Chapter 24 Christian's Deep Secrets
His words left her dumbfounded, just as he had expected. He grabbed her hand, taking advantage of her momentary confusion. They looked like a couple in love as they strolled towards the beach, hand in hand.
“Everyone is staring at us, Christian. Can you leave my hand?” She tried to extricate her hand from his hold but he gripped it further, refusing to let go.
“No. Let them stare. They might be jealous of you!” Skylar turned to see the amused glint in his eyes.
“Why would they be jealous of me?”
“Maybe because you’re the only one who’s getting to marry me!” Skylar scoffed at his enormous ego! As if she was marrying him willingly! Wasn’t he the one who was forcing her to marry him?
“You’re the one who’s lucky that I agreed to marry you. If it wasn’t for our parents’ last wish, I would never have gone ahead with this.”
“Then we should be indebted to our parents, right?” he chuckled as she wrenched her hand free of his hold and walked on.
“On the contrary, I’m shocked by their decision. How could they dump us together when we don’t love one another?” Christian looked away, his brooding gaze fixed on the dark waters instead.
“They have never dumped us together. They planned to get you married to Seb since the day you were born.” Skylar stared at him with surprise. She didn’t know about that!
However, she was taken aback by the storm swirling in his eyes. His gruff, angry tone made her wonder why he was angry now!
Christian couldn’t meet her curious gaze. He had divulged more information than he should. Since the day she was born, he liked her. He considered her his own, but their parents wanted her to marry Sebastian. He grew up knowing that Lillian would marry Caleb and Skylar would marry Sebastian. It made him revolt against their decision. Why couldn’t he marry Skylar instead of Sebastian? As he grew older, his feelings for Skylar started growing, but their parents were adamant. To them, his feelings didn’t matter at all.
It turned him into a rebel. They admitted him to a boarding school far away from Skylar, forbidding him to meet her ever. He didn’t! He never returned home until after their death.
Christian wouldn’t have returned, but Sebastian pleaded with him to marry Skylar. Sebastian was in love with another. So, his marrying Skylar was the only way to fulfill their parents’ last wish. It gave Christian hope and he stalked Skylar ever since. The feelings he nurtured in his heart for her grew into an unrestrained, intense, fiery, all-consuming feeling of love. It drove him to the point of no return, and he had to come back to New York to meet her. However, he was in for a shock! The girl he was crazy about since the day she was born hated him! She wasn’t willing to change her opinion about him!
Yet he didn’t give up hope! He agreed to a contract marriage with her. At least they could be together for two years. Maybe one day, he could confess his feelings to her! Maybe he could make her stay!
They walked in silence while Skylar thought about what he just told her. How did she not know about this?
“Are you serious? No one told me before that I would have to marry Sebastian.”
“I overheard them. They didn’t tell me either.”
“I’d rather marry you than Sebastian. He's so much older and I can’t connect at all with him.” Christian’s mood brightened up, and he focused on her radiant face. A smile lit up his features under the moonlit sky. The sun had already set, and the moon seemed brighter than ever before.
“I’m glad you feel that way, Skylar. Let’s connect with one another!” he instantly grabbed her hand and she rolled her eyes. She hadn’t meant physical connection at all!
“Calm down. I didn’t mean what you thought!” She groaned, having to bring it up. It was obvious what his next retort would be.
He smiled, leading her down to the mesmerizing Key Biscayne Beach. “And what exactly did I think?”
“I didn’t mean a physical connection. I meant a connection with your soul. Maybe it’s too much for you to comprehend!” Christian chuckled instead, unable to tell her how much he was connected to hers. Maybe she couldn’t feel it yet.
“Try me, Skylar. Just try me.” They walked in silence, watching the stunning views all around them.
“This place is amazing in the daytime. There’s a coastal barrier reef nearby with the only federally recognized underwater archaeological trail. Would you like to go snorkeling with me?” Skylar’s face lit up with interest. Maybe marrying Christian wouldn’t be so bad after all.
“Please can we?” she pleaded, gripping his hand unknowingly. Christian nodded, acutely aware of her hold on his hand.
“Yes. We can go sightseeing tomorrow.”
“But what about our engagement party?”
“It’s in the evening!”
They walked a little further, but it was almost closing time and they had to return to the hotel. Christian couldn’t wipe the smile off his face this time. Ever since they arrived here, Skylar had stopped fighting him on everything. Could he hope? Was she melting a little toward him?
“I’m so sorry, Skye. The twins were hungry and I couldn’t join you,” said Lillian, serving the twins their dinner.
“That’s okay. We’re going snorkeling tomorrow. Why don’t you join us?” Skylar asked excitedly while Christian groaned. All his plans of taking her out on a date went for a toss!
“Snorkelling? Wow! Please, can we go, Mom?” asked Blade excitedly.
“Sure, we can all go,” said Caleb. Their grandparents opted out and so did Sebastian, who had some work in the hotel to wrap up.
“Join us for dinner, Chris, Skye!” offered Granny. Christian composed himself and sat down opposite Skylar, although he was dying to drill some sense in her head. Here he was, dying to snatch moments alone with her while she was totally clueless about everything. But one look at her smiling face made him forget his woes. It was a stark contrast to her earlier mood when they were in New York.
This time she giggled with Lillian and the kids while he watched her with awe! The food was delicious and so was the ambiance.
“Are you free after dinner, Chris? We need to discuss some issues urgently,” said Sebastian, who sat beside him.
“Sure, bro.” Christian didn’t express the disappointment he felt in his heart. He had been looking forward to spending the night with Skylar and now Sebastian had engaged him in work. He knew how long these meetings with Sebastian usually took. Skylar would fall asleep by then! It totally spoiled his mood.
“Why aren’t you eating?” scolded Skylar, drawing Christian’s attention to her. Granny smiled at their exchange, loving the way Skylar had finally accepted Christian in her life. His eyebrow immediately shot up with amusement. Was she already in wife mode?
“I just lost my appetite!”
She groaned and served him his favorite steak. “Finish that at least!”
“Oi, mademoiselle!” he said with a small bow. Skylar colored a little, suddenly conscious of her surroundings. She had forgotten they were with family.
“So, which dress did you choose?” asked Lillian. “The off-shoulder one or the backless one!” Christian stopped eating and gaped at his sister. Couldn’t she buy a better one for Skylar? She knew damn well how much he hated revealing clothes!
“None of them. I’ll take her shopping tomorrow,” he declared while they gaped at him.
“No need. I’ll wear the off-shoulder one,” said Skylar.
“No, you won’t.” His face turned grim and annoyed. Skylar didn’t argue further in front of the family, but she swore she wouldn’t listen to him this time. He couldn’t control the way she dressed. She was just marrying him. She didn’t agree to be his slave!
However, after dinner, he disappeared with Sebastian and she couldn’t continue with their argument. She went to her room gingerly, not wanting to sleep with him at all. Why would she have to ask their grandparents’ permission to sleep all by herself? She wasn’t a child!
She called the reception for a room and thankfully, the one next to theirs was vacant.
“I’ll take it.”
“Sure, ma’am. I’ll send someone with the keys.”
After five minutes, a staff member opened the room next to theirs and Skylar thanked him. After he left, she shifted her luggage to her room. Quickly freshening up, she locked her room, switched off the lights, and lay on her bed to sleep. Would Christian come to get her in the middle of the night? Not likely!
For almost two hours, she twisted and turned in her bed, unable to sleep. She had accepted everything he had planned for her without a fight, but he was stretching it too far. No one could dictate her choice of clothes! She waited to hear his reaction when he returned to his room and saw her missing. But even after two hours, he didn’t return.
She waited in vain, but a sense of victory spread all over her. If he thought he could control her, then he would be in for a shock. She wouldn’t sleep with him at all! Not tonight, nor after the engagement, and definitely not after their marriage!