Jad and Melinda

A Bargain Of Lust And Love (Melinda & Jad)
Melinda’s Point of View

The sun hung low in the sky, shimmering, its warmth making contact with my long displayed legs. I sip on my wine, my head resting on the chair I was sitting on, a sun lounger in my bikini.
Evelyn and Arthur went on a vacation, leaving me and Jad home along with the kids, and they were at school.
I just wanted the moment to relax and feel myself after a long time. For once in my life, I felt it—happiness rushed through part of me, and I loved the feeling.
That woman was finally out of my life, and my Evelyn was finally happy with her husband; this is more than I could ever ask for. It was actually a lot.
At least she found a man who can love all of her. He overlooked all her flaws and scars and chose to love her, and that made me happy for my sister. I want all her happiness to last forever.
A bitter smile stretched across my lips as the memories of my own marriage flashed in my mind. At least one of us was able to find true love, and I'm honestly happy for Evelyn. I will do everything in my power to make sure no one snatches her happiness away from her.
The sound of footsteps echoed, pulling me out of my thoughts.
I turned to see Jad walking over to me. My brows furrowed. Wasn't he supposed to be at work the whole day today? I thought I could be alone at home, but it didn't seem to happen. Once Evelyn and Arthur come back, I need to convince them to allow me to leave; we can't share a house—I loved my freedom too much.
“Here I thought you went to the office, and I was going to have the house to myself.”
I chuckled. “I thought you wouldn’t come home early today. I guess we have no choice but to share.”
I sat up straight, leaning to the table, and I placed the glass on the small table before me.
“I miss my house so much, but those little brats won't let me go.”
Jad settled on the chair next to me; he's wearing black shorts, and he was not wearing anything buttoned, leaving his bare, toned chest and his defined muscles in view.
My gaze traveled to his face—sharp jaws, defined flared nose, his long mahogany hair hung on his shoulder, his eyebrow arched, and his brown eyes twinkled like desert sand under the sun.
I swallowed painfully hard. I've never noticed how handsome this man was, and now I regret it because I won't be able to keep my eyes away.
“Is there something on my face?”
His perfectly arched eyebrow rose, bringing me out of my thoughts.
I cleared my throat. “You look nothing like your brother.”
I lied through my teeth. Of course I won't tell him the truth—that I was checking him out and now I regret it.
“Wait, did you think Arthur was my blood brother?”
He narrowed his eyes.
I nodded, and he laughed. “Arthur is not my blood brother… We met at the orphanage when we were five, and we've been friends since, and now we are more than friends.
My eyes widened. “What!” I smack my forehead. “Silly me! I thought you were his brother all along; I should have known.”
“So what if we aren't blood related? He's still my brother, and our bond is all that matters.”
“I guess you are right. I'm so sorry for assuming wrong.”
“It's alright…”
And then silence was all that was left between us. I sat up straight facing ahead, shutting my eyes closed, trying to avoid looking at him again.
I was grateful that Jad didn't say anything, but I could only hear the sound of the flipping page of the book.
My curiosity got the best of me, and I snapped my eyes open, and I couldn't help but frown to see him reading a book.
I mean a whole mafia reading a book—this was definitely something new to see. I thought their hobbies were to kill people or even worse, but reading a book is the least of what I thought.
“I didn't know guys like you could read books too.”
I couldn't help but voice my thoughts. It was too unbelievable to be true.
Jad closed his book and turned to me. “What's wrong with guys like me and reading? I thought reading was for everyone.”
I shrugged. “The whole image isn't good… I thought your hobbies were to slaughter people and laugh at their misery.”
Jad burst into cracking laughter at my words. But I couldn't find the joke in my words. I was dead serious.
“Why are you laughing?“ I crossed my arm to my chest. I didn't understand why he thought it was a good idea to laugh.
“Your sense of humor is crazy. Who has a hobby of slaughtering humans? Like seriously, even vampires don't have hobbies like that.”
He made sense at some point, but still, I can't believe he was reading a book. It was unlike him.
“Apart from reading, do you have other hobbies?”
Once again, my curiosity got the best of me. I was now interested in knowing more about him.
“Well, in my spare time I enjoy reading books for relaxing, cooking for cooling my head, and baking…”
My mouth hangs open with a "wow” expression. This was so unlike him; every time when I looked at him in his black suit looking all serious, I never imagined him in the kitchen cooking.
“Are you going to judge me now?”
Jad brought me out of my thoughts; I wobbled my head from both sides. “What! Of course not. I'm actually impressed, you know. It's not like you; I guess I misjudged you.”
“What are your hobbies?”
“Mine!”
I pointed at myself with my finger. No male has ever asked me such questions. It was quite unexpected.
“Of course, I'm talking to you.”
Jad stared at me, waiting for my response. But do I have hobbies?
“Well, singing, riding a bike, and sometimes I draw… There's nothing interesting about me, actually."
Jad's eyes twinkled with joy. “Please sing for me; I'd love to hear you sing. I love music.”
My eyes widened in shock. I only sing when I'm alone; I've never done it for anyone else, and I'm definitely not doing it for him.