Chapter 42 Bait Again
“What?” Lilac asked. She could not understand the words that came out of his mouth. If he was anyone else, she would have misunderstood those words in a different direction, but because he was himself, she could not misunderstand his words. A lot of thoughts crossed Lilac's mind. Did he want to go to bed with her? There was a time she dreamed of himself saying those words, but now it scared her.
“Do you intend to sleep like that?” Eric asked and she understood what he meant. But did he have to say it that way?
“You are just going to sit here?” she asked.
“Act as though I am not here,” he said and she was at a loss for words. He too did not know why he did not want to leave. Truthfully, he could have arranged a thousand safe houses. There was no need to stay with her. For some reason, he could not bring himself to leave her side. The more she wanted to avoid him, the more he wanted to stay with her.
Sitting in her apartment so close to her bed, Eric could somewhat smell the scent that came off her. It was a combination of her perfume and her natural scent. He found that he was somewhat obsessed with the smell.
“You can’t stay here,” she insisted. She still hoped he would leave. The small nature of the apartment only made Eric's presence more profound.
“Why?” he asked. Her need to avoid him irritated him greatly.
“What do you mean by why? This place is too small, you want to stay here while I bathe and go to bed? How is that normal? Besides, have you not gotten what you wanted from me? Why do you need to continue hounding me?” she asked.
“We are already here, why go back tonight? Don’t you know that walking around at night is dangerous? Besides, What about all that happened tonight means I finally got what I wanted from you?” he asked and she seemed to freeze. She felt he was threatening her. And what does he mean by walking around at night is dangerous? Does he need a mirror? Was he not the kind to walk the night and do dangerous things? Was he not the one people would avoid at night?
“Still!” she insisted, “You can’t stay. What are you going to do, stay here all night while I sleep?” she asked
“Yes,” he answered and her mouth fell open.
“Please,” she suddenly heard herself beg, “If you are not going to harm me like you had said, then there is no need for you to keep punishing me, is there?” she asked.
“You think I am punishing you?” he asked.
“If not, then why are you doing this?” she asked. He admitted that he enjoyed her fear and fluster all through tonight, but he was not going to admit it out loud.
“I just think that we have not spent enough time together to know each other. I just discovered the recently that you are have a temper, what else don't I know?” he asked and Lilac's face turned ugly. She knew Eric was referring to her ever changing moods. Sure she looked crazy, but if anyone had married a man like Eric, they would go crazy too..
“What is it that you want to say. I don’t believe you came here with me for no reason,” she said.
“My wife needs to attend so events as my wife,” he said and she froze. He has never required this of her. In fact, his very words when they had gotten married was telling her to live as though she was dead. Barely anyone had met her as his wife.
“You mean to say I have something to attend with you? What event would need me to attend?" she asked.
“With me, without me…Mrs Black will have to show up to things from now on. When women of high society gather to even look at a flower, you will be there as Mrs Black…” he said and she started pacing.
“Does he thinks he is a movie?” she muttered as she paced.
“You know I can hear everything you say, right?” he asked and she froze.
“Why do I need to do this? What is the use of it?” she asked.
“There are people looking for you, you know. Now more than ever. You do not need to worry your little head about what you gave me in that vault..." He started to say.
"I did not give you anything!"
"But it can only be passed on willingly and you are of course, willing, right?" He asked and Lilac swallowed. Was she supposed to say otherwise?.
"And I can’t protect you if you are out of my sight doing God knows what? besides, do this and our debt is clear.” he said and Lilac raised brow.
"Debt?" He asked.
"Our marriage," he said and she sneered.
"You sure like to spin tales. I owe you nothing. And I have explained a long time ago..." She started to say when he cut her off.
"I know. Though the evidence is there that you orchestrated my mother's attempted abduction to our marriage and a lot of other things, what you said made sense. You don't seem stupid to me. There is no way you would do all that and not benefit from the marriage. But you were still used, so that is on you," he said and she swallowed her retort.
Lilac was somewhat glad he believed her or at least suspected that she was innocent.
"What is the real reason?" Lilac asked and they both stared at each other for a few seconds. She also knew he had other motives other than having to prove she willingly gave him her inheritance.
After all, in her past life, he did not bother proving they were really a couple and she could willingly hand over the inheritance at all. This meant that he had other means to make it happen. Maybe her change in actions triggered his change too. But she was suspicious that he wanted her out in public.
"Those who want to get to me are going to have a hard time doing that now," he said and she went pale.
“You are asking me to be bait to catch those who want to kill you? Can’t I just disclose that our marriage is a sham and get out of this?” she asked and let loose a lopsided smile that Lilac had always found attractive.. She saw him lean back into her couch and chuckle lightly, his low chuckle vibrating across her skin. Lilac suddenly thought he looked too good to be true. He looked godlike. She quickly shook the thought from her head.
“If you were the enemy, would you believe it?” he asked and she almost choked on her saliva. He was right, she wouldn’t.
“How would I know that?” she asked, “I don’t know anything about your world and I don’t want to know!” she scolded him, completely forgetting her fear. But he definitely knew she had figured things out for herself and was being stubborn. He was clear. While she was married to him, he was going to use her till was got all he wanted. She knew this but could not get out of it.
“You are smart. I like that.” he said with a slight chuckle, “Are you going to bathe or do you want to go to sleep like that? No matter what you do, I am not leaving. I already said I wouldn’t harm you, There is just something I am trying to figure out,” he said and she became indignant.
“Fine!” she took a towel and entered the bathroom in a huff. This made him let out another low chuckle. She would usually change in her room and enter the bathroom as she had lived alone and did not need to be so cautious about walking naked. She would even cook in her underwear when she felt like it. But she could not do that when he was there. She took a quick bath and realized she had not taken her clothes. She had already thrown her used clothes into the small washer in her apartment. She peeked out of the bathroom to meet his dark eyes.