Her love is wicked

Joshua’s POV The rain that night almost got me dead. I could barely see the road, before I knew it, headlights flashed in front of me and my heart almost stopped inside my chest. To be honest, dying would probably have stressed me less than the last three months of my life. Chicago looked cold and unhappy under that storm, people running under umbrellas that did nothing against the wind. My phone buzzed again beside me. It was Daniel and this was the fifth time he had been calling me in less than thirty minutes. I stared at the screen for a second before muttering, “This guy will not let me suffer in peace.” Another message appeared immediately after. “If you’re drinking alone again, I’m calling your sister.” I laughed hard. That was the problem with Daniel. Even when I wanted to be miserable alone, he refused to let me. The traffic light turned green, and I drove forward while loosening my tie with one hand. My body felt tired in the kind of way sleep couldn’t fix at all. Three whole months since Vanessa ruined two years of my life with one stupid sentence: “I can explain, Joshua.” That was what she said after I caught her naked in another man’s hotel room. Not sorry or ashamed. Just angry that she got caught before she could continue lying comfortably. Thinking about it still hurts me down to my chest. Sometimes I wondered if any part of that relationship was even real or if I had been stupid enough to love someone who enjoyed pretending. Another call from Daniel disturbed my thoughts. I sighed before answering through the car speakers. “If this is another motivational speech, I’m hanging up.” “If you’re dead somewhere, just tell me now so I can mourn peacefully,” Daniel replied. I smiled a little. “You’re very dramatic for a grown man.” “And you sound depressed for a rich man.” “Good evening to you too.” “I’m serious, Josh.” The teasing left his voice after that, his concerns were already tiring me more than the breakup itself. “You’ve been acting strange lately.” “I’m driving home.” “At almost ten at night?” “People drive at night, Daniel. It’s a normal activity.” “You know what I mean.” Unfortunately, I Everybody outside looked eager to get home before the storm became worse, but I wasn’t and that was the issue. Because no matter how expensive or beautiful my apartment looked, going back there every night only reminded me that I had built an entire future around someone who never planned to stay in it. Daniel sighed through the speakers. “Look, I know Vanessa messed you up badly, but hiding inside work every day isn’t helping either.” “She didn’t mess me up.” “You punched a wall in my apartment two weeks ago.” “That wall was disrespectful.” Daniel laughed out loud. “See? This is exactly what I’m talking about.” I laughed too, and for the first time that night, the heavy feeling inside my chest eased a bit. “You should come out tomorrow,” he continued. “Elizabeth is worried about you too.” At the mention of my older sister, I felt an instant tiredness. Elizabeth had spent the last three months behaving like I might suddenly lose my mind if left alone for long. Sometimes she called three times a day just to check my emotional stability. It is sometimes damn annoying but well-meaning. “I’ll think about it,” I muttered. “That means no.” “It means I’ll think about it.” “Joshua…” “I need a haircut before Monday’s meeting,” I cut in while rubbing my jaw. “I look homeless.” “You always say that before meetings.” “Because investors like people who look alive.” “And women like men who answer their friends.” I laughed. “Goodnight, Daniel.” “Josh.” I ended the call before he could continue lecturing me. The car became silent, just thunder, rain, and the steady movement of windshield wipers dragging back and forth non-stop like they were trying to erase thoughts in my head I clearly can’t run from. The next traffic light turned red again. With another sigh, I rested my back on the seat and looked outside my car absent-mindedly and that was when I noticed the salon. Golden lights glowed behind glass windows while the storm crashed outside, making the place stand out. It was beautiful. My eyes moved to the dashboard clock. It was 9:43 p.m. A bit late for most salons to still be open. But somebody moved inside. I kind of considered ignoring it completely and driving home instead. Then I caught my reflection in the rearview mirror. Tired eyes, messy curls and a face that looked older than thirty-two tonight. Maybe Daniel was right, maybe I had started looking miserable. Before I could overthink it, I grabbed my coat and entered the storm. Cold rain soaked through my clothes while the wind pushed my body as I crossed the street quickly. By the time I reached the salon doors, water dripped from my sleeves and the back of my neck, making me wet. The bell above the entrance chimed when I stepped inside. Warmth wrapped around me on that spot. The place smelled like vanilla, hair products and expensive perfume mixed together. For the first time all night, I felt relaxed a bit. Then I looked up, I had forgotten what I wanted to say. She stood near one of the styling chairs with a comb resting between her slender fingers, her attention already fixed on me like she had been expecting me to walk through the door. The strange feeling settled inside my chest before I could understand why. Beautiful wasn’t enough to describe her. Her dark skin glowed beneath the warm lights. Thick afro curls, her curves sharp enough to distract any man with functioning eyesight. Coffee brown eyes locked onto mine. The woman behind the counter glanced up from her phone first. “We’re closed,” she said casually. Before disappointment could fully settle inside me, the beautiful stranger finally spoke. “But I can still take him.” Her voice was soft and smooth enough to settle under my skin instantly. The woman behind the counter looked between both of us before smirking knowingly. “Well then,” she said in a low voice while grabbing her bag. “Guess I’m leaving you in good hands.” I laughed under my breath, though my attention never fully left the woman staring at me. “You guys still open?” I asked anyway. “Apparently for you, yes.” The beautiful stranger still hadn’t looked away. Not even once. Something about that should have made me uncomfortable. Instead, it pulled me closer. “You’re soaked,” she said in a soft manner. I looked down at my drenched coat before laughing. “Chicago clearly wants me dead tonight.” A smile was on her face and seeing it made something inside my chest feel lighter than it had all week. “Sit,” she smiled while showing me the chair in front of her. I walked toward her slowly and suddenly i could hear every sound around me. The rain outside, the soft music overhead and my shoes on the marble floor. Her breathing when I stopped close enough to smell her perfume properly it was warm, and smelled warm and sweet enough to distract me. She reached for a towel before stepping closer carefully. “Long night?” she asked. “You could say that.” She lifted the towel against my hair gently, drying rainwater from the curls near my forehead while her fingers brushed against the side of my neck. “You look nervous,” she spoke under her breath. A low laugh escaped me. “I didn’t realize hair salons were this intimidating.” “They usually aren’t.” Something about the way she said it made my stomach flip. I sat down while she adjusted the chair behind me and when our eyes met through the mirror, I realized she was studying me just as I had been studying her. “What happened?” she looked curious. I looked at her like she had just spoken another language. “To what?” “To you.” The question caught me off guard enough to make me laugh. “That’s a serious question for someone who just met me.” “Maybe,” she replied quietly while her fingers moved through my hair. “But you look tired in a way sleep doesn’t fix.” For a second, I forgot how to answer because she was right. The woman near the counter suddenly groaned in a dramatic way. “Please don’t tell me another woman broke your heart. Men are suffering too much this year.” A reluctant smile pulled at my mouth. “Something like that.” “She cheated?” the woman behind me asked curiously. I lifted my eyes towards the mirror. “How did you know that?” Her expression didn’t change. “You have tired eyes,” she said. “People who get betrayed usually do.” There was silence, it was not awkward but heavy. The kind that felt intimate even between strangers. I watched her reflection carefully while she worked, unable to stop myself from noticing every little thing about her. The confidence in her movements and calmness in her expression. The way her fingers brushed against my skin without shaking once. Like she already felt comfortable around me. The woman behind the counter grabbed her umbrella a few seconds later. “I’m leaving before this rain gets worse,” she announced while heading toward the entrance. “Lock up when you’re done, Symphony.” Symphony. The name settled inside my chest, soft and beautiful enough to distract me for a second. The bell chimed once the door closed behind her friend, leaving only rain, music, and silence between us afterward. I cleared my throat lightly. “So… Symphony.” For the first time since I entered, she smiled properly. And honestly, that smile nearly finished me. “Joshua,” she said softly before I could introduce myself. My brows pulled together immediately. “I never told you my name.” Her smile deepened slightly. Then she leaned closer near my ear, I could almost feel her breath against my skin. “You’re late.” She whispered.