Only You and I (You and I #2)

by H. M. Irwing

  But I need to get started. I had to head on home. And I also had to stop slurping my chocolate milk shake and start getting into shape. Only god knew just how many more impromptu hikes will be scheduled for me in the future. Until this situation with Sadiq gets resolved I was not leaving anything to chance. I would need to take pre-emptive measures. I looked at the junk food I had just consumed and shook my head at my own failings.

  Then I was on the road again barrelling my way home...a force to be reckoned with.

  It was late when I let myself into the quiet house. Stalking in, I threw my bag to the side and called out, "Mum? Dad? Cat?"

  "Upstairs love," the soft voice of my mum called out. I rushed up taking the stairs two at a time eager to see her. Hearing her voice reminded me of just how much I missed her.

  I threw open the door to my parent's room and saw that they were packing.

  "You're leaving. Already?" I looked in askance.

  "Yes, love. The sooner we leave the better... Cat needs us," mum said as she leaned in to give me a warm and strong hug. I melted into her embrace and her a kiss on my cheek had me all but cooing. I returned it with a ferocious hug of my own. I had missed her so much. I shook my head. I couldn’t believe that we were actually packing to run from our own home. All this seemed sureal. Too bewildering for me to take in. I didn't want them to leave. I didn’t want to leave. I wanted things to be as they were.

  I trudged up to my room and collapsed on my bed. Seeing mum and dad busy packing was depressing. I could hear Cat clutter about in her room no doubt packing up as well. I curled into a ball and stared into space.

  "Psst...psst."

  I looked up bewildered by the sound. I had been there lying on my bed for what seemed like ages not participating in the pack-up session that everyone was busying themselves with. I glanced to the window with a sudden suspicion and sure enough there was Jake no doubt dangling off the edge. I shook my head at him despairingly. Then I went to open the window.

  "What are you doing here?"

  I watched as he climbed over the ledge but didn't come in instead he sat on the ledge uncertainly.

  "Jake?" I prompted when he remained silent.

  "I'm thinking I have a way in which you could move in with me," Jake started to say casually, smiling innocently. A little too innocently. I raised my brow unconvinced.

  "I have an apartment in the city. We could go live there in the weekends. We live on campus during the week anyhow. It’s as long a drive for me as it is for you to our parents place so this is the perfect option. I had been planning to move into my own place for some time now anyways. There just hadn't been a good enough reason for it ...till now," he whispered softly, then waited patiently for my response.

  I sank back down onto the floor where I stood and thought hard. But the thrill I felt from his proposal conflicted mightily with any rational thought process. I was restraining myself from wanting to throw myself into his arms. It was the perfect solution. We would be together. I could just imagine living with him and waking up each morning with him at my side. Not having to sneak around every time.

  I looked up at him then with shiny eyes and said," Yes!

  Then I yelped as he moved with lightning speed to tackle me to the ground. We showered each other with kisses. Our hands roaming frantically not getting enough of each other and that was when it happened.

  Crash!

  We jerked apart simultaneously and stared at each other in horror. It sounded as if the front door had been wrenched apart. We both knew what that meant....Sadiq.

  Jake made a hushing sound as I struggled to get free of his restraining arms and go and see for myself what was happening. Then he was getting his phone out of his back pocket and placing a call.

  "Richard.? I need your help."

  I stared in horror. Richard? If Jake was calling for Richard's help this could only mean something worse than bad.

  I pushed at his chest and managed to wriggle free. Then unheeding his warning call I opened the door to my room and crept out onto the landing. I peered down to what was happening below. My vision was obscured but I saw several expensively shod male feet. Sadiq hadn't come alone.

  I heard a whisper of movement beside me and saw that Cat had come to join me on the landing. I gestured to her to remain silent and then pointed to my room where Jake was still on the phone. We crept back into the room to find he was now on the phone with other friends of his. He was calling in backup ... for reinforcements.

  We were going to fight.

  Chapter 11

  The harsh sounds of words said in anger could be heard revibrating through the closed door. As one the three of us glanced to it in horror.

  "They will be coming up soon," Jake said with quiet determination that sent butterflies of anxiety fluttering in my tummy.

  "We got to hide Cat!" I exclaimed in a hushed tone.

  "You can take my car. It’s parked over the curve and out of sight. Leave through the window. I can lower you down part way but you'll have to leap the rest of the distance."

  "What? No! She is pregnant!" I exclaimed my tone not so hushed now.

  "I'll be fine. It’s not such a great distance. I'll do it," Cat said eagerly.

  I could only shake my head despairingly. This did not bode well. But I went forward to lend a hand. Cat sat on the open window ledge and gingerly lowered her feet onto the other side. The drop looked overly high from this vantage point but I knew it wasn't. The house was after all, built into a slope. My window overlooked the rise. So the distance down was not as tenuous as with any ordinary two storey house.

  But still. I looked at Cat and saw her take a deep breath. "You don't have to do this. There will be another way," I said urgently.

  But her lips thinned determinedly. "I am not going back...to that...to that.. caveman!" She breathed out rapidly.

  I could understand the sentiment. My own dealings with him had been paltry by comparison but even so I don't see myself coming back for more. To tie myself in marriage to him would be a death sentence for sure. No amount of good looks and money could outshine what he truly was. An arrogant, overbearing....I took a deep calming breath and held on tightly to Cat's hand.

  Jake took the other. The two of us kneeling beside her exchanged a silent countdown..one..two and ...then we were doing it. Gripping tight we eased her down as far as we could get and then some before we let loose simultaneously.

  I held my breath but should have known better. Cat was like her name sake. Not only had she developed some hidden claws over recent events but she also managed to land on her feet.

  I watched with sisterly pride as she took off into the trees without hesitation.

  Relieved to have her away and out of Sadiq's clutches I exchanged a happy grin with Jake.

  We hid in the closet in my room after making up the bed and hiding all evidence of my being here. I hoped they would have overlooked my noisy old car parked just outside. Especially, now that it was silenced. With its engine off it usually went unnoticed. Unless parked in a prominent location where the eye saw could not be helped or overlooked. I shook my upset at the thought of almost losing my one and only… mode of independence.

  We were there for a few minutes before rapid steps could be heard taking the stairs two at a time and the door was slammed open giving me a jolt that pumped up my heart beat. I was sure it was the cause of my shaking in Jake's arms. I was also certain the loud beat could be heard by all and sundry. I buried my face into Jake's chest and wrapped my arms about him tighter. His grip on me tightened reassuringly but otherwise he remained calm and alert. I marvelled at his self-assurance and grimaced at my own cowardliness.

  But then their footsteps were gone to the other rooms and shouts rang out in a language I didn’t understand. Probably Arabic.

  We waited in our suffocating corner for what seemed like hours but could only have been minutes. If it hadn't been for Jake's reassuring and somewhat distracting kisses I would have gone ma
d with waiting but then they were here. Reinforcements. The bright glaring headlights of Jake's friends' flashy four wheel drives turned on full beam to awash onto the house. It was like daylight just outside my home. The spotlight glare was alarming. Every extra-terrestrial, UFO movie came to mind at the eerie glow that lit through the room right into the closet space in which we hid. I threw a startled gaze at Jake, filled with an odd combination of joy and alarm.

  My floundering courage made a miraculous recovery. I jumped up in Jake's arms eager to head out and join in the melee. But Jake held me back. Instead he fixed a call to Richard," Where are you?"

  "Ten seconds away. Wait for me." I heard his lovely voice over the phone and if I was reassured before I was beyond confident now. We were going to kick some ass.

  The noise that broke-out downstairs shot up a decimall as the utes,jeeps and other vehicles blared a warning sound, simultaneously. It was loud and thunderous and I felt my heart leap to my throat.

  I looked at Jake bewildered but he only kissed my forehead reassuringly. Then there was an abrupt silence. I glanced back at Jake confused but he only smiled down at me reassuringly. "He is here. Richard has arrived."

  We emerged from our hiding. The flickering lights were almost blinding. If I hadn't known any better I'd have said we were being attacked by Martians. But as it were Richard's arrival came highly noted and anticipated.

  I wasn't sure what he could do given that his company was indebted to the prince. But I would find out soon enough.

  The ominous sounds of the front door bell rang out loud and clear through the house. I shivered at the sound and turned to Jake whose calm and placid face gave absolutely nothing away.

  "I love you," the melodramatic me, was unable to help myself from whispering. I felt foolish then when his blank stare turned avid and arrested interestedly on me.

  But then the commotion below robbed our attention and as one we made for the door.

  The sounds of raised voices below were nerve racking. We emerged at a run and were there with the gathered crowd only moments later. My gaze shot directly to my mum and dad. I launched myself into their arms glad to see they were alright. It was only then that I took in the expensively attired but otherwise nondescript royalty and their henchmen crowded around us. The henchman looked unperturbed as if this sort of thing happened day in day out. They were not in the least bit disturbed by the flashing lights of the vehicles parked right outside. I was sure they had no inkling over just how many men we had gathered outside. But they still appeared not to care. It mattered nothing to them. They were hardened warriors who have seen and no doubt fought through so much worse. They would unflinchingly take us all down with the latest bit of effort. Blood shed would not be a new or uncomfortable notion to these men. I turned my fearful gaze at Jake and then settled it on Richard.

  I shuddered. Richard. He looked...beautiful. I felt myself flush with heat from simply looking at him. I averted my gaze only to have it clash with Jake's watchful eyes. He gave me no sign of what he was thinking. But he knew. I knew he did. He’s known me for so long and knew me too well.

  I turned to face the Sultan, Sadiq’s father looking tired and disgruntled no doubt by the predicament his son was putting them.. us all, through.

  "Where is Catherine?"

  The deep masculine voice belonged to Sadiq who was standing there with an impenetrable look. Beside him were the two others from whence all the commotion eventuated. Who were they? Politicians? Royal advisors? I couldn't tell.

  "She is long gone," Jake replied when I didn't deign to answer.

  "Fuck this! I will find her and make her mine," Sadiq declared openly and hearing that bald faced statement made something in me snap.

  "Leave her alone!" I exclaimed.

  Sadiq closed in on me. "She did the unthinkable. She tricked my father out of the grand children owed to him. We will not let this rest."

  "You have a wife. Have your kids with her!"

  "You are as foolish as your sister but this is not a matter for you to debate. It is for us men to decide," Sadiq brushed me aside as if I was a pesky fly.

  I would have launched an aerial attack on him all on my own. But given the severity of the situation. It would only have made things worse. I bit my lip and managed to refrain myself just in time.

  "Your diplomatic immunity will only allow you so much. Once the press gets a wind of this, and from the amount of commotion outside, they will soon enough if they haven't already, then the US government will have to step in and protect its citizen. Catherine and her unborn child are citizens of this country," Richard remarked that truth without a flicker of emotion. I stared at him never having seen him like this before and turned to look at Jake who was wearing the same poker face hard look. Both of them meant business but they knew they were dealing with powerful men and they had to thread with care.

  I held my breath as the tension in the room mounted.

  "Catherine is too young to be involved in all this. Young and pregnant. In this country they would have locked you away for that not have you married to the under aged girl. You seduced her and ...and..."

  I watched in despair as my brave father crumbled with tears he couldn't hide. I drew in closer to him and wrapped him in my embrace then I looked expectantly at both Jake and Richard. They needed to put an end to this matter here and now.

  But just then a phone rang. A quick glance about showed everyone doing the same. The culprit was Richard who simply reached into his front pocket and slipped out his phone. Answering the call he said," Yes, I'll let you in."

  Then without an explanation he made for the closed front door and after a quick exchange with whomever was on the other side he remerged with a suit in tow. I knew instantly from just a day in the building that the man Richard escorted in was a lawyer. By the expensive cut of his suit I would say a very expensive and good lawyer.

  I breathed a sigh of relief and set about to listen in earnest.

  "I am Davey Cooper from Mitchell and partners. I am also a consultant with many other firms," the man walking in beside Richard was saying, explaining just who he was to the rest of us. Oddly enough he came to a stop beside me.

  "Lucy, I believe? That was simply hilarious what you did the other day. Throwing yourself into Barry's arms. I couldn't contain myself. The best round of laughs I've had in a long time," Davey said to me with a twinkling grin.

  "I'm sorry to hear that," I muttered flushed red and ignoring the two blatantly questioning stares that came my way.

  Davey chuckled at my pun and said, "So, how can I help? From what I understand the girl in question, a Catherine Little," he paused to look questioningly at me, "Your sister I presume. Well she is under aged. The prince committed a crime by impregnating her. We abide by secular laws in this country not Syari'a law and we do not practice huddud. Marrying the victim to the perpetrator is not our method of a just solution. The prince is however, above our laws in that he is covered by diplomatic immunity. However, that does not make him invincible. " Davey paused mid-speech and looked about at the gathered crowd calmly.

  "I propose we arrange a time at my office to discuss this in detail and until then secure police protection for the family," he continued ignoring the venomous looks that Sadiq shot his way.

  Abruptly, Sadiq rose to his feet and with a barely restrained gesture he summoned his father and his lackeys to follow him to the front door. "This is not over," he called out over his shoulders before he strode through the open doorway without a backward glance.

  I let loose a pent up sigh and beamed my relief up at Jake. But Jake did not return it, instead both Jake and Richard looked more strained now than they were before.

  I looked about in askance but Davey patted at my back demanding my attention," So how well do you know Barry?"

  I fixed a tight smile on my face and played nice with Davey. I couldn't afford to offend him with snide remarks for mentioning Barry in the vicinity of Jake and Richard. I didn't have an
ything to hide but I couldn't afford to have it drive a wedge between us. If it hasn’t already.

  But we needed Davey.

  "So you'll be in the office tomorrow? Who are you working under?"

  "Michael La Bron."

  I watched him purse his lips to blow out a low whistle. "You do know how to pick them."

  I looked at him confused. I didn't get this fascination that everyone seemed to have over Barry and now Michael. Barry seemed to be a very nice dude to me. Michael well, the jury was still out on that one. I was still a little peeved over him. My first day working for him had been too memorable by half. No doubt tomorrow will be a repeat of the last time I worked with him. I didn’t see myself becoming unperturbed by him anytime soon.

  Davey chuckled at my confused expression. "You don't know him very well do you. I'm guessing you know Barry even less. But you'll find out soon enough. I'm sure the grape vines will reach your sheltered ears soon enough," Davey chuckled to himself before going to join Richard, Jake and my Dad in a discussion on the next course of action.

  I looked at my tired mum and decided to snap out of it and take charge. I went to the front door and hollered out to the occupants of the vehicles parked haphazardly to block the whole road out front. It will amaze me to see just how the untangled themselves later on.

  "Hey guys! Come in for some coffee." I called out to them.

  Then I marched back in as the doors to the vehicles slammed open. I guessed they were eager to know what this was all about. I doubt Jake had briefed them much by way of details.

  I went into the kitchen where I found mum floundering about aimlessly. I sat her on a chair then went to put the kettle to boil. I pulled out some mince from the freezer and some pastry dough as well. Then I set about baking some meat pies. It was late at night but I was hungry and I thought our guests might be too. In half an hour I had two pies in the oven to bake. Another half and they were ready to be served.