Masked Ally

CHAPTER FOUR

'Josh, thanks for everything.' I planted a kiss on his cheek, which seemed to melt the hardness of his face. Before I could move a step away from him, he grabbed me in his arms and squeezed me tightly before releasing me shortly afterwards. I wasn't expecting that, but it felt so comforting — well not as comforting as Rex's — but it was good in a different way. I turned to Rex and was taken aback by the look he had on his face; he looked like a thousand volcanoes about to erupt.

'Are you okay?' I asked concerned.

'Yes, I'am fine.' He barked angrily and threw himself into my seat.

I walked over to the other side of the table, slowly sat down and placed my hands on the table, wondering what had triggered his fury.

'I don't want to see you near that guy again!' he ordered.

'Oh I see, you're jealous,' I said within, letting out a smile. 'You look so much hotter when you're mad you know,' I said without thinking.

He looked at me in shock and laughed aloud. My hands shook nervously.

'Why did you say such a thing Cassy?' I scolded myself. Unexpectedly, I felt his hands slowly envelope my hands and jerked out of fright. I felt the temperature of the blood flowing through my veins rocket high within that second. The veins on his hands were aligned in resemblance to the veins of a palm leaf; enveloping my hand in the protection if its shade. His dazzling white smile entrapped me.

'You're the most beautiful girl I have ever seen,' he said in the most soothing and convincing voice ever. Overcome with shyness, I bowed my head and bit my bottom lip; I could feel his eyes watching me intently and piercing through my heart like sharp spikes. I wished so hard that he would stop but at the same time, I longed for this moment to last forever.

He placed his hands beneath my jaw and lifted my head up slowly, then planted a kiss on my cheek. I was dazed; unable to think of anything else.

'Did he just ... did he just kiss me? — Ahhhh!' I squealed inwardly, letting out a huge grin, which I could no longer contain. My dream had finally come true.

'Cassy,' he said softly, 'I'm falling in love with you.'

Immediately I heard those words, streams of tears flowed down my cheeks. I had almost forgotten what it felt like to be loved, and his words meant the whole world to me.

'I love you too.'

He smiled broadly, leaned forward and planted a kiss on my lips. At that very moment, I flung open the doors to my heart completely. My being, all I had, all I was belonged to him; my purpose in life was to please him. He leaned back on his chair and smiled. When I saw the huge twinkle in his eyes, I was convinced beyond reason that he was the love of my life. He leaned further back into his seat, placed his thumb underneath his jaw and tapped his index finger on his cheek in a serious manner. As I sat there trying to figure out what was going on in his head and why his mood changed suddenly, he cleared his throat and said: 'Do you know any lady who goes by the name of Martha Parks?'

'Martha Parks? No ... why?'

He removed his fingers from his face, leaned forward and began to describe the woman with the aid of hand gestures.

'Have you seen a lady with black hair, brown eyes, a sharp jawline, really small?' He nodded his head, urging me to think.

'Well, I haven't taken notice of many people, since I've only been in here a few days.'

'When you get back in there, look around for anyone with the features I've just described, try to get a close to her ... or better yet ask around discreetly for anyone called Martha parks.'