Chapter 3 #2
I lift Elly from my lap, careful to place her right in front of me when I get up behind her. “Feel free to get seated in the dining room while we take care of the final preparations.”
Thomas perks up at the prospect of food and drags Isabella behind him to the dining room. Isabella stumbles in his wake, sighing at her husband’s exuberance. “People will start to think you don’t get to eat at home, Thomas,” she scolds.
William follows behind them, a knowing look on his face as he glances at us in passing.
As soon as they’re in the dining room, I drag Elly to the kitchen, the warm scent of dinner welcoming us when we step inside. I make sure the door is closed behind us and turn to her, my body tense and jaw set. She stands near the kitchen island, all innocent smiles.
“Elly,” I chastise while stalking toward her. “I told you to behave.”
“Didn’t I?” she asks teasingly.
Oh, she wants to play? I’ll play.
I’m in front of her in the blink of an eye, my hand around her neck, pushing her back against the kitchen island.
“You’re lucky we have guests.” My thumb caresses up and down her neck, the simple, possessive touch sending shivers down her spine. “Or you’d be on your knees, choking on my cock.”
Elly’s breathing hitches, and her heartbeat quickens. I grin as desire fills her eyes, and she licks her lips.
She likes it when I talk dirty to her. Wonderful.
“Oh, you’d like that, wouldn’t you?” I give her a slow, cocky smile and lean in, kissing behind her ear, making her suck in a breath. “Later. If you behave.”
Releasing Elly, I give her a devious look over my shoulder and then start to plate the food.
I take the roast beef out of the oven, and the mixed scents of garlic, rosemary, and thyme spread around us.
Slicing the meat thinly, I arrange it on the plates, accompanied by an assortment of grilled vegetables and crispy baked potato slices smelling equally delicious.
We bring the plates out to the dining room, serve drinks, and take our seats.
As we start to eat and the sounds of softly clinking silverware fill the air, I eye Elly curiously.
It’s the first time she’s tasting my cooking, and I find myself slightly nervous about it.
She carefully cuts a piece of the roast beef, her eyes widening as she notices how tender the meat is.
When she pops it in her mouth, she fights back a moan.
I can’t help but take pride in her reaction, relieved she likes my cooking.
“This is without a doubt the best roast beef I have ever had the pleasure of eating. No offense, dear,” Thomas says, giving his wife a guilty look.
“None taken, for I agree,” Isabella admits as she carefully reaches for her glass, her golden wedding band ringing softly against the crystal. “Please give my compliments to the chef.”
“He thanks you for your kind words,” I say, tipping my glass at her.
This time it’s Thomas who almost chokes on his wine. “You…” He coughs. “You prepared this feast?”
“I did,” I reply humbly. “Cooking used to be a hobby of mine, and I’m glad I still remember some of the basics.”
“I wouldn’t consider a roast beef of this quality basic.” Isabella smiles. “Now I do wonder what you would see as a challenge.”
“Admittedly, desserts aren’t my forte, but I’ll let you be the judges.”
“There’s dessert?” William sounds excited at the prospect, his fork hovering in the air as he looks over at me. Realizing his enthusiasm, embarrassment creeps into his eyes. “Apologies,” he quickly adds.
“Please excuse William’s enthusiasm.” Thomas laughs. “He has a bit of a sweet tooth. Always has, ever since he was a little boy.”
“Don’t worry,” I say to William, hoping he sees I mean well. “I hope you’ll find today’s dessert to your liking.”
William just nods, not knowing what to say.
I catch Elly looking at me in surprise, not used to seeing this almost normal, almost human side of me. Even though I’m not, I know how to pretend well enough. It’s all part of blending in, like I told her earlier.
The rest of the meal is spent in conversation about business, but my magic lingers on Isabella.
I’m sure whatever it is about her that has both me and my magic on edge, it wasn’t there before.
I run thorough background checks before anyone is allowed to marry into this family, and she came out clean.
In all the centuries I’ve been doing this, I’ve never been wrong before.
Meaning if something happened or changed, it was after she married Thomas.
My eyes wander to William, back in conversation with Elly, both of them laughing softly.
They seem to get along well. I’m feeling possessive about her, even when it comes to him, but I can recognize a good thing when I see it.
She’s going to need people around her if she wants to thrive in this strange new world, and the First Son is as good a start as any.
Which brings me to something I’ve been meaning to tell the family.
“Perhaps it’s time, Thomas, for you and Isabella to initiate William into the inner workings of the company,” I say after we’ve finished the main course.
Silence falls around the table, and tension immediately fills the air, all earlier lightheartedness gone in an instant.
Thomas gives me a look bordering on anger, Isabella returns to her carefully schooled emotionless expression, and William exhibits a glimmer of excitement—the only positive reaction among them.
“With all due respect”—Thomas swallows—“isn’t this a bit premature?”
“It is indeed earlier than usual, yes. But seeing as I’m planning to expand the business, I will need the Eldest Son at my side as soon as possible.
And before you ask”—I silence Thomas as he opens his mouth, ready with some kind of retort—“I’m not pushing the two of you aside.
I still need you as my counsel, for your knowledge is irreplaceable.
But whereas those before you had to remain in service until the day they died, I want you to be able to slow down—at least a little bit.
Perhaps you’ll even last longer if I don’t work you to death. ”
Thomas and Isabella laugh nervously, uncertain if I’m joking about the working-to-death part or not. I’m not, which they should know. After all, it was the reason behind his father’s heart attack.
“I won’t let you down, Lord Deimos.” William’s voice cuts through the awkward silence, his tone humble but fierce. At least someone is enthusiastic.
“I’m sure you won’t,” I say, taking a sip from my glass, ready to change the topic. After all, I only brought it up when they least expected to see their reactions. “Let’s bring out dessert. Coffee or tea, anyone?”
I listen to their preferences while Elly stands up and gathers the empty plates. She follows me back to the kitchen, and I hold the door open for her.
“See,” I tell her with a smile as she starts loading the plates into the dishwasher, “behaving isn’t difficult now, is it?”
“If you wanted someone who behaves, you should have kept Sophia around,” she murmurs.
“Sophia was dull. Useful in her own way, but so very dull.” I stand behind her, stroking her hair out of the way and kissing the back of her neck, inhaling her scent.
“Well, I hate to break it to you, but I’m not going to behave. Ever.”
I smirk at the fire in her eyes and words. I don’t mind this newfound bravery of hers. It seems she’s finally stopped fearing me and is starting to let her true self out. I wonder when was the last time she could freely be the little firecracker I suspect her to be.
Elly turns to face me, crossing her arms defiantly. I reach out, closing my hand around her neck—hard enough to hurt, but not enough to leave a mark.
“No, you won’t. I would have broken you by now if you were a meek little girl. But when you need to pretend, you’ll pretend.”
“The same way you pretend?”
“The same way, indeed.” I lick her neck, from shoulder to behind her ear, my hands firmly on her arms. She leans into my touch, a whimper escaping her lips.
I pull away from Elly and turn to the refrigerator.
She huffs behind me as I open the door and retrieve the fluffy white cake that took what felt like an eternity to make.
Setting it on the counter, I notice Elly’s expression shift from frustration to curiosity.
After a moment, she opens the cupboard for dessert plates and forks.
“Now, let’s put on a little magic show for our guests,” I say.
We carry the cake to the dining room, and Willian gapes at it.
“Is that a baked Alaska?” I nod. “Flambé?”
With a single word and a simple gesture, the cake bursts into flames, earning oohs and aahs from our audience. After a minute, I extinguish the fire and cut each of us a piece. Elly’s eyes twinkle when she notices the inside of the baked Alaska is filled with ice cream.
“It’s… amazing,” William exclaims, awestruck after a single bite.
“I’m glad it’s to your liking,” I reply, graciously accepting the compliment.
As the evening progresses, conversation flows casually. Eventually, we move back to the living room for a final drink, and I open one of my special bottles. Isabella, William, and Elly decline, but Thomas is too intrigued to turn down the offer. I pour him a small glass of the shimmering liquid.
“What is it?” he asks.
“There’s no word for it in any human language. The best translation would be Dead Man’s Drink.”
Thomas hesitates, holding the glass up to inspect it. “It won’t kill me, will it?”
I chuckle. “Not unless you drink too much.”
He doesn’t need to know how deadly it can be for humans. He also doesn’t need to know how his willingness to try it shows me his reckless side, and I’m not sure if it’s brave or stupid. Not many humans would dare to drink something I basically just admitted might be deadly.
After a moment’s contemplation, Thomas shrugs and downs the glass in one go. His face contorts for a moment as if he might be sick. Isabella’s eyes widen in panic, but then he bursts out laughing. “Sure packs a punch.”
Isabella exhales a relieved sigh, and William relaxes as well. Thomas laughs even louder at their concern. After checking with me whether two glasses are too much, he accepts another pour.
Eventually, the family excuses themselves and prepares to leave.
“Will you be stopping by the office tomorrow?” Thomas asks as they stand at the door, ready to depart.
“I will.”
“Good! I can’t wait to show you around. A lot has changed since your last visit.”
“I look forward to it,” I reply with a smile.
“Well then, Lord Deimos, Lady Deimos.” The family curtsies before turning to disappear into the night.
Elly is already on her way to clean up in the kitchen while I cast a final glance at the door. The silence descending on the house pales in comparison to the storm raging inside my head, trying to dissect everything said and done in the past hours.
After a few minutes, I join Elly in the kitchen. She looks up, ready to say something, but I don’t give her the chance.
I’m on top of her before she can utter a single word, pushing her against the refrigerator. My lips crash onto hers in a forceful kiss. I nip at the seam of her lips until she grants me access, swiftly stealing her breath away.
“You’ve been tempting me all evening,” I growl against her mouth, feeling nearly desperate to have her all to myself once more. “Right in front of them.”
After spending one evening with others, I’m ready to spirit her away a second time. She has no idea what she does to me.
“Did I not behave as you asked?” she teases, though her breathy voice betrays her emotions.
My phone rings in my pocket before I can answer her. I pull it out and roll my eyes at the name on the screen. “Nikolay,” I mumble, gritting my teeth while casting Elly an annoyed glance.
She frowns, not understanding. But she doesn’t need to—not yet.
For a moment, I contemplate ignoring the call, but my magic tugs at me, compelling me to answer. “What?” I bark, stepping away from Elly and instantly missing the feeling of her body against mine. “Yes, this is a bad time.”
Nikolay starts to make a pitiful excuse for why he can’t work for me anymore. I cut him off. “Cut the crap,” I snarl, offended he thinks I’d fall for such nonsense. This is something he should discuss with HR, not call me at home about.
He clings to his blatant lie, only fueling my anger. I start pacing the kitchen, running a hand through my hair in frustration. Then I hear a familiar chuckle in the background. It registers, halting me in my tracks, and I abruptly end the call.
Turning back to Elly, I offer an apologetic look. “I have to step out for a bit, love,” I say, letting disappointment seep into my voice.
“Seriously?” Her tone is sharp and cold. Elly crosses her arms over her chest as I approach her, clearly not wanting to hear any excuses.
I stop in front of her and place a soft kiss on her cheek. “I’ll make it up to you,” I promise, my voice barely above a whisper.
There’s hurt in her eyes, and I’m not sure what to do with that. Not when it hurts me to see her like this, to leave her behind like this.