Chapter 10 : Manny's Arrival

I couldn’t stop thinking about the disturbed look in Tahir’s eyes before he’d walked away from me. I knew that I was acting irrationally, but had I really been that off putting? I couldn’t help but feel like I’d just screwed things up with him.

I shouldn’t let it get to me. I knew that whatever was going on between us would be temporary. Maybe it would be just one night, but that was enough, wasn’t it?

There were plenty of reasons for me to be thinking about Tahir that had nothing to do with the way his muscles shifted under my fingertips when he…

No, that’s enough of that.

Something more was going on here than just an old bracelet being dug up in the mine, and Tahir knew what it was. It was obvious by his behavior.

Forty million dollars for a broken relic? That couldn’t be the standard going rate. What was so special about that damned thing?

I didn’t want to consider that he’d used his charms on me to keep me from investigating him further, but the idea had entered my brain and I couldn’t get rid of it. I didn’t know Tahir in any real way, there was no way for me to know if he would do something like that.

I tried to shake the thoughts off as I parked my dad’s car outside of my apartment. I’d have to bring it back to him tomorrow. I just wanted to get up to my room and finish off that bottle of wine. I was so tired.

The moment I was in the door, I kicked off my heels. My feet were aching from wearing them for so long. I dredged my way into the kitchen and grabbed the bottle of wine. I thought about just drinking it from the bottle, but I didn’t want to seem quite so desperate, even to myself. I poured a glass and took a sip.

It paled in comparison to the bottle I’d shared with Tahir. I walked towards my room and sighed in frustration. How had tonight gone so badly?

I drained the glass and threw myself onto my bed.

I didn’t remember falling asleep or dreaming, so being awakened by a knocking at my door was especially disorienting.

I was still wearing my little black dress. I grabbed my long robe and pulled it closed to hide my outfit. I didn’t need anyone seeing me in this state.

I walked to the door and opened it, ready to tell off whoever was waking me up so early.

Manny was the last person on earth I was expecting to see standing on my doorstep. He pushed his way in before I could get a word out.

“I heard about your dad,” he said. “I’m sorry he’s sick. I wanted to check in and see if you needed anything.”

I stared at him in utter confusion. He sounded sincere. I’d never known Manny to show concern for anyone but himself. Had the whole town gone crazy?

“Are you alright?” he continued. I was just staring at him with my mouth hanging open in disbelief.

I cleared my throat and wrapped my arms around myself. “I’m fine. I mean, I’m worried about my dad,” I said. “But I’ll be fine. Thanks for asking.” I shut the door. I didn't need my neighbors overhearing all of this.

“Yeah,” he answered. “I mean, of course. I know how you get when it comes to your dad and brother.”

I stared at him openly. Manny had always acted annoyed when I was worked up over Dad or Dex. Maybe he’d really matured in the past year and I’d just misjudged him.

“That’s nice of you,” I replied. “How did you hear Dad was in the hospital?”

“Mr. Ashworth called my dad this morning looking for someone to fill in at the mine. He said he wanted to give your dad all the time he needed to recover. I figured if it was that bad, you were probably a nervous wreck.”

He was looking around the apartment as he spoke.

My apartment wasn’t much. I had a hand-me-down couch and coffee table in the living room and a variety of photos hung on peel and stick hooks around the room in an attempt to make it look less empty. It was nothing compared to the condo Manny lived in.

“I wanted to see if there was anything I could do, you know, to make you feel better?” he asked. His tone had shifted to something suggestive and I grimaced. Ah, that was it. Disgusting.

“I’m good,” I said firmly. “Thanks for stopping by. I’ll see you around, Manny.”

“Oh, come on,” he said in frustration. “Don’t be like that. I’m trying to be a nice guy here.” He reached out and grabbed me around the waist, but I shoved him away forcefully.

“No. You’re being a creep. You know, for a second there, I actually thought you might have changed. Get the fuck out of my apartment!” I ordered.

“Damn it, Thea!” he said angrily. “What do I have to do?”

“I don’t want anything from you, Manny. I just want you to leave me alone!”

He opened his mouth to respond, but a heavy knock on the door cut him off. He looked at it and cursed under his breath. I hurried to the door and opened it, grateful that someone had come to break up the fight.

I was shocked to see Tahir standing there. After the way I’d treated him last night, I hadn’t expected to see him again.

“Tahir,” I breathed. “Come in.”

“Thank you,” he said simply, stepping in and closing the door behind him. His dark eyes were fixed on Manny and part of me was satisfied with the way he sized him up, then dismissed him and turned back to me. “I wanted to speak with you about your father, if you have a moment.”

“I do,” I said. “Manny was just leaving.”

Tahir glanced at him again, as if confirming something, then looked back at me. “Well, my timing was fortunate then.”

“Who said I’m leaving?” Manny demanded. “And who the hell are you?”

“Tahir Gujic,” he said as he stepped towards Manny. Tahir towered over him and Manny had to tilt his head up to look him in the face as he approached. “And I believe Miss Donnelly said that you are leaving.”

“You’re that archeologist Thea wrote about,” Manny said in confusion.

“Not exactly,” Tahir replied.

His tone was entirely unamused and judging by the way he was blocking Manny from me, he’d heard us arguing. It made my heart stutter to know that he was trying to protect me. Maybe I hadn’t ruined my chances with him after all?

Manny stepped away from Tahir and glared at me.

“What, are you fucking this guy?” he demanded. “He’s twice your age, Thea!”

His face was red with rage as he glared at me. He’s always been jealous, so I wasn’t really surprised. I was just glad that I wasn’t alone with him right now.

“And he’s four times the man you are,” I responded angrily. Tahir’s age had stopped mattering to me the moment he kissed me. There was no denying the way he made me feel.

“Are you that desperate?” Manny laughed. It was a cruel, mocking sound and it made me flinch. In the past, I would have backed down at his mockery. I would have doubted myself.

“Tread carefully, sous-merde,” Tahir growled. There was clear danger in his gravelly voice as he stared down his nose at Manny. Unimpressed wasn’t the right word for the way he was looking at him. He wasn’t disgusted either. The only word that I could think of to describe that expression was offended.

Tahir looked like he was offended by Manny’s mere presence in my apartment. I may have been imagining it, but I found it oddly endearing. Tahir was a king compared to a man like Manny, and maybe he felt that way too. He was certainly looking at my ex like he was the mud on his boots.

“You would be wise to leave,” Tahir said in a warning tone.

Manny was livid. “I don’t care who you think you are,” he yelled. “No one tells Manuel Caro what to do!”

“Miss Donnelly asked you to leave. You can walk out the door on your own, or I can take you out,” Tahir warned in a lower, serious tone. I could tell by the curl of his lip that he was losing patience with Manny. It seemed like he could see it too, because he stepped away from Tahir.

“Thea, stop playing around,” Manny began. “You aren’t really with this guy, are you?”

“It’s none of your business,” I replied. “I don’t know how many times I have to say it, Manny. Stay out of my life!”

“You’re going to regret this,” he hissed. He looked at Tahir and sneered in disgust. “Both of you.”

He pushed by me and wrenched the door open, slamming it into the wall before storming down the hallway.

I rubbed my temple and gently closed the door after him, turning the deadbolt just to be safe.

I turned back to Tahir and looked up at him. I was embarrassed, but I couldn’t do anything about it.

“Thank you,” I said. “I’m sorry about him.”

“He doesn’t matter,” Tahir said dismissively. I wished that I agreed with the sentiment.

“What was it you wanted to talk about?” I asked.

“I can help your father,” he started calmly. “But I cannot tell you how. I need you to trust me.”

I wasn’t sure what to do. I believed him, but only because I knew there was more to the situation that he was refusing to tell me. It would be prideful and foolish of me to refuse his offer of help just because I was annoyed with him.

“Okay,” I said reluctantly. “I trust you.”

Tahir smiled a little. “When you’re ready, Ziv will drive us to the hospital.”

“Thank you.” I looked down at my robe and blushed a little. I was still in my smudged makeup from the night before. I needed to shower and put clean clothes on.

“I’m a mess,” I added softly.

“Take all the time you need,” Tahir said kindly. “I’ll wait for you right here.”

I looked at the door, then back at Tahir. I felt safe with him. Even if Manny tried to come back, I knew that he wouldn’t be able to do anything with Tahir standing guard. It was an odd thought, but a comforting one.

“Thank you,” I said again. “I’m sorry about the way I behaved at the Ashworth’s last night. I was–”

“You were upset,” he finished for me. He stepped closer and tucked my hair behind my ear. He was looking at me as if he were reading my thoughts again and as invasive as that should have felt, I was just relieved. “Your concern for your father is understandable.”

“It doesn’t give me the right to shout at people,” I added apologetically.

“Maybe not,” he replied. “But I don’t hold it against you.”

I smiled. I didn’t know if Tahir would really be able to help my dad, but I was so grateful he’d arrived when he did.

I stood on my toes and kissed his cheek. He rewarded me with a brilliant smile and laughed a little as I turned and hurried down the hall.

Nothing had changed, really. My dad was still sick, I still didn’t know what the deal with the mine artifact was, and I was still frustrated by the lack of transparency from Tahir. Still, he came to offer me his help even after the way I acted last night. I hadn’t expected his kindness and I was grateful for it.

His presence was comforting in a way I couldn’t account for, and I truly believed that things were going to be okay as long as he was with me.