Two Villains

Ch.16- Cycling lesson at 34

Sameer had never escorted me to my suite before, but tonight he decided to accompany me to the bedroom.

I initially thought his intention might be to take things further, but I was mistaken. The two female guards were already present. I trusted Sameer not to do anything foolish that would jeopardize his reputation, especially considering his close association with his esteemed employers. Besides, I couldn't fathom why a man like him would go to such lengths to pursue something intimate with me on the fourth night of our meeting.

He remained by my side until I fell asleep. Gratefully, I had opted for something modest and not too revealing—a long white maxi sleeping gown. Sameer stood in the doorway, casually leaning against the doorframe, with his hands tucked in his pockets, while the two guards maintained their attentive positions.

"Tomorrow, first thing in the morning, we'll go for the bicycle ride, then I'll take you to the Louvre, and in the evening, the Eiffel Tower."

"Don't you have work tomorrow?" I asked.

"It's Sunday, my day off," he replied.

I couldn't help but smile from ear to ear. I was going to spend the entire day with him.

"Sleep, Kay," he softly urged, and I nodded silently.

As he turned to leave, he switched off all the lights in my room. Panic surged within me, and I couldn't help but cry out, "Wait! Don't!" Startled, he turned back to me and quickly switched on the lights of two lamps. He didn't ask any questions, but a puzzled expression crossed his face.

"I'm very scared of the dark," I confessed.

The moment I spoke those words, I watched his expression transform from curiosity to agony. It was as if he'd never experienced such pain before, as if I had hurt him. I was bewildered. What had I done or said?

He broke eye contact with me, turned away, and left the room. A few seconds later, I heard a loud noise as he slammed the doors of the suite shut.

There was so much pain in his eyes, pain that hadn't been there before I had confessed my fear of the dark.

What did I say? What did I do to hurt him?

Why was there a mountain of sadness and pain in him?

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I had set my alarm for precisely 7:45 a.m., but I woke up at 7:30!

And it wasn't just any awakening; it felt as if I hadn't been sleeping at all. My meeting with Sameer was scheduled for 10 a.m.

On the fourth floor, there was a salon where I had booked a beauty regimen for myself. I was due for a fresh haircut, upper lip, and chin hair removal. Fortunately, I had been blessed with naturally well-shaped eyebrows, so I never needed to have them tended to. I also scheduled some time for a manicure and pedicure.

I hurried to the top-floor rooftop garden restaurant and ordered a classic French breakfast for myself. My meal consisted of fluffy lemon-flavored French toasts drizzled with Manuka honey, Eggs en cocotte with smoked salmon, chocolate cream puffs, a selection of figs and blueberries, and chocolate-covered strawberries. And, of course, I couldn't forget my morning coffee.

The morning sun, as radiant as my spirit, peeked out from behind the Eiffel Tower. Its gentle warmth caressed my face, and I realized I was about to embark on the best day of my life. I had chosen to wear a blue shirt dress with a front slit, perfect for bike riding. I wanted to linger on the rooftop for a while, but my beauty treatment would take some time. I needed to be ready by 10!