And hiswords.
No one knew he called mePreziosa.No one ever knew that.
Glued to my chair, I watched the tall man pick up a few glasses from our table and tuck the menu under his arm before heading to the bar. He dropped the glasses off and disappeared to the back of the restaurant, where all the staff go.
Hewalkedlike Alex.
Tick, tick, tick.
With every second that escaped, I burned hotter, my body and mind responding to the sight I just witnessed. It washim.
I shot up out of the chair as if electrocuted. "Xavier!" I trotted over to the other side of the table, where he was immersed in mindless chatter with his friends. He turned to me, mildly surprised. "Your hair’s disheveled and your shirt’s all fucked up. Go to the bathroom and fix yourself," I ordered, and he stood from the chair, shockingly responsive. "Let's...let's take a picture." It came out as if I conceded. As if he won.
Xavier melted in a large grin. “Ma belle.” He slithered his claws around my waist. “Of course.” Afraid of a kiss, I leaned away from him, and he got the hint, stepping back. With one last glance filled with salacious joy, Xavier turned and headed toward the men’s room.
Four minutes.
How long was four minutes? Why did he say four minutes? I had no watch; someone give me a watch! The biggest clock in the world, I needed it! Big Ben in London, World Clock in Berlin, Grand Central Clock in New York, I needed them all! To count down four minutes! One! Two! Three! Four!
Tripping over my own feet in the impossibly high heels, I lunged toward my purse and threw it over my shoulder, digging out my phone with shaking hands and focusing on the time.
8:32 p.m.
I could wait. I could wait for Alex until the end of time.
I.
Could.
Wait.
I stood by our table filled with Xavier's rowdy friends and picked at my nails. My eyes watered from how hard I stared in the direction of wherehedisappeared. It must have been time for sure now!
8:32 p.m.
Fuck!
Was this a dream?!Please don't tell me I was in a dream; time wasn’t moving!
"Hey, buddy! The fuck?" A loud and obnoxious voice sounded somewhere behind me, but I had only one goal, one purpose: wait four minutes.
Tick, tick, tick.
I looked down at the phone in my hands, my heart—
8:34 p.m.
Not a dream!This was rea—
But I was suddenly drowning. There was no water around me, but I was suffocating on oxygen, just like that first night I sawhim.The man. The man who just took my drink order and forced me to waitfour long, agonizing, excruciating minutes.There was no air, and at the same time, there was too much!
Shh, shh, just relax…
His hand clasped over my nose and mouth and he held the back of my head, helping me take a breath in.The first time he touched me that night we met—he saved me from drowning.
Tick, tick, tick.
8:35 p.m.!
