Chapter 9

Lauren's pov.

Vivian was already ten minutes late.

I sat by the corner window of the restaurant, as I watched the bubbling street ahead of me. I tapped my finger against my tea cup latte as the waitress hovered around for the third time asking if my guest hadn't arrived yet. I dismissed her gently, forcing a smile even though my nerves were twisting themselves into a knot.

The moment I saw Vivian’s car pull up through the glass door, I let out a brief sigh of relief. She hurried in, adjusting her purse, her face looked bright and happy– like a lady who just got dicked down.

“Lauren! Oh my God, I'm so sorry,” she said, sliding into the seat opposite mine. She slowly sighed and added. “The traffic was ridiculous. One accident and the whole road just… froze.”

I raised a brow unable to stop myself. “You said the same thing– the last time we were on our way to the airport.”

She laughed lightly as she tucked in her hair behind her ear. “Well, you know this city.”

I leaned back as the waiter arrived alongside two glasses of wine– her usual was the Montero red wine, but mine was the old Scottish white wine which I loved so much. Vivian lifted her glass and clinked mine.

“You look tired,” she noted.

“Tired is an understatement,” I replied, taking a sip.

Vivian stretched her legs under the table as she gave one of her carefree smiles. “Looks like you've been dealing with a lot since we got back.”

I shrugged and with a careful stern, I sipped slowly from my glass.

“You too. You've been really busy.”

“Oh, you know how I am–work, errands…” she said, waving her hand with a cheeky smile. “Or maybe I've been entertaining someone interesting.”

“Mm–hmm.” I smiled. “ So you have yourself a new plaything.”

Vivian laughed loudly, covering her mouth. “Girl, please. You know me too well.”

“So what's his name?” I asked casually, as I sipped my wine.

Suddenly Vivian looked away, swirling down at her glass– like she was stalling for time.

“I don't think that is really important–” she said with a laugh which barely met her eyes. “Let's just call him Mr.E, he's just someone I'm having fun with, no big deal.”

“Oh–Mr E, I guess he gives you that leg shaking feeling– but anyways you just said it wasn't important,” I echoed slowly. 

I smiled, deciding not to push the matter further. Instead I leaned forward as I placed my elbow on the table.

“Anyways, Mr E, didn't come home last night.”

Vivian’s smile suddenly faded.

“What do you mean by that?” She blurted.

“Oh, nothing. I felt that as we are all using abbreviations, why don’t I just use one for my husband– I mean his name is Ezra and it sure rhymes with E.” I blurted.

“Oh?”

“Yeah– he said, he slept at the office,” I continued, watching her reaction carefully. “He called it an overnight negotiation, and he ended up too tired to drive back to the house. And suddenly he came in this morning acting like everything was normal.”

Her fingers tightened around her glass as she whispered. “Oh… my God.”

“And from what I'm guessing, I think he actually slept with his bitch last night,” I said, my voice felt steady even though my chest hurt.

“I guess he came up with the most convenient excuse ever, don't you think?”

I watched her eyes flicker around, like she knew something— but she wasn't saying and for a quick second, something flickered across her face– I guess it was guilt– then suddenly she masked it up quickly, and forced a worried look across her face.

“Oh my Gosh, Lauren… I'm so sorry, are you okay?”

“Of course,” I lied with a shrug, “ why wouldn't I be? I mean, men would always be men.”

Vivian nodded slowly, her jaw stiffened and for a moment, she looked like she was about to say something else— something uncomfortable, but then she stopped herself.

I opened my mouth to change the topic, to talk about this new nuisance who had just moved into my house– the same stargazer from our trip—Ezekiel.

Suddenly the door of the restaurant opened.

Just when I had started talking, I watched Vivian freeze, as her wine glass suddenly almost slipped from her grip.

“What's going on, Vivian?” I asked, turning–

Just then, my heart skipped violently against my ribs.

The same man I was about to talk about had just walked in.

The restaurant wasn't too fancy but somehow he made everything in it look smaller and cheaper. He wore the same dark shirt he had on this morning, his sleeves were rolled just enough to show the veins in his forearms, and a watch that probably cost more than the building itself.

His eyes scanned the room– sharp and calculated.

And finally it landed on me, I almost choked on the wine in my tongue.

“Oh, shit,” Vivian muttered, under her breath.

I instantly straightened back up in my seat as my heart beat became so loud I was scared he was going to hear it from afar. I had spent the entire morning trying to forget the way his breath had ghosted my neck and the way he had whispered my name like he owned it.

And now here he was– for a second there, I would have called him a stalker but I couldn't pinpoint it at the time.

He began walking towards our table without hesitation.

“Lauren,” Vivian whispered, as panic edged her voice. “ What the hell is Athens doing in Los Angeles?” 

“How the hell am I supposed to know—” I whispered back, “This was the main reason I asked you to meet me up.”

“Hell no,”

“He currently lives in my house–” I whispered back.

Vivian cursed slowly. “What the F**k— Okay– okay.. stay calm. And breathe, he’s here.”

Calm was an understatement, his presence felt like gravity under my skin. Meanwhile, all eyes were already on him– in fact some were already whispering, and some were trying to sneak pictures. I wondered if he couldn't just act like a ghost.

The moment he got to our table, he stopped right beside my chair.

“Good afternoon,” he said, his voice was low and smooth as it felt edged with something only I could hear.

I swallowed hard as the stem of my glass suddenly slipped between my fingers.

“Ezekiel–” I whispered, trying to clear my voice.

He didn't even bother staring at Vivian– instead, his eyes were fixed on me– his hands were on my shoulders holding me pinned to my seat the same way he had pinned me against the wall in my hallway.

“I think I left quite in a hurry this morning—don't you think?” he said.

The sudden crawl of heat up my spine was insane. Vivian’s lips fell open and finally, I tried forcing a neutral expression. 

“I thought you had work?” I asked.

“Definitely– I guess fate is on our side, my new work place is just around the corner— I just wanted to grab lunch and I guess running into you has been the best highlight of my day.” He smiled, and I felt my heart jerk twice its normal pace–I quickly had to remind myself again that I was married.

Finally, his attention turned towards Vivian as he nodded politely. “And you must be Vivian– So sorry, I had to do my research on the getaway car that picked her up that morning–” he said, casually.

Vivian blinked rapidly as she stared at me and then back to him. 

“Y– yes. Nice to meet you.”

His smile barely reached his face as he whispered, “Likewise–”

Then he looked back at me as his voice dropped an inch lower.

“I'd like a moment with your friend here— hope you don't mind,” he said to Vivian. “Alone please—” at least I would say he was polite with his request.

Vivian slowly looked at me as panic flashed across her face.

“Lauren..?”

I gulped in the last wine in my cup, as I nodded abruptly at her.

“It's fine,” I whispered, even though nothing about it was fine.

Vivian slowly rose, her chair scraped across the floor as she walked towards the restroom– as she glanced back at me three times before disappearing into the door.

The moment she was out of sight, Ezekiel slowly pulled a chair across from me and sat down, his hands wailing in the waiters as he leaned forward with a crazy confidence—like he already knew how this conversation was going to be.

“Now,” he murmured, his gaze wasn't flinching a bit from mine. “Where were we?”