Late evening of Monday morning, June 3rd

I hit ‘Send’ on the email I just finished writing and checked the Inbox. Two more ‘Thank you’ emails and I’d be done for the day. All the important people who participated in the exhibition event or helped to make it happen would be thanked. That was my last task before handing this project over to my good colleague, Jasmine.

“You’re still here?!” Speak of the savior in question. Jas entered our office room. “How about we switch places and I go to California instead?”

She must have finished talking with the logistics company representatives that would take over the packaging and shipping tasks for the sold paintings.

“Two emails left and I’ll be out of your hair for the next few weeks. Last chance to use me while I’m still here? I don’t mind staying longer if you need me.”

“You’ve helped plenty already this weekend. It’s almost nine and if I know you, you still haven’t packed for tomorrow’s flight.” She leaned against her desk, which was right beside mine.

“Technically, you’re the one helping me out, so assisting you is the least I can do while I’m still here.” I wisely left out the subject of my unpacked luggage.

Me being the lead coordinator for this exhibition, I should be the one supervising its closure till the end. But if I wanted to go together with Kade, and I did, I had to hand over the rest of the tasks to Jas. She was more than capable of holding the fort alone, having worked at the gallery for almost two years now.

“As long as you get me the promised two dozens of Golden Gate Bakery's egg custard tarts on your way back—we’re good.” She smacked her lips together, no doubt thinking about her beloved dessert.

“I’ll get you three,” I promised.

“My knight in shining armor!” Jas blew an air kiss over the desk and I laughed at her theatrics.

“Milady.” I deepened my voice and held a fist to my heart to match her level of drama. “I promise to deliver your beloved tarts to you safe and sound.”

Jas was one of the few colleagues I could dork around while at work. She was a bit of a control freak, but still fun to crack jokes with.

My smartphone pinged beside my keyboard. Kade, my lover and beloved muse, sent me two Whatsapp messages.

Kade: Coming home soon?

Kade: Because I may or may not have plans, depending how tired you are …

I suppressed a laugh, knowing where this was going.

“Let me guess, your man is about to send a search party for you? I know I would, were I in his shoes.” Jas sighed dramatically.

Me not having my suitcase packed at the eve of my flight was unthinkable and too risky in her eyes. I, on the other hand, didn’t have a problem with that. I had plenty of time left to accommodate both, Kade’s plans and packing my suitcase plus carry-on.

“He’s just checking when to expect me,” I replied as five more pings followed one after another.

Kade: This may not be SFW:

Followed by three picture icons and then finished by:

Kade: Preferences? ;)

The sweet devil was tempting me to return home sooner. I’d unlock and check his messages once work was done. Whatever those pictures entailed, my mind would be elsewhere after seeing them.

“Seems more than just checking.” Jas winked at me, smiling. “Come on, go home, Liam and I will finish up.” I opened my mouth about the two remaining emails, but was shooed with a thumb towards the door. “Go. And for the love of everything holy, please pack your bags tonight!”

I was kicked out of the gallery less than five minutes later. It was a windy evening, but I didn’t care about it. Tomorrow I'll be in sunny California. I laughed at Kade’s photos as I walked towards my car.

One picture was of our new bed, with two pairs of black leather cuffs for my hands and ankles. Another one was of our kitchen chair, with a bundle of blue rope placed on it. The third picture was the most innocent one—a Blu-ray of the True Lies movie resting against our couch cushion.

I licked my lips, getting excited at the thought of the fun awaiting us tonight.

“Excellent options. I prefer for two of them to be implemented tonight.” I recorded my voice message and sent it to Kade. A minute later I had an incoming call.

“Two? I like your enthusiasm.” Kade’s amused baritone voice went straight to the point.

“What can I say, your photos are very alluring! I think you should consider switching specialties,” I joked.

Kade spent his work hours staring at the computer, wielding code languages like perfectly trained puppies. How he could make any sense of the colored gibberish on his black screen was beyond me. It was almost magical how his skilled fingers converted those lines of indecipherable text into sleek websites, functioning apps or useful software.

“I’ll be sure to pamper you with more photos in the future, no probs.” Kade chuckled. “How soon until I can get my hands on you?”

I imagined Kade sitting in his office chair, legs outstretched and him lazily looking through the window of our new condo while he talked to me. There was no urgency in his voice, no strictness, but the touch of open need was plenty enough to send pleasant shivers down my body.

“Hmm … Fifteen minutes. Thirteen, if I don’t need to take my shoes and clothing off myself.” I smiled at the fond memory crossing my mind.

There was this one time in our old condo; Kade had pressed me against the wall right after I returned home from work. He proceeded to blindfold and cuff me before I took my shoes off … It had been a very satisfying evening.

“I’ll take that into careful consideration. See you in a bit.”

I speculated which options he’d choose for tonight. Kade could tie me to the chair and we could watch the action comedy as the toys worked me. Or he could start with me in the chair and finish in bed. Alternatively, tying me to bed and then relaxing with a movie would also work. So many options.

“Hey, beautiful,” I whispered at my royal blue, 4-year-old Subaru Impreza 2.5i hatch.

After getting a wash this morning she was shining proud, patiently waiting for her owner. She was my baby, my ‘Imp’. I looked after her and in return she never threw any hissy fits or left me stranded in the middle of nowhere.

I got in and took a deep breath, allowing my beloved car to drain any tension and tiredness from the day’s work. Our new condo was barely 5 minutes away by car from the gallery, but I preferred to drive home when I could. Walking just didn’t recharge me as much as driving my Imp did. It was pure pleasure to drive in late evenings when there was little traffic on the streets. I turned the ignition and rumbled out of the parking lot behind the gallery.

It was soothing to move through the half empty Settle streets. Kade would grumble if he knew I didn’t wear my seatbelt again. Generally, I did wear it, but with the drive home being so short and the low traffic, there was no point to bother with it. And Kade would be none the wiser because he wouldn’t find out.

Three more intersections and I’d be home. I waited for the traffic light to turn green and enjoyed the sound of the engine running. It had been a partially cloudy day, but if those heavy clouds and occasional lightning far ahead were any indication, rain would pelt the streets before midnight. Didn’t matter, I’d be long home by then, with my Imp safely tucked in the underground garage.

My artistic eye admired the colors and hues the street lights created, fighting against the darkness of the night. I could draw several abstract triptychs with lightning as the theme? A surreal painting of a twisting storm sucking the water from a lake, maybe?

The light finally turned green and I switched gears to get to my destination. As I was crossing the intersection, movement to my right drew my attention.

Car lights! Way closer to me than they were supposed to be!

Everything happened in less than a second:

… My ears popping from the deafening sound of windows shattering, metal creaking and plastic breaking.

… My body being thrown against the driver’s door.

… Intense pain exploding throughout my body and head.

 … Silent blackness taking my consciousness away.