Page 23 of His Smile
She gave the stony-faced man a pleading sweet smile. “Can Iexit through this door? I just want to pop out and see if my sister is stillhere.”
The man looked at her unfeelingly for a few seconds beforelifting one meaty arm towards the thick black metal door and swinging itoutward.
“Thank you,” she chirped back happily, noticing him raise upa walkie-talkie with his other hand and speaking Russian into it.
Outside, there was an endless river of cars pulling up tothe building. One by one, cars stopped alongside the curb and opened theirdoors to the tired, inebriated partygoers before pulling down to the circulardead-end street and looping back towards the main road. Looking at her phone,Rahina made a sound of annoyance in the back of her throat at her sister’s lackof response to her text.
“Rahina,” Calvin walked up to her still wearing that fakesad look on his face. “Can we please just talk?” He pressed.
Annoyed at her sister for bailing and beyond annoyed withCalvin’s endless attempts at coaxing her back, she turned to face him.
“No, we’re done talking, we have been for months,” the windblew her hair around her face forcing her to catch her headdress before it hitthe ground. Shoving her hair back and away from her face, she glared at Calvin.“And I don’t appreciate you waiting until my birthday party to make thisscene.”
Stepping closer, he helped to brush away some of the wildstrands of her hair as he grinned. “I’m not making a scene, your hair is.”
Rahina suppressed the urge to smile at the accuratestatement. If she showed any sign of weakness, the egotistical bastard wouldtake it and run.
“Look, valet is pulling my car up right now,” he pointed tothe green sports car pulling up in the valet queue. “At least let me take youhome, and we will just talk on the way.”
Turning her head in a way so that the wind wouldn’t catchher hair, Rahina’s gaze swept over the front of the club as she thought of thebest way to tell Calvin the go to hell. Passing over the various clusters oftalking people, her eyes stopped on the impressive stature of one-man— aterrifyingly familiar man. Just like the first time she met him, the invisibleforce of his presence hit her like a blow to the stomach. Power rolled off theman like a warrior king walking through the killing fields of his victoriousbattle. Liquid steel eyes stared at her with predatory alertness she had neverfelt before. Even though they were yards apart, separated by loud talking andsmoking people, Roman’s eyes told her what words didn’t have to. He was callingher over. It wasn’t a request or a plea, it was a steel-edged unspoken command.
Nerves twisted in her stomach as she looked away from hisgaze. Her breathing increased as she frantically considered her options. Shewasn’t ready to see him, was all she could repeat in her head as she absentlylooked back up towards Calvin.
An idea sprang to life in her mind, probably a poor one butright now it was all she had. “Okay, you can take me to my apartment—but that’sall,” she stressed.
Grinning like a man whose efforts just paid out, Calvin puthis hand at the small of her back and guided her to the awaiting car. Rahinadidn’t dare look up as she sat in the sports car. Pulling out her phone, shetyped a quick text to Mario explaining she was leaving with Calvin and wouldexplain later tonight. Hopping over the side of the convertible’s door, Calvingrinned as he put the powerful car into gear.
“Have I told you how goddamn good you look, baby?” he asked,pulling the car around at the circular end of the street.
Stamping down the surge of immediate regret for choosing tolet him take her home, Rahina couldn’t help but look past him towards the club.The spot where Roman was just standing in his stark white button-down shirt androlled up sleeves—was empty. Practically turning in her seat, Rahina could findno trace of Roman anywhere.
Disappointment mingled like acid in her stomach with regretas she turned back straight in her seat. She shouldn’t have run.
~*~
Stopping midway down the quiet hallway, she gave a dismallook to the closing elevator doors and back up to Calvin’s determined face. Fora ride that should have only taken fifteen minutes, it took nearly double thatas Calvin purposely took longer indirect routes all the while pleading hiscase. He claimed he was a changed man, he told her he had gotten caught up withthe lifestyle the other players on his team had of partying and going out everychance they got. Despite her insistence that he just drop her off in the frontof her building, he ignored her protests and continued to try and persuade herback. She was too tired for this. Any energy she may have had left from herparty immediately depleted at the sight of Roman’s unsmiling face.
“Please,” she began softly, giving Calvin an honest look. Alook that he had rarely seen from her but immediately recognized itsseriousness. “You and I are done. We had our time, and it just didn’t workout.”
Hoping to just end it then and there, she turned and walkedthe rest of the way to her door, praying he would just leave it at that.Switching her phone and Egyptian headdress to one hand, she pulled her key outof her tiny gold pouch.
The sudden presence behind her caused her hopes to plummetand her irritation spark. Standing beside her, with no visible intention ofgiving up, Calvin stood like a surly giant to her right.
“I made one mistake, and you’re seriously never going togive me a chance to make up for it?” His incredulous tone paused her hand asshe unlocked the door.
Annoyed and very close to angry, she gave him a witheringlook. “That’s correct,” her tone was clipped. “You ended our relationship soyou could enjoy the groupie lifestyle your illustrious career affords you.”
She watched the emotions pass through his handsome face.Apparently deciding a different tactic, Calvin gave her a soft pleading look.Cupping the rounds of each of her shoulders, he stepped closer to her, forcingher to look up. “Please baby, let’s just go inside and sit and talk about this.I don’t want to let you go. You have no idea what it has been like for mewithout your smile in my life and then to finally see you tonight looking sodamn good,” his voice trailed off purposely as his eyes appraised every inch ofher with obvious lust.
Stepping out of his grip, she considered her chances ofopening her door and rushing inside without the determined ballplayer followingher inside. Her phone vibrated in her hand. Hoping it was her sister, sheglanced at the incoming message and stilled.
(If he steps foot into your apartment, I will start bybreaking his right arm in five places.)
Rahina could practically hear the dark threat beingwhispered from Roman’s smiling lips. Glancing at her door, Rahina clutched herphone and crown tighter in her hand as she stared in trepidation at the paintedblue door. She knew, without a doubt, he was somehow inside her apartment,waiting. Shaking her head, she focused her distracted mind on her primary obstaclebefore considering the largest obstacle yet.
“Calvin, for the last time I’m not getting back togetherwith you, I don’t want to talk this out, and I want you to leave.” Each pointwas received like a bullet to the man’s ego. The trained, sweet cajoling facevanished, replaced by an angry scowl.
“Fine, whatever,” he threw at her caustically. Turning away,he stomped to the end of the hall and pushed for the elevator.
