Part 3 (1/2)
”That's what people say about dying,” Nathaniel said.
”Do not call this number again under any circ.u.mstances. You'll be given further instructions soon. Do you understand?”
”What is this? How will I know...”
”We will contact you.”
”For what?” Nathaniel tried to ask again, but was cut off with a firm click that scared and angered him.
Nathaniel unpacked his coffee and m.u.f.fin, preferring to think about Shayla and how she was enjoying the same simple pleasure.
”The voice was so familiar...just tell me who it was. I won't say anything,” Nathaniel whispered, hoping Brigg would trust him.
”I can't.”
”Can't or won't,” Nathaniel said, slightly annoyed. That phone call unnerved him.
”Please,” Brigg pleaded, his jaw tightening visibly.
Nathaniel was too tired to argue with Brigg. After all, Nathaniel had a secret, too.
Chapter 7.
After dropping off breakfast for Shayla each day, Nathanial looked forward to seeing her tour the worksites most mornings, coffee cup in hand, with Chester's Bakery logo side out. He kept hoping for her eyes to rest on him, but she was all business. He felt an undeniable desire as he watched her beautiful lips take a sip from that cup. She even looked s.e.xy when drinking coffee.
While Janice might own him and his actions, she didn't own his thoughts. Nathaniel unapologetically enjoyed the fantasy visions of himself in Shayla's embrace.
One morning, he was about to make his coffee and m.u.f.fin drop off when he noticed the light from underneath her office door. After making sure n.o.body was looking, with his heart pounding, he offered a wistful knock. He knew he probably shouldn't do it, but he wanted to see her again, even just for a minute.
”Would you like to come in, Nathaniel?” she said after opening the door and smiling once she saw who was there.
Nathaniel glanced up and down the hallway, and stepped inside thinking about how he liked the sound of his name from her mouth. She closed the door behind him and he felt like they were in an alternate universe.
”You can sit down,” she said, motioning to the chair. She eyed the bag that he nervously clutched.
”Thanks,” he said, staring at a faced-down novel on her desk.
”Yes, I sometimes read before work, before things get crazy around here,” she said, as if reading his mind's question.
”Are you a big fan of Deahn's?” he asked.
”You like Deahn?” she asked, noticing his eyes stuck on the cover.
”I just finished that one,” he said carefully not offering his opinion of the work he thought masterful. Berrini Deahn was one of his favorites, with suspenseful stories that swooped Nathaniel neatly outside of his world, which was exactly what he needed.
”Really?” she said with great surprise. ”What did you think?”
He noticed she was in the middle, and felt the test of her question.
”I don't want to ruin it for you,” he said noncommittally.
”Did you like it? That doesn't give anything away,” she said, sitting back in her chair, observing him in a way that made him feel like he was in an interview.
”I thought it was pretty good, and I've read them all,” he said, wondering if he should say more.
”All of them, huh,” she said, biting the end of her pencil as she pensively surveyed her own private Secret Santa Claus of m.u.f.fins and coffee.
”Yes, ma'am,” he said, feeling her survey him.
”Ahh, ahh... call me Shalya. Now, which one is your favorite?” she asked, smirking at him in a way that made him blush.
”The Torrent,” he said.
”Oh, come on! With all those goofy s.p.a.ce s.h.i.+ps?” she said, laughing. He loved her animated smile and the lightness it brought to her eyes. He felt happy around her, such a rarity as he faced his coming-of-age dilemma. Either marry Janice and face a lifetime of unhappiness or be castrated.
”I like fantasy. It's better than my real life,” he said, with more bite than he had intended. He was momentarily embarra.s.sed. Shayla seemed unfazed, but tilted her head as if studying him.
”You are entirely ent.i.tled to your opinion,” she said in a way that felt so respectful. It was refres.h.i.+ng to hear that from a woman, but it was especially unexpected from the Queen's daughter.
”Thank you for saying that,” he said. A moment of quietness followed and felt nice. ”What about you?” he finally said, starting to feel at ease.
”My favorite is The Revengers. I love the way the protagonist got back at all the people who had wronged her and her family,” Shayla said with a seriousness that changed the air.
”Different kind of book really, but I like that idea. Righting injustices is something we don't see enough of...,” he said trailing his thought, realizing he was about to say too much.
”In Deahn's stories?” she asked, clearly intrigued.
Nathaniel was quiet for a moment, weighing the consequences of the truth, but he had spent the previous evening reading more of Reminder of Truth. Clearly, the messages were getting under his skin and coming out of his mouth.
”In this country,” he clarified, as he looked her directly in the eye, laying the thoughts between them that no man dared to bring up in front of her.
”Go on,” she said, putting her pencil down and looking Nathanial square in the eyes, but Nathaniel was hesitant to say anything. A flood of words was barely being levied at the back of his throat.
”What I really think is...”
Her phone rang, and Nathaniel's heart leapt at the sound. She answered, listening intently, and Nathaniel was glad for the interruption.
”I've gotta get out of here,” he whispered. She held up her finger and mouthed he should wait just a minute, but he stood up to leave.
Shayla covered the mouthpiece of her phone. ”I'll be off in just a minute,” she said.