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Chains, noticing her amusement, and shook his head. “Change of plans…sorry. We’ll have to postpone the club and the USB. Got an alligator to deal with. But,” he added, his eyes softening, “I promise, we’ll make up for this. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
As Chains rode off, Juliette was caught off guard when she realized she was smiling amid the abrupt change of plans. Her life, for so long now, had revolved around a monotonous routine that bordered on tedious predictability. The rapid and unexpected changes that Chains had brought into her life were more invigorating than they were intimidating.
She marveled at the fact that she wasn’t gripped by fear or apprehension, despite the whirlwind of changes. It was an unfamiliar sentiment, especially after she had spent her recent years trying to claw back what once was. The desperation to restore her past had gradually subsided, replaced by an unexpected tranquility in embracing the new.
No longer did change threaten her stability, rather it promised an exciting unpredictability, a chance to rewrite the next chapters of her story. In this moment, she wasn’t just a passive observer of her life; she was the author of a thrilling narrative that was far from being fully penned.
12
Zaiden pulled up to Juliette’s place, anticipating some progress on finding the missing box. He scanned the area, and quickly realized that her car was missing, and she wasn’t home. This could be his chance to find the box himself. He decided to take the opportunity to look around.
Carefully, he made his way to the front door, skillfully picking the lock and slipping inside. As he glanced around the room, he was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff Juliette had collected.
With a resigned sigh, he began his search. Moving cautiously, he rummaged through a couple of the rooms, taking care to restore any displaced items to their original locations. The enormity of his task soon dawned upon him – finding the box amidst this lot would be nearly impossible.
He was concerned too for what Juliette would think if she returned home to find signs of intrusion. He would undoubtedly be her first suspect. That was a risk he simply could not take. He was careful to maintain the semblance of untouched disorder but decided that he wouldn’t be able to get the box back without her help.
As he was locking the door and leaving the house he decided to case the place on the outside to see what else was around of interest to him. He moved to the backyard and spotted the shed. He picked that lock too and entered. His eyes widened when he saw the vintage Indian motorcycle sitting there, gleaming in the dim light. He whistled softly, thinking about how much money a bike like that could fetch. Selling it could set him up for quite a while.
As he stood there, admiring the bike, the sound of a car approaching caught his attention. Panic set in as he realized Juliette must be returning. He hurriedly closed the shed door, trying to make it look like he hadn’t been inside. He quickly moved away from the shed, attempting to appear casual as he prepared to face Juliette.
* * *
Juliette hummed to herself,pleased with her latest swap meet treasures. The car was filled with an assortment of items she couldn’t wait to go through at home. Her thoughts drifted towards Chains and the spark between them. She couldn’t help but smile as she imagined his strong arms around her and the way his lips felt against hers.
Her heart skipped a beat as she turned onto her property and noticed a Harley parked outside her house. Excitement surged within her, thinking Chains had come for a surprise visit. But as she got out of her car, she recognized the bike as Zaiden’s instead. A chill of unease crept up her spine, and she furrowed her brow, wondering what he was doing there.
As she approached the house, her thoughts raced. What could Zaiden possibly want? Was he here to confront her about the box? Anxiety gnawed at her insides.
As she rounded the corner of her house from where she’d parked her car, anxiety threatening to overwhelm her, she spotted Zaiden emerging from the direction of her shed. Her anger flared. “What are you doing here?” Her fists were clenched.
Zaiden could see how upset she was, but he remained calm. He knew he had to think fast if he wanted to salvage the situation. His mind raced, considering his options. For a split second, he even considered tying her up and threatening her until she gave him what he wanted, but he quickly dismissed the idea, knowing that Chains could arrive at any moment, and that would be the end of his chances.
“I knocked on the door, and when you didn’t answer, I thought you might be around back,” he said, trying to sound nonchalant. He could see the suspicion in Juliette’s eyes and knew he had to say more to convince her.
He decided to try a different approach. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small spirit charm. “Look, I wanted to give you this,” he explained, holding it out to her. “I’m grateful that you’re willing to help me find the box, and I thought you should have it.”
Juliette’s eyes widened in surprise, and Zaiden could see her anger start to fade. He silently breathed a sigh of relief, his mind still racing with thoughts of what might have happened if he had chosen a more aggressive approach.
Despite her initial irritation, Juliette felt a strange sense relief wash over her and a feeling of trust towards Zaiden now. She didn’t confront him about being at her house uninvited. Instead, she offered him a drink, which he gratefully accepted.
He stood patiently outside as she went in to grab their drinks. Without her saying a word, he knew she wanted him to wait. Eager to earn her trust, he was trying his best to soften her stance towards him.
As they sat on her porch, sipping their drinks, Zaiden casually asked questions about Chains. He wanted to know how they met, what Chains was like now, since he told her he hadn’t see Chains since they were youngsters, and if they were close.
Juliette hesitated before answering, a slight frown on her face. “We met at a swap meet, and we just... clicked, I guess. He’s a good friend to me.”
She didn’t reveal too much, but it was enough to satisfy Zaiden for the moment. He took a sip of his drink, nodding thoughtfully.
“You know,” Juliette said, swirling her drink, “I could call Chains, and we could all hang out.”
Keeping his cool to hide the internal panic her words had sparked, Zaiden said, “I’d love to, but unfortunately, I have a meeting with a friend in town. How about we plan for another time?”
“Yeah…sure,” she said. “Plenty of time. He can call you direct. I’ll give him your number.”
Fuck.He tried to keep his voice steady. “Sounds good,” he said. He finished his drink then stood up saying he’d best be off, and hoped like hell she would forget to give Chains his number. He wasn’t betting on it though.
As an added distraction he decided to leave a lasting impression on Juliette so that if and when the time came to face Chains, she would have already warmed to him enough to believe his lies. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the protection amulet he’d been given. “I want you to have this too,” he said, pressing the amulet into her palm. “You’re such a kind person, and you deserve it.”
