Chapter 29
Ariel
Lying side by side with Liora who sleeping peacefully caused my heart to swell with excitement. This was the last thing I expected especially after I’d vowed never go to close to her again.
Not because I wanted to stay away from her, but I wouldn’t want to be locked up in a basement again and the fact that she was always throwing a tantrum each time I tried to establish closeness was discouraging.
I tucked away the bangs covering her forehead and began to input the features of her beautiful face into my memory. Who knew when I’d have the opportunity to be this close to her again?
Gradually, my eyelids became heavy and sleep crawled in with the liquor I’d taken in the club taking its toll on me. I took off my shoes and pulled the covers gently over us so she wouldn’t be stirred from her sleep.
After seeing to it that we were properly covered, I laid my head on the pillow and allowed sleep to claim my consciousness.
~~~~
Morning came by quickly as my eyes flew open when I noticed that there was someone else other than Liora in my room. I darted my gaze to the side and found Dmitri all dressed up with his arms folded.
The events of yesterday flashed back to my mind and immediately my face was plastered with a look of disapproval. “You should learn how to knock especially by this time of the day. What if I was naked?” I whispered to keep Liora from waking up because of our argument.
“You’re my wife and I’m entitled to seeing your body,” He replied cockily and crossed over to Liora’s side of the bed.
I watched him intensely and sprang out of the bed when I noticed what he wanted to do.
“She’s still sleeping, Dmitri. You don’t have to be this petty,”
He snubbed me and scooped her into his arms, stalking off to the door. I trailed behind him, trying to match his pace as he marched to her room.
I waited for him to put her back in bed then obstructed him from taking any other step when he came out of her room. “What do you think you’re doing?” I murmured angrily.
Trying so hard to keep my voice down when all I wanted to do was tell him was frustrating.
“I don’t owe you any explanation,” He tried to brush me off but I grabbed his arm firmly.
“Yes, you do,” My tone was frigid. “Aren’t you happy that she’s warming up to someone else other than you?”
He shrugged my hand off and pinned an impassive gaze on me. “No, I’m not. The fact that she rushed to you and not me who has always been her safe space bothers me so much and I don’t want anyone who wouldn’t have a permanent place in her life,”
I took a step back, his words hitting me hard on the chest. “Is that really what you fear? Because what I see is an insecure man who doesn’t know what is good for his daughter. Are you even there for her? We’ve been married for a month but I can count how many times you came home for dinner. It’s always about work, business and your mistress. I don’t need you, but she does, and if you wouldn’t be there for her then don’t blame me for overstepping my boundaries,”
My chest felt lighter after dumping my opinion on him and I planned to make good on my plan. No matter what he said, I’d be there for her.
I’d make her happy again. She would be able to call him daddy. That was my new goal, he could sleep with all the women in town for all I care.
“Ariel,” My name came out of his mouth in a growl.
Before, I’d have been taken aback by his coldness, but right now I could see why whoever the mother of Liora has abandoned her.
He had no human empathy.
“You don’t have the right to call my name, Dmitri. Just keep what I said in mind because I’ll be acting on my words,” I said with a note of finality.
“You don’t know half of what I’ve been through so don’t ever call me insecure,” He thundered, closing the distance between us.
However, my feet stayed glued to the floor and I met his gaze steadily. “What have you been through? Maybe you should open up so that I can understand you better,” I urged him.
He inclined his head and drew in a deep breath. “You don’t need to know anything. Just keep playing your part as my wife, I’ll take care of my issues by myself,”
“And how many of them have you been able to sort out by yourself, Dmitri? I might be young and inexperienced, but I’m willing to help if you let me. Haven’t you thought about our situation? You keep hurting me but I stupidly still want to help you. Doesn’t that do anything to you,”
I dug my teeth into my lower lip and shut my eyes briefly. He wasn’t supposed to hear such words and I hoped he would forget how vulnerable I sounded right now.
“You want to help me?” He tilted my chin upward with his thumb so that we would meet.
“You heard me,”
He nodded and put his hands behind him. “We’ll be taking a trip to San Diego tonight for a party so get ready for it. You’ll be my plus one so be prepared to mingle with others,”
“How does going to a party with you translate into helping you and what happened to your mistress? Isn’t she good enough?”
“She might be good enough, but she’s not my wife,” He spun around and stopped to spare me a backward glance. “And Ariel, you talk too much. Stop opposing my authority,”
His heels sounded noiseless as he trotted away while I balled my fists in embarrassment.