Chapter 27 Chapter 27
"Your mother?' Curiosity got to her, and she asked despite herself.
"Yes, my mother. I had one. As all humans do." Daimen's lips quirked up into a smirk as he assessed her curious reaction.
"Yeah, of course you had one," Luna hid her embarrassment behind a light laugh. Then someone's words reverberated in her mind.
'Hit the iron when it's hot'
It was Jake.
Mother.
Of course.
It was such a nice opportunity.
A perfect conversation opener. Mother is supposed to be a sensitive topic. It would open up that mysterious person. That was her chance.
But Luna didn't want to sound too desperate. She let the silence and the splashes from the fountain create a comfortable space between them. After an interval had passed, she brought it up.
"'Had'" She started very carefully. "as in, is she no longer alive?"
Daimen's head snapped in her direction. His astute eyes scanned each and every flicker of emotion. "She was murdered." He casually dropped the bomb.
Luna choked and ended up coughing. This escalated quickly.
Watching her, so shocked that it sent her into a spiral of violent coughing, Daimen couldn't help but smirk. He carefully patted her back to let her have some relief.
Luna was surprised at the kind gesture and experienced a certain sensation of warmth permeating into her chest. Perhaps it was because she was isolated. Perhaps it was because she was scared, but any gesture of kindness affected her deeply and threatened the actively reinforced walls around her.
'Pull yourself together. He is the enemy.' She reminded herself.
"I'm sorry to hear this."
"You do not need to feel sorry."
"Why, don't you mourn her?"
"I did," Daimen looked ahead, his face aloof. "And then, I avenged her."
"You found the murderer?"
"Yes, it was my father."
Silence.
Pin drop silence.
Luna looked at him with a weird face. Of course, he turned out to be fucked up. His whole family history was fucked up. It would have been a miracle and highly unusual instead if he hadn't turned out to be fucked up.
However, in the silence dominated by water splashes, there was a subtle melancholy. It was subtle and momentary. If not for Luna's acute perception, she would have missed it.
'Well, well, something to dig into later on' She made a mental note and moved on.
"So when was the last time you came here?"
"It's been a decade and a half."
"Fifteen years ago? Do you remember anything from back then? How was your mother?"
"Sad." Daimen offered just one word and, with an abrupt turn, moved towards the other side of the garden.
After some steps, he stopped, as if expecting Luna to follow. Realising he wasn't up for an emotional conversation about his mother, Luna didn't press the buttons either.
Better safe than sorry,
She quickly followed behind him.
Once she approached him, he resumed his way ahead, navigating the trek.
The path narrowed, winding through tall hedges trimmed into elegant arches. Sunlight filtered through gaps in the foliage, dappling the stone walkway with shifting patterns. Birds flitted between branches overhead, their songs soft and distant, as though the world itself was holding its breath.
They emerged into a clearing.
Luna slowed, her breath catching.
A small picnic spot had been prepared beneath the shade of an ancient oak tree. A woven blanket lay spread across the grass, its edges weighed down with smooth white stones. Nearby sat a basket brimming with fruit—deep red apples, clusters of grapes dusted with dew, peaches glowing softly in the sunlight. A porcelain teapot rested beside it, steam curling faintly from its spout.
It was intimate.
Too intimate.
The place had probably been prepared by his servants way ahead of them. There was a picnic basket with a bunch of fruits. All colourful and luscious.
Daimen walked ahead and sat. When it was Luna's turn, she naturally wanted some space and chose a spot a bit distant from Daimen.
However, her plans to create a distant spot were crushed by a hard voice. "Come here." His deep eyes stared into her soul. He had already settled, expecting her to sit beside him.
"Pardon?" Luna blinked.
"Come here." He tapped the spot beside him.
Close. Too close.
Close enough to hug her and force her into a deep, breathless kis-
Luna mentally slapped herself.
What was wrong with her?
"Ok," She acquisied since the second time, his face has hardened indicating there was no room for negotiation. As she approached, careful and cautious, a hand went upward to her and pulled her down.
Instead of landing on the spot beside him, she ended up landing over his lap.
Luna's heart rate skyrocketed. It happened so fast that she could not find time to collect herself. Just a moment ago, she was far away from her. And now she was encaged, within his arms, her back pressed to his toned chest. She could even feel the steady beat of his heart and cool breath blowing onto her shoulder.
She tried to get up, only ending up having his arm wrapped even tighter around her.
"Daimen," She wanted to sound firm, but her voice came out breathless and unavoidably erotic. She cursed under her breath. "C-Can you let me go?" She pleaded.
"No," he replied unceremoniously.
"But," Luna turned her face, only to regret because the act brought her lips so close to him, it was dangerous.
And this time, there was no Harlan here to interrupt them.