MAYA'S POV.
"We are getting married today" he said suddenly, his eyes hooded with lust as he stared at me.
His words floated by me. In my gauze of passion, I could barely register what he said, so understanding its implications was impossible.
Grabbing his neck, I pulled him down for another kiss and it is safe to say that I was hooked. I don't know how long we sat there, exploring each other's mouth and discovering the pleasurable wonders of our tongues locked in a passionate embrace, but we needed air. So we came up for air, his head buried in my disheveled hair as he tried to regulate his breathing while my face was buried into the nook of his neck. I wasn't faring any better, I could barely control my breathing but that didn't stop me from trying to take a lungful of his cologne, he smelled of sandalwood, every woman's favorite.
"We need to get married today,"
This time his words broke through my gauze , shattering the haze of desire that seemed to have clouded the room moments before.
I stared at him, stumped and wide eyed. Maybe he was crazy or mad or even high on something, why did he want to marry me TODAY? He barely knows anything about me, a name, my hobbies, just the basics. These thoughts ran through my head as I tried to scrape off his lap. I wasn't successful though because his grip only tightened on my waist the harder I struggled.
"We can't get married today,that's just insane" I argued, still trying to get off his lap.
He had an amused smile on his face as he stared at me, it seemed like he was enjoying my struggle. His hands around my waist tightened and he pulled me against his chest, my breast pressed against him.
"What's insane about that," he replied, a smile wrinkling at the corner of his eyes.
"You know nothing about me"
"I know enough" he countered, running his fingers through my hair.
"No you don't, at least not enough to take me to the altar today"
"Well, the information I have is enough"
His nonchalant attitude irked me. He didn't seem to take my words seriously and was content with running his fingers through my hair.
"I won't get married to you today"
" Yes you will," he replied, his voice charged with authority.
My protest died in my mouth, just before I could voice them out. He stared cold at me, his mouth turned downwards into a deep frown. The atmosphere around him screamed cold, like he was detached, distanced.
"It is either today or the deal is off"
&&
I stood outside the marriage registrar's office, I barely noticed my surroundings because my mind was still stuck back in time. Now, how did I get to this point?
Amira had given me two options, either I back out of the deal entirely or I would get married to him today, like today, to a man who I barely know. I tried to agree and convince him otherwise, but his mind was made, it was either today or never. I understood quickly that I had no choice, my freedom for six months or my mother's life.
This brings us back to this moment, my marriage certificate clasped in my embrace and a wedding band firmly fixed on my ring finger- not that I actually looked like a bride. My makeup was smeared and my hair was still as messy as it was this morning, a lot more of me being honest and my gown, still a gown but not the type most brides would have dreamt of. - Amari hadn't given me the opportunity to change. We were out of his apartment the moment he found a shirt to wear. Maybe he didn't want to give me the opportunity to change my mind, not like I could. It was quite late when the driver pulled up in front of us, we got in and left the registrar's office.
I counted the time it would normally take us to get to the penthouse, while keeping my eyes closed. Roughly fifteen minutes, that's how long it was supposed to take- I counted on the drive over to fill in the silence in my mind. Thirty minutes passed by and the car showed no signs of stopping. Opening my eyes, I stared at the passing scenery through the window. It wasn't that clear because the sky was already dark but they still seemed unfamiliar.
"Where are we going?" I turned to look at Amari, clearly confused.
"This doesn't look like the way to the penthouse?" I continued when he did not reply
"Are we stopping somewhere else first?"
I stared at him for a while, contemplating my next course of action. Throwing him through the car window did not seem like a bad idea. Amari barely glanced in my direction. It became quite obvious that he wasn't going to reply, I sighed and focused outside the window. We were currently in upscale Manhattan, it most certainly lived up to its name, with magazine dream houses and expensive rides flooding the streets, it could really be described as 'the billionaire's playground'.
While I was admiring the scenery we pulled up in front of a slightly narrow driveway that could allow one car at a time to drive on lt. At the end of the driveway I could see a massive gate, it looked tall and imposing with an ancient and historical feel to it, the kind you could see at horror movies.
Amari stiffened slightly at my side, his forehead creased with lines of worry as we approached the gate, not that I cared in the slightest. The gate pulled open before our car even got close, I assumed that the driver had the remote to it.
"Wow" my eyes widened as I stared at the scenery in front of me.
'Rich and fancy' came to mind as the car slowly drove up the driveway. There was a statue of an angel sitting with its right hand outstretched, water pouring out of its fingers into a pond beneath it. Beautiful trees lined both sides of the long driveway, at the end of this drive a roundabout of sorts was erected with a spring on top and a single large tree in the middle. The car made a turn around it and came to a stop facing the direction of the gate.
Through the window I could see a middle aged man and four other women standing silently in uniforms, waiting patiently for someone, us I guess. The driver opened the door for us and we stepped out of the car, the air was fresh and calming. The compound looked serene and distant, yet vibrant with hues of green at the same time.
Amari didn't even look around as he came down, just straight up walked towards the entrance barely acknowledging anyone as he walked with long strides towards the double wooden doors. I hurried to catch up to him, the soft pattering of footsteps behind me indicated that the middle aged man and the women followed soon after behind us.
The outside was beautiful but it couldn't hold a candle to the inside of the mansion. It was simply heaven, with decorations, furniture and paintings which were obviously top notch and complemented each other flawlessly, making the interior look like a work of art. Even the lighting made everything glitter. There was even a spiral staircase, the kind that are usually present in fairytale movies.
Still unsure what we were doing here, I turned to look at Amari.m,
"Um.,. What exactly are we doing here?" I asked tentatively.
"This is to be your new home, at least for the next six months" after what felt like seconds, his baritone finally voiced out.
"Uh?.. here?... What about the pentho… … ."
I never got to finish that question. His cellphone suddenly blasted like it was trying to shut me up, rudely cutting me off, stupid phone. Amari slowly reached for the phone in his pocket and took it out, he gave a quick glance at the caller ID and his left eyebrow arched up in a manner quite similar to intrigue, not that I really could tell.
"Hello...."
A silent pause as he listened to whoever was at the other end of the call.
"I'm at the mansion.,.."
He smiled and then glanced down at his watch which laid on his left wrist. His action gave me a sick feeling as I already suspected what was going to play out next.
"In about forty minutes, give or take… "
"Alright" he said and ended the call.
" I'm leaving". He announced not bothering to turn towards me, it sounded more like he was addressing all the individuals in the room. Just like I had suspected, he started walking towards the exit, leaving me in an unfamiliar house with unknown people.
" Where do I sleep and when will you be back?" I asked, after much internal struggle when he got to the door.
He pulled the door open and then paused with his hand on the handle, not turning back even once.
"Sort it out yourself" and then banged the door behind him.