In the dark
1519 Words
Prim watched in confusion as Egan returned to his laptop.
She stood for several minutes watching him work on his laptop as if she was not there.
Ahem. She cleared her throat.
He looked up at her.
Staring into his ice-chip eyes, all words left her. She did not know what to say.
“Are you hungry?” He asked.
Huh? How did CHANGE OUT OF THAT DRESS and FOOD belong in the same sentence?
Food! She had not even thought of that all day.
She frowned. Now that she thought about it, she could not remember eating today at all.
She shook her head in response to his question.
He closed his laptop finally, and to her further confusion, he began to prepare for bed.
“You don't want anything?” She blurted out unintentionally. She felt her face go hot in embarrassment.
His lips stretched out in what she thought was a smile.
Surprise. The Ice god could smile? Was that even a smile? If it was from anyone less sexy than him, she would think he was merely constipated.
No. His was dark and sexy.
He dropped the covers and walked towards her, and her brain went quiet.
He stopped mere inches away from her. He smelled so freaking good.
“What do you think I want?” he said in his low voice.
Prim could have sworn the ground beneath her shook in vibration.
Her face and neck burned red.
Did he really expect a reply?
Why did he say she should get out of THAT DRESS, why did he pick out her night dress himself?
He moved even closer, till she could feel his warm breath on her cheeks.
He lifted her hair off her face and tucked it behind her ears.
“Can you GIVE what I want, Primrose?” Her name was like music from his lips, and her whole body trembled.
He leaned down and took a whiff of her neck.
Her brain remained awfully quiet.
And she just stood there like a robot, trying not to melt.
Never in two thousand years did she imagine she would be standing so close to a man this hot.
And so soon after a breakup.
He palmed her neck, yanking her close, and his index finger ran down the length of her right arm.
She inhaled as this lone finger traveled down her exposed forearm, curved into her waist and stopped suddenly.
She gasped when he grabbed her butt, and pressed her against him.
“Is this what you think I want?” He asked, moving his face to stare down into her eyes.
She realized her mouth was slack, open, and she had stopped breathing.
She blinked at him, speechless.
Yes. The man would be completely without doubt now that she was a dimwit.
There was no changing his mind.
He kissed her cheek, took his hands off her and stepped back.
He stared deep into her eyes for another second, and turned away.
“Go to sleep, Primrose,” he said calmly as he climbed into the huge bed.
Prim stood there feeling bereft.
She now felt the stinging emotion of one who lost something.
“You have not asked about the scandal that ruined my wedding.” She suddenly found herself saying.
“Did you murder someone?” He replied from his pillow.
“God, No.” She said aghast.
“Then I don't care.” He said, sounding sleepy. “Get in bed.”
She pouted.
He had gone back to the Greek god statue. Even the way he slept was so stiff.
She tentatively climbed the bed.
Her stomach knotted at the thought of having to meet his family tomorrow. Especially that grandmother he mentioned.
***
When Prim opened her eyes, the curtains had been pulled back and the sun was shining brightly.
All the memories from yesterday rushed back into her mind.
She sat up.
Egan was back at the small desk. He looked dashing in a gray suit, his blonde hair stylishly swept off his face.
“Breakfast with the family is in thirty minutes.” He said without taking his eyes off his laptop.
“Good morning.”
He said nothing.
Ok, RoboCop.
Prim had a quick bath and found her clothes all neatly arranged in his walk-in closet.
She picked out a demure looking dress, and stepped out.
“I am ready.”
He stood up and walked towards her.
“Down there, I’ll speak. Say nothing.”
Damn. The man spoke like some wartime telegram.
She had a mind to reply, “COPY THAT”, but she figured he would not appreciate that, so she pressed her lips shut.
She nodded, and followed his lead out of his suite.
The dining hall was as big as her wedding venue yesterday. And there were at least eight people seated at the table, talking in low tones.
Prim immediately spotted the Alexakis Grandmother sitting at the end of the table. It was hard to miss a face like hers.
She had the softer version of her grandson's proud Grecian face. Her neatly styled gray hair fell down her shoulders.
She had an authoritative air that intimidated Prim as much as her grandson.
“Grandma. This is Primrose. My wife.”
Silence spread round the table as everyone turned to look at her standing beside Egan.
They all had the statue-like face of Egan.
Go figure, genetic iciness.
She found it difficult to read their expressions. It was as if the Alexakis were trained on keeping a blank face.
It took great effort for her to not fidget under their silent, intense stare.
She wrung her hands together, and began to push back her cuticles. A gesture she made whenever she was distressed.
Her only bad habit, as Mamita would say.
Egan cleared his throat, and she looked up to find him staring at his family.
“No words of congratulations?” He asked, looking from his grandmother to the others at the table.
The ice god cared about acceptance? His family must truly be important. Or maybe he was hesitant to get on the bad side of the heir.
“I could say you have left us speechless.” A woman with short hair and unkind eyes said.
She picked up a glass of wine and took a sip.
Prim blinked, wine at breakfast?
“Let me see you.”
Prim jumped at the voice. She turned to see grandma Alexakis staring at her with intense eyes.
She glanced at Egan. He just stared back icily, and she was not sure if he approved or not.
She inhaled and walked towards the old woman anyway.
Grandma Alexakis peered up at her, and she smiled nervously at the old lady.
She would have been blubbering already from anxiousness at being scrutinized so openly, but Egan had warned her to say nothing.
The way the woman was inspecting every inch of her body, she would not have been surprised if the woman asked to see her teeth to determine her health.
But then the woman took her hand and smiled kindly at her. “Welcome.”
Prim felt her heart melt, and her body relax. This elegant old lady somehow made her think of Mamita.
Not all the Alexakis were icy after all.
“I like her. Well done, Egan.” She said, without taking her eyes away from Prim.
“It is rather strange that the heir would marry so suddenly without the blessing of his family.” The Alcoholic lady said.
That was the only way Prim could think of her. Because who drinks wine at breakfast?
Wait. Did she say heir?
Prim turned to look at Egan, who was still standing like he had been molded to the spot.
“My blessing is the only one that matters. And I have given it.” Grandma Alexakis said.
“But we don't even know who she is. Who are her parents? Did you check to make sure she was not from one of our enemies?”
This came from a man who looked like the younger version of Egan. He sat like he was lounging.
Where Egan made her think of a cheetah. This one was like a growling lion.
“Eli.” Egan said in exasperation, the first emotion he had really shown since she met him.
“Did you check?” Eli repeated.
“Enough of that nonsense,” Grandma Alexakis snapped, raising her voice for the first time. “I will not have you men discuss your filth at my table.”
Prim could feel the tension. So the Alexakis were not as united as the world thought after all.
“I only hope your new wife is not in the dark about it.” Grandma Alexakis turned to Egan.
He nodded stiffly. “Have a wonderful day, Grandma.”
And he was gone. Her new husband walked right out with his fierce guards.
Prim looked back at his grandmother. What was she in the dark about?
- Writer
