NERTHUS
As I open my eyes, sunbeams are already streaming in from the narrow window up the wall.
Due to the powerful sunbeams, I can finally make out some more details in the room.
More than the wide bed, there is a leather armchair and a small round table in the room. I find myself asking about what such a room would be designed for.
Arawn is lying on his front, hugging his pillow as he sleeps next to me peacefully, while is broad and muscular back is heaving lightly.
How can a person alone hold so much beauty?
I bite my bottom lip as I raise my hand carefully and touch his face with my fingertips before moving my hand through his hair gently.
He smiles in his sleep and my heart skips a beat, fearing that he will catch me.
Loving the feeling of his hair between my fingers, I continue to caress him gently. My heart flips as I stop moving and he groans. “Please, don’t stop. It feels good.”
I start moving again and soon enough, his soft snores signal me that he fell back asleep.
As I lay there, caressing his hair, I start contemplating how fucking lucky I am. This situation paired with the joy bubbling in my chest, has me thinking that maybe there is someone pushing me towards all this happiness.
Something I ought never to happen to me.
Here I was thinking I was in full control of everything while he came into my life, conquering every part of it like an unpredictable yet gorgeous summer storm.
I know that he is infatuated with me, and slowly I start to believe that having me falling in love with him might not be as troublesome for him as I had imagined.
Taking a mental note to myself, I decide to confess everything to him, even if it will make me look incredibly stupid.
But every detail might help make the old asshole pay for trying to bring him down.
As the incredible dumb thought passes my mind, that he would discard me the moment he wakes up, as he finally got what he wanted from the day he met me, he stirs.
Opening one eye before closing it again, he takes a deep sigh. “Your thoughts are so loud. What are you thinking about?”
I’m quite taken aback by his remark, and I try to hide what I was actually thinking about.
“Nothing in particular.”
He takes a deep sigh as he stretches, his muscles flexing and my heart squeezes. “How can you lie to me like this, when you were practically screaming at me just one moment ago.”
I gulp as he opens his eyes to look at me still drowsy.
And still looking gorgeous.
“I was just thinking about the money,” I breathe out, making him turn with a groan.
“What money?”
“The money you paid my cousin to… well… at the auction. For me.”
He grunts as he cuddles his cushion and closes his eyes. “I’ll get it back anyway.”
“You will get it back?” As he stays quiet, I nearly fear that he has fallen asleep, but I can’t stop myself from asking further. “How?”
“What do you mean, how? I won’t pay for something that is already mine,” he growls. “If someone steals something from me and even wants to make a profit out of it, this someone is going to bear the consequences.”
I look at his face as I whisper. “Consequences…”
“Yeah. Nobody touches what’s mine.”
I know I should be worried about him saying this but I can’t help feeling elated.
What a horrible human being that I am.
“Will you hurt him?”
He opens his eyes again to look at me and my breath hitches in my throat. His black eyes scan me intently as he wets his lips with his tongue, and I follow the movement hypnotized. “Do you want me to hurt him?”
I shock myself as I nod slightly a feeble whisper leaving my lips. “Yes.”
A gorgeous grin stretches on his lips, and he grabs me to pull me into him.
As I’m lying with my back pressed to his front, a shiver passes down and up my spine as he talks directly into my ear.
“Your wish is my command.”
Damn.
***
I can’t even describe my feelings as I walk up the long stairs back up at his side.
This time they don’t seem quite as cold as they used to last night.
I don’t even have the mindset to feel uncomfortable while still wearing my flimsy dress. Also, because he gave me his jacket, which protects me as I’m practically wrapped in it.
Walking through a magnificent entry hall with a grey marble floor and a big chandelier, we reach the dining room situated behind the door right below two staircases sweeping onto the upper floor.
As we pass the double doors and the flooring gets lighter, I stop to stare in awe.
The spacious room faces a wall of large windows, opening to a Mediterranean patio with well-tended lawns and colorful flowers. Trimmed bushes along gravel paths give the entire landscape something Luis XVIII would have been enchanted by.
At the end of it is a magnificent white balustrade with a long stair that reaches a sandy beach and a sparkling sea.
Arawn chuckles lightly behind me before he steers me to one side of the table. “Do you like it?”
“Yes, it’s wonderful. But where are we?” I ask with a happy grin, making him laugh.
“Sicily, beautiful.” He kisses my cheek, walking away from me and leaving me behind dumbfounded.
“Huh?”
I’m still standing and staring as he takes his seat on the opposite side of the table.
Looking down, I find it already set up for me. A kind woman in a knee-long, elegant dress steps up to me and gestures for me to take my seat.
“Can I bring you a cup of coffee, Ms. Hendricks?” I actually flinch at her using my real last name. I nearly forgot the sound of it, and not even her strong Italian accent does help making me love the sound of it.
“That would be lovely, Ms…”
“Just Concetta, cara,” she answers happily, making me smile at her.
“Thank you, Concetta.”
The woman’s smile reaches her blue eyes as she bows slightly and proceeds to leave the room.
Just as I’m about to say something to the man who is grinning at me while sitting a mile away from me, I get interrupted by two men in white suits, carrying platters filled with delicious foods.
“How many people are you expecting to join us?”
The men laugh just like Arawn and soon enough, everything is laid out presentably, making my mouth water.
As Concetta returns with my coffee and one for his majesty, I can’t help but snicker.
“May I have permission to sit next to you, my lord?”
Arawn looks at me with his brow lifted as if I was speaking gibberish. I clear my throat, nearly shouting over the table. “I’m sitting so far away from you. I don’t like that.”
He flashes me the most beautiful smile and gestures to one of the men, who immediately begins to bring my part of the food to the other side of the table.
Taking my chair, I position it next to Arwan and sit down with a sigh. “Much better.”
He chuckles and starts digging in again, and I joke, “Didn’t you want to talk to me or what? Do you already need a break from me?”
I smile slyly, covering up my heart beating painfully at the thoughts from this morning resurfacing again.
He just squeezes my thigh gently while shaking his head.
Guess he has used up his daily word count this morning as he was dirty-talking me.
Poking my food, I force a few bites down my throat, not wanting him to feel bad about my childish thoughts.
Suddenly, the bodyguard, who lent me his jacket, barges into the room, handing out a small box for Arawn to take.
He deposits it in front of me as he grins at me smugly. “Open it.”