Chapter 85 Lights out
Lana's POV
I was concerned about Cynthia. I was in shorts and a tank top, contemplating if I should go over to her. I jumped with a fright as thunder crashed, my hand on my chest. I closed my eyes and exhaled slowly, calming my racing heart. I ran to my bedroom, grabbed a black hoodie, putting it on as I walked towards the front door. Gosh, I’m in flip flops, the rain started to pour heavily. I put the cap of my hoodie over my head and I just left my apartment, closing the door behind me as the rain poured down on me.
I turned around and the rain just slapped me against my face with wind that has picked up. I ran down the driveway and over the road until I got to Cynthia's front door. Her lights were still shining. I knocked on the door. I was getting soaked. "Oh, come Cynthia," I said to myself.
I didn't know that there was a storm this evening. Before it seemed to be getting bad, I knocked again and then my fist came into contact with the air as she finally opened the door with an annoyed look on her face and then it changed to wide eyes and surprise. "Come in! It’s pouring out there," she stood out of the way, opening the door wider and I hurried inside. I shook out my arms. "Let me get you a towel and some warm clothes to wear." Cynthia went to her bedroom and I followed after her. The television was playing in the lounge with some snacks on the coffee table. "I was about to shower but you need it more than what I do. Take a warm one," she said as we entered her bedroom and she took a t-shirt and shorts out of a drawer. She smiled at me as she gave them to me.
Taking it from her, I said, "Thank you," I walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind me and I placed the dry clothes on top of the vanity and I got undressed. It was cold and my clothes were sticking to my body.
I let the shower run until the steam filled the bathroom. I got inside and I adjusted the temperature. I wasn’t going to burn my skin raw in a hot shower. I let the water run over my face and hair. I washed my hair with the shampoo and conditioner that was on the shelf that was in the shower. I was feeling good. I just wasn’t expecting this storm to happen. Well, I hardly watch the television.
After the shower, I got out and dried myself. I need to know what is happening with Cynthia. I want her to be able to talk to me. I don’t want her to be forced into things that Gerard might be doing with her. Anything is possible with him. He might have his attraction affecting me, but he won’t get anything right with me. I want to protect my friends, even if I have to stand up towards Gerard and as a CEO, make him lose deals with my company.
I took the hair dryer that was on the vanity and I dried my hair with it. Once I was done with everything, I went to back into the lounge. Cynthia was sitting on the sofa, eating some popcorn from a huge bowl. She was somehow glued to the screen. “Thank you for the shower and dry clothes,” I said to her as I sat down next to her.
“I thought that you might want some fruit,” she pointed with her finger towards the bowl of fruit salad, she might’ve made it while I was in shower.
“Thank you,” I smiled as I took it from the coffee table.
“"It’s nice to have you in my apartment for a change,” she smiled as she put popcorn into her mouth.
“I will come over more often. So what was Mr Moses doing here? On two occasions I might add,” I got straight to the point. Poking my fruit around in the bowl. I looked at her to see her expression.
“Well, he is an arrogant piece of ass. We kissed and I wanted more but he refused to give me more. That first night that you probably saw him drop me off, he kissed me but then he pulled away and said he had to take care of something. I let it go and this evening on our dinner date, there was a female and her husband with us. We were at a restaurant, all fancy and I could see the way that he was looking at her despite her husband being there and I remained quiet because I am only the intern, but I want more than that with him. She excused herself to go to the bathroom and so did he. I excused myself after that, leaving the husband alone. I opened the ladies bathroom and there they were kissing, his hands were all over her body and he was f^cking her. I walked inside of there and I asked him to take me home. I was angry and clearly saw that he didn’t want me. I didn’t give him time to find his release. Next thing I said was “Oh, just carry on, finish what you have started,” but he pulled out of her and zipped up his pants. Then I told the female that I would tell her husband. The female is his assistant whom he is f^cking every day at work,” she said putting another popcorn into her mouth.
“I’m sorry about that. He is an ass and I did warn you,” I replied.
“Yeah, you did. But it was my choice. He brought me home and he wanted to hug me because I was angry and I shoved him away, which you probably saw. He was trying to call me but I put my phone on silent because I cannot deal with him right now. It’s like he is somehow resisting me. So do you think that he actually has feelings for me seem that he is acting this way? But why continue to f^ck another women?” she asked with tears welling up in her eyes. “I’m falling for him.” I placed my bowl on the coffee table.
“Cynthia, it’s best that you don’t. You don’t know all the things that he is capable of doing. He put Arden and Miranda through so much and to the extent of messing their lives up. Would you want to be with someone that doesn’t regard you at all if he could do that to his ex-wife and his own kids?” I asked.
“No, I don’t want that. But who says that I cannot change a man?” she replied.
“If he really wants you then he would stop doing what he doing to be with you and only you. I would suggest that you find someone else because Mr Moses or shall I say Gerard won’t change,” I said.
“I don’t know…I want to see first before I give up on trying with him,” she said. It seems like she won’t listen to me and Cynthia can be stubborn.
“There are secrets to that man that you may not know. Do you know about his club?” I asked.
“No, what club?” she asked, sitting up straight now, her brows were furrowed.
“The Queen’s Club. He owns it. Miranda told me that he keeps it hidden if I can put it that way. He doesn’t want to be known as the owner of it,” I explained.
“Then we need to go and check it out. I love clubs and I will explore this one. I need to know every part of him because it would take more for my feelings to just snap shut when I fall for someone,” she said. Thunder crashed and we both jumped with fright and the power went out. “Sh^t, this storm will be huge.”
“My phone is in my apartment.” I said as Cynthia switched on her phone torch. I moved towards the window and I looked out of the window and it was pitch black. “Everything is out, not one light, except for a car with its headlights and the car stopped across the street, which meant that it was by my apartment. Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed. Arden got out of his car with a torch. “I need to let Arden know that I’m here,” I said as I moved away from the window.
“Here, take my phone,” Cynthia said, and I took it from her.
I hurried to the front door, opening it, “Arden! I’m here!” I called out to him. He looked at me, and then he jogged towards me.
“I called you and you didn’t answer,” he said with worry and out of breath as the rain poured even more now. I moved out of the way so that he could enter and I closed the door behind him.
“I left my phone in my apartment. I wanted to see if Cynthia was okay,” I replied as I gave the phone back to Cynthia.
“I’m going to get some candles and make this evening romantic,” Cynthia said as a joke as she walked away.
“There is something going on between your dad and Cynthia. He will break her,“ I told Arden softly. I could still see his face because of his torch light. His jaw clenched.
“She should stay away from him,” he replied softly. But then Cynthia came inside and she lit the candles.
“I really wanted to make a meal but with the power out, all we have is what is in the fridge and snacks if you want to join,” Cynthia said.
“We would like to join,” Arden said. He took a seat on the sofa and I joined him. Cynthia sat down on the ground, across from us. She took her glass from the coffee table and took a sip.
“There is wine and the juice is in the kitchen for you, Lana. Who would’ve thought that my evening would end up like this,” she stated.
“Well, we are here and that is all that matters,” I replied as I ate my fruit.
“The power went out as I drove all the way here, but the power is still on at my place. Miranda is with Charl,” Arden said.
“You should’ve stayed with him,” I replied.
“I was worried about you when you didn’t answer your phone and then I came to see if you were okay. I will stay for the whole evening if I need to because I won’t leave you behind, especially in this storm,” he said, holding his gaze on me.
“You both are the cutest,” Cynthia said.
“And you need to be careful with my dad,” Arden warned her.
“I can take care of myself, thank you very much,” Cynthia said, and she took a sip of her wine.
“My father isn’t a man that changes, it would take a mighty different kind of lady to change his ways and settle. If he wanted you, then he would’ve had you by now. You are probably not his type but he wouldn’t resist a woman and that is what got me thinking,” Arden said in thought as he looked at Cynthia.
“Well, he f^cked his married assistant in the restaurant bathroom. He kissed me but didn’t want to take it further with me. He f^cks her every day.”
“Maybe because you have an effect on him that he doesn’t like and he doesn’t want to leave his old ways. You might be that person but he is way older than you and he can hurt you. Be careful and safeguard your heart. If you see anything out of the ordinary with him or his friends. You need to steer clear,” Arden said.
“So I might be the woman to change him,” she stated.
“If he resists you and doesn’t f^ck you, then you might be.”
“He won’t dare break my heart, I will break his,” she said before taking another sip of wine. Cynthia’s phone lit up and she sighed as she looked at the screen. “I need to take this,” she said as she got up and walked out of the lounge.
“I want us to try again, Lana. Life is too short and I want to have more with you,” Arden said.
“I’m thinking about us. I just don’t want you to be keeping secrets away from me and I know about the club that your father owns and what happened to Miranda. I just wish that you could tell me more instead,” I looked into his eyes.
“I understand,” was all that he said.
“That is all that I need in order to be with you officially.”
I want us to talk about things in our relationship when I give us another chance. So far, Miranda has told me things that not even he told me yet. It was all bits and pieces. I need him to open up more with me.
Cynthia walked back into the lounge, “That was your father, he was calling me the whole time after he f^cked that b^tch,” she sat down again on the ground. She had a rug that was underneath the coffee table that she was sitting on. “He feels bad,” She rolled her eyes.
“That is unlike my father. But I would still be careful if I were you,” Arden said.
“No one gets me down. I will rip them to shreds. What am I even thinking about being with an older man? Your father cannot be some playboy when he gets older and when I am with him one day, married perhaps. I will make sure that he stops his sh^t. That is being wishful for what it’s worth.” she said as she let out a heavy breath.
“Why don’t you just get yourself someone that would be into you too? Someone that you deserve,” Arden stated.
“I haven’t thought of that but I want to feel alive and wanted and feel drawn to that person. Your father is making it hard for me. I know about the club and I plan to check it out.”
“No, stay away from there,” Arden raised his voice slightly.
“Why should I? You’re not my father, Arden,” she argued.
“I know enough to tell you to stay away from that place. It is not for you or anyone of you. It’s a place that I hate personally and where things were done to Miranda that led her to drugs. I wasn’t proud of that, to see what happened. It’s all because of the person that you are falling for. So don’t go,” he stated.
I could see pain in his eyes. Miranda worked at the club and she took drugs. Gerard’s friends were part of the club. On the other hand, I am worried about Cynthia and I wish that she could just leave this whole thing with Gerard and focus on herself.