"Honestly, Rupier, I don't see what her fitting has to do with me." I've just returned home from a strenuous venture to the states and I couldn't even get my girlfriend to meet with me… Ex-girlfriend.
She's blocked my phone number and I can't reach her online. When I contacted her manager, I was delivered a message that made me see red. Evelyn told me to respect my fiancée. Respect my fucking fiancée.
"She is going to be your wife, Your Grace. Support would be nice."
"I don't give a shit about her dress!" My hand slaps my desk as I stand. "And stop calling me Your Grace!"
"I know you don't care, sir. You don't give a shit about anything but yourself."
Before I can respond, he exits my office. I call out for him, but he doesn't stop. That bastard. How dare he. I care about my family which is why I'm going along with this absurd courting. Ms. Reif is a nuisance at best and I will not cater to it. I'm giving the girl a multimillion dollar wedding. She should be happy with that. Curling my fists, I press them to the marble windowsill and stare out into my green yard. She asked for a garden yet the stupid girl never pressed Lol to have it done. Not that it's his choice but I gave her the okay by telling her to bring it up to him. Yet she wants to discuss it like I'll actually give a damn what she likes and wants. As soon as she's out of here I'll have the yards changed back to how I like them.
"Annoying woman." Before turning from the window, I pause. Someone's riding my horses on my land.
The dark hair flowing under the riding helmet cues me in to my aunt being here. I didn't know she was coming. That's a pleasant surprise. My gaze shifts to the other horse and I bite my tongue until I taste copper. Ms. Reif now has purple hair. I'll die of a heart attack by the age of thirty if I have to stay with her, I'm sure of it. My eyes drift down her body to see what ridiculous ensemble she's in, but she's actually sporting riding gear. A lingering gaze stays on the bounce of her tits and my dick reacts to the mesmerizing sight. I clear my throat and look away. Ms. Reif is nothing to lust after. I just need to get laid.
Sitting in my chair, I bury myself in work but can't stop thinking about the foot massage. Whatever came over me that day was a fluke. I suppose I wasn't even focused on who she was. It could have been any woman making me that hard. The disrupting phone call was a life saver though. She was about to pleasure herself and I probably would have helped. Thankfully, Evelyn took my mind off the blue-haired annoyance. But then she ghosted me a week later. It made no sense. She had been sending me photographs that day. Mostly of her face, which was annoying. I know what her face looks like. I want to see her body. Her naked body. Even though I'm familiar with that as well. But I don't care about her face. But now I'm blocked from her life. I suppose she's right. I need to respect I have a fiancée. Maybe not the woman herself, but the idea.
"Callum." Lol demands my attention. He was in here almost two hours prior, and now he's marching in again, using my first name as if he has a right to be angry with me. That's the only time he uses my first name.
"What is it now?" I grumble, moving my eyes to the computer screen I haven't once focused on in over thirty minutes because the infuriation in my yard, riding my horse, keeps distracting me.
"You've hurt Ms. Reif by going to the states, and not only not informing her you were leaving, but not inviting her to go see her family." My incredulous gaze meets him and he drops his head, adding, "Your Grace."
"She's sent you to tell me this?" How pathetic.
"No, sir. She preferred if you didn't know, but I believe you should offer a gift as an apology. When I incessantly asked if you had handled everything before leaving, I meant informing your fiancée you were going out of the country."
Jolting to my feet, I'm ready to confront her and tell her exactly why it's none of her damn business. "Where is she?" I demand.
"Her and Ms. Gee are enjoying lunch. Your aunt has made a friend in her in the last week. They've been riding together every day." The fond smile on his face is asking to be punched off.
"Get ahold of yourself," I snarl.
"The gift, sir?"
"Yes, whatever." Waving my hand at him, I sit again, not going to confront Ms. Reif in front of my aunt. I just hope the girl hasn't told Gee the truth about our pending marriage.
"Good luck." He turns for the door.
"Lol?" I snap then question, "Good luck?"
"Yes, good luck with figuring out what gift will suit your fiancée. You barely know the woman."
"Lol!" Before he can close the door, he looks back. "That's your job."
"Oh no, sir." He gives me a patronizing chuckle and I reel back. "I'm not to meddle in your affairs. This is your soon to be wife. It's not my job to keep her satisfied in that way." The glint in his eye makes me rise and I feel eight feet tall. It looks as if he wants to follow that comment up with something that would earn him the beat down he's building toward.
I'm not stupid. Lol's girlfriend is as absent in their relationship as I am in my own with Ms. Reif. Lol has found something with my fiancée that's crossing a line, and if I ever find out he acted upon it, he will be hurting and jobless. It's not the woman I'm covetous of, it's my reputation. My most trusted friend crossing me in such a way would be an ultimate disgrace.
The idea of gifting her with something because she was throwing a tantrum is absurd, but here I am, contemplating what to purchase. I'll make a grand gesture in front of our company tonight and people will think I'm in this like I'm supposed to be. Tonight's dinner is with Susan Waterford and that is one big mouth that likes to make news travel. This will work perfectly. It will shut the sniveling Ms. Reif up for a while and I can go back to ignoring her.
Upon entering my dining room, I see the guest list went beyond Susan and her posse. My aunt, Lol's girlfriend, more people I don't know, and of course, my aunt's friend. A man I've never been able to stand but is very important to Gee's husband, who is important to the Governor-General, so I have to act as if I respect him. They're all here, music traveling through the room and drinks in hand, enjoying my house and my booze without me.
"Callum!" Susan runs for me in heels and I wait for her to go down, but she manages to make it and latches onto my arm for support. "Where is she?"
"Who?" I look at the woman in confusion, scowling at the heavy makeup on her face.
"Mag!" Her exclamation makes me flinch and my eyes search the room, realizing she's not here.
"She'll be here shortly," I insist, but I have no idea where the girl is. "Excuse me." I smile at her and move toward Lol. "Judith." I nod at his girlfriend; one side of her deep pink lips rise.
"Your Grace." She regards me lasciviously and I feel for Lol.
"Please excuse us." I grab Lol's arm and move him across the room where people can't hear us.
Just as we make it toward the door, my staff of ten shuffle in a single file line, each carrying hydrangeas. Ms. Reif likes hydrangeas, she can have a fucking room full of the smelly flowers. They move in sync filling the center of the table, then move around the room placing more. The other women coo in awe and it makes me believe I've done a good job. There's one more gift, but it's still being made. As soon as it's done, it'll be delivered tonight.
"Nice touch, sir." Lol smiles in approval. "Her favorite."
"That, I do know. Where is she?" I glance around again, making sure I'm not missing the purple haired lunatic.
"Her dress fitting." He rolls his eyes in disapproval.
The fitting he thought I should attend to offer support. How can one need support when she's having a custom dress handmade for her?
"Yes, well." I clear my throat and against my better judgment, ask, "And where might that be taking place? Perhaps I can catch the tail end."
He doesn't want me to see his smile, but the idiot does a terrible job at hiding it as he steps out the doors, gesturing down the hall. "In the Future Room."
Expecting him to follow, I head that way, but when I look back, I'm alone. I don't know why I expected him to join. I just know she's comfortable around him.
'Fuck, Callum.'
Remembering her words before she plunged her fingers into her shorts makes me smirk as I think about how comfortable she was around me too. It doesn't bring me pleasure, but at least I know she's absorbed some sense of wanting to stay. That's all I need for at least a year.
"Ms. Reif," I announce as I enter the room.
She's standing on a pedestal with a long cream slip-like gown flowing around her feet. Pins and needles are everywhere and I know this isn't the dress, it's just the process for the fitting, but I wouldn't mind if it were. This highlights the curves on a woman. Then I remember what woman it's on and I clear my throat.
"Hello, Callum." She's not happy to see me. I almost exit but instead force myself into the room.
"I've come to see how the fitting is going," I murmur, trying not to sound so unenthused. As I get closer, the sight of scratches down her back make a strange panic flit through me. "Stop!" I shout. "Stop! What have you done!" Yanking the scissor wielding tailor from his stool, I almost tackle him.
"Callum!" Her scream makes me stop attacking the man.
He's cut her! Repeatedly! He's carelessly marred her skin! What the fuck! The fact he's hurt a woman while doing his job is an outrage. Before I plant my fist into him, she wraps her small fingers around my hand.
"He cut you!" I scream at her like she's a stupid woman.
"What? No." She shakes her head in confusion before offering her hand to the man. I realize then that he’s someone who's made several suits for me.
"Your back." If he didn't… "Your back," I growl at the whore, assuming those scratches must have come from someone. "What the fuck has happened to your back?"
"Are you okay?" she asks Anthony.
"Fine, Ms. Reif. Perhaps we should take a break?"
"Yes. Thank you."
I stare at her incredulously while he carefully removes the dress from her body. The minute it's off, he regards me, but my sight quickly flashes back to her. She's hiding her bare chest as she slips on a robe.
When her body is sheathed, I turn toward the tailor. "Anthony, I apologize." I nod my head and he does the same before walking across the room.
"What is wrong with you?" she quietly hisses and starts dragging me out the doors.
"Where are you taking me?" I yank away from her. "If you're having an affair, I will not hesitate to have the documents annulled and then sue you until you never see the light of day."
"Oh, shut up," she scoffs at me before pushing open a door and giving me a shove inside.
The door slams and I flinch, glancing behind me. Upon looking back, she's on her knees and the cat has pounced on her. I move quickly to pull the animal off her.
"Callum," she barks my name then demands, "Let him go."
"He—" A swift paw swipes across my face and I stumble to my ass and quickly do as she says, backing away in confusion.
She hates cats.
The animal approaches her and rubs his face with hers and I realize he wasn't mauling her, he was…hugging her?
"You hate the cat," I insist in confusion.
"I don't hate him. And the scratches are from him. He's learning. He's very playful and doesn't realize his aggression. Gee suggested declawing him but that's cruel, so we've been trying to break him of being so aggressive while playing." She's actually hugging the cat.
When I brought that thing to her room, she treated it like a dragon. Now she's loving it. She's overcome her fear and I know Gee is to blame. Or thank, I guess.
"You're bleeding," she gently says.
I tear my sight from the cat that's earned her trust and look at the concern on her face. My head drops to avoid that expression from her. I'm exhausted, that's the only explanation to my strange behavior.
"Cage," she says in warning and I look up at her as she stands.
"What did you call it?" My eyes take in her outstretched hand that's offering to help me up.
"I've named him Cage."
The cat's pacing and there's no mistaking his aversion toward me.
"That's an odd name," I mention as I avoid her hand and get to my feet.
"Come on." She heads toward the other room and when I follow, the cat lets out its warning for me. "Cage," she sighs his name. "He's still learning."
Hurrying ahead of her, I close the door once she crosses the threshold.
"You keep it locked in there?"
"Similar to me, he's caged." She gives me a terse smile over her shoulder and I roll my eyes, following her to the bathroom.
"You are not caged, Ms. Reif."
"I can't leave the grounds. You flew to my home country and didn't offer to take me. You didn't bother telling me. I'm feeling caged, Callum."
"Well you're not. If you'd like to make travel plans, make them. Lol can assist you." I splash water onto my face before she pushes me to sit on the toilet lid.
"Lol is not my fiancé. I don't want to discuss travel plans with Lol, Callum." She's growing tired of me but I don't know how she could. This is our third or fourth time actually being face to face. She has all the space in the world, what more could she want?
Keeping my mouth shut, I allow her to tend to my face and only feel the scratches when she swipes a cotton ball over them.
"Why would you let that beast maul you like that?" I ask her as if she's crazy and start to question her claims again. It's absurd to let it abuse her in hopes she can break it.
"Because after learning a little about him, I started to like him." She throws away the used material and I stand, moving to look in the mirror. "Do you want to bandage it? It may not stick to your beard hair."
"No, Ms. Reif." I scowl at her reflection. "I don't want to bandage my face. I'm fine." Remembering the marks on her back, I furrow my brows and move behind her. "Let me see these." I gently grab the silk at her shoulders and slowly lower the robe while she protects her chest with the fabric. "Ms. Reif," I groan in confusion. This is inane. Her training efforts aren't working. "I don't want you around the cat again," I demand and when she snorts, I meet her gaze in the mirror.
Having not noticed before, I now see she has her makeup done, her purple hair is curled and pulled up. She looks put together. So much, I hardly remembered how childish the purple hair was.
"It's my cat, Callum. You gave him to me." The defiance isn't only on her face but in her stance as she shields her chest with the robe that's still dropped from her shoulders.
"And it's not domesticated."
"He's a kitten. He will learn. Me and Gee are teaching him."
"You're sacrificing your flesh to train an untrainable animal. It's enough."
"I'm not going to stop."
"I will have the cat removed from the house." I meet her defiance with the burn of my own.
"You can't do that!" Spinning, she faces me with a raised chin. "Don't you dare." The warning in her tone is a challenge I want to flout to show her who's in charge here.
"You're hurting yourself for the cat." I take in the marks reflected in the mirror and confusion changes the anger on my face.
Reaching around, I slide my fingertips over fresh scratches then meet her eyes. The woman staring back is asking for so much I want to give at the moment. It's definitely a lack of sleep and jet lag fogging my head.
"Do you care?" she asks in a hushed plea.
"Of course." I scowl in disgust. "People will think I did this to you."
While nodding, she lets out a disapproving chuckle. "Of course. Explains a lot." Shrugging the robe up, she fastens it as I drop my hand that was still rubbing her scratched flesh.
"Let's not get dramatic, Ms. Reif."
"Let's not, Mr. Carbon." Stepping around me, she slips out of the door and I take a minute to cool off from the maddening woman.
These moments she keeps thinking we share are what's confusing her and she needs to be told she's mistaken. But I can't until after the wedding. Once we're married, she can't request a divorce, but I can.
I stop at the closed doors of the Future Room and inhale before grabbing the handle. The doors are locked. She's locked me out. I know she's in there. I hear her and Anthony. Raising my fist, refusing to be locked out of a room in my own home, I pause.
Fine. She can do this fitting alone then.
Back in the dining room, I finally greet my aunt, then the rest of my guests. I have to explain in great detail how my insane fiancée's cat took a swipe at my face. And of course, Gee defends her and the cat. I wouldn't expect anything less. Everyone down to Lol is concerned about Ms. Reif's whereabouts so I have to assure them she'll be right in. It's the better part of an hour before she finally joins us, and I'm starving.
The second she enters the room, Susan flocks her. I narrow my eyes, wondering what's so appealing about the condor. Besides that dress… But the smile growing on her face as she looks around the room makes me stand. She likes my gift of flowers. And I won't lie and say the smile on her face isn't pleasant. It makes a smile of my own breakout. That is until her gaze passes me up and lands on Lol.
"Oh, Lol." She skips toward him and her arms wrap around him for a tight hug.
What the hell is she doing? Is she thanking him for my gift?
Unreal.
Making my way through the swinging door, I head to the kitchen to tell the staff to start serving. I'm hungry. When I make it back into the room, everyone is laughing and huddled around her as if she's a divine being.
Ridiculous.
"Shall we eat?" I announce and sit at the head of the table.
The crowd breaks up and starts taking seats. As she approaches me, I drop my head, not wanting her thanks for the gift anymore.
"Callum—"
"Let's eat, shall we." I gesture to an empty chair that's thankfully several away from mine.
"Oh, Mag, here, sit here," Susan says, sitting at the chair to my right.
"No, it's fine. I insist." She touches her shoulder before coming to a stop at my side. Bending, she leans for my ear but I'm really not interested in her thanks anymore. "I'd like to take your seat," she whispers.
"Excuse me?" I reel back and look into her face.
Anger makes redness flitter across her cheeks and she moves for my ear again. "Please allow me to sit here."
"You're mad," I snicker and shake my head, raising a glass to my lips. "I will not offer you my chair. Please have a seat." I manage to keep the conversation private, but my initial outburst clued in anyone paying attention.
Erecting her posture, she plasters on a smile before she faces the table and moves to sit in the open chair next to Gee's friend.
Ignorant woman. I drop my head to ignore the table and enjoy my food. As dinner proceeds, more drinking than eating is done and my guests' voices begin to carry. There's a party being had while I sulk and attempt to act as if I'm not.
Looking up, I scan the table as laughter fills the room. My gaze stops on Ms. Reif while my aunt's friend is leaned into her ear. I don't care for the discomfort on her face but she's probably still sour I wouldn't allow her my chair. Avoidance is key but so hard when the man's enthrallment won't shift from her. He has no regard for the fact I, her fiancé, am in the same room. He's practically draped over her, talking into her ear and holding her captive. When dessert is cleared and various wine and liquor bottles hit the table, I lean back in my chair with my glass to my lips.
"Your Grace." A member of my staff places a box in my hand.
This is the second piece of Ms. Reif's gift, but I don't think she's worthy of it. She thanked Lol for my first gift.
"Thank you." I nod at him and place the box in front of me with no intention of giving it to her.
Noticing she's refilled her wine glass six times, I narrow my eyes when I also notice she's becoming more comfortable around my aunt's friend.
"You couldn't give her your chair?" Lol's hushed voice comes from my left and I realize he's switched seats with my aunt.
"Pardon me?" I grimace at him.
"She wanted your chair to avoid Culver." He glances at the man that's been making advances toward my fiancée all night.
"Come again?" I heard him, but I'm pissed there seems to be some sort of secret.
"He's taken a liking to her and couldn’t give a damn if you're here. His first observation was you couldn't care less about her. You're never around when she is. He's made a few advances toward her and short of telling Gee never to bring him around again, there's nothing she can do about it."
"Like hell," I growl, gripping my glass in anger.
"You can do something, sir. Ms. Reif is not comfortable demanding something like that from your family. And telling the man to stop is like telling a street dog not to eat the meal you've dropped. I've tried to step in, but she doesn't want to embarrass you by." He pauses and clears his throat. "Causing a scene or acting dramatic."
My sight locks on them. His arm has her possessively pulled toward him and her eyes are closed. A smile is on her face as if she likes his nearness and jealousy flares. She's gotten drunk to the point of not minding his proximity that is over the line. A bubbling chuckle escapes her but she doesn't open her eyes; he throws his head back laughing. My glare shifts to the other man that's seated to her right and they seem to be boxing her in. Do they not realize I'm right here? This is my fiancée. My house. My party. My children’s’ soon to be mother. Mine. Unable to take it anymore after Lol's words sink in, I stand and grab the box. Moving around the table I come to stop at the back of her chair.
"Excuse me." I grip Culver's arm and assist him in leaning away from her. The other man backs up without even a look. "I've got another gift for my fiancée," I announce, but Ms. Reif has yet to look up at me.
She's drinking her wine like it's running out and she can't quench her thirst. Removing the necklace from the box, I reach around and lay it across her bare chest before clasping it. Repositioning her soft hair, I carefully smooth my fingertips over her shoulders. It's more beautiful than I described over the phone. The hydrangea inspired necklace tears from her throat to her cleavage and I'm pleased with this gift. Her hand lays over the droplets a moment before she looks down. Standing, she sways and the asshole grabs her waist to steady her. I move her chair, almost ripping his arm out of the socket for touching her.
"It's beautiful," she whispers and looks up at me.
Not expecting the tears in her eyes, I take a step back in confusion.
"Mag, darling, are you okay?" The asshole stands and tries to wrap his hand around her waist.
I also notice she's unsteady on her feet but I'm not drawing attention to it. I don't want to embarrass her.
"Please." I give him a shove and he falls into his chair. "Touch my fiancée again and we'll have a fucking problem."
The gasps of the room could be heard all the way to the front door. I've never taken to cussing in public but he's overstepped a boundary.
"Callum." The way she says my name makes me grab her and I pull her to my chest, her tears starting to fall.
I hug her to my body and regard the asshole that's planted in his seat before I look around the table at the other guests. "It's time we turn in for the night. Please excuse us." I tuck her under my arm and keep her pulled against me, wanting to spare her from others noticing she's in tears. They're not tears of happiness. "Good night." I smile and lean down, putting my face in hers as I escort her out. Making it look like I'm too taken with my fiancée to allow her to say goodnight.
The entire way to my chambers, I hold her sobbing form to my side, not asking what's wrong because I want to wait until we're behind closed doors. Her sobbing has already drawn the attention of some of the staff. I close my bedroom door and deposit her on my bed where she weeps into her hands.
"Ms. Reif." I reach to touch her and pull her hands down but think better of it. Unsure why she's bawling, I pace the room a few minutes. "I'm sorry I didn't offer my chair. Had I known you had an issue with Culver, I wouldn't have hesitated to take that seat. Why didn't you just take Susan's chair when she offered?" I stress like she's dense.
The moment she drops her hands I step back and see the utter sadness on her face.
"I can't do this anymore, Callum," she cries. "I'm sorry. I can't." Her hands cover her face again and I notice her fingernails match her hair. The quirk makes me briefly smile before I remember I have a mess of a woman in my bed and she's not making sense.
"Ms. Reif." I stop in front of her. "Look at me." When her head shakes, I sigh and drop to my knees in front of her. "Ms. Reif." I gently wrap my fingers around her wrists, but can't pull her hands down without yanking, and I don't want to be brash. "Magdelena," I breathe her name and her hands slowly lower, making me feel some relief. "Why are you crying?" With a gentle touch, I thumb away the tears but they don't stop. She's had a long night and she's intoxicated.
"Why am I here?"
I furrow my brows. "You know why. You signed," I implore her drunk head to remember that, because she's not leaving. The binding documents have been signed.
"You don't want me here. You hate that I'm here." She covers her face again and I huff.
Women are complicated and emotional. If only she were in this for the money, it wouldn't complicate things.