chapter four

Chapter four

Regan drove home after working extra hours. His mind wandered back to the lady that shoved him rudely that day. He had already agreed in his mind that she was beautiful. That fateful day, she had styled her hair in a half up-do. He didn't get to see her face clearly when she was in front of him because his mind had been occupied with what he had to tell Evandor. He remembered the little he saw, her ebony satin hair, her eyes that seemed like mahogany and her pert nose. He realized that she wore an over-coat so he didn't know what her body looked like. He was about to clear his head ride home void of thoughts when a nummy thought popped in his mind.

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The steam-covered glass accentuated her silhouette. Her slender fingers caught the edge of the door to slide it open. Regan feasted his eyes on the smooth-shaven legs that were still wet from the shower. Her thick thighs broadened at the hip and slimmed down at the waist. His eyes trailed slightly to the middle-

He had to slam his breaks for the sake of his sanity. He hadn't even met her and he was already acting like this. He unbuttoned his shirt, took his tie off and took deep breaths to calm the raging heat that had begun in his body. He felt he was going crazy.

He regained his composure and was about to start driving again when he heard a very faint scream. He checked his wristwatch.

11.47 pm

Someone was definitely getting harassed.

He hurriedly made his way out of the car and tried to trace the sound as the screaming continued. He took a turn and found himself in an alley.

He saw three men who seemed to be harassing a woman. The woman. She seemed tired. She helplessly flailed her arms to stop the men from stripping her. For some odd reason she staggered and she let out another scream.

"No one can hear you sweet-pea." One of the men spoke. He pulled her hair roughly and pushed her to the ground. "Davis, hold her down for me." He said, unbuckling his belt and undoing his pants. "Its going to be a good night."

"Or maybe not." The man heard an unfamiliar voice say.

"And who do you think you are?" he asked gruffly.

"Me?" Regan said in nonchalance. His face still bore the signature bored expression and he looked at his fingers before turning them to fists. His eyes twinkled in mirth for what he was about to do. "I think I'm the one that's going to stop you from harassing the young lady." All that pent up energy he got in his car, he was going to unleash it on these three morons.

"Your mother never taught you to not talk to strangers let alone interrupt their business." The first man said and lunged at Regan.

Regan ducked, dodging the blow the man delivered and kicked him in his mid-section. He launched a blow on his opponent's groin continuously. Then he grabbed the man by the neck and bashed his head into a nearby wall, turning the man limp.

Sensing a presence behind him, he swung his elbow, getting the other person's rib. A powerful kick in the jaw was enough to get the man unconscious.

Regan turned to the man named Davis who still held the woman who had stopped her wails. She sat still on the dirty floor and looked with keen interest at the fight scene which had unfolded before her. Regan looked at Davis with observant eyes while the latter was torn between fighting Regan and taking the woman away with him.

The woman noticed the way Regan took cautious steps toward them and took a large bite at the man's hand. She stood when the man let her go and delivered a hard to kick to groin. She started a mad dash to Regan but Davis dragged her by the hair and pulled her down, holding her down, again.

A flicker passed through the alley, illuminating the gloomy place for a flash of a moment and Regan caught sight of the satiny black tress. His blood drained and he felt adrenaline kick in. his hands quickly made a fist of themselves and he was about to Davis when he heard a loud thud. He heard Davis groan in pain. Another thud and he was sprawled on the floor, unconscious with a bleeding lip.

"That upper-cut came right at you, didn't it?" she asked the unconscious man on the floor and flipped her hair. "No response. That's rude." She laughed hysterically.

It was her. It was the lady who had shoved him that day at GCC. And what the hell was she doing here, by this time?.

She tripped on her own shoes and staggered and he quickly reached out to catch her if she fell.

"I don't need your help, dweeb." She huffed as he pushed herself out of his grip and reached for her shoes to take them off. Regan watched her struggle for a while before she successfully took her shoes off. She had a triumphant look on her face as she said, "yes! I got my shoes off. I did it!" she burst into laughter and stopped abruptly. "Why am I laughing?" She took another pause and began to laugh again before she staggered and fell.

She was drunk.

"Seems like you're in love with the word 'dweebs'." Regan muttered as he remembered how she had spewed the word so fluently from her mouth the other day. He took out his phone call the cops and then he picked her up and headed to his car.

Regan watched her as he drove to his house. How coincidental it had been that he was thinking about her and she appeared. In need, dire need of his help. Now she slept on the passenger seat without as much as s single care in the world and he took this sweet opportunity to asses her features.

She was as beautiful as sin. Her ebony satin tresses scattered generously on her head. She seemed to have packed it but the broil with the men has gotten it scattered and let loose, leaving black pins sticking out here and there. He face was sans any form of make-up, save for her mascara and lip gloss which were smeared lightly around her eyes and lips. Her expression was peaceful as she slept. Too peaceful for someone who was almost raped.

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Lucy's jaw dropped to the floor upon the sight of her brother carrying a girl – bridal style – into the house. He paid no heed to her and proceeded upstairs to the guest room. She had never seen her brother showing any sign of kindness to outsiders in such a direct way. Her surprise – stricken face turned into one with a knowing smile. For her brother to take the burden of carrying someone into accommodation, it meant that whoever the girl was, she had to be special. And anyone who was special to her Reggie, was special to her too.

She had chosen to stay up and play cards with her husband but it was just a ploy to wait for him to come home – a habit she had adopted when Regan started leaving the house on his own when they were younger. She wiggled her eyebrows knowingly at her husband who got the memo and immediately started stashing the cards away.

Regan took the slender figure in his arms into the guest bedroom. She must have noticed the discomfort in here sleep and moved when he set her unto the bed.

"Why is it so hot in here?" She asked, wiggling out of the blanket that he had draped over her. She stopped her struggle for a while and reached for her button.

Regan immediately turned around and mentally tightened the leash around his self – restraint. He was not going to do anything with the girl on the bed who was busy fumbling with her shirt buttons as though she had forgotten how to undress herself. He walked to the conditioner, turned it on to the highest and walked out of the room, not turning to see the girl hoard the blanket to herself like a greedy child.

That's payback for being so rude, he thought as he walked out of the room with a foolish smile plastered on his face.

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Lucy watched as her brother descended the stairs. He had a new swagger to his steps and his face was sans the usual bored, passive expression.

Regan Leroy was smiling.

Her brother was smiling.

And it wasn't the usual stiff smile that did not reach up to his eyes he offered people. It was a genuine smile and he looked like a stupid, love-struck teenager who had talked to his crush for the first time.