Obey

Chapter Five- The Annoucement

Returning to my room after having breakfast alone at the dining room table, I came to the sight of an elegant emerald dress with lace both covering the shoulders and the decolletage as well as the skirt that rose about three inches over the knee. In truth, I was surprised that he did not have me in something with a plunging neckline or a slit two feet up the leg, but it had made sense to appear demure as this was not a red carpet event and it was politics; the tip of an iceberg I didn’t want to learn in detail.

Reminded of how I would be fetched in a few moments after breakfast, I slipped out of these clothes and into the shower, now basking in this independence, before returning into these new clothes. Rather quickly, I positioned myself before the large mirror overlooking the entirety of the room and watched as the garment was quite flattering to my curves as I was worried the insecurities of my lack of a ‘thigh-gap’ or stretch marks on my skin would show through-and yet, I had even forgotten about these supposed flaws at the garment in question. But as my fingers pulled the zipper upright to lock it in place, it would become stuck.

Turning to face the mirror to try for the source myself, I began to tug in every direction; bending my arms to try and reach to its lodged rest, before realizing I would have to get help. Without a second dress and without a drop of trust in any of his guards, I would carry my steps carefully throughout the house to ensure I wasn’t seen by the lustful eyes of one of his staff members until I stood outside his office. But I wouldn’t be allowed to even bring my hand into a fist before hearing an argument on the opposite side of this door between a woman and Warren.

“I don’t believe you!” She spoke against him.

“I don’t care what you believe.”

“You’re just doing this to hurt me!”

“Not everything is about you, Angie!”

“Then where is she? Isn’t your wife supposed to LIVE with you?” I could hear his frustration in the expression of a deep exhale before the wood would crack beneath his steps as he moved somewhere throughout the space before speaking again.

“We can talk this through, we don’t have to be immature about it-let’s just-”

“I’ve moved on with my life...I want to do something other than spending every night in a club. I want to make a difference with what I’ve created-”

“Created?” She chuckled manicaly towards him. “What about if they knew the horrible things your father did? Do you really think ANYBODY would vote for you? Or how about the REAL transactions that happen when you’re supposed to be selling houses and multi-million dollar estates? What happens when your supposed wife finds those skeletons in your closet? Will you do the same depraved things to her that you did to me?”

“You won’t go near her.” He now threatened her as she grinned, something I could hear in her response as it altered her tone.

“You don’t have it in you to hurt me…”

“If you touch her...talk to her...even look at her from across a room-you’ll find out what I’m really capable of.” Suddenly, he would open the door and find me standing there, flushed in having been caught, until he took my wrist and led me away from her steps quickly behind him, until I was concealed in a corner and he watched her take her leave out the entrance.

“Do I have to add another term of ‘no eavesdropping’?” He inquired as I shook my head ‘no’.

“Who is she?”

“It doesn’t matter...We have to get going-”

“Wait-”

“Aubrey, I’m NOT going to talk about it-”

“No, I know-I...I need help…” I now turned my back towards him so he was able to witness why I had come to him in the first place. But as I no longer found myself locked in his gaze, I began to pick through the conversation I had overheard. It was rather admirable that he was doing all of this to ‘make a difference’, and yet I would not let myself trust him-even if my heart was beginning to soften with the more of him I saw; both physically and emotionally.

“Why didn’t you have one of my employees help you?” He would inquire with what seemed to be annoyance as he began to tug on the fabric just as I had.

“I don’t...I didn’t mean to-I just, I...You were closer.” I lied, well aware that if I explained it was because I had trusted him just enough to place his assistance before that of a complete stranger, he would allow this topic to drop at my feet before the feeling of his breath suddenly on my back. Immediately, my lips parted to object, before I began to realize that this had been done as a way to continue to loosen the dress-that would eventually work, and allow the zipper movement. But slowly, he would trace his fingers along my spine while lifting the garment to a close, and finalizing his success with a brush of his fingertips across my neck, resting at my shoulders, before pulling away.

“Angelina Emerson…” I faced him as he spoke this name to me. “That’s who that was...and if you don’t listen to anything that I’ve told you...I beg of you to listen to this…” He took a single step closer to me.

“Stay away from her...She’s like poison ivy...she’s pretty, but she’s dangerous…” I slowly nodded as I saw a fear in the depth of his urgent gaze that made me question if she caused such a fear in his eyes that this woman he spoke of may have been someone to fear.

“Thank you.” The words seemed to pain him to speak before he would extend his hand to show me I would lead the way as we would venture to the car lying in wait once more. Only this time, we would not be driven by a chauffeur and would instead be left alone as he set an address into the car’s navigation system and we would make our way into the direction of the destination. But there was something different in this silence-perhaps not as much hostility as there had been the first few days together, a comfort even of a potential friendship; or if anything, a respect.

“Are you ready for this?” He inquired as he suddenly seemed more nervous than confident, a breath of fresh air for once, before I would agree with a bow of my head as I went to open my door until he stopped me.

“I’ll get it.” I watched him walk around the car, unaware I was observing him, or at least acting as such, before he would open my door and I offered him a kind smirk of gratitude. He seemed unsure of my expression by casting one of his own uncertainty, as I would follow him through a building and into an elevator as the doors would close and he would suddenly face me.

“There’s something you should know about these kinds of events...Someone will ALWAYS be watching you...So if you roll your eyes at me or they see us bickering at any time-”

“I understand.” I slowly nodded and returned my eyes forward as I could feel his gaze remain observing me. But as my eyes would take stock in his observation of me, it was not done in lust as much as it was in approval or appreciation even; as if he was thankful to have me at his side in opposition to the skin tight fabric that left little to the imagination of my shape.

As the doors would come open, a beautiful apartment that overlooked the ocean draped down the coastline of Miami would now be brought to view as I parted my lips in surprise. When he would look to me, reminding me of how I couldn’t let my amazement of such beautiful and lavish things to be difficult to adjust to or new to me, I would return my lips closed and gave a cheeky shrug of apology until he set me into a bedroom within the back of the establishment.

“Jaymes will come for you when it’s time for my speech...Until then, you have to stay here…”

“Why?”

“I want to give you a grand entrance...I want to make them forget about...other things...and focus on us...But you can’t speak to anybody-it’s VERY important...Nobody can know who you are to me yet…” I began to nod my head as my eyes sharpened to survey him.

“What is it?”

“I feel cheap…” He scoffed and shook his head.

“The minute that you step on that balcony, all of those eyes are going to be on you because you’ll be priceless to me…” I looked at him in confused awe as he moved to the door. He collected the door as if going to leave, before turning to look over his shoulder, to where he didn’t turn completely, but enough so I could see his attention directed to me once more.

“I won’t blame them for wanting to, either...I haven’t been able to take my eyes off of you…” He would leave with these words as I fought to speak before casting a grin in his absence while the door would close and I would be left to wait. Immediately after my incarceration, I would move to the direction of the window to observe the balcony from my stance, as I saw him begin to use his charm to win over those he had yet to make an introduction. Even if my heart was conflicted in this moment, it was impossible to remain indifferent when seeing how he could work a room; making those who loathed him now become bewitched by his ability to convince them of his better traits; I should know as I was becoming sucked in as well.

Suddenly the door would come open at my side as I found a man to look at me in surprise.

“This isn’t the coat room…” He teased before offering me a shy smile.

“Are you alright?” He inquired as he looked around the room, questioning my loitering.

“I just needed a minute alone.” I lied as he began to nod.

“I haven’t seen you before...Are you here with someone? Someone I can get for you?”

“No...I actually came to see this announcement-”

“Yeah…’announcement’....” He would roll his eyes as he was clearly not a supporter of Warren.

“You don’t think he’d make a good candidate?”

“A former player who changes girls more than his socks? Who up until two weeks ago had a different girl in his bed every night or spent those nights at a club with two inches of cocaine up his nose-yeah...I don’t think he’s the best...But rumor has it that he convinced some brainless girl to marry him...poor thing probably doesn’t know what she’s in for...IF she manages to possess any brain cells...But luckily, after today, I have a feeling he’s going to withdraw…”

“Really? Why’s that?” His eyes would narrow at my curiosity.

“Who did you say you were here with again?”

“Honestly, I was drugged here by my friend,” I began this lie. “He loathes Warren and wanted to see if this ‘girl’ was real too-”

This man scoffed in my direction.

“Let’s just say, we have proof he isn’t actually married...and it WILL be presented to him and this platform he is trying to make to ‘rehab’ his image will be so embarrassing I think even his realty business will suffer for it- If you ever get a story or curious enough to find anything out...Give me a call, yeah?” He would extend a business card to me as I would slowly nod.

“For sure.” I smiled confidently as I could muster before I took note of his name ‘Alec Whittaker’, as well as the title beneath it, ‘journalist’.

“And you are?” He’d ask with an extension of his hand.

“Excuse me…” I spoke quickly as he would look at me in confusion as I pressed the card into my palm before moving to Jaymes; a man marked by an earpiece in his right ear that connected to the fellow members of security present for Warren and I.

“What are you doing out here-”

“I need to talk to him-”

“It can wait, I’m sure-”

“No, Jaymes!” I pleaded before we were both motioned to by Warren himself. Once he spotted me, he would give me a scoff of having understood I would not listen to his instruction, as I was forced to wait in the wings. While in wait, anxiously tapping my fingers on the base of my dress to keep from looking as desperate as I felt, I noticed how truly nervous Warren was as he stood on the side of the podium arranged for this specific moment. But in my gaze, I would watch Angelina in the front row, his eyes falling to her in a momentary pause as my eyes would catch Alec sitting beside her. Worried that they were in cahoots to unravel this plot, I would feel my soles urged forward and I would bypass Jayme’s firm grip, before moving to Warren.

“What are you doing-”

“I’ll explain later.” I spoke through a desperate expression before taking my hands to his cheeks and pressing a kiss to his mouth; hoping this would be proof enough for those in doubt. But the moment that I expected this kiss to last as vapid as the beginning of his ‘care’, something sparked between us. He was not fervent or desperate in this moment as he was careful and content as I would pull apart, only to feel him possess my waist and pull me back into him. Only this time, he would trace his tongue along the bottom of my lip, but would grin and break the kiss when hearing the applause behind us.

“You’re very lucky we have all these witnesses…” I blushed as he moved into the direction of the podium.

“My wife, ladies and gentleman.” He explained while holding out his hand as I held out the ring in as much excitement as I could muster while my eyes would focus on him for a long duration of the applause and sudden flashes from both cell phone and professional cameras. But once looking at the crowd, I found Angelina and Alec to now look at me with the understanding that I had now made not one, but two enemies…