I’ve been on autopilot for the last few days. After we were packed and our things were placed in a car, we waited for Darius’ brothers to join us and began our drive to our first destination. I’ve been noticeably quiet and distant, but neither Darius nor his brothers have bothered to say anything if they’ve noticed.
We made it to the airport where we boarded the Draven’s private jet and I sat down in a seat next to the window. Darius sat down beside me. “Are you planning on ignoring me this whole trip, or can we talk?” He asks.
“What would you like to talk about?”
“You. How you’re doing,” he answers, “You haven’t been yourself since the last time we spoke.”
“I don’t really know what to say. I’m married to someone who has no interest in me beyond what I can do for him and I’m trying to make peace with that.”
Darius moves to the seat next to me and laces his fingers with mine, “I may not be interested in you the way you’d like me to be, but I do care about you Giselle. We’ll be spending the rest of your life together. You can’t spend a lifetime with someone without caring about them at some point.”
I examine him wondering why he’s had a change of heart all of a sudden. His new behavior has Esme written all over it. She’s up to something I haven’t quite been able to put my finger on. Or maybe she wants me compliant and knows the only way to get that is to make sure I’m happy.
God…when did I become such a pushover...I knew I was going to give in to him the moment he took my hand in his…I hate the way he can alter my moods with a simple touch…
Darius kisses the back of my hand and then my lips. All I can think about at this point is being alone with him. But his brothers take their seats beside us and the moment is over.
William and his family must’ve settled their differences about Cara, because she boarded the plane and sat down next to William donning a very expensive diamond ring. She and William are all over each other like two starving animals too. She even has on fancy new clothes.
“Your parents gave in?” I ask.
“Something like that. They agreed he could marry Cara as long as he took a night-dweller of their choosing as a wife first.”
“Isn’t it illegal to have two wives?”
“Not in our culture. We’re allowed to have as many as we want.”
“Including you?”
Darius hesitates then nods.
Curious, I ask, “Are you planning on taking on any more wives?”
He shrugs, “I don’t know, maybe.”
I thought about what Darius said about him and Aria having an understanding. Again my heart sinks into the pit of my stomach. I had to ask, “What agreement did you and Aria come to? Are you planning on marrying her?”
“No,” he shook his head. Thank God, I breathe a sigh of relief. “We were married in a private ceremony two days ago.”
Married? Two days ago...I swallow hard…he married her. He said it so nonchalantly that it almost didn’t register. Two days after our wedding he secretly married the girl he wanted to marry all along. That was their understanding. And I have a feeling everyone knew it but me…I’m going to be sick.
For the first time I notice the second ring on his ring finger and take my hand away from his. I focus my attention out the window instead. The sting of betrayal is so intense that I want to cry, but knowing him he’d see it as a weakness. A human weakness.
That can wait though. For now, I want answers. How could he do this to me? How could he keep something like that from me? I deserved to know what I’m getting myself into…
“So how does this work? I get you Monday through Thursday and she gets you the rest of the week?” I ask sardonically.
“I can spend time with you both at my leisure,” he answers.
“You could have chosen any girl in the world to be the face of your political rouse. Why me? Why sentence me to this loveless, sinful marriage?”
“It’s simple, you were born into the wrong family. With your father’s political ties, it could only be you.”
“Did my father know when he agreed to this?” I asked.
“Everyone knew.”
I know I shouldn’t be surprised, and that I should’ve expected something like this from a night-dweller and my father, but I can’t help it…I’m heartbroken. And my father…yet again he’s betrayed me for his own personal gain.
For the remainder of our flight I’m silent again. All this time I thought maybe I could make him fall in love with me, but not now. Not when he has exactly what he wants and it’s not me. All I can do is endure at this point and focus on the reason I even agreed to this shit show of a marriage…to help my people. I was a fool to hope for more.
When the plane touches down we all take a car to where we’ll be staying for the next week. It’s a private residence nestled away in the heart of Connecticut on the water. There’s a dock for boats, there isn’t a soul around for miles, and there’s a full staff of servants waiting to take my things. I have to give it to the Draven’s…they definitely travel in style.
Now that we’re here, all I can think about is taking a shower to wash every inch of my body where Darius has touched me. As soon as I’m shown to my room, I shed my clothes and climb into the shower.
The water beats down on my head, massaging my scalp and providing me with a moment of peace. That is…until the door to the shower opens and Darius steps in. He looks amazing naked and I hate myself for even acknowledging it.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I ask.
“Had I have told you, you would have run full speed in the opposite direction.”
“Can you blame me? This isn’t what I had in mind when I agreed to be your wife.”
“Nothing between us has to change Giselle.”
“How can you say that? Everything has changed Darius.”
“Not for me. I’m still here and I still want to be a part of your life if you’ll let me.”
“You mean if I’ll share you.”
“I’m not asking you to share me. You’ll never see her and I’ll do my best to make sure she’s not a factor in our life together.”
“Except she is a factor because you’re in love with her,” I scoff, “Your exact words to me were ‘you and I…this is business Giselle, not pleasure. I already have someone I care for deeply’.”
“Meet me halfway Giselle. I’m trying here.”
“Yes but why? This is business, remember, and not pleasure. So why all of a sudden are you so concerned with my feelings?”
“I was wrong and I can admit that. I didn’t take into consideration what this means for you…what marrying me has taken away from you. How you humans thrive on love and affection.”
“Now you’re patronizing me,” my eyes narrow at him.
“Not at all, I’m trying to understand you. I’m trying to be considerate of your needs so please don’t push me away. I know what I said but I was wrong. Going forward, there’s no part of me that’s off limits to you and there never will be again.”
“Except your heart.”
Frustrated, Darius sighs and runs his fingers through his hair. Seeing him so frustrated makes me feel bad for him. Like I’m giving him too hard of a time about this. Why I care...I have no idea. But I let up nonetheless.
Darius pulls me into his arms and holds me. It’s one of the many things he does that leads me to believe he cares when he doesn’t. I don’t understand how he could be so tender and so affectionate and not care about me. It’s confusing.
“I’m sorry if I’ve hurt you. The last thing I want to do is hurt you. You’ve been really good to me,” he apologizes.
There’s so much I want to say in response to that, but in the end I just nod. He lifts my chin with his index finger and presses his lips against mine. His tongue sweeps through my mouth and takes my breath away. Part of me wants to push him away but the other part misses him terribly. In short…there’s a war going on in my heart and he’s the cause.
I should hate him right now and maybe I do to some extent, but I still want him in the worse way. I don’t know how or when, but he’s invaded all my senses and every fiber of my being to the point where I feel as if I can’t be without him…even when he’s wronged me or hurt me. Being without him isn’t an option and forgiving him is an involuntary reaction. He has me right where he wants me and I never saw him coming.
He hoists me up and I wrap my legs around his waist. Moments later the cold from the glass shower stall greets my back and I gasp. His tongue drowns out any sound I might make and then he makes his way to my erect nipples. There’s no turning back for me. My anger, my pain, my frustrations…they all disappear with the sweep of his tongue. It’s replaced by an overwhelming desire to feel him inside me. Like a hunger…only it resonates between my legs.
Pinned against the glass, I brace myself as the pressure of Darius’ full girth filling the spaces inside me renders me speechless. With his hands gripping my backside, he guides me up and down the length of his shaft, his hungry eyes devouring me in a single glance. It’s just one of the things he does to drive me crazy. It works. In a matter of minutes I can feel the release between my legs and dig my nails into his back while I ride it out. He laughs. God I hate him.
“I’m not done with you yet,” he whispers into my ear.
Again his tongue sweeps through my mouth. He carries me into our bedroom and lay me down on the bed. Patiently he kisses me until he feels I’m ready and then gently pushes himself inside me again. This is another reason its hard for me to believe he doesn’t feel anything for me. The way he makes love is so full of passion, hunger, and desire. How could he be so tender and caring if he feels nothing for me?
Darius is a little less careful and a bit rougher this time around. I think he’s trying to figure out just how much of him I can handle. Again he forces my legs further apart and with a maddening pace, he tunnels himself inside me. The second wave of release that comes over me comes bursting out of me. I moan so loudly that I’m sure all of Connecticut hears me but I no longer care. Again he laughs, but its longing that’s present in his eyes. Now I realize he’s not laughing at me…he’s pleased. He gives me a moment to collect myself, and then he turns me over to where I’m on all fours and enters me from behind.
This time the discomfort doesn’t go away and I’m praying he finishes soon because I don’t know how much more of this I can take. Finally, he climaxes and then we both collapse onto the bed trying to catch our breath.
“You’re amazing,” he breathes.
I try not to read too much into it, but it’s hard when everything I want is lying next to me. He should be mine. Nestling myself in his arms, I’m pleased when Darius wraps his strong arms around me. We remain in this position until I fall asleep.
When I awake the next morning there’s a silver box with a red bow tied to a red rose, and a note on the pillow next to me. I open the note and it simply reads…a delicate flower for a delicate flower.
Jerk. He’s making fun of me knowing how much I hate it. Curious, I untie the red bow and open the silver box. Inside are what I know to be some very expensive earrings and a necklace. Diamonds…more than fifteen carats each, at least. Of course he would get me something this gaudy. His kind loves to flash their wealth to remind us humans how much better they have it. I scoop the necklace and earring set up to go look for him and I’m surprised to find him in the kitchen cooking.
He senses my presence the moment I step into the room and meets my gaze with a mischievous grin. Darius motions for me to take a seat at the counter and slides me a plate of perfectly cooked breakfast.
“Wow,”
“What? You don’t like it?”
“No, it’s not that. I didn’t know you could cook.”
“Because we night-dweller’s are all uncivilized savages, right?”
“Partially…yes.”
“What’s the other reason?”
“I don’t know…you just don’t strike me as the type who likes to get his hands dirty…or lift a finger.”
Cocking his head to the side he eyes me incredulously. Then he notices the silver box in my hand, “Do you like it?”
“I can’t accept this,” I slide it back over to him, “And I’m not that delicate.”
“In other words you’re offended and now you’re refusing to accept my gift,” he slides it back over to me.
“I’m refusing your gift because I don’t want you trying to buy my affection.”
Darius reels back, offended. He sighs, taking the seat next to me. “Giselle, I’m not trying to buy your affection. You’re my wife. It’s my pleasure and my duty to spoil you with all I have to offer.”
“But you don’t love me…”
“Yet I cherish you all the same. I’m not human. Love doesn’t have the same meaning for me as it does for you. For you love is the ultimate declaration a man can make. For me…taking care of you and making sure you want for nothing is the ultimate declaration I can make.”
“Only I’m not your only wife. Have you made the same declaration to Aria? Furthermore, if she’s afforded the same luxuries you afford me, how does that make me special to you…I’ll tell you how, it doesn’t.”
“So that’s what this is about? You wanting to feel special to me?”
“You married her no less than two days after you married me and according to you, our marriage is just business. Like sleeping with me and being with me is some…ATM transaction.”
“I didn’t realize it hurt you this much. Perhaps it’s a poor choice of words on my part. You’re not an ATM transaction. I enjoy spending time with you more than you know,” he confides, “And if it makes you feel any better, she doesn’t need me…not like you do.”
“Why, because you think I’m this weak, pathetic little human?”
“No, because I can be a man with you. You need to be taken care of and protected. I don’t get to do any of those things for Aria.”
Scoffing, I say, “Do you hear yourself? You just told me I’m weak and pathetic, only without actually saying the words,”
Darius rakes his hands through his hair. “What do you want from me?” He sighs, frustrated, “I’m here with you…we live together…I spend most of my time with you and that’s still not good enough.”
“Why did you marry her? Am I not enough for you?”
“What difference does it make? She’s not in your life, she’s in mine,”
“Exactly,”
A long awkward silence follows. Darius and I are at an impasse. Just knowing how much he cares for her eats at me.
“I won’t continue with this conversation,” Darius shakes his head, “I’ve made my decision and you can either make your peace with it or we can be at each other’s throats, but its your choice. Regardless of my relationship with Aria, I am still good to you. I spend time with you and I’ve taken care of you have I not?”
“Yes, but…”
“Then that’s all that matters Giselle. You don’t have to see her and you don’t have to be around her, but you must respect my position.”
Tired of arguing, I give in, “Fine,” I sulk. Nothing I say is going to change his mind. She’s the one he wants and I’m the one his father dropped in his lap. Upset, I pick up my fork and began eating my food. I hate that he can cook. Its one more thing for me to fall in love with about him only to be reminded that I’m on borrowed time…her time.
After several moments of silence, Darius changes the subject. “Are you ready for our press conference today?” He asks.
“Will I actually get to speak or am I to just stand there and look pretty while you do all the talking?”
“Well you are strikingly beautiful,” his eyes rake over me.
That’s all I am to him…something to warm his bed. “But I also have a brain Darius. If you keep propping me up like some human puppet people are going to start doubting the sincerity of our claims of unity and me as a spokesperson for my kind.”
He thought about it long and hard, then nods, “Fine. I will give you five minutes to address the human agenda but you must stick to the script I provide and do not deviate.”
“Fine.”
Darius motions for me to eat and disappears into the bedroom to change his clothes. Just as I finish my plate there’s a knock at the door. A shirtless Darius answers it and a girl I’ve never seen before comes waltzing in. “This is Helena, your new assistant. Now that Cara is engaged to William you’ll need a new one. She’ll help you get ready while I go handle a few things. I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”
Darius doesn’t wait for me to answer before disappearing into our bedroom. Like he just expects me to do whatever he says without question.
Typical…arrogant…and controlling…
I turn my attention to Helena. Something about her is off. Then it dawns on me…the way Helena moves, I can tell she’s a night-dweller. Well, that and the fact that she’s absolutely gorgeous. I hate her already. Did Darius pull her directly off the runway and bring her here to taunt me?
“Darius has taken the liberty of selecting your ensemble for today, so I will lay it all out for you and you can put it on when you’re ready. Let me know if you need any help.” Yep. Controlling to his core.
“Darius? Do you always call him by his first name or is that some new trend I’m not aware of?”
Nervous, Helena averts her eyes to the floor and begins to stutter, “My apologies lady Draven, I meant Lord Draven.”
“Of course you did,” I examine her from head to toe. She’s hiding something…perhaps a few nights between the sheets with Darius. “Tell me, how well do you know Darius to be calling him by his first name?”
“We went to school together…we sort of grew up together,” she confides.
“So then you know Aria.”
“Yes lady Draven,” she nods, “I’ve just come from her room.”
“She’s here?”
“Yes.”
Of course she is. “Where is she staying exactly?”
“The guesthouse…Lord Draven’s orders.”
At least she got his name right this time. The guesthouse…it’s just a hundred yards away from the main house. I wonder if that’s what Darius went to go handle for a couple of hours. A twinge of jealousy tugs at my heartstrings until I pushed it to the back of my mind. It’s the only way I’m going to get through this without going crazy in the process.
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