HUGE surprise at the end of this chapter 😍
He was deeply asleep when he heard the screeching metallic noise on the distance. He reached for her but instead all he found was an empty space where her body used to be. He jumped from the bed, alarmed and looking everywhere for her. He reached for his clothes and realized that hers were missing. He changed quickly into his suit and walked towards the loud sound. As soon as he entered the main building, he saw a maintenance man operating a big drill. The big warehouse door was widely opened. Hunt approached the man, looking around for her desperately.
"Excuse me…" the man did not hear his screams and Hunt moved on front of him, waving his arms to catch his attention. After a little while, he finally caught a glimpse and turned off the machinery.
"Digame? En que le puedo servir?" Hunt did not understand a single word he said and quickly looked at his name tag, which had the name "Luis" written on it.
"I'm sorry, I do not speak Spanish. Have you seen a young lady around here? Long, multicolored hair. Big hazel eyes?"
The man looked at him with wide eyes, shrugging his shoulders.
Hunt started to lose his patience, resorting to signaling with his hands. The man moved his head from side to side, scared that Hunt could be a crazy person.
After a short while, a sharp sound startled him as Luna emerged from the office door. "No se preocupe Don Luis, el señor este es el maestro con el que me quede encerrada. El me cuido toda la noche, no vaya a pensar que es un loco que se aparecio por ahi" she laughed as she walked towards the two men.
The maintenance man was easily in his 50s and with pronounced wrinkles that gave away the years of hard work. He smiled at her with soft eyes. "Que bueno me dice eso, señorita. Ya le iba a hablar a la policia, usted cree?" Luna and the man laughed as Hunt looked with confusion.
"No se preocupe por nosotros, ahorita nada mas vamos a recoger unas cosas y ya nos vamos! Fue un gusto conocerlo y ayudarle con sus quehaceres por un rato, Don Luis!" she waved as the old man nodded and smiled.
"Morning…" she handed him a small bottle of water and a couple of aspirin. "You're gonna need these" He took the pills and instantly put them on his mouth as he drank the whole content of the small bottle in one big gulp. She signaled her head to the office as Don Luis continued his work with the drill. They entered the room and she closed the door. In a swift movement, she went for his lips and gave him a passionate kiss that made all his worries melt away.
"Luna, what happened?" he asked as he broke away for a few moments, lips still a couple of inches away.
"I woke up early, couldn't sleep. Found these on one of your jacket's inside pocket…" she took their cellphones from her back pocket. "If you wanted to be alone with me you could've just asked, you know…" she smirked impishly. He smiled while he pulled her closer to him.
"I couldn't take the chance of you saying no"
She beamed. "Oh, really?... well… the door is open now… what do you want to do? … Nobody knows we were trapped here. I explained what happened to Don Luis and convinced him it would be better to just leave things the way they are. I don't want him to get into trouble. We can just replace the wine bottles that we drank and the ham and cheese"
"I don't see a problem with that" he replied in a whisper.
"Luckily, Don Luis forgot to install a few frames in one of the studios that they need by Monday, so he came today to finish them. I was about to call someone when I heard him open the door. I helped him with the frames and we had a great conversation all morning"
"That was quite impressive. Since when do you speak Spanish so fluently?" he smiled.
"Since I was a little kid. My grandpa taught me. He always said it was like our own secret language. My dad never really cared learning it, so we were the only ones that spoke Spanish around the house most of the time" a yearning look inundated her face. She shook her head and continued. "Anyways… we need to get out of here since Don Luis will be leaving soon. But we still have today…" she shrugged her arms, leaving everything up to him as she got closer.
"Let's get out of here…" he smiled and gave her a quick kiss.
"But… where?" she asked as he grabbed her hand.
"I don't know, anywhere. We'll figure it out later… let's just get out of here" Priya suddenly came to his mind and he wasn't prepared to deal with her, yet.
"I know just the place… I have a friend with a condo in Venice. I'll make a few calls…" she winked as she took her cellphone and went to the outside. He grabbed his cellphone from the table where Luna had left it, smiling at the fact that she caught him hiding it from her. He turned it on and as soon as the device started, he received several messages from Priya. He glanced without paying too much attention and decided to call Trish.
"Mr. Hunt, thank God you called!" The assistant picked up after just the first ring.
"Why? What happened?"
"Ms. Priya has been looking for you since yesterday. I told her that you had been feeling sick and went to bed early. She insisted on talking to you because she needs your signature in some school papers. She called me not even 20 minutes ago and I promised I was going to go check on you. She says you need to report to the University immediately" Trish spoke so quickly that she struggled to catch a breath.
"Ok…" he took a second to sort his thoughts out "Listen, I need you to do something for me. Luna is with me right now, and we need to arrange a meeting later today without anyone knowing. I need you to be our intermediary since I won't be able to call her to her cellphone"
"Oh! Ms. Luna? I'm so happy for you two, and I absolutely adore Ms. Luna… but this is very dangerous Mr. Hunt… what if Ms. Singh finds out? I don't even want to think of what she might be capable of… that woman frightens me…"
"Don't worry about Priya, I'll go meet her right now. If she calls later today just ignore the calls, but I'll call you with specific instructions as soon as I know what she wants and what I'll discuss with her"
"I'm very nervous Mr. Hunt, I must admit. However, I'm so thrilled that you and Ms. Luna are together again that I will do whatever it takes to see the both of you happy" she smiled, and he noticed it even through the distance of the cellphone.
"I'm happy too, Trish… you don't know how much" he exhaled a heavy sigh that only a man in love could reproduce. "I'll call you back shortly, and please, take any call from Luna, anytime, anywhere"
"I surely will, Mr. Hunt. Don't worry, I'll do everything you tell me to"
"Thank you, Trish… for everything" he was grateful for having such a good ally on his side. He hung up the cellphone and he waited for Luna to get back from making her phone calls. He was deep in thought when she opened the door.
"Done. We have an ocean view apartment in Venice all for ourselves until tomorrow evening… what do you say?" she put her cellphone on her back pocket and got closer to him, encircling her arm around his neck and barely touching his lips with hers.
"I didn't know I had an option… how can I say no to such request?" he kissed her, taking her bottom lip in between his teeth and tasting her with his tongue. Her heart sped up as she emitted a small, sweet moan. "But first, I have to do some urgent errands. Give me a couple of hours and I'll be free for the rest of the evening. However, we must be extra careful; from now on, Trish will be our middleman. Call her and let her know the address where you'll be, I will meet you there as soon as I possibly can. Also, it would be best to go our own way and meet later"
"Sounds good, I'll just call an Uber… I'll be waiting, impatiently…" she gave him a deep kiss that she was sure he'd remember for the rest of the afternoon. She exited the room and left the building, as he stayed back in that office for a little bit so nobody would see them go out together. He sat down in a chair and struggled to stop the big smile that was permanently stamped on his face.
After a short while he got into his car and drove to a near department store where he bought a new shirt and a perfume, there was no time to go back to his house and change clothes. He changed quickly in his car and drove directly to the University.
She was staring into a blank page on the monitor when a loud knock on the door startled her. She shook her head, trying to come back from the mess inside her head.
"Come on in" she commanded, absent-mindedly.
"Hi Priya" Thomas said as she sat straight.
"Thomas! I've been looking for you everywhere!" she felt relieved to see him and a big smile appeared on her face immediately.
"I was starting to feel sick so I decided to go to sleep early and my cellphone died on me. I slept for a good 11 hours before Trish came to my house to let me know you were psychotically stalking me and calling every ten minutes"
"I'm not stalking you, we just need your signature for the internship program you authorized. You forgot to sign the forms and they need to be turned ASAP"
"I'm sure this could've waited, but since I'm already here…" he walked up to her desk as she handed him a stack of papers.
"Why so many? Last time there wasn't this much paperwork" he glanced through the sheets with a raised eyebrow.
"You know how these things are, it gets more complex each year, more formalities, paperwork…" she got up from her chair and walked towards him, getting as close as she could while he grew visibly uncomfortable.
"Thomas, why can't things be like before? Why do you have to make things so difficult? Remember the good, old days when I would come over to your house, talk like we used to… explore ourselves like so many times before… you sure remember, don't you?" She put a hand on his arm, biting her lower lip at the memories of the two of them together.
"I'm trying to forget…" he jerked his arm away from her, moving several steps back. He took a pen from the desk and began to sign all the papers as fast as he could.
"Have it your way… but I know that you'll be back one way or another. You know I never give up…"she whispered as she turned around.
Thomas couldn't get out of there fast enough. He finished signing the paperwork and turned around directly heading to the exit.
"Do you want to have dinner together later tonight?"
"This is getting very old, Priya…" he rolled his eyes as he exited the office. Priya smirked as she took the papers, looking for a particular sheet. She smiled at the paper, which she knew guaranteed her victory.
"Trish? I'm done for the day here at the university… did she call you? Where is she?" He was desperate to see her.
"Yes, she called. She is waiting for you in Venice Beach. I'll send you the address through a text so you can put it directly into your GPS. I took the liberty of ordering dinner for you guys from your favorite restaurant. It will arrive there in about two hours"
"Thank you, Trish! You are my angel… One last favor. Today I'm not available for anyone. It doesn't matter who it is, just tell them I'm busy for the rest of the day, especially if it's Priya. I'm going to turn off my phone until tomorrow morning"
"No problem, Mr. Hunt. Rest assured that I will not allow anyone to know where you are. You just enjoy your day to the fullest. Ms. Luna and you truly deserve it"
"Thank you again. Talk to you soon" he ended the call and jumped into his car with a big smile. He drove to his house and took a brisk shower. He dressed as quickly as possible and was out of his house in less than ten minutes. He put his sun glasses on and searched for the address in the message Trish had sent him and quickly headed towards the destination, wearing the biggest smile imaginable. Every time he thought of her, he couldn't help but to feel a million butterflies that fluttered around his stomach to the point of nausea, the good kind.
Traffic was light that afternoon, as the sun shone high on the sky. He took a deep breath as he arrived at the address, hoping to calm his nerves. He didn't understand why he felt that nervous, not even on his teenage years did he felt that way about a girl. He passed his fingers through his hair, looking at the top floor of the building where Luna was waiting for him. Apartment 932.
He parked the car and went inside the building, catching an empty elevator that was almost closing in. He entered and pressed the button to the ninth floor as he walked back and forth. All he could think of was to have her in his arms, to taste her sweet lips. He sprung through the hall, looking for the apartment. After looking at several doors he found the number and knocked on the door. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. He kept repeating in his mind over and over.
The door opened and there she was, beautiful and radiant, just as he had her engraved deep inside his memory. She was wearing a turquoise lace babydoll that left little to the imagination. His jaw dropped and his heart began to accelerate, his hands began to sweat. He needed her that second, he couldn't wait any longer.
He took her in between his arms and kissed her lips with desperation. He closed the door as he carried her, resting her back on the wall and touching one of her breasts as they kissed deeply. The blood started to rush all over his body, ending up in his increasingly big penis. Luna felt the hardness right under her pussy lips. She felt instantly wet and hot. Breaking away, she started to unbutton his shirt.
"Why did you take so long?" She asked trying to catch a breath.
"Because I'm a stupid, stupid man. From now on, I must kidnap you and keep you forever. Just you and me" he smiled at the idea, kissing her once again.
She removed his shirt and undershirt, dropping the garments to the floor. Her small hand took his and they went inside the bedroom, which also had a balcony with a spectacular ocean view. She closed the curtains as Thomas sat on the bed, smiling as he took in all her beauty. Thin rays of sunlight escaped the curtains, illuminating her face in an almost ethereal kind of way. She turned to a bookshelf that was next to the balcony door and pressed the "play" button in her cellphone. A piano song started to play from a long, wireless speaker that was mounted to a wall; she walked towards the bed and sat right next him.
"I wrote this song for you the night you broke up with me. I never thought you would actually hear it someday, but I just want you to have it"
He was speechless. He remained quiet, trying to hear and take the most from the music that surrounded the entire room. There were no lyrics, but they were not necessary. The music was full of emotion and feeling; so much so, that he started to feel goosebumps on his skin.
"It's perfect… just like you" he placed a hand on her cheek, caressing her soft skin. He guided her face towards him and kissed her, removing the thin lace babydoll, leaving her with just a small thong that accentuated her toned glutei. He removed his pants and boxers, revealing a big, hard erection. He wanted to show her with each kiss, with each touch how much she meant for him. How deeply he was in love with her, how much he cared. There were no words in the world capable of describing his feelings, so he hoped his actions spoke much louder.
That afternoon they made love to Luna's song in such a way that they both fell in love in a different way than ever before. It was that kind of love that feels so right and meant to be, that you can almost be sure it's forever. That afternoon only consolidated their bond, to the point that they knew they couldn't be apart any longer. After a slow and steamy session of lovemaking, both partners fell exhausted on the bed, side by side. After they recovered their breaths he turned around and hugged her while she put her head on his chest. He caressed her back as he continued.
"I missed you… all of you… I missed our long conversations and the way you get all rattled up when I contradict you" he laughed and his voice suddenly sounded like it was from another person, too bright and happy to be Hunt's husky, low voice.
"It wasn't easy for me either, you know. Seeing you all sexy just staring at me with your steel eyes. Or seeing how every woman that crosses your path throws herself at you. I wanted to seriously hurt most of them but all I could do was just watch" she pursed her lips.
"Don't even get me started…" he rolled his eyes as he sat down and leaned on his elbow "I really hate that Guillermo guy and the stupid puppy eyes he makes every time he lays his eyes on you" his characteristic frown deepened in his forehead.
"I knew you were jealous; you could see it from a mile away!" she smirked "why do you think I tolerated him? Just to see how you clenched your hands every time you saw us together. How agitated you got, all mad" she giggled as she remembered.
"Can I ask you something personal?" his demeanor changed completely, and his smile went down like an airplane that was shot down.
"Sure" she knew where he was going.
"That night of the dinner party… did you sleep with him?" he looked down, afraid of the answer.
She took a second to respond, which felt more like an hour, as he feared the worst "No. But I must admit that I wanted to, though" his face brightened just to darken the next second. She could see the disappointment right through his face.
"I wanted to be with him or anyone else just because I wanted to get over you, no matter the cost… but I just couldn't. I couldn't even imagine kissing someone else other than you" she touched his cheek, and he felt his spirit come back to his body. "We did kiss once, and after that nothing happened. All the feelings that I had for him are in the past, very far away and buried deep inside me. I'm very sure of that"
He lifted his gaze and their eyes met. He even felt jealous of that insignificant kiss, but he felt relieved that his worst fears weren't true. "I was sincerely dying of jealousy that day. It almost drove me nuts when you left with him. I wanted to punch his stupid face into a wall and tell the world you are only mine. I know I sound like a chauvinistic asshole, but I really couldn't help myself" he caressed her lips slowly, memorizing every single millimeter of every line. She closed her eyes, enjoying his gentle caress. "You've become almost like the air I breathe"
He never thought he'd be saying that to a woman. When he was in past relationships, he was romantic enough to send flowers and arrange expensive, perfect dinners; but in his feelings he was always more conservative, believing that even if he ended up alone he was completely comfortable with that. Well, that view had changed completely after being with Luna. Now, he didn't want a future without her. He was afraid of what Priya could do to both of them, but he was terrified of losing her again.
She smiled and tilted her face to the side, the sweetest gaze directed to him. She kept in silence, but that look said it all. She sat down next to him, resting her head on his shoulder. The door rang and she exhaled a heavy breath.
"That must be the food that Trish ordered for us in advance. Just in time, with all that exercise I'm starving" she smiled impishly.
He followed her with his gaze, smiling like a lunatic as she put on a robe and walked towards the door. She took the food and tipped the driver, closing the door after a quick interaction. She put the food on the table and took some plates from the kitchenette. Hunt was stupefied by her, just watching her arrange food like it was some kind of art. She took the food to the bed and passed one of the plates to him along with a glass of red wine.
"Salud" she offered her glass and proposed a toast. He brought his glass closer and both glasses made a sharp, high pitched sound "For us, for today" she smiled as they locked eyes.
"For us" they took a sip of the wine and smiled at each other while they ate together, in bed, in their own little world. "Tell me more about your grandfather, you speak so fondly of him…"
"He was such a good and talented man, the best. I miss him like crazy. I know you would've liked him so much" Her eyes watered and she turned away, swallowing her heartache.
"I'm sorry if I brought some bad memory… it wasn't my intention" he saw her clearly distressed.
"No, it's okay. I just get emotional every time I think of him. My life changed when he died, very radically" she took a deep breath before continuing "he was a free spirit, always doing the right thing, the right way. He loved to learn and loved life more than anyone I have ever known, up until his last breath" she looked down, nervously pinching her fingers. "He died of a long, long cancer. He knew all along and told us only when there was nothing to do. He went through most of the process alone. I never got to ask him, but I can only imagine all the innumerable times he was alone and afraid…" tears rolled down her cheeks. "For me it was one of those things that makes you question what kind of God allows bad things to happen to good people. Watching him wilt away and die was, without a question, the most defining experience of my life" she wiped her tears as she took another deep breath, trying to calm down.
"Luna…" he felt terrible. Did he really just made her cry?
"It's okay, I think I needed this. It is always good to start with the bad part first, then I can really focus on the good without the bad shit getting in the way. His life was way more interesting than his death, believe me" she smiled with her eyes still watery.
"We have a lot of time, tell me all about him" he smiled, he was genuinely curious.
"I owe him everything I am, beginning with my name. He always said that I was the most beautiful baby he ever saw, "prettier than the moon", he would say. So he insisted that my mom and dad named me Luna, or moon. My mom loved my grandfather like if he was her real Dad, even though he was his father in law, so she quickly gave in and so did my Dad"
"Now, let me tell you why he spoke Spanish. He was born here, but raised in Mexico. His father was an engineer, like my dad. He was there until he was about 10 years old, before returning to the states. However, he kept a very special friendship with one of his childhood friends. I think he was always in love with her. They continued their friendship for years, first letters, then telephone calls. He was always practicing his Spanish because he refused to forget the language. He volunteered since he was young at all kind of local charities, where he would speak Spanish most of the time. His house was filled with Spanish written books. I just think he was in love with the language, too. He always wanted to be a linguist, a writer and an artist; his three passions" she got up and opened the window, looking at the gorgeous ocean view.
"He came from a long line of engineers, and his father was a stern man. He wouldn't allow his only son to waste his life like that, and my grandfather finally gave in. He went through engineering school and passed it with the best grades and honors. That day my grandfather took his diploma up to his dad and told him "this is my debt to you, consider it paid. From now on I'm the only one that will have a say in my future", he turned around and took a bus to Mexico. He went straight to the town where she lived and married her a week after. He worked as an engineer while he went to art school over there, until she died while pregnant with their first child. He was destroyed and returned home. He traveled for years, all over the United States and several other countries. Then he met my grandmother and finally settled down in a small town in Texas. Even though he loved her, I know that woman he married first was his true love. Those that seem so right for you that it feels you were created for one another; that love you only feel once and you know you'll never find again" they locked eyes, surrendering their feelings in that gaze.
"I know what you mean" he smiled, realizing that was exactly the way he felt about her.
"Well… he taught me Spanish since I was able to talk. He always said I had an ability for it, that I was a "natural". He always tried to teach my dad but he always refused and my grandmother always felt a bit resentful towards his first marriage, so he taught me all he could. Leo, my brother, speaks it too, but his lazy and has a heavy gringo accent. So, it was always him and me. If we wanted to throw people off, we would speak real real fast and nobody knew what we were saying. That was a lot of fun" she grinned as she remembered it like it was yesterday.
"That is a story! What an interesting man. I really would've loved to meet him. To ask him all about you, how you were like when you were little… if you were this stubborn since then…" he smirked.
"Haha…" she rolled her eyes. "To be honest, the answer to that would've been yes" she smiled.
They laughed and finished their meals with the calm Pacific Ocean as their scenery. Time was non existent for the rest of the day and night. Only they mattered, and the only feeling was bliss.
He was heading towards the most exclusive shopping sector in LA, where only the most selective people in the industry used to shop. The streets were filled with people while the heat was increasing rapidly. He left his car in the ballet parking and entered one of the most exclusive jewelry stores in the world. He immediately requested a private consultation and an employee guided him towards a closed office.
"It is an honor to have you here, Mr. Hunt. How can I help you today?"
"I'm looking for an engagement ring. The price is not a problem, I just need complete discretion regarding this matter" he said, straight forward.
"You can count on that, Mr. Hunt. We prioritize your privacy before anything else. Rest assured that this information will not leave this room" the salesmen grinned as he opened a velvet shelf with a small silver key. He took out several rings which sparkles illuminated the ceiling of the room with a colorful spectrum.
Thomas browsed among all the different jewels when a stunning ring with a bright teal stone caught his attention right away. A mesmerizing blue diamond ring with a wavelike carving in white gold and small diamonds encrusted on the sides. "This is the one" he imagined her face once presented with the surprise.
"Exquisite choice. That diamond is extremely rare and comes from India, a full one carat of perfect brilliance and intensity. The diamond rests in a soft, yet strong and exquisite 24k white gold ring. It comes with a certificate of authenticity; without a doubt, one of a kind"
"How much?" regardless of the price, that ring was going to be for her.
"The retail price is 88,000 dollars"
"I'll take it. Can you engrave something on the inside?"
"Absolutely"
"Please let it read, "forever you and me". I also need the ring to be adjusted to her size. I know that her ring finger measures exactly the same as my pinky finger" he smiled, remembering the time he measured her hand while she was sleeping.
"Not a problem. Congratulations, Mr. Hunt. I'm a huge fan and I'm truly honored to sell you such a wonderful and important piece of jewelry. I'm sure any woman will feel blessed to be with you"
"I am the lucky one in this case, but thank you for your good wishes. When can you have it ready?"
"We can have it ready in about six to eight weeks. The adjustments are made by our master craftsmen, they make the fit to perfection and that takes time"
"I understand, that is not a problem. It'll be just on time…" he smiled as he admired the breathtaking piece. The diamond matched Luna's eyes under the bright sky. It was brilliant, unique and captivating; just like her. This was the biggest decision of his life, yet somehow it seemed easy… and right.