Bound By Gratitude, Shackled By Lies.

CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER TWO PRESENT.MAZIKEEN. “You're fired.”My brows furrowed as I replayed the simple voice message over and over again until I felt the faint curl of anger deep in my belly.I smoothed a hand down the deep blue pencil skirt I had on as I turned to stare at my reflection in the floor length mirror.I adjusted the tied sash in front of my shirt, deliberately avoiding my eyes which I already knew would be glowing a bright green—a new change I'd for some reason refused to tell Graylin about ;plus the doctor's reassurance that nothing was wrong with my sight,had frightened me even more.This train of thought drew my gaze down to the heavy, square diamond on my finger. He'd gotten it even after I told him I wanted an amethyst.I let out a sigh before pulling up his number and dialing.“Mazekin” he said as soon as he picked up and I sighed again,arranging my words carefully.“I got your message….”“Good! Good,” he cut in sharply. “I don

CHAPTER FOUR.MAZIKEEN. “Miss Smith, welcome.”I gave a small nod to the portly receptionist as I came to a stop in front of her desk,I couldn't muster a smile just then…. perhaps not for the rest of the day too, after the night I had.Graylin had brought Savannah home for dinner,then made out with her for a long time in the living room before taking her home,and only returned to the house by two AM. But I should be happy that I'm the one he comes home to at the end of the day right? So why was I so irritated?“Hello,I'm here for Mr.Black?” I said and the lady nodded.“He's currently on a family vacation but he says you can start,” she paused to hand me a file and a key. “Your office is on the fifth floor,and here are his schedules for the next couple of weeks.”I forced down the mix of emotions swirling in my chest as I took the file, “thank you…”“Linda,” the lady offered.“Sorry I forgot....thank you,Linda.”“No problem at all,”she beamed. “Just let me know if you

CHAPTER 6MAZIKEEN. “Hey,Linda.”The cheerful lady flashed me a warm smile,“Oh hey Maze…fancy seeing you here.”I furrowed my brows in confusion. “What do you mean? I work here now, remember?”The other woman's suddenly face paled,and her expression turned panicked.“You need to leave…now!”I hesitated,my confusion deepening. “Linda? Is everything alri…”“They're coming!! You need to leave!!”I let out a gasp, stumbling backwards as her face suddenly began to transform,until I was staring at the pretty face of the woman from my memories….but just as quickly, the face went limp.I blinked and her body was laying on the floor, bleeding from a ghastly,open wound on her chest and a deep slit on her throat.I shook terribly, sinking involuntarily to my knees beside the unmoving body,as I stared blurilly into the lifeless,open eyes.“Mom?”The word felt heavy in my mouth,but deep in my heart,I knew it was true.This was my mother,and I'd watched her get murdered th

CHAPTER 8MAZIKEEN. “I don't know…unless you're saying our meetings tonight have been nothing but coincidences….”“They are,” I replied quickly.“I don't even know who you are.”He pursed his sinfully full lips as he studied me silently for a few seconds then nodded,as if satisfied.Then he grabbed his drink and drained the whole thing in one breath.“What do you think about my performance ?”“I…it was good,” I sighed to still myself. Why was I so on edge around this man?“You’re Spanish?”“Do I look Spanish?”I shrugged. “I don't know…I don't think Spanish people have a specific look.”There it was,the smile;no, grin…even better.My heart stuttered as I took in his straight teeth,and the dimple on his left cheek.“My mother's from Granada.” He finally answered,his gaze never once straying from my face.“What's your name?”“What's yours?” I threw back,and he smiled again.“I'm Jordan,and you are...?”It hurt, my throat cinching as I raised my hand and wiggled

CHAPTER 10MAZIKEEN. “Oh my God! Why'd you even think that?!” Linda exclaimed,half amused and half surprised as she stared at me. “I meant ‘vacation with family’ as in with his three sisters,their husbands and their children….”“Well you said he was on a vacation with his family…” I shrugged, “naturally I thought you meant he was with HIS wife, and children.”Linda laughed again, shaking her head as she looked ahead.We were standing in the middle of the bustling studio, watching the costume department get the kids ready for their next round of pictures and videos for a popular cereal company.“Mr. Black isn't married yet…” she started, “he'd come close to doing so last year,but the wedding was called off.”I refused to ponder the reason why the fact that he was single made me want to sigh.Because the assumption that he was married had done nothing to curb my intense attraction to him.“Well you can't blame me for assuming, you didn't explain what kind of fami