Ardent

‘Where exactly are we headed then?’ James asked, lighting up a cigarette. ‘I know we won’t be going straight there’. Tom stared at him, it seemed he really was back, there was no smile in his eyes like he had when he was talking to him an hour or so earlier. Without the hair and the stubble, he looked just like he used to, add the gun he was still holding and Tom wouldn’t have believed he had left.
‘Good to have you back, on the ball as ever, we are headed to Greece first, see Caine himself, he wants a word with you, brief you on the details, then we can spend a night there, then I believe we are off to settle a bet and sort Noble out’
‘I can’t believe anyone would let him out of jail after everything he did’
‘Money can buy you anything these days’ Tom sighed, ‘You should know that’.
‘Right, yeah’ James nodded, staring out of the window, running his hand his short hair he sighed, ‘I need to call her, let her know I will be away for awhile’
‘Tom you know what your doing, don’t mess this up again because of some girl’
‘She’s nothing, I just know she will hound me if I don’t call, look I have 3 missed calls already, I’ve only been gone a day or so’ he laughed, staring at his mobile.
Emily walked in and smiled, ‘Call her’ she laughed, sitting on the arm of his chair, and leaning against him, running her nails over his chest.
‘Now?’
‘Yes I want to hear you tell her, tell her you have come back to me. Tell her you aren’t her James anymore’
James raised an eyebrow and pressed the button. ‘Keira?’ he asked.

Keira had been stood in work, cleaning glasses when her phone rang. She had been worried sick, no one had heard from him, he hadn’t called. Jumping she answered it, ‘James? Is that you, god where are you?
‘Hey babe, look I will be out of town for awhile, I have some things to do. I’ll call you when I get back’
‘What? What things, James?’ she begged, ‘Where are you?’
‘With some old friends, I need to think about things, I have stuff to sort out like I said, stop getting stressed, I will be back soon’
‘How soon?’
‘Oh I don’t know, maybe a few days, a few weeks, I will see how I feel. Later babe’
Keira stared at the phone as the dialling tone greeted her, calling back she heard his answer message, his phone was off. Shock and anger ran through her, what was the meaning of all this?.
’Keira?’ Wayne called, ‘Customers. Hey are you ok? You look shaken’
‘I’m fine, just tired, I’ll get right to them’ she smiled, walking past him and over to the waiting drunks.

‘You didn’t mention me?’ Emily hissed. Anger evident on her face, ‘I wanted to hear you tell her’
‘I didn’t mention you, your irrelevant, Emily you are nothing important, just something to do, don’t forget it’ he snarled, pulling her toward him and kissing her hard. ‘You just do what I say for now ok? Leave the thinking to me’
‘Tough words for somebody I control’
‘No darling, I control you’ he smiled, rising to his feet and pulling her with him. Rising one hand up her body, he cupped her breast and squeezed it, tom smirked and looked away. James ran his other hand around her body and gripped her buttocks, biting her neck, he waited and finally she groaned. ‘You remember who warms your bed’ he snarled in her ear, ‘Do as your told or I will tell daddy you are getting in my way, like you did last time, we don’t want that do we cupcake? Now leave’ he grinned, delivering a swift slap to her face, ‘ I wont tell you again’.
Emily held her face where she was slapped and smiled, ‘Nice to see you are back, but watch it, we have rules’
‘they have reversed, you do what I want here, I do what you want there’ he pointed to the bedroom, ‘Now get in there and get ready, I’m in no mood for waiting around’
Emily growled and turned to walk into the bedroom, closing the door behind her. Tom looked back to James, ‘You really are back aren’t you’.
James turned and stuck out his tongue, spitting on the floor, ‘She is foul’ he laughed, Tom jumped up in shock, ‘Jesus kid, I thought you were serious’.
‘Are you kidding, she is the most beautiful person I have ever seen, but she is dead inside, I have had the pleasure of being with an angel. Keira, god she is an angel you know, I need to call her back. Tell her everything’
‘Are you going to tell her you are sleeping with your ex fuck?’
‘Not sure about that, I will have to though, or she will know. Unless. Unless I can avoid it’
‘James, you and Emily had a sick thing going, she hasn’t had a fuck like you since you left, do you know how many partners I have had to endure because a part of them reminded her of you. Emily wants you, you need to think hard about this one’
‘Fuck. I will go and call Keira now. if she comes back out cough real loud, or shout me, anything, she cant know I’m talking to her. I can trust you right?’
‘James, I am paid by her, you don’t ask for anything but friendship how can I say no? Hurry you know she wont be long’
James winked, and Tom caught a smile in his eyes, as he ran to the other end of the plane.
’He really is love struck’ Tom chuckled, helping himself to more whiskey, ‘Little James grew up.’ Shaking his head, he knew this was a doomed journey, Emily would find out, James couldn’t hide his happiness from her.