THE KISS AND THE STRANGE CALL

"I don't give a fuck how bizarre it sounds to you, but the fact remains that you are my wife! Now sit your ass down and let me treat your wound!" He barks, breaking the stare moment.

He dares to order me around after everything? And he only remembers I am his wife after hurting me or when he wants to prove himself in front of people?

I yank his hand away from touching me.

We should stick to the charades and this isn't part of it. The fake shows are not necessary inside this room.

"Stop being stubborn and sit down!" He yells again, almost making me deaf, something he regrets after hearing the echo of his roar.

"You need the bandaging more than I do, don't you think? And stop pretending as if you care about me now." I turn to walk to bed. Crap! This damn wound is making my whole face hurt like hell. "You should have grown some conscious before hurting me!" I murmur as I sit on the bed.

I don't know what language this man understands though, because he is walking to me with a chair and the kit.

"If you know what is good for you, Jerol, don't even think of touching me." I warn.

"I don't need to ask for permission to touch my wife, do I?"

Wife my foot! He can go look for that Ellallai ghost of a woman or whatever her freaking name is and order her around. She is the one he loves, right? He should leave me the hell alone.

I slap his hand hard, and the cotton he was going to wipe my wound with falls to the floor.

He stares at me like I am a psycho. Isn't he the insane one?

"I guess I will have to do this the hard way then." He stands up, walking to the walk-in closet.

What does he mean? What is he up to?

I sustain my gaze on him, afraid to even blink. A TIE! He grabbed a tie! Oh, no! This psycho might strangle me in the name of treating my wound. I would rather go back to my miserable life than die!

RUN!

My mind screams, and I obey.

I head for the door, but, dang!

Halfway, he grabs my hands and holds them in one hand from my behind.

"Jerol! Don't do this, please!" I beg, but he doesn't talk. He doesn't stop.

He ties my hand with the tie and turns me around.

"If this is what you want us to do things, then fine." He says, a slight smile on his face.

"You have lost your mind!" I say.

"Maybe. But there is still some humanity left in me. That is why I need to treat your wound." He says, eyeing my wound.

What sort of humanity is there in tying me up this way? I thought humanity entails respecting other people's wishes, which is the opposite of what he is doing.

His eyes are glued on my wound, but his mind has traveled miles away. He is not here.

How will I cope with you Jerol?

"Are you going to treat my wound or stare at me the entire day?" I snap at him.

He breathes out a sigh, wraps his arm around my shoulder, and guides me to the bed.

"I will let you treat my wound. Just untie my hands." I plead, because this doesn't feel good at all to me.

"I'm not buying that. Sit!" He says, reaching for the spirit.

"Come on! I won't try anything funny. Promise." I plead.

"If you do, I will tie even your legs this time around."

"Whatever. Just get this freaking tie off me. It's giving me a very scary feeling."

He leans in, his chin resting on my shoulder as he unties my hands.

He is smelling nice. He always does.

"I am not a murderer, you know?" He says when he is done, throwing the tie to the floor.

I relax. I was really scared!

"But you are a psycho!" I murmur as I crouch on the bed, and he settles on the seat in front of me, my legs between his. So close.

I am caged between him, meaning I have no way of escaping if he goes all psycho on me. I better shut my mouth before I get myself into trouble.

"You are the one driving me insane!" He says, lifting his hand with cotton with spirit to the direction of my wound.

I know how much this shit hurts! I hold his hand.

"Oh, really now? Me or Ellie? You might be confusing."

Darn!

The look in his eyes makes me regret my words. Curse my big mouth! I let go of his hand.

"Close your eyes." He orders, flouting my uncalled-for remark.

I do as he says, but I find myself holding on to his arm as the cotton brushes my wound.

"Aah." I cry out, tucking my lips inside to prevent the painful screams from escaping.

He wraps his free hand around my neck, his face coming so dangerously close to mine.

"Aren't you done yet?" I ask after about a minute, wiping the tears from my cheeks.

Hey, I am not crying, okay? It's the effect of this damn spirit that is making me tear up!

I breathe out deeply, holding on to his Tee on the chest, and out of the blue, he crashes his lips on mine.

What? The last time we kissed was during that introduction party. Besides, this isn't part of the contract.

I try to pull away, but he is so strong on me. His sweet scent of pheromones is dominating, coaxing me to stop fighting this.

I give in, and let the magic of this madness take over. I feel his hand leaving my shoulder, and in the fear of him breaking this sweet kiss, I tighten my grip on him, pulling him to me. He doesn't object, and our tongues find their way into our mouths, savoring the warmth inside, exploring every corner.

I think he is enjoying it more than I am. How can he be so sweet and cold at the same time? He tastes like chocolate.

The dancing of our tongues is cut short by our shortness of breath. We pull away, and it's now that I feel his palms cupping my face.

Ooh, dear! Why did he do that? Why did we kiss? Now I can't even look at him.

"Did that help?"

"Yes.." I shoot my eyes open, meeting his dark glowing blown ones. "Sorry, what?"

It's time for making fun of myself! Why do I feel so good but confused, huh?

"Did that ease the pain?"

Pain? What pain?

Wrinkles! Wrinkles!

Dang! Yeah. My brain just started functioning. He was disinfecting the wound. This is embarrassing.

"Aah...yeah! You...can...continue now. I am good. It helped. I even forgot the painsavoring Well, until now."

The grin on his face!

Huh! But what am I ranting about?

"Now you are the crazy one."

He says, shaking my head playfully. His hands slip off my face, leaving a burning sensation. He takes the kit and walks back to the table with his chair.

What? He doesn't want to treat my wound anymore? What did I do? I didn't initiate the kiss. Crazy? He is the crazy one! A complete psycho!

I lift my hand to my face to wipe off the evidence of my excitement of that kiss, and the confusion about this weirdo.

No. I am the weirdo!

Why am I feeling a bandage on my wound?

I dart my gaze at the mirror in the closet, and, boom!

I am actually... bandaged!

"Huh?" I mumble.

That was, magically fast! How long was I lost in that kiss, again?

I smirk at myself!

I decide to steal a glance at this weirdo, only to find him staring back, smirking. Jerk!

"Aren't you going to ask for my help?" I ask, breaking the awkwardness, trying to hide the blush on my face.

His wounds are a hundred times worse than the one he was treating on my face. Jeez! Those hanging plunged skin. The wounds are so deep. These are the worst he has incurred so far. He needs to see a doctor, but I know he wouldn't agree.

"I can manage." He says.

"I am not buying that. It's time for your sweet little wife to order you and when I say I am treating your wounds, that is final!"

Before I make my way to him, my phone buzzes from under the pillow, and I grab it.

Mr. MCcall? He wants to know how his son is doing.

I receive the call, but the voice isn't his.

This woman? What the heck does she want? To know if I already left his son's house?

"Don't hang up on me, Tessa, please!"

Ooh, please! Please? Where did he borrow humility from?

"What do you want?" I query, and Jerol shoots his eyes at me.

"To talk. About Jerol. I'm sorry for how I spoke to you earlier. I hope you understand where I am coming from as a mother."

Yeah! As if she understands where I stand as a wife! Give me a break!"I am listening."

"Dinner tonight."

"I can't make it today," I state.

"Tomorrow, then? At nine."

"Okay."

"One more request."

Huh! Eye roll!

"What is it?"

"Don't bring Jerol with you, and don't let him know that you will be meeting me."

Yeah, woman! As if I trust you. What if you are planning to get rid of me, huh? I will disappear without a trace?