Chapter 31 The woman ...
Dahlia.
" Come out, I am outside the hotel. " As I read that text, my heart did a flip, and foreign warmth burned through my veins as I imagined Dalton's breath-taking frace, leaning on a sleek black car, casually, looking like a sin.
" Girl! That text should be from Dalton, no? Well, you seem to have already fallen in love with your soon to be husband. "
" Why do I feel cheated, though? Here I was, worrying that your heart was still breaking because of that scumbag, only to learn that you have already moved on, really quickly, and that too without telling me. You little traitor!" Next to me, Freya complained, and yet, her clearly pleased smile didn't portray the harshness of her words.
She was clearly teasing me, and I didn't know how to stitch up a response. Maybe she was right. Maybe, if what I was feeling, if the fire that was burning in my heart was love, maybe I had already fallen for Dalton.
And just like I had pictured, Dalton's familiar frame leaned against a black car, neat, expensive, and polished.
Heavens! He looked breathtakingly attractive, and looking at him, I gulped audibly. And yeah, my chest tightened with pity when I looked at his serious, yet, captivating face. Why had I wasted ten years of my life pinned on Jason? That worthless piece?
Comparing the two, the difference was like night and day, hell and paradise. A sense of injustice gripped at my heart as I took steady steps towards him.
" This one, I approve, Dahlia. " Next to ne, Freya whispered, her voice wrapped with urgency for gossip.
" He is hot, rich, and very appealing to the eyes."
" Just go ahead and marry him, my love. Even if he breaks your heart, I will certainly help you book the therapy sessions! I will attend them with you, even!"
" Damn! He is worth it! I would probably die with a smile if I got to kiss such a demi-god!" Freya added, her gaze locked on Dalton, and I had to clear my throat to snap her out of her daze.
She could be too much, sometimes, but I loved her with her intensity. She added colour to my vanilla life.
" It's bad luck for the bride to see the groom before the wedding. " Now standing before him, I whispered, trying to dispell the moment of awkwardness. His gaze was strained on me, hot, sharpened by something I couldn't place, something that had my throat running dry and my mind going blank.
" What do you think could possibly go wrong, Miss Dahlia?" He asked, his voice husky, and nothing prepared me for the way his hand naturally snaked around my waist as he pulled me closer.
For a second, the air was charged around us, as our gazes held, sharpened by foreign intensity and we looked like we were about to kiss, and for a brief moment, our lips almost locked...
" I don't know....The groom could change his mind...or the bride, " I almost stuttered as I said those words. And yeah, I was so disoriented that I couldn't think clearly.
All I thought about was his lips, and how they would possibly taste like if wrapped around mine. Hell, I was clearly losing my mind. I had always been a very controlled person, but with Dalton, he seemed to expose sides of me that I didn't even know I possessed.
"Well, I certainly won't change my mind. " He whispered, his hot breath fanning my skin, as he stacked a strand of a stray hair behind my ear, and goosebumps lined my skin,
" And, I never let go of what's mine either. Dahlia Banks, from the moment you said yes, you became mine..." He added, and the possessiveness in his voice was unmistakable. And strangely, I loved it. I loved the feeling of being called his.
"Mmmmmh! "
" I hope I will soon become a godmother then." Our little charged moment was interupted by Freya's excited voice, and as the meaning behind her words sank in, pink crept from my cheeks to my ears!
Damn shameless Freya! We hadn't even shared our first kiss, and she was already talking about the being the godmother..Speaking of which, maybe we would have kissed if she hadn't interrupted.
" Nice to meet, you." Dalton's voice was surprisingly respectful as he greeted my best friend.
Well, after a formal introduction, we finally got into the car.
The drive from the hotel to Dalton's Southside villa was short, charged with silence, and occasional stolen glances, mostly from me to Dalton, and when we finally got there, I couldn't wait to escape. I think it was going to take me some time before I got used to Dalton's presence, especially, his otherworldly attractive profile.
When we got to the villa, there was no sitting. The servants grabbed our bags, and Dalton led us to the waiting private jet.
We roughly had about four hours before the wedding. Then there was makeup, dressing, and all. The timing was perfect, though.
It was not until thirty minutes later that we finally landed at the Capital, and I felt the shift in the air.
The air was charged with subtle hints of secrets, power, and danger. And then, there was that smell of sophistication, class, a world totally tacked away from the rest.
Our destination was a huge mansion, nestled in the arms of naturesl, a nearby lake, lush trees, and hills.
The mansion was all white, with that old European touch, the style that seemed to transport you to a different world, one that effortlessly blurred the line between the reality and fantasy.
I didn't need to get in two who owned it.
When we touched down, my Mom was already there, to welcome. She looked the same, but the joy in her eyes seeped through to my soul. She was happy.
"Welcome home, Dahlia. Introductions will be done later. It's time to get your makeup done. We don't have time." After quick greetings, she urged, already pointing towards some direction in the confusingly big castle.
" Then I will see you at the wedding, Miss Banks." Dalton whispered, and before I could respond, he was gone.
The scene that followed was chaotic. A bath, one that I had to be helped with, the skin preping, and by the time we were done, hair styled, makeup in place, I felt like I was about to faint from fatigue.
But staring at my reflection in the mirror, a pleasant smile found its way to my lips, instead. I looked different, beautiful,
Lost, staring at my reflection in the mirror, my train of thoughts was broken by a soft knock at the door to the dressing room.
And before I could respond, it wad pushed open. It wasn't my mother or Freya like I'd expected,
It was a lady, classy, but with a frown.
" So, you are the woman he is marrying?"
" Hopping from one man to the other?"