Week passed in a tense blur after their secret getaway. Tara didn't forget to notice how she was regarded in family conversations. Even after being an awkward outsider her opinion mattered. The frantinos would interrupt in conversations with English to feel her welcome in their chat, letting her decide the menus of their dinners and the themes of their parties.
In the scary moments of her eye contacts with dominic it would become clearer and clearer that he walked on thin ice every moment. Watching her every move like a beast on its prey, not once did she allow herself to relax under his gaze.
For some sacred reason he had kept his distance. Why she didn't know...she couldn't help but grow curious every day for his odd silence, the lack of storm.
Don's absence didn't help either. He would hardly visit the mansion. In the rush moments he would take a brief second to watch her working in the distance and go away. From what she had come to know from their time in the woods an important deal was lining up with the French. A lot was at stake. It was obvious for Donavan to work a little extra hard, now that he had naively taken a week out for his wife.
She hardly remembered him touching her after their arrival in Paris, not that she could complain. Her private time was as peaceful as ticking. It gave her much needed space from her intrusive husband as much as it throbbed with Dominic's threat as if it had happened yesterday. Distance from her husband meant closeness to Dominic, and she sure as hell preferred being with Donavan everytime over the latter.
Having not seen Donavan for the two days she wondered what he must be doing so late at night. Closing her laptop, she laid in bed, watching herself in the ceiling mirror as it looked back at her with disappointment, underpining her loneliness in the terrible world she was stuck in. She closed her eyes after overthinking, giving into the darkness that called out of exhaustion.
.
.
The screech of tires was hard to ignore in the utter silence of night. She turned to the her side of the bed, unconsciously making space for him to lay down first thing in the room. Careful opening of the door was followed by stomping shoes on the carpet.
In the moment of silence, he admired the piece of art that laid haphazardly in the bed, sleeping in the most un-woman like manner ever. Unable to control himself he took his suit jacket off, making himself comfortable at the obvious rise of temperature. Realizing that watching her was inadequate to suffice his needs, he slowly leaned down, not disturbing her sleep. Sweeping the strands that hindered her face from his vision, he took a closer look. Her little nose and thick lips stood out for invitation. The little skin of her neck was exposed as her shirt got pulled on the one side, offering enough space for him to enter his nose, to smell her. The idea turned faster into action as he already found himself smelling her scent, finding it intoxicating. She hummed in her delirium, disturbed at the spiky beard that tickled her nape as his lips left a trace of sloppy kisses on their wake.
Unbuttoning her night dress it took him less that a minute to squeeze her bosom a little too roughly. She unconsciously held his wrist, not pulling away just yet, tired to even resist. He moved his lips from her neck to nipples, sucking her cold pebbles, taking them in a warm embrace of his mouth, gently nibbling on her perk breasts as his hot breathe fanned her skin. His hands made their advances unusually faster, reaching out to her panties.
She jolted in her sleep.
"No wait!"
Everything paused. He stopped his advancements for a brief moment, taken a back by her unusually audacious bravery.
He waited patiently for her to take back her words. Although she couldn't see a thing in the darkness, the thick air pricked her skin, making her aware of the anger he oozed.
"I...I..am on...periods.." she stuttered.
It wasn't a lie. She indeed was bleeding and if she didn't find that relieving, she didn't know what would. She was happier than ever to be not pregnant for yet another month. She hadnt received a chance to tell him so far but now that he heard it, she could feel his disappointment in the air.
All at once he stood up, suddenly losing his interest whatsoever. Not giving her a second look he picked up his jacket. Leaving briskly, disappearing into the darkness as if he had never entered. She laid back down. Already exhausted to think it through. She decided to ponder upon 'why he decided to leave the room?' tomorrow, tonight she was tired. She hadn't had her afternoon nap and her cramps made her feel more worn out than usual.
.
.
The morning arrived late. Sun was already up in the sky. Feeling more exhausted than before she made her way to bathroom, freshening up, deciding to have her breakfast in bed today.
Out of habit she strolled to her study table, sliding her device open and scrolling through her mails.
The thud of opening door made her turn her head. Donavan entered their suit. The fading black circles spoke for his overworking and sleepless nights. His gaze traveled across the room until it rested on her. His eyes visibly relaxed upon seeing her sitting in her usual weird position on chair.
"Missed me?" He asked. Resting his suitcase on sofa, loosening his tie. The excitement in his actions was unsettling, the lust in his eyes evident.
Her brows furrowed at the question, milking more questions that knocked her brain.
Why is he saying that as if he didn't left last night? Where did he sleep? How is he dressed, did he sleep with these clothes on?
"Get on the bed" he ordered without waiting for her to answer. His schedule had kept him away from her long enough, not anymore.
Her brows furrowed further, utterly confused at his behavior. She didn't think twice before saying,
"But I told you I am on periods"
His unbuttoning of shirt halted. Looking dead in her eyes as his next question swept the colour of Tara's face.
"When"