Chapter 22 Twenty Two
ANNIE
Dylan Xavier never really got over his wife, Anastasia, but he tried to act like he did… staying with him I found out why he never slept in the same room as I after sex or he just stayed and didn't sleep at all.
Nightmares.
I stared at him in utter silence waiting for him to talk. It seemed like he didn't want to talk about it and it was fine.
I didn't care_ or maybe I did.
“It's fine if you don't want to say anything about it”, I breathed slowly though I really wanted him to say something.
“It was my fault Anastasia died_” he exhaled as a soft breeze passed us so gently that it tickled, but I was not in the mood to laugh. “_ we argued that day and I had just fully established my empire… we fought about Amy, she was so young then…” he said nothing against letting himself feel the slow and gentle breeze or was it just me?
“Then how is it your fault, Dylan?” I asked calmly, trying to empathize with him. I wasn't a murderer but I knew how it felt to feel guilty about something.
Dylan bit his lower lips and clicked his tongue. “I lost my guard because things were going my way, we were supposed to finish the party and then we'd make up and have the sex of our lives… she was poisoned, but that couldn't kill her, she tried to survive and was shot,” his eyes darkened at the thought of his dying wife. I searched his eyes and saw only hatred and revenge.
“If we hadn't argued about Amy's future, if we had stayed together… she would be alive and…”
“You wouldn't have met me or I'd be dead if you did,” I interrupted and he glanced at me and smirked. “I guess you're right, I should move on and think of only you”. That sounded more like a question than a self encouragement but I laughed it off.
“You should think of us if you actually do love me,” I mumbled but he laughed heartily, his smile reaching his dark eyes and overshadowing my doe brown ones.
Dylan Xavier laughed.
“So you don't love me?” I pouted and punched his arms but I really wanted to know because this feeling… I didn't want it to be just a mere feeling.
“And if I didn't?” He asked so casually that I actually felt pained and for a moment my heart squeezed itself of blood. “Then… I don't know,” I muttered holding my chest.
“But I do_” he stared at me and for once he lost his guard because his eyes were fixed on me and his darkness had faded leaving only a swift scent and touch of vulnerability.
“_ thought I was like an open book, guess I'm not,” he licked his lips and I quivered. My heart had started beating again and I felt at ease. “So do you?” I asked, wanting to be sure.
Dylan stood and picked me up from the sand. “It's fucking cold, let's head inside and… the Winters are leaving tomorrow”. He had changed the topic so smoothly, but I still wanted to know. Not to get on his bad side, I obeyed and walked behind him.
We said nothing for a while, just drowning in our thoughts, probably trying to figure out what just happened. “ I do love you, Annie Gregory”. We stopped and he turned to face me. “You asked if I did love you… yes, but I don't know what I want_ I'm trying to figure out myself and love? It would get us killed”
“How?” I asked curiously, wanting to know why he couldn't fully reciprocate the feeling.
“Because you're weak and one way or the other you'd die either by my hands or the people who killed Anastasia”
I shut my eyes and smiled. “Then use me, make me strong so that I'd kill anyone who wants me dead including you,” I said and when I opened my eyes, his face was cm away from mine and his aura had darkened slightly. “Can you handle me?”
It was my turn to laugh. “Have I died? I've spent fucking six months with you and I survived… of course I can handle your…”
He crushed his lips on mine, his hands ruining my dress and smashing his hips on mine.
“We'd see about that,’ he said, his voice raspy and sexy. Dylan left my lips and walked away leaving me and my ruined dress.
We'd see?
Scoff
But him saying that he loved me made my heart flutter all the more. I held my chest trying to stop the fluttering but it persisted so I left it that way.
“I love you too,” I breathed heavily and it was imprinted in my soul that Dylan Xavier wouldn't kill me.
The morning was normal or at least that was what everyone thought, except for Dylan and I. I’ve been avoiding him since morning and whenever he came around, I would pretend he wasn't there or just simply walk away with the excuse of something important to do.
I set the food although the Winters refused breakfast saying they had something important to do_ Dylan too.
Amy and Owen Winters sat side by side eating without saying a word.
“Why are you all so quiet?” I asked and they looked at me and back at their food so I just stopped talking.
After some time, Amy looked up at me and smiled. “Can you make daddy bring the Winters over again?”
I inhaled deeply and let it out carelessly.
“Daddy would never choose business over pleasure, Amy and you know that, but, one thing is sure, he's going to be working with them for a long time,” I said hoping it made her feel better and it did.
She smiled.
The Winters were finally leaving and they said their farewells. Mrs Winters looked at me and smiled, “I guess you'll last longer here, Mr Xavier likes you a lot!” I smiled back though we hadn't spoken since that night.
“I'll go bring Owen,” I muttered when Dylan came along. I could feel his intense gaze on my back and increased my steps.
I headed towards Amy's room and stopped at the slightly opened door peering into the room.
“Are you really going?” I heard Amy ask. Owen said nothing for a while, he shrugged. “I should get going, Annie would be here any minute,” he murmured though to her hearing.
“I'll see you one way or the other and don't forget our bet! Annie wouldn't survive here,” He ruffled her hair and turned to go.
I stood erect and opened the door widely. “Let's go Owen”
The Winters had gone and I sat in the garden doing nothing, just escaping from a reality that was uncertain. I shut my eyes. Suddenly something strong approached me. I could feel the aura, heavy and dark behind me and it held my waist, but it was so gentle that I smiled a little.
Dylan Xavier.
“You've been avoiding me, knew I'd see you here,” he said and I opened my eyes and looked up at him, he was as handsome as ever and I could see that in the small smile he gave me… Prince charming smile.
“I wasn't avoiding you” He cocked his head to the side raising his left eyebrow. “Oh really? We haven't met since today although we've seen…”
“Forget it,” I rolled my eyes, pushing him away and standing up. “Or is my Annie now shy after last night”
Fuck! Why am I blushing?
My Annie?
“I don't know,” I said, biting my lower lip. “Well I wasn't drunk when I said those things last night”
Blush.
He started coming slowly towards me and I moved back, tripping on a stone. I landed on the floor and he laughed. He has been doing that lately.
“Not funny!” I shouted. I made to stand but he picked me up and kissed my lips so fast that I didn't see it coming.
“Amy is…”
“Let's go out sometime,” he said, finally letting me go. My eyes widened.
“I told you I wanted you to meet someone right?”
I nodded and he continued, “well, I want us to go out too, then we'll meet him”
“That'll be so nice of you, Mr Xavier”
“Anything for my milkweed,” he said so softly that I shivered… but who could explain this fear I was feeling; the feeling that what we had wouldn't last.
And I didn't want it.