Well, with the end in sight, I'm just churning this thing out. There's not much more to go! I think all of you will greatly enjoy this chapter. There's an occurrence here that I'll bet many people have been waiting eagerly for!
Chapter Sixteen
"Well, isn't this cozy."
Serena was so caught up in her excitement that Darien's chilly tone failed to register. She turned, still within Zoicite's arms, to give her lover an enormous smile. "Darien! This is wonderful! Come meet Zoi." Her smile faltered when she saw his expression. "Darien? What's wrong?"
He took three steps into the apartment, his mouth grim and shoulders tight. "What's wrong? From where I'm standing, things look just dandy to me. I rush over here to. . .to. . ." He cut himself off with a grimace. "And I run into your apartment to find you quite happily in the arms of a complete stranger. So why don't you tell me what's wrong."
"Darien!" Serena tore herself away from Zoicite, whose arms had automatically tightened in protection at the angry words. ""Darien, Zoi is just. . ." She trailed off as she imagined what Darien had been met with. "I know this probably looks bad, but. . ." Behind her, Zoicite moved to speak, but she laid a hand on his arm. This was between the two of them.
"But nothing." The incredible euphoria within him had shrunk to a tiny ball of ice somewhere in the vicinity of his stomach. "Damn it, Serena. I guess your love doesn't mean as much to you as I thought it did. I believed myself impervious to the whiles of all the women after my money, but you certainly proved me wrong. You're nothing but a fortune-hunting whore." Over Serena's agonized gasp, he clenched his fists harder and harder, reminding himself that he was a civilized man, that he would not punch the tall blond man who stood behind Serena with murder in his eyes. His strength was greater then he realized. Suddenly, the hinges of the small jeweler's box in his right hand snapped, and the ring he had cherished fell onto the floor.
The sight of that small piece of metal was like a punch to the gut. No matter how she fought it, Serena's jaw quivered and tears gathered in her eyes. In the frozen silence of the room, Darien knelt and picked up the ring. Furious eyes met anguished ones when he looked up with a strangled laugh.
"That's right. I was going to ask you to marry me. But I suppose it's better that this happened. Better now then later."
Serena tried to force words out through her paralyzed vocal chords, but he straightened and beat her to it. When he spoke again, his voice was that of the cool businessman she had first met. "I see no reason to break our business contract, Miss Kyle, seeing as it is such a profitable one for the both of us. You may direct all questions through my secretary. Good day." And with that, Darien straightened his tie, turned on his heel, and walked out. The door closed behind him.
"Oh, god, oh god, oh god." She couldn't stop the hammering of her heart as it fell to pieces in her chest, or the torrent of tears that began to flood from her eyes. With a sob, she turned back to face Zoicite. "What have I done?"
"Absolutely nothing, luv." Zoi shot a glance at the door, but decided that comforting his dear friend was far more important then planting a fist in Darien Chiba's deserving face. With a growl of frustration, he led Serena to the sofa and pushed her gently into its plush cushions. "So that was the great Darien you were so full of? I can't say I think much of him."
A hysterical giggle forced its way out, and Serena clasped both hands over her mouth. "But. . .but he's not. . . I mean, oh no!" She drew her legs to her chest and dissolved into tears. She loved him. She loved him, and a single misunderstood moment had ruined everything. Was everything she loved doomed to failure?
Zoi stood over her for a few moments, watching her cry. With a sigh, he went into the kitchen and returned minutes later with napkins and a bottle of brandy. Glasses, he felt, were unnecessary at times like this. He sat down beside the weeping blond, and when the sobs diminished, he placed an arm around her and tilted her head up to look at him. "Serie, sweetheart, listen to me. A guy who jumps to conclusions like that isn't worth your time anyway. Especially one who throws around nasty words like he did."
"Oh, Zoi. I loved him! Darien. . .he. . .what have I done?" Serena wiped at gummed eyes and sniffled.
"You've done nothing, luv. Here, have a drink."
She took the brandy from him with a strangled laugh and raised it to her lips. The fiery liquor burned its way down to her stomach, bringing some warmth to her frozen limbs. She wiped her mouth and laid her head on Zoicite's shoulder. "I feel so empty. Twenty minutes ago, I couldn't wait to introduce my best friend to the love of my life, and now?" Another tear ran down her cheek, and Zoicite caught it on the end of his finger.
He handed her a napkin. "Dry up. I'm going to do the very best thing for you right now."
"And what's that?"
"Get you completely drunk, then put you to bed." With a small grin, he reached for the brandy again, but Serena caught his hand.
"What about Amy?"
A look of consternation crossed his face. "I want you to meet her, but I guess now's not the best of times. I'll give her a call."
Serena sighed –one final time, she promised herself- and pulled herself together. "No. Don't do that. I want to meet the girl who's finally managed to capture that fickle heart of yours."
"Fickle? Absolutely not. I'm simply picky." Zoi understood what she was doing, and gave her a sweet smile of understanding and support.
"Picky? What about Bambi? And I remember you weren't too picky about Kendra, Sandy, Loreena-"
"Alright, alright! I give up. You're too much for me, Serie." He stood and pulled a cell from his pocket. "I'll get hold of her, and then we're taking you out to dinner." His nimble fingers paused over the buttons, and he studied her, tucked into herself as she was on the couch. "Are you sure, Serena? I can see how much it hurts. I don't want seeing the two of us to make it any worse."
But she shook her head. "I don't think anything could make it worse. I'll give myself a few days, then deal with it."
"You're all right, luv."
* * *
Jadeite smiled charmingly at the couple as they walked out. Obnoxious, whiny, and a marriage that wouldn't last four months more, he thought to himself. But he could afford a little graciousness when they had just spent the equivalent of half his year's salary on a single visit. Their choices, which he couldn't ever see together, had ranged from the flashy to the obtuse.
Including a piece of glass by a certain artist whose name wasn't to be mentioned around a certain boss any more.
He hadn't seen Serena in over a week, when she usually popped in almost every day. And the same day that he had come rushing in and out, excitement, nerves and frustration all mingled in his eyes, Darien had come growling back in and slammed into his office with orders not to be disturbed for the rest of the day.
And he had thrown a recognizable crushed box at Jad's chest with orders to return it to the bank.
Jadeite couldn't for the life of him understand what might have happened. There was no way Serena would have turned a proposal down, but-
"I'm related to the thickest-skulled moron on the face of the planet!!" Raye stamped into the room, a whirl of scarlet silk and raven-black hair. With a grimace, she pointed to a chair. "I'm in serious need of an ear right now, Jadeite, so you'd better make yourself comfortable."
"I'll assume that the moron is my boss? I'm not quite sure that listening to his sister's rants is mentioned in my job description." He swallowed past the dryness in his throat that always occurred when he saw her and dredged up his most charming smile. "After all, he does sign my paychecks."
"Don't protect him, Jad. Have you heard what he's done this time?"
The image of a delicate blond rose in his thoughts, but Jadeite shook his head. "I'm sure you're going to let me know."
"Damn straight I am. I just got off the phone with Serena thirty minutes ago. Apparently, my beloved brother went over to her place with an heirloom ring on his pocket. Then he-" Something in Jadeite's eyes must have alerted her, for Raye narrowed her own. "You knew," she accused. "You knew he was going to ask her to marry him."
"Well, yes," he admitted. "He came in and showed me the ring before leaving for Serena's apartment. I don't know what happened after that, but he was furious when he returned, and he made me bring the ring back."
"Well, let me enlighten you. A few minutes before Darien got there, an old friend showed up. Darien burst in on a simple, friendly hug, and blew the entire thing out of proportion. He called her all sorts of unmentionable names, then told her as cool as you like that he'd be gracious enough not to break off their business contract! Can you believe the absolute nerve of that lout?"
"Oh." Jadeite wasn't quite sure what to say in response. In all the years he'd known Darien, he'd never known the man to jump to conclusions in such a way. "Raye. . ."
The tall woman threw her hands up into the air. "I just went into his office to ask if it was true. I mean, of course, I believed Serena, but Darien never makes a move –especially one like that- without thinking it to death! There must have been some sort of reason, right? But he told me yes, it was true, he had broken off his relationship with Miss Kyle and I was kindly not to mention her name within his hearing for the time being, thank you very much. I can't believe him! Darien actually manages to find real love, a woman who adores him more then anything in the world, and he throws it away! The fucking imbecile!" Abruptly, she quieted and slumped into the chair next to him. "I think I've spent my entire life searching for what just fell into his arms, and he just threw it away." Her last words were a mere whisper.
A knot in Jadeite's chest loosened, only minutely. "It hurts, doesn't it?" He wasn't talking about the actions of his boss, her brother. He was talking about something he'd never dared to mention, something much more private and immediate.
Raye glanced up and met his blue eyes. "Jad?"
"The loneliness. It tears at you. After what you've told me, I can't say I think much of Darien right now. A love like that should be cherished." Hesitantly, he reached over and placed a gentle hand over her wrist. He felt her pulse jump at the contact.
"Jadeite, what are you. . ." She trailed off as she saw something, something she'd never seen before, in his face. Why hadn't she noticed it until now? "Jadeite." His name was no louder then a breeze as he leaned toward her.
Jadeite couldn't believe what he was doing. The woman he had dreamed about for years was finally right here, mere inches away. Her lips trembled open, and her hand turned over to grasp his. And the desire burning in his veins was mirrored on her face. With that realization, all pretenses dropped, and he crushed his lips to hers.
She tasted like fresh strawberries. Her lips were soft, warm, and returned his kiss as hungrily as he could wish.
With a gasp, he broke off and drew away. "Raye, I love you. I didn't have the courage to say it. I didn't think you could ever return it. But now. . . I can't stay quiet anymore. Could you? Love me, I mean?" For the first time in his life, the words that had always served him so glibly had deserted him. He was as clumsy as a teenager with a crush.
"Jadeite." This time, Raye's voice was filled with amazement. Her eyes were glazed, dreamy. With a laugh, she threw her arms around him and brought her lips back to his.
"Oh. Excuse me."
The quiet words broke the spell of wonder and joy that had fallen over the two, and they whirled to face the tense woman in the doorway.
"Serena!" Raye dropped Jadeite's hands and sprang to embrace her friend. "Are you alright? I can't believe you actually came over here. You look exhausted. Can I help you tear Darien's face off?"
Serena gave a small laugh, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. "Thanks for the offer, but I need to deal with this on my own." She looked over at Jadeite and her tiny grin widened. "I see you're both doing well."
Jadeite flushed, just a small blush that pinked his cheeks, and Raye gave her a guilty-looking smile.
"Good. It's about time. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to speak to Mr. Chiba. There are a few things I have to say to him." She squeezed the hand that Raye held, and stopped as she crossed the room to place a gentle kiss on Jadeite's cheek. "Good," she repeated, and walked out of the room.
* * *