Alright lovelies here is my unintentional, but somehow habitual, super long chapter. I think you will all be pleased.
As always, a big shout out to my betas Beej88 and Ninjette Twitch for their never-ending support. My own personal cheerleaders!
Make sure to check out their work, especially if you like my stuff because they are better!
This bad boy is over 10,000 words so that is enough for now, you guys have a lot of work ahead of you! Please check out my other new fic, Blood Countess: Vein Deep as it is a personal favorite of mine!
CH. 4
Helllooooo Lover…
The whole night, her friends had been incorrigible. They were so obvious with their little looks and not so subtle hints of Serena's feelings towards Darien. Especially, when they all decided to leave! She was so embarrassed when Mina cleared her throat and gave them "the signal". Serena knew "the signal"; she and Mina had made it up!
So now the impossible had happened. She was actually alone with him on the streets of New York. Had she wanted this, to be alone with a guy, it would never happen. The streets were usually packed with people but somehow, they were the only ones in sight. Maybe because it was 11:15 on a Monday night but this was still freaking NYC!
There was a part of her that did want to be alone with him, but the other part felt like it was a mistake. Even if he was interested in her, it was a passing fancy. Her little research session of him through Google had led her to the LONG list of women that he had dated. He was even in pictures with some of them and they were all very beautiful and sophisticated. She'd never questioned herself this much when it came to the men she dated. She was a fairly self-confident person but her desire to be with Darien and her lack of…'appropriate' qualities was making her second guess everything. She was nothing like the women in the pictures with him.
She suddenly felt a blanket of warmth cover her. She must have been staring off into space because she didn't even notice that he had taken off his jacket till it was around her shoulders. She didn't even notice that she'd been shivering in the early summer night. She took in the sight of him. In the orange glow of the street lamps above he looked like he Greek god.
There was no denying that he was sexy, in or out of a suit, as now he wore khaki slacks and a tight, white shirt that showed off all of his chest. Nope, no suit required for this one.
"You want to get out of here?"
She was a bit surprised he didn't want to end their "date" here. She expected him to be running away by now. There was no way he was serious. He was just playing a game. So she made her next move. She would take him to the only place that she knew would have him calling 'Uncle'.
"Yeah, sure. Wanna go to my place?"
She lived on the top floor of an eighth-floor walk up. He guessed by her stamina that she'd lived here for quite a while. He was very thankful, in that moment, for his morning workouts. The hallway was dark with cream-colored carpets and dark burgundy walls. He was already afraid to see the condition of her apartment just by the looks of the stairwell and hallways. The carpet was worn, frayed and holed with dark stains that were very suspicious. The walls had cracks that ran along the apartment doors.
When she turned on the lights, however, the difference was like night and day. It was a small studio apartment but it was very bright and open. It was filled with pale yellows, bright pinks, and whites. The floors were a light colored hardwood and she had put a white, shag area rug in her bedroom area. There were bright pink sheets that adorned her queen sized bed with a small, funky bedside table that housed an alarm clock and another small lamp on one side. Just next to the small table was a little door that he guessed was her bathroom. She had painted the wall behind the bed with a stencil that reminded him of the tiles in Morocco. There were golds, pinks, greens and yellows that swirled around one another in large medallions all the way up and down the wall.
Her kitchen was made up of yellows, except for one area of the wall that had been turned into a large chalkboard. It was covered with notes written by her and from others, little messages filled with love along with a few phone numbers. A tiny table sat in the middle that appeared to serve as a workstation and an eating area.
In the middle of the whole apartment, she'd made a little living room area off of her bedroom that had a loveseat and two overstuffed armchairs that faced a small TV on the wall across from them. Neither of the three pieces matched but somehow they still went together. Next to her living room was a small upright piano that was littered with sheet music. He took in the whole place as she turned on lamps and tried to quickly straighten up around her apartment. It felt warm and comfortable even though the place was the size of his bedroom alone.
She set down her guitar next to the piano and turned to him expectantly. "Well, what do you think?"
"I think this place fits you. It's exactly what I expected"
She pursed her lips, a small pout forming. "What, you mean small and a cluttered mess?"
"No, I mean bright and warm."
She seemed surprised and a little disappointed. What did she expect him to say? Was what he said that bad? She walked past him to her fridge and grabbed two beers. He made himself busy by studying her large chalkboard as she handed him his drink and stood beside him.
"So, what? Do people leave their mark here when they stop by?"
She glanced at him, apparently, she liked that. "Exactly. Some people leave messages, others leave artwork."
He admired the works of art on her wall. Many were just doodles and misshaped creatures but then there were ones that were quite good. One was a tree that had amazing detail up the trunk on the bark. It was like a seperate drawing within the base of the tree. Then the leaves fanned out, swirling and dancing across the top of the board. The second was a pair of hands, holding onto one another, wrinkled and aged, but he could strangely feel the love between them even though they were just hands made of chalk.
"I really like those two," he said pointing at the art works.
"Oh…..I did those two."
He turned to her, surprise mixed with confusion etched on his face. "Who are you?"
She giggled, "I'm Serena Sparrow, remember?"
"One minute you're poisoning strangers' coffees and the next your…..wooing strangers to tears with your voice."
She took her eyes back to the board, avoiding his. "Well I make coffee to pay the bills and I dabble in the arts."
"You do more than dabble. Have you ever made money off your works?"
"No, but that is the plan. Someday..."
They stood there for a few moments in comfortable silence. His mind and heart was racing like he was a child, trying to figure this girl out. He focused on looking at the board, trying to rid his head and heart of the inner turmoil inside, reading the messages left by her friends. Some read like they were from lovers which made him a bit jealous. It sent him reeling again. He still barely knew this girl and already he was willing to go to battle for her. He already had twice. He found that he liked everything he learned about her, but that didn't explain it.
He heard the clink of her bottle hitting the counter. Next thing he knew, she had her small hand around his wrist and gently placed it against an empty spot on the chalkboard. She took a piece of chalk and delicately traced around his hand. Her little fingers slid across the flesh on his hand, sending small shivers up his arm and all the way to his spine. It caused his heart to jump around wildly and his breath hitched in his chest. He was losing this battle and fast. It took only a minute, and when she removed her hand from his he found himself disappointed.
"There. Now you have a mark here too."
He was staring at her. Maybe tracing his hand had been silly. She certainly felt silly for doing it now. His eyes were dark, hard to read and pulling her in as they had so many times already. He moved closer to her and raised his hand to her face. He gently stroked her skin till he hit her sore spot. She pulled away with a hiss, breaking the moment, giving herself a reprieve that she was very thankful for. She could feel his eyes on her as she made her way to the living room away from him. Bringing him here had been a mistake; it was not working how she expected at all.
When she finally looked at him again, guilt covered his face. "I'm sorry. Does it still hurt?"
"No, not as bad."
"I'm sorry. I'm afraid he came after you because of me."
She shook her head hard. "You?! What did you do besides give him a well-deserved punch in the face?"
"I was there on business. Deemond wanted my company to invest in his expansion. But after I saw what he did to you, I told him there was no way in hell we would ever put our name with his."
They stood there, just looking at each other. The silence was thick in the air but she didn't feel uncomfortable. It was more like foreplay. The tension between them seemed to be growing. Did he end business with someone for her? She hardly felt worth it, but Deemond deserved it. And it made sense. Who would want to align themselves with a rapist? He didn't do it for you, silly. He did it cause it made good sense! She needed to get out of here, away from her tiny apartment that mainly housed her bed behind her.
"Want to see the roof?"
"Sure."
She stepped out onto her fire escape and climbed up to the roof. He enjoyed the view before even making it to the top as she climbed in front of him. Even with her loose dress around her hips, he still got glimpses of the body beneath as she gathered the material to make her ascent. This is what you are here for, remember? To figure her out and get her out of your system!
The roof was clearly a common space. It had a grill and a few tables and chairs scattered about. There were large string lights that zig zagged above them across the roof connected to the walls of taller, neighboring buildings. She stood at the edge of the roof and looked out at the skyline. It twinkled out before her in the night sky. A breeze blew strings of fallen hair around her face. He suddenly forgot what he was here for again. When he didn't join her right away, she turned to look for him and caught him staring.
A flush raged her face. "What? Is something wrong?"
"No, nothing is wrong."
She let out a nervous giggle, "Then what are you doing?"
"Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?"
Silenced, she blushed a bright red and lowered her face in attempt to hide from his gaze. He closed the gap between them in a few steps and lifted her chin to face him again.
"Do you think I'm lying?"
She shook his hold and put some distance between them again. "Look I brought you here to make you see."
"Make me see what?"
"That I am wrong for you! I'm a nobody, Darien! I'm nobody special. I'm not rich or sophisticated. I'm not your type! That girl you met at that club isn't me. She doesn't own the dress she was in or anything even close to it. Look around, Darien. You don't belong here. You shouldn't be here; you shouldn't be with me."
Something squeezed at his heart and he reached out, grabbing her before she slipped away. "Did I ever say that any of that mattered to me? Or that "rich sophisticated women" were my type?"
She pulled away, running from him again. "You didn't. Google did it for you."
He laughed and moved towards her, slower this time. "Oh, so you Googled me, huh?"
"Yes, I wanted to make sure you didn't drink people's blood!" she said with a stubborn air, trying to hide.
He took two slow steps towards her and she turned her back to him. Her shoulders flexed and he couldn't take his eyes off her skin. Tiny hairs graced the base of her neck, daring him kiss it all over. He wanted, more than anything, to see more; to rip his jacket off her shoulders and take her flesh in with his eyes and his mouth.
"So you are interested in me? You want to get to know me?"
He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her hair, unable to control himself any longer. She was interested in him. There was no denying it now; she was his for the taking. She gasped and turned rigid at first but in a few seconds she melted in his arms. He kissed her soft skin along the hair at her neck, then slid his jacket off of her shoulders to gain more access. Her skin was warm and sweet and she smelled lightly of lavender and lilies.
When he reached the end of her shoulder, he returned to her ear and whispered, "I want to get to know you too," surprising himself at finding just how true those words were as they left his lips.
He spun her around to face him, slipped his jacket all the way off her and threw it on a nearby chair. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he claimed her lips with his. Shock waves went through his body just as they had the night before. He lifted her small body, carried her to a loveseat, laying her down before him. He trailed hot kisses down her chin and throat. She groaned and arched in response, only feeding his desire.
He continued down her chest as his hands found its way to her beautiful breast. He was pleased to find that she wasn't wearing a bra. He took them into his hands, enjoying how they filled them completely and rubbed them till he felt her nipples perk in response. He leaned down and placed his mouth over them through the fabric of her dress. She gasped and moaned, her body wriggling beneath him and he wanted more.
He tugged at the string at the base on her neck and it came undone with ease. He pulled her breast free and continued to suck and tease them. Her tiny fingers knotted themselves into his hair. She pulled gently, opening and closing her hands into fists in a vain attempt to control herself. He smiled against her skin, happy to be driving her as crazy as she was making him.
He pressed himself against her through his now tight jeans. The fabric was rough and was begging him to release himself. He placed a hand on her bare thigh and pushed the skirt of her dress up to her stomach. The fabric pooled around them as he pressed two fingers against the wet spot in her panties. She let out a loud groan before he covered her mouth with his. Their tongues danced together in a pleasurable waltz as he stroked her through her underwear. He pushed the fabric to the side and slipped two fingers in between her wet folds. She was warm and wet and he wanted more than anything to be inside her.
Out of nowhere, she pushed him off of her and quickly stood, holding the top of her dress against herself. She paused for a second, looking at him with wild eyes. She hastily made her way to the fire escape, leaving the roof before he had a chance to regain himself and follow after her.
Her breath was wild like her heart. What was she doing? This was not like her. She didn't sleep with men on the first date. It wasn't even a date! Yet here she was, trying to cool herself down and stop herself from racing back up to that roof and finish what they'd started. This was not how this was supposed to go. He was supposed to see her apartment, see her in the real light and not the haze of the darkened club. Now, they were acting like they were one and the same.
He'd said she was beautiful! What the hell was wrong with him? Was he drunk? She paced her apartment, re-tying her dress as she walked, trying to figure out what to do and where it had all gone wrong. She turned as he entered her window, but he didn't say a word. She stood in her kitchen, feeling like it was much safer than standing in her bedroom, even though there was hardly much distance between the rooms to make much of a difference.
It was dark in her bedroom and she couldn't make out his face. She couldn't tell if he was mad that she'd left him high and dry like that and she was frozen under his gaze. He began to move towards her and she felt like she was a gazelle while he was the lion, stalking her into the kitchen. When the light touched his face, his expression was not what she had expected. His eyes were dark with desire but his face looked sad and guilty. Maybe if she had prepared herself for his reaction, she would have been able to resist it. She had expected mad or even seething, not guilt and sadness. Was he sad because she'd pulled away or had he finally come to his senses?
"I'm sorry, maybe I should go," but he didn't move as he continued to hold her gaze.
This was not what she had planned; she'd never experienced anything quite like this, so she wasn't prepared for his reaction. Maybe that's why it happened.
She raced to him and he met her halfway, crushing their bodies together. It felt like they hadn't touched in years even though it had only been a few minutes. She unbuttoned his pants, shoving his underwear with them to the floor, watching him spring to life, freed from his denim prison. Their lips parted so they could take off his shirt and with a quick hand, he roughly pulled the strings of her dress, releasing it to fall at her feet. His mouth went to hers again while his hands slowly went down her sides. His thumbs brushed her breast but continued their journey down till they slipped into her panties and pushed them to the floor. His hands went to her buttocks, squeezing them, then lifting her up. Her legs instinctively went around his waist as he stepped out of his pants and shoes then carried her to the bed.
She flinched, hard, a dream of tripping or something causing her to wake but something wasn't right. Looking around, she was in her apartment, but something was different. A breath washed across her neck and shoulder, causing her to turn quickly to find the source. His face was inches from hers, his arm wrapped around her waist, the two of them a tangled mess of limbs. She was naked and so was he. Her mind registered the soreness in her legs, arms, and most importantly, in between her legs. It all came rushing back; they had slept together. Part of her hoped it was all a dream, a hot and very pleasurable dream. It wasn't though, it was real. Uncertain of just what to do, she watched him as his eyes danced behind his eyelids. He was dreaming.
Certain she could sneak away and find some clothes, she began the task of slipping out from under his grasp. As carefully as possible, she lifted his arm up an inch or two, planning on sliding out from under it, but then the arm came to life, slapping back down to her flesh and holding tight,
His voice was still heavy with sleep, "You're awake?"
Hers came out as a whisper, as if she were afraid, "Yes."
"Good."
He pulled her back to him, his mouth finding her neck as he rolled her towards him and buried his face in her flesh. She couldn't stop the giggle that escaped her as the stubble on his chin tickled her. The tickle quickly changed to something else, desire building inside of her again and a moan escaped her lips. Flipping her onto her back, her hands were pressed into the mattress above her head. She knew she shouldn't, because this was not love making, but she looked him in his eyes. They were looking right back at her. The air caught in her throat at how dark they were, feeling as if they pierced right through her. They began to dance, roaming around her face. His hands were still on her wrist, holding himself above her while his hips and legs were between hers. His thumbs stroked her skin, slowly moving up and threading his finger through hers before lowering his mouth to hers.
She sat up, quickly smacking her alarm to death. Darien's limp arm laid across her lap, having fallen from her waist, still fast asleep. How could he sleep through that noise? She was finding it hard not lay back down next to him and slip back into nothingness. Neither of them had gotten much sleep last night. It was the questions rolling around her head that kept her from snuggling up to him. What did he want from her? From 'them'? Would she even see him again after this? Why was he still here?! Last night had been amazing, certainly the best she had ever had but she had screwed up and slept with him way too soon. No way he was going to stick around any longer than necessary. So in a way, her plan had worked, but it had cost her something and she wasn't sure she was able to pay the price. Soon, he would be out the door and out of her life. Sure, they might see each other from time to time. He was going into business with Andrew. They would be polite and kind to one another and he might even try to get her to sleep with him again on occasion. She might cave but this would be the extent of their 'relationship'.
She tried to stand, her muscles protesting already. "Where you going?"
Startled, she looked back to find him awake and staring at her and she tried to cover herself, even if it was pointless. "I'm going to make coffee."
He reached up, grabbing her hips and yanking her back hard. "Oh no you're not. You're not going anywhere."
She fell back onto the bed and into his arms. He kissed her fiercely, almost like he had missed her during the few hours they had slept.
Nothing was making sense, not the email he was trying to read or his continued infatuation with a certain blonde. He'd slept with her last night, many times, but it was like he had found the brightest star in the sky, fucked it till morning and now he was in Never Neverland. It was a place he had never been to before, where he acted like a child and let her fill his mind throughout the day.
He was not going to get any work done like this, her every move filled his head and played over and over again like a movie. A large part of his distraction was because he was fighting against his need to see her again.
Sleeping with her was supposed to stop all of this, not make it worse.
He couldn't take it anymore, he pulled out his phone and realized, to his severe disappointment, that he did not have her number. So instead, he pulled up the number he did have for her, The Nectar.
The day was dragging, in large part due to the phone call that had oddly come for her in Andrew's office.
The look on Andrew's face when he passed her the phone was truly telling, a mix between a smirk and a warning.
She waited till he left the room before speaking to the mystery voice on the other side, "...Hello?"
"Hello," her breath caught in her throat at the sound of his voice. Even through the phone, it was enough to make her heart skip. "Sorry to bother you at work."
She reigned herself in and huffed, "Yeah you are really keeping me from a real bean roasting calamity."
He chuckled, and her knees buckled, "What are you doing later?"
"Later?"
"You know, once you have the bean issue settled."
"Oh...uh...nothing I guess."
"Good. Come out with me."
"...You mean….like a date?"
He chuckled again, finding her confusion hilarious, "Yeah, well I thought the first one went so well we could do it again."
She was silent, thinking for a moment over her options. She could say yes and throw herself into some casual sex thing or she could just say no. But could she? The sex with Darien had been mind blowing and she would be lying if she said she didn't want more. She would also be lying if she said she didn't want more. She had never had a casual thing with someone and there was no way Darien could or would ever give her what she needed.
"No, I'm sorry I can't."
"...Oh...Okay. May I ask, why the hell not?"
She sighed, truly thinking she would get to avoid this conversation, "Look, Darien, last night was…."
"Mind blowing."
"Yes...but honestly I'm not that kind of girl."
"And what kind of girl is that?"
"The casual type. The dial-a-fuck girl…"
He sputtered, a surprised laughter coming out loud and strong, "I'm sorry, but did you just say dial-a-fuck?"
"Yes! And I am not one of those. I'm sorry if I gave you that impression..."
"You certainly gave me an impression…"
"...But, I need more."
He got quiet, so much so that she thought he had hung up for a moment. "Okay."
"Okay, so thank you again for saving me, twice and I hope that we can be frie…"
"I swear to God, Serena, if you say friends…"
She leaned heavily against Andrew's desk, gripping the sides in an attempt to stop the tears that threatened to fall. "I don't know what you want from me Darien. I'm trying here."
"Then...let me try."
"Excuse me?"
"Let me try to give you more."
"Darien…."
"Serena, I don't want to stop seeing you. Do you want to stop seeing me?"
"...No, but..."
"Then let me give you more. I'll pick you up at 7."
"Darie…"
"Serena."
"...Okay, fine. 7. And don't be late."
So now she was stuck contemplating her future plans with Darien and beyond. He said he wanted to try, to give her more, but she seriously doubted he even knew how.
"Do you really think I don't see you?"
She turned to see Mina with a smile on her face watching her.
"What are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb. You keep staring off into space and blushing. Plus, you didn't do as well as you think you did hiding those love bites! You slept with him!"
"What?!"
"You slept with Darien last night, you little slut!" she sang.
It was true, she had slept with him, a man she barely knew, a man she didn't even dare to dream of having a future with and she'd slept with him anyways. Her tears threatened to return and she fought hard against them.
"Hey, are you okay? I was just kidding."
"No, I know, but what does it say about me that I slept with a man so quickly? Especially one that sleeps with every woman he meets."
"It just means that you have more willpower than the others to wait as long as you did!"
"I'm being serious, Mina."
"So what! You are young and beautiful! What's wrong with a little fun?"
"It's not who I am Mina. I'm a relationship girl, that's what I do."
"So you and Darien are not in a relationship now?" She shot her a look and Mina held up her hands in defense. "Come on it's a valid question. The guy was clearly into you and you did spend the night together."
"He said he wants to try.."
"Well see, there you go!"
"I forced him into it, Mina. He doesn't really want a relationship."
"He said he wants to try."
"But only because I gave him an ultimatum. I told him I needed more and he agreed so I would keep seeing him."
"SO?!"
"SO?! It's not real, Mina. It's never going to work!"
Mina gripped her shoulders, forcing her to look at her. "If you go into it with that attitude, then yeah, it's never going to work. When you told him you needed more, he could have just let you go, but he didn't. He wants to give you what you need; he wants you! He even admitted to his shortcomings by saying he would try. That is more than most men would ever do for a woman. Don't you see, Serena? This is what all women dream of; a man who will change for them!"
"But if he has to change then doesn't that mean it's wrong?"
"No, if a relationship doesn't change you, then what's the point? All relationships do and the good ones change you for the better."
Ever the love guru, Mina was actually making sense. It was hard to argue with her about these sorts of things. She was right though. Even her relationships with her friends had changed her in some way and her relationship with her parents...well, who isn't affected by their parents?
Freshly showered, Serena couldn't believe her reflection. Her eye had turned black to the outer corner where Dee-bags' hand had hit. It was still blueish purple but it was yellowing at the edge, which meant it was at least starting to heal. However, it looked gross. Her neck was covered in red marks that she noticed went down and down and down...she was going to kill Darien. She looked like a hot mess. She never wore makeup and now she had to coat it over her eye and her neck!
She had no clue where they were going tonight, or what to expect. So she put on a shift dress made of a dark red silk with a black beaded pan collar. It stopped a few inches above her knees and had small caps for sleeves. She was going for sophisticated and modest, but she was pretty sure she just looked like a child. She twisted her hair up with one finger and secured it with a black hair stick, a few strands slipping free. She sprayed herself with perfume and put her red and cork wedges by the door. She still had like ten minutes till he got there and she was a bundle of nerves.
Fidgeting, she danced around her apartment, not able to settle. Unable to take any more, she sat at her piano, but quickly got up again and unlocked her door. Settling back at the piano, she let her fingers dance, leaving her nerves on the keys before her. She plucked around, aimless, matching her mind, until a tune found its way to her hands. It wasn't her own, but her subconscious was calling the shots at the moment.
I grow fonder every day,
Lose myself in time
Just thinking of your face
God only knows
Why it's taken me so long
To let my doubts go
You're the only one that I want
I don't know why I'm scared, I've been here before
Every feeling, every word, I've imagined it all,
You never know if you never try
To forgive your past and simply be mine
I dare you to let me be your, your one and only
Promise I'm worthy to hold in your arms
So come on and give me the chance
To prove that I'm the one who can
Walk that mile until the end starts
If I've been on your mind
You hang on every word I say
Lose yourself in time at the mention of my name
Will I ever know how it feels to hold you close?
And have you tell me whichever road I choose you'll go
I don't know why I'm scared 'cause I've been here before
Every feeling, every word, I've imagined it all,
You'll never know if you never try
To forgive your past and simply be mine
I dare you to let me be your, your one and only
I promise I'm worthy to hold in your arms
So come on and give me the chance
To prove that I'm the one who can
Walk that mile until the end starts
I know it ain't easy, giving up your heart
I Know it ain't easy, giving up your heart
Nobody's perfect, trust me I've learned it
I know it ain't easy, giving up your heart
Nobody's perfect, trust me I've learned it
I know it ain't easy, giving up your heart
Freezing, the last of the chords and words fading into the walls of her home. It was true, she felt better, but only with her nerves. Her head and heart were another story.
"Why did you stop?"
She whipped around on her stool to find Darien. He was wearing a light gray suit with a baby blue shirt and a silk tie. He had on black shoes that were shiny enough to see your reflection and his suit was clearly tailored for him because it fit him perfectly. Her inadequacies were showing again and her confidence took a small hit.
"Sorry I'm late. I had to come straight from work," there was a harshness to his voice, like there was something more to 'work' than he was saying. "You know that your front door is unlocked?!" Now his anger was clear, but his reason for it wasn't.
"Yeah, I do that when I know someone is coming if I'm playing. I don't always hear them knocking."
It wasn't a big deal, but he wanted to make it one. "Do you realize how lucky you are that someone hasn't walked in here and slit your throat before you even noticed?"
"Geez, calm down. I've been doing it for a while now. This is a really safe building; it looks like crap from the outside so nobody wants to rob it."
He took off his coat, throwing it on her loveseat, his tie following shortly after as he ranted. "Safe my ass. I must have passed two drug deals on my way up!" he yelled.
Folding her arms across her chest, she looked away from him, unable to take his glare any longer. "So sorry you are having to slum it here! You don't have to be here, you know. You can just go!"
Her piano lid snapped shut behind her and she looked up to see him towering over her, a hand leaning on either side of her to stop any attempt at an escape.
"I'm not going anywhere without you." He had stopped yelling but there was still anger in his voice.
She glared up at him. He had insulted her and her way of life only 5 minutes after getting here. "And what makes you think I would go anywhere with you?"
Already this wasn't working, they were too different and their worlds would never be able to collide. They would stay on their separate orbits, passing one another. It had been a nice thought and she would always appreciate that he was willing to try. It meant she was special.
"Look, Darien…I really appreciate you trying but...maybe this was a mistake…"
His mouth crushed onto hers and all thoughts flew out of her mind. He lowered himself to her, the force of him and his mouth pushing her back against the piano. She arched her back against it, wrapping her arms around his waist, gripping the fabric of his shirt tightly in her palms.
He released her mouth, still towering over her with her back against the cover of her piano. "You were saying?"
She had been saying something, wasn't she? Even the idea of thoughts was taxing as her mind just spun within the haze he had placed her in. The only thing she could manage was to shake her head.
Fully releasing her, he stood up, chuckling lightly. "You ready?"
"Um...yes..."
"Good. If we don't get out of here soon, the only thing I'm going to eat tonight is you."
It was becoming clear that he was going to have to be more careful with his emotions. Spitting fire on her, even though she deserved it, was going to cost him dearly. She could spit back whatever he threw at her in a heartbeat. She hopped into the back of the car before him, scooting all the way to the other side and up against the other door. He was still paying for it, it would seem.
He sat down and reached over, sliding her over to him. Placing her legs in between his, he wrapped his arms around her waist and clasped them so they rested on her hip.
Nuzzling her neck, he breathed in her scent, feeling calmer than before now that she was close to him. "I'm sorry. None of...that...had anything to do with you. Do you forgive me?"
She was silent for a short moment, driving him insane, but she didn't pull away from him either.
"Yes," as silently as possible, he released the breath he had been holding. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"Mmmmm...why would I want to talk about such things when I have you in my arms?"
"Because it's how you get me to stay in your arms."
Letting out a sigh, he sat back as she watched him. "We had an ex-client come in and accuse us of being unfair."
He didn't want to tell her it was Deemond and that he had gone around him to his father about his business. When he found out what was going on, he'd had him thrown out. The prick had managed to accuse him of being unprofessional, calling Serena a bitch and a slut a few times before getting pulled out of his father's office. This, of course, led to some questions from his father. He had to simply explain that Deemond was a bad investment and would taint their name. His father didn't press it, but it had left a really bad taste in Darien's mouth.
To make it worse, the part he found that bothered him the most was what he had said about Serena. It should have been the bastard's attempt to usurp his decision by going to his father. But no, it was the harsh words said about the woman in his arms at the moment. He didn't understand it, any of it, and yet his anger at Deemond had only pushed him deeper into his confusion. All of this followed his phone conversation with her, were he found himself agreeing to date her. To have a real relationship with a woman was completely new territory for him and as much as he wanted to hold onto Serena, he didn't have a clue what he was doing.
"Well, were you unfair?"
"I'm sorry?"
"To the ex-client? Were you unfair?"
There was not a doubt in his mind, "Absolutely not!"
"Then don't worry about it. I'm sure they will get over it."
That's what really worried him. The last time he had turned down Deemond, the son of a bitch came after Serena. After today, he didn't know what to expect and he really didn't like it. He would have called Serena but he still didn't have her number. He really needed to make sure he got it today. He'd almost had a heart attack when her door was unlocked. She didn't understand the danger she was in or maybe she just didn't realize. He wasn't sure what scared him more, the thought of something happening to her or the fact that he was scared of losing her.
Serena apparently approved of his choice of restaurant because she grew really quiet when they walked in. She looked around the place and her eyes widened in amazement. He knew that if there was ever a person who would appreciate this place as much as he did, it would be her. He took her to One if by Land, Two if by Sea in the West Village, hoping it would be a good way for him to 'try'.
The restaurant was better than she had imagined. It was dimly lit with big chandeliers that hung high in the ceiling. The walls were a dark wood with gold leafing. The tables were covered in white linen and the chairs were plush with burgundy cushions. Big open windows stretched from the floor to the ceiling and let in the last dregs of the summer sun set.
They were led to a small candle lit table out on the patio. The warmth of the day was starting to fade, the last few days of spring in New York making the days warm and the nights cool. It was quiet, save for the random outburst of laughter from the bar inside. They shared a bottle of wine and talked more about their days. The conversation was light and happy, she was starting to feel more like a normal couple...whatever that is.
"So, tell me Darien. How much are you worth?"
"And just why do you want to know?"
She kept her face straight. "I have to know how much to set your ransom for."
He laughed, almost spitting his wine out onto her. Once their laughter died, "I'm worth about 300 million on a good day."
"Holy shit," now she was spitting out her wine, "seriously?!"
He smirked, "What, Google didn't tell you that much? How much are you worth then?"
"Not much. I guess it really depends on how much you are willing to pay."
"Oh, I give it all for you."
She blushed and he quickly looked away as if he hadn't meant to say that.
"Where did you go to College and what degrees do you have?"
"Harvard and Oxford and an M.B.A. Actually I lived in England running our branch there till my father opened up here in NYC."
"Wow, England. That must have been nice."
He shrugged, like it was no big deal. "What about you?"
She grinned, the one thing she was truly proud of was her schooling, "I went to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music with a bachelors in vocal performance and a PSD in instrumental performance."
"Impressive."
"I know."
"San Francisco, huh? Was it too much sun for you there?"
"I actually missed the rain so I moved back here as soon as I was done."
He chuckled for a moment. "How did you end up working at The Nectar?"
"Getting a job in vocal performance isn't the easiest thing to do. I needed a job that wouldn't interfere with my music writing and I had a job at Starbucks while I was in Cali. I grew up with Mina and Andrew so they gave me a job. I really love it there to be honest. I don't think I would leave even if my music starting paying the bills."
"Starbucks? That doesn't seem like you."
"Yeah, that's why I hate corporations. No offense."
"That's okay, I don't really like them either. I actually wanted to be an actor. I was pretty good, too. Did some plays in college."
"Why didn't you?"
He frowned, "...That's not how it works in my family, Serena."
The car pulled up to her apartment and Darien got out of the car with her, "Um excuse me? Where do you think you are going? I didn't invite you up."
"Yes..well…..I left my coat and tie on your couch."
"Don't think I don't know that you did that on purpose. I'm on to you!"
She pressed her finger into his chest for emphasis, but that had been a mistake as he grabbed it and then her before she could rip it out of his grasp, pulling her in tight and whispering in her ear, "You'd better run, unless you want me to strip you here on this street."
He released her and she didn't wait to find out if he was serious or not, racing away from him. He followed, his long legs making it impossible to stay ahead of him. But she had the advantage on the stairs as he clearly lived in a building with an elevator. Even though she was a bit faster on the stairs, he still held his own coming up pretty close behind her. The gap between them was just large enough for her to get her keys in the door and open it wide, but not large enough for her to shut it again.
Her foot landed inside the door and she was swept up, both of them winded but she still managed a squeal as her feet left the floor. He had her up off the ground, his arms around her waist, pressing her back into his chest. Setting her back down, his hands grabbed the hem of her dress and pulled it up over her head without a second thought. His next move was unhooking her bra and she was practically naked with her door still standing wide open.
"Didn't you just get onto me about that?"
He followed her finger and swiftly kicked her door shut, locking it with a harsh flick of his wrist. Her arms were across her breast, holding them from view as he stared back at her, a wicked look in his eyes. She squeaked and ran again, this time making it to the living room before he had her again, this time lifting her up and throwing her on her bed, removing his clothes rapidly and joining her.
He rolled off her to lay by her side. Both panting, trying to catch their breath after the marathon that began on the street and ended with each other calling out each others names. Serena rolled over onto his chest, propping herself up on her elbows to look him in his eyes. He wrapped his arms around her and stroked her back.
"Tell me a secret Darien."
"What do you mean?"
"Tell me something that no one else knows."
It was something that he had never thought about before and no one had ever asked. Yet, he knew the answer once the question left her mouth.
"I'm afraid of becoming like my father." She silent, waiting for him to continue. "My mother died when I was young. My father has never loved another woman as he loved her but he keeps getting married. I think he is trying to find something close to what he lost. But after each marriage fails he becomes colder and colder. Now he just marries because he can, he doesn't love anything anymore."
"He loves you."
He looked into her sweet, innocent eyes. "I'm more like a business partner than a son. I think that's why he wanted me to go into business like him, so he could have a partner he could trust."
"Or so he could see you every day."
He let out a huff, feeling indifferent to the whole subject, "We hardly see each other when he is there. No, my father died with my mother."
She gave him a small, sweet kiss on the lips. He held her close and kissed her deeper, but ended it quickly. He didn't want her getting out of her turn.
"Don't you have to tell me a secret now?"
"I don't have any secrets."
He gave her a frown, "Everyone has secrets, Serena."
"Okay…...I'm adopted. I don't even know if my name is Serena but that's the name I was given when they found me. My….parents left me at a church when I was three and I was adopted by a nice, older foster couple named the Sparrows when I was ten. They died four years ago."
"I'm sorry."
She shrugged but wore a sad look on her face. "It's okay. They had a lovely life. They loved each other and they loved me."
"But don't Mina and Andrew know this?"
"Yeah, I met them when I was six before I was adopted…..that's not the secret."
"Okay, then what is?"
"The secret is….sometimes I wonder," she looked up at him, her mouth twisted, "what was so wrong with me that my own parents would just toss me away like I was nothing?"
Something about the way she looked and spoke was wrong; it didn't suit her. It was nothing like the woman he met and was constantly surprising him. It just wasn't right. But it also made a lot of sense, the way she acted sometimes or some of the things she said.
He rolled them over so that he was on top and kissed her deeply then pulled away to look her in the eyes, "There is nothing wrong with you. There was something wrong with them. But it was their loss that they didn't get to see what an amazing woman you became."
"Darien..."
He claimed her mouth again, wanting to stop himself from saying anything more foolish, melting their bodies together again in ecstasy.
The next few weeks flew by and soon it was the start of summer. The heat came from two directions, above from the sun and below from the frying pan known as the sidewalk. Even deep in tunnels of the subway, away from the summer sun, the heat sweltered, making it feel more like a train ride straight to hell. She did get a reprieve from the boiling tubes in the mornings when Darien spent the night, which was pretty much every night. But in reality, they were easier to handle in the mornings.
She shirt was starting to wet through as she swayed, standing as there was not a single open seat. It was her luck to end up on the car that had the broken air conditioning. Now her shirt was becoming sticky and all she could think about was taking a nice cold shower.
Pulling the material from her skin, she caught the eyes of one of the other passengers. He was a tall, hulking man with light brown hair and a thick mustache. It was the mustache that caught her attention at first, the handlebars being something of a masterpiece. But then he kept looking at her, so much that he soon slipped his dark shades over his eyes as if it would hide the fact.
Coming to a stop, the crowd shifted, people, coming and going. The man, who stood at the back of the car, slowly made his way to her. She swiftly placed her earbuds in her ears, hoping to appear 'standoffish'. It seemed to work as he never approached her. She was starting to feel a little at ease, not looking back at him again. But as she got off at her stop, she saw him get off too, slowly heading in the same direction as her. She did her best not to take it too seriously. It was a big city and it was not uncommon in the least to share a stop with a stranger. But something about this guy was off. He wore all black: black suit, black shirt, black tie, black shoes. She couldn't see but she would take a guess that his socks were black too.
Her heart rate spiked when he was still behind her a block from her place. Getting the lobby door open and shut tight behind her, she hastened her way up the stairs. But she passed someone on the way down, knowing just how easy it was to trick someone into letting them into their building. She shrank down to the steps, listening. When she heard her neighbor let someone in, she got up and bolted, knowing almost certainly that it was him.
Getting to her door, she fumbled with her keys, her fear making her hands tremble. After dropping them twice, she finally got them in her door. She caught eyes with him again as he stood at the top of the stairs, looking right at her.
She locked the door tight, watching him through the peephole. When he turned and stood before her door, she lept back to stand in the middle of her living room. Seconds passed, then minutes. She wasn't sure just how long she stood there waiting. He rapted heavily on her door and her heart dropped into her stomach. When she didn't answer, he knocked again, harder.
"Serena, could you open this door already? It's a fucking sauna out here."
Lightheaded, she felt as if she might faint with relief. "Darien?"
"Yeah, now open the door, please!"
Taking a quick peek through the peephole again to be sure, she flung the door open, stepping out and searching the halls around him, "What the hell are you doing?"
"Did you see a guy? Black suit, black everything?"
He turned, looking around him as well before turning back to her, "No...why?"
She felt crazy. Maybe she was crazy. "It's nothing. I thought I saw something."
Darien stepped hesitantly inside, still looking around behind him, "You thought you saw something?" He took a closer look at her, "Jesus, Serena! You're as white as a sheet!"
Her hand flew to her face as if it would hide or help anything. "I guess I'm just too hot." He touched the back of his hand to her forehead and she watched him as he cared for her. "I was just about to take a shower. Would you like to join me?"
He didn't even answer, he just took her hand and led them both towards the bathroom.
After a few days of looking over her shoulder, she decided she was just being paranoid, her dark shadow not showing up again.
The week was proving to be a hot one and it was promised to be an even hotter weekend. It was going to make hers and Darien's usual weekend of playing in central park or the Bronx Zoo all the more uncomfortable.
She spotted his shaggy dark locks as he made his way in for his usual mid-day visits. There was a small line waiting when he got there but neither of them really cared as he walked straight up to the counter next to her. She skipped over to him as he leaned on the counter. Grabbing his face, she planted a quick but dirty kiss right on his mouth.
"Seriously? You two act like a couple of teenagers."
She glanced behind her to find Andrew shaking his head at them as she still held Darien's face in her hands. "Is it not good to be young at heart?"
He chuckled, then pointed his thumb at the line. "Not when there are people waiting."
She stuck out her lip, pouting at him but then turned it to Darien who broke out in laughter. "Go on, I don't want to get you in trouble," he pulled her hands off of his face and stood upright. "Besides I need to talk to your boss for a minute."
Andrew ushered Darien to the back while she continued to pout. It looked like they wouldn't be getting their little 'afternoon delight' after all.
He sat at the small desk across from Andrew, pulling the vanilla envelope out and handing it over to him.
Andrew just stared back at him, a small smile forming on his lips. "Really? They sent you, Mr. Darien Shields, to bring me paperwork?"
"That happens to be the final workup of our deal. I need you to read over it and sign it. Get your lawyer to look it over to if you like."
He sat back, smirking at him. "Something tells me that won't be necessary. I seriously doubt YOU would risk Serena's wrath if you were to screw me and her second home over."
He frowned, glaring at the man. "I seriously suggest you have it looked over. I don't want anyone getting accused of anything."
Andrew sat back up, waving his hands in defeat, but still grinning. "Alright I'll send them to my lawyer today," his face turned, changing into something serious. "Did Serena tell you about her past?"
"You mean her adoption?"
Andrew lifted his eyes, staring straight into his with fierceness. "Then you should know, deal or not, I will wreck you if you break her heart."
"Is this supposed to be the 'I have a shotgun' intimidation speech?"
"Since she has no one else to do it for her, yeah. I guess it is."
"And do you have a shotgun?"
"No….but I do have a pretty mean right hook."
The place was dead, the usual midday lull. Mina shouldered her purse and walked around to the other side of the counter.
"I'm going to sneak out for a bit. Got a hot date tonight and the dress next door is calling my name! Do you need anything?"
She shook her head, leaning over the counter to watch her go. "Nope, I'm good."
"Of course you are." Mina still walked towards the door, her back to her.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
She chuckled, turning one last time as she held the door in her hand, "Don't think I haven't noticed you started wearing skirts to work when Darien started coming in for his…'visits'."
She walked out, leaving Serena to burn up in her flush. Guess she wasn't as sneaky as she thought.
Her cheeks still burning, she took to some busy work, hoping to get her mind off her slip up. Her pink converses squeaked on the floor and she subconsciously tugged at the hem of her stretchy denim skirt. Lita banged around in the back, cleaning or something. She focused on the world outside the windows, almost forgetting that Darien was still in the back with Andrew.
Hands grabbed her hips, tugging her so that she fell into a lap that sat on one of their armchairs. It sat facing the wall on the other side but was hidden by other chairs from both the front and the back of the building, making it almost secluded.
As she sat on his lap, legs over the side of his, he pulled her closer to him with his hand on her waist while his other hand dug up her skirt. His face was in her neck with his mouth right at her ear.
"What are you doing wearing a skirt so tight?"
She scoffed, pulling away slightly to fuss but he held her too tight to move, "Are you honestly complaining that my skirt is too tight?"
"I mean...it's nice when you are standing up, but right now, it's a bit of a hindrance."
She tried to push off of him again, her hands on his chest, but he was unrelenting, "Did you ever think that maybe I did that on purpose? So you couldn't molest me at my place of business?"
His face rose, giving her a look of mock shock. "Molest you? No, I think if you didn't want this, you wouldn't wear a skirt at all."
"Is it really that obvious?"
He pressed his mouth against her skin, nibbling at her neck, his breath tickling as he spoke, "It's obvious that you don't want me to stop."
He had her skirt pushed all the way up, the material scrunched up around her waist. His hand sat in between her thighs, so high up that all he did was lift his thumb and brush against her, an action that he kept doing over and over, causing her to heat up all over. She pressed her thighs together hard, trying to still his hand from going any further while his other hand was inching up to the side of her breast.
He was still nibbling at her neck, causing her to mew softly. "Let's go somewhere. This weekend."
She was so thrown but his question, she forgot to keep her legs closed tight and he seized on it, pressing his palm up against her hard before she could stop him. She sucked in a breath harshly and it released as a sheltered moan, not wanting anyone to hear them. He didn't make another move after that, just held her tight.
"I want to see you in a bikini."
She was doing her best to concentrate and not just give in to whatever he said. "I can't afford to go anywhere."
"I can."
She shook her head, trying to get her words to form. "No. No, you cannot pay for a vacation, not by yourself. That is not how it works."
His head was still buried in the crook of her neck and his hand wiggled slightly in between her legs. "And just how is it supposed to work?"
He was practically growling in her ear, trying to get her to cave with dirty tricks, "It is a hard no Darien."
Grabbing his forearm, she tried to still his movements between her legs, knowing full well what he was up to. "What if I promised to take you somewhere really cheap?"
"Darien…" She was going for warning, but was pretty sure it came out as wanting. She closed her eyes, trying her best to gain control once again.
"What if I pay for transportation and you pay for logging?" He stilled, finally, and she was able to focus.
"And just where did you want to go?"
"Could you afford...the Hamptons?"
She shook her head, "This late in the year, finding a place and it not being exuberant is impossible."
Her reprieve was short lived as he went back to work, "I know a place and they know me. I will get us a reservation," she opened her mouth to protest, "and a discount. I promise, nothing exuberant at all," in a quick move, he slid her back, her back now resting on the armrest looking up at his face, "come on, say yes."
Although slight, his little seating adjustment had gained him a lot more access and she lost the willpower to fight him off. "Yes."
It came out a little louder than she intended and it was mostly forced out of her, but she would be mad at him later. Now he watched her as she wiggled and squirmed under his attention.
Well, I hope you liked it! May be a while before the next update since this one is soooo long and I have a bunch of other projects for Halloween going! Hope you give Blood Countess a chance. I know its not everyone's cup of tea but I think it is awesome. Be on the look out for a lot of Halloween treats heading your way from me, Beej88, and Ninjette Twitch!