Chapter 5 HIS VOICE

KATRINA’S P O V

I was at a loss for words for a little while as I tried to process what Tina had just said. I almost slept with the coldest and richest widower in town? God, what have I done? However, it was safe to know that his wife had passed away, which meant that I didn't need to worry about whatever occurred to us during the course of the night.

But Cohen…

I shook my head to brush him off my mind for a little while. He was the reason why I got drunk last night.

But I was still wondering who was that man, and how did he become a widow? I mean… what happened to his wife? Is he still single? With that looks he has, I doubt it. Maybe he was also a player like Cohen. If not, then why did he bring me in his room, wearing nothing but a small towel.

Pervert!

I sighed as I leaned back on my seat, closing my eyes when I felt the unsettling effects that the alcohol was having on me.

My memory last night was still vague due to hungover, but I could clearly hear the man’s voice, echoing throughout the room as he talked last night, though I couldn’t understand what he was saying, but I could tell that he was someone I had met before since he sounded so familiar. I was convinced that I had heard it in the past, but I couldn't remember where.

‘‘Isn’t he the hottest man on earth?’’ Tina squealed, which made me jolt out of my reverie, and as I shot her a glare through the rearview mirror, she focused back her gaze on the road but she would simultaneously glance up in my direction, with a teasing smile plastered on her lips.

‘‘Cohen is still more handsome than him…’’ I lied, the deep green eyes of the man still couldn’t get off my head.

‘‘Are you blind?’’ she sent me an annoyed look, her knuckles turning white as she gripped on the steering wheel tightly, but then her eyes lightened as she suddenly thought of something. ‘‘Did you try to seduce that man to get rid of Cohen?’’ she asked, making me sit up straight on my seat.

‘‘Of course not!’’ I rolled my eyes, focusing my gaze outside of the window. ‘‘Why would I do that? You know how much I love my husband, Tina. And I will never ever leave him no matter what…’’

‘‘Really?’’ she shook her head in disbelief. ‘‘I can’t believe you still have affection for your husband despite all of the things he has done to you…’’

‘‘It’s not that easy to fall out of love to someone you have loved for five years…’’ I sighed at her statement. ‘‘Besides, I know he was only doing that because he thought I betrayed him, when it’s not!’’

‘‘No, Katrina…’’ she objected, throwing one hand up in the air. ‘‘Cohen doesn’t love you at all. I bet he wouldn’t even give a damn about where you were or what you were doing last night!’’

‘‘Tina, please... Can you just stop…’’ I groaned, not wanting to argue with her anymore. ‘‘No matter what you say, he is still my husband, the man I married, and promised to spend for the rest of my life with. And I love him...’’

Tina fell silent, but I was sure that it wouldn't be for long since I was positive that she would start peppering me with questions, and teases me with that widower again.

But I’d stick with what I’ve already told her. I love Cohen, and there is no way that I could ever leave him for anyone.

I was right though. As soon as Tina parked in the garage of our apartment, and stepped out of her car, she continued talking about that man again. ‘‘If I were you, I should’ve asked for his number. You should not---’’

The abrupt ringing of my phone cut her off, and I huffed as I looked at the caller.

‘‘What do you want?’’ I snapped at Cohen the moment I answered my phone, and I could tell out of the corner of my eye that Tina was following my every move, and that she was listening to my conversation with Cohen. I ignored her as I entered the apartment that I shared with her.

I couldn't help but feel anxious as to why Cohen was contacting me again, because the last time he called me was to bring me the necklace, which I’d thought he would give to me as our fifth year anniversary.

‘‘Come here in my apartment…’’ His tone was authoritative, and I found that it didn't sit well with me.

‘‘Why? What do you want from me again?’’ I pressed my phone closer to my ear to listen to the background noise from the other line, wishing I wouldn’t hear Natalia’s or any woman’s voice, because I don’t know how to handle it for the second time if I have to witness him again cheating on me.

‘‘Oh, nothing, my dear wife…’’ he chuckled. ‘‘I just miss you, that’s all!’’

‘‘Miss me?’’ I scoffed. ‘‘No! I will not---’’

‘‘Just come here! Damn it!’’ he yelled, and I flinched, pulling away from my phone because his voice was so loud that it was dangerously close to rupturing my eardrum.

‘‘Cohen---’’ I tried to protest, but he had already dropped the call.

‘‘Why did Cohen call you again?’’ Tina asked, her eyes scrutinizing me.

‘‘He wants me to go to his place…’’ I said as I walked past her, and made a beeline to my room, but her next words made me stop.

‘‘And you’re going?’’ she quirked an eyebrow at me, and she didn’t need to hear my answer because it was written all over my face. ‘‘Seriously, Katrina?!’’

‘‘He’s still my husband…’’ I said, averting my gaze as I sighed.

‘‘Katrina…’’ Tina let out a grunt of exasperation as she opened the door to her room, and was going to close it when I called her out. ‘‘What?!’’

‘‘Can you give me a ride to his apartment?’’ I knew that if I gave her puppy eyes, she wouldn't be able to resist me.

Her glare became impossibly worse before she entered her room, and slammed the door shut, not giving me a ‘yes’ as an answer, but didn’t say ‘no’ either.

I gave a casual shrug of the shoulders and then went on to step in my room. I swiftly pulled out a fresh towel inside my closet after stripping off my jacket, followed by my black dress, and undies, and tossed them all in the laundry basket.

I walked into my bathroom, and stepped into the shower stall, turning the knob on and waited until it was warm before slowly stepping under the jet.

It was the perfect pressure against my back to ease and unwind some of the tension in my muscles. I really needed to get clear-headed regarding the man at the bar, and instead focused with my husband.

I dragged my fingers along my arms, gently massaging the back of my neck, and sighed, melting into the warmth all around me.

I welcomed the relaxation and calm, as I focused on the water trickling down my back. I ran my fingers through my hair, gently massaging my scalp with my strawberry shampoo, and then rubbed my body with almond milk body wash using my loofa.

I have no idea if that man touched any part of my body, but just to be safe, I made sure to scrub every nook and cranny to remove any trace that he might have left behind.

As soon as I got out of the shower, I dried my hair and body, and applied lotion all over, feeling so excited about seeing Cohen again. I had high hopes that he would talk about us into getting back together.

I decided to wear a pink dress made of satin that flowed beautifully over my body and clung to my curves in just the right places while the slit allowed a slight amount of my thigh to be visible. I paired it with some black shoes and a purse of the same color.

I put on a very light makeup, letting my dirty blonde hair fall in its natural state, the light strands reaching my waist. I double-checked my appearance in my vanity mirror before deciding that I was, in fact, prepared to go meet my husband.