Chapter 22 21
Darius’ POV
Her lips were so soft, they tasted like the sweetest honey.
I don’t even know why I kissed her, but once it happened, I couldn’t stop myself. My hand slid around her waist, drawing her closer as I pressed the kiss deeper. It wasn’t just a kiss. It was something I had never felt before.
I felt this calmness in the deepest part of my soul. Even Zeus, went extremely calm, like some well trained pup.
Her hand rested against my chest and I pulled away slowly. Her wide eyes were staring at me. Slowly, she lifted her hand and touched her lips like she couldn’t believe what just happened.
She just stood there, looking at me.
I ran a hand through my hair. What the hell did I just do? Why did I even kiss her?
“Um…” she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper.
That was all she said. She turned away, as if running from the moment.
And me? I turned too, and walked out of the room. The hallway was quiet, but my heart was the opposite of quiet.
I sighed, dragging my hand down my face. What must she think of me now?
Our first meeting was in a brothel. And now I kissed her out of nowhere. Did she think I was just another man who saw her as nothing more than what that place made her? Some kind of sex-hungry bastard who couldn’t control himself.
I lifted my gaze as I walked and saw Dante coming down the hallway. He almost walked past me, obviously trying to ignore me, but I stepped in front of him, blocking his way.
He looked at me but didn't say anything. “You're still upset?” I raised a brow.
“Of course I’m upset. You went to Adiba Street, knowing the Patriarch had been there, and then you got yourself badly injured. You could have died.”
I exhaled through my mouth. “I know. I was just…”
“Angry? Irritated? Agitated? Frustrated?” He took the words right out of my mouth. “What do you want to say, Darius?”
I met his gaze. “Fine. Okay. I agree I acted irrational. Mom scolded me, Soraya too. Even Sam had his turn. I got it, I won’t make such a mistake again.”
He stared at me, obviously unconvinced.
“I promise,” I added, to assure him I was serious.
Dante finally shrugged. “You better not. We can’t afford to lose you. We all need you.”
“Yeah, yeah, I get it,” I muttered.
We started walking side by side in silence until Dante gave me a sidelong glance.
“You were coming out of Soraya’s room.” His brows wriggled as he smirked.
I narrowed my eyes. “So?”
He lifted his hands in the air. “What do you mean, ‘so’? What happened?”
“Nothing,” I said quickly.
“Oh, please. Cut the crap. Sam already told me you got her gifts because you’d said hurtful things to her.”
“Yeah, that’s it,” I answered.
“And now you were in her bedroom.”
I swallowed. “Well… I just went to apologize. I don’t know what came over me. I—” I paused, “I kissed her.”
Dante froze, staring at me like he couldn’t believe what he had just heard.
“You… kissed her?”
I nodded slowly.
“Damn.” He smirked, shaking his head. “Well, well.”
I only shrugged, pretending it wasn’t a big deal even though my chest was a mess of heat and tension.
“You see,” Dante went on, “you should really be thanking me, bro. If I hadn’t forced you to go to the brothel that night, you wouldn’t have found your beloved mate.”
I rolled my shoulders in a shrug. My mind drifted back to that night. One of the usual nights where I felt uneasy because of the current happenings around me.
Dante had come to me with his reckless grin and an idea he thought was brilliant.
“Ease off the stress, man,” he had said. “Just one night at the brothel.”
Dante didn’t have a mate, and so, some weekends, he’d disappear and come back with that smug look I hated. He was always talking about Velvet Chics—the biggest brothel in the city.
According to him, their service was “the best you could get anywhere.” He spoke to the manager of the place, probably told her I was and do she got all hyped up that Darius Dovenia, an Alpha CEO, was coming to her brothel. I had to be one of the richest “client” she has ever gotten.
Dante had been bugging me for months, casually. And I always declined. But that night I don’t know why. Maybe I was tired of fighting, maybe I wanted the noise in my head to stop. So I agreed to sleep with one of the sex workers.
And as fate would have it, I met my mate—Soraya. Right there, in a place I would have never set foot in.
Dante’s hand tapped my arm, pulling me back. “What are you thinking about?”
I exhaled, forcing another shrug. “Nothin—”
“Darius!”
The sound of my name being barked out made me snap my head forward. Emily was stomping toward me. God, what is this about now?
She stopped right in front of me, her arms crossed tightly over her chest.
I raised a brow, tilting my head. “What is it?”
“I happened to hear,” she said, “that you got gifts for that girl.”
My jaw tightened. “You mean Soraya.”
“Does it matter? Do you even have to say her name?” she snapped.
Before I could reply, Dante cut in. “Emily, what is this about?”
Emily swung her gaze to him, then back to me. “Our beloved Alpha got gifts for a sex worker.”
I lifted my hand sharply, raising a finger at her. “Mind how you talk.”
She smirked bitterly. “Did I say anything wrong? Hmm?”
Dante ran a hand through his hair, muttering under his breath. Before either of us could stop her, Emily spun on her heels and stomped away.
“Damn,” Dante hissed, shaking his head. “Honestly, I think Emily needs therapy.”
I exhaled. “I don’t even know why she’s vacationing here. Kim barely gives me this much stress.”
The sound of her fist hammering against wood echoed down the hall.
We turned and saw Emily pounding on Soraya’s door like she wanted to tear it down.
“Come out! Right now!” she screamed.
“Emily!” I rushed forward with Dante. “Are you insane? What is wrong with you?”
She spun around, pouting like a child then pointed a finger at me.
“See?” she shouted, her eyes turning to Dante. “You see? He asked if I’m insane. He's being so rude to me, all because of her.”
“Emily, just go to your room,” I said through clenched teeth. “I don’t know, go shopping if you’re so bored and don’t have anything better to do with your life.”
“Darius!” she snapped, glaring at me. “You have to stop talking to me like I’m a child. I’m twenty years old. I’m an adult. And since you might be too blind to see it, I will look out for you. That girl cannot stay in this house.”
“Whose house?” I shot back.
She blinked, confused.
I stepped closer. “It’s my house. My mansion. You’re the one here on holiday. You don’t get to call the shots.”
Emily’s lips parted. “Yes, but we are family. You’re my cousin, and I’ve known you all my life. This girl can’t just come here and ruin your life.”
Beside me, Dante lifted his hands. “Emily, relax, okay? It’s not what you think. She’s his mate. I think you’re forgetting that.”
“So?” Emily scoffed. “What does it matter? He can reject her, can’t he?”
Before I could stop her, she banged on the door again, harder this time.
And then the door opened.
Soraya stepped out, her eyes darting between us. “What’s going on?”
“Good!” Emily hissed, grabbing her wrist and yanking her fully into the hallway.
“Emily!” I barked in anger.
Soraya frowned, startled, trying to pull back. “What are you—”
“Shush!” Emily cut her off. “I’ll tell you what’s going on. Return all the gifts my brother gave you right now and then get your whore self out of this house.”