Chapter 26

I finally awoke from the pleasure when I heard an irritating repetitive sound somewhere behind me. It was something familiar and known to me, but I couldn't remember where I had heard it. Suddenly, I pushed Nilan away, pulled my phone out of my pocket, and answered my husband with a shaky voice as I suddenly realized what had happened.

"Where are you?" He asked calmly.

"At university," I answered, wiping my lips with my sleeves.

"I know. Didn't you get my messages?"

"Fuck," I whispered as I checked the messenger.

"Olivier," my husband's voice shook a little. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes," I lied, turning my head aside before raising it to face Nilan.

"I'll be waiting for you at the entrance. Hurry up," He ended the phone call.

"Erm... Listen, Nilan," I started to feel guilty about leaving so early.

"You have to go?" He asked me, upset.

"Yes... Sorry," I nodded slightly and raced past the university park to the entrance.

I didn't understand myself. I had zero understanding of anything. I was careless. I failed. I was walking through the square when I noticed my husband on his motorbike. He was in the helmet, looking at his phone.

As I got closer, he stood up, took off his helmet, and looked at me with concern. I slowed down and stared directly into his eyes. He frowned, as if he couldn't believe it was me standing right in front of him. I felt uneasy, like if he was aware of what I had done just moments before. I looked away when he stretched his hand to my lips and slid his finger over them. I was bewildered. How could he know? That was not possible. No, he couldn't. He just couldn't. But I noticed a strange dangerous sparkle in his eyes.

I could feel his deep, long sigh while we were so close together. I knew his heartbeat had merely stopped for a second. Just for a moment. As I was watching him, gasping, his finger stopped in the corner of my lips. We were like magnets, drawn to each other yet pushing each other away when we came too close.

"Ranold!" I grabbed his leather jacket as soon as I noticed his tiny movement ahead.

He was no longer looking at me. I was trembling and clenching his collar, like if I wanted to stop something dreadful from happening. Everything happened so rapidly that I didn't understand what was going on. I could hear my heart racing so quickly. But Ranold remained quiet. Too calm. That was the most horrifying.

He handed his helmet to me and said, "Sit."

"Of course," I replied, quickly putting on the helmet and seating behind him on the motorcycle.

I hugged him on my own. I held him hard, grabbing his jacket and holding him in an attempt to calm both of us down. He was calm as a cucumber, but my heart was beating so much. But there was something odd about his behavior. Something that terrified me and made me clutch him even tighter to keep the storm at bay.

We arrived at the underground parking. I remained seated behind him when the engine stopped. We weren't at home. I realized I had done something terrible. Ranold sat in front of me without a helmet. I was keeping a close eye to his barely audible breathing. I was looking for even the smallest change in it.

"Let's go," he said suddenly, grabbing my arm and dragging me like it was the first time we met in my room.

I merely said "okay" to him and followed him upstairs.

We ended up in a hotel. Very luxurious hotel. He approached the receptionist and requested a key. She addressed him with a smile and the name "Mr. Hamilton" before handing him a plastic card. To get to the upper floor, we used the elevator. We both kept quiet. I was too scared to say anything. My husband had a lot to say, but he didn't seem ready to share it.

We walked into the room. It was a standard double room with one bed. Ranold immediately removed his jacket and tossed it onto the armchair. I could see the tension in his muscles. I took off my helmet and sat down on the bed. I wasn't scared or terrified; I just... I didn't know. Upset? I had a nasty feeling inside me. I didn't like it. I felt as if I had done something wrong, as if I had betrayed my husband, our marriage, and our agreement. I felt awful.

"Olivier," my husband said suddenly, looking over his shoulder.

"Yes?" I gave a hopeful response.

"Take off your clothes and lie down."

It was an order, not a request. And I started taking my clothes off. I was naked and embarrassed. And also, guilty. I felt disgusting emotions and wanted to get rid of them. I lay down on the bed, my arms covering my eyes. I didn't want to see him. I didn't want to get to know him. I didn't want to accept him as my husband. But I didn't cry. I was only slightly trembling when I heard his quiet steps nearby. "I deserved it."

"Do not open your eyes," were the only words I heard as I felt an icy chill down my stomach.

I shivered as I felt the ice cube continue to go up. I was breathing heavily, trying to avoid it from touching my sensitive skin, but Ranold was unyielding. I knew I couldn't even ask or say anything. I was guilty. I kissed someone else. I was kissing him and having a good time. His lips were warm and soft, and I enjoyed every moment of it. But my husband's kisses were cold at that moment. They were bitterly cold. I felt them all over my body. He kissed me everywhere to make me feel the way he felt when I broke our agreement.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." I finally broke down and begged him for forgiveness. I couldn't take his icy kisses any longer. I couldn't stand his silence any longer. I couldn't feel the desolation any longer. I needed him. I wanted him. I wanted him to be close. I wanted him to gently kiss me with his hot lips. I wanted him to give me a warm hug. But I never got what I really wanted that evening.

The morning came unexpectedly. I woke up alone. No, he was close. It was obvious to me. I could feel him. But he didn't hug me like he used to. I lay there, unsure of what to do next. As if he had abandoned me but was still present. I felt absolutely awful. A slew of questions raced through my mind, and I couldn't decide which to believe. I had just closed my eyes again when I felt his strong arm wrap around me from behind. I shivered as his palm slid against my stomach.

"Olivier," he said directly into my ear, and I cowered, drawing my legs to my belly.

He called my name again, and I nestled against the pillow, his hot body covering mine. Fuck, I wanted him so badly. He didn't even start doing anything, but I was already wet below. I wanted his kisses. I craved his presence. I yearned for him. And he gave it to me. He barely whispered my name again before leaning to kiss my lips, which I kindly let him kiss by raising my head to him.

He entered me when I was lying on my stomach. I moaned hoarsely and squeezed the blanket. I'd been waiting for it since yesterday. I missed the moment when I began begging him to hug me tighter, kiss me more, and give me more so that I could finally feel the usual heat between us. I craved him so much. And I didn't even realize I was sacrificing myself for him. I offered him my body, mind, and soul. And he took it all. Without a second thought. I knew I could count on him because he never left me alone.

***

"Regarding yesterday..." I started first, sitting next to Nilan during the lunch break. "I'm sorry."

"No problem," he said as Ethan approached us.

"Hi, guys! What are you doing?" He asked, shining his brand bright smile as he looked at both of us.

After a brief pause, Nilan responded with something akin to "okay," and Ethan began chatting about other important subjects. That allowed Nilan and me to avoid unnecessary confusion. After a few days, we had completely forgotten about that unexpected kiss.

Halloween was approaching fast. Ethan, Nilan, and I were on pins and needles. While the rest of the city was preparing for the big party, we were outlining our plan to capture the dealer. Nilan gathered us in the library the day before the weekend to go over the final details of everything.

"These are your party tickets," he said quietly, handing us two black tickets.

"Wow, I'm extremely happy! Something interesting is going to happen!" Ethan excitedly whispered.

"So, what are we supposed to do?" I inquired once more to clarify everything.

"The first thing is to act naturally," Nilan said with a smile. "Don't draw attention to yourself, don't talk to strangers, and don't eat or drink anything there."

"So, all we have to do is have a good time?" Ethan was curious.

"That's it," Nilan agreed. "You don't need to look for me. I'll give you bracelets at the entrance so our people can easily identify you among the crowd. They will act like regular people, so don't be embarrassed if they invite you to dance or unwind for a while. Simply follow all of the instructions."

"And look for something out of the ordinary?" I asked.

"Yes," Nilan confirmed. "We learned that the dealers will all be dressed in the same outfit. It would be a problem to see a few men wearing the same clothes because there will be a lot of people. You'd rather say it's a group of staff or young people who have decided to dress in a similar manner. Our goal is to figure out what they're wearing."

"That would be simple," Ethan said proudly. "Dealers do not usually engage in dancing or other activities. They prefer to sit near the bars, stand near the walls, or walk through the crowds promoting their wares."

"I don't think it'll be that easy," Nilan smirked.

"He's right," I said. "We're not talking about ordinary dealers here; we're talking about someone connected to Ranold Hamilton."

"Ranold Hamilton is just a pathetic big cheese," Ethan scowled.

I had to agree with him. In my mind. He was, however, right. I mean, on one hand. The second one diverged from what everyone expected.

The week ended on a positive note. I felt relieved and happy at the same time. I was ready to kick Hamilton in the shins. And I was going to give it my all. Ranold wasn't home on Friday evening. And it boosted my confidence even more. I made a tasty pasta and meat dinner.

I opened a bottle of sparkling wine that I had found in the cupboard. I was slowly sipping a glass of wine while admiring the nighttime New Orleans from the bedroom's large panoramic windows. People talking, cars beeping, clicking, clattering, and howling filled the night streets. This city will soon lose its head — the great mafia led by Ranold Hamilton. Until then, I'll be enjoying the most beautiful moment of my life, a moment of small victory and deep peace.