Chapter 2

Alex's POINT OF VIEW

I wake up with a terrible headache, so I open my eyes slowly, unable to bear the sunlight coming in through the wide open window.

"Could close the fucking window ?!"-I raise my voice with an angry grimace on my face, looking for Clara's body close to mine in the bed.

I hear no response, so I open my eyes completely, noticing that she is not by my side, even though she hadn't told me she was working today ...

I bring a hand to my forehead, then get out of the covers and reach the kitchen with only a pair of boxers on.

"You already awake." - I stop suddenly when I see that Clara is watching television in the living room, so I frown in confusion: why is she saying on the sofa, instead of being on my chest like every morning?

"You too, apparently."- I look her puzzled, making a confused expression to her attitude.

I don't know what's wrong with her: she's been acting weird since yesterday, but it's not the first time I find it hard to understand this woman.

She seems she wants to speak to me but Juliet enters the hall instantly:

«Hey, people!"-she says, but I just take a quick glance at her, and then bring my attention back to Clara that continues acting like I don't exist while keeping her eyes on the giant screen of our tv, which bothers me a lot: in fact I would have preferred she had gone to work.

I want to threaten her to watch me instead of the program, but I decide not to seem obsessed, giving my whole attention to Juliet.

"Why did you come home late yesterday?" »-I turn to my daughter.

"Here we go." -she rolls her eyes, seating next to my woman, and than continues with a disgusted tone-" I came to Australia because I wanted to get rid of my dad, you can't do this to me!" - she says in a dramatic but joking voice.

She is only nine years old, but she seems more mature than Clara, who, on the other hand, has remained the same child as five years ago when I met her

The Australian air makes me sick: if it depended on me I would go back to the small neighborhood of the North Bronx again.

I would never have moved to Sydney if it wasn't for Clara: when she received the news that she had won the competition she was so happy to leave.

But I couldn't let her go alone, and especially the idea that she would have been living alone in a big city convinced me to follow her, but I'll never tell her I hate living here.

She would feel too guilty, I know her pretty well...

When she learned that Juliet is my daughter, I was afraid of losing her, that she would get far away from me, and I wouldn't dare to imagine what I would feel if I had really let her go.

"Anyway, I was with some friends. »- she continues again, while out of the corner of my eye I observe Clara raising her eyes to the sky.

I try to control myself and not jump on her: she is still in her pajamas, which makes her even sexier, even though the pajamas are covered in banal smiling teddy bears.

I have learned to understand her, no matter how different we are: she seems like a childish woman, beautiful, but innocent.

But when we go to sleep she urges me to do anything but sleep...

I nod to Juliet as Clara gets up to walk into the bedroom, so I forget of having my daughter in front of me and my feet start moving before I could even control myself.

I follow her as if I were hypnotized, closing the door behind me and starting staring at her with an angry grimace:

"Don't you have to work today?"-she asks, taking off her shirt and showing off her naked breasts as if it was a normal and innocent move.

I try to look away, but I give up after several attempts while I get close to the bed, without taking my eyes off her body: I admire her, as I sit on the bed slowly.

How can't she understand how fucking beautiful she is ?!

I just nod as she fastens her bra and replies in a gentle and low tone:

«Me too, finally. "

"Er ..." - I clear my throat.

She ties her hair into a ponytail, showing off her light eyes full of energy:

"I must leave."-she says, while I wait for her to wrap her arms around my neck and kiss me as she usually does before going out.

But finally all she does is turn away from me and walk out the door.

What the...?!

I hear the front door slam, then I snort again, trying to hold my anger and go back in front of the TV to face my doughter before I get out of my mind asking what's going on with that girl.

"Should I accompany you? »-I ask Juliet with a strong voice.

"No. »- she shrugs her shoulders-"One of my friend's mother is giving me a drive. "-she explains, so I look at her with insistence to understand if she's saying the truth, but I never heard a lie come out of her mouth so I try to believe her and convince myself not to follow her.

If Clara knew that I never take her to school, she would go crazy:

'It is too dangerous! Don't you dare leave her alone!' - she said the first time I refused to give her a lift.

I am the protective one, but she is really paranoic, also because the school is only twenty meters from our house.

"Do you know what's wrong with her? - I try to ask her, referring to Clara, even though they are too close to each other and if something went wrong I'm sure my daughter wouldn't say it to me.

" With Clara?" -she asks, sincerely confused so I nod at her while taking the backpack.

"I don't know, but you deserve it!"-she says, so I stop suddenly, looking her straight to her eyes and frown, repeating her words in my head.

What have I done to her?

Why do I deserve it? It's been six years since I've stopped being an asshole for her.

Perhaps...

Did he find out something about Catherine?

Fuck! I should have told him from the start.

"Why? "-I ask instantly, alarmed and confused at the same time.

"Every time she gets close to you, you just push her away. »- she says, giving me a hard look to make me understand how asshole have I been to her.

I widen my eyes:

«So she's giving me a punishment?"- I raise an eyebrow, thinking about Clara's attitude lately.

"No! She's not that kind of woman. "-Juliet replies, rolling her eyes in disapproval.

"So what? »-I insist, without realizing that I'm asking a nine-year-old girl to explain me the strange behavior of the girl I sleep with.

Women are complicated, and I've realized this since an early age, but I've also learned that a little fake sweetness or good sex is enough to take them apart and solve any problem.

Well, it doesn't work with Clara.

It has never worked with that fucking little girl.

"She probably doesn't want to bother you. She thinks you're getting tired of her. "

"Why are you saying that? Did she told you so? Tell me the truth, Juliet! »-I threaten her with a hoarse and serious tone.

"No, big brother, I'm speak from personal experience. »- she says and then beckons me and goes away to get close to the door.

"What the fuck does' personal experiences' mean?!" - my expression becomes even more severe when I listen to her words, but in response she closes the door behind her, without deigning to look at me.

I stand there, staring into space and convincing myself I'll deal with her later: I didn't realize I had neglected Clara...

I'm not the kind of man that tells often 'I love you' , but it's part of my character.

And I'm not the gift type either, but Clara doesn't seem like someone who cares, in fact, she feels uncomfortable every time someone gives her a present.

So what did she mean when she said that I'm 'pushing' her away?

I begin to feel a strong sense of guilt as I get up from the sofa and wear the same sweatshirt I wore yesterday, but apparently Clara has already washed it.

I take the keys, and then reach the car, this time in a hurry: I can't risk being caught late again, also because Catherine has already done enough for me and I wouldn't ask her another favor.

If only my innocent girlfriend weren't so jealous, I wouldn't have lied to her.

Catherine is probably the sexiest and most seductive woman I have ever seen, and she is only one year older than Clara.

I met her on the second day of work: she proposed to show me the office and introduced me to my new place.

"This is heaven, believe me! Except that Clifton is more Lucifer than God. "- she said that day, and for the first time I smiled, after a long time living in Australia.

Clifton is our boss: I hate being bossed by anyone , but I respect that man, in fact I don't know how he managed to set up such an extensive company out of nowhere.

I was lucky to have been accepted, but most of all not to have already been fired.

I park near the entrance door, and then walk inside the skyscraper.

I roll my eyes, remembering that my office is on the sixth floor, so I take the elevator quickly as I glance at the clock.

The delay could be a good reason for dismissal, or the fact that I'm not wearing a jacket and a tie, like other employees.

I thought several times about leaving, actually, but then I repented, first of all for the salary, which exceeds even Clara's, but also because I like this job.

Before the elevator door opens fully, I step out of that steel box, but as soon as I'm in the corridor I find myself in front of Clifton, who at this moment seems more threatening than Demon Kane, but strangely he just gives me a dirty look , without calling me to his office.

He must have understood that he has to give up on me, because every time I sit in front of him, we end up having a coffee together and talking about personal matters ... about Clifton, not mine of course.

"Go to work, Alex!"- I hear him say from behind, but his words encourage me to slow down as I raise a corner of my mouth.

I collapse in my chair, then turn on the computer and open the company program.

Without even realizing it, a pack of white sheets is placed on my table, while a hand begins to run along my back.

I roll my eyes, but I don't tell her to go away:

«Good morning to you Alex. »- she whispers close to my ear, and then comes unstuck from my back.

I nod my head when I notice her presence, trying not to smile to satisfy her.

"You have a lot of things to do. »- she observes sitting in front of me and showing her long, thin and inviting legs.

"Bring me a coffee! »- I exclaim after few seconds, making her stand up soon after with a seductive smile on her face.

"Of course." - she says with a high voice. I don't know where she finds all that energy, and I don't know when she finds the time to settle down: she never has a hair out of place and always wears a pound of makeup on her face, unlike Clara who looks like Mavis from Hotel Transilvania every morning.

I smile at the thought: my girlfriend sleeps in teddy bear pajamas, Catherine probably sleeps in lingerie and heels.

"There it is. »- today she wears the usual high-waisted shirt and skirt, showing off her legs.

She steps forward with one foot, slightly baring one thigh, as I move my eyes to the computer.

"We have dinner with the boss tonight. You're coming, right? »- she asks after clearing her voice.

I don't like going out at night, especially knowing that Clara is afraid of the dark and of being alone at home, but today she has the night shift, so I decide to let go and nod at her invitation.

«Bring your sister too, I would like to meet her. »-she says, while I stiffen at her words.

I haven't said anything about Clara, but she managed to let me slip that I live with my 'sister'.

"No!" - I exclaim with a hard tone, knowing that my daughter would tell Clara everything, of course.

"Come on, it might help you get a promotion. The boss knows you are the best among designers, but he doesn't promote you because he doesn't know you."- shs tries to convince me, and I must admit that hers is a correct observation, even though I hate to mix my private life with business.

Maybe I can do it, I'll make Juliet believe that she is one of the many colleagues, and not that Catherine that Clara insists to invite to have dinner with us.

"I know almost nothing about you. I won't get offendet if you invite me at your place sometimes, you know... "

I roll my eyes at her inviting herself to my house, so I just make her clear enough not to insist anymore:

"Forget it. - I warn her calmly.

"Let yourself go, Alex! Don't be so distant."-she complains.

'And you don't open up so much .'- I would like to answer, but I don't want her to feel bad, so I keep watching my computer without saying a word.

I don't know much about her either.

She probably lives alone in an apartment, and she most likely has also many suitors.

As she continues to talk and charge to convince me to take my daughter to dinner, I get distracted by my phone when I get a message, and when I read that it's from Clara, I immediately unlock the screen, leaning back in my chair.

I run a hand through my hair, reading on the screen:

* I'm getting bored as hell! *

I raise a corner of my mouth at her words, passing the tip of my tong on my lower lip.

* Why, there's no one on the verge of death today? *

I reply instantly, while the woman in front of me continues talking as if I was listening to her.

* No, I haven't done intervention, and it's already 10: 00! *

I smile again at her massage, thinking about how crazy my little girl is.

She's keeping me away because she thinks she's starting to bother me.

But I can never get tired of that little monster.

* Mmm, if you were with me right now you wouldn't be bored. * - I answer after few seconds, holding a seductive smile not to be noticed by Catherine.

"I'll probably wear a black dress… where are you going? »-Catherine's voice starts to bother me, so I decide to get up and reach the bathroom in order to continue my ... conversation with Clara, without answering or giving an explanation to my sexy colleague.

*Why? What would you do? * - she challenges me as I bite my lip, and I can only imagine her red cheeks for the embarrassement right now, so I send her rapidly an other text message:

*Go to the toilet.*-I order her, but her reply doesn't take long to come:

* I'm already there ... *

As my eyes go through every single word I feel a strong pressure against my jeans, which suddenly appear tight.