Chapter Two
Chapter Two
“I could take you on a honeymoon,” Haines says as the driver holds the door open for us. “Paris, London, the Caribbean. Your mother told me you’ve always wanted to go to Ireland.”
“She’s right. But I’d rather go with someone I liked. Besides, I go back to work on Monday.”
He sighs and shakes his head. I don’t know if he’s at his wits end with me or if he just hates my guts. It’s been a constant tug-of-war between us for years. His outdated, chauvinistic views bring out a hateful part of me that nothing short of homicide will quell.
The rest of the ride is in silence. Being this close to him with no one else around is causing me to restrain myself. I want him. My skin is burning with need for him. Keeping quiet and concentrating is the only thing that’s preventing me from sexually molesting him.
And he knows it. I think it’s getting to him too. He looks flushed and his breathing has sped up. I can actually feel his need for me as I’m sure he can feel mine. Every once in a while, he looks at me, and when he catches himself staring, he turns away and clears his throat. Good to know. Since we can’t get along long enough to do so we haven’t discussed the future dynamics of our relationship. When both of us have innate needs that stem from the sexual, things could get a little hairy. Every bone in my body tells me to reject him. Marriage is supposed to be about love and commitment. I need him so I won’t start killing people. What is he getting out of the deal?
If our first meeting didn’t go the way it did I might actually like him. But he was a prick, and I refused to tolerate it. We first met when I was sixteen years old. My mother knew I was a succubus by that time and sought the guidance from a witch not long after. The woman told her how to find Haines and once she finally met him she kept him away from me as long as possible. And when we did meet, let’s just say it wasn’t love at first sight. The prick. Even thinking about it pisses me off. He expected me to…
The car swerves, and Haines knocks on the tinted window that separates us from the driver. “Perrian, please stop.” His voice sounds heavy. “Whatever you’re thinking about…just stop. You’re going to cause the driver to kill someone.”
“Sorry,” I tell him as I check out our surroundings. “Good, we’re almost back to your house. We can get this over with.”
He exhales deeply and rubs his eyes. “You don’t seem to understand the severity of this arrangement. You don’t want to live with me, I think you should. So does your mother. We will need to be able to get to one another when the need arises.”
“I’m not giving up my apartment. It’s rent controlled and in an awesome neighborhood. It’s close to my job, the expressway… Nope, not giving it up.” I live ten minutes from the major shopping areas and fifteen minutes from downtown Baltimore.
“You are most vulnerable when you are asleep. That’s when the desires of men call to you. You’ll feel compelled to answer those calls and you will hurt someone. I need to be able to keep an eye on you at night.”
“I’ll think about it, all right?” I say quietly as we pull up to his house. The desires of men haven’t called to me yet. Why should it start now?
Once Haines found out I was supposed to be his lifetime sweetie he uprooted himself from Massachusetts to Maryland and moved into a small gated community in Towson called Cloister Vista. He lives in a beautiful brick single family home with columns that greet you as you walk in, granite tops in the kitchen and bathrooms, and striking hard wood floors. Maybe I’ll move in just so I can claim his house as my own. My favorite feature is the breakfast bay that leads into the dining room. It has five bedrooms and five bathrooms. Maybe he thinks he’s too good to have to share bathrooms with anyone if four other people moved in. I guess if I do choose to move in, fat chance, I could divorce him when this is all over and take his house.
The limo comes to a halt and I’m instantly nervous. I’m about to do it! This is disconcerting. I don’t know what to do! We’re gonna… What the hell was that? It feels like I just took a shot of whiskey.
A horrified whisper echoes from the front seat. “Oh. My. God. What was that?”
“We’ll let ourselves out,” Haines says to the driver who just creamed in his jeans. Haines scoots forward and opens the door. “In a rush to get my bride in the house,” he says with feigned happiness. He turns to me and scowls. “Get out of the car, Perry.”
I feel warm all over. And somewhat sated. “I didn’t mean to—”
“Get. Out.” His voice is cold.
I lean over and pull myself out of the limo. This dress is a little overpowering. “I really am sorry. Tip the driver, please.”
Haines gets out behind me and walks to the front of the limo. The driver rolls down the window and Haines hands him a few bills. One looks like a fifty. With everything I just put him through, he deserves a big tip. I don’t think he knows what really just happened, but I’m pretty sure he’s happy about it. Embarrassed, yes. But happy.
Each step I take toward the front door feels like a promise of punishment. I don’t know what he has in store for me, but I don’t think it’ll be gentle. His face is angry as he gets closer to me. I would tease about carrying me over the threshold, but he doesn’t seem to be in a joking mood. He just might pick me up and throw me over the railing.
“I suppose you’ll need a key,” he says coldly, using his to open the front door.
He ushers me in through the door and closes it behind us. I expect him to get right to it—maybe that’s just what I want—but he walks past me and goes into the kitchen. “You should take a short vacation from work,” he says. Haines has one of those glass refrigerators! I’ve always wanted one.
“Seriously, dude,” I say, walking up behind him. He pulls two bottles of water from the refrigerator. Looks like I’m in for a workout! “I like my job, and you and I aren’t doing anything next week.”
He untwists the bottle top and hands it to me. “Drink. You’re tipsy. I don’t want you to blame alcohol for what we may be doing this evening.” His eyes are dark and hold a look that makes me want him even more than I already do. “I’ll make you a sandwich.” He pulls out a large platter from the second shelf filled with lunch meats and cheeses. “You need to take off work. You see what you did to the driver? Do you want to bring your coworkers and patients to orgasm when you can’t control yourself?”
“No,” I mutter. “I’ll take a few days off. Damn-it.”
“Is that your favorite word?”
“Yes, damn-it. It sure is.”
He rolls his eyes. “You’ll need a few weeks.”
My mouth hangs open in surprise. “Are you trying to get me fired? It’s bad enough I’m going to take a few vacation days with such short notice, but a few weeks?”
He looks smug. “I tried to tell you. You wouldn’t listen.”
Bull-shit. “At no time did you say, ‘Hey Perry, you’re in danger of making everyone around you climax if you think too hard.’ Yet another reason why I don’t like you—failure to disclose. Why doesn’t anyone tell me anything?”
He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. “You need to learn to take subtle hints.”
Smiling, I wave at him. “Hi, I’m Perry. Have we met?” I say sarcastically. “I need bricks thrown at me. Just say what you mean.”
“Perrian, please go sit down at the dining room table. I’ll bring in your sandwich. You are exhausting.” He goes to the granite island and begins to make my sandwich.
I walk past the dining room and into the family room to check things out. The first time I came here he started telling me where I would stay and how he believed our relationship should be handled. He wanted to be my guardian. If I remember correctly I told him, ‘I already have to deal with my parents and now I have to take you telling me what to do? You’re gonna wait until I’m ready or until I explode.’ We instantly developed an aversion to one another.
“Haines,” I yell while tracing my fingers along the fireplace mantel. The stone is cold and smooth. A vision of me face to face with Haines’ hardened cock comes to mind. It’s smooth and rigid, like the mantel. Or would it be ringed with veins that I could trace with my tongue while I look up at him? His eyes staring down at me as I suck the mushroom shaped tip into my mouth and hear him groan my name as he fists my hair. Stop it, Perry. “I’m going to get out of this dress. Where did my mother leave my overnight bag?”
There are no pictures of family or friends anywhere. Just little tchotchkes and keepsakes that range from antique to modern. Over five-hundred years of collecting stuff will probably do that to you.
“You don’t do what you’re told,” he says as he rounds the corner, holding a plate with a massive sandwich, chips, and bottle of water. “I asked you to sit at the table.”
“Again, my name is Perry…” He’s going to hate me before the week is up.
“After you’ve sobered up I’m going to slowly take that dress off you.” His voice is cold and smooth like the mantel. Walking closer to me he dips down and brings his lips so close to my ear I can feel his warm exhalations sweeping across my neck. “I am going to taste you until you scream, drinking in the passion I can already feel rolling off you. Then I’m going to ride you until the only thing you can see and taste and feel is me.”
Well damn. I try to take a step back but the fireplace blocks me. My heart beats as if it will burst as a flood of heat seeps into my panties. My breath hitches in my throat, and my pulse slams to a stop as his lips draw closer to mine. God help me, I want to touch him. Have his delicious hands roam the curves of my body as he makes those pretty promises come true. Screw the sandwich. I want him now.
Haines’ eyes are full of lust and they touch a part deep inside me that contracts my core and makes me think I could actually come from his closeness alone. “Once you’ve begged me to do so, of course. And you will plead,” he says, taking a step back and walking toward the kitchen.
Son of a bitch. I want him right now, but I refuse to beg.
****
Three hours later and I’m still sitting here with this God-awful dress on. I would have taken it off eons ago, but I can’t reach the gazillion buttons that line the back. And I don’t know where he put my bag of clothes my mom left for me. So it’s either walk around naked or wear his clothes. I’m thinking naked. Maybe he’d be faster at trying to get my goods if they are free for the pillaging.
“I love this show,” he says, laughing at a recorded episode of Happy Endings.
It’s one of my favorite shows, too. He’s sitting three feet from me on the C-shaped, dark brown couch that complements the family room. He’s taken off the jacket of his tux and the tie hangs loosely around his neck. The deep red cummerbund is hanging on the back of the beige recliner next to the fireplace.
He laughs. “The witty and crude dynamics of their relationships are just too comical. It’s unlike any show on television.”
“Yeah,” I say looking at him sideways. “I liked it, too. Shame it was cancelled.” I slide closer to him, grab the remote, and pause the show. “Haines, you may touch me.”
He looks at me and laughs. “What did I tell you?”
“Dude, I don’t beg. But I’m giving you permission. You. May. Touch. Me.” I smile sweetly at him.
“Unlike mortal men I am completely immune to your antics. You will beg or you will as you told me before, explode. I am saying what I mean for a change. Goodnight, Perrian.” He leans forward and chastely kisses my lips.
“Where are you going?” I whine.
“To my room. I’ll put your bag in the hallway and you may pick any room that is not mine. Unless you’re ready to supplicate me.” He gets up from the couch, hands me the remote and walks off.
“Well, can you at least help me get this dress off? It’s either that or I’ll have to cut it down the middle.”
“Goodnight, Perry.”
I can’t believe he’s leaving. He thinks I’ll follow him. Well, he has another thing coming because I’m not following him. He’ll be back. Or not.
Well, at least he called me Perry.
****
I couldn’t bring myself to cut the dress off last night. Waking up on the couch in a wedding dress is one of the most uncomfortable things that I have ever experienced. Well, on my twenty-first birthday I did get royally shit-faced and fell asleep on the porch swing face down and fully clothed. That was quite uncomfortable, but nothing compares to wearing a million layers of puffy fabric and a bustier that cuts off circulation. I must have fallen asleep deleting all of his recorded shows on his DVR. I will have my revenge!
I get up and start checking out the house. Outside of a closed door on the second floor is my overnight bag. I assume this is Haines’ room, and he wants to be left alone. I grab my bag off the floor and head to the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face. Your average woman would look like stir fried hell right now, but I’m still looking all right. The perks of being half demon.
Oh, God. I have to pee. In this dress.
****
Twenty minutes later and I’ve managed not to pee on my dress. Before I locked myself inside of the church bathroom to be alone with my insidious thoughts of Haines, my mom helped me hoist the massive bottom up so I could use the bathroom. If I have to go again this dress may sustain unspeakable damage.
“That shower was so refreshing.” Haines rounds the corner to the kitchen where I’m sitting at the breakfast bar eating a bowl of cereal. He’s barefoot and wearing nothing but brown and black striped pajama pants. “I must say, Perrian, you still look lovely. I hope you slept comfortably.”
“Bite me. Come on, help me get it off. I kinda like it and I don’t want to ruin it,” I say, pleading with him.
He puts a pod in the coffee maker and places a green coffee mug under the dispenser. “I knew you couldn’t do it. At least I was hoping you couldn’t. That dress cost me seventeen hundred dollars.”
“That’s not why I didn’t cut it. It makes me feel pretty. But I gotta get it off!” I leap off the bar stool and go to stand in front of him. “Please, Haines, unbutton it for me.”
“Are you begging?”
“Nope.”
“Have you learned your lesson, Perrian? I will teach you to do what you are told. Or at least to be agreeable.”
His smug look pisses me off, and I have the notion to punch him in the face. Do what I’m told? I walk to the knife block, grab the poultry scissors and begin to cut the dress, starting from my boobs and working my way down. “Do what I’m told? Fuck you!”
He stares at me in disbelief as I ruin the dress that cost him an ass-load of money. Haines is speechless.
Once I finish cutting it down enough until my hips and thighs are free I step out of my once pretty dress and hand the scissors to him. “I am not a child and you are definitely not my father. Do what I’m told? You must have forgotten who the hell I am.” I feel great. Lighter. Free to pee! “I’m going to take a shower now and then I’m going to pick a room and go to sleep.”
Georgia
Arial
Cabin
T
T
T
English
Chapter auto-unlock