Song Rec: Residuals — Chris Brown
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I closed my eyes tightly, bracing for him to push me away, but to my surprise, his hand snaked around my waist, pulling me closer to the warmth of his body. He kissed me back with more vigor and passion. My face flushed as chills coursed through me, leaving goosebumps in their wake when he gently bit my lower lip.
I could taste the latte he had just sipped, tempting me to let his tongue explore my mouth as our lips moved in sync. It had been years since I felt this way—years since I kissed someone, and it hadn't ended well. The intensity of the moment sent a wave of panic crashing over me, reminding me of the pain of my past.
That thought jolted me back to reality. I pulled away from him immediately, leaving us both breathless, with the crowd gaping in shock. I scanned the area for Lionel, relieved to find he was gone—just as I had hoped.
I turned to my unexpected victim, who seemed far more composed than I was, biting his lower lip with a smug expression.
"I'm so sorry," I blurted, rummaging through my bag. I spotted a decent wad of cash and dropped it on the counter before scurrying away, my heart racing.
The sun was surprisingly bright, and its warmth only added to the internal heat I felt as I hurried to my car. I was almost there when I felt a strong arm wrap around my wrist, pulling me toward a tall, muscular frame. What have I gotten myself into?
I gulped, my knees weak as his eyes pierced into my soul. My heart melted as I inhaled his oddly familiar scent of oakwood and amber.
"What is this?" he asked, flashing the money in my face. Each word rolled off his lips with a Russian accent, making him sound even more confident.
"Well, umm... it's compensation," I stammered, trying to free myself, but his grip tightened as he tilted his head cockily.
"Three hundred pounds?" He chuckled.
Oh, that was the amount.
"Can you give me a sec? I won't run, I promise," I assured him, and he reluctantly let me go.
Now a few inches away from him, I dug into my purse again and pulled out another wad of cash, calculating as my tongue unconsciously stuck out of my mouth. One thousand pounds. I handed it to him, and he raised a brow.
"Come on, it's all I have in cash. Alright, give me your account details. I'll—"
He shushed me with a finger on my lips. "Just stop talking."
He removed his finger and slipped his hands into his pockets. "What do you take me for? Some sort of gigolo?"
I cleared my throat with an awkward laugh. "No, no. I don't think—"
"You've not only harassed me sexually, now you're paying me off to keep quiet?"
Like he didn't kiss me back.
"Look, I didn't harass you. I just needed help and—"
"An innocent man was right there," he interrupted.
"What is your problem? You kissed me back, didn't you?"
He laughed deeply before his expression turned serious again. "Yes, act like you didn't enjoy it, sweetheart."
I could feel steam huffing from my ears. "Don't call me that. And no, I didn't enjoy whatever you did."
He smirked and chuckled, like he could see right through my lie.
"Did I? Are you gaslighting me now?"
I should've just said yes to Lionel. Now, I have to deal with this creature.
"Alright, I'm sorry for what I did. Are we cool now?"
"No," he uttered, digging through his pockets. That was when I knew I had to act fast. Sir Bacchus had probably seen me and parked the car in front of us. I dashed toward it immediately, slipping into the backseat as he drove off.
I prayed that the man wouldn't chase after us, and thankfully, he didn't.
"Is everything okay, Ellie?" Sir Bacchus asked, noticing how I kept glancing behind, watching the man's figure disappear into the busy streets of Mayfair.
"Yes, yes," I lied, adjusting my sitting position as I brushed my hair with my hands.
What have I done? That man could be a criminal. What if he tracks me down and murders me? What if he's into voodoo? Or worse—what if he's a supernatural being or some deadly creature of the dark? What if he's a vengeful spirit?
My list of "what ifs" came to a halt when Sir Bacchus spoke again. "What a nice man you had back there. I apologize if I ruined your meeting."
"Oh no, I—"
"It's okay if you don't want to admit it, dear. I'm happy that you're opening up your heart again, but take it slow this time. Don't rush into any decisions, alright?"
I hummed and rested my head against the headrest. He sounded so happy, and I didn't want to ruin it for him.
If only he knew the man I was with was the result of one of my hasty, spontaneous decisions—another item for my growing list of regrets.
For the rest of the day, my mind kept churning thoughts like freshly baked pizza slices. My mother kept calling my phone, but I ignored her. It was definitely about Lionel. I kept scrolling through my feed, expecting news about my entanglement with that guy to surface, but surprisingly, there was nothing. Had Father already handled it?
Stella was kind enough to FaceTime with Reese during my lunch break. That was the only nice part of the day.
Tomorrow was Reese's first day of school, and she didn't seem excited.
"Come on, baby. We can't keep postponing it. School will be fine, I promise," I assured both her and myself before we ended the call.
After I clocked out from work, I drove home in silence, preparing for my family's outburst. I tried, didn't I? I left for the stupid date only to get emotionally blackmailed into marrying that weird dude.
When Sir Bacchus parked the car that evening in the garage, I stepped out to see Heather and my parents playing chess in the lanai. I decided to walk past them, but Heather called my name.
She was clearly anticipating some serious verbal exchanges this evening.
"Elsie, come join us!" my mother called, and I breathed deeply before walking over after handing my blazer and bag to a maid outside.
"How did the date go?" Heather queried with a forced smile. I ignored her and greeted my parents.
"Lionel is so rude. Can you imagine he called me and yelled at me, calling me a slut who raised a slut?" my mother began.
"Who does he think he is?"
"Why would you embarrass your stepmom like that, Elspeth? What did you do that made him assume such?" Heather interjected.
I clenched my fists, fighting the urge to split her skull with my Louboutin pumps.
"Mother, what else did he say?" I asked, anger bubbling beneath the surface. Who did that rascal think he was?
"He finished his statement in jail, and that's where he'll remain until I find it in my heart to forgive him," my father spoke.
I couldn't help but grin. He was still protective of my mother as always. Lionel deserved that—and more.
"Well, maybe Elspeth did something to trigger it," Heather shrugged.
"I did nothing. We only had coffee, and that was it. He spoke of marriage, and I turned him down."
"Why?" my parents chorused.
"Because I don't know him, and I don't love him."
"Love? You shouldn't be looking for love now. Many marriages weren't built on love first. You should get married quickly and do away with these cruel rumors," my mother advised.
"I should be looking for love. My daughter's well-being is at stake, and she doesn't need any kind of father."
"Come on, her biological father denied the girl," my father grunted.
I took a few steps back, my body shaking as the laughter in his eyes dimmed slowly. "Elsie, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way."
"You know, maybe coming here was a bad idea after all," I chuckled, holding back my tears as I turned to leave.