Page 115 of Stronger Than Fate

“Waylon, leave! Last time I’m telling you. Don’t make me forget we’re friends!”

I looked at him and nodded. I didn’t understand what he was trying to do, but I imagined he said it because he saw his friend was very worked up.

“See you around, Dalina.”

“Not even in your dreams,” Henry said.

Waylon looked at me and smiled, then turned and left.

“May I come in?” he repeated.

“What do you want, Henry? I really need to go out, so please be brief,” I said, and moved aside to let him pass.

“Don’t even think about going out dressed like that,” he stated as he entered the suite.

I closed the door and looked at him seriously. This man really wasn’t in his right mind.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me.”

“You don’t actually think you can stop me, do you?”

“Dalina, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other...” he didn’t finish his sentence and sat down on the sofa, holding his head in both hands, looking defeated.

I moved forward and sat in the armchair across from his, watching him in silence. What was happening with this man? Why did he seem so dejected?

“Henry?” I called out, because he was still looking down, and I added: “Why did you come here?”

“When did you arrive?” he asked, without answering my question and raising his eyes to look at me.

“Friday.”

“Why didn’t you let me know?” he asked.

“We hadn’t agreed on that.”

“How did you meet Waylon?”

“Why this interrogation?”

“I need to know.”

“I met him last night when I accompanied Niky to the bar where you were.”

“Did he try to seduce you? Are you planning to go out with him?”

“What? You don’t know what you’re saying. Tell me once and for all what you need to talk about because I’m getting tired of all these questions.”

“I didn’t have a good night yesterday and my head is splitting with pain,” he admitted, and again grabbed his head with both hands.

“I’ll bring you a painkiller,” I said, as I got up to get it.

“Thank you,” he responded.

I returned with the painkiller and a glass of water, and found him in the same position, head down with his hands on his head. It broke my heart to see him so distressed. What was happening with him? He was an overwhelming man who commanded respect with his mere presence and even intimidated others, a man with a strong character who always wanted to get his way, but at that moment he was vulnerable, weak, seeming to have lost his way.

I stood in front of him and stretched out my arm for him to take the glass and the painkiller. When our fingers touched, I felt the usual electricity. Henry looked at me, but only limited himself to thanking me.