Page 181 of Tarek

“What the hell do you think?” I look around the room and I see Dax moving towards me.

“Where the hell is Penny?” I mutter.

“Tarek, your girl was talking to Veronica and Melody,” Ari says as she points to the table.

I look back at the table, and it’s registered in my mind she is not here.

My heart starts to pound. Something is not right. Dax finally reaches my side. “Penny is gone.”

“What? Where is she?” I shove my champagne flute to Cole, and move toward the exit with Dax at my side.

“She was crying, and she was going to take a cab.”

“How could you let her fucking leave?” I sprinted down the hall.

“What part of she was crying and about to take a fucking Uber did you not get?” Dax snaps.

I don’t bother to answer, I give the valet my number and my car is bought for me.

I jump in not bothering to answer Dax. I don’t know what Veronica said to Penny, but I have an odd feeling that it’s about to be a bad night.

* * *

PENNY

It doesn’t take me long to get to Tarek’s, house. Walter opens the door with a smile, he has grown accustomed to me living here over the past few months.

“Is everything all right, ma’am? Do you need anything?” Walter asks, his tone is warm but cautious.

“No Walter thank you,” I commence climbing the grey stone staircase but halfway up I stop. “Walter, I need a hammer please.”

Walter stares at me in surprise. “A hammer, ma’am? Does something need fixing?”

“No, I need it asap. I am in Tarek’s room.” I hold on to the banister for strength.

The staircase feels endless, each step feels heavier than the last. When I push open the door to Tarek’s room, I realize it’s not just his room anymore.

There is a new vanity that he installed for me in the bathroom. My clothes now hang on the left side of the walk-in closet. My shoes are strewn about the floor from earlier today, I change my mind on my footwear last minute. I needed comfort. His room no longer smells like men’s cologne, spice and musk. Now there is a faint trace of rose and lemon. It smells like me too.

This is no longer Tarek’s room, it’s ours. My heart thuds, as I bend my head as more tears roll down.

“Ma’am?” Walter’s voice startles me at the doorway.

I wipe my eyes quickly as I reach for the hammer. “Thank you, Walter.”

“Would you like me to make you some tea? Or the pickles and Doritos that you liked?” Walter offers.

I laugh bitterly. Poor Walter, always trying to help even when he found me in the kitchen at two in the morning making a dill pickle Doritos sandwich.

“You are too kind.”

Walter nods giving me a sympathetic look. He closes the door softly behind him. I stare at the black mother-of-pearl cabinet. I waddle to it and pull at the knobs and as expected it’s locked. My mind begins to race.

Maybe I should just leave it and wait for Tarek to explain. But Melody’s words lingers in my head.“You are no different than us.”

My fingers fly to my neck clutching the pendant tightly. The sharp edges press into my palm.

If this is his process of letting women go, its best I get ahead of it before he catches me. I can’t allow him to destroy me and my babies.

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