4. The Honeymoon Period
Chapter four
The Honeymoon Period
Julian
I wiped some condensation left by my morning shower off the mirror and then stared at the bastard reflected in it and then at the gold band on my left hand. A meaningless token, as my bride had called it last night once we returned to the penthouse by ourselves.
She had some other things to say too. Like how I humiliated her and how much she loathed me. It wasn’t quite as bad as what she’d told the mayor’s wife the night before when she inquired why we weren’t going on a honeymoon.
Julian was afraid the pressure of a honeymoon would cause performance-anxiety issues.
Winnifred Morgan had clutched her pearls and coughed so hard that she had to excuse herself.
I should have been furious. And I was. But damn it, I couldn’t help but smile. Nicolette had spirit. More than I’d given her credit for.
No longer would I underestimate her.
“No. No. No. Tell me. Please, just tell me. Who’s that man?” Nicolette cried.
Startled and fearing I’d missed the sound of an intruder, I bolted out of the bathroom with only a towel around my waist and ran to the darkened living room, where peeks of the early-morning sun were just starting to shine through, and where Nicolette had insisted on taking the couch last night.
There I found her still, thankfully alone but crying in her sleep.
“Mom, Mom,” she pleaded, curling into herself.
Unsure what to do, I sat on the edge of the coffee table, beads of water dripping down my chest, near the wedding ring she’d discarded as soon as we were alone last night.
When I found the ring at an antique jewelry dealer in New York, it had reminded me of Nicolette, unpretentious and beautiful. She didn’t seem to appreciate it. Not that I could blame her.
In my haste to secure Hart Labs and the future of the Rossi family, I hadn’t stopped to think about her feelings or how this would truly affect her other than saving her life. I rarely thought about anyone outside myself or the family.
But that family now included Nicolette, and I’d humiliated her and stolen from her, as she’d reminded me last night. I’d robbed her of the wedding day she’d dreamed of and the chance of having a family of her own. And in her summation, I’d made her a prostitute.
Nicolette had overheard some guests at the reception comment that Wallace must have given me his company in exchange for marrying his “awkward” daughter.
I’d missed that commentary, as I’d been too busy listening for any hints that anyone in attendance wished physical harm on Nicolette.
Not realizing the emotional harm being done to her. I really was a bloody bastard.
“Mom,” Nicolette continued to cry in distress. “I’ll keep it safe. I promise.”
I hesitated, then reached out, smoothing a hand over her face, her silky hair spilling across the pillow in wild abandon. I’d forgotten what it felt like to wake up to warm ivory skin and untamed hair.
There was something about Nicolette—something guileless, something timeless. Her features, theatrically classical, reminded me of Grace Kelly, a beauty that belonged to another era.
“Nicolette,” I whispered, reveling in the softness of her unblemished skin. “Wake up. You’re having a bad dream.”
She startled awake, her emerald eyes flying open.
She blinked, confused, and then scrambled to sit upright, pulling her blanket up to her chest. “What are you doing? You’re naked.”
I looked down at the smallish towel I was wearing. “Not quite.”
She held a hand up over her eyes. “So why are you mostly naked and touching me?”
“You were having a bad dream,” I said, amused by her indignation.
“Oh. Okay. Well, I’m fine now. You can go . . . well . . . do whatever you were doing.”
I chuckled. “Are you so shy, Doctor?”
“No,” she spat. “I’ve seen lots of naked bodies before.”
“Is that so?”
She blushed and lowered her hand but looked up at the ceiling, refusing to make eye contact. “Clinically speaking, yes.”
“Since we live together now, you should probably get used to the idea that it might not be so clinical. Accidents happen.”
She cleared her throat. “I will do my best not to have any accidental nakedness around you, and you should do the same.”
That was unfortunate, but I would honor her wishes. “Of course, darling. Before I get dressed, would you like to tell me what you were dreaming about? You were quite distraught.”
“I don’t remember,” she stuttered out what was clearly a lie.
Her faster breathing and elevated heart rate were dead giveaways.
“All right.” I didn’t press, having no right to. But I wondered if her nightmare was based in reality. What did she promise to keep safe, and who was the man she was afraid of?
“What would you like to do today?” I changed the subject. It was our only “honeymoon” day before we went back to the office tomorrow. I should have taken her somewhere. I now realized how this would reflect poorly on Nicolette, socially speaking. But even she had agreed a honeymoon was pointless.
She lowered her head but still refused to look directly at me. “I was planning on going for a walk and doing some shopping.” Her eyes shifted and landed squarely on mine.
“Alone.”
I stretched my neck from side to side, trying not to react.
Her wishes and anger were justified, but her behavior was only going to add to the rumors about our marriage being a business transaction.
She had no idea of the danger that put her in.
If only I could tell her, but selfishly, I wouldn’t, as it might prevent her from expanding on her mother’s discoveries.
According to Cyrus, she was currently doing just that.
Seeing what other therapies and cures plasma could offer.
Although Cyrus also reported that she was being secretive and not forthcoming.
I needed to see not only what her research might lead to but, maybe even more importantly, why she was continuing her mother’s work.
I didn’t think it was for the welfare of my kind.
Nicolette was proving to be no wilting flower, and I would take nothing for granted where she was concerned.
“You realize how that will look?” I questioned.
“Yes. Like the truth. That I mean nothing to you.”
My fingers tightened on the edge of the table, the wood threatening to splinter beneath my grip.
She swallowed hard, clutching her blanket as though I were some monster to be held at bay, though her eyes remained defiant.
I did not wish her to fear me, though I had played upon her fears and forced her into this marriage. It pained me to see the trepidation in her beautiful eyes.
I drew a long breath, then released it, relaxing my stance, willing her to feel at ease.
“When I told you I cared for you, I wasn’t lying. Don’t make this harder on yourself than it must be. I will do better in the future to take your feelings into consideration.”
Nicolette laughed sarcastically and threw off the blanket, revealing the baggy T-shirt she’d slept in and her long, shapely legs, toned to perfection. She had hidden her physique well behind her unflattering clothing.
Her revealing outfit made my skin rise. She had no idea what a vision she was.
“I’m sure you will,” she mocked. “But the damage is done. Now excuse me; I’m going to get ready.”
She stood, careful not to touch me.
I grabbed her hand. “Please, Nicolette, it is important people believe what we have between us is real.”
Her ire faltered when her body betrayed her. She gave in to my touch, her breath quickening, lips parting as her gaze lingered on my bare chest. Hate and desire flickered in her eyes, twin flames locked in battle.
I knew that if I wanted to, I could easily win the war. All it would take was for me to wrap her in my arms and she’d do things she would later regret. But though I was a selfish being, that was a line I would never cross. I let go of her.
It took her a moment to fight her urges before she stepped away from me. All that remained was the hate in her eyes.
“This isn’t real.” Her body and voice trembled. “I’ll never have anything real, thanks to you.”
She ran off toward the guest bathroom and slammed the door.
I sighed and scrubbed a hand over my face. “Bloody hell,” I lamented out loud.
I’d fouled that up. Part of me wished I could make this real—for both our sakes. But my so-called life was one of legends and dark fairy tales. I had never come to terms with it, so how could I expect anyone else to?
There was no sense in loving a human woman when I knew I would have to watch her age and die while I remained, forever mourning. The truth was, it had been so long since I’d had anything real, I had forgotten what it meant.
Unfortunately for Nicolette, I wasn’t sure I could remember—or if I even wanted to. Until my existence included an ending, it was all meaningless. So there was no sense in beginning with my bride.
Yet I knew I had to give her something of substance without crossing a dangerous line. The problem was, I wasn’t sure how to accomplish that—or where the line truly lay.
If only Nicolette knew the truth: that I feared her as much as she feared me.