로그인KIMBERLY“You were taking so long, baby. Who is it?” I heard the woman behind Asif purr into his back before she peered over his shoulder at me.Her eyes flashed with recognition.“Hey… it is Kimberly, right?… from the party.”I knew exactly what she was talking about.If you remember clearly, Asif has invited and introduced me to a friend of his… an italian woman?I was looking at right at her nowMy stomach dropped and heat rushed to my face.“Yes, it is” I responded, not looking Asif in the face.What the hell had I been expecting? That he would still be waiting for me?That he had spent these weeks missing me the way I had missed him?How stupid. How unbelievably stupid.I had spent the entire drive here imagining every possible version of this reunion.Not one of them involved another woman standing behind him calling him baby with her arms wrapped around his torso.I felt hurt bubble viciously inside me.To think I had been excited to see him.I had excused the fact that he had
ASIFI had always prided myself on my discipline. It was one of the things that made me successful.I knew when to walk away, when to cut my losses and when something I knew when something had served its purpose and it was time to move on.Women had never been a problem for me.I had never stayed longer than necessary or allowed myself to become attached.Asif Farouq has never lost sleep over a woman.Yet here I was.Weeks later.Still thinking about Kimberly and seeing her everywhere I looked.On the staircase where she had descended in that dress and nearly stopped my heart. In the dining room where she had glared at me with fire in her eyes.Every corner of my house had become a reminder of her and what I had lost."Fuck." I cursed, scrubbing a hand over my face.I was sitting at the backyard, the pool reflecting the afternoon sun.Things had changed after Kimberly left.Azeena barely spoke to me and when she did, it was clipped and cold.The easy affection we had always shared had
KIMBERLY"I…I will go get her. Please come on in.”I stepped aside, letting him pass.He gave a small nod before stepping inside.I flew to Aunt Catherina’s door immediately and knocked loudly.She opened it, surprised to see me.“Kimberly, good… I think we need to talk about…”“There is somebody here to see you.” I stopped her.“Who is it?” She asked.I shrugged my shoulders.She stepped out of her room and followed me.The moment she saw the visitor standing in the middle of the living room, she froze.Shock flashed across her face then disbelief."Dad? What are you doing here? How did you even know this is where I live?”The older man's expression did not change."Come on, baby…"Aunt Caterina immediately rolled her eyes."Of course you have people watching us.” she folded her arms across her chest.My grandfather sighed."You make it sound far more dramatic than it is. I just need to know where my daughter is at all times and if she is safe. The world is a scary place, Cat."“You
KIMBERLYIf anyone had told me earlier that I would ever speak to Azeena again after what she had caught me doing with her brother on her birthday, I would call them a liar.But I was.And it was wonderful.She had begun by apologizing for not coming for my mother’s funeral and I immediately cut her off by telling her how I totally understood why she decided not to show up.We did not speak about Hassan and I.We totally avoided that topic but she did ask me how I was doing and I burst into tears as I told her everything.How two weeks with my aunt had been going and then the birthday party and how I had found out my mother was a mistress all along.“She is fucked up, whoever she is.” Azeena swore. “It is not your fault what her husband did and your mother is dead… surely, she cannot still be that angry.”“Oh, she was.” I told her. “If aunt Catherina had not been standing there beside me, she would have scratched my eyes out without caring we were in public. I had to leave.”Azeena he
HASSANI stormed into Azeena’s room, turning off the music and folding my arms across my chest.She was at it again with her new friend, Rachael pretending to not have a care in the world and honestly it was starting to piss me off.Two weeks since I came back from the hospital after her mother’s death and Azeena had never asked about Kimberly.“What do you think you are doing?” she regarded me with anger in her eyes.“Hey Hassan” Rachael waved in my direction, batting her lashes at me.She must think I was stupid.I knew why she had befriended my sister.Rachael had been trying to get me to fuck her since we were in high school.“What is wrong with you, Zee?”“What are you talking about?”“You know damn well what I am talking about. Kimberly!” I snapped. “I just got off the phone with her and…”“I do not give a fuck what you or Kimberly are up to, Hassan. I do not give a flying fuck if Kimberly drops dead. Now can you get the fuck out of my room and let me fucking be?”“You cannot be
KIMBERLY“Why did you think it was a good idea to bring that woman’s child here?” The woman asked, her voice furious.I froze, my hand tightening around the strap of my purse as anxiety crawled up my spine.Her raised voice had drawn curious glances our way and now people were staring open at us, wanting to know what was going on.I wished the floor would open up and swallow me whole.“It has been years,” Aunt Catherina shot at her. “Matteo is dead and long gone, Sofia. Don’t you think that it is time to fucking let it go. The child’s mother just died for Christ’s sake and she has no one.”The woman scoffed like she could not believe what she was hearing.“Time to let it go? That is very easy for you to say, Catherina. He was your brother and this is his child so you can let it go. But when your husband comes home and requests a divorce because he found some whore someplace else that fucked him so well that wants to go be with her, start a life with her and abandon his own family then
KIMBERLY“Happy Birthday”I stared at Hassan’s Instagram message one more time before I turned off my phone and slipped it into my pocket.It had been two weeks since my mother died and her body was cremated per her wishes.Aunt Catherina had been so helpful with the details of everything while I j
KIMBERLYMy palms were pressed against one another, clammy and twisting in my lap.The doctor was watching me, his eyes soft in a way I hated. I did not want his pity and who the hell was the woman anyways.“Kimberly,” he said “How are you doing?”How am I doing?I almost laughed. A bitter sound ca
KIMBERLYI asked myself what the hell I was doing for the umpteenth time that day as I kissed Hassan right back.His lips were so demanding, hungry and full of a need that both terrified and thrilled me. I should have pulled away, I should have thought about Azeena and Asif… even my mother. I shoul
KIMBERLYAnd dance I did… with Hassan whom by the way was an interesting dance partner.He knew how well I struggled with dances and he took his time to twirl me around, making sure I did not trip on my shoes or his.I did not think Hassan had one gentlemanly bone in his body but he surprised me an







