Page 75 of Glass Wings
With immediate plans to step into the shower, Hadley moved off of the bed, leaving the mess behind her, only to confront Sheng as he walked out of his walk-in closet wearing a formal, dark gray business suit paired with dress shoes and a teal checkered tie.
“You look . . .” Hadley stared at him, careful not to accidentally touch him with the fresh blood still sitting on top of her skin. “Like a villain in a spy movie.”
“Excuse me?” Sheng chuckled, looking genuinely amused. “I will take that as a compliment, but you should know that your neighbors are not the villains.”
He was talking to her. She tried to remind herself to act normal, but the full smile that spread across her face like a child on their birthday gave her away.
“Would you consider yourself my neighbor in this metaphor?”
“I would consider anyone that lives their life on this planet my neighbor. For the purpose of this metaphor, of course.”
There was an odd euphoria to him that he managed to cast on anything and anyone around him. There was no trace of tiredness or aging in his skin.
“Hadley, before you get in the shower,” Sheng continued, “I wanted to let you know that I’ll be leaving for a few days.”
Hadley’s eyes instantly teared up. She didn’t know how her body could cope with his absence long term. She could barely make it until the end of the day.
“I must take care of that family business I once told you about. My mother . . . can be quite demanding. In fact, I’m hoping that I can keep her as far away from you as possible. Amis will take good care of you while I am out.”
“You can’t go,” she blurted out. “What am I supposed to do here?”
Sheng smiled at her gently and, careful not to get blood on his suit, leaned over to kiss her forehead.
“Do you love me yet?” he asked.
Don’t say yes.
Hadley didn’t say a word, confused as her mind temporarily broke through the hold, the obsession that flowed through her body, her blood. Her body won in the end.
“There is nothing that could pull me away from you,” she said, and her eyes fluttered for a moment as she pushed into the lie, her body believing it to be true.
“I promised you that you would come to love me,” he chuckled. “With that talent for romantic words, why don’t you take some time to focus on your writing? I’ll leave Amis with instructions to get you a new laptop.”
“Can I get my computer from home?” Hadley’s brain was slowly fighting its way through the blood-drinking pheromones.
Sheng’s eyes briefly filled with rage, and Hadley had the urge to flinch, but her trusting hips stayed in place, facing the man who owned them.
“You are home. You will never have reason to leave,” he said before turning and exiting the bedroom, the locks clicking open on the double doors. Hadley listened as his footsteps softly thudded down the hallway carpet before she moved on to the bathroom to clean herself up.
After stepping into the large shower opposite the soaking tub and watching the red water pool at her feet, Hadley dried herself off and walked back out into the bedroom, entering the walk-in closet that belonged to Sheng.
Moving to the back wall, she pushed on a large pane of glass that clicked open and pulled back to reveal a new closet that nowbelonged to her. There was a dresser in the middle of the dressing room, longer than she was tall, with the finest pieces of jewelry and accessories laid out in velvet showroom displays on the top.
The two sides of the closet walls to Hadley’s left and right displayed long sections of hanging dresses, slacks, and blouses much more formal than her taste. The wall opposite her was covered with shelving, displaying at least thirty pairs of footwear.
A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling over the dresser, leaving glittering bounces of colorful light across the closet. She had gotten used to the luxury now, but the first day Sheng showed her this closet, Hadley wanted to do nothing but sit on the carpeted floor, staring at the grandness of such a gift.
What are you doing here?
She dressed in black fitted slacks and a short-sleeved, light gray cashmere top.
He’s gone, and you should be, too.
Hadley’s body tensed; a sudden pressure built up in her chest as her heart fought the intruding thought. She stood there for a few minutes before getting herself back under control and exited with only breakfast on her mind.
Once down in the kitchen, Hadley walked up to the barstools and table to see a silver platter waiting for her with a note addressed to her from Sheng. She picked up the folded piece of paper, lifted it to her nose, and inhaled.
Sheng’s scent, lavender and leather.
