Dance of Seduction
Chapter Fifteen
Her head ached and her side throbbed as she paced through the thick- carpeted floor of her apartment.
She couldn't understand why Darien had found out what she did for a living, she knew that Beryl had scampered when Diamond did so she wouldn't have been able to tell him.
No it wouldn't have been her but then who? Who would want to hurt her so much by taking him away?
Sinking into the thick cushions of the sofa she sighed and buried her head in her hands, she just wished that she had the answers.
Darien focused his groggy eyes on his bedside clock and made out that it was well past afternoon.
He had slept half the day away.
The bottle of scotch he had consumed last night brought a pain to his head that reminded him of the pain in his heart.
He was dying he could feel it, feel his very essence just slipping away from him.
He missed her so much.
He could still smell the lavender in her hair the sweet scent that she wore that always teased him.
But it was all a lie, nothing but a savage lie that tore at his heart.
His life seemed to meaningless now that she wasn't in it he missed everything that she had given him even if it had been in deception.
But what if it had become real along the line? What if she had fallen for him just as he had fallen for her?
Was that possible?
He didn't know, didn't know anything anymore! The more he thought about it the more his heart ached.
He sighed as he tumbled out of bed life was one big wreck for him at the moment and he didn't know how to salvage it.
"What do you mean you quit?" Mina asked shocked as Serena handed over her resignation letter. "I should think that it speaks for itself Mina" Serena returned coolly, turning to leave.
"He won't have you now you know" Mina said lightly stopping Serena in her tracks, she turned slowly to encountered Mina's unflinching gaze.
"What does that mean?" she said frostily and Mina cast her a slightly apologetic glance, which was quickly replaced by indifference.
"I told him of your contract, I even faxed him a copy" she stated quite calmly making Serena's jaw drop in surprise.
"It was............it was you!" she gasped in dismay and Mina merely nodded while Serena continued to gape.
But the shock soon gave way to a very powerful anger.
"How could you do this to Mina? Your supposed to be my friend," she said her voice not only laced with anger but sorrow at Mina's treachery.
"Oh Serena this is business, what is a friend anyway?" Mina replied completely unfazed.
"A friend is someone who wants what's best for them and not a selfish cow like you who was only concerned with her business, well you know what Mina you can stuff your job along with your friendship. With friends like you I certainly don't need any enemies" Serena fumed then holding her head up high she walked out slamming the door behind her.
Mina sank into her chair, she hadn't expected this at all and now she had lost a good friend and her best employee.
Serena was right she thought I am a selfish cow.
Easing out into the busy traffic Serena took a few calming breaths to slow down the erratic beating of her heart.
She couldn't believe that Mina had been so viciously cruel, of all the people she had suspected of telling Darien she had not been on the list.
"I should have known" she said out loud.
The fact that Serena's association with Darien had meant she was distancing herself more and more from her job would have set alarm bells ringing in Mina's head, after all she had worked very hard in keeping Serena in her ranks for so long.
Sighing she pulled over to the side and looked at the baker sign directly in front of her, she was in need of a coffee and a muffing rooting through her bag she located her cell phone. She could also use some of Molly's expert advice at the moment.
Half an hour three muffins two coffees and a hot chocolate later Serena dried her tear stained face with Molly's handkerchief and blew her nose.
"I just don't know what to do Molly, I know I should have told him when I knew I was falling for him but I was afraid," she sobbed and Molly nodded in understanding.
"I think that maybe you should talk to him about it darling" Molly said signalling the waiter over again.
"Yes can I have a marsh mellow topped hot chocolate and a slab of fudge cake for my friend and I'll have a Mocha with a nice piece of apple pie don't forget the cream" she added giving the waiter he most dazzling smile making the young man blush.
Then she turned her attention back to the snivelling Serena.
"Look I'm going to give it to you straight" Molly said dropping the posh speech and adopting her usual calm voice.
"This guy makes you happy and from when I saw you and him last you did the same for him, so I don't see why you can't speak to him and tell him how you really feel, tell him that you quit your job" Molly suggested and Serena smiled.
Maybe Molly had a point maybe she just needed to talk to him and everything would be ok.
Biting into the fudge cake that landed in front of her Serena felt like there was some hope in this world after all.
Darien scowled down at the list that lay in front of him; he'd cancelled his meetings for the day and rescheduled his client appointments.
But it just meant more work for him later on but he didn't' really care all he could think about was his heartache and how he wished to god he had never answered his cell phone in the hospital.
He was going to turn it off as he'd been instructed but had forgotten to in his panic over Serena.
Now his world had come apart at the seems and he longed for it to be as it was, when all he had to do was reach out and know she was there for him to hold.
He was just about to brood some more when his intercom buzzed.
"Lita I thought I told you to hold all calls and clients today" he said irritable and heard his secretary's flushed response to his snapping.
"Yes sir I know but the lady is refusing to leave until she has seen you" Lita replied and Darien immediately sat up.
Lady.................could it be her?
"Who exactly is asking to see me Lita?" Darien asked and felt his heart pick up pace when she replied "a Miss Serena Waters sir."
Oh god it was her, she was here to see him what was he going to say? What was he going to do?
"Send her in" Darien said briskly trying to keep the emotion out of his voice.
A few seconds later there was a rap on the door and Serena breezed in her long blond hair flowing out behind her.
She looked like he did, hollow circles beneath her eyes and her skin seemed a shade paler but that didn't detract from her beauty.
"Can I help you" he asked coldly hating the way she winced at his tone.
"I um I came to tell you a few things" Serena said sitting down in front of him.
When he didn't respond she began to tell him all that she wanted to say.
"I was paid by your wife Beryl to kill you, but I never had access to the full file so I was unaware that my client was in a bad state of mental health. I was paid to get close to you then when you had fallen for me and trusted me completely I was to assassinate you and make it look like an accident" she paused for breath and looked for any sign of a reaction from him.
There was none so she continued.
"But the closer I got to you the more you began to affect me then I knew that I couldn't kill you, so I set about trying to discover your innocence before my contract was passed on."
She paused again then continued.
"I can't take back what I did Darien but all I have to say is that I fell in love with you, I quit my job I terminated the contract and I had your ex wife arrested" she said at last before standing.
She rounded the desk and walked to him sinking to her knees in front of him she looked him in the eye.
"Tell me that what we had wasn't special and I'll walk out that door and never look back but will you be able to live with the fact that you threw love away, please Darien if you'll let me I'll spend a lifetime of loving you and showing you that I care" she beseeched and he remained silent.
Her eyes begged him to talk to her to say something but his gaze remained stony.
"I guess that's it then" Serena said her voice breaking.
"Goodbye Darien" she said rising and walking away from him she opened the door and cast one last glance at him.
"I love you" she said then closed the door silently after her.
Darien looked at the door and felt as though the silence that followed was the most unbearable he had ever endured.
That's what his life would be without her an endless silence.
Did he really want that to go one day without her smile to brighten it?
It was then that Darien was faced with a decision and he knew what it was he had to do!
Exiting the building Serena tried to bite back the tears, it was over and she had to accept it.
She was about to open her car when she heard a voice calling her name.
"SERENA" turning she saw Darien running towards her his hair flapping and his face flushed.
"Did you mean it" he said when he at last came to halt in front of her, and she nodded to him.
Pulling her into his arms he crushed her small body close to him and she felt happiness sweep through her.
"I love you Serena" he whispered capturing her face in his hands he looked her in eye. "I want you to marry me" he said somewhat nervously.
And Serena smiled that sweet smile she always did nodded her lovely head and kissed him with a passionate love that told him everything he needed to know.
This was it he had come home at last.
Three Months later
The Church was full of people each one eagerly awaiting the arrival of the bride.
Darien was a bit nervous she was running late.
Andrew patted him on the back when he noticed him checking his watch yet again.
"Don't worry buddy its customary for the bride to be late" he comforted.
Darien was about to protest when the wedding march started and he turned to see his lovely wife to be walking down the aisle in her fairytale gown and she smiled so lovingly at him it simply took his breath away.
This was everything he had ever wanted and he knew that this time it would be forever.
Mina sighed down at the papers she held in her hand her thoughts centred on Serena.
She missed her friend but she also envied her.
She wished that she would find someone to love her as Darien did Serena.
An image of Andrew flashed in her mind, no she couldn't think of him like that love was an emotion she could ill afford to fall under.
She'd been disillusioned with that a long time ago.
Well its finished at last I hope you all enjoyed it and thank you all for your reviews. I'll be working on a Mina Andrew spin off if your interested and once again thanks for sticking with me. I'm really sad to see this end but I hope you all think it was a good story
Angel - Wings
Chapter Fifteen
Her head ached and her side throbbed as she paced through the thick- carpeted floor of her apartment.
She couldn't understand why Darien had found out what she did for a living, she knew that Beryl had scampered when Diamond did so she wouldn't have been able to tell him.
No it wouldn't have been her but then who? Who would want to hurt her so much by taking him away?
Sinking into the thick cushions of the sofa she sighed and buried her head in her hands, she just wished that she had the answers.
Darien focused his groggy eyes on his bedside clock and made out that it was well past afternoon.
He had slept half the day away.
The bottle of scotch he had consumed last night brought a pain to his head that reminded him of the pain in his heart.
He was dying he could feel it, feel his very essence just slipping away from him.
He missed her so much.
He could still smell the lavender in her hair the sweet scent that she wore that always teased him.
But it was all a lie, nothing but a savage lie that tore at his heart.
His life seemed to meaningless now that she wasn't in it he missed everything that she had given him even if it had been in deception.
But what if it had become real along the line? What if she had fallen for him just as he had fallen for her?
Was that possible?
He didn't know, didn't know anything anymore! The more he thought about it the more his heart ached.
He sighed as he tumbled out of bed life was one big wreck for him at the moment and he didn't know how to salvage it.
"What do you mean you quit?" Mina asked shocked as Serena handed over her resignation letter. "I should think that it speaks for itself Mina" Serena returned coolly, turning to leave.
"He won't have you now you know" Mina said lightly stopping Serena in her tracks, she turned slowly to encountered Mina's unflinching gaze.
"What does that mean?" she said frostily and Mina cast her a slightly apologetic glance, which was quickly replaced by indifference.
"I told him of your contract, I even faxed him a copy" she stated quite calmly making Serena's jaw drop in surprise.
"It was............it was you!" she gasped in dismay and Mina merely nodded while Serena continued to gape.
But the shock soon gave way to a very powerful anger.
"How could you do this to Mina? Your supposed to be my friend," she said her voice not only laced with anger but sorrow at Mina's treachery.
"Oh Serena this is business, what is a friend anyway?" Mina replied completely unfazed.
"A friend is someone who wants what's best for them and not a selfish cow like you who was only concerned with her business, well you know what Mina you can stuff your job along with your friendship. With friends like you I certainly don't need any enemies" Serena fumed then holding her head up high she walked out slamming the door behind her.
Mina sank into her chair, she hadn't expected this at all and now she had lost a good friend and her best employee.
Serena was right she thought I am a selfish cow.
Easing out into the busy traffic Serena took a few calming breaths to slow down the erratic beating of her heart.
She couldn't believe that Mina had been so viciously cruel, of all the people she had suspected of telling Darien she had not been on the list.
"I should have known" she said out loud.
The fact that Serena's association with Darien had meant she was distancing herself more and more from her job would have set alarm bells ringing in Mina's head, after all she had worked very hard in keeping Serena in her ranks for so long.
Sighing she pulled over to the side and looked at the baker sign directly in front of her, she was in need of a coffee and a muffing rooting through her bag she located her cell phone. She could also use some of Molly's expert advice at the moment.
Half an hour three muffins two coffees and a hot chocolate later Serena dried her tear stained face with Molly's handkerchief and blew her nose.
"I just don't know what to do Molly, I know I should have told him when I knew I was falling for him but I was afraid," she sobbed and Molly nodded in understanding.
"I think that maybe you should talk to him about it darling" Molly said signalling the waiter over again.
"Yes can I have a marsh mellow topped hot chocolate and a slab of fudge cake for my friend and I'll have a Mocha with a nice piece of apple pie don't forget the cream" she added giving the waiter he most dazzling smile making the young man blush.
Then she turned her attention back to the snivelling Serena.
"Look I'm going to give it to you straight" Molly said dropping the posh speech and adopting her usual calm voice.
"This guy makes you happy and from when I saw you and him last you did the same for him, so I don't see why you can't speak to him and tell him how you really feel, tell him that you quit your job" Molly suggested and Serena smiled.
Maybe Molly had a point maybe she just needed to talk to him and everything would be ok.
Biting into the fudge cake that landed in front of her Serena felt like there was some hope in this world after all.
Darien scowled down at the list that lay in front of him; he'd cancelled his meetings for the day and rescheduled his client appointments.
But it just meant more work for him later on but he didn't' really care all he could think about was his heartache and how he wished to god he had never answered his cell phone in the hospital.
He was going to turn it off as he'd been instructed but had forgotten to in his panic over Serena.
Now his world had come apart at the seems and he longed for it to be as it was, when all he had to do was reach out and know she was there for him to hold.
He was just about to brood some more when his intercom buzzed.
"Lita I thought I told you to hold all calls and clients today" he said irritable and heard his secretary's flushed response to his snapping.
"Yes sir I know but the lady is refusing to leave until she has seen you" Lita replied and Darien immediately sat up.
Lady.................could it be her?
"Who exactly is asking to see me Lita?" Darien asked and felt his heart pick up pace when she replied "a Miss Serena Waters sir."
Oh god it was her, she was here to see him what was he going to say? What was he going to do?
"Send her in" Darien said briskly trying to keep the emotion out of his voice.
A few seconds later there was a rap on the door and Serena breezed in her long blond hair flowing out behind her.
She looked like he did, hollow circles beneath her eyes and her skin seemed a shade paler but that didn't detract from her beauty.
"Can I help you" he asked coldly hating the way she winced at his tone.
"I um I came to tell you a few things" Serena said sitting down in front of him.
When he didn't respond she began to tell him all that she wanted to say.
"I was paid by your wife Beryl to kill you, but I never had access to the full file so I was unaware that my client was in a bad state of mental health. I was paid to get close to you then when you had fallen for me and trusted me completely I was to assassinate you and make it look like an accident" she paused for breath and looked for any sign of a reaction from him.
There was none so she continued.
"But the closer I got to you the more you began to affect me then I knew that I couldn't kill you, so I set about trying to discover your innocence before my contract was passed on."
She paused again then continued.
"I can't take back what I did Darien but all I have to say is that I fell in love with you, I quit my job I terminated the contract and I had your ex wife arrested" she said at last before standing.
She rounded the desk and walked to him sinking to her knees in front of him she looked him in the eye.
"Tell me that what we had wasn't special and I'll walk out that door and never look back but will you be able to live with the fact that you threw love away, please Darien if you'll let me I'll spend a lifetime of loving you and showing you that I care" she beseeched and he remained silent.
Her eyes begged him to talk to her to say something but his gaze remained stony.
"I guess that's it then" Serena said her voice breaking.
"Goodbye Darien" she said rising and walking away from him she opened the door and cast one last glance at him.
"I love you" she said then closed the door silently after her.
Darien looked at the door and felt as though the silence that followed was the most unbearable he had ever endured.
That's what his life would be without her an endless silence.
Did he really want that to go one day without her smile to brighten it?
It was then that Darien was faced with a decision and he knew what it was he had to do!
Exiting the building Serena tried to bite back the tears, it was over and she had to accept it.
She was about to open her car when she heard a voice calling her name.
"SERENA" turning she saw Darien running towards her his hair flapping and his face flushed.
"Did you mean it" he said when he at last came to halt in front of her, and she nodded to him.
Pulling her into his arms he crushed her small body close to him and she felt happiness sweep through her.
"I love you Serena" he whispered capturing her face in his hands he looked her in eye. "I want you to marry me" he said somewhat nervously.
And Serena smiled that sweet smile she always did nodded her lovely head and kissed him with a passionate love that told him everything he needed to know.
This was it he had come home at last.
Three Months later
The Church was full of people each one eagerly awaiting the arrival of the bride.
Darien was a bit nervous she was running late.
Andrew patted him on the back when he noticed him checking his watch yet again.
"Don't worry buddy its customary for the bride to be late" he comforted.
Darien was about to protest when the wedding march started and he turned to see his lovely wife to be walking down the aisle in her fairytale gown and she smiled so lovingly at him it simply took his breath away.
This was everything he had ever wanted and he knew that this time it would be forever.
Mina sighed down at the papers she held in her hand her thoughts centred on Serena.
She missed her friend but she also envied her.
She wished that she would find someone to love her as Darien did Serena.
An image of Andrew flashed in her mind, no she couldn't think of him like that love was an emotion she could ill afford to fall under.
She'd been disillusioned with that a long time ago.
Well its finished at last I hope you all enjoyed it and thank you all for your reviews. I'll be working on a Mina Andrew spin off if your interested and once again thanks for sticking with me. I'm really sad to see this end but I hope you all think it was a good story
Angel - Wings
