Prologue
1229 Words
Prologue
If love was enough,
It would have saved you.
-unknown
The small ranch house on a sizeable land was the only thing on the property. It was supposed to be a working ranch, but there are no animals and the barn looked dilapidated and ready to crumble with one strong gust of wind.
He stared at the azalea bushes on the front porch. He watched the flowers be carried by the wind. The same wind that would topple over the large barn behind the house. He stared and stared at the new dirt patch neat the azaleas. Garden shovels and a small plastic bucket stuck out off the ground.
He blinked. Rami loves gardening, but there were another pair of gloves on the porch steps, which meant she was interested in it too.
“What are you doing here?”
The sound of her voice still thrilled his blood. Warmed and swirled all around his body in hedonistic directions. Memories upon memories layered in his mind and body. All of that yet he hasn’t turned around.
“I know she’s not here Ram” He smiled. The smile she owned. He turned to look at the much smaller form of the woman with a gun. He barely flinched at the sight of its barrel directed toward him. “I kept my promise.”
“Not well enough” She frowned. Dark raven hair that shone blue under sunlight was tied in a messy bun on her head. Her arms a perfect stance as she held the two-barrel shotgun with the butt on her shoulder. “Didn’t we agree to never see each other again?”
“We did, but I am here to drop something off.”
“We don’t need charity.”
“It’s not charity” He took one long drag on his cigarette before throwing it to the dirt ground and snuffing it with his Florentine leather shoes. A family he owns made the expensive things. “It’s someone who needs your charity.”
Rami’s cheek twitched. A sign that she’s interested. A tell that he knows she has. “Where is it?”
“A he” He snapped his fingers and the dark-tinted sedan on the driveway suddenly had its door opened. A pubescent boy stepped out of the expensive luxury car and stared straight at Rami. “He needs a family.”
Rami’s shoulders loosen. Strife and concern marred her features for the boy. She frowned. A sad frown that still irks him to this day. “What did you do to him? He looks…”
“Strong” He patted the boy’s shoulders, and the boy obediently stepped towards Rami with a passive expression.
His Rami would take one look and would wholeheartedly accept the boy to her home as she is the kind of person to do that. She is kind and gentle. Any rough edges in her were from him.
Something he is both proud and guilty of.
She lowered the weapon and seemingly tried to hide it behind her as the boy approached. A hesitating hand reached towards the boy’s shoulder, but he didn’t flinch nor indicate any discomfort when it landed on his body.
“I’m sorry. Are you okay?” Rami asked. Searching for fresh wounds or bruises. Anything that would indicate he had hurt the boy. When she found none, she smiled. “Hi, I’m Rami”
“Keep the boy. He’ll keep the both of you safe”
She threw a glare in his direction. Her animosity was volatile despite the distance between them. He ignores that one heavy beat of his heart and chose to focus on the other normal beatings instead. “How despicable are you to trade in humans?”
“I don’t do that Ram”
“Then what do you call him, huh? A stray that suddenly landed on your lap?”
“Actually” He licked his lips. The phantom taste of Rami’s lips reignited his senses. How long ago had he kissed her? how long ago were they happy? “He is an orphan left in one of the houses in the old country. We think his father is one of my men, but who is to say?”
“We’re living in modern times. DNA tes—”
“Now, we can’t do that” A knowing smirk unknowingly stretched his face.
The boy’s brow twitches, but his face remains impassive.
Rami pursed her lips. Her face is tight as well as her whole body. He knows he disgusts her now. She hates him enough to want to kill him with that gun, and he wouldn’t mind if it weren’t for his men wanting to exact revenge. “You’re…despicable”
“Yeah, Ram. I am. We are. So, keep that boy and keep living this life. It wouldn’t hurt if you take some money from the card I give you and did some---”
“No” It was her turn to cut him off. Rami was like that, she’s not that kind to just back down. “We’re fine on our own. I would keep the boy and raise him and try to fix what you broke”
He nodded. Breathing in as much air as he can while she’s in his presence. Pretending that he won’t be devastated the moment he steps into that vehicle and drive off. God knows when the last time they’d see each other again.
It had been five years.
“Don’t be too stubborn that it ruins her life.” He fought the urge to bite his tongue off. “you are selfish enough Ram to ruin her life without my help”
“…” she nods back. Calm and unaffected “Never come back here Damian. Never be near enough that she sees you or even knows your name. We’re happy” Her lips slowly formed into the saddest smile he ever saw. She wasn’t sad for him, she pitied him. “My girl deserves to never know what you are or what you’re like.”
His lip twitched. Then he forced himself to turn around on his heels and unbutton his jacket. He doesn’t look behind him and he doesn’t dare to do so.
He sat on the back of his car. His driver and aide were in the front with somber gazes as they quietly drove out of her driveway and into the main road. He looked out of the window. His jaw clenched.
He doesn’t know it, but he kept toying with his marriage band. A marriage he thinks of every day.
“It’s her sir,” His aide said.
The driver subtly slows as the aide tapped on his shoulder.
His whole body tensed. He couldn’t help but stare at the girl walking by the street with a backpack as big as her torso. Her hair was tied high and tight on her skull. Her eyes were unfocused as she walked towards the driveway he just left.
When she was out of sight, he slumped back to his seat and heavily breathed out.
“Are you sure you don’t want to know anything about her sir?”
“Shut up and keep driving” He crossed his legs and took a glass of scotch from the decanter. “Time to fly home”
- Writer
