Chapter 24
Ice Cream
SKIP
IT WAS impossible to concentrate the whole day. Half the time my mind went to her taste on my tongue. She was not even aware of being the sweetest temptress ever. Despite that, there was an empty space inside my chest. She wished she never came with me, and that was the most painful thing I ever heard from her.
The revelation hurt so much, but nothing worse than hearing her wishing we never met. I dreamt of going back to that time and never left this country, yet, she thought the contrary. It just crashed my heart over and over again.
Admittedly, I was a bit harsh for leaving her not finishing what we’d started. Once I saw her came, I couldn’t let her go until I buried my cock deep inside her and felt her walls clamping around me as she convulsed. Those feelings were still fresh- her face, and when she came was the most beautiful thing men could ever see on their women’s face-it was exquisite.
I’d been grumpy all day after leaving her alone in the lab, but I accomplished one thing. Scratched that. Two things-one, was to see her and kiss her senseless- I wanted her to feel my frustration and my yearning through that kiss. Two, the scent that I ever wanted for the new fragrance.
The constant ringing of my phone caught my attention. I inwardly groaned when the name of my brother popped out on the screen. Speaking of the devil. What he wanted this time? He’d been busy visiting some art galleries across the city. He was already scouting an apartment on Brett’s building and made some progress in forgetting what he left back in London.
I was furious when I found out Arella invited him to a family dinner. I wasn’t a jealous type, but I saw how Arella’s eyes lit up just mentioning my brother’s name. It pissed me off.
“What?”
“Fuck you, brother! Fuck you! I will shave your hair off when I get a chance, and that’s a promise!” His voice was beyond furious, and I had no clue why. It pierced my ear and went through to my left.
“Huh! How about my pubic hair?” I replied, disinterested.
“I am not joking, you bloody shit!”
“Enough! Try to respect me for fuck’s sake. I am your big brother!” My eyes narrowed, completely irritated.
“Do you deserve my respect, dear brother? You’ve done enough damage and yet, it wasn’t enough for you. You did it all over again!”
“Wait a minute. What exactly are you talking about?”
He huffed. “That’s exactly what I’m talking about, you selfish bastard. You have no fucking clue! You never think about something else other than your willy!”
“That’s enough!” I jerked to stand up. My voice echoed and vibrated in the entire office. “You talk to me like that again, I swear to God- ”
“What will you do, huh? Exile me? You hurt Arella- ”
I closed my eyes, feeling the twinge of jealousy inside my chest. “I see, this is all about her, huh? Did you shag her already?” Those words stabbed right through my heart, but right now, I didn’t give a fuck.
“I will never betray you, arsehole. I am not like you who-”
“Yes, Mr. Righteous, I get it. I’m an awful bastard. God will burn my soul in hell, happy now?” My chest was heaving violently. My body vibrated with so much anger that I thought I would combust in seconds. “What exactly do you want, Clyve? Just fucking say it. I have a lot of work to do right now to play a guessing game with you.”
“I didn’t touch her the way you did in the lab.”
That definitely got my attention. I felt like all the blood in my body suddenly rushed to my face. “What the fuck? How did-”
“Huh. Did it come to your senses now?”
“Stop being sarcastic. Did she tell you?”
“Well, let me spell it. You bonked her-”
“I didn’t!” I finger-fucked her. Yes.
Shit!
“Okay, let me rephrase-”
“Clyve!”
“She doesn’t know I’m talking to you right now. I told her I’m going to use the loo. Well, apparently, your way of missing each other did cause her trouble. What came into your goddamn mind doing that in the lab? Are you that desperate? You know where to find-”
“Just cut the chase!” My knuckles were already whitened against my desk.
“She’s fired.”
God, no!
Regret seeped through my senses. I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head for what I’d done. Clyve was still talking, but I lost the thread of conversation we had.
The word ‘fired’ echoed through my ear repeatedly, mocking me and taunting me for what I’d recklessly done.
“Fuck!”
“Yeah, fuck you! The CCTV didn’t even cross your mind? Are you just gonna cuss like shit or man up? Come here, and apologize properly?”
I blew an exasperating sigh. “How am I going to face her?”
“Are you not my big brother? You are the strongest person I’ve ever known. You are my true hero, Skip. Don’t be a knob. Make it right before Brett will come and bust your nose.” This time, he sounded calm. I could hear the sympathy in his voice, and that made me hopeful.
“Are you with her?” I asked shamelessly.
“She’s in her room.”
“Thank you for being there for her when she needed someone. I owe you much, Clyve.”
“Cut the bullshit and come here.”
A small smile slipped my lips when he sounded like an American. “Be there soon.”
Shit! What have I done? Just wait for my wrath, Dr. Mackenzie.
* * *
I DIDN’T waste any time and called my lawyer on my way to her apartment. The rental car my brother used was parked just beside Arella’s Chevy Impala.
The guilt and the nervousness worsened on my belly. I breathed many times before I grabbed the plastic bag with Arella’s favorite ice cream flavor.
I thanked my driver. “Klash, I can handle from here. Go back to the office. I’ll call when I need you.”
“Good luck, Mr. Linton!” He knew I had trouble with someone. He then advised me to stop by at the grocery store to grab comfort food. I couldn’t think of anything other than ice cream.
The walk towards her apartment door took me a while. It felt like my insides were twisting. I could take her anger, but it broke my heart to see her crying again because of me. Why did it have to be so complicated? I made things worse between us. But the terrifying thing was when I had to go back to London, and she would say no to me. I didn’t want to let history repeat itself. And I wished I had a choice.
I sent a message to Clyve to open the door for me while I was on the lift. The door swung open, revealing my brother who looked exhausted.
He whispered, “She’s in her room.”
“Thanks.”
He grabbed my arm. “Don’t expect me to leave you alone with her, brother. After what you’ve done-”
My brows furrowed. “Then stay.”
“CC, I think I want ice cream!” Arella’s voice made me freeze, but Clyve grinned when he saw the plastic bag in my hand.All content © N/.ôvel/Dr/ama.Org.
“Right away, Are!”
“You let her call you CC?”
“So?”
“Um, CC?” Arella called again.
“Yep?”
“I think I don’t have ice cream in the fridge. If it’s not too much to ask.” Based on her voice she sounded like she’d been crying.
“Oh, no. The least I can do after what-” Clyve answered, then gave me a look to go to her room.
Her door was already opened. I braced myself to face Arella. She was sitting at the center of her bed with her pajamas and a box of tissue. She pulled some and blew her nose. Then she paused. “Oh, I want a-”
“A strawberry cheesecake with strawberry syrup.”
Her red eyes bulged when she recognized my voice. Her nose was red and her lips redder than usual. “What are you doing here? You’ve already done enough trouble for me that caused me to lose the job I was passionate about.”
“I know, and-”
“And what? You’re gonna tell me ‘I’m sorry, and the least you can do is offer me ice cream’.” Her eyes narrowed at me, but there was this sexiness emanated when she was angry. “Don’t look at me like that!”
I held my hand up. “I have a proposal you might-”
“No.” She shook her head. “Hell no!”
“Just hear me out, Reigh.” Calling her Reigh was a beg on my part, and judging by the look on her face, it still had an effect on her.
She calmed down a bit. “I don’t need your pity, Skipper.”
“Here are the bowls and spoons!” My brother, Clyve announced enthusiastically.
“We don’t need bowls,” we said in unison, making Clyve chuckled.
“Aren’t you two perfect for each other?” he said, then laughed.
I turned and groaned, shooting him a glare.
“A simple thank you will do, brother.” Clyve scoffed.
“CC, did you call your brother?”
“Guilty!” He held his hands up to surrender with a sheepish grin on his face.
“Can you give us a minute?”
“Sure-” Clyve cut off when Arella disagreed.
“He stays. Whatever you’re going to say, CC will also listen.”
“What did you feed her, brother?” I asked, annoyed.
“My balls. I mean my meatballs. Spaghetti and meatballs?”
“Just talk, Skipper.”
I ignored her voice filled with anger. I needed to calm myself down as well. I took the ice cream container from the plastic bag and pulled the lid.
Clyve offered her a spoon and one for me. “Dig up.”
My chest constricted as I made her angrier at me. I knew how much she loved that job. I just broke the promise of not getting involved, and it was because I trusted her capability.
I watched Clyve scoop the ice cream into his bowl. When it was full, he sat on the chair and started eating. “I’m a vegan, but I made an exception for your sake, Are. And I’m not much of an ice cream bloke, but this is really good.”
“Syrup?” Arella offered him, and I waited if she would ever ask me. To my dismay, that never happened.
Fuck! Since when did I ever jealous of someone’s attention?
“No, thanks. This is sweet enough. So, your family owns a chocolate factory?”
“Yes. You probably saw our chocolates all over the sweet shops in the city.”
I swallowed the bitterness as I watched her respond to Clyve. Her face lit up though when she squeezed a good amount of syrup directly to the tub.
When I couldn’t take it anymore, I spoke, “Can you talk about it later?” I knew I was an ass for snapping out my brother, but I had an important matter to discuss with Arella. And it couldn’t wait.
“Fine,” he snarled, but he was actually holding his smile.
“Gosh! I missed this,” Arella mumbled with a soft moan, licking the spoon, then darted out her tongue to lick her lips.
At the corner of my eye, my brother tried hard not to burst into laughter. His face reddened, toying his spoon on his ice cream. Clyve was aware of my uncomfortable state.
I silently scooped the ice cream and shoved it into my mouth. The sweet and sour taste of the frozen strawberry didn’t help out my mood. Suddenly, I could feel my brain pulled out some junks of dirty thoughts. My mind instantly rolled back to how we ate each other on the pool table, then we ended up sticky with ice cream all over our bodies. Let me lick you clean, hotsome. I blinked as my skin flushed in response. My engorged cock strained against my trousers.
Bloody hell!
“Are you just gonna stare at the ice cream, Skip?”