I reluctantly handed my keys over to Darius and the moment I gave them to him, I started to second-guess my decision. He was rich and well-off and he had a bike that was probably worth more than everything I owned, while I drove a beat-down car that I had bought from a sleazy junkie in the city because he needed his next fix. I instantly wanted to take my keys back but Darius would not give them to me.
I expected him to frown when he saw my car but he simply got in the driver’s side. He looked so small inside of it and I briefly wondered if he had ever owned anything like it before. He seemed more like the kind of man to drive a race car or a huge jeep and not the hunk of metal that I called a car but he never complained. He sat in the car as if he owned it and drove it without a single complaint.
The entire ride home was terse and silent. I could not help but glance at Darius out of the corner of my eye throughout. I knew he noticed because every few minutes he would shake his head and mutter a few words under his breath. By the time he got to my house, I all but leaped out of the car because I was not sure how long I was going to be able to last in a confined space with him.
The front light was off and so were the lights in the house so I knew everyone was asleep. I let out a sigh of relief because it meant that I did not have to explain to anyone why I was coming home extra late or why Darius was the one to drop me off at home.
“Thank you for driving me home,” I may not have liked his company but that did not mean that I didn’t have manners.
He handed my keys back to me with a nod and his fingers brushed mine eliciting goose bumps all over my skin. I swallowed deeply and took a step back trying to create distance between us and trying to keep myself level-headed.
“It is my job to keep you safe,” he responded as if it was the simplest thing in the world. “In the future, please refrain from going to people’s homes in the middle of the night.”
“I wouldn’t have needed to if you were not trying to forcefully marry me. It is not so hard to take a hint and realize that a woman doesn’t want you.”
I knew I could have ignored his statement and ended the conversation but I wanted to get the last word in and there was a part of me that just wanted to wipe his self-satisfied smirk off his face and it worked because his smirk fell but it did not work how I expected it to because one minute, I was standing on my side of the car close to the house and the next minute, he was walking around the car to stand directly in front of me.
I took a step backwards and my back hit the cool metal of the car. I was wearing nothing but my flimsy work shirt and I blamed the cold air on the goose bumps that rose across my skin as Darius moved forward once more until I could practically feel the searing heat from his skin on mine.
“You may not want to admit that you want me but I know never,” he began slowly, his voice no more than a whisper. “Your mouth may deny it but your body will never. Your eyes seek me out subconsciously.”
“That’s only because I’m trying to find a way to avoid you,” I lied and he chuckled then leaned closer until his lips brushed the shell of my ear.
I inhaled sharply and held my breath. I did not dare move or breathe for fear that his body would brush against mine. As always, he noticed and he chuckled dryly. The sound was like gravel in my ears and it was hoarse.
“You are a very good liar but I can see signs that you don’t even realize that you’re making. You can hide your looks and your words but you cannot fake the way your heart picks up like it is right now.”
He pulled back and without another word, he disappeared into the woods.
I stood there on the porch screaming to myself and asking what just happened because I could not believe it. I tried to wrap my head around the possibility that Darius Lunar and I just shared a moment but I could not imagine a life where that happened. I did not want to believe it.
I forced my feet to move of their own accord and I took my keys out of my pockets. I was suddenly more grateful that everyone was asleep because it meant I was able to lock myself in the comfort of my room and pretend like none of it ever happened.
By the next morning, I had managed to push every thought of Darius to the back of my mind. I was going to pretend like it never happened and I made up my mind that if Darius were to arrive at work then I was going to ignore him as usual. I was not attracted to Darius Lunar and the only reason I reacted the way I did last night was because it was cold and I was tired.
When I finally managed to drag myself out of my room, Grandma asked why I returned late. I made an excuse about spending some time with Serena and I could tell that she did not believe me but I had no plans of explaining further so I just took my breakfast back to my room. I managed to get an hour alone before there was a knock on my door and she walked in.
I opened my mouth to speak but she held up a hand to silence me.
“Before you say anything, I just want to apologize to you, Leindra.” I was shocked, to say the least, but I stayed silent and allowed her to speak. “I know you’re upset about the situation with Darius but I promise you that it will get better. Darius is a good man and although he is not what you may want for yourself right now, he might be what you need.”
“This isn’t about Darius. What are you talking about?”
“You’re spending time away from home to avoid me and you have not spoken to me properly in two days.”
Awareness settled on me and I hated the fact that I had to lie to my grandmother but I figured that lying to her was a much better alternative than telling her that Darius was a werewolf. I still wasn’t sure why he decided not to kill me after I found out his secret but I was not sure if he would extend the same courtesy to her so I stayed silent and allowed her to believe what she wanted.
“If I could stop this, I would have but there is nothing we can do and you have to make the best we have to make the best out of it. I am so sorry that this is happening to you.”
I watched my grandma carefully for the first time as she spoke and there was not a speck of remorse in her gaze. Her expression was carefully blank and I had known her long enough to know when she was hiding something and I knew right now that she was hiding something but I did not have enough proof to call her out on it.
“Did he blackmail you?” I asked and she shot me an incredulous look. It was the first real bit of emotion she had shown. “If he didn’t blackmail you then why do you want it to happen so badly?’
She stuttered before she responded. My question had thrown her completely off guard because she was not expecting it. Her moment of hesitation was all the proof that I needed- she wanted this marriage to happen. For some weird reason, Grandma wanted me to marry Darius and she was not telling me why.
“Is there something I should know?” I asked and she effectively zipped her mouth shut.
“I think you’re upset and we can have this conversation later.”
She walked out of the room before I could say anything else but I didn’t have anything to say. I had gotten everything that I needed.
I did not leave my room and no one came to see me again until it was time for work. Grandma refused to leave the kitchen when she heard me leave my room. She was playing music on the radio and she increased the volume when she heard me rummaging around in the living room. I was not ready for another conversation with her so I simply walked out of the house without a word and made my way into the car.
I sat inside and the first thing I noticed was that the chair had been shifted back. Darius must have done it to accommodate himself. The car also smelled like Darius’ cologne and I hated it because it made it harder for me to forget that yesterday had happened. I quickly put the chair the way it was supposed to be and made a mental note to stop by the store so I could get some air freshener for the car.
I wanted to wipe away every thought of Darius that I had from yesterday. I was also hoping that he would not come to work seeing as he had not been in the bar for the past two days. I prayed to whoever was listening and when I got to the bar and did not see his or his friend’s vehicles, I let out a sigh of relief- my prayers had been answered.
I was in a cheerful mood and I practically skipped into the bar. I was cheery to the customers that I passed by on my way to the station and I even flashed Serena the widest smile I could muster. She looked bewildered and amused as she took me in.
“Did something happen?” she asked, but I shook my head. “You look like you swallowed a rainbow or something.”
“I’m just very happy today,” I said and I could see that she had a lot of questions but she stayed silent.
The first few minutes of my shift were magical. The customers were amazing and none of them asked for complicated drinks. The bar was bursting with life and everyone was happy. I could have stayed in that moment for the rest of my life until I heard the door of the bar open. Ian walked in first and although my smile wavered, I kept it because I was still hoping that Darius would not be with him.
The rest of their friends came in and as each person walked into the bar I kept praying that he wouldn’t arrive. The door shut finally and I let out a sigh of relief that he was not there. I was about to go back to my work when the door opened again and Darius walked in.