Jack spent the next few weeks attending to customers with the rest of the crew. Gradually, he got to know the regulars.

He learned about Mr. and Mrs. Crawford, who built the lounge in their younger days and loved coming to take joy in their handiwork.

There was Jaden, the locksmith, who was the life of the lounge anytime he walked in. His laughter was big, and he took pride in talking about his six daughters, all doing well with their careers and families, now spread throughout the country. He came in with his wife daily and praised her beauty just as much. Sarah said the man had been the same way since she was a child, always giving loud compliments and appreciating those around him.

Sarah eagerly shared stories and introduced Jack to everyone, making him feel like part of the family with their joyful conversations and cheerful laughter. But amidst this warm atmosphere, there was a slight dampness in Jack's heart whenever Sarah would suddenly dash off looking her best to see someone every three days. Even after weeks of being there, the pattern remained the same. It seemed this "someone" had a significant influence on Sarah during the hours around two and three o'clock, as she would primp herself before hurrying off, leaving Gabriel in charge. Poor Gabriel had to bear the brunt of her frustrations when she returned from these visits, often taking out her irritation on him for minor mistakes. He stood with his head bowed, apologizing and promising to do better each time.

She never scolded him where customers could see or hear, of course. She was too respectful of him to do that. Also, Jack always saw her go back later to apologize to the man and speak with him in calmer tones. He took that the same way—with his head bowed.

But, what exactly made her keep repeating the reason for her apologies over and over again? Who was this lover that she went to see and came back from so stressed out, most times? Who the hell did he think he was?

Despite Jack and Sarah's frequent evening walks through the meadows, he couldn't bring himself to broach the topic that had been on his mind for a while. They discussed everything else, but not that. He often felt the urge to ask, but something held him back every time. He just couldn't do it.

It took some time for him to adjust, but their conversations often circled back to his books—a topic that still made him cringe, no matter how much he tried to hide it. She would laugh at his discomfort whenever she brought up one of his works and asked for a breakdown, teasing him about wanting people to read it. He tried to defend himself, but it was difficult to make sense when he was near her. It happened every time they took these private walks together. Sometimes it took all of his concentration in order to give reasonable responses.

It was difficult every damned time, but he would give anything to continue these walks. They had become another source of life for him, and he liked to think of it as being bathed in the light that this woman embodied. How bright she radiated, words dripping from her lips like valuable honey, nothing a waste.

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Sometimes, he wanted to hold her hand and hug her, but he thought about this man she was always out to see. He could not disrespect him—and her feelings, even— he would not and could not make things more complicated for any of them.

Sometimes, he wished he could forget it all and use his seductive power to will her into wanting him desperately. He had used that power often, just for sex. Using it on Sarah wouldn't be for sex, of course, but he just couldn't. Not only because it would have been totally wrong, but actually because he had tested it before and it hadn't worked.

One day, as they strolled through the meadows, the urge to hold her hand gripped him with a force he hadn’t expected. He silently willed her to reach for his, but she didn’t. Not even close. She kept walking, her focus on a conversation about the phenomenon of "sex posed as love." The words caught him off guard, leaving him stunned. He couldn’t say anything, of course, but the attempt left him feeling strangely ashamed, as if he had crossed a line he didn’t fully understand.

The only way he could explain it away to himself was the probability that genuine feelings couldn't work in such deception.

Genuine feelings...

Those two words, produced by his own mind, as the answer to a problem of desire, brought a renewed fear. Fear and hope. Could he really be breaking free from his old life?

He thought the fear had ended when he made the decision: damn the consequences and turn his phone off. He thought of that fear as something of the past.

But this was a new fear. A fear of what could be. What was this strange recipe of home and fear in the same breath? He tried to dissect it. One of the ingredients was Sarah. One was himself without the old Jack. Somehow when he combined ‘New Jack’, Sarah, and hope… in came fear.

It wasn't just fear for this strange thing that he was feeling and had never felt before; it was also the doubts about what would happen to it. Because, though it was scary, it was also exciting. He enjoyed the turmoil felt when she looked at him and laughed. He liked the racing of his heart when her arm brushed his as they walked. He found deep pleasure in watching her talk and laugh with customers, her deep dimples peeping out from smooth cheeks. He liked to listen to her voice and how soothing it sounded when she had not been flustered by whoever that dick was she always went to see. He just liked her!

So, what the heck was going to happen to this feeling? What was he going to do with it? Even if he was willing to use his power, he knew it would not work on her and there was no chance in hell that she would be with a person like him?

Even if she hadn’t already had a man in her life, the chance of someone like him ending up with someone like her were near to null.

She was too pure for a dark soul like him. He would only taint and corrupt her, making it easy for death and damnation to come to her. There was a reason light and darkness were enemies. He couldn't pretend to be ignorant of the risks and do that to her. He couldn't even wish it, because his wishes could be powerful around him.

But, if he could, why not her then?

Why couldn't he possess her so he could take her as his?

Why? Well, because she was different!

Different!