JANE'S POV
After bathing , l dried my wet hair and slipped into my nightdress. I drew in a deep , shuddering breath before turning the door knob and walking out of the bathroom. Ferracco was sitting on the bed facing the bathroom door.
He gave me a lazy grin when he saw me. I drew in a sharp breath to calm down the sudden beating of my heart. Stupid organ! I wondered why it always got so excited for no reason.
He got up from the bed and strode towards me. He stopped before me and without warning , he pulled my neck and plastered a kiss on my mouth.
He released me and walked into the bathroom , closing the door after him. I was left standing in the middle of the room , my mouth gaped open in shock. I unconsciously walked to the bed , got under the covers feeling a nervous wreck.
I closed my eyes , still feeling the delicious sensations swirling inside me. Minutes later , l heard the shower running. After some minutes , the shower stopped running. I braced myself for his comeback.
Jane , why are you so nervous?
The bathroom door opened and l held my breath. I stole a glance of the bathroom entrance from under the duvet. Ferracco emerged from the bathroom , a white drying towel covering his lower half, riding dangerous low on his hips. His top was bare and glistening with water droplets.
I sucked in my breath , my heart beat quickening in irritation. How immoral! How can he walk around half naked like that!
His midnight black hair was wet and some few locks laid on his forehead making him look like he was posing for a hair commercial advert. He went to the other side of the bed and opened a drawer. I heard some rustling of clothes and then l knew he was changing into his night wear. I closed my eyes tightly not wanting to see him in that awkward position.
He switched off the light , plugging the room into total darkness. I hated this new setting. This dim lit room somehow felt intimate and l didn't want that. I just wanted my stupid heart to stop leaping as if the demons were after it . After such a tiring and exhausting day , l just wanted to curl myself into a tight ball and drift off to sleep.
But Ferracco's dominating presence made it impossible. It seemed like he took up 99% of the room , leaving me only a tiny 1% to live and struggle for some air.
The covers flipped open and he slipped into bed. I felt the bed dip low under his weight. I braced myself. The smell of his aftershave tickled my nostrils and invaded my senses.
I almost jumped out of my skin when he drew closer to me and hugged me from behind. I felt his bare chest and bare legs on me. I then realised that he was only clad in his boxer shorts. His body heat enveloped me from behind and l felt myself tremble.
His hand swept aside my hair from my neck and he lightly kissed my collarbone. I squeezed shut my eyes as l felt molten heat pooling low inside me. His other hand went around my waist and began drawing small circles on my stomach. I bit my lip as memories of last night invaded my mind. Memories of what those hands could do to me.
"Jane! Jane!," Ferracco whispered my name like some mantra as he continued torturing me with his hands.
Then l remembered his proposal and l felt myself stiffen. Ferracco's hand which had been trailing upward dangerously close to my bosom immediately stopped.
"What's wrong , Jane? Why do you seem so tense?," he murmured against my hair.
I expelled a low breath feeling my heart beat tripling. He slowly turned me around to face him. The moonlight cast a pale glow on his features. I could see lines of concern etched on his face. He seemed worried and disturbed. For a moment , l felt a prickle of guilty.
Why am l behaving like this?
Honestly l didn't know why l felt this way. Ever since his proposal , l had this nagging feeling that something would go wrong and this feeling refused to go away. It was stuck onto my consciousness like some glue.
His hand cupped my cheek tenderly and his blue eyes searched mine. I felt like weeping as l looked into his concerned eyes.
"Jane? ," he probed me again.
How am l supposed to tell him that l am not ready to marry him again and live as husband and wife when l have his ring on my hand already.
I bit my lower lip nervously and l saw his eyes darken again as he followed the movement of my lips.
"I am not sure about the engagement," l quietly said.
His face slowly turned to ice. He swiftly sat up and leaned against the headboard , breathing a bit louder. I knew he was angry. I also sat up and looked at his furious face.
"Why? ," he asked with difficulty.
I slowly swallowed. My throat had gone dry all of a sudden.
"I think it's too soon after everything that happened between us."
He turned his eyes to me for the first time. His face looked pained.
"It's about me. Isn't it? My betrayal?," he quietly asked.
I remained silent. I knew that somehow his past betrayal contributed to the way l was feeling earlier. A tense silence settled over us. Nobody said anything , every screeching sound came to a halt. The birds which were chirping in the garden outside had strangely gone quiet. The silence was deadly , charged and awkward. We continued staring into each other's eyes. Him angry and me terrified.
"Why did you accept my proposal then?"
I sucked in a trembling breath before saying,
"I didn't want to let you down in front of our family , seeing how you had prepared for everything."
He gasped in disbelief before racking frustrated fingers through his jet black hair.
"Admit it , Jane. You only want to see me bleed," he said.
I shook my head fiercely , tears threatening to erupt anytime soon.
"That's not true!," l cried out.
Ferracco glanced at me , tears pooling in his eyes.
"You are never going to forgive me. Are you?"
"Ferracco ! Please. Just listen to me. I ..," l pleaded as l tried to hold his arm.
He shook his head and removed my hand from his arm. By now , l was openly crying. He got up from the bed and began pacing the room.
"I know l don't deserve you and that you prefer clean cut man like that piece of shit , Claudius," he exploded.
I angrily wiped away my tears feeling furious.
"Don't you dare talk about him in that manner," l warned him.
He clenched his jaw in anger and his eyes narrowed dangerously at me. He grabbed a water jug from the bedside table and threw it on the wall. I screamed out in fright when the glass jar made a crushing sound on the walls before shattering into a thousand tinkling fragments on the tiled floor . I raised my eyes at Ferracco suddenly frightened by him as well.
I have never see him so furious and murderous looking. He continued pacing the room , furiously racking a hand through his hair. He paused by the bed and looked down at me.
"I can't believe we are doing this again. We are arguing again because of him," he said.
He grabbed his trousers and began to put them on hurriedly. Afterwards he grabs his pillow and then strode towards the door.
"Where are you going?," l called after him.
"To sleep in the guest room. So you won't be bothered by my presence!," he replied without sparing me a glance.
The door opened and he went out , closing it after him with an unnecessary thud. I laid back my head on the pillow and closed my eyes. I sighed in disappointment. The bed felt so cold and empty without him. Even the scent of his cologne continued to waft in the silence atmosphere , intensifying my longing for him.
~****~
FERRACCO'S POV
I tossed and turned in my blankets. I have slept alone until yesterday , so why did l feel this lonely and depressed.
Jane!
I sighed in suppressed longing and closed my eyes. Her beautiful smiling face drifted before my closed eyes. She was like a drug , addictive.
I knew that l had proposed to her way too soon , when we had only got back together yesterday. But it had to be done. She had to be mine as soon as possible and at all costs before she met someone new , someone decent and honourable and then decide that she was better off without me.
Someone like Claudius!
That name made me break out into cold sweat. He was my number one rival and just the thought of Jane leaving me for that jerk was enough to make me hyperventilate. That's why l had to mark my territory around her as soon as possible , stamp my possession all over her in the name of wife.
And tonight , l had planned to fill her with my seed , making her round with my second child thus bounding her to me forever. I couldn't wait anymore. I had loved Jane for a long time. Ever since l was fifteen.
I had planned my seduction so well and was just getting her in the right mood when l felt her stiffen all of a sudden , as if she was disgusted by my touch. At that moment my desire for her had instantly dampened , ruining my plans.
I groaned and cursed out in frustration as l felt an uncomfortable feeling in a part of my anatomy. Just the thought of her alone was enough to make a part of myself react this way.
I prided myself in my self control whether it regards business or personal life. My unwavering self control was what made my business dealings prosperous and earned me millions of dollars. But Jane was the only one who ever managed to break through that barrier and l hated it.
Damn her!
I hated the way she reduced me into some quivering hormonal teenager whenever her big dark puppy eyes look my way. She made me go bat shit crazy and l loved and despised the feeling at the same time.
I stared at the door with longing. I was hanging onto my composure by a mere thread. My hands itched to have her soft and sweet smelling body in my arms again.
"No!," l told myself fiercely when the need to go back to her increased.
I will have to see her tomorrow and then convince her that a new marriage was the best option for us. Tonight let her sleep alone in that big cold bed , yearning for me and suffering like l did all those nights when l slept alone , knowing she was right in the next room.
A/N: Tell me what you think? Please support me dear readers.