-Natasha-
I jolted to my feet, my heart pounded like a violent drumbeat. I rushed to the window and tried to peek through without moving the curtains, I couldn't really tell if it was any of Mike's cars. Mike had no personal reason to be chasing after me anyway, he'd send his goons. In no time at all, there was open gun fire. I couldn't scream or anything, I just retreated and hoped they didn't know I was in there, it only lasted for half a minute and the next cars were raving past the hood, as for me I was wet with both tears and sweat. I just thought what have I gotten myself into? I mean at first I wanted to enjoy bringing Mike down for Clarissa and Moana, yet they ended up hating on me, having me for an enemy.
'My phone beeped as I was deep in ponder, it was Rin, get out of there now, I saved your ass once but the next time they come it'll be Mike himself, take your daughter and leave before you even endanger Merlin's life.'
I didn't think twice about it, I quickly sprang up my feet to fetch my daughter from Merlin's bed, he was still sound asleep despite the violent gunfight a couple of minutes ago. I raced outside past Rin who was sitting just out the door, I never felt like saying a thing to her, not even thanks, she even sarcastically shouted "you're welcome" I rushed into Merlin's garage and quickly drove off, to where? No one knew, and as far as I was concerned, Rin was the bad guy here…she might've alerted Mike about the possibility of me running away otherwise he wouldn't hunt for me this much. I just drove as fast as I could, my heart was throbbing, that too in the middle of the night, no one told me there wouldn't be a way out if I ever became a mascot but for my daughter's sake I wouldn't let that be in a coffin. Trying so hard to place the thought of Rin aside, I wondered who else might've tipped Mike about my quitting. It wouldn't be Grace because she harboured fantasies of me getting back to my true love as at times I'd tell her everything while drunk, I cleared her as a possible suspect in this matter. Rin still vapoured in my head like thick dark smoke, after all she felt threatened that I would perhaps take Merlin from her. After all the driving, I found myself at Clarissa's place and decided to stop, lights were off, clearly people were sleeping, so I parked just outside her garage, I vowed to spend the night there but the kitchen lights switched on as I had just parked. I rushed out the car to the window, how convenient, I thought.
"Clarissa" I called softly but she jerked and screamed loud enough to send the birds flying.
"Clarissa, it's Natasha"
She slowly wound up the curtain with a seriously awestruck face, then ran to the door.
"Oh my God, Natasha what is this? Are you okay?" For some reason she could tell that I badly needed her help, I couldn't believe that she even hugged me as she asked if I was okay. In my head I was a beast to her, not to mention that she was the more hot tempered than Moana.
"Mike's hunting for me, I needed a place where he wouldn't suspect" I cried and added, "I couldn't think of anywhere else"
"No, come on in, my husband won't come home tonight" she said, oh yeah! She was married. I'd almost forgotten about that, and the fact that I didn't attend her wedding made me feel like a worse monster than I already was. I took my daughter from the car and walked in before Clarissa shut the door, she directed me to the living room after taking Melissa to bed in her son's room, I didn't even know she had a son, shit I felt like my guts were twisting with guilt.
"Your son, what's his name?"
"Brandon" she responded with such a generous smile on her face.
"I didn't know you had a son" I said, I felt real shame as I said this. I even bowed my head in embarrassment. She just looked aside and said it was okay, but I could tell she felt somewhat hurt, I most certainly couldn't apologize, and we were both awkwardly quiet until she asked.
"Is he after his daughter or what?"
Knowing the daughter wasn't his, I denied that. However he knew it too, it would be dramatic if he'd start claiming her because she looked nothing like her, rather she was pretty light and more like Merlin. I hoped he'd notice if he saw her. That seemed a lot surprising to her, she was speechless after years of thinking Mike was the father of my child and now she hears it's the Italian guy.
"The Italian who just left, is your daughter's daddy?"
I nodded,
"Talk about Bollywood in real life girl, I was always wondering why he seemed so heartbroken" she said with much delight on her face. I couldn't guess if it was because I had messed people's lives or the fact that my daughter had a better human being for a daddy.
"I know, I messed up, but I love him, in the past five years, he's been the only thing in my mind, now I want to introduce him to his daughter" I said raising my chin to hold the tears back inside. She stood from her couch and sat beside me wrapping me into her warm arms.
"But he's gone, will you go after him?"
"No, he stayed, probably for Rin, they—she—kissed him at the airport and probably convinced him not to go"
"Oh my God" she sighed, then after several seconds of silence she added a sorry to make me feel better.
"No, I deserved it Clarissa, every bit of it, I..."
"No girl, no one deserves any of this, lemme get you water, you did a lot of running" she said walking out to the kitchen, I looked around her home, there were pictures of a seemingly happy family, her, the husband and baby. Yet I noticed something odd from the husband, so I walked closer to the photo, oh my God, I knew him... his name was...
Two weeks earlier
"Black Rose, meet Aron, Aron, Black Rose" that was Rin introducing a client to me, a rich client, as always, but there was something different about this one, he specially wanted his needs served in a private VIP suite, at an external five star hotel, how oddly amusing.
"Sure DaRing, I'll take good care of him" I said, he really looked like a proper man, upright and all until we started talking. He drove to the hotel where he'd booked for the night, everything therein was exquisite, the Clermont club in Hannival was nothing compared to this, I prepared myself for him and signalled when I was ready. His hand orbited everywhere around my body, he turned me on, something that'd never been done before unless when I would think of Merlin, so I felt like I was giving this guy a wrong spot in my life, I thought of saying no, but the no came out with a spurt of pleasure. It caught me off guard. I tried it again, gosh it wouldn't work until the moment he reached to completely strip me, I held his hand.
"Not yet" I whispered,
But I couldn't control my heartbeat, and I was panting so hard and I could feel massive heat on my face. I'm sure he must've felt that victory in him, he was going to make the infamous black rose squirt, he reached out to his pocket, he didn't even bother counting the money that was therein, it was a lot, he just threw it over my shoulder and continued whatever he was doing, the money almost turned me off. but he didn't let that happen. He came in so hard, I felt like I wanted him so bad so much to say don't stop, however I was in control here, how could i let him win, I turned him around and mounted him like he was a cowboy horse, though he had weird preferences like seeing me naked to the skin all around my body, I still felt this had to be my win. I am the black rose and you've heard of me, I need to live up to my reputation, I thought. I couldn't control whatever sounds that escaped my lips, they were filled with air anyway, the wakeup call came when he groaned, oh, yeah I was going overboard, lost in sexual pleasure while Merlin was alone in Hannival. But really, was this who I really was, I mean my true colours, one of our friends in the outcast circle back in Italy, Rajesh never truly liked me, he always thought I was never fair to Merlin, is this what he meant?, though his girlfriend Priya would disagree but, this was who I was...
6 years earlier
"Natasha, when was the last time you heard from Merlin?" Rajesh asked viciously, I couldn't give an honest answer but it had been three days, we'd gotten ourselves into bully compound and he took the beating for me. I only called the hospital where he spent only a few hours then was sent home, back then he lived with Rajesh at campus. Priya and I would visit from time to time, they'd do the same, and we were just a gang of four 'misfits'.
"You don't have an answer or what, you call yourself his BFF, but do you know what state he's in right now?"
I felt so ashamed, I couldn't even look him in the eye.
"You're so unfair" he said then walked away, Priya remained behind, he would never take her with him whenever he'd offend me, she was like a bandage that came after him the injurer, how thoughtful it was of him. "Don't cry Natasha" she said, and added, "I know how you feel about Merlin, I've been your friend since first day at varsity, I would know, don't mind Rajesh, please, he's just looking out for his friend. Though Priya was so nice. I couldn't forget Rajesh's words, I just nodded. "You need to tell him how you feel, otherwise, you'll regret it when he's taken, go see him" she said... It was true, these were no longer the times when you'd wait for a boy to finally approach you or send you a love letter or something.
CURRENT
... Aron, his name was Aron, oh my God and he was the last ever client I got at Clermont club before I decided to quit and the way I remembered it, he was the only one who had to be formally introduced to me and Mike showed a bit of respect to him. Clarissa walked back in with a glass of water.
"Clarissa who is this man?" I asked hesitantly.
"Uhmm, Natasha that's obviously my husband". . .