Hush (5 page)

“Yeah, you know, purses. Those things women carry around all the time full of all their crap. Yeah, that’s my guilty pleasure. It’s a lot healthier than your poisonous death stick,” I said pointing to the offensive white cylinder littering the ground beside the blanket.

“You’re very opposed to cigarettes,” he commented.

“My dad died of lung cancer,” I said.

“Oh.”

“Yeah, oh.”

“I see now why you hate them,” he said softly.

He pulled the pack of cigarettes from his pockets and tossed it into a nearby trashcan. I was surprised when it hit the mark.

“Now they’re gone,” he shrugged.

The light caught his hair in that moment and it glowed with indigo highlights.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

His violet eyes smiled at me. “Shouldn’t I be thanking you?” he chuckled.

“Yes you should,” I smiled.

“My lungs thank you, Sloane,” he said and his British accent became more pronounced. His purple eyes glittered with mirth. The aqua color of his shirt made his skin look like molten honey. His teeth were a blinding white when he smiled. I found myself leaning closer to him. Taking in every beautiful detail of him. I was beginning to learn that despite him being Dev’s brother they were two completely different people. If not for their similar looks no one would know they were brothers.

Dev was always kind and caring whereas one minute Siva was happy go lucky and the next he walked out on you. Siva was unpredictable. Siva was not safe.

But Dev was gone.

And I couldn’t help but think that maybe fate was pushing Siva and me together.

* * *

“Oh no! I’ve got to get back,” I cried standing. “April is going to be so mad at me,” I smacked my hand to my forehead.

Siva began rapidly packing up our picnic and I bent down to help him.

“I should’ve kept better track of the time,” he said angrily and venom dripped from every word.

“Siva,” I said and put my hand on his shoulder. He flinched and I removed my hand. “This isn’t your fault.  I was enjoying myself and completely forgot about my responsibilities.”

“Come on,” he growled. Suddenly the carefree Siva was gone replaced by mercurial Siva. Lovely.

“Can you just chill for a second,” I said.

“No,” he growled.

“What’s your problem?”

His lip furrowed. “I’m a control freak. I don’t like the unexpected.”

“It’s not like you didn’t know I had to go back to work,” I said putting my hands on my hips.

“I need a fucking cigarette!” he yelled tossing the paper bag full of our trash forcefully into the trashcan where he had just dumped his cigarettes.

My eyes grew wide.

“Siva,” I hissed. “There are other people here besides ourselves, like children. Can you keep the vulgar language to a minimum please?”

“Sorry,” he muttered but he didn’t look sorry at all.

“Sure you are,” I said storming behind him trying to catch up to his long legged stride.

He forcefully opened and then closed the driver’s side door. I heard the engine start but I was too pissed to climb inside the car with him.

I saw a taxi sitting empty by the curb.

I strode up the Porsche, grabbed my purse from the passenger’s seat, and slammed it closed before heading to the empty taxi.

“Sloane,” I heard behind me.

“I don’t want to hear it, Siva,” I turned to face the angry man sitting in the polished Porsche, in the polished clothes, with the so-called perfect life. “Thank you for the
interesting
lunch. It was… enlightening.”

“Sloane,” he called again.

I got in the taxi, rattled off the street name for Avid News, and left behind a very angry Siva and I didn’t even know why he was angry.

Stupid, moody, arrogant, man!

* * *

“Sloane, did you get lost?” joked Mac but there was a dark undercurrent to his normally happy green eyes.

I glared at Mac as I took my seat.

I swirled the mouse around to wake up my computer and attacked the keyboard with a vengeance.

“Whoa,” said Mac. “What did your keyboard ever do to you?” he asked leaning over the partition.

I huffed and buried my head in my hands.

“I take it lunch didn’t go according to plan?” he asked and his voice softened taking in my hurt feelings.

I sighed and looked at the curly haired man. I pushed my dark hair out of my face and sighed. “It started out great actually but then he just flipped out and I don’t know why.”

Mac
laughed.

“Stop laughing,” I snarled sounding much like Siva.

Mac looked at me and his green eyes warmed. He put his hand to his chest. “Okay, I’m going to be a nice guy here and give him the benefit of the doubt even though I’d like to beat him senseless for hurting your feelings. But Sloane, the guy probably feels weird because he has feelings for you, I mean
, how could he not, you’re perfect
but
you’re his dead
brother’s
girlfriend. Either that or he’s just an arrogant jerk.”

“I’m going for the later,” I said with a smile.

Mac may have possessed too much interest in me but he was a good friend and he could always make me feel better.

“Do you want to go get a drink later?” he asked.

Gone, was my friend.

“Mac, I really can’t.” At the appearance of his crestfallen expression I held up a hand and said, “I’m not saying no. Just, not to tonight. I have a lot to get done.”

“Oh okay,” he said but he still looked forlorn. He settled back at his desk.

I finished the article and printed it out. I read it through to make sure there were no mistakes and headed to April’s office.

I knocked quietly.

“Come on in,” she called.

I opened the heavy wooden door and entered her airy office. Well, maybe clinical was the better word. Everything was stark white. From the walls, to the desk, to her bookshelves, everything was a bright, crisp, white. The only thing that wasn’t white was the beige carpet floors.
It kind of reminded me of Rajas house.

“Just dropping this off,” I said handing her the article.

Her critical eye scanned it and she smiled.

“Good job, Sloane. You
always impress
me. I know this isn’t the kind of journalism you want to do but you do it well. I don’t have anything else for you to do today if you want to head on home. We’ll all be out of here in an hour anyway.”

“Oh okay,” I said failing to mask my disappoint
ment
. Home, or should I say Siva’s flat, was
not a
place I wanted to go.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she smiled.

I gave her a small, forced, smile and closed her office door behind me.

“Bye Mac,” I said packing up my laptop.

“You heading out?” he asked.

“Yep,” I said. “April didn’t have anything else for me to do.”

“You can finish my article,” he grinned.

I laughed. “I think that kind of defeats the purpose of doing your job.”

“You’re right, of course. I’ll see you in the morning. Maybe we can get those drinks
tomorrow
?” he suggested.

I clamped my lips shut tight so the groan I was suppressing wouldn’t emerge.

“Maybe,” I shrugged my half answer and skedaddled out of
there
before he added anything else to his endless list of, ‘things Mac wants to do with Sloane.’

I slung my messenger bag across my body and put my purse on my shoulder. I strode out the double doors but paused when I saw the black Porsche parked by the curb.

A man hopped out of the driver’s seat that was not Siva. I paused and the man smiled at me. He was tall, not as tall as Siva though, he was very muscular with blond hair. He wore a pair of nice dress pants and shirt. He was good looking with a nice smile and looked about Siva’s age.

“I’m Jacob,” he said, extending his hand. “I’m a friend and business partner of Siva’s.”

“Where is Siva?” I asked taking his hand.

Jacob helped me into the car and then climbed in himself. He started driving before he answered.

“Siva has to work late. He’s a busy man,” he said. His words were harsh but his grin softened his words.

“Oh,” I said quietly.

Jacob eased out in the London traffic and navigated his way to Siva’s flat. I sat back into the plush leather seat and closed my eyes. I pinched the bridge of my nose. I could feel a headache coming on.
Great
.

“We’re here, Sloane,” said Jacob. His deep voice startled me awake. I must have dozed off. Some company I was.

“Oh sorry,” I mumbled climbing out of the car.

He chuckled. “It’s no problem.”

He followed me to the elevator.

“I’m fine,” I said, “you can go.”

He laughed. “You don’t have a key.”

“Oh right,” I blushed an unhealthy shade of red.

He laughed once more. “Plus, Siva asked me to stay until he gets home.”

I narrowed my eyes at Jacob. “I don’t need a babysitter.”

He looked me up and down. “No, you certainly don’t.”

Thankfully the doors slid open and Jacob opened the door to the apartment. Immediately I noticed that my boxes no longer covered the floor. For a
moment I
was worried that someone had taken my stuff but then I figured that Siva probably had a maid and she’d moved my stuff. Jacob walked down the hall to the family room and a moment later I heard the TV come on.

“Don’t mind me,” he hollered, “pretend I’m not even here.”

I let out an undignified sound and went upstairs to my room.

I opened the door to find that all my
stuff had been moved up here b
ut I didn’t see the point in unpacking anything. I’d live out of my boxes for now. I didn’t plan to stay here long.

I set my purse and messenger bag on the bed.

I headed into the bathroom for a shower. This time I did not collapse on the floor in a useless heap of nothingness.

I dried my hair with a blow dryer I found under the sink. The normalcy of the motion helped to calm and soothe me. I pulled my tooth brush and toothpaste out of my makeup bag and
scrubbed furiously at my teeth until they glowed like little pearls. I had tired circles under my eyes and
my
skin had a sallow tone to it.

I put my head in my hands in frustration. Siva Kapur was the most frustrating man alive and I barely knew him. He was going to kill me. I just knew it.

I already was starting to resemble a walking corpse.

I pulled on a pair of blue and white striped pajama pants and a plain white short sleeved shirt and padded quietly down the stairs. I didn’t know if Siva was home and if he was I wanted to avoid him like the plague.

The downstairs level of the flat was quiet. I tiptoed into the kitchen and began rummaging in the cabinets for something to eat for dinner. I didn’t think my stomach could handle much so I opted to eat a bowl of cereal. That seemed safe enough.

I finished and washed the bowl and wiped down the countertops. I didn’t feel like going back upstairs and sitting in my room for hours so I ventured down the hall from the kitchen to the family room. At this point I didn’t care if Jacob was in there. I just couldn’t stay in that bedroom on
e
more minute. I hoped some TV could calm me down. Watchi
ng TV seemed a normal, innocent
enough activity.

When I opened the door Jacob wasn’t in there. I wondered where he had disappeared to but then I heard the sounds of PlayStation coming from across the hall.

The family room had light brown walls, a comfy looking dark brown couch, shag carpets, a fireplace and a large TV. 

I was immediately intimidated by all the remotes and blinking lights. I may have been irritated with Siva but that di
dn’t mean I wanted to break his very expensive
TV. I studied all the remotes and finally figured out which one went to the TV. I changed the channel until I found something I could halfway enjoy. I settled on some kind of pop idol show.

I curled my legs under me and wrapped myself in a purple blanket that was slung across the back of the couch. I snuggled under the blanket. It smelled like Siva, sandalwood. I found myself inhaling the scent like I needed it to live and instantly got mad at myself. I slung the blanket off of me and resolved to be cold.

The show went off and I changed the channel to some home decorating show.  I grabbed one of the decorative pillows and
laid
down. It was getting late but I wasn’t ready to go to bed. My eyes became heavy and I finally fell asleep to the sounds of someone telling me how to build a bookcase.