I groaned into the pillow when I remembered what I did in the car. It wasn't me; I groaned and shouted the words again and again. What had gotten into me? For love of God, things don't make sense when I am around Dante. This kept repeating for no reason: uncanny feelings, nonsense behaviour, and my overreacting in this bullshit I have pulled myself into. I am too realistic in this character; trust me, I am not just playing the character, I am bloody living in it. As I said, things don't make sense when I am around him. Once again, a loud groan left my mouth. What the hell is happening to me? Please, someone, explain this shit to me; I am going crazy.
I leaned on the pillow, my thoughts still unravelling. Something is not right with me. Why was I desperate for his touch? What was I trying to prove? Why did I crave it so much? I will be on a terrace around Dante; things run on autopilot, and I can't hold back; I never had an urge to control things that go out of the box. This doesn't feel right—so wrong—but his touch is speaking something else. His strong grip on my hand is shouting a different story. And as our hands broke contact, the emptiness created a platform for something. I am not touchy nor clingy, but around Dante, I do all the stupid things and demand more. Strangely, he obliged all the damn time.
What the hell is happening with me? This is not me; I am not me around him, and I don't know why it keeps repeating. I should do something about it, if only I had a hold of anything that kept happening. I huffed and puffed but still managed to drift to sleep with a smile on my lips. My mind still hung on the touch.
I moaned when my cell started ringing. 'I just closed my eyes,' I murmured. Once again, my cell was blasting, and I grabbed it without wasting a second. "Rowan, you should come soon," I whined at that. "I drifted to sleep just now." "Rowan," he said in frustration. "I have called your father; he was out of state but will be back by noon. Come fast, I mean it." I stood from my slumber with full attention. "What happened?" I asked Danial in panic. "Come to the company, Rowan; it's urgent, please. I will be waiting." He disconnected the call.
I checked the time; it was still 4 am. Why was Danial panicking? Oh god, I couldn't catch a break; one thing or another keeps popping up. What happened this time? I rushed to the bathroom; this has turned into a routine for me these days. Hastily finished my business and was out in no time. My car was waiting as I came out of the apartment.
I dashed toward the cabin; Danial was on the couch, fidgeting with his fingers, clearly nervous. "What happened this time?" I asked Danial, who immediately got up from the couch. He averted his eyes, clearing his throat in the process. I waited for him to compose himself and speak about whatever the hell was going on. "Danial," I shouted his name, to which he flinched. "Speak up," I stated angrily. "Fraud, Rowan, I mean a huge amount of fraud." "I am not getting it," I shouted at him. "Speak clearly; don't test me, please, not you, at least." He exhaled and sighed in the process. He inhaled and exhaled slowly, clenching his fist and leaving in the process. I waited; he was really testing me. "A huge amount has been manipulated, Rowan," he blurted, gritting his teeth in anger. "Someone inside has transferred a huge amount to a third party on different dates, and it happened in a span of a month." He exhaled sharply, boiling in anger. "We came to know at 1 am today about the fraudulent act, when the final amount was transferred." He sighed in agitation. "Our IT team is working on it, but they are not able to track anything." He averted his eyes by saying that. "They are doing their best, but they are not able to track the third-party account or the person who was involved." Danial was exhausted and started to shake a little.
I dragged him and made him take the couch. As he sat down, he took the water from the table and gulped it in one go. We stayed silent; I let him relax, clearly having no idea about what to do next. "These things started to take place when your dad brought changes in the system." Danial leaned on the couch. "This news should not leak, Rowan, but it will. I know someone inside will leak this." He spoke in irritation. "If we didn't find the person and the amount, the company may go bankrupt, Rowan." He spoke in a more serious manner, as if I didn't know that. "We should control the situation somehow, for the time being. We should do something, Rowan." At the word 'something', my mind went to Dante; yes, I was running into him in no time. "I don't know how your dad is going to react to this." I gulped at that, and I knew where he was going to aim it. I don't want to hear his bullshit, not now.
Because of all these bullshits going on, I have given a permanent break to my sexual life and things turning sideways, wanting something to feel. This sounds like nonsense, but again, these days nothing makes sense to me. I am frightened, but not about what has happened, but about my dad. He would fucking drag me, this time forcefully shoo me into that witch. That's for sure; he definitely would. No force could stop him. It's high time I tested him thoroughly, and it's payback time. My dad and grandfather would make sure there was no escape for me. They would block every way for me and would make sure I am tying a knot with that freak. This is her doing, with the help of my grandfather, and unknowingly, my dad has joined hands with them. I need to bear the consequences. This is the final blow; with a strong plan and a backup, which is my dad, they have their result. That bitch is waiting for me with arms wide open, with a cunning smile on her fucking face. They think that I would crawl to them, in desperation, like seriously. They have surrounded me, that's for sure, but this time, there is a loose end.
"Rowan," I groaned at that. "Yeah, yeah, I am here, and let me fucking breathe for a sec." I glared at Danial, who just sighed in return. "We should do something about this, Rowan. It's going to be 8 am; anytime media may enter, the directors." Well, that's your clue, Rowan, which you are good at these days. Geez, I don't have any self-esteem. "Your dad," the word was enough to motivate me even more; I threw my dignity and pride out of the window. "When will he be back?" "By 11 or 12." Thank God. I faced Danial with a serious look. "Don't answer anyone, Danial; handle everyone till my dad arrives, ok?" His eyes went large at that, and he was in shock. "What about you?" I need to run. "What if your dad asked about you? And directors, media?" He went on, and I sighed at that. "Danial," I called his name, as calmly as possible. "Handle them till my dad arrives. If anyone questions you about me, I am not reachable. Got it?" He sighed at that. "Running is not a solution, Rowan." It's not time for any moral values; if he is trying to motivate me, nope, it would not work on me. "Take care, ok. I will contact my dad soon." I dashed out of the cabin.
There was a knock on the door, and I told them to come in. "Rowan, downstairs," Thomas informed me. I was surprised at that. It's been a few hours since our departure; he is here so early. "What happened?" "Well, unthinkable. Come downstairs." I sighed at that.
I walked down the stairs, and I saw Rowan, who was fidgeting. She finally got her hands on him, I guess. Rowan, lighten up as I came face to face with him. I watched him for a second, who only groaned and grunted rather than speaking. I turned toward Thomas, who rolled his eyes at me. "A huge amount of fraudulent transactions took place in a month." I nodded at that; finally, I was scratching my brain, thinking about her next move. She gave me one, which is not so shocking. "That uptight freak got me, finally. My dad will shoo me to her without wasting a second." I wanted to chuckle at that but wisely held back. "You better do something about this problem; my life is fucking messed up." He exaggeratedly spoke and sighed. Rowan collapsed on the couch with a thud.
"Don't worry about her; I will handle this problem." "Of course." He spoke in frustration. I am not getting on what he was showing his frustration at me or at the problem. "I fucking know her; I could handle her. It's fucking irritating to listen to the same thing again and again." He is frustrated with me. "What's the bloody deal with you and that bitch?" He glared while questioning. "No, fucking vague answer, I mean it." He cautioned, and I rolled my eyes at that. "What's the wild thing you were talking about? I fucking googled it." He elaborated; trust me, it was getting hard to hold something back. "Well." He was watching me with an intent gaze, and I knew I couldn't trail off this time. I occupied the opposite couch and thought for a moment. I was not getting how to explain, but again, he was not going to leave this matter. How can he concentrate on this matter when there was a crisis going on in his company? God, he really needs backup to run the company.
"We had a few things in common." I stopped at that to test the water. "No fucking short answer." He shot back, and Thomas chuckled at that. "We were trying things on bed, Rowan." "Were you in a relationship with her?" He had a bewildered look on his face. "No, I never dated her." "Ok, go on." I sighed in irritation; saying these things is damn hard. "Rowan, we met at a party, and in a second meeting we clicked oddly." He snorted at that. "We wanted to try new things, wild on the bed. We both needed an escape, crazy things to occupy and to get lost, so yeah, we were having sex." Rowan nodded slowly, leaning on the couch. He went silent, digesting the words. "So, what went wrong between you two?" "We fell out." "Why?" I groaned at that. "She went too wild." "I thought that's what you both wanted?" he shot back. "We agreed to be in limits, Rowan, and she hated being under my command always." He nodded at that. "And there is more, so go on," I huffed at that. "She took advantage of a situation and tried to choke me harder. I went unresponsive for a few seconds, and she flew." His eyes went larger at that, and he was stunned on the spot. "What the fuck is wrong with you people?" He shouted at me. The reason I didn't want to share these things, especially with him. "I knew she was a fucking freak. No wonder you always talk like you know her deeply." He spoke in understanding. "Geez, I am stuck with a bunch of freaks." He shouted, and I rolled my eyes at that.
He went silent, thinking, digging for more. He was rewinding everything; today is the day he swore to dig everything. "What about Eddie?" There was a lump in my throat at the mention of Eddie. How the hell was Rowan going to take one more jab? "Fuck, buddy," I spoke in a lower voice, not getting why I was ashamed of it. "Wow." He chuckled. "You hate to touch people, right? You literally wiped your hands after a handshake on our first meeting, and here you are fucking everyone. That requires more intimate touching, right?" He shouted at me. I don't know why I am feeling so ashamed. Overall, this is not making sense: his questioning, jabbing through words, and making a big deal out of everything. "Till now, I had sex with only those two, Rowan," I answered him, calm and with a pleading voice. Again, I don't know why. He chuckled at my words. "Here, I had sex with only one person, that too when I was in a fucking relationship." Once again, he shouted, and Thomas grinned while watching me.
"So, what was that about the kiss in front of everyone? I love to remind you that you hate to touch." I groaned at that. My head started to hurt a little with the series of questions. He is not easy to date with; that much I understand today. A layer that was unlayered about Rowan. "That kiss took me by surprise." He snorted at that. "Considering his background, I never thought he would dare to do that," I further clarified, to which he coughed. Oh god, he is getting on my nerves. "So, nothing going on between you two?" He spoke, trying to clarify. "No," I answered him. "That's Eddie we are talking about. He won't give up that easily, whether it's bullying or getting into the pants of anyone. He would get things by hook or crook if he sets his mind." I am not getting how he knows so much about him, and I am definitely not going to dig into it. "I took the blood sample of Eddie; he had crossed the limit in taking drugs, and I emailed it to his dad." I stopped; Rowan's eyes went wide at that. "I cautioned his dad about Eddie's behaviour, and now, he is in a therapy center. He won't be released for a year or so." I explained, and Rowan smiled at that. "You are an asshole." That I am. I could take only so much of anyone's bullshit, not beyond my limit.
"Cool." With a sigh, he leaned on the couch, once again, digging, contemplating, and pondering. "This is too much to take at once." He started, still pondering. "I want more explanation about the wild things, though." My body went stiff at that; no fucking way I am explaining shit to him. "I think I should lay you off this time because I can't fucking take any more." He grunted, and I sighed in relief.
"So, about the problem?" I really thought he forgot about the main aspect. "It will be taken care of in time," I answered. Rowan nodded at that. "My dad would knock on my apartment anytime from now on wards. So, I will crash here for a few days." I wondered in which room he thought of crashing. "Come on, let's grab a few things from my apartment." He got up and started walking toward the door. I tailed him without wasting a second. I could hear Thomas chuckling.