Page 56 of Jade

“Dad, let’s not do this right now. I need to go and visit the King but don’t forget about not getting between us. I mean it, Dad. I don’t joke when it comes to Jade. Spell or not.”

“I’m not joking about this situation either.” He leaves with a frown without a goodbye or a backward glance. I sense that I’ve inflamed the situation by telling my dad how I feel about Jade. I should have kept quiet though I needed him to know my position. Jade will never be my mistress. She’ll be my wife.

Once he’s out. I leaned back in my chair. I want to punch things, but all I can do is control my breathing till I’m calm. I try to read through documents but after reading the same line over and over without any comprehension. I realize it’s a fruitless effort. I call Jade anyway.

“Naseer, are you okay?” she says groggily.

“I’m fine, just wanted to hear your voice.”

“Gent. I was up all night studying. I have a test later today. Need to rest a bit.”

“Okay, my lady. Call me later.”

“Bye, Gent.”

I hung up and breathed in relief, she’s still mine. I focus my mind on work.

I spent the next two weeks in Rhanaz only speaking with Jade. She’s her usual self. I can’t travel to Chicago. My uncle needs my help with some documents. Raheem arrived about a week ago to help.

We spend our days working and our night drinking. He’s usually with a woman or two sometimes. The guy has a bottomless stack of willing women, which always baffles me. I always end up raising a glass to him. One of the ladies tries to touch me and I turn a hardened face to her. “Do not touch me,” I growl.

She scooches away immediately. Word spread in Raheem's stack that I shouldn’t be touched and that I’m grumpy. That’s fine with me, I need them away from me.

Once I’m back at my house, I’ll call Jade before going to sleep. I hate it when I’m this far away from her. I try to see her every weekend, though I make sure it doesn’t go beyond a fortnight but with this investigation, my uncle is running on a member of the cabinet.

We are going through lots of documents, and I can’t leave, especially when the king has Raheem and I as the only ones reviewing the documents, he doesn’t want it out that we are combing through the cabinet member’s work. Jade can’t leave school as well; I’m slowly hitting my peak of frustration.

If we are not done, by the end of the week. I’m going to go see Jade. I don’t care if the flight hours to and from are unreasonable.

The next evening, I watched Raheem kissing each woman. One of them keeps looking my way seductively but the more she looks the less interested I am. After downing my drink, I grab my jacket and leave the club with Rilwan right next to me.

My phone rings as I’m getting in the car, it’s Jade.

“Milady,” I say smiling.

“Naseer, when are you coming over?”

“Are you missing me?” I tease.

“Yes, I’m missing you like crazy so when are you coming?” shocking, she admits.

“Sooner than you expect.”

“Good because Maureen is trying to make me buy a sex toy and I know how much you would like that so you better hurry.”

“You mean, how much I won’t like that?”

“Well, if you don’t like it, you need to show up soon before I’m convinced to replace you with a sex toy or a handsome young impressionable college guy.”

“I’m irreplaceable, Jade,” I say teasingly.

“That you are, my gent.” She’s quiet. I had to look at my phone to see if the connection was still on.

“Jade, are you still there?”

“Yes, it's weird, but I feel like someone is always watching me lately, maybe my mind is just acting up because I’m missing you though I get the weird feeling like I’m being watched or followed.”

“I’ll be there soon. Do you want me to send someone out to check it out?”