind of deserted. No single soul is roaming around except me and my baby here. Not even a single car passing by. Why on earth did I end up on this street? And just now my baby breaks down on me, of all times and places?

"Come on, baby!" I grumble as I furiously slam the door shut.

What in the world am I expected to do now, huh? I shut off my damn phones the moment I stepped out of the office, and I can't risk switching them on. I can not risk the chance of my father locating me and hauling my ass back to that grotesque fiance whom I don't want to ever lay my eyes. I cannot risk getting found this soon. I am not sure how long I can elude detection, but at the very least I don't want to be found now.

I can imagine what kind of beast my father looks like right now. He undoubtedly is fuming with rage right now, I know that. No one has ever challenged him this way. No one dared to defy him this way. so I can only visualize how a defeated, humiliated, and enraged Richard Bradley Riccaford looks right now. The extent of his rage is something I would not want to think about right now.

I heave a heavy sigh as I turn around to get back inside the car. I can't stay out here all night, and as it is, there is nothing I can do at the moment. I doubt there is even a petrol station nearby, and the fact that there is no single soul that I can ask tops it all. What a...

Just as I tap my palm on the door ready to get inside and hopefully dodge through the scary silent night in the car, the lights of an oncoming vehicle creeping up behind me stop me. I give up trying to get inside and instead stand at the door with my back against it, staring at the approaching huge machine with its agonizing lights threatening to impair my vision. I cross my right arm over my eyes to shield my eyes from the obnoxious lights. Heck! Can it just stop? I have already had enough of it and every freaking shit today! Can it...

"You need help, miss?"

My ears are filled with an icy but pleasant calm tone that reverberates in the equilibrium of the street. I tremor erupts in my body, a piercing chill cutting through my spine and I refuse to open my eyes. That voice is simply too endearing to be real. Wait...real? That thought alone erupts more shivers all over my body.

"Miss? Hello?" The man speaks again, and now I feel the urge to confirm my fears or prove them wrong.

I cautiously peel my eyes as my hand plunges from my forehead. The black limousine's lamps have been dimmed off. I should be grateful to the heavens for that because otherwise, they would have impaired me, but not now when a breathtakingly Greek god is towering over me bleeding only God knows what. I am not sure what is more perplexing. Is it his stupendously physical features, his endearing stature, or merely the way his eyes sparkle in the shades of the street lamps? Or perhaps his rich black sapil potent odor that is cutting deep in my nostrils.

"Hey!"

or better yet, the beautiful curls of his soft pink lips as he speaks.

I swallow hard as I try to move away from him and shake off my thoughts, but my bad! I forgot that my back was pressed against the automobile.

Forget the city's aforementioned features and beauty. Did I mention that this city has ghost-related myths as well? Real ghosts, yes. I am skeptical if that is real or not, but the stories are all over, and one always gets warned of them every time they are coming to this city. What if it is actually true and one is standing right in front of me right now on this terrifying night? If not, why is in God's name is he the only creature on this deserted road, huh? God, oh God! I didn't flee from my ghost fiance only to run into a bonafide ghost, did I?

"Miss? What are you doing by yourself in the middle of the night? Do you need help?" Once more, his voice softly echoes, cutting my scary imagination short.

I blink countless times after realizing that I have been peering at him the entire time. Nevertheless, despite the anxiety that is eroding my bones, at least I dare to gape at him.

A big white lie! I cannot afford to do that physically. I am having trouble controlling my breathing at the moment. I can't stand the alluring beauty of his eyes even for a second. Such dramas have no place in me, but he holds this look that wants to swallow me and bury me deep into their bottomless bottoms.

"Y...o...u? What...are you doing by yourself at this hour of the night?" I finally find my voice and the strength to mutter something amidst all the fear engulfing me, stuttering like a toddler learning to speak.

I manage to earn myself a smirk and a raised eyebrow from him. Then, as he raises the corners of his mouth to speak again, his countenance abruptly becomes flat. "I should be resting in my house a few meters ahead if you weren't blocking the road."

Shit! So, he is human? No, actually, a walking charm, to say the least. His demeanor confused me to the point of forgetting that my car stopped in the middle of the road, and his limousine was obviously too huge to fit in any of the remaining tight spaces on the sides. Makes me wonder why I veered off my line that much.

His gaze follows my motions as I draw my back away from the car and stride away both from it and from him, as I muster the courage to speak again, "Fuel. I...accidentally ran out of fuel," I say, averting his bewitching eyes, and trying to point my car at my back, hopefully, he can shift his gaze and stop tormenting me with his gaze.

"And where were you headed to?" His voice resonates again in the lull of the street.

"Ah..." My mouth hangs agape as soon as it opens.

Ahem! Ahem! Yes, where was I going to, again? I mean, I should have looked around for a hotel to check into the minute I entered the city. Or I should have even taken care of it before embarking on this journey. Or at least when I noticed darkness dominating the light. How could I have been so clumsy? Am I really this messed up? Did my rage and confusion have to drive me so deep all the way here? In the middle of nowhere and without a destination?

"You might swallow a fly if you don't close your mouth."

Shit! I shut my mouth, looking away from him for a moment.

"I... I was... Just driving along. Yeah!" I lie. You should see me trying to smile to make it look more convincing, but no smile leaves my lips.

He looks around as though questioning my statement, then settles his eyes on me when he is done. "Oookay!" The way he drags the word, huh? "Your car will be safe here for the night. I mean, the station is kilometers away from here. However, I can't leave a beautiful goddess like you here all alone. The angels will not allow me to rest."

Beautiful goddess! Accentuate that. Whether he is flirting or not, that kinda hits in an endearing way. I would be melting at his flirtatious gestures if I did not have a sixth sense though. He might not be a ghost after all, but rather he might be one of these badass women-eaters. You know, these sex-obsessed morons whose third limb jerks with ecstasy at the sight of every opposite gender that crosses their path?

"How about I drive you back to your place and I will have your car delivered to you in the morning. Is that okay?"

Shit! My home is back in Nairobi, a freaking seven or eight-hour drive from here. I won't ask if he can drive me there, but I don't want to go back there.

Damn!

Wait, What happened to, 'you can sleep over at my place just for tonight?' He said his house is just some meters away, dah! Wait, what am I thinking, huh? Good grief! He may not be a womanizer either, but a hot guy of his charisma must definitely have a wife or a blonde bimbo to warm his bed every night. He cannot afford to have an inconvenience. Sigh!

"So?" He implores when I take forever to respond.

"So?" an arc over his eyebrows denotes just how much of a fool I am making myself look to be. Shit! Blink! Blink! "I don't have a place. I just got into the city and well, I ended up here, in this mess. And in the middle of nowhere," I mumble.

"Okay. To my house then? Let's..."

"Huh? Excuse me?" I query with a racing heart, cutting him off, or so I thought because he cuts me off too.

"You have no choice because I am not taking a no for an answer, Gorgeous. As I said, I don't want the angels to haunt me tonight," he speaks again since he seems to be the one with a voice here.

Hold on! I can not possibly top up all the madness that has transpired in less than 24 hours with this one, can I? A dripping cold winter night in a strange city, and in a pant-wetting stranger's abode? No hell of a freaking way!

I open my mouth to object, but he beats me to it, "You have zero options, Miss Beautiful. I am sure you also don't want to pass the night all alone out here, right?" His voice drips with touches of sarcasm, but I have nothing against it.