"Stop overthinking this, Angel... and just feel me!"
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Erika Ricci, 24, never expected a patient like him to knock her off her high horse.
Brandon A. King, 26, was immediately attrac...
déjà vu: is the phenomenon of feeling as though one has lived through the present situation before. It is an illusion of memory whereby—despite a strong sense of recollection—the time, place, and context of the "previous" experience are uncertain or impossible.
Here we go. Enjoy!
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Erika's POV:
What has my life become?
That was the recurring thought plaguing my mind ever since I found myself entangled in his world.
At first, I felt perplexed—a sturdy red thread binding me to him in a way that piqued my curiosity. Like a mystified moth, I was drawn to the flame, ready to be consumed.
As the puzzle pieces of his life unfolded before me, every glimpse transformed my initial curiosity and attraction to lust, fondness, and an indescribable, maddening feeling of love.
Then, fear forcefully thrust itself into my world, reminding me of our mortality that promised only pain and devastation.
And now, it morphed into mistrust, skepticism, and anger. An anger and hatred towards everyone who wronged him, hurt him, or posed the threat of killing to bring him down further, to break him.
"Brandon, are you sure about this?" I asked for what felt like the millionth time as he led me towards his office in the gym.
"Never been more certain."
He knew I was nervous. Even though I was acquainted with most of the people present here today, it didn't make things any easier—especially when everyone congregated at the same time, and we arrived after the assigned meeting time; typical.
Being in the same room as all these people was intense. The atmosphere was thick with a palpable energy around them, making me anxious and tense.
Liam was standing by the mahogany desk next to Malcolm. Viviana occupied one of the velvet lounge chairs surrounding the desk, and James was standing by the wall adjacent to the main entrance, half his face obscured by the shadows cast by the ambient light.
It was obvious he was the outsider—the black sheep of this far-from-normal meeting.
"Good. You're here. Erika, come sit next to me," Viviana said the moment we stepped inside the office, impatiently pulling the chair beside her back for me to take.
With a subtle nod from Brandon, meant only for me, I walked closer to her, settling into the twin chair next to Viviana and closest to Brandon as he took his seat behind the desk, his gaze acknowledging everyone present.
