At the right moment, the lights went out, and I presumed Ice had done his work. I pretended to reluctantly follow the man out of the party venue as he sneaked us out through the back door.
A feeling of not playing by the rules streaked through me. Carson seemed to be a person who did not play by the rules. This made me wonder how easy it would be to gain his trust while I was doing what Kaiser wanted of me. Furthermore, he seemed to know Kaiser.
The night breeze teased my bare shoulders, chilling me slightly. I expected a splendid-looking Mercedes or some other luxurious car, but instead, Carson led me to a motorcycle.
“Is it right to leave Oscar like this?” I asked innocently in pretence.
“Girl, haven’t you ever cheated during exams?”
I thought deeply, “I never bothered to because I always last or second last.” But instead of answering him with my deep thoughts, I just said, “No.”
“Then, we’re about to cheat tonight.” He handed me a sturdy-looking helmet with a unique design of guns and roses and assisted me to get on the bike. In the process, his warm hand brushed against my thigh, and I shuddered again.
For me, it was a different feeling from Kaiser, Syl or Jacques.
Jacques was like the calm breeze, which granted my mind peace. Kaiser was an unsteady wind that was strong and controlling. But this man, whom I just met barely a few hours, Carson Gao, was this teasing breeze that urged me to go beyond my set boundaries.
“Okay.”
“I promise you, I won’t make you do something that you won’t want to do.”
I nodded. I had everything under control. If he dared to break his promise, I would leave. But tonight, I was playing hard to get. When I was in sales, the customer was always right. Carson seemed to be playing my game. I wasn’t concerned about my heart or even my body. All I wanted was just to finish my task, and give Kaiser the answer ‘done’.
Kaiser never listened to alibis or the long story. All he wanted was just results. I felt estranged from him during this period. It was like he suddenly changed. Why he even brought me with him to this new place but left me in the dark was something I never felt accustomed to.
But now, I had no control over my own body. I was no more than a commodity or a pawn for this man who meant the world to me. I looked back into the past and wondered if had I never stepped in to help a friend, would all these have happened.
Sherry the b*tch, she brought this sh*t to me and I suffered a fate worse than death as a result.
Never being able to have a child. Lost Syl who was my greatest love. And now, having to accept the reality that Syl would never be the same Syl all over again; no longer the loving Syl, who cared for me more than anything in his life, and instead, those dark memories of him thrusting hard in me tormented my mind.
“Shea, you’re not very chatty.”
I felt his warm hand on my waist, turning me to face him. We had stopped at the pier overlooking the sea, where it was surprisingly peaceful. When I shivered, he removed his jacket and wrapped it around my shoulders. Above us, the sky was filled with uncountable stars, leaving me in awe that such a wondrous sight existed.
A mischievous tinge flickered in his eyes, causing me to ponder over what he wanted. To me, men always wanted the same thing, and I was tired of it like I was just there to satisfy their undying needs.
“Sorry, I was distracted.” That excuse worked every time. He took my cheeks in his hands, without asking, and gently stared into my eyes.
“I want to be your distraction, Shea.”
To my shock, my heart started to race. We were all alone in this romantic place, and what could a man and woman think when it was just the two of them?
“You.. erm, I don’t even know your name. Yet, you know mine…” I whispered nervously. This time, it wasn’t fake. The ambience was messing with my mind, and the alcohol I had was a catalyst.
“Shea Tay. It’s a lovely name,” he said. “I don’t wish for us to remain strangers. Call me Carson. Come into my world, Shea, and I will treat you well.”
That easily? I hesitated, biting my lips hard. “I don’t know… my boss…”
“I know Kent very well. He goes by many different names and identities, and I can say, his name isn’t Kent. Kaiser Klef, also known as Kai Xing. He may not be Chinese or look like one, but he has a presence in Chinese society. And, left someone behind.”
He reached into his back pocket and drew out his wallet. Under the brightness of the full moon, I noticed a photograph of two people. One was Carson. And the other was…
“Erica, my sister. Kaiser is my brother-in-law. I know Kaiser has a woman back in City X. And trust me, with our connections, we could make her suffer.”
The anger behind his voice when he said the last sentence almost caused me to jolt, but I maintained my calmness.
“Why doesn’t your sister hunt him down?”
“Because she didn’t want to. She loves him deeply, and she wishes that with time, everything will change. His returning here is a change. It means, she and he now have a chance.”
I shouldn’t pry into Kaiser’s affairs. After all, I was just his secret woman. I sighed inside my heart while remaining calm on the outside.
“He’s just my boss. But she has every legal right as his wife.”
“That’s the problem. I don’t know why I’m telling you this. They didn’t register their marriage internationally, because Erica trusted him. But now…”
He paused, and continued, “I can’t bear to see my sister hurt herself again. Since our parents were killed by enemies a few years ago, she’s been taking sleeping pills. I will hurt any woman that makes my sister shed a single tear.”
When I met Kaiser, he didn't have any lover. Could this be the reason why? Because his brother-in-law threatened him?
And this was exactly why he wanted me to seduce Carson? So that he wouldn't foil his plans? Question was, what were his plans?
"That's why I like you, Shea. Although we've just met. You're not like all those women." He trailed his deft fingers over my exposed skin But he didn't touch me right there. His fingers tickled me over the sleek silk. Over my dress, I could feel my nipples erect.
What do you want, Carson? My mind questioned. A part of me was afraid, although I was mostly fearless. Afraid that he would kill me over my secret affair with his brother-in-law.
But just a few strokes were enough to send me plunging into desperation. The worst was, that he did all those on me without even going under my clothes. All of a sudden, I felt timid like a mouse.
"Let's not speak of my boss," I mused, smiling shyly. "Tell me about you, Carson. This is… the first time I've met someone like you. My boss never…" I stopped myself when I realised I was talking about Kaiser again. "I mean, I've never come to a place like this, and with a person like you…"
"Then let's not waste this opportunity."
He placed his hands on my shoulders and gazed into my eyes. At that juncture, I remembered what Kaiser told me, and I shuddered. His lips touched mine, and I willingly opened my mouth to allow his tongue in.
As he kissed me under the moonlight, I felt his hands slither down my bust, circling my taut nipples, and I unconsciously let out a moan. He didn't stop there, and his hands slid down to my bottom, groping it gently.
He drew away from my lips, and whispered romantically, "I'm scared, Shea. I'm scared of you, that if I take another step further, I can't stop myself."
I swallowed. "Then, Carson, we can stop here, before it gets out of control."
He whispered back, "I can't, Shea. You already have me wrapped around your little finger. I can't resist the temptation you give me after I know how you taste."
"I…"
It was the first time after encountering so many men in my field of work, that I was tongue-tied.
"Shea, admit it. You want me too, don't you?'"
I shivered sensually. Carson's touch ignited the fire in me and revived that tiny tinge of hope inside me that I had lost when I started developing feelings for Kaiser. I didn't hold back when he kissed me again, but after exploring my mouth again, he stopped abruptly.
My instinct was to ask him what was wrong, but he instinctively asked, "I hope it's not too much for me to ask, Shea, but would you be willing to embark on an adventure with me tonight?"
I couldn't help the feeling I was cheating on Kaiser when I answered hopelessly, "Yes."
The shimmer of the moonlight illuminated Carson’s figure, making me wonder if I would regret my decision.