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Victor checked on me once in the middle of the night but I was still wide awake, assuring him that I was fine. I drank half the bottle of tonic, it was a thick crimson color and had a metallic aftertaste. The bottle itself had no label or ingredients for me to identify what it was I was drinking. The affects were almost instant as I felt an overwhelming wave of calm and closed my eyes finally sleeping through the night. The next morning I felt fully refreshed and had more energy as I got dressed and took Theo outside to run around. Theo came with me to the dinning room for the first time since we moved here and sat at my feet as I ate.
Roy entered the dining room and stared at Theo with a look of disdain. I couldn't blame him though, after all, Theo had run off in the middle of our car ride to the manor. Behind Roy stood seven maids looking around the room and one of them stooped to pet Theo as he ran over sniffing her feet. Roy looked at her and she immediately stood up putting her hands behind her back. I called Theo back over looking at Roy having a silent conversation with the maid when he suddenly addressed me, "I will have Mary grab your breakfast this morning as Mrs. Corp is at the market. Today however I will be quite busy training the new staff. Victor also wanted to wake you but thought it'd be unwise since you haven't had a good night's rest. He wanted me to tell you goodbye on his behalf, he had an urgent meeting across the country and has left."
Thanking Roy I sat in silence secretly wishing he had woken me to say goodbye, he was charming after all. My mind wondered to what else I could put away in my office as I ate my oatmeal in silence and Theo began to snore. Theo went back to my room and I went to my office carrying some more books for the shelves. When I opened the door I was met with the most amazing smell of fresh roses and the sight of them sitting in vases covering empty corners and shelves of my office. There was a letter on my desk ceiled with the Alcott's crest and inscribed with my name.
"Dear Ayana,
I am terribly sorry to leave on such short notice without a proper goodbye so I brought some roses inside with my mother's permission for you to remember me by. I hope to see you again soon.
Signed,
Victor."
The room smelled wonderful as I closed the door behind me and brought a single rose to my nose. He liked me right? Why else would he snip so many roses from his parent's most prized collection? The roses would die soon with no water and barely any sunlight coming in through the windows but it was a kind gesture nonetheless. Three weeks had gone by and not a single rose had died and my office continued to smell like fresh roses every morning. It had been three weeks' worth of meeting with the Alcott's and on an early Monday morning, I was sitting across from Mrs. Alcott as she held a mirror gazing at herself.
"How'd you sleep last night Miriam?" She looked worn and tired as she put the mirror down and stared out the window. "I slept horribly even with the tonic, and I feel older than I've felt in a very long time. I want Victor to come home, he always makes me feel better." I put that down in my notes and made a mental note to encourage Victor to visit home more often for his parents and then we discussed an action plan in the meantime to lift her spirits. Miriam was in better spirits as we left my office and headed to the dining room for breakfast.
There was a knock at the door and Miriam huffed and looked around for Roy, "I'm going to need to hire a doorman as well I suppose." She heaved the large oak doors open and standing on the steps was Victor with his suitcases. Miriam's eyes lit up as she rushed forward to embrace him on the steps and two held each other. I left them to it and made my way to the dining room as Miriam called for Roy to come collect Victors suitcases. There was a lot of whispering from the both of them as they entered the dining room and sat down. "Ayana, Victor has some thing he would like to ask you?" Miriam gestured to Victor who rolled his eyes.
"Mother I can do it on my own but I appreciate your assistance. Ayana as you know my parents are having a gathering this year that is very important to the family. Would you do me the honor of accompanying me?"
Miriam was smiling and nodding her head, "Oh, of course, I would be delighted." I said a little too quickly. Miriam looked happy and squeezed Victor's hand. After breakfast, I retreated to my office to sort through this morning's notes and found Victor waiting for me. "Hello Victor, are you here for your appointment?" Victor chuckled and put down the rose he was holding.
"Not today doctor, perhaps you can pick my thoughts another time. I'm going into town to the family tailor for something to wear this weekend. Would you go with me so we find something we both would like to wear?" I did have two weeks worth of checks I was eager to spend and with that thought in mind, I couldn't possibly say no.
Victor insisted that we bring Theo along so I gave Theo the best behavior talk before taking him to the car. "Theo I need you to be extra good today, if you're good you might get a new daddy." As the car pulled away from the manor Miriam waved us goodbye from the front steps.
I had no clue what color to wear and shot some ideas to Victor who indulged the ideas of yellow and emerald green. The drive to town wasn't as long as I originally thought it was the first time I had come to stay with the Alcott's or maybe it was because I Victor was siting so close to me. He was attractive in every way, his black hair and clean shaven face, jawline for days, and a teasing smirk when he had something smart to say. My mind even wondered to what cologne he wore, it smelled absolutely wonderful. As we arrived an old man with a large grey mustache was standing outside of a shop waving to us as we pulled in.
Victor tapped Theo on the nose and Theo laid down as we got out of the car, "How'd you do that? He's usually restless when I leave him?" Victor smiled and took my arm in his, "I have my ways, I'll teach you soon enough."
As we tried on various colors Victor pointed to a dress that I hadn't noticed before. It was a deep crimson red with jewels decorating the neck line and a red train decorated with ruffles at the back. I went to the dressing room and tried it on. It complemented my figure all the way down to my legs and I had to admit I looked amazing. Victor asked me to come out but I refused and told him that he'll have to wait for Saturday to see me.
The tailor asked me if I need anything modified and I politely declined, "It's actually perfect." The tailor smiled and wrapped the dress for me. I started to pull out my wallet when the tailor shook his head, "Mr. Alcott has paid for the dress my dear."
"Your parents pay me quite a lot of money, you do know that right? Still thank you for doing that." Victor only smiled and stared out the window as the shop owner finished wrapping up our purchase. As we left Victor wanted to go to a book shop and asked me to wait for him as he went inside to talk to the shop owner.
Standing on the sidewalk I found myself staring at the church I had walked into three weeks before. My legs working faster than my brain I crossed the cobble stone street heading towards the church. It was empty but candles still lit and the statue under the black cloth still looming over the pew. Curiosity getting the better of me I wanted to pull the curtain off and reveal what was underneath. As I outstretched my hand the elderly woman from before stepped from behind the statue. "Don't do that little girl." I jumped at her sudden appearance and she walked closer circling me.
"He likes you, I know he does. We see the way he looks at you, like you're good enough to eat." she cackled and twirled one of my curls through her bony fingers. "I should go." I said stepping out of her reach.
"Oh you poor thing, it's too late to go. He'll be inside of you soon enough. Should have left when you had the chance, should have left when I told you to." I ran from the church not stopping to look behind me and went to the car locking the doors. Victor came out of the book store moments later holding a small leather bound book in his hand. "Are you alright Ayana?, you look upset." As he was talking to me the woman appeared again across the street staring at me. Victor turned to look at her and she kneeled pressing her forehead to the ground.
"Don't." Victor said glaring at her. She looked terrified and stood gathering herself and running back towards the church.
"Don't worry about that one, she's a little senile these days." Victor got into the car and stared at the spot where the old woman had just been. I tried to put the memory out of my head as we made our way back to Belmore Manor. Victor asked me about my home life and the things I liked to do distracting me from recent events. Roy helped me bring my things inside and Victor left to the library with his new book in hand. As I made my way up the grand staircase a woman with read hair was standing at the top staring down at me. I walked past her saying hello and Theo in tow growling at the woman as we went by.
Putting my new dress in the closet there was a knock at the door, "Come In." The door opened and closed, and I turned around to find Victor standing there. He walked over to me just staring into my eyes, "Did you enjoy the roses?"
"Yes, they were lovely." He was so close now that our noses could have touched. I smelled his cologne as I looked up into those intense eyes. "We really shouldn't be-" and then he kissed me. A wave of emotions flooded through me, but I didn't pull away. I leaned into the kiss and in shock as I did but at the same time in wonder has, he cupped my face holding me close.
There was a knock at the door and Victor pulled away not even taking a breath just staring at me, "I'll see you at dinner." He opened the door and standing there was a maid with fresh linen in her arms. She looked surprised to see Victor and looked over at me standing there flustered and stunned. "Hello Mr. Alcott, I've just come to change Miss. Delaney's sheets." The maid looked all over the room then back at me.
"I'll leave you to it then, Ayana thank you for accompanying me this afternoon we should go out more often." Victor winked leaving me and the maid alone as she changed the sheets in silent. As soon as the maid left, I text my friends group chat trying to quickly explain what happened in words. Janet demanded we facetime right then and there, "What the hell do you mean he kissed you?!"
I explained everything again and Lisa had an evil grin on her face as I described the way he held me. "He sounds way too good to be true Ayana, and what about Jack? I thought you two were still talking about possibilities."
Admittedly I hadn't thought about Jack since I met Victor, he was all that was on my mind even when he wasn't here a Belmore. "I can't get him out of my head, I've never wanted someone so badly before that it's kind of scaring me and as for Jack well he's with someone anyways and I personally feel that I shouldn't have to talk anything through when he cheated on me."
Janet nodded in agreeance "Well just be careful for us at least, for all we know you'll forget about us and be queen of some town in some country far away." We laughed quietly.
"Besides he's my boss and the way I'm feeling I doubt he'd be able to survive me." I couldn't bring myself to mention the weird woman outside the shop earlier, so I said goodnight as dinner neared.
I put my fingers to my lips remembering what his felt like. They were soft and his hand firm as he held my face to his. This was so unreal to me as the thought of us being a secret excited me more. The bell rang for dinner, and I made my way downstairs to find Victor waiting for me at the door. "We'll be having dinner in the dance hall with some guest." He announced as I took his arm.
I wanted to say something but ended up biting my tongue as we walked in silence. "I apologize if I startled you earlier, it seems that I'm not myself in your presence." My heart did flips as he stared down at me through those beautiful eyelashes. "No, I... wanted you, I mean I wanted you to kiss me not- never mind." He was amused laughing with his eyebrows raised in mock concern. Victor was far different than any man I had ever been with, for once I felt safe and natural with another human being and I craved that security in my life.
Two large wooden doors opened, and he grabbed my hand pulling me into the largest room I had seen yet. There was a long table that over fifty people were sitting at. Victor had me sit at the head of the table and went to sit at the other end staring at me. I felt exposed and naked around these strangers as Victor got farther and farther away.
A bell chimed and several maids brought out a wine pouring it into everyone's glass. It was thick and had a funny smell to it as I brought it to my nose. A blonde woman sitting next to Victor was trying her hardest to engage him in conversation but he just continued to stare at me ignoring her.
I had to look away as I started to feel self conscious and out of place. I took a large gulp of the wine and for a moment I didn't think I could swallow it. It was thick and the same metallic taste as the tonic. A few moments later I felt like my skin was crawling and everyone seemed to be looking at me. I tried to get my head together as the crawling sensation lead to tingling and then it passed. The feeling that came next was amazing, I felt like I could almost fly.
When dinner came, I had finished my wine, and the maids continued to pour more. I drank a lot but didn't feel tipsy or drunk at all my thoughts just swam with the image of Victor possibly naked. I left the dining room early feeling the urge to lie down and said goodnight as I left the hall losing my way as I tried to navigate myself back to the main hall and ended up in a study. There was a piano in the corner of the room and a couch with a lit sofa illuminating it.
It might have been the wine, but I swear I had heard whispers coming from the fire when the door opened. "Are you alright Ayana? Did you get lost? Let me help you to your room." Victor was there holding his hand out to me. My skin started to crawl again as I watched him hungrily using every bit of energy to hold myself back.
I didn't know what was happening to me but the next moment I was undressing myself, "Ayana?" He whispered my name so gently that it sent me over the edge. I grabbed his hand guiding it to my breast as he shut his eyes stepping back. "We can't not yet, I don't think I can control myself and I don't want to hurt you" But I wasn't trying to hear anything else, instead my hands found the buttons on his shirt and slowly started undoing them.
His mouth was warm as he finally gave in taking the clip from my hair and replacing it with his fingers. He caressed my body and just for a moment through the fog the wine had caused I thought I heard someone saying no. Before my mind could really register it, I was laying down on my back in front of the fireplace as Victor removed his pants.
"You can tell me to stop right now, and I promise I will." He said each word in between kisses on my shoulders and chest. My hands were wrapped around his neck making it very clear that I had no intentions on stopping this. By now the thought of what was right, and wrong had long left my mind now replaced with his index and middle finger inside me.
My head was swimming as the alcohol consumed me completely leaving me at Victors mercy. He pushed through my folds gently at first and then deeper longer thrust as he found his rhythm. Victor bit down hard on my nipple after each thrust which drew me close to climaxing but not yet I wanted to feel this as long as possible. "Harder." I whispered into his ear.
Victor moaned as he bottomed out making me gasp and orgasm. My legs shook with pleasure as he continued to grind his hips into me. "Ahh." he moaned loudly as he climaxed collapsing on top of me.
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