Dark Layers Volume 2: Dark Layers (13 page)

We take the stairs up to my place. I'm grateful for his memory; he knows that I cannot be in such an enclosed space with him. Walking up each step, I feel uneasy; I feel his eyes on me. This feeling is sexual, uncontrollable even! How he does things like this is beyond me; will I ever become immune to him?

Once we reach my front door, I try to open it but either my drunkenness kicks in or he's making me feel like a bowl of jelly. I cannot get the key in the bloody hole!

"Here Princess, let me." He whispers.

He gently takes the keys from my hand - insuring he touches me. The skin to skin contact gives me hot flushes and I step back quickly -
breathe!
He smiles, noticing the effect he's having on me. He opens the door like a true gentleman, bowing and gesturing for me to go first. We enter my living area and he walks right past me, seating himself on my sofa as though he's at home. I roll my eyes, knowing I'm happy he's here - but I do not want him to know that!

"Would you like a glass of wine Elijah?"

He looks at me with a sorry expression.

“Are you ignoring me?” I snap, hands on my hips.

“You told me not to speak.”

“I meant in the car.”

“How was I meant to know that? I am not a mind reader Anile.”

“So you think I meant ignore me when I speak to you?”

“I do not know what context you meant it in. You really are a hard woman to read.”

Ugh, he's so frustrating!

“Do you want a drink or not?”

"Please Princess,” he whispers and starts to sound serious, “and I want you to come and sit down; we should talk."

I swallow hard; worried by his clipped tone. Crap, I do not have any wine.

"Elijah, I don't have any wine. Is whisky okay?"

I still have the whisky I brought for his partner - the one I thought insured I got my internship at Darks Lawyers.

"Whisky is perfect Princess." He says, gazing up at me.

I scurry off to the kitchen, pour the whiskies out in record time and head back to him. Walking towards him on wobbly legs, I pass him a glass - regretful. I wish I made the kind of gesture he did - placing the glasses together on the coffee table and insuring they touch one another.

He pats the seat right next to him - trying to command my position - but I sit across the room from him. It's my turn to maintain the atmosphere and I know if I sit next to him, the atmosphere will ooze sex and nothing more.

"Do you not want to sit with me Anile?" He says, still rubbing the empty seat next to him.

"No, this sofa is good." I say sheepish.

"Very well. Tell me about you and Roman?"

I roll my eyes. "Elijah, I have alrea..."

"Anile, just tell me. I will sit here all damn night if I have too. You can test my words but I can assure you, you will lose."

I lean back into my sofa knowing he is a man of his word and I really do not want to argue with him all bloody evening.

"I dated him until I was eighteen. Nothing ever happened between us - as you already know by my virginity - and I finished things because I was going to uni."

"Yes, your virginity. I have also grown quite attached to that as well as you.” He mutters to himself while licking his gorgeous lips. “I do not want you around Roman, Anile."

I shoot forward, ready to give him what for. "You cannot dictate who my friends are Elijah."

"I can when it concerns your safety."

He sits back crossing his legs. His hands lay limp by his sides. His face is impassive; his eyes are deadpan; his mouth is open just a little.

"My safety? There is nothing wrong with Roman. I have known him since I was a child."

"Trust me when I tell you - I know him a little better than you do Princess - and I also know he is in love with you."

"Don't be so ridiculous Elijah." I gasp.

"I saw the way his body bucked by one touch from you Anile – believe me, I know how he feels. I know he still has feelings for you and if you do not stay away from him, I will just terminate his contract and remove him from my firm." He says smiling proud.

"So will you sack everyone who you believe has feelings for me?" I challenge.

"If I have to - yes." He smiles, again proud - Bastard!

I *sigh* in aggravation, knowing this is not going to plan.

"Can we please talk about something else - I have wrapped up most of the Allen case, I will be booking the hearing Wednesday."

"Business talk should only be conducted within business hours."

"Is that a new Law?" I joke with half a grin.

He leans forward while smiling with all his teeth showing, "do you want it to be? Because I am sure I could make it happen Princess."

"That will be the only thing you can make happen." I huff under my breath referring to our nonexistent sex life.

"Touché." He jokes, raising his eyebrows.

He goes silent for a few seconds. He starts rubbing his chin in question.

"Anile, I feel I need to explain this to you. I do not want you thinking that I do not lust after you, every minute of every day."

My mouth is agape. "Explain what?" I whisper. Come on Darks, give it to me!

He squints his eyes a little, his thick raven eyebrows are creased. "What kind of man would I be to just take what I want from you - regardless of your emotional consequences? I will not take your virginity, not yet."

I sit stupefied that I don't have a comeback. I roll my eyes around the room trying desperately to come up with something.
Anything will do, you are losing a losing battle! Idiot!

"It seems Hephaestus has made a re-appearance." He laughs.

"You have not and will never silence me, I am just trying to digest your compelling words."
Liar!

He laughs again, "well, apart from the fact that I do not want to take advantage of you, I think chasing a girl like you is half the fun Princess - and perfection is never to be rushed."

A girl like me?
Hmmm.

"If you think the chase is half the fun, you are sourly mistaken." I joke while sitting back. I need to be comfortable; the conversation is going right for once.

"I admit, you are very tiring, time consuming and disobedient sometimes, but I am sure I will overcome your vexatious tendencies - I am a man of many talents Anile." He jokes.

"So you find me annoying?" I gasp.

"Interesting Princess." He elongates 'interesting' while licking his lips.

"So, if you find me interesting, why will you not make love to me - right now?" The words are out of my mouth before I have the chance to stop them - I seriously need to invest in a damn brain filter!

He lifts his arms into the air and tucks his hands behind his head. He looks comfortable - he looks huge in my small sofa, he looks perfect.

"Firstly, you told me to stop. I would have fucked you all over my verboten room if you didn't. Second, I had no idea that you are a virgin - if I did, the outcome would still be the same. I care about you Princess - I don't just want you for my own selfishness. A third, your chastity is to be taken with caution. I have never met or had someone like you before and I want to savour every moment. A girl like you deserves all the right things and nothing wrong. I plan on perfecting myself to succumb to your magnificence."

Holy fuck! His words are... dangerous! Dangerous and erotic! My heart has officially stopped!

"You think to highly of me Elijah, I mean really." I lower my head trying to understand why he thinks of me in such a way. Men normally just take what they want and he already has in most aspects of his life; everything he has achieved was not without battle. I just do not understand why he wants me so much.

“When you said you know how Roman feels, is that your way of admitting your feelings for me?”

He nods his head while slowly smiling, and that is all the confirmation I need. I blush scarlet - wow. Why on earth does he feel this way about me? He could have his pick of the litter. I rack my brain for all of five seconds - I think I have hit the nail on the head.

"Have you had a virgin before?" That must be the infatuation, right?
Wrong!

"Yes. Both my wives were virgins. Not to blow my own trumpet but it is not hard for me to bag a virgin," he grins insatiably, "I can assure you that your virginity is not the issue; it is you, Princess."

Although his arrogance annoys me, our conversation is getting deeper and deeper and I know now is my chance to ask some questions that have been playing on my mind recently.

"Yes, your wives," I whisper, "I have been meaning to ask you about them, but I did not feel it was relevant - although I probably could have established the kind of partner you are from your relationship breakdowns."

"There is not really much to know Anile. I married to insure I got my inheritance; that is all; I can assure you, I have never wanted a woman the way I want you." He confirms, now leaning towards me. He rests his elbows on his knees. His eyes are locked on me.

"Why do you keep going back and forth? Sacking me, and then chasing me relentlessly?"

"You confuse me Anile. I know I should stay away from you but I cannot. In your own words you describe men well, 'men have obsessive compulsions, especially when it comes to women they desire and they do not control there obsessions well, regardless of how they perceive their actions', you could not have said it any better," he laughs for a few seconds, "I have also thought about putting you into motivational speaking."

"You remembered my opinion, word for word. I am impressed." I smile but it soon turns into a frown with my next question. "Can we talk about that Jane Doe?"

He pouts his lips. "What do you want to know?"

"Well, I read the statements and I understand that it was a game or whatever, but was it really as bad as the press made it out to be?"

He shakes his head promptly, "no, it was not as bad as the papers ruled it to be. Jane... Doe did not press any charges. I really do not feel comfortable talking about this Anile."

"Why?" Now I'm intrigued.

"Because it feels strange talking about my notches with you; I do not want to hurt you."

Hmmm, I suppose I do feel a little wounded that he won't let me please him.

"Okay, no more Jane Doe. Can I ask you some questions about that house you took me to?”

His nose twitches as he prepares himself, “you can ask me anything Anile, that is what I am here for.”

I clear my throat, croaking and swallowing, mentally preparing myself. I sit back, as does he - I don't dare chance falling off the edge of my sofa!

“The knives that where in that house - do you use them?"

He smiles, "why?"

"Because, they made me feel... scared... uncomfortable." I stress. I think I'm a magnificent shade of red.

"Your mind really is all over the place, isn't it?" He asks, relentlessly tapping his leg with his index finger - he looks nervous. I stay quiet, he's not chickening out of this question!

"They are special knives, Anile. They are made in a particular way; firstly they are blunt - although that does not matter, I would never use anything like that with you. The main purpose is to cause mental effect more than physical - to scare people, in a nut shell."

"I see." I mutter while looking down at my hands trying to think of my next question.

"What was that thing you pinched me with?"

"Leave some things to the imagination, Princess. That is why I blindfolded you, anticipation, the unknown, it all adds to your - hopefully soon to be - addiction."

Ha
- he has no idea that he already is my addiction!
One - nil to me!

"Do you like to cause pain - on women I mean?" My hands start to tremble - this is dangerous territory.

He's staring, hard. He looks deadpan - shit!

"It depends on what you mean by pain." He says motionless.

"How many damn definitions does pain have?"

"The dictionary and I have deflected opinions on the definition of pain."

"Elijah, you are doing that thing again. Stop. Answer me, please." I beg.

"I would enjoy nothing more than to spank you, but I would never bruise your skin Anile."

Well that's good to know!
I swallow hard.

"Anything else Sweetheart?"

"Sweetheart?" I gasp.

He raises his eyebrows and narrows his smouldering eyes at me. Okay, we are going off key - I'm not arguing about my damn pet names, not now. I have also asked enough sex questions and I'm pretty sure I look like a virgin, as appose to being one! - next topic.

"The game you played was... malignant."

"Game?"

"Do not make me spell it out to you Elijah - you are a smart man, I'm sure you know which game."

"Yes. Femme Fatale." He whispers to himself.

I almost burst out laughing - yes, I was quite smart in changing the game.
I know how to flirt too Darks!