He didn't exactly remember her.
Neela already knew of this only because of what happened four years ago. She imagined four years laters, his recollection would be no better and most probably worse really if anything.
It made her sad, but still, she used it to her advantage and wore a wig with heavy bangs just in case as a disguise.
After watching him for time, Neela gathered enough entail on the sort of woman he liked to fuck for a night. Bold, sexy, not to exposed but definitely not reserved at all. And just when they thought they had an upper hand on him, he graveled in flipping the switch. She'd watch him use his dark sexiness in pure awe. He would use the lean strength to his handsome form and favorable height to his advantage. He liked the kind of women who almost certainly believed that they could not be weakened, so he could he could surprise them and weaken them anyways.
As soon as they gave way, he took them home... Sometimes. Or to a hotel nearby.
So Neela in return went for a tight black midi tube dress and a thick curly wig that cost a fortune. She never dressed like that before, so she suspected it would've been uncomfortable but in an attempt to convince him she was a new person, she's done so the same with herself.
Neela felt glamorous and undeniably attractive and reveled in the delicate but powerful feeling of it. After all it did make her feel powerful even though that— she already was.
The girl in the mirror embraced an entirely different persona and was sure to catch a man's attention for the night. Many men even... but... she only wanted one.
The heels were difficult to stand and walk in but she'd hoped it would benefit in her walking strangely when she pretends to be drunk.
She was going for that kind of girl—the one who drinks just a little too much to walk correctly or make the right decisions. But not so much she doesn't know what she's doing. But in the end, she will suddenly need the big strong man's help for the night.
She wasn't sure it would work, normally her tactics fell under the aggressive precision side. That was how she was taught to capture victims after all, but this man... this man was different, meant different. He was important.
So she too, had to be different.
Neela entered the vicinity and spotted him almost immediately at the bar. Neela smiled softly to her self for a moment. There were many eyes on her in that dark ambient place, but she didn't notice them.
Her eyes; her stealthy attention was trapped on one man and one man only. The one person she would spot in a room even if overfilled with a million people.
He was alone as usual.
He doesn't talk much, doesn't interact much, just drinks, snags a girl then leaves and then repeats. He would probably be known as a regular here so she recognized that she had to be careful with that. His disappearance would have to be explained of course... but only to those closest to him and those that mattered to him.
Which would be his brother but that too was easy... men like him know the artful ways of being properly lonely. Know how to push and push away until there is nothing, until there is 'used to this', until there is viable excuses that justify sudden disappearances that somehow may just conveniently resemble withdrawal.
Neela pulled up besides him, placed her purse between the her butt and the back of the chair, "Beer please," She gestured to the bartender.
"What kind miss?" He asks with a smile but the twitch at his eye reveals irritation. It was a busy night today, so she didn't blame his agitation. But also didn't usually drink beer... She drinks vodka mostly, straight, and a lot of it but that's all.
"Um..." She shrugs as cutely as possible, "You pick." She added a small smile, "I don't mind. I'll eventually make my way to some shots anyway."
The bartender nods and proceeds to do the works.
"Beer," the man asked besides her.
Oh? Oh that was just too easy, she thought, she would've done this years ago if she knew that was all it would took.
Neela glances at him quick. Heart racing about 100 miles per hour, but she pulled on her best confident smirk and flipped the hair of her wig to the meet the sexy hazel of his eyes. His voice was still so thick. Deep as if it was itching to resonate throughout her whole entire being, full in its baritone, rubbing and throbbing in between her touching warm thighs. He was always so delightful. And he hadn't changed a bit. He's only become more tastefully manlier.
His gaze drifted down Neela's frame, which she had worked tirelessly at over the summer to make sure it pleased him. She was still quite a curvy woman despite it and she didn't think that would change, but he would have to make do with it despite his preference for the smaller than the average woman.
Or at least she would.
It's still possible he could love her anyway. The heart is all that matters... mostly.
Still surprisingly— and Neela didn't know if it was because he was starting to become tipsy or not— but he looked at her as if he were pleased by her physique...
Then he cocked his head and looked away curiously.
"Girl can't buy a beer?" Neela questions.
"No no," he insists, "Just don't look like the kind to drink beer is all."
"Yeah? What would you suggest I drink then."
He looks at her, "You here tonight with anyone?"
She raised a brow, "Why do you ask?"
"A guy can't be interested?"
She looked at him flirtatiously, "I didn't say that. I certainly couldn't blame a man if he were."
"Oh..." his brow quirks... and she could tell the comment appeased him. Neela was nearly leaking into a sweat with false confidence. She'd never spoken so boldly, and so sure of herself this way before. It felt good.
It felt even better to watch him be so tastefully receptive to it.
"Mark." He suddenly calls out but the bartender responds, "How about you make that beer a Manhattan?"
Neela cocks her head at him... hmm a Manhattan was a pretty good guess.
"How about you don't?" Neela intercepted, "Nice try..." She then tells him directly, "But not my usual go to."
"Dry Martini," she says directly to the bartender now who's seems now humored by the jest between Neela and the man she spoke with, "Please." She then added.
"Coming right up..." the bartender nods pursed lip.
"Dry Martini huh," He sips from his glass, "Okay," he nods eyes shut, "I can see that."
"Can you?" Neela replies sarcastically.
"You haven't told me whether or not you've come here with someone yet..."
She perks up a brow, "Well... I can assure you that I will be leaving with someone." She then sips from the finished martini, "I'm not sure yet who this lucky someone will be though."
He smiles wider. Turns just a little bit to her as if that were all the confirmation he needed. Women must find him to be an effortless target. It's like he has no thoughts, no cares, just deeply desires a constant state of escapism... that's why he's so easy. No boundaries. Just an ocean drowning in and of itself; drowning everything and everyone around it.
Either way, witnessing him this way was satisfying. Neela itched all over to get him in her ride and take him far away. Nearly five hours away in an abandoned cabin she thoroughly cleaned, prepared, and stalked up for many many months of use for two individuals. Two perfectly paired individuals.
Small talk was difficult... She wanted to skip all those parts and just be alone in the middle of nowhere with him. Something in her told her that he'd really love the home she had made for the both of them.
"What brings you here tonight?" He asks, "I've never seen you around before..."
"Are you telling me you're here quite often....?" She turns to him as well and looks at him curiously, "Sorry your name?"
"William, and I'd say I'm here often enough. Until I won't be." He reaches his hand out and Neela shakes it.
Liar. "Janet." She lies right back to him, "And what do you mean by that?"
"You never get a little bored of things you're used too. Never crave a little something new."
"I don't know... sounds a little impulsive. Sounds like there are a bit of some underlying commitment issues."
William... laughs, and Neela watches carefully as he does it. His handsome face just lighting up, his perfect teeth (all thanks to Invisalign) smoothly revealed and shaped around by a wide perfect full set of plump pinkish lips. His eyes crinkled just a bit at the corner, but the hazel gaze was only enhanced by it. The crinkles weren't there before the last time he smiled at her, it was all thanks to age no doubt but she liked it.
His hand is warm.
So warm and big.
It amazed her that she somehow found the guts to try and kidnap this man. He was a massive guy. And she in return prepared in strength training for many months on her own and with Elijah but he still intimidated her, (in a delicious way of course) with his presence. Standing at six-three and a mass of lean muscles... of course he would.
"Funny," he pulls away and says distantly, "My brother says that a lot about me."
As he said this Neela realized how much more of a problem his brother might actually be.
And the realization of this causes something inside her to switch. She couldn't be here for distractions, She'd have to take a different approach and be cautious of everything.
So they continued to chat a long time until Neela decided it was time to take a risk.
"I need to use the bathroom," She smiled sweetly at him. Feigning a heavy-lidded sort of look. Two shots and one and a half martinis later should be enough to make a lightweight quite tipsy right?
Or so she hoped... she probably should've read up on it so she didn't make a fool of herself.
Neela sat up, and without having to fake the wobbly stance, because her heels were all too useful for that all their own, she leaned forward against him as if she needed the support of his body. And whispered into his ear, "Can you wait here for me..."
Neela slips her hand into his as though it were an absent thought, but it was far from it, it was a peak at the sun... Just for a split second a young girl billowed and trapped in the darkest cave... she got a peek at the sun. A sun too close, too hot, too powerful. And left blinded by it, it was the last thing she remembered. The sun. His skin against hers and a dancing whistful memory reshaping confining caves.
It was almost enough.
She slipped her hand away and disappear into the crowd of bodies. Touched up at her makeup in the bathroom mirror and wait a couple of minutes longer before she entered a stall.
"Hey..." She spoke lowly into her phone, "You can come around the front."
"Really," Elijah sounds unsure, "You don't think that was too quick."
"Probably but I don't think I can wait any longer."
"You've waited years creep. What's a couple hours more?"
Neela knew he was merely jesting but she sank into herself for a second and stared distantly ahead, arms crossed, mind creating such images such lasting perfect images.
Of his smile...
His lips...
They beg, they whisper, 'what will the sun taste like when you kiss it?'
And she wondered too. She wondered so much her mind just may combust with the stupid thought.
So a couple hours more?
"The world Elijah." She tells him over the phone, "But you wouldn't understand," She then whispers.
"Yeah..." he sighs, "Kay I'm coming around. Be there in five."
"Thanks. See you. I told him my names Janet by the way, so call me Janet around him."
"Does it matter he's gonna be knocked out the whole way anyway?"
"Elijah?" Neela dropped her shoulders annoyed.
"Fine, fine. Bye."
When Neela steps out of the bathroom, she quickly reembodies the too drunk girl and becomes so convinced by her act she almost believes she truly is drunk.
She tells Williams with slurred words when she approaches him, that she called an Uber, and thoroughly insisted she's was not feeling really well...
Her drunken state convinced him to walk her out. Elijah spots her and beeps, "Uber for Janet?"
Fake William groans irritated, "Ugh, yeah. I think—"
He pauses as he basically shoves her into the back seat. He sighs tiredly once he's done and stares at her helplessly, "Jeez. Why her tonight God?" He mutters.
He throws himself in the back seat with Neela, "I'm gonna make sure you get into your home safely, but I'm leaving after." He tells her but Neela's pretend drunken state doesn't seem to be listening. Instead, her cheek relaxes against the cold window of the car door.
"Hey," he grabs her arm towards him, "You hear me?" Neela helplessly falls against him and into his lap.
"Mmhmm." She sounds out long and tired.
"She okay?" Elijah pretends to be concerned.
"I don't know," Neela's soulmate responds, "She just got super drunk out of nowhere." Then he mumbles, "She didn't seem like a lightweight."
"I've got waters." Elijah offers just as rehearsed. He glances at the man caring for Neela through he rear view mirror then begins to drive away from the club.
"I'll take one," William says, "Hey... Janet, you should drink some water okay?" He grabs a Poland spring from Elijah and tries to hold it up to her face. But Neela is careful to make sure it makes no contact against her lips. Only a little bit of whatever Elijah usually puts in those waters could knock a person out for a couple of hours.
"Noo," She whines and turns her head into his lap hoping he'll drop it after that.
He scoffs. Relaxes a bit then stares out the window a moment like he's finally giving up. And for a second it feels nice. Her head in his lap and him entirely comfortable with it.
But then he uncaps the bottle and lifts it to his lips. He downs a swig or seems to at least. Except Neela is next being held upright with her lips locked against the lips of her handsome man. He was forcing the water into her mouth and because of the delightful shock she actually swallowed it.
William pulls away and grins a bit, "See?" He says gently, "Wasn't so bad, was it?"
Neela still stunned in adoration and pure love, remains still and wide-eyed, mouth slightly gaping and she, very slowly, meets Elijah's gaze through the rearview mirror. He shakes his head at her slightly amused and annoyed.
"Sorry," she tells Elijah sheepishly.
"You stupid ass bitch." Elijah groans staring ahead at the road again but she knows he's talking to her.
She falls back against falsely named William, "I leave it up to you." She says lowly and salutes weakly at him through the mirror. Her weakened state this time, is not an act. The drugs were incredibly fast-acting after all.
"Owe you..." She tries speaking against the suddenly unbearably heavyweight in her body. Slowly her lids fall, "...big time..." she finishes off.
"Whatever. But I'm pretty sure you owe me already," Elijah reminds her jokingly.
And, "What?..." Neela hears last from her very confused and gullible one and only.
She doesn't awaken again until she finds them both in the cabin the next morning.
Word Count: 2674
A/n: thank you for reading 😊 comment down below your thoughts. I will try to update every week and max every 9 days.
Also how y'all feel about the cover??