Chapter 24 Twenty Four
ANNIE
Trying to stand up to someone you hated was much better than someone you had crazy feelings for especially if that person was the villian. He could be dangerous and cute, powerful but innocent. And with such personality, your wall would shatter making your heart melt like ice cream in the sun.
I didn't want to be weak or be pampered by Dylan so I had been practicing in the basement whenever I had the chance.
I came back to reality as I punched the bag full of sand.
"If you keep doing that, you might be unconscious for days and your hands won't be working for sometime, milkweed." It was Dylan, his entrance no longer surprised me even though I still wished he would announce his presence before coming in.
"You're a terrible liar," I said and he laughed. "But you should rest, babe. You shouldn't wear those hands to exhaustion, they're for digging into my skin..."
"You can't be serious for once!" I exclaimed, hitting his broad shoulders.
Dylan shrugged, he looked at his watch and frowned. "I have a meeting soon, I wanted to spend time with my little milkweed," he clicked his tongue and kissed my forehead.
He made to leave but stopped halfway through the door, "the sun is really fucked up today, it's July, you might want to stay indoors," he said and left.
July.
I sat on the floor, my back hitting the wall. I had spent almost six months at the Xavier's estate and was now accustomed with life here. Standing up, I left the basement to make lunch, but that word kept ringing in my ears.
July.
Amy had been spending time with the maids at the other house and that meant only Dylan and I were here. The night air was hot and the house terribly quiet.
I served myself some rice and sauce and sat in the kitchen eating. It was likely that Dylan wouldn't come home tonight; if he did then I would have slept off.
Just then, I heard the front door slam shut accompanied by heavy steps and ragged breathing.
Dylan was home.
"I thought you wouldn't come home," I muttered when he entered the kitchen. He seemed tired.
"I had to, beautiful," he muttered.
"How was your day, I'm guessing it was terrible." Dylan looked at me and shrugged. "You already know that, those bloody people are asking to invite you to the ceremony"
"What ceremony?"
"Something we do once every two years..."
"Then why shouldn't I come?" I cut him short. It was evident, he didn't trust me too well. "That ceremony... Anastasia..."
"I won't die, Dylan, at least not now," I said and he nodded, making to kiss me, I smirked moving away.
"I learnt some skills while you were away"
"Oh really, milkweed." Before I knew what was happening he stuck a gun on my head. I searched for the nearest weapon and I saw a knife, taking it I swung it but he dodged giving me a smack down.
"Did a lot of things for fun, especially hand combat, my love," he said amused at my speed. He kicked his gun aside and let me hold the weapon.
Charging towards him with the knife, I swung it but he elbowed me kicking my behind.
He was good.
"You're not thinking,"
I watched his stance looking for a weak point, then I saw it, he was open at the side so I charged towards it. Dylan slipped to my side and used his elbow to knock me down, he didn't want to punch me... I was his woman after all.
"You're thinking," he said and I stopped to breathe.
Before I knew what was happening, he had pinned me to the wall, held my hands and took the knife. "You lost your guard, milkweed"
"Fuck you!" I cursed and he laughed. This man was a monster.
"I'm still learning"
"And you're doing quite well, my love." He kissed my nose and let me be.
"What do you mean?" I asked and he removed his shirt. I had grazed him with the knife right on his shoulder. "You just have to keep practicing, Annie"
"I'll treat..."
"It's just a scratch, babe." He shrugged and sat on a stool. We were quiet for a while before he spoke.
"You amaze me, you know?"
"I do?" I asked and he rolled his eyes. "Normal girls can't do the shit you're doing." It was my turn to roll my eyes. "Then I guess I'm not normal," I said and sat on his lap. "We'll go to that fucking ceremony and show them how perfect we are." I kissed him and he didn't hesitate... he never did.
We stayed in the kitchen till it was late then Dylan got a call from someone and he needed to work late.
"I need to work," he sighed and I nodded understanding him.
This was the kind of thing he did, but sometimes, I wished it was different.
DYLAN XAVIER
"Hello mother," I said sitting down in my study, I played with my cigarette before lighting it. "Are you coming for the ceremony?" She asked and I laughed. I sucked in the air and let it out slowly.
"And how does that matter to a mere blogger, thought you gave up this shit, mother?"
"How could I when I loved your..."
"Quit the pretense, what the fuck do you need?" I asked, already annoyed.
I knew mother hadn't fully left this kind of business especially with Lucian around.
"I won't be attending, but Lucian will and my daughter is coming"
"Already bringing her into this? That's different from what she told me." Mother sighed a helpless sigh. "She was promised to that bratva family, Rodriguez, apparently, Lucian had done something stupid."
It was always Lucian, I smirked at the scenario of what had transpired playing in my head. "What did Lucian do?"
"He trespassed in their business and he sought your help, but you did nothing about it..."
"Oh, mother, you're still so naive_" I sucked in air and let it out. Throwing the cigar into the ashtray, I picked up a file and stared at it. "_ Lucian didn't tell me anything, mother, but it's inevitable that your daughter would have to live with the bratva, you know how those people can be."
She wanted to say something but I hung up, tossing the phone on the desk.
Lucian knew what he was doing, he wasn't dumb or naive.
Lucian was an old fox who knew his tricks and played them well.