Chapter 49 KISS ME
\[GEORGIA'S HOUSE\]
"I've tried calling her, but her phone is not reachable," Blake said, trying to phone Ixora again.
Georgia paced around with a worried look on her face. They had been trying to reach Ixora for the past two hours. They were aware that she was going to the grocery store. It had taken longer than usual.
"And Nelly, is she at her house?" Georgia asked, rushing to Blake.
Blake shook his head.
"Nelly is on her way here. She hasn't seen her."
Georgia sighed, looking at the door.
Her mind was not at ease, and it wasn't because Ixora hadn't returned home. It was because of Drexton.
What if he had come back for revenge and decided to target Ixora?
"No," she muttered, shaking off the thoughts.
The police walked in.
"I need your search team to look for my daughter," Georgia said in her usual authoritative tone.
The inspector got his pen and paper. "When was the last time you got in contact with her?"
"Two hours ago."
The cops exchanged glances between themselves.
"She might be at her friend's house or a party. A person can only be reported missing if he/she hasn't been found within twenty-four hours," the police explained, gently.
"Are you trying to tell me that you know my daughter more than I do?" Georgia snapped.
"Aunt, let me talk to them," Blake interfered, taking the cop to a quiet corner.
He began explaining the details to him. The cop nodded before going to Georgia.
"We will see what we can do. Beware that the state wouldn't join in looking for her as it isn't up to twenty-four."
"Be quick with it," Georgia said.
"We will leave now," the cop said, and left with his squad.
Georgia sighed, slowly sitting down.
"Aunt, you don't have to worry, nothing has happened to her," Blake said, but deep down, he wasn't at ease.
What if Drexton had decided to kidnap Ixora? He didn't retaliate when he punched him, and from the things Ixora told him about Drexton, he behaved like a man who escaped a mental asylum.
Nothing should happen to Ixora, else he'd deal with him.
He thought, folding his fist.
Georgia suddenly stood.
"I have to go and look for her myself." She rushed out of the house.
Blake went after her.
\[HIGHWAY\]
Drexton and Ixora's gaze was still locked on each other. The weather was getting cold, and the breeze was blowing softly. Ixora's hair would fall on her face.
"Please," she pleaded.
"One," Drexton counted, finally turned and looked at the body. He began walking towards his car.
Ixora glanced between Drexton and the body.
She had always known him to be heartless, but couldn't he for once, show a side of humanity? How could she carry the body by herself?
"T... The body," she stuttered.
Drexton halted on his strides, his back to her.
"Help me with the body. I... you can count it as part of your price," she muttered, lowering her gaze to the floor.
To get rid of her crimes, she was now making another deal with her enemy.
Drexton turned his eyes on her.
"Two," he said, walking to the body.
He lifted the body by the collar with so much ease. He began dragging it to the car booth. There is no way the body would touch his.
Ixora followed him. Together, they put the body into the car trunk.
She looked at her hand, and the blood was drying up, and it made her hand gummy.
"Do you have water?" she asked, her voice coming out almost inaudibly.
Drexton gave her a long stare.
Ixora gulped under his stare.
He walked and entered his car.
Ixora sighed. She wasn't expecting him to be of any help. She started walking to the other side when he lowered his window.
She looked to see him stretching out a bottle of water.
"Be quick," he said, his tone commanding.
Ixora nodded, quickly collecting the water.
She washed her hands and her neck. She trailed her gaze down her chest. Blood was there, she couldn't go around like that.
She began using her hand to get rid of the blood, wetting her singlet. The singlet got stuck to her body.
She exhaled softly, having no choice but to follow him like that since she had no spare clothes.
She got inside the car.
Drexton's eyes landed on her wet hair that stuck to her face, then her neck and her chest.
She kept the water.
Staring down at herself, a tear slipped down her cheeks.
"I... I didn't mean to kill him. I'm n...not a killer," she mumbled, sobbing quietly.
Drexton held her chin and made her face him.
Her eyes were rimmed red as she stared at his face.
He brought his thumb closer to her face.
"Even your tears are a part of my possession, firefly," he muttered, wiping her tears.
When he was done, he faced the road and brought the engine to life.
And like that, the journey to dispose of the body started with Ixora's gaze focused on his face.
\--
It had been three hours, and they were still on the road. Ixora had no idea where they were going. The moon had already replaced the sun. It's silver light following them.
She would occasionally glance at him. She had no idea where they were going. The two of them hadn't said a thing to each other.
She wasn't expecting them to even talk. But the long drive was beginning to make her uncomfortable.
Where was he taking her to? Placing her trust in him might be her greatest mistake.
Something else bothered her, and that was the day she went to the police station to report their secrets.
She wanted them to go to jail, and now, she was doing the same thing: hiding her crimes to escape jail.
She was slowly becoming what he wanted. She doesn't recognize this version of herself anymore.
She was reeled back to reality when the car forcefully screeched to its halt.
Drexton's gaze met hers, and she knew he was telling her they had arrived.
She got down, stretching her gaze to meet a very thick forest.
Their car was a little bit far away from the forest.
Ixora gulped, staring at the forest.
Even the moon seemed to be against the forest as its light didn't even reach that part.
Drexton's footsteps made her aware that he had gotten the body.
He began walking deeper into the forest.
Ixora followed him quietly.
They got to a part where the forest got thicker and darker.
Ixora stumbled on a brick but held herself from falling.
Drexton was still walking while pulling the dead body behind him.
Ixora trailed after him. No communication between them... just the sound of their footsteps.
They got to the ending part of the forest, and he dropped the body.
He opened the small bottle of fuel he had come with.
He poured it on the body before turning on the lighter.
He tossed it on the body, and it immediately caught fire.
As the fire burned, countless thoughts ran through Ixora's head.
He did everything as if it weren't his first time. He was the Hell devil; this wouldn't be anything new.
"Let's go," Drexton said, leading the way.
Ixora followed quietly. Just like how long it took to get to the deeper part of the forest, it was the same when going out.
By the time they got out, the cricket had already started their night songs.
The moon bathed them, and they could see their shadow. The breeze had gotten heavier. It was a cool night.
It remained a few steps to the car before Drexton stopped, turning to face her.
Ixora, who was barely concentrating, bumped into him.
His hand grabbed hold of her waist, preventing her from falling.
"Sorry," she apologized, raising her head to meet his gaze.
She stepped away from him, though not too far.
He wanted to open the car door when her voice stopped him.
"Thank you," she muttered, staring at him.
Emotion was slowly making its way into her eyes.
Drexton stared at her without saying a thing.
It felt like she wanted to say something else. He could see it.
"T... The price, can I say what I want?" Her voice was incredibly low.
The breeze slapped their skin gently.
Drexton nodded.
His eyes weren't emotionless. It didn't hold hate either. It was just neutral. His hands were tucked in his pockets as he awaited what she was going to say.
She took two steps near him.
"Kiss me." She said.