"Are you the one carrying me or is it the other way around?" Darson complains as we push through the hotel room. That's all he has been doing on our way here. Complain complain. Can you not walk like that? It confuses me. You're too close to me. You're making this more difficult than it is.
"Maybe you should carry yourself. That way no one is carrying anyone and problem solved." He gives me a disapproving look. His failure in giving his attention to his surroundings causes him to bump into a coffee table and a profanity leaves his lips.
"For some reason I thought you'd cover your ears and scold me." He grins at me and I shove him onto the sofa not so gently.
"What am I, a kid?"
"You sure do act like one." Breathe in and exhale.
"Then maybe you should be in a jail cell rather than a hotel room." I say before sauntering off towards the bathroom. They should have a first aid kit somewhere here. I open the cabinets to take a look and there it is. Grabbing it from the shelf, I make my way back into the living room where Darson is waiting. Damn. His knee looks a bit...not okay. It's now even more red than before with a hint of purple. A grimace takes shape onto my face. "Does that hurt?"
"No, I just faked a limp all the way here just so I can be close to you." The sarcasm in his voice makes me want to kick him where it will hurt and we all know where that currently is. But then that'll be like kicking him down when he's low. Literally.
I don't get it though. It is only a tiny scratch. Is he that easily bruised? "It's more serious than I thought it'll be. Maybe you should check a doctor."
"Just get me a pack of ice." He waves me off. Who does he think he is by ordering me around like that?
"Go get it yourself."
"Khara." He points to his knee and I roll my eyes. Then drag your way there. Don't you have proper manners? I eye him, unimpressed before setting off towards the kitchen.
"Next time you should fall on your face. Maybe that'll keep your mouth shut for a day." I mumble as I go.
"That's not the only thing that'll keep my mouth shut." He remarks. Still unimpressed.
"I'm dying to know." I holler with no enthusiasm. The patience I need to deal with this guy. Just who does he think he is to be ordering people around? I'm only complying because it was my idea to go cycling. I figure I should help him out before he pulls the 'I never wanted to go cycling. This is your fault' stunt. It's very likely of Darson to do this.
Grabbing an ice pack from the refrigerator, I take a deep breath then return to Darson. He is typing away on his phone. "I'll clean it first." Not even a glance in my direction. As soon as the antiseptic wipes make contact with his skin, his foot gives a little jump. I continue cleaning his wound entirely attentive on the task.
Laughter fills the room and my eyes immediately find a Darson who is grinning at his phone. He wouldn't stay still while enjoying his laughter so every time I proceed in applying the antiseptic cream, he moves. I'm starting to think it is on purpose. I hold onto his lower foot and press the gauze down onto his cut out of spite. His face morphs into a grimace as he glares at me, the smile dropping from his face. "Stay still or I'll pry it open." I warn.
"Quit being disgusting." He eyes me in distaste. I finally apply the antiseptic cream to his cut then place a band-aid on it.
"All done."
Darson sits up on the sofa to take a look at his knee. "What the hell is that?" He looks nothing less than appalled. What the hell is what? I search for the source that fuels the disgusted look on his face.
"What the what?"
"That." He points at the band-aid and I try to keep the laugh from rising in my chest.
"It's Strawberry Shortcake." I shrug, the pink band-aid practically waving at me.
"Strawberry what?" Darson seems confused and it cracks me up even more.
"Strawberry Shortcake. That cartoon girl character with the pink hair and strawberry hat-" I begin to explain but Darson cuts me off.
"Stop, stop stop. I don't care." He waves me off, dismissively as though even looking at the band-aid makes him sick. "Get the walking strawberry off me." He keeps pointing at it with this offensive look that really hits the spot for me. I burst into laughter, my chest shaking.
"It's just a band-aid." This is too much for my chest. I can't control my guffaws."It's the only kind in there. Just leave it." Such a child. I notice a small cut on his hands too and I motion for him to give me his hand. He hesitates before doing so. I then pass him the ice pack and he holds it to his legs.
Let's get you fixed, Mr. Meldeev.
**************************
I am laying on the couch with the remote in my hand when something drops down beside me. My eyes scan it before meeting Darson's. "Get dressed. You'll accompany me to a business meeting." This takes me by surprise. Is he actually serious or is taking me for a fool? Just earlier he wanted me to stay in a cage.
"Change of heart?" I question as I stand to my feet. I take the black garment bag from the sofa a bit curious.
"Figured the least I can do is take my pet for a walk." A thin line forms on my lips as I have no comments to make. He makes these snide remarks that surely should offend but luckily for me, I'm a patient one. I also genuinely don't care sometimes. I am who I make myself out to be.
"Why do you want me to go to this dinner thing?" I feel around the garment bag for hints of what the dress may look like.
"I don't. Desperate times call for desperate measures." My eyes narrow at him. What is he up to? He's definitely up to something.
"Whatever. Try denying it all you want. Desperation means you want me to come."
"I can think of so many ways I can twist that statement but you're you so I find it a bit absurd."
"Fine by me." I snort before retreating to the room. Darson is already dressed in a royal blue suit waiting for me in the living room. In the middle of doing my makeup, my phone begins to buzz on the vanity. I quickly peek at it and had to do a double take.
James. I haven't talked to him since a few weeks before the wedding. Mostly because I don't know what to say. I know for sure he of all people will be disappointed in me. I haven't told him about the wedding yet and the longer I ignore him, the more I feel guilty. The phone rings out and I resume my makeup. About a minute later, my phone goes buzzing again. I slam the eyeliner down onto the table out of annoyance. I'm already trying not to poke my eyes out, for crying out loud.
Wait, Darson? Darson's name is on the screen. Why is Darson's name on the screen?
I answer and hesitantly put the phone to my ear. "Be sure to prepare nicely. My world is a dog eat dog world. They'll chew you out if you don't look the part." I end the call after he finishes his sentence with a small eye roll. He's literally outside the door.
I finish up my makeup and thank goodness I attended that one makeup class for fun last year. It paid off.
I unzip the garment bag and I'll admit, my eyes grow a bit wider than it is. Darson is not only good at wearing clothes but also good at choosing. This dress is exquisite.
I stare at the white, lace off the shoulder dress. It reaches just above my knees and is tightly fitted so it brings out all the right curves. I pair it with black stilettos and decide to leave my dark brown hair in big waves down my back. Even without looking in the mirror, I feel pretty. It isn't because of the dress per say but more so myself. It has been a while since I've fully dressed up for something other than work.
Looking in the mirror confirms my emotions. I don't mean to sound full of myself but I am quite pretty.
It did sound like I'm full of myself, doesn't it? Still, I can appreciate my good looks every now and then.
I step out into the living room and Darson's eyes immediately wander from his phone to me. I can't place his reaction because there is no reaction. There are no emotions and no remarks. He continues staring at me. "Darson?" Nothing. "Darson." He snaps out of it with a clear of his throat before arching a questioning brow at me. "So would I get eaten out there or not?"
"Yes." He nods, his voice soft with an emotion I cannot place yet again. Then in fleeting panic, he clears his throat yet again. "Wait, what? What are you talking about?"
"Dog eat dog world..." I trail off as the confusion begins to seep in. Darson is acting weird. Is everything okay with him?
"Right. That's what you're referring to."
"What else would I be referring to?"
"I didn't think you were this innocent." He mumbles to himself. "You look fine. Let's go." He makes his way to the front door and I sulk while I follow him.
"I don't look fine. I look gorgeous. Don't down play my beauty." I say it as a way to nag him. That, and I actually think I look great. Darson should know he isn't the only person out here who deems themselves gorgeous. We're all gorgeous. One way or the other.
"That's just your opinion which by the way, no one asked for." I made a small grunt at his comment before entering the elevator with him.
Two girls rush in before the elevator closes. They keep murmuring to each other and sneaking glances at us. "Wow. They're both insanely gorgeous." The blonde one says, her eyes sweeping over us again. I try to keep the smile off my face in an attempt to remain oblivious. They really think we can't hear them? Darson can barely hold off his smirk too. He's just loving the attention.
"They're definitely the perfect couple." The one with the bob says and they both nod. The elevator dings and there they go before taking a last look of us both. What will they do when they find out Darson is practically a celebrity. They're already fan girls.
The car is silent for a while. Darson is tapping away on his phone yet again. He seems to be hooked on that thing lately. I never saw him as the phone type. "The person who helped you pick this dress out really has an eye for fashion." I comment and wait for his response.
"Thank you. I am a man that knows what he likes. What I often like, women like it too." I side eye him. I said that because I wanted to confirm whether he actually picked it out but now he's just praising himself and it's annoying.
"Good for you." The sarcasm cannot be held back. "Why white though?" White is an attention magnet as much as it is an accident magnet.
"It draws attention." I turn to him with the most annoyed look I can muster up.
"Why in the world would you do that?"
"Because no one else dare." That's his response? What is he even talking about?
"The last thing I want is attention in this dog eat dog world." My hands cross over my chest as I look out the window. "The dress looks expensive too." I mumble.
"It is. So try not to spill anything on it. Who knows, maybe you can sell it and put the change in a little piggy bank under your bed. You can call it 'Raise money for Bain Industry'." He gives a little teasing smile before reverting to his phone. My eyes are dead set on the unbothered man. If stares can kill he'll be nothing right now. How dare he pull that card? My hands grip the dress, my piercing glares never leaving him.
"Calm down. It is only a business joke. You'll put wrinkles in my dress." Dean quickly glances at me in the rearview mirror and I avert my gaze just as quickly. I ignore Darson's comment. He's an asshole anyway. I don't expect anything less from him.
It is back to a silent ride until we pull into an inside road. Just a little ways up is a giant black gate in which a suited man stands. Dean slows the car and proceeds to hand the gate guard the invitation card. "Sir, this isn't a valid invitation. A second batch of invites were sent out exclusively. I can't let you through." I try peeking at the man.
Darson's glass rolls down to reveal the gate guard. "Is there a problem here?" His voice is stern and I can tell the gate guard is a bit scared because his eyes widen for a split second.
"Mr. Meldeev. S-sir-" His stuttering says it all.
"Is. There. A. Problem?" He's doing that thing where he intimidates everyone within his line of sight. The guard is practically shaking in his boots.
"No, sir. The invites must've gotten mixed up because I'm sure yours was sent out." Darson waves him off, dismissively.
"Just let us through."
"Yes sir." What a lovely husband. Can you imagine I spend day and night with this guy? I fear for my health. I really do. Every second we spend together I feel like my life span shortens by five seconds.
The car rolls forward again and within ten seconds, a huge building comes into view. It's not a house, is it? Doesn't really give me a house vibe. The car stops and Darson exits. I follow along, being extra careful with those heels. I like heels. They make me feel elegant but they really do throw you on your face sometimes. Literally.
In that moment, my right foot bumps into the left and I go flailing. Next thing I know, I'm on my knees in the people's driveway with my hands barely holding me up to save my face from contact with the ground. "Khara." A concern voice calls out to me.
"Dang it." I try dusting my hands off.
"Get it together, will you? Fall all you want out here but in there is game time." Darson warns with a roll of his eyes before proceeding forward.
"Let me help you up." Dean offers and I nod. Darson pauses in his steps, his head slightly looking over his shoulders. He doesn't say anything. After a few seconds, a mere inhale of air, he continues forward. "You guys had a little fight, didn't you?" Dean pulls me to my feet while I dust off my knees.
"All couples do." I say. I realise Dean doesn't know about the nature of Darson's and I's marriage. He doesn't know that neither of us wants this and that we barely get along. He's just another person we're fooling into thinking all of this is genuine.
"Are you hurt?" I shake my head. There's relief in his expression. After a few seconds, my eyes drift to his hand resting on my bare shoulder. He must've noticed too because he draws his hand back rather quickly. "You should get inside. Darson is most likely waiting at the entrance." I nod.
"Are you coming in?"
"I have an errand to run. I'll see you when I see you." I nod before heading towards the building. Like Dean said, Darson is waiting.
"Stay by my side at all times. No back chat, no distancing, no zoning out." He starts listing and I already know this is going to be a long night. "No unnecessary eating-"
"What do you mean by unnecessary eating?"
"No ridiculous drinking. No talking to people about anything business related. No, absolutely no staring." I put a hand to my temple. A frown forms on my lips. This business dinner is going to be fun. I can't wait. "No frowning. You are a happy, newly married woman." He smiles. A fake.
"I'm not happy though." I point out.
"In my world, no one cares. As long as you look happy." He pats me on the back and I give him a bored look.
"No wonder you're so miserable." Darson chooses to ignore me by walking towards the entrance door. I sigh before following along. When did I sign up for this? Right. At the alter.
As soon as Darson and I enter the crowded room, all eyes fall on us. A hand circles my waist and I try not to flinch. It is an odd interaction. One by one they avert their attention to their own doings but there's still a curiosity that lingers in the air. A curiosity that has eyes glancing at us ever so often.
"Darson. Glad you made it." A tall man with graying hair at the edges approaches Darson and I with a grin on his face.
"Mr. Sirnov. How can I miss it." The man pulls him in for a hug and taps him on the back twice before adjusting his glasses.
"And who must this lovely woman be?" Darson pulls me closer so I wrap my hands around his waist. This earns me a quick look before he gains his composure again. You are the one who wants me to play the part. Don't look at me like I'm sexually harassing you or something.
"Probably one of his weekly flavours." A girl shows up out of nowhere with a scowl on her face. She is dressed in a black fitted dress that has a split near the side. Her dirty blonde hair is up into a high ponytail and expensive jewellery adorns her neck, wrist and ear. She really pulls of this look. She takes a sip of her drink as her eyes assess me in distaste.
"This is my wife, Khara." The girl spits her drink. So we're going public now? A smirk appears on Darson's face. The girl grabs a napkin from a waiter before tapping at her mouth continuously.
"Since when do you make jokes like this?" The man chuckles with a shake of his head. Darson smiles along. His hands find mine then slowly lifts it for the man to see. He then showcases his next to mine.
"Excuse me but when and why did this happen?" The girl questions, her eyes silently scolding Darson. I'm not sure but I feel like I sense something between them. Or is it just me? For some reason that unsettles me. Not in the way you think though.
"Why can't this happen?" Darson fires back. He's enjoying this encounter because I can see the smug look on his face throughout all of this.
Mr. Sirnov claps his hands in delight. "Ahh. You've grown into a man. Congratulations." Darson nods and I mutter a thank you. Someone beckons the man over and he excuses himself after promising that we'll have a chat later again.
"Why weren't I invited?" The girl demands while crossing her arms on her chest. I do not like the way she's eyeing me. We've just met, never exchanged words or even interacted in anyway and I already irritate her. Luckily, I've met people like her to the one business party I've accompanied my father to. We weren't allowed to go to business parties when I was young and by the time I was in my teens I had no interest in attending.
"Must've gotten lost in the mail." She glares at Darson. "Elena, it was a small wedding that took less than a month to plan. Inviting you would be a waste of trees and electricity." I slowly move away from Darson. We are mighty close right now. Just an inch of space will do. "You would have to take two weeks to clear your immediate activities, securely ensure that the fort is going to be held down while you're gone. That would have taken a week." He gives her a pointed look and I find it very interesting that he doesn't blatantly insult her. He's merely explaining himself and I don't know how to feel about that. He doesn't care to explain when it comes to me. "Another week goes out to actually getting ready to travel because we all know you're picky and a slow packer. When you actually do enter the country you'll need another week to get over your jet lag and instant home sickness."
"You're still the same Darson Meldeev." Elena snorts. "Always know how to reason."
"I can hardly change my coffee habit and you think I can change my personality in two months?" I feel like I'm third wheeling. There's definitely something between those two.
"Exactly why I think this whole marriage thing is bullshit." She sips her drink. "I don't know who's going to be more miserable, you or her." She juts her chin in my direction.
"I'm going to walk around for a bit." I announce before turning on my heels. A hand clasps mine.
"I'll join you. Nice seeing you, Elena." Elena glowers at me, her lips morphing into a thin line.
As we walk away, I try to hold my scolding back. "I can walk around without you tailing me." I need a moment away from Darson. Every second of my day is filled with him and I feel like my life is not even mine anymore. That girl definitely hates me too and it's all Darson's fault. "What's with you two, anyway?"
"She wants me." I almost trip on my legs. He says it so casually that it takes me by surprise. "Always did. Always have." We stop at the back of the room. "She's just too stubborn to admit it and I'm too unaffected to care." Of course you are. You're the type to play with one's feelings, aren't you? "You have me and she hates it." The way he says it, with eyes set on mine makes my heart skip a beat. I have him? That's not necessarily the case. Why can't I look away from his stare?
His hand goes up to tuck my hair behind my ear. "She's looking at us at this very moment." I'm afraid to look to confirm. "So what will you do, Mrs. Meldeev? I'm your man after all." His index finger slowly trails down from my hair, onto my face and down my neck. His eyes are basically staring into my soul and there's this innocent look in his eyes that I definitely know is a huge hoax.
Still, my heart cannot stop beating wildly in my chest.
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