บท 24: That Night (5)

Shelby stood up slowly in her room and shed the rest of her undergarments. She walked to the bathroom and stood under the shower directly, circumventing the tub and opening the faucet on full thrust.

She stood still and let the cold water wash her down thoroughly. After a few minutes, she started shivering and turned the faucet the other way to welcome the warm shower this time. She raised her head and let the water spray her face.

She stepped out and started drying herself. Just then, Knock, knock, knock!

She paused, 'who can it be at this hour?' She thought to herself. She looked around and picked up the fluffy bathrobe, and still drying her hair with the towel, she hurried to open the door.

"Brad?" She blurted out in surprise.

"What are you doing here? Is something going on?"

A little earlier and after most of the guests had left the wedding banquet, Brad still sat on one of the empty chairs and nursed his drink. He was in a dilemma… a big one.

He could not get his brother's new bride out of his mind.

"What kind of dance was that?" He whispered as the thought brought goosebumps all over him again. Brad had done his possible best to take the girl out of his mind, but that was proving to be difficult. He had never met the girl before the wedding. "Yes, she is a beauty, but she is not the first beauty I have ever met, so what-"

He ran his hand through his hair in apparent frustration and asked himself,

"Am I so woman-deprived that I hyperventilate over a mere dance? This does not make sense, Brad!"

Even with all these, Brad soon found himself at the door of the room of the girl in question. He had no idea how his legs had carried him there if asked later. Of course, Brad instantly regretted after the knock, but before he could turn and leave, the new object of his fascination appeared.

"I-"

He stopped as his jaw dropped, and his eyes widened so much that the whites were very visible. He tried to tear his eyes away, from her, but he was enthralled.

"I-"

"Brad?" Shelby called out again, but Brad was lost. His eyes had developed a mind of its own and Brad could do nothing about it.

His eyes travelled all over her, noting her naturally coloured lips pressed together tightly, showing a guarded and reserved attitude towards him, the wet hair hanging on her shoulders and slightly wetting the robe on her shoulders; this told him that she had probably just finished showering as his imagination started running wild especially when he thought of what might be under the robe. Her white skin peeking out of the uncovered areas, blue eyes shining like sapphires, and he gulped. She was truly dazzling, which became more profound as he looked at her.

'Is it possible for someone to grow more beautiful under the naked eye?'

Her aura after the bath was even more seductive than when she had danced. He looked at her as she stared back at him with so many questions, but Brad couldn't help but encourage himself. She lowered her eyelashes slowly. It quivered, and his smile brightened out of nowhere.

But then … 'I shouldn't have come here…' he thought but still remained rooted on the spot without saying anything. The smell of the jasmine-scented soap she may have used wafted to him, enticing him more.

Shelby was puzzled. Brad just stood there looking at her like he was stupid but said nothing. Just as she decided to close the door, he also seemed to come to a consensus in his mind.

"No regrets." He stated, and she creased her forehead.

"What-"

Brad could not understand the complicated thoughts and emotions, but one thing was certain. He had to do this! Whatever it was, he was sure of his next actions!

He swallowed hard and took a determined step forward. Shelby looked at him warily, and her guard wet up instantly.

His eyes followed her rosy lips as they parted.

"Brad? W-hat is it?"

He snapped back and then smiled awkwardly.

"I'm just worried about you…."

"Worried about me?"

"Ye-s, because Ian did not show up. I want to check how you are settling in." He forced himself in, and Shelby could feel the danger bells ring….

Brad took another step, and Shelby let the door go and stepped back.

"Young master Brad-"

"It's okay, it'll be over soon."

As soon as Brad said this, he kicked the door shut behind him. Shelby realised what he was up to, and she raised her hands in front of her and backed away from him, hurriedly looking for anything she could use to defend herself. She had no idea why most men went crazy around her, but she was not in the mood to think about the why… at least not yet.

But she was not fast enough. Brad's eyes showed that he had temporarily lost all reasoning. He lunged for her suddenly, wrapped his arms around her, and went straight for those seductive lips, but then two things happened simultaneously that none fully expected…

***

Ian tossed and turned on the bed for a while before he bolted up. His chest heaved up and down, and his whole body was sweaty.

"Aliy-" He frowned as he thought back to the dream he had just had. Even though he could not remember much, the way his heart was beating furiously was too worrisome for him. In all his life, this was the first time, he had seen another woman in his subconsciousness… and he knew that his rapid beating heart was not for his Aliya! That was inconceivable!

He raised his hand, placed it on his forehead, and then nodded.

'Figures! Another fever is popping up!'

He reached over to pick up Aliya's picture on his nightstand as if to reinforce her memory in his mind but paused as a wave of violent fury erupted in him all at once. His eyes flashed, and he felt himself start getting overwhelmed with the emotion. It was so instantaneous that before he realized it, he swept the nightstand contents onto the floor, including his beloved picture of Aliya.

The distinctive sound of glass breaking was heard. A few drops of blood appeared on his hands from the scratches, but he did not notice. Ian let out a deafening roar like a wounded animal as if to let out the anger and frustration buildup, "Aaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!"

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