The day after the first shift
I felt like I had woken up from a whole night of boxing against Floyd Mayweather. My body felt all bruised. I could barely touch my chest and not feel pain. I sat down on the bedside of Mei's bed rubbing my still closed eyes. Trying to wake up I opened my eyes wide to stretch them for a few seconds and then relaxed my face again.
Last night before we went to bed Mei grabbed one of Jake's pyjamas for me.
"You can sleep in my bed tonight. I need to know that you are doing fine," she said whilst watching me change.
I smiled at her as I put on the v neck shirt slowly over my head.
"I'm fine," I lied to her, but I was the kind of person that wanted to feel in control all the time.
I laid on the bed under the covers and Mei followed me in. I looked out of the skylight gazing at the bright stars in the sky as I always loved to watch them quietly whilst they gleam softly and listen to my father's voice in my head. He always had a way with wording. I could never forget those father and son moments we used to have.
My eyes closed and I could feel Mei shift her head over mine.
"What are you thinking?" She asked, realizing she could sense my feelings.
I opened my eyes slowly, still maintaining my face straight at the ceiling for a while longer, then I turned my eyes towards her.
"Well, since you are asking, I am dwelling on the past," I started. "Look at the sky above. Do you see that star over there?"
I turned to look out of the skylight as I pointed at the stars.
"It reminds me of my old man. He was wise and strong and he always had a good sense of speech. I miss his wisdom and his way of making me feel like I was his special son. I mean, I was his only one after my sister passed away, so, I guess I was special to him. I feel like those stars are my father and extended family looking down over me," I explained with a soft tone.
I breathed in and out feeling a sense of peacefulness now that I have illustrated my thoughts and feelings to her.
"So, how old was she when she...?" Mei looked into my eyes, but stopped her question half way.
I sighed, feeling like I had an answer, but it was not the right one. Like something was blocking the truth from me. So all I did was shrug my shoulders.
"I," I said, holding my reply for a moment. "I don't remember," I frowned, knowing it was a very stupid and inappropriate answer.
Mei must have thought I was crazy not to remember such an event.
Instead she leaned in to kiss my lips gently then laid on my chest gazing up at the sky until we both fell asleep.
I turned my back to look at Mei that was still fully slumbered with the sheet still wrapped around her like she was a present. Her hair was resting on the pillow gracefully and I felt the need to touch it as it looked silky. I leaned over so I would be able to look at her sleeping peacefully for a while. She was so gorgeous! Her smile made my heart thump strongly against my rib cage.
How could my life change so abruptly in just a few hours I thought! I stood up and changed into the trousers and shirt I had the first day I came here. I walked into the kitchen to find a pen and a paper and left her a note on the table. Grabbing an apple, I swing open the door and left with the photo my boss gave me to start my investigation.
Mei's POV
I woke up as soon as I heard the front door open and close. Luka was not here anymore. Where did he go? My eyes gazed where he was sleeping last night and I could still smell his scent of the freshness of the forest.
I closed my eyes as I sniffed his pillow deeply. I stood up and went to the kitchen wearing a blue crop top and shorts and noticed a note on the table.
"Be back later. Went to work on the photo".
My heart started to race as I knew that if he finds out, he might get into deep trouble even though he was the strongest Alpha I have ever met. I was deeply falling in love with him and I didn't want to lose him.
I looked at the fruit bowl and grabbed the last apple that was left and rushed for the car keys in the hopes of finding Luka before he ends up in deep shit.
I drove my Lamborghini Aventador S roadster as fast as I possibly could, racing down the road. Surely he was not too far away and I knew the address of the place since it was written at the back of the photo. Just before I was turning to my right I notice a black old school car driving slowly and Luka's breathtaking scent hit my nostrils.
"There you are," I spoke to myself then hit the gas to reach him.
"Luka, hey," I screamed out from the window trying to get his attention.
With his windows closed, he didn't pay any attention so I pressed the horn three times. He looked at my direction and opened his eyes wide.
As he rolled down the window he leaned a bit forward "what are you doing Mei?"
I motioned for him to stop on the next side road and parked my car.
"What are you doing?" He asked as he closed the car door.
"Luka, don't go there. There is nothing important for you there," I tried to convince him.
Luka crossed his hands close to his chest and glared at me.
"What are you not telling me? I have a job to do you know?" he said frowning.
"Look go tell your boss to go himself there. Now let's go back," I insisted.
"No. This is my job. You are either going to tell me what is there so scary that you wouldn't dare tell, or I would find out by myself," he blurted out, now raising his voice.
I laughed trying to ease out the tension "You know mate? This is our first argument. Don't yell at me. I am only trying to save your sorry a**."
I grabbed my left arm and leaned my body on my car. He stared at me for a while not knowing what to say, then he huffed and placed the photo back on the passenger's seat.
"Look, Mei, it has been already three days since I was asked to check that place out and make a story out of it. My boss is waiting surely impatiently for my return. I have a job to do."
He walked towards me and placed both hands on my shoulders as he raised his eyebrows innocently trying to convince me. I looked down on the ground and moved my foot from left to right forming a circle on the soil that was beneath our feet.
"Look Luka," I sighed. "There are things that you do not need to know yet. I don't wish to tell you. Please don't force me to tell you," I pleaded.
He released his arms off me and swung them as he paced from left to right, then lifted his strong arms on his head trying to think it through.
"What will I say to my boss?" he said with a concerned face. "Hey boss, I have no story to tell. I have found nothing. My boss is going to get angry and without a doubt, he will give me a warning for not being able to do my job or worse, get fired and end up jobless."
My eyes rolled and pushed myself away from my car.
"Look, we will find a good reason together. Ok? Just....please, I beg you," I waited for his reply for a moment, fidgeting with my fingers.
"Fine, Mei, fine. I'll leave it for now. But you do have to explain yourself one day," he insisted as he leaned in for a hug. "Maybe an interview would do nicely, you seem to have a pretty good idea," he suggested releasing himself from me.
I shook my head holding a straight face "you mustn't know until I am sure you can defend yourself."
We remained silent for a while and the only thing I heard was Luka's heavy breathing and some birds chirping up a tree.
"Well, since there is nothing here for me, might a swell we test our driving skills," he said jokingly.
He brought a smile on my face feeling adventurous.
"You know that I would win right?" I said whilst rushing to my car.
I waited for him to do get in his lotus as we started our engines and revved.
"Three, two, one," he shouted.
Him being cheeky he took off a second before me but me being a dominant, I was determined to win. I pressed the gas pedal, as I leaned myself closer to the steering wheel and managed to race back home as a winner.