Chapter 5: The End Of Us, A New Beginning Of Me

...Tasnim POV...

Did that just happen? Did I almost kiss a near to be married man? I did want to kiss him with every fiber that I have. His lips tasted sweeter than heaven will even allow; all I wanted was to feel more and more of what I could not have. Being with a man like him should be such a sin, but how I would love to lose myself in him.

But he should not have, and I should not have in return, now I am running away like a scared animal from the very thing that will give me joy. Then again, joy is something that I cannot experience; it will only cause me, but even more so him, a world of heartache.

After wandering the streets for what seems way too long, I find my way to the comfort of my own home. I find Jessie sitting in the lounge.

"Where have you been?" she asks, the relief clearly written on her face. "I was really worried after you stormed out of the club."

"I just had to clear my head. But, Jessie," I begin to explain to her everything about Carson. "He is everything I could ever desire in a man. His words are soft, and his body is so passionate."

"I sense there is a but?"

"The biggest but of all," I lower my head and look down at my hand, more specifically at my ring finger. "He is engaged, which practically makes him married.

"But also engaged and possibly single. I mean, why is such a man that is supposed to be taken wondering the very same alleys?"

"His eyes, they seem very lonely, but there seems to be a rare spark of a twinkle in them when I look at him."

She takes my hand, which is still very much trembling, and lay them down on her lap. "Oh, Tasmin, you seem to have captivated this man."

"It is the strongest attraction that I have ever felt. And I know that he is feeling the very same for me".

"Then why not go for it then?" she squeezes my hand as she asks. "Life for us is all about making mistakes."

"I don't even think I will have the luck to find him in that alley again."

"Then where was it that you were with him tonight?"

Then I recall about the club, "Well…you see…he is kind of sort of the owner of LIV".

"Get out of here!" She jumps of the chair. "You are not serious? Tasnim, that guy is damn hot. What the hell are you still doing here?"

"He has probably gone home already."

"There is only one way to find out," she pulls me off the chair by my hand. "Come girl, let's get you all dressed up. We are going out!"

...Carson POV…

The last thing I need to deal with now is drama with Darcy. Did she come here just to continue the fight? I cam so close to cheating on her; then I fear I would just be the same cheating kind. See, my dear old Darcy cheated on me. I loved her so much that it was easy for me to forgive her, but then she did it again.

I have never thought about leaving her until tonight. But let me not be too hasty; this could only be a temporary thing.

"What did she want, Mason? What is her message?"

"Maybe hang onto that thought for just a second."

"Mason, you are up to no good again. Tell me what Darcy had to said?"

"Carson, don't be so impatient. Tell me about this girl?"

"She is exquisite. When I touch her, it is like my fingers melt into her skin. Her lips are as soft as a thousand feathers. She captivates me, every fiber of her draws me in".

"Then what are you so scared of?" Why don't you go for it?"

"There is this little thing called a ring on my finger." I wave my hand in his face. "Have you perhaps forgotten?"

Mason laughs at my comment, him of all know that pain that I went through after Darcy's betrayal. He knows that my heart is too soft to give that pain to someone else. "But Carson, we both know you are not happy?"

"I might not be happy, but I still do care for Darcy."

"Darcy, Darcy, Darcy, please stop with Darcy," he says, now looking annoyed. "The point is that you are not happy; why don't you just leave?"

"We have been together for so long; it is hard to just let go."

"My friend, you need to let go. And what else you need to do is look at the front door".

"Front door? What are you talking about?"

...Tasnim POV...

Much to my better judgment, Jessie had dragged me out the front door, and now we are on our way to LIV. I think in a way she is happy for now she has an excuse to get to the club.

The entire walk, all she can tell me is how lucky I am; she tried explaining what a popular and important man he is. Carson Antoni is apparently a big deal, and it seems that this big man has got only eyes for me.

"Oh, this is so exciting," Jessie says, with more than an extra hop in her steps. "Does this mean we can go sit upstairs?"

"Well, it was where they were sitting, so I guess we probably are."

"I heard that Mason is to die for; tell me what he is like? Do you know if he is married?"

"I did not speak to him long enough. Don't you go and get any ideas in your head. I will drag you out there if I have to."

"Oh, you won't. You just want to be near Carson. I still cannot believe that you hooked up with the owner of LIV".

"We did not hook up."

"But you kissed."

"It was more like our lips touching than kissing."

"That I am afraid still constitutes as a kiss."

I wave her sill remark off as we are starting to near the club. My nerves are building up to a very obvious knot in my stomach, or are these butterflies that I am talking of. Whichever, seeing him again is the only thing on my mind.

"Are you ready," she stops and turns to me to ask.

"Please remind me again why we are here?"

...Carson POV...

How many more times tonight is this going to happen? I cannot believe that she is once again here tonight. This night has sure been full of surprises.

"I think this is my time to make an exit, Carson."

"Believe me, my friend, you don't want to be around for this."

"Just try to keep to a respectable level. I don't want to go and throw the owner out his own place."

I wave him off and laugh at his last statement, instead I watch as she makes her way up the stairs. I take one deep breath and briefly close my eyes; by the time I open them, she is right in front of me.

"Hello, Carson."

"Yes, Darcy."

"I came looking for you earlier on," she stares at me with that same old anger and irritation in her eyes.

"So, I heard, and apparently, you have a message for me?"

"You weren't here, Carson; where were you?"

"I took a walk, Darcy."

"You were with her," she snaps at me. "You were with her, weren't you?"

"I was not with her, and I did bump into her again."

"How convenient to bump into the same person twice in the same night."

I can sense the sarcasm in her voice, and it is already starting to annoy me. She came here looking for a fight, and she will not leave until she has said the final word. "Darcy, why are you here?"

"Am I not allowed to be here? Or are you waiting for her?"

"Really" Is this what you want to start? Need I remind you not to make a scene in my club?"

"Need I remind you that you have a ring on your finger?" she grabs at my hand and points at my finger.

"Like the very one that did not stop you from getting under the covers of my business partner." The second I said that, I knew it was wrong. We are heading for a full-on burst out now, but it is not the burst out I expected. Instead of erupting into anger, she starts to cry.

"Darcy, I am so sorry. I did not mean that".

"You…did…you did Carson. You will never forgive me for what I did".

"I have forgiven you, Darcy; I am afraid that it has done a lot more damage to us than I thought it did."

She looks at me, confused, "What do you mean?"

"We fight all the time. I don't even know if you love me. I will be very honest that I almost did cheat on you tonight, but I still love you".

"Then I was right! You were with this woman?"

"We were together very briefly at the club, but then she left before anything could happen. Darcy, I will never cheat on you like that".

She starts to cry again; my heart breaks, for now, I have hurt her, the very thing I did not want to do. I reach out to pull her closer and rest her head on my chest. As she cries uncontrollably, her tears start to drench my shirt. I have not seen her cry like this in such a long time. Could my words possibly have caused her so much pain?

As I pull her an inch into me closer, I see a familiar face come walking upstairs. My god, what is she doing here? I never expected that I would ever see her again. She has the most gorgeous smile on her face as she sees me, but soon it disappears as she sees me with a woman in my arms. As fast as she came up the stairs towards me, the faster she turns to leave.

"Tasnim!"

I look at Darcy, and I know I need to make a decision. I run off and ruin a relationship, or I stay and break a stranger's heart. I close my eyes to hide my pain and pull Darcy back in my arms.

"You must really like her?"

"Darcy, loving someone is more important to me. What do you say, I take you home?"

"Well, that is actually the reason why I here," she begins to explain with a smile on her face. "See, I am not coming home with you anymore. I decided that I am leaving you."