One night, no rules

The pull

Jade’s POV

I got up from my chair looking at phone and computer on my table, pale.

What the actual heck is going on?

I put on some loud music to get it off my mind and continue with my day.

I couldn’t forget it all no matter how I tried to occupy my mind with other things.

The weird woman outside that night, the concept of Xavier, the calculated one night stand, Elma’s strange behavior, the concept of Xavier again!!

What if I hadn’t asked for a night with him?

Did he hypnotize me?

I was having replays of the whole thing in my head.

I thought to myself while clearing out my closet.

I had loads of laundry to do and reset for the month.

I had exams in a few weeks so I’d better start studying.

I got distracted from the Xavier issue when I remembered how serious my adult life is.

… barely a week later

“You can scan for the menu sir” I answered to the bell from table 4 in the VIP section of the restaurant where I worked.

“Oh” the customer said and looked up at me and smiled.

It was Xavier.

He wore a perfectly fitted dark suit, crisp white shirt, another expensive wristwatch and fine polished shoes.

He didn’t look like he came to try out our new menu.

He looked like he came to kidnap me, again!

“Do you make a habit of appearing wherever I am?” I asked him.

“You make it sound like I planned it” he answered innocently.

“Are you stalking me?” I asked audaciously like I didn’t know he was.

“If I were stalking you, you’d never know” he answered again, calmly.

I paused a bit in fear.

“I’m here for a brief meeting” he said

I spotted Richard, the manager, coming toward the table, so I immediately put a smile on my face.

“Anything else?” I smiled at Xavier, a little too aggressively.

“Good day, sir,” Richard greeted him.

Then his eyes landed on me.

“Is there a problem, Jade?”

I froze.

Richard didn’t like me and how I got away with stuff.

Ever since I got the job, he had spent months making unwanted advances toward me. When I refused to entertain them, his persistence eventually turned into resentment.

Now every interaction with him felt like walking on glass.

“The lady is helping me place an order.” Xavier’s voice was calm, but there was something in his tone that made Richard pause.

Richard looked at him, then back at me.

“Of course.” Richard grinned.

He forced a smile before walking away.

I watched him disappear behind the counter.

I guess he was a nice person, he had just saved me.

“How did you know my name before I told you?” I asked him, folding my arms.

“You left something behind the other night” he said, reaching inside his suit trying to change the subject.

He brought out the pair of diamond earrings handing them to me.

I looked at the earrings, they were the same ones I saw on his nightstand.

He couldn’t possibly believe they were mine.

He was definitely playing with my mind.

“They’re not mine” I rolled my eyes.

He paused like he didn’t know who owned them and withdrew his hand.

“What point are you trying to make? I know you have other women” I hissed and tried to walk away.

“I’ll have Buddha jumps over the wall then” he said and I stopped.

He had just placed an order, a new fancy dish we just added to our menu.

He didn’t care about my attitude.

Was he trying to remind me that I was a waitress?

I hated serving people sometimes.

“If you want answers, have dinner with me” he said in a low tone.

I shouldn’t but I want to…

I placed the order and watched him from the kitchen at the back.

He looked so attractive.

His colleagues who were equally well dressed showed up to his table a couple of minutes later.

You could feel their respect for him from a distance.

All of them paying close attention as he explained stuff coldly, no facial expressions, no body gestures.

He’s hot!

I don’t like this man but I can’t deny the fact that I liked to see him.

And unfortunately, my memory of that night wasn’t helping me stay away from him.

I was definitely having dinner with him soon.

…

I returned home from my afternoon shift tired as usual.

Elma had gone out that evening so I was home alone.

She wanted to be a singer so she went for gigs regularly. Sometimes I wished I had something like that to look forward to.

I had school assignments so I was booked and busy that night.

I slump on our tiny couch first then my phone buzzed.

A message from an unknown number.

“You don’t listen”

I looked at it tilting my head in confusion.

“Stay away from Xavier”

Another message came on and I dropped my phone far away.

The timing was weird. It was like they were waiting for me to get home.

I was being stalked for sure.

I pick up the phone again and dial Elma.

“Hey, could you please come back home for the night” I asked in fear.

“I’m in the store, I’ll be home soon” she answered from the noisy place.

“Are you okay?” She asked in concern over the phone.

“I think someone is following me” I answer.

“I’ll be there soon” she ended the phone immediately.

I sit still on the couch waiting for Elma with my phone still in my hands.

It buzzed again.

“Don’t let Elma come home”

I froze completely.

I was still on the chair when I heard knocks on the door.

My legs were cold and shaking.

The door opened before I could reach it.