It had been a week since Cara and Marcus returned to his Southampton home from their trip. After spending a day with her siblings, Cara felt rejuvenated enough to start college. The last few days, she had settled down to a nice routine that suited Marcus as well. The classes at Suffolk Community College were very enjoyable and with her talent, in the field, she picked up more than her batch mates could.
“I’m glad that you are picking up so well. I completed the 6th painting last night. We will start with the seventh when you return from college.”
Cara nodded and quickly wrapped up the work. “Lunch is made, Marcus. Just warm and eat if you’re hungry.”
Marcus caught her and kissed her mouth passionately. “You know that I hate eating alone. I’ll wait for you to return.” A breathless Cara beamed with happiness and dashed off outside. Bob Franklin drove her to college while she gazed outside the window and dreamed about Marcus, missing him already. Life had been a roller-coaster ride ever since she agreed to be his art model and there had been no looking back since then. Marcus always seemed to be in the best of moods and totally insatiable. They made love everywhere, in the shower cubicle, on the kitchen counter, on his study desk, on the lounge in his art studio, on the sofa apart from the bedroom of course. They got to know each other better with every passing day although they refrained from bringing up the past.
“Wow! You’re so lucky!” said her new friend, Bella Symmonds whom she bonded with well at college. She had a beautiful voice and aspired to be a music director one day. Marcus’s Mercedes pulled away after dropping her and she walked towards their class with Bella.
“It’s not mine,” she shrugged, not divulging any details about herself. Marcus had instructed her not to give out any information about him or about their work. He was a celebrity with the paparazzi eager to get more information on his private life and he preferred to keep his latest art project a secret at present. So Cara kept low and hardly spoke about herself but Marcus’s cars were too expensive and always drew attention. She had told him many times that she would take public transport to college but Marcus was adamant. It seemed as if Bob Franklin had no other work than to drive her to and from college.
“Then whose is it?” asked Bella eagerly, not giving up this time. As her closest friend, she was curious to know more about Cara.
“It’s my boyfriend’s,” she lied to ward off Bella.
“Wow, your boyfriend must be loaded. What does he do?” she asked.
“Business. I’ll just come from the lab, Bella. I need to talk to Mrs. Higgins,” said Cara, rushing off without waiting for her answer. From that day onwards, Cara tried her best to avoid making friends at college. She couldn’t lie much and Bella’s curiosity was increasing day by day. Ignoring her seemed to be her only option. It was easy since due to her outstanding results, she was able to complete the semester much ahead of the others. Studying on a fast track made her save time and grasp more. While the others seethed with jealousy, Cara soon started getting top grades in all her semesters.
Marcus was proud of her and expressed it all the time, showering her with gifts but Cara never accepted anything without paying him off. She ensured that he deducted everything from her pay before touching the gifts. Having paid off the price of the laptop and mobile phone, she wasn’t in any way indebted to Marcus for anything apart from allowing her to attend college. Her brilliant results brought her full scholarship including a state grant and she was glad that she didn’t need to depend upon Marcus for her education.
At home, the lump sum money she sent every month was enough to give them a comfortable life. Aunt Maggie maintained an emergency account where she saved every month for them. The children were doing well in school and spoke to her every now and then through video calls. At last, she was happy with what life had granted her. She still loved Marcus more than ever before but it was an unconditional love that she tried to keep hidden deep in her heart. She knew Marcus didn’t want her to harp on the L-word all the time and therefore she kept her unrequited feelings to herself. Marcus was too engrossed in his paintings to care much. He was happy to get what he needed, se*, loads of it, without any strings attached.
His family called him occasionally, asking him to go back to New York but he wasn’t interested. The paintings took all his attention and the rest of the time, he was just like a horny teenager around his first crush. Cara admired his talent, not because of the fact that he had painted her, but because they were indeed amazing pieces of art.
“How many more are you planning?” asked Cara as she stared at his 20th painting of her. It was a painting of her, engrossed in her work with a pen and a notebook. It was a portrait of a woman of the world whose eyes glittered with passion as she wrote down the lyrics of a new song. Six months have passed by and she wondered if this was his last! Would she have to leave after this?
“20 more. These won’t be up for sale. I’ll just display them in my art gallery,” informed Marcus. Cara’s eyes widened at the information. She was puzzled by his statement. After spending so much time, money, and effort, how would he earn if he didn’t sell the paintings?
“How will you earn if you don’t sell?” she asked with concern. Marcus didn’t answer as he continued to complete his work. He knew that these paintings were too personal, too special and he couldn’t afford to part with them. Every one of them has memories and he would cherish them for the rest of his life.
“Can you sell your soul?” he asked grimly. Cara shook her head slowly as she realized how special his work was to him. Her foolish heart wanted to hope that it was because of her but her mind knew better.
“I guess not.” Her phone buzzed with an incoming call from Liam. She sighed knowing that it was the twins twelfth birthday coming up and she needed to plan something special for them.
“Why don’t you take the call? Who’s call is it?” demanded Marcus with a scowl on his face. It was his typical behavior whenever she received a call from her batch mates at college. She didn’t bother much since she wasn’t in a relationship with him and therefore wasn’t answerable to him but his possessiveness was driving her crazy day. It seemed to increase with each passing day!
“It’s Liam. The twins have their twelfth birthday this Saturday and they want me to celebrate it with them.” Marcus scowled and looked away.
“Will you stay the night?” he asked, looking annoyed.
“Yes. I’ll go on Friday evening and then return on Sunday.” Marcus kept his paintbrush down and stared at her angrily.
“Why do you need to go on Friday?” he demanded, fuming with anger.
“I have to help aunt Maggie plan something special for them. Don’t worry, I’ll help with your paintings, complete all the housework before leaving.”
“This isn’t about the housework or the paintings, Cara. I think you know that by now.”
“No Marcus, I don’t know what this is about. Every time I want to spend a day with my little siblings, you seem to go crazy. I can’t ignore them, they need me. I’m all they have, you have to understand that. I know that you’re paying me so I never go anywhere and spend months with you but am I not entitled to get even a day’s leave?” she erupted for the first time in six months.
Marcus looked taken aback by her answer and he just stormed angrily out of his studio. Cara sighed, her heart breaking for yelling at him but he was becoming more and more impossible with his demands. It was the first time she answered back and stood up against his possessive behavior, shocking and angering him even more. The rest of the week he didn’t interact with her or sleep with her, spending his time alone in the studio. He declined her entry since he wasn’t interested in starting another fresh sketch. Cara felt miserable and guilty but the harm was done and she had no way of knowing how to comfort him. It was Friday and she just completed her work absent-mindedly after college. She knew the twins had been calling her incessantly but she didn’t have the heart to tell them that she couldn’t make it this year. She had sold her soul this year!
The doorbell rang and she went to open the door. A worried Ben Duncan stood at the doorstep. “Is your phone switched off Cara? Your aunt Maggie called me just now to update you that the twins are inconsolable and refusing to celebrate their birthday without you,” he informed her. Cara sighed, tears pooling in her eyes.
“Tell her that we will arrange a special celebration next year.” She turned away and wiped her eyes, only to find Marcus standing right in front of her with a brooding look on his face.
“Tell them we’re coming soon,” he said, staring straight into her wide eyes. Ben Duncan smiled and walked away, closing the door after him.
“I’m not going anywhere.” Cara tried to walk away but Marcus caught her and pulled her into his arms.
“Yes we are, get ready,” he said, staring at her with a deep hunger that blew her mind away. She had missed him so much in the last two days. Had he missed her as much?
“But why do you want to go with me?”