Fragile Desires (18+)

Fifty-Six | In Due Time

As a child, I dreamt of a wedding bathed in the golden glow of a thousand chandeliers, a love story whispered on the wings of a white dove.

It was a topic that I discussed frequently with my best friend, dreaming of the day I would finally experience my fairytale wedding.

So in comparison, you can imagine that an arranged marriage with Renata felt like a stark black-and-white photograph compared to the vibrant hues of my childhood fantasies.

Especially since I always envisioned falling madly in love.

And yet in some weird way, I accomplished exactly what I envisioned.

Yes, Renata was a wild card that threw my entire deck off balance.

But she seemed to build my deck back up better than before.

Making me truly realize, I never really knew what I wanted.

Especially since she was the only thing I could ever desire in this world.

Even as a princess with the world at my fingertips, Renata was the only one capable of making it truly spin.

-Azzy

♛Chapter Fifty-Six: In Due Time♛

The next day Renata and I were poolside with Antonio and Elijah, sipping on mimosas and snacking on fruit and freshly made breakfast dishes.

It was such a beautiful day filled with cloudless skies and silky warm water.

Renata felt closer than usual, keeping some sort of contact with me at all times—whether it was her arm around my waist or her hand holding mine.

It was adorable how she wouldn't be caught a second apart from me.

The only time I seemed to have without her lingering by my side was when we finished our shower and began getting ready for dinner with Antonio and Elijah.

Once Renata finished with her light makeup and secured her hair back into a sleek low bun, she was out in the main area of the hotel suite, catching up with her dad on the phone.

Meanwhile, it took me much longer to get ready.

Not necessarily with my makeup since I kept it natural—but with my hair, which I curled loosely before pulling into a high ponytail, leaving some loose curls down to frame my face.

Once I was ready, I tugged my robe off and slipped the flowy white dress on, securing the blue diamonds in my ears and sliding on a pair of white heels.

"Yes, let me call you back," Renata said almost as soon as I walked out into the living room.

And it wasn't hard to feel her burning stare following me as I walked over to the kitchen, texting Antonio to see if they were ready for dinner.

Yet I couldn't begin to focus on drafting up the text with Renata's distracting presence suddenly behind me.

Especially with her now trailing soft kisses down my exposed shoulder.