Diana's POV~
"You are getting paler my dear.Afraid?". Leo's lips stretches with amusement and Diana shifted her gaze determinedly on him putting on a brave face but wishing he weren't correct.
Wishing, with all her heart,she could get control of nerves that were firing through her body since she entered his office.
He was like a very dangerous, cunning jaguar that would eat you up if he got even a tiny whift of fear from a far distance.
And so she tilted her chin defiantly, shooting him what she hoped passed for a withering look. "I'm not, I assure you".
Her lie must not have been convincing enough for the cold hearted man in front of her because giving a casual shrug and the infuriating amused smile still tugging on his lips he pined me with his intense gaze,"Could've fool me if it weren't for your shaking body".
"Are you afraid of me now?",he tilted his face slowly to the side never ones removing his gaze from her, like a tiger watching its prey.
He stood six and five feet tall,muscle and sinew, a warrior in a modern man's clothes, a warrior with the heart of steel. Yes, of course she was afraid of the man and what he could do to her or produce out of her. Years ago- as an impressionable eighteen year old girl she thought the world of him and her dawn and night began and ended with him. She was so in love with him and had dreamt of walking down the aisle towards him. The man who she adored and who, she stupidly believed felt the same about her. But no it was all just a big, disgusting,fat lie.
No. She mentally slapped herself.No,she was never going down that road. It had taken her years to piece herself back together after his betrayal and she was determined to never give the remaining piece of her unbroken heart to this kólos sitting before her.
"This marriage is happening", he states.
"And as I've said there has to be another way to appease the people of Cyrene".
"This the only way ".
"You seem mighty sure of it",she couldn't help but retort back at him.
"Because I am",he flatly states."I have already discussed with the council of members and they are with the people on this".
I knew when I was soundly defeated and this is it,"So there's no hope out of this".
"I'm afraid not",he so calmly replies.
I knew this was no fault of his as well but feeling helpless I couldn't help but vent my anger out at him." Why are you acting so calm? Aren't you angry for yourself? Or was this a plan of yours to torture me some more. What, not satisfied with the damage you made in my life ten years ago? Is that it? ".
He continues to stare at me with a blank look. And the more he didn't react to my tirade ,the more I started to unravel." I hate you, do you know that? All this is because of you. You're like a bad jinx that never goes way", I was breathing heavily at the end of my outbursts.
" Done? I hope you got everything out of your system because this is your only chance to talk shit in front of me again. Next time I wouldn't be so kind, I don't tolerate bullshit".
I knew there was no use hoping for miracles to happen. This is it. I have no other choice but to swallow the bitterest pill ever.
I would have to marry him to appease the panicking lot of Cyrenians.
"So we're doing this", I couldn't to save my life mask the defeated sound of it.
"We are".
His words were like the final nails to my coffin. In this last ten years despite the scars he gave my heart , it continued to beat faster whenever thought of him popped into my mind during sudden times or when Seb would casually talk about him and how he was busy dating all those beauties out here somewhere . During such times I couldn't control the pinch in my gut and jealousy would fester away for days even though outside I acted like it didn't matter to me.And, now that we were going to be joined together in such a permanent way I didn't know if my poor heart could bear it all. It had taken too many hits for it to ever repair from another. This,this was the sole reason why I was so against it- to protect my fragile heart.
"I'm sorry for taking my anger out on you. It's just...not what I expected".
"This is not what neither of us expected",he agreed.
" We hardly know one another now you know,not counting our stupid childhood years".
"And you knew my brother",he said with a seemingly dark gleam in his eyes. But I mentally shrugged it off thinking it's just my imagination.
"He was my closest friend and advisor to all my problems",she whispered, and tears thickened her throat as she thought about him. She blinked her eyes furiously unwilling to have a meltdown in front of this man right now.
On the other hand as Diana was preoccupied by her inner turmoil Leonidas Kristakos was controlling himself from turning the table and roaring out his anger. His jaw clenched, a muscle throbbing at its base and he had to grip his fists tight from under the table inorder to control himself from attacking her out of jealousy towards his already dead brother.
'This is a political marriage. You will have your duties and I mine, but you can carry on much as you did before. There'll be no restriction on it all".
"Except for the whole having sex part of producing a heir?" She pushed with a challenging look at him, he just raised his eyebrows.
Great. Just splendid.
"You hate the idea of sleeping with me?".
Her eyes fell closed,her heart stuttering.
She had loved and adored Sebastian Kristakos. She had respected and liked him. Not in a romantic way, though. Theirs had been a friendship,first and foremost and she had liked that about them,liked the comfortable understanding they had. And despite our engagement for a very long time he had never pressured her for anything sexual or a much sooner marriage. She didn't know why she had hesitated this long to marry him. No,that was a lie she knew why- because she had never been attracted to him even a little and felt marriage was something so final that would close her chance for something, she didn't know what.
She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't feel the ominous heat that was emanating from her lethal companion who looked like he was ready to kill someone
This will be the last fucking time I allow her to think about him. If he had to face this every damn day then he knew he was bound to explode sooner.
Diana came out of her inner thoughts and as she looked over at him she felt the need to prolong this storm that was coming towards her with unstoppable speed."One year", she blurted out.
There was no need to explain what she was asking for.
"No, that's not possible",he firmly states.
"Please Leo I need some time", I plead helplessly.
Lookin at me with blanked expression he lastly offers,"Four months and not more than that".
I close my eyes for a moment and bracing myself I open my eyes and seal my life to this journey ahead of me. "Yes I'll take that".
With her words the decision had been made. As they continued to stare in each other's eyes, there was a knock on the door a moment later Leo silently stood up." Come", he spoke .
The lady I saw sitting behind the counter outside his office enters with an iPad in hand." Mr Kristakos, it is time for your 2:00 o'clock meeting with Mr Madden.
"I'll be there in five minutes, ready the conference room",he briskly orders her.
"Ok sir ",she exits closing the room after her .
" My driver Anthony will take you to my place. No, no debate on this I have no time for it. Rest for the day and I'll meet you for dinner ".
I know its pointless to argue with him when he's already made up his mind so I let it go for now . Also I was feeling a little jetlag as I'd come straight from the airport with the help of Cyrene's private jet .
"Come",he says as he opens the door for me to go out first.
I hesitate for a moment which doesn't escape his observant eyes," If you have anything more to throw over my head you are welcome to do so over dinner".
With all the fight sucked out of from our earlier discussion I think it best to leave it for now and quietly walk towards the open door. As I move past him I get a feeling like he leaned a tad closer and sniffed me but decide against it as I think it absurd.
I turn towards him as we walk out of his office ."My driver will be waiting downstairs.I've already asked for your things to be brought to mine".
I simply nod and start to walk towards the elevator trying to casually walk with confidence without falling on my face with all these emotions that were running havoc inside me due to his presence. I felt my skin prickle as if being watched by someone and I was pretty sure it was him. Entering the elevator I pressed for the ground floor and looked up to see him watching me with such intensity I nearly gasp out loud and. I can't help but stare back at him hypnotised by him until the door closes.
I stagger back and lean on the elevator for support suddenly feeling lightheaded.
This is really bad for my health if it happens everytime we meet.Skata skata skata.
Guess I'll have to do a better job of protecting my vulnerable heart from now on. But how long will I be able to protect it, weeks?Months? Years?.
I don't know if I can even last for a month. Feeling like having the world on my shoulder I lean my head back on the wall and close my eyes praying for strength.
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