Chapter 15 - Josiah
Kayla is standing next to me in the most exquisite royal blue dress. It glitters when she moves, and it's so tightly fitted against her perfect little body that I can almost imagine she’s wearing nothing at all.
I slip my arm tighter around her waist and pull her closer.
The event is packed full of allies and rivals.
Kayla wanted to invite her friend tonight, but I talked her out of it. It’s not only because I wanted her to myself, but also because I thought it was better to keep Izabel separate from this side of Kayla’s life.
My brother and sister have just arrived.
Isaak waves across the room. Alara smiles, looking beautiful in a black velvet dress.
They make their way towards us.
“Hi, you two. Wow, this place is packed.” Isaak looks around the room, taking in the scene.
“You look gorgeous!” Alara declares, pulling Kayla away from me into a hug. “And Josiah told me what happened yesterday, with the twins. I’m so happy that they know,” she grins proudly.
“We’ll have another family dinner soon, where you can reintroduce yourself as their aunt,” I chuckle. Alara wiggles in excitement.
“I’m going to go mingle and eavesdrop,” Isaak says.
“I’m coming too,” Alara says.
I pull Kayla right against my side again.
Tonight, the world learns who she is to me.
Tonight, I will make it one thousand percent clear that she is my wife—and with that comes the warning, touch her and die.
“There’s so many beautiful people here,” Kayla whispers. “They're all so elegant.”
“Not as beautiful or as elegant as you, Kayla,” I respond immediately. “They are invisible next to you.”
She looks at me with surprise in her expression.
One of my business allies comes up to us. “Josiah, so nice you came tonight, how are things?”
His eyes drift towards Kayla.
“Viktor, this is my wife, Kayla,” I introduce her. I feel her stiffen in even more surprise.
He holds out his hand, and she places her hand in his. “It is my absolute pleasure. What a lucky man your husband is,” he declares.
Viktor and I chat for a moment before he moves on. My eyes are constantly searching the sea of faces around us. I see enemies. I see danger. I see luxury and glamor.
It’s always this way at these events, but never before have I had such an incredible moment as this, to be able to introduce people to my wife.
“Josiah,” Ariel slides closer to us, her eyes hungrily roaming over Kayla.
“Kayla, this is Ariel. She's Marcus’s wife, the man you met earlier.”
“And who is this magnificent creature?” Ariel asks, admiring my wife.
“This is my wife,” I say proudly.
“Pleased to meet you, I’m Kayla,” Kayla says, holding her hand out to Ariel. Ariel takes her hand in her own and strokes her fingers over Kayla’s skin. She looks like a serpent, ready to strike and destroy.
I gently, politely, pull Kayla back towards me and away from her clutches.
Ariel laughs with an empty air of nonchalance. “We must have drinks later so you can tell me all about this man,” she winks at Kayla. “All the ladies are dying to know what he’s like.”
Kayla smiles tightly and looks up at me, then looks back at Ariel and cheekily snuggles closer to me, making my heart race. “I think I’ll keep my husband’s talents my own secret,” she says sharply.
Ariel’s face sours a little, but only for a second before she corrects it. “Well, I’ll get it out of you one day,” she insists, then she turns away and dismisses us with a wave of her hand to disappear into the crowd again.
“What a strange woman,” Kayla whispers.
“You will find many like her here. Empty, soulless, thinking everyone prettier than them is some kind of threat to their existence. She is a snake, and you should be wary of her.”
“That dress was so tight she could hardly move,” Kayla snickers.
I can’t stop the laughter that bursts from my lips.
The entire night, Kayla plays the perfect wife.
It catches me off guard to have her so eager to go along with being introduced this way.
I thought she might be upset that I was telling everyone, but she isn’t.
She stays up against my side, resting her hand on my chest. She even let me gently kiss her cheek and brush my hand over her side.
There is a certain quiet intimacy in the small moments between our conversations with other people.
It reminds me of when we used to roam around the city, sipping carryout coffee and pretending like we knew what people were talking about or thinking.
We’d make up wild stories and laugh until we cried.
Tonight, we present as a power couple. This is exactly the image I wanted to portray.
This is exactly the message I wanted to send to everyone in attendance.
And from here, the news will spread. Everyone will learn that she is my wife.
And lo and behold, the next person who dares to threaten her harm in any way whatsoever will be torn limb from limb and hung in naked in the docks as a warning to others.
There is nothing I wouldn’t do for her.
Next to me, Kayla tries to hide a small yawn by covering her hand over her mouth.
“Bored?” I ask in a whisper.
She grins and shakes her head. “No, actually, I was having fun. But yesterday’s celebrations and today’s event—I’m not used to getting out so much. Usually, I’m home at this time, snuggled up with the twins.”
“I miss them, too. Are you ready to go? I think we’ve done enough mingling for one event,” I ask.
She smiles, her eyes glowing with warmth. “Yes, I’m ready to go.”
I place my hand on her lower back and lead her with me towards the front door. Along the way, we say goodbye to my brother and sister. Alara looks about ready to go home soon, too. “It’s boring, isn’t it’s it?” she whispers to Kayla when they hug.
“I had fun,” Kayla replies.
“Pfft,” Alara scoffs. “They could have at least played better music. Isaak, can we leave soon, too?”
“After this drink,” he says, nodding.
We leave them to their own devices and climb into the back of the limo, waiting to be taken home.
The drive home is quiet, but it’s a different kind of quiet.
There are many unspoken things between us, but there is also a peaceful sense of comfort. And something else—perhaps trust?—growing between us.
I can hope.
I mean, yesterday she did finally tell our daughters who I am.
It caught me completely by surprise. Even now, I am in shock that she did that.
My heart constricts and swells when I think about it.
I didn’t expect it to affect me too much.
But that moment is engraved in my memory, and will always be one of the most beautiful moments in my life.
I am a father.
I get to be a father.
The driver stops outside the front door of the mansion and pulls the door open for me. I climb out first, then offer my hand to Kayla.
She gently takes my hand and slides over the seat with a beautiful smile on her face.
Inside the house, she whispers, “Let’s go check on them,” and we walk quietly up the stairs together towards the twins' room.
There is a warm pink glow coming from their nightlight. Kira is all tangled in her blankets as though she were trying to climb them. Kelsey is wrapped up like a little worm in a cocoon.
Kayla bends over Kelsey and gently kisses her forehead while I carefully, slowly untangle Kira and tuck the blankets in around her again.
“They are the most precious things on this planet,” Kayla whispers as I come to stand next to her. I nod, slipping my arm around her waist as I have become so used to doing this evening.
“They make life far more beautiful,” I agree.
We walk out of their room together. I turn to her and gently kiss her cheek, knowing I won’t push my luck tonight. Everything is going so well. I know that the other night was a lot for her, and I have to respect that she isn’t ready to be with me again.
Not yet.
Kayla hesitates right outside their door. She bites her lip and then looks up at me. “Sorry, this is a little awkward….”
“What is?” I ask, confused.
“I can’t get out of this dress on my own,” she giggles quietly.
I chuckle and grin at her. “Come on, let’s get you out of it then,” I whisper, guiding her towards her bedroom door and through it.
She stands with her back to me, reaching back to lift her hair out of the way. I brush my fingers over her neck, carefully unhooking the clasp of her dress.
She breathes softly, remaining very still.
With the clasp released, I take the small zipper in my fingers and drag it downwards, my hand brushing over her skin all the way down her spine. I notice how goosebumps break over her flawless skin as the dress falls open behind her, revealing her perfect back.
My cock is hardening, and I am fighting the need to press my lips against her shoulder, to kiss her body and slip the sleeves off her arms, letting the dress fall to the floor.
“Thank you,” Kayla whispers, her voice shaky.
She turns to face me, clutching the front of the dress against her chest like a shield.
I take another step away from her. “Sleep peacefully, beautiful girl,” I whisper.
She smiles, her eyes shimmering in the soft light.
“You too, Josiah,” she says.
It’s nearly impossible to walk away from her, but I have to. My body is screaming. My mind is an avalanche. But I have to walk away. Until she is ready, until she comes to me, that cannot happen again.
For now, the thing I want most from her is her trust. It is the most invaluable thing that I can work towards. Something to be earned, slowly, patiently, and with gentleness.
In my own bedroom, though, the need increases. My cock is pressing rock-hard against my pants.
I groan, desperate and struggling.
Stripping my clothes off, I decide that a cold shower is the only way I will be able to dampen the desire.
But even with the cold water rushing over me, I can’t stop thinking about her. I can’t stop picturing the way that dress looked on her, and the privilege of being the one to slowly unzip it.
My cock won’t relax, so I do the only thing I can do. I wrap my hand around the shaft and close my eyes, picturing everything I want to do to her as I stroke up and down, searching for relief.