Courting Trouble

Revelations.

|Revelations.|

In her hurry Malisha had forgotten to take the elevator.

She descended the last step on the staircase and was met by her mother who escorted her all the way into the hallway before pushing her out through the mighty double doors.

Malisha walked down the steps. Nervousness ate at her whole though she dared not to show it. As promised, Duke had come to pick her up and there on the driveway was his state limo already parked and open, waiting for her to get in. Behind it and in front was his motorcade. Two motorcycles and three security cars that remained open as the awaited the signal from the main car.

"Probably coming home from work or some work related event." Malisha thought as she allowed Alfred to lead her in. The door clicked closed behind her and the Limo began to move. As she settled back in her seat, Duke mumbled something about her appearance, but Malisha did not acknowledge it. Instead, she chose to ignore him even as he went back to his work without another word thrown her way.

From then on the ride to his house remained unusually quiet. This, considering the amount of bickering that usually went on between was rather strange but also comforting to Malisha. She had had a long day and was now relishing the silence. Not only because her temples were poundind, the result of all those tears she had shed but also because she needed the time to compose her before she finally met the Domina.

At this thought, she chanced a look at the Phaedra and frowned. It was an even stranger sight for her. To look upon the man and find looking so regal as he wore his serious work face and pored over a sheave of documents. Truly, this look was a real step up from the Duke that was always antagonising her even without the dark suit that now adorned his handsome features.

“I can feel your eyes on me you know.” He stated, a slight grin beginning to form at the corners of his mouth.

“Don’t flatter yourself Phaedra. I am still very mad at you.”

“About that.” the man finally put aside his homework to look at her.

“What about it?” Malisha snapped back. Her agitation suddenly flaring at the mention of the threat that the man had issued to her.

“I am sorry. I really am. I was feeling frustrated, agitated and...” He trailed off as he noticed the very surprised look that was now on her face.

“What?”

“This is so not like you.”

“How do you mean?” he smiled.

“Open, touchy feely, almost sincere even. It is like in this moment you are actually human and not some kind of annoying and irritating robot.”

“Robot?” He laughed, the smile on his face now turning into an incredulous look.

“Yes. Ever since you left that day... ” she said and Duke immediately knew what day she was talking about. It was that day twelve years ago when he had left her to start his training. The day that had marked the beginning of the end for their friendship. He did not blame her though for calling him a robot, that is for he too had spent that entire time feeling like one. A robot who had been programmed to do his father’s bidding above all else.

In that moment, Duke saw the sadness in her eyes and it broke his heart. It broke him to see her that way and to know that he was the cause of all that pain. Next thing he knew, his hands had reach out and held of both hers in a reassuring grip.

“I’m sorry Lisha.” he told her and for the first in a long time a smile, a real smile broke upon her face as she smiled back at him albeit sadly.

“All you seem to be doing today is apologise Mr Phaedra. What happened to you?Did you lose your naughty chip?”

“Very funny Lisha,” he pretended to be offended.

“Aaaw..They also forgot to plug in your humour chip.”  she added cheekily. Duke played along with her and made a pouty face that  caused her to crack up as she burst out into a fit of giggles.

“Wow, that sound. It’s been so long since I've heard that.”

“Duke.” she blushed sobering up.

For a moment, she held his gaze, but after sometime dropped it even as she pulled away her hands to fold them onto her lap.

“Why me?” she finally spoke even as she lifted up her gaze to look at him for the second time. Her eyes locked eyes with his, even as determination filled her gaze.

Duke began to answer but his words died on his lips as the Limo pulled up before his front door. They were now within the Phaedra estate and a few seconds later the back seat door opened to reveal a foot man who was now holding on to it.

Like a perfect gentleman, Duke got out first and held out his hand to help her out. .

"Did I mention how lovely you look tonight?"

"No Duke. You forgot. Just like you 'forgot' to answer my question." 

"Seriously?" He asked as a Flabbergasted took over his face.

"No silly," Malisha replied shoving him away quite playfully, "But you owe me an answer. You haven't answered my question yet."

"That?"

"Yes, that."

"It's a long answer, but if you are willing to wait, I promise I'll give it to you by the end of dinner."

"O...kay" she drawled out unenthusiastically.

"Seriously. I mean it. Right now is not a good time and we do not want to keep mother waiting. She gets cranky."

"That's not very reassuring..." Malisha told him even as she allowed him to hook her arm into his. She was being quite forgiving and she knew it but with the dinner that was ahead of her she reasoned that she needed every ally she could get.

They quietly walked up the front steps that led up to the front doors. A butler held open the double doors for them and Duke led her inside before steering her into a front parlour where the Domina was waiting.

"Finally. What took you so long?" She began by scolding Duke.

"Mother, I had some state business to attend to and..."

"Malisha! It is so nice to see you again." His mother cut him off as she pulled Malisha down into a tight hug."

"It is nice to see you too Ma'am" the girl replied shyly.

"Hush hush, none of that. Call me Leah, will you? " the Domina told her as she began pulling her by the hand to follow her into a wide hallway.

"Classic mother. Steal my houseguest and treat me like I do not exist." Duke mumbled, chuckling lightly at their receding backlines before turning to address Alfred. The valet had just entered the parlor through a side door bearing the Phaedra's documents. Duke gave his valet some instructions concerning the documents before leaving the man to join his two lovely ladies inside their private dining room.

He came upon two them already seated. His mother was listening intently while Malisha did all the talking. She was animatedly telling his mother about her son, Thomas and the trouble he had been up to that particular week.

"Ah! There you are! Finally, you deem us worthy your presence!"

"Mother..." Duke grumbled.

"I am sure that I taught you better than that! It is rude to keep one's guests waiting."

"I swear mother, you really have it in for me today." His mother tsked and turned back to Malisha, who was now covering her mouth, struggling to keep her laughter in. Duke sent her a concealed glare and she rolled back her at eyes him, obviously enjoying his torment as she watched his mother scold him and put him in his place.

Eventually they settled down and the Phaedra took his place at the head of the table. The Domina and Malisha took their places on the table on either side of him after which the butler called in the servers, who came in bearing food on various platters.

Dinner was great and when the last course had arrived, the Domina decided to take over the conversation, steering it back to Duke's childhood days and his embarrassing moments. Duke protested but there was no stopping his mother now that she was determined to faze him. To his dismay, she even went on to invite Malisha for afternoon tea, not bothering to hide the fact that she was planning to show her his 'cute' and even more embarassing baby pictures. Despite all his subtle warnings and glares that were being thrown her way, Malisha accepted the invitation. She smiled sweetly thoroughly enjoying the discomfort it was causing Duke.

After dinner, the Domina excused herself. She was suddenly claiming to be tired, but Duke knew better. The conniving woman was plotting. In her mind, Leah Carlisle was excusing herself so as to give the two 'lovebirds' some alone time. Not that the two were really a couple, but she hoped they would be. Plus she had also promised her son that she would help him and underhanded as it was, this was her way of making sure that the girl would hear him out and also forgive him.

As soon as his mother left them for her 'much needed sleep', Duke turned to Malisha and held out his hand inviting her to join him in his library. She took his hand in hers and stood up. Their fingers entwined, an innocent move that knocked the wind out of Duke leaving butterflies flattering in his belly.

The two left the dining room and came to his library, a huge room filled with books and a fire burning in the hearth. In front of the fire were two couches and a small table where where Alfred had set out their evening tea. As they walked in Duke led her to one of the armchairs and sat her down. He picked up the kettle and began serving her tea.

"So..." Malisha started once Duke took his own cup and was seated in the other arm chair.

"So?"

"The answer to my question." She told him with a pointed look on her face.

"Oh...that?" He said, setting his cup down.

"Yes, that." she told him. For a moment, Duke appeared thoughtful before reached out to take both of her hands in his. Even now, Malisha did not pull away and for some reason this gave Duke the courage to soldier on.

"Malisha. I don't know how to put this, but I'll just come out and say it. It has always been you. Ever since we were young, it has always been you."

Malisha suddenly shuddered and in her shock she pulled her hands away. 

"What do you mean? My mother was right? " She whispered to myself.

"I know. It's outragious!"  her inner voice joked.

"I mean it. This is Duke we are talking about. The man who found pleasure in torturing and tormenting me and sorrounds himself with a myriad of women. Most of whom seem to have better prospects than I ever will."

"I'm afraid, I do not understand." Malisha finally found the voice to air her thoughts when she noticed the strange but anxious look he was now giving her.

"Ever since we were teenagers, I have had this huge crash on you." he started to tell her, but the woman went ahead and cut him off.

"But you left!"

"I know, I know I did that but you have to believe that that never changed how I felt about you. Even when I was away, I always thought about you."

"You didn't write. You didn't say anything!" She exploded.

"I know. My dad had a tight leash on me." he said sadly, even as he took to kneel before her as he clasped her hands in his.

"What about when I was leaving for college? Everyone came to see me off but you. I thought you would come, if only for old times sake."

"Well..." the man rose up to his feet and run a hand through his dark hair.

"Well what?" she insisted when he appeared to take too long to answer her.

"I didn't want to make it harder on you."

"Harder on me? How?"

"Please don't get mad at me." He tried to calm her down. " In my defense, I did try to keep track of your life after that, even after you left I continued to keep close tabs on you. And when you fell in love and got pregnant by that good nothing low life, it shuttered me."

"Wait, Wait. You what? You had me followed?" She jumped to her feet practically screaming.

"Lisha. Please, calm down. We don't want to get my mother down here." she glared at him, but still took his advice and collapsed in her seat still seething from anger.

"How could you!" She accused him again.

"Malisha, please understand that I was desperate and I needed to know how you were doing. It was important for me to know that you were okay."

"Right." The female muttered sarcastically."If you cared so much, why then have you been so mean to me?"

Her counterpart took his time to answer her question. He propped himself in the seat that was next to hers and looked down before replying.

"I don't know. I guess I was jealous ...?" He looked so broken and downcast, that for a moment she forgot her anger towards him.

"Duke, look at me and tell me what you are trying to say." He did not look at her. Instead, he stood up again and started pacing the room and in that moment, Malisha realised just how vulnerable it all made him. The Duke she knew would never act like that. He was strong and confident. A confidence that bordered on arrogance. Knowing that, she knew that he would never willingly place himself in a position that would make him vulnerable, unlike what he was doing now by openning up to her.

"I was angry and jealous that you had let another man touch you. I was jealous that Thomas was not my son... and I still feel jealous." He finally said turning around to give her a pointed look.

"But Duke, that doesn't make any sense." Malisha point it out, confused.

" I know. It is crazy, but that is how I felt and I did not know how to handle it, so I took it out on you. You hated me so much for leaving you and it was the only thing that I could do. The only thing that I could do to get and keep your attention."

She nodded her head finally understanding the enigma that had been Duke.

"And the other day?"

He furrowed his forehead even as he gave her a pained look.

"Yea,that too. I let myself get worked up into a fit and it was ugly."

"Tell me about." Malisha responded, recalling how badly things gone.

"I knew that you were ready to marry him, but he rejected you, even when he knew about Thomas. And there I was, in love with you, accepting you, wanting you and offering you that same marriage like you wanted, but you kept rejecting me over and over again. You said that you did not want a loveless marriage. In the end, I just exploded. My mind could not process you loving him and not me."

"Oh Duke..." her heart bled for him and she reached out a hand to comfort him, her eyes now brimming with tears. "You never said anything. I thought your offer was yet another way to torment me!" Malisha cried out, distressed at the pain and suffering she must have caused him. "How could I have not seen it? No wonder my mother had called me dull. I totally deserved it. This man was in pain and hurting and all because of me?"

Duke finally stopped pacing and turned to face her.

"Malisha..." He said, taking hold of her hands as he dropped down to his knees again.

"Can you find it in your heart to forgive me for all the pain that I have caused you? Is it even remotely possible for me to win your love and trust again?"

Malisha became tongue tied. She was at loss for what to say and surprised by the sincerity that she could see in his eyes.

"Duke i...i..." she stuttered.

"Please, please say yes...I will do anything. Anything you want just say yes and accept the request to be my wife. Please?"

"Wow," That was yet another side of Duke that she had never had the pleasure of seeing and it made her feel all giddy and awkward inside.

"Gosh, Duke! Get up!" Malisha exclaimed even as she smiled uncomfortably.

"I'm not going anywhere until you give me a favourable answer. " he stubbornly refused.

"For heaven's sake! You are the Phaedra. Get on your feet before someone sees you."

"Seriously Lisha?" his chest rumbled with laughter.

" What?"

"Half of the time you are busy disregarding my position and the other half..."

"Still..." Malisha cut him off and his countenance fell again.

"Do you find my offer that offending?"

"It's not that, I just need time to take it all in. You know, to digest? "

"How long?"

"One week, two weeks, maybe even a month?"At that, Duke groaned as he got up to his feet. Revelations.