6
little white lie
I never liked people controlling my life. Telling me to wear this— don't wear that! It makes you look like a whore. Don't go there! Or stay here until I tell you so. You're forbidden to go out like that, keep it to yourself.
It offends me. How spoiled.
I never thought I would find myself in a situation that I had absolutely zero control in. I felt... powerless. He told me what to do and what to say. What I can pray and tell— what I can keep in the closet. Controlling.
Here I am, standing in front of the only man I had felt affection for. But I guess not everything is meant for you. He queried a question I had no answer— or to rephrase that, I would rather not to. I am constrained by the word of my don, my father.
And here I thought I could finally have a relationship with a man more than a fling. That had been taken away from me.
My family's losing power and money. Meaning, we are sinking in the lower ranked mafias. It all dawned in the murder of the Elikini heir, Zanier. They blamed Stavros for his doing. Mainly because Zanier Elikini had potential, a lot of dons were intimidated by that. They weren't so amused about the news of him being heir to the throne. He was the second most targeted heir, a seat he took next to Stav.
But I knew, my Koenig wouldn't do that. He couldn't have.
It was a gut feeling that settled deep within my heart. He may be a lot of things but Stavros Koenig is not a man who gains honor by bringing down another's.
The talk I had with my papa, it wasn't very colorful.
"Yes of course," I nod in agreement. "I understand what you do papa, it's—"
He suspired deeply, "The oikogéneia is losing a generous amount of money. Our sole solutio—"
"Ti, giatí? Nómiza óti káname kalá." My eyes filled with worry, "You can take some money from my accounts if we're having financial problems, papa. It's o-okay." My hands shook as did my whole body. A mannerism I seemed to grow into as I get stressed and worried.
He placed his hand on top of mine, a fond look masked his face. Maybe it was the way his pupils quivered slightly or the way he rubbed small comforting shapes on my skin with the pad of his thumb, but I feel as though this conversation was bad news.
"A friend of mine offered to help us, The Americans." My eyes narrowed.
"They said the same when you were starting out, Papa and then they left you to die when someone had ambushed the shippings!"
"You weren't supposed to know that, who told you?" In a snap, I clamp my mouth shut. Shit. I pinky sweared Dame I wouldn't tell.
"No one, but besides the point."
"They solicited for compensation," His eyes drifted into mine, they held dysphoria and remorse. "The heir wants your hand in marriage."
The next minutes embodied a blur, eventually I found the courage to move and led myself to the shooting range. My heart still ached. Welcoming the foreign feeling of being drained. I was tired, cerebrally and incarnate.
My mind's devoid of words. I couldn't form the right sentences, I didn't know what to say to him.
"I'm waiting, mein Venus." his voice was nothing but a susurration.
I crowd my eyes to prevent tears from flowing.
"I'm okay."
"You're a bad liar," I promptly opened my eyes.
My brows furrowed in confusion. It frustrates me how he knew me so well, how easy he read through me. He stood up from sitting on my bed.
His languid steps and menacing eyes stalked me like a predator did to it's prey. My breath hitched as his massive height easily dominated my small frame. An ache started to form between the juncture of my neck and shoulder as I look up at him. Descending to my height, he inches closer to my face.
Lub dub. lub dub. lub dub, cried my heart.
I could here my heart beating heavily, it didn't exactly help that his lips were centimeters far from my own.
"Tell me, baby. Please..." He purred. Tilting his head to the side. If he were pushed, our lips would certainly touch. "I don't like it when someone makes my Venus upset."
"Stop."
His hands crawled their way towards my hips, schleps me towards him. "Tell. Me."
"I am fine."
"You speak of words like honey, but your eyes... they narrate to me a different tale."
I inwardly curse him.
I roll my eyes, "You talk as if you can read the stars. I said it before and I'll say it again, it's nothing of that requires your concern."
"I can know without asking you, but I would rather hear it from you. To spare myself of your hate if I do." He gripped my chin gently with his thumb and index finger. "Now, would you tell me willingly or do I have to break a few bones?"
I averted my gaze from his intense one. A little white lie wouldn't hurt.
"Papa told me about how mama wants to meet with me. I don't want to." I lean my forehead against his hard chest. "Why would she want to meet me now?"
His warm hand lifted from my hip and ascended to my shoulder. It provided warmth for my cold skin, gliding down my arm until it met the palm of my hand. His massive hand engulfed my minuscule ones, weaving through my fingers as he claimed it.
"How brave of you to attempt to lie to me, Venus."
my blood ran cold. "It's the truth. Take it or leave it, I don't care. I'm not obliged to owe you an explanation."
"Naughty girl." He tsked. "Well, guess I might as well go now. Since you won't tell me anything, I'll have to ask other people."
I grew frantic, "Wait! No!"
"Should I ask them nicely?" He hummed to himself. "Or should I do it the old fashioned way?"
He sublty distanced himself from me, he was going to go torture people to actually tell them what happened to me!
he's crazy!
Gormlessly, I latched my fingers on his arm. Tugging him with great force doing so. Eyes filled with great amusement. I trapped his face in between my hands.
"What? I thought you didn't want to—"
I don't know what came over me until my lips collided with his.