Chapter Ten
Olivia
My life had spiralled out of control from the moment I met Maximus’ eyes across that room, and he silently agreed to help me. I was fast learning that he was a force of nature that tore across the landscape, and destroyed everything in his wake.
He had devastated me with that kiss, the feeling of his lips haunting mine.
From the morning of day one, my world had continued to change and transform around me.
It started with several new outfits waiting outside my bedroom door, each in an elegant cut that I would have picked for myself if I had been allowed to select my own wardrobe at home.
Our next location was an exclusive jewellers to select rings.
Maximus knew exactly what he wanted – a princess cut diamond with emerald accents into the band.
It was extravagant and classy in all the right ways without being gaudy, and was everything I had wanted in my previous engagement ring and didn’t receive.
Matching platinum wedding bands were ordered for both of us, with a delicate Celtic weave running around it to signify an eternal bond.
He had Mama waiting for me when he accompanied me to a wedding dress designer who he had already spoken to.
She had sketched several designs for me to peruse, all based around a basic design which was something that set excitement bubbling in my stomach.
I was beginning to realise that Maximus saw more than anyone guessed, and knew me better than I ever appreciated.
Cake tasting was the morning of day two. Maximus sat back in his chair with his right leg crossed over his left, while the lady described every cake in great detail. We sat on the patio outside his father’s home, the sun illuminating our little gathering.
“We’ll take the coconut with pineapple accents through it for the first cake.
Pina Colado is Olivia’s favourite cocktail,” Maximus said without looking up from typing on his phone.
“We’ll take a chocolate cake for the second, and make sure it is moist as no one enjoys a dry cake. What do you want for our third cake?”
He glanced up, and my heart beat faster as those blue eyes locked on me.
“Um, maybe a carrot cake as Mama loves that,” I replied, still shocked that he knew my favourite cocktail. I knew he drunk whiskey, but he never indicated that he enjoyed drinking it.
Maximus waved his hand as if indicating that the baker write down my instructions.
“It will be a tight turnaround to have the cakes ready for this weekend.” She looked nervous staring at Maximus.
“I don’t care what it costs,” he replied. “If you need to bring in extra help, let me know.”
She nodded frantically, cutting pieces of cake to hand to everyone gathered.
Poppy seemed to be the number one taster, sampling every piece of cake enthusiastically. Maximus handed a plate to Jake who was his right hand man and head of his security detail. He had always spoken about him as if he was a brother in the past.
I carefully picked at the cakes. They were exquisite, the cake and cream balanced, and the crumb beautiful. It was only when silence fell that I realised everyone was watching me.
“Sorry,” I said, swallowing my mouthful of coconut cake.
“Are you happy with the selection?” Maximus asked. “Holly wants to phone through to her company to get the baking started.”
I nodded, pointing to the plate with my fork. “Absolutely, they are all delicious.”
“Every day is a good day for cake,” Poppy added. “The coffee cake is spectacular.”
“Add a coffee cake,” Maximus instructed. “You can never have enough cake.”
Holly nodded, scribbling in her notebook. “And the wedding colour scheme?”
“Ivory and gold,” I replied, setting my fork down. Mama and I had selected dresses for my bridesmaids, and the dressmaker had already arranged her team to measure them to have them ready for the final fitting.
“I’ll send you some sketches and mock-ups when I get back to my kitchen,” Holly said. “Let me know which you prefer.”
“This is all very exciting,” Poppy commented. “I thought Willow would be my next sibling to marry since her and Gabriel are joined at the hip. It never occurred to me that my big brother, the confirmed bachelor, would be the next to tie the knot.”
I lifted my china cup to sip my tea to cover my confusion and embarrassment.
My last engagement had lasted several years, with Dale having no intention of organising our wedding or future life together.
When his father insisted on announcing a date, Roberto took that as an indicator that it was time for him to take control of the situation.
“For goodness sake, Poppy, it’s not as if I took a vow against matrimony,” Maximus muttered. “You make me sound like a player or a priest.”
The way he kissed suggested the former instead of the latter.
He had seared himself on my soul with that kiss two nights ago, then he had barely looked at me since, and deliberately distanced himself so we never touched.
I never realised I could crave a man’s touch until Maximus had set something alight inside me.
I had convinced myself that I didn’t need physical affection as long as I had all the projects I had planned to keep me busy.
He had proved my theory wrong.
Poppy’s shrill laugh made me press my lips together. “You’re the biggest player I know,” Poppy continued, obviously oblivious to me sitting here. “The ultimate manwhore.”
I cleared my throat, bringing everyone’s attention to me.
“Could we change the topic of conversation?” I asked.
“I’m sure you would not appreciate anyone making those sort of comments about your husband.
” I’d heard Roberto gossiping, and Lucio had several mistresses behind Poppy’s back.
What I had never heard was him comment on Maximus and his romantic adventures.
The table fell into silence as if a fog had suddenly descended to absorb the sound. I blinked once, refusing to back down. My marriage may be an arrangement, but I refused to allow anyone to comment on it but the two people who would be exchanging rings.
“I didn’t mean to offend you,” Poppy said, pushing her plate back on the table. “I’m used to teasing Max.”
“He is my future husband, I don’t appreciate that type of teasing.
My sister has an errant husband who feels it is acceptable to disrespect her.
No woman should accept that type of behaviour from a man who promises to love and honour.
” Maria’s husband had children to several women, and I watched her pretend her life was okay even though her smile constantly faltered.
Poppy stared at me for several seconds, and then she slowly nodded her head. “I hadn’t thought of it that way. We live in a world dominated by strong men.”
“Each of those strong men were raised by proud mothers and have respectable sisters. They need to do better,” I replied.
“Well said,” Maximus said, drawing my gaze to him by the magnetism he held over me, and I swear there was fire burning in his eyes.
“Marriage vows are sacrosanct, and as my wife, you’ll be promising to love, honour, and obey.
” He put the emphasis on the and at the end of the sentence, highlighting the difference between male and female vows, but there was something about the word obey coming from Maximus that made my stomach tighten.
I had read about submission in books and it had never interested me, but the powerful energy Maximus exuded made me want to let him dominate me, and teach me everything I needed to learn.
No one had ever made me feel the way Maximus did. The expression in his eyes made my stomach tighten with a feminine awareness that I had never been aware of before. He made everything else in the world fade away until there was only the two of us.
It was only when the cake maker started chatting in the background that I looked away from Maximus and to the others at the table. Poppy stared at me, her brow furrowed. When she caught me watching her, she glanced away.
“We have to go,” Maximus said. “We have a few appointments this afternoon.”
I hadn’t heard anything about appointments, but this past few days had been a whirlwind in which I hadn’t been able to find my feet.
Roberto was bad-tempered and angry, screaming at everyone in his path, and demanding to get his own way.
Maximus was quiet and determined, organising everything in the background that allowed him to control situations without raising his voice.
He rose at the table, and I instinctively joined him, following his lead as he moved back to the house and through to where he had left his shiny black car in the sweeping driveway.
That was another difference I noticed about him and my brother – Maximus drove himself, refusing to surround himself with a circle of security officers.
The only person I tended to see with him was Jake.
“What appointments do we have?” I asked, putting my seatbelt on.
He glanced at me for a moment before he started the ignition. “You need to see my doctor to make sure you’re clean before the wedding. Then we need to pick up your engagement ring as it’s ready.”
I sat staring at him with my mouth open, shock flashing through me.
I had never had sex before, so why did I need to be checked if I was clean?
To cover my emotions, I pretended to hunt through my handbag.
Normally, I would have scrolled through my phone, but Maximus had taken it and given it to Jake to ensure no one had bugged it.
There was a dark and sinister side to the world I had grown up in, and I was beginning to realise that even when I believed I had been free, I had been trapped in a gilded cage. A cage with limited access to the world, and all my experiences decided by the person who held the key to the door.