Chapter 5
One step closer
He walked down the aisle with his Grandma beside him and Maribel on the other side.
His grandma possessed his mother's scent, and Maribel was a lookalike of her aunt.
She was also his maid of honor as he didn't have any male friends due to his avoidance of clubs and bad habits like alcohol and cigarettes.
His father, who was still in that Swiss hospital, had no idea that his son would be getting married soon. But even if he were here, he wouldn't make any difference in his life.
Agustin Crawford is a self-made billionaire thanks to his intelligence and quick thinking. He was able to build an empire, The Heritage.co, back in his college days and rebuilt it from the ground up. The company is focused on designing evening dresses, and he was the secret designer who never revealed himself.
Now, even though he has a small army of the best designers, he still designs only the first runway dress.
Standing at the altar, watching the carefully chosen people, he noticed the lavender adorning the pillars of the small church.
Flashbacks
Amor's POV
Just one week and she will be mine forever. I will not let her be alone for a single moment. I desire to possess her body, to erase every other memory from her skin, to ensure that she is and always will be mine.
I know it's early and I am rushing everything, but how can I stop myself from feeling this way?
I see her and I forget everything.
I kiss her and I am transported to another planet.
What will happen to me when she is completely mine?
Oh, she is killing me and I am willing to die for those doe eyes.
"Agustin, your future wife isn't picking up her phone, and I have already spent ten minutes trying to call her," said Daniella, who didn't bother to knock or address me as sir.
"Good morning to you too, Daniella. Maybe she is busy at the moment. But why are you calling her?"
"I called her home too, and the housekeeper told me she was in her room and didn't want to be disturbed."
"That's strange, I spoke to her this morning. Why do you need her anyway?"
"She needs to decide on the choice of flowers. Your choice is lilies. Do you know what her favorite is?!"
"No, but I will ask her and let you know. Is there anything else you need to tell me or want to know?!"
"Just one thing: I hate you for forcing me to do all this."
"When you stop feeling that way, I will be worried, Daniella."
"I want my previous position back, Agustin. Being your secretary isn't my thing. Especially planning your wedding, it's driving me crazy."
"You will get your previous position when you apologize to Fiona for treating her badly. And you being my wedding planner is for two reasons. First, you will be in contact with Fiona, whom you behaved rudely towards because she accidentally spilled wine on you. Second, you are my friend and have known me since high school. I don't need to tell you what I like or dislike as you already know everything, and I am trusting you with the most important moment of my life."
"I don't apologize to anyone, and once this marriage is over, I'll be your vice president again."
"You know she plays on your team," I wink at her, but she looks confused.
Our stares is interrupted by a knock at the door.
"Come in," I say, and Fiona enters shyly, focused on her iPad and not acknowledging us. Daniella breathes heavily.
"I'm sorry, sir, for interrupting, but I'm here to ask a few things about the music and... oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know you... sorry, Miss Leoni, I didn't see you here."
"Of course you couldn't see me because you're always walking with your head down, not knowing how to walk properly."
"S... sorry, Miss Leoni!"
"Oh, please call me Daniella and make sure to write it down with two Ls, understood. Now, follow me, you don't need to ask him anything since I know him better than he knows himself. I would introduce you to his little wife too, but this jerk here doesn't allow anyone to meet her."
"Daniella," I raise my voice as she belittles me in front of my employee. She glares at me with those amber eyes, ready to burn me.
"Come on, Fiona, we have a wedding to prepare so he doesn't turn into a jerk from head to toe." She speaks as she holds Fiona's arm, and the poor girl melts under her touch. I can see how her natural pink cheeks turn red. I hope Dani doesn't push her away with the arrogant attitude she loves to show.
I call her again, and this time it goes to voicemail. I don't like this. Something feels off. I grab my keys and head to her place.
I am greeted by the housekeeper, who repeats what she said to Daniella.
"She's my future wife; I have every right to see her. Please, show me the way, or I'll search for her myself." I'm done being polite.
The housekeeper is a middle-aged woman who looks familiar because I saw her at the gala, standing beside Maya and her family.
As you might have understood, this was my first time at her house. And the housekeeper was hard to crack. "What's going on here?" was the voice of the woman who put me in this situation and introduced me to my baby machine. "Mrs. Rivera, I am here to meet my fiance, but the young lady here doesn't allow me to enter."
"I don't know this gentleman, and you know me, ma'am. I don't allow anyone to meet our Sarahi, especially when she has clearly refused to meet others."
"Our Sarahi will be delighted to know that her husband-to-be is so interested in her. I hope we won't get scolded for letting him enter."
"Not at all, please return to the kitchen. I have put her favorite cake in the oven, so look out for it until I return. Come with me, Agustin."
"She is happier these days than when she did her favorite job."
"She is a bundle of joy, but something is worrying her and taking away that happiness from her face."
"When the time comes, she will tell you. For now, prepare for everything, because she can be as fierce as a tigress or as cute as a bunny."
"I didn't understand you," I said, but she knocked two times and opened the door before turning and going away. I entered, finding the lavender scent clouding my senses. It wasn't just the scent, but also the lavender color that washed her room with all its shades. An enormous bed lay in the center of the room, covered with cloudy curtains. Two nightstands were next to her, and a rest sofa at the feet completed the aesthetic of the bed. As the room was divided by the bed, on my left was the wardrobe that covered the entire oval wall. And on the right was her work desk, with many design sheets hanging on the wires, along with a full set of tools that give shape to her imagination by engraving silver.
"What are you doing here?" was her icy tone of voice that almost startled me.
"I came here because Daniella was looking for you. She needs some details from you to decide the decor of the church and the party venue."
"I think you know now what my favorite color is, and for you to not bother yourself anymore, I love 90s music. My favorite cake is coconut mixed with vanilla, just like your perfume. Now, please leave me alone."
I didn't like the way she was treating me. The coldness between us and her nonchalant behavior annoyed me beyond belief.
"You forget who I am to you, deciding to talk to me in this tone."
"In one week, we're getting married, and you should know that I won't be available for you 24/7. I have my own life too. I hope you understand so that we can have a peaceful future," she continued with her cold attitude, which really pissed me off now.
I grabbed her arms and forced her to face me.
"What is wrong with you today? You were all calm and cute in the morning. What changed in this short time?" I shouted at her, holding tightly onto her waist as she tried her best to free herself. But my grip on her wasn't going anywhere. Not without an answer.
"Who do you think you are to force me like this? You... I... uhh. Oh God, this is too much. I am dying... 12345 Ouch. Please be gentle with me! Ahhh... this is too much." She kept screaming and yelling, confined inside my chest. Then, she fell into silence.
I raised her head and tears were cascading down her face.
"Please go, I don't want you to see me like this. I will call you later." She spoke, snuggling her face in my chest.
"You are worrying me, please tell me what is wrong, Maya."
"Your baby machine is bleeding and hurts so much."
She burst into tears, breaking my heart.
I settled down on her bed and climbed behind her, removing my shoes and jacket.
"I will be fine tomorrow, just today I'm acting like a witch and crying like a baby so..." she bit her lip, trying to endure the pain she must've felt at that moment.
"In less than a week, I will be your husband, and it's my duty to take care of you. I may not know how to take away your pain as you are my first girlfriend to experience menstruation by my side. I promise, next time I will be an expert and understand you better."
I said, and suddenly, I felt a glimmer of happiness inside me. It was the first time I was predicting an event in the near future. I know you might say, "What about weddings?" You don't understand that the wedding was part of the contract, but this small thing, which is common for others, is new and somehow exciting for me.
I placed my hand over her belly and she clenched strongly. I made her comfortable on my arm as I whispered, "I am here, not going anywhere, and I prefer to be nowhere else other than by your side."
She just hummed and intertwined her fingers with mine. Her lavender scent compelled me, and I drifted with her into Neverland.
End.
Maya POV
My heartbeat accelerated as soon as I realized that he was inside the church and I am in the change room behind the Altar.
"You look beautiful!" Calypso's voice came when she made her appearance inside the room.
"You are my friend, of course you will say it."
"I am not saying anything new, Sarahi. After all, the whole world has spoken about your beauty."
"I just want him to not be disappointed in me. I know I have let down my family with my impulsive decision when I was young, and I paid the consequences, but now I am ready to walk a different path with Amor by my side. He is my guiding light."
"I can see that you are in love with him."
"It was easy to fall for him, Calypso. He is just like his name, Amor. I realized this when he stayed by my side all night, taking care of me during my cramps.
When we woke up, it was midday and I was curled up in his body, forgetting my pain. I watched as he stirred before opening those sky blue eyes that invite me to heaven. He did a quick search on Google and started to imply what he learned from the dark chocolate that I had asked Robert to find, because I didn't want to be alone."
"Did Robert buy it?"
"No, he declined right away, and before they started a fight, I threw my coat over my shoulder and dragged Amor away from your grumpy brother. The rest is a dream…
Flashbacks
My cramps weren't over yet, and I knew that after a few calm hours, they would torment me again. But with him there, I believed that I could conquer the world, not just survive this month's menstruation.
We stopped at the hypermarket near my home just to buy some dark chocolate, but I ended up buying other things like different chips and of course, popcorn. In the car, we decided to sleep over in my room and watch a movie in the evening.
He wasn't lost at the hypermarket at all. He knew where things were because he has a good sense of direction, unlike others who would ask for help like me.
My anxious behavior disappeared as I enjoyed his company. Back in my room, he helped me clean up the mess I had made with glasses and cups of tea and the painkillers I had taken before he arrived. We tidied up and refreshed the room by opening the windows until it became chilly inside. Just when I was about to close the window, a shooting pain ran across my back to my abdomen and went straight to my core, paralyzing me for a few seconds. I was about to fall when he lifted me up.
"They've started again," I whispered, crying. As the shooting pain continued, he gently wiped away my tears with his fingertips. Then, he leaned in and placed his lips over mine, somehow managing to distract me. In that moment, I wanted more from his lips.
I could feel his tongue exploring every corner of my mouth, and then his cold fingers found their way under my cardigan. But he didn't stop there. He removed the shirt hem that was tucked into my trousers and touched my bare belly skin. His fingers dangerously climbed higher, reaching my breasts covered by a lacy bra. His thumb caressed over my nipple, causing it to perk up under his touch.
The pain I felt a moment ago was gone, replaced by excitement, desire, and a feeling of being wanted. He wanted to pull away, but I locked my hands on his back.
"Don't go... explore more... it feels good... no pain..." I murmured.
"Are you sure? I don't want to pressure anything here. We'll have our time after marriage," he spoke, breaking the magic. The pain returned, though not as intense as before.
"Alright," I said, a bit disappointed after he rejected my plea. What was I thinking? He probably thinks I'm promiscuous now. "Stupid Sarahi!" I yelled at myself, and started to walk away, but he pulled me back and removed his upper clothes. He positioned my legs to cross his torso.
"You take them off, or I'll do it, Sarahi," he said, speaking my middle name and electrifying my whole being.
"You do it," I said, my fingers tiptoeing over his chocolate abs. I rose up and licked them, making him groan. What a pleasant sound it was, coming from his throat.
"Babe, I need to make you forget the pain, but you're driving me crazy with your tongue," he said, holding my head and encouraging more kisses.
"I want to make you feel better too."
"Then let me make you more comfortable," he said, switching positions and coming underneath me. I straddled his body, and my boundary line was from his belt down.
I touched his abs again and bent down to taste them once more. I could feel him becoming aroused, but I continued my journey upwards, where his heart resided under his chest. His nipples had perked up. Mischievously, I held one with my fingertips while I put the other in my mouth, teasing it until he moaned in pure pleasure. I was in cloud nine, witnessing his moans and groans under my gentle touch.
I started to remove my upper clothes because they were burning my skin.
"Wait here while I lock the door," he said.
"Stay down, my king. Door's locked!" I yelled at the door part, and two clicks were heard.
"Wow, I have the biggest mansion, but the coolest privacy is in your home," he said, biting his lower lip as I stood there in my black lace bra. He removed my hands, preventing me from opening them.
"I don't want to see you half naked yet. I just want to see you in our room after we get married. Oh, and could you please turn off the light?" He requested, and I gladly did as he asked. In an instant, the room went dark and he pulled me close to his chest. Memories of that day when I went to his house for measurements flooded back, but when he unzipped my bra, I couldn't catch my breath.
"Tell me to stop, Sarahi," he whispered as his fingers removed the bra from my upper body, leaving me feeling exposed. Without a piece of cloth on my body, it felt like I was half naked.
His hand cupped my left breast, prompting me to instinctively hug him. "Okay, precious, let's just stay like this for a while."
The problem was, we ended up falling asleep in that position, completely skipping dinner and the movie. We finally woke up at 2 am. I grabbed his shirt, and he took mine. We chuckled about our exchange while in the kitchen, and then his lips sealed mine.
He quickly made sandwiches while I prepared a smoothie to bring back to my room. I sat by his side, enjoying the abundance of food and his affection. He seemed to derive more joy from watching me eat than from his own meal. I couldn't help but get lost in his azure eyes, now understanding why my father always looked captivated whenever he saw my mother's eyes.
"My baby maker, now that you're feeling better, can I work on your dress? It's already half done, by the way," he asked.
"Yeah, you're free to work on it, but just know that I'll miss you," I replied, feeling a bit disappointed.
"I'll miss you too. I'm counting down the minutes until I can have you in our room and fill your womb so you can make me a father," he said, his words sounding serious.
"Is that the only reason you want me?" I questioned, feeling a mix of emotions.
"Don't feel sad, my beloved, if a man requests to have a baby from a woman, it is to cage her for life by his side, just like I want."
He cocooned me in his arms before leaving me in his shirt and taking my shirt as an amulet for the road.
End.
That night, I waited until he called me and showed me his office room to fall asleep without an ounce of pain. Instead, I dreamed like I never did before.
Now I am waiting to be his chosen woman, his baby machine, and who knows, maybe I have become more. Like he has become my everything.
"¡Estás lista, princesa!" My father tagged my right arm.
"¡Sí, papá, estoy lista!" I patted his hand as he kissed me on the forehead.
"Maya, sabes que te queremos mucho y que deseamos solo tu felicidad," My mom came to my left and tagged her arm there, but not before giving me her blessing.
The gates were open and the celestial music started as I made my personal runaway towards the man that held my heart in his hand.