One thing about Penelope was she barely kept any friends,her brother and sister were all she had,her brother mostly was an all package in one,he was her elder brother,her mentor,her friend,best friend, comforter but most of all,he was also her gist buddy.
Sitting inside the admit room with their mother,they talked and talked about everything and nothing for hours until the sun seeped down from the earth allowing evening to come and once it was time to leave, Dorian was kind enough to ask one of his men to drop the young man home,after which he took Penelope for dinner.
The restaurant was located on the roof of a famous shopping centre among societies,it's waiting list could take weeks.
However, because Dorian was a ventured capitalist of the restaurant,he had his own room which he could use anytime.
This room was luxuriously exclusive for him with the best view of the city.
Penelope observed this and could tell from her deductions that this man enjoyed places he could scrutinize his surroundings. First was his room with a good view of the garden,then his office with a view of the sea and now this restaurant. The room was cozy,a glass door led them to an open area where a table with few plates were neatly arranged,few napkins at each sides, Penelope felt something drape over her shoulders.
"You might get cold,it's windy" he said covering her up properly with his coat but still went ahead to close the glass door as well so she wouldn't feel cold.
He led her to the table and at same time,2(two) servers walked in dishing all the delicacies and Penelope found herself salivating inside, everything they dished looked so good and the smell tempted her stomach to growl,she immediately felt embarrassment wash over her.
Hearing this, Dorian frowned,the only thing he remembered she had eaten was the snack Felix has gotten for her at his office.
How was he so oblivious of how she ate,he needed to pay more attention to her meals.
"Let's eat"
During the meal, Dorian wouldn't stop adding in anything she took a spoon of,if she took two spoons of soup, he'd add a big spoon to her bowl,same with the chicken salad and roasted mull asparagus.
"Dorian it's fine"
She said stopping him when he began peeling the shrimp shells to make eating them easier but she stopped him.
She wasn't a child,she could eat just fine.
"It's easier to eat them this way"
He said ignoring her words as he continued to peel the shells.
Once he was done,he pushed them towards her and Penelope could feel his hot gaze following her with every bite she took.
Soon,he got up going to the washroom to get his hands clean but once he was back he noticed she wasn't eating any longer.
He wanted to ask if she was full or wanted something else but she beat him with a question.
"That man_"
She began but paused and after a while
"That attacked me,was he a_a demon too?"
She asked looking up from the table.
She remembered how his eyes as well as canines were similar to that man who first attacked her at the restaurant and when Dorian nodded,she felt something cold run through her.
"Why_why are they attacking me?"
She didn't understand.
Last time she remembered,her life was normal,no attacks,no demons,no nothing but now this.
Dorian's head slumped toward the table,he couldn't tell her the real reason why those fetish creatures were after her,at least not yet.
"That's because you're my mate" this part was true.
"I have alot of people who hate and want to bring me down,both in the human world and in my world, supposing if they were to get you,that would affect me greatly"
He explained not telling her the whole truth.
Penelope listened as he spoke but then a frown formed between her brows as she became confused.
So those creatures were after her to hurt him?
"If you know this then,why are you with me, I'll only serve as a disadvantage to..."
"Don't say that, ever" he cut her.
"But it's true"
"No it's not" his hand made it to hers, holding it in his from across the table
"You're my world,my other half and everything I live for,I couldn't imagine my life now without you my love"
And this was true.
"You'll never be a disadvantage to me,not ever"
His thumb rubbed gently against her skin.
"You're the best and most beautiful thing that's ever happened to me"
He voiced in a whisper.
"And I'm sorry for bringing you into all these trouble but I promise I won't let anything happen to you, I'll protect you even if it's the last thing i do"
He assured and Penelope found herself just lost in his strong pulling gaze,she saw sincerity in his eyes, determination and assurance. There was a strong will twinkling in those blue eyes and all of it was directed at her,she felt a pound in her chest,then another and another as her heart thumped in heavy rhythms,his torch on her hand was warm and brought comfort like she could trust this man or maybe she already did,she wouldn't know but all she knew was,she felt safe with him.
The sound of her stomach growling interrupted the moment and although the sound was faint, Dorian's eyes which fell to her stomach could tell he heard it.
Letting out a brief laugh,he let his hand off hers.
"Eat some more"
He said filling her plate again.
[Alpha, he's here]
The voice of his beta echoed in his head but he made no reaction,just kept adding some salad into her plate.
[Let him wait]
He said referring to the scum he had asked his beta to arrange for him to meet with. The alpha of the river pack,same pack that attacked him yesterday at the farm house,he looked forward to meeting the man but standing up seemed to be a problem as he couldn't stop watching his mate eat,he wanted to just watch her but he had a duty as an Alpha himself and that was to look after his territory which those River pack people crossed yesterday.
Knowing she would feel uneasy if he left just like that,he "accidentally" spilled water on himself.
"Oh my gosh!"
Penelope exclaimed when a glass of water tipped over spilling on Dorian.
"Uuurr, how clumsy, I'll go clean this off"
He said with a smile getting up from the table and immediately after, Penelope noticed that cheeky ginger head entering the room.
"Yes Alpha"
He replied to an unspoken instruction which got Penelope confused.
Making sure Dorian was out of the room,he turned to her.
"Are you kidding me?"
He exclaimed looking at the table
"All these for you!,no no, I've gotta have me some chicken"
He said sitting himself down and taking out a plate which he dished out some chicken salad for himself, Penelope didn't even react as she already expected nothing less from him.
"Hey, don't look at me like that,you might get blind from my handsomeness, I'm warning you"
He said chewing a big chunk of chicken.
"Do you mean handsome or fat,cause that's all I see" she combated lifting a brow at him and he paused.
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that"
"Hear what,that you're fat?"
He dropped his cutlery a bit annoyed.
"Call me fat again and I'll.."
"You'll what?,throw me off the building?"
"Why you" his face was already red out of annoyance.
"Fatty" she teased
"That's it" he got up approaching her
"DORIAN!"
Immediately, he halted, shooting his head quickly at the entrance
"Keep your voice down you twip,I wasn't going to do anything" he returned to his seat, slumping down,he continued to eat his chicken.
"Hmm,fatty eating chicken"
This time,he only glared at her.
This girl.
.
.
.
××××××××××××××××××
Walking into this house everyday had turned into a nightmare.
The quiet path and hall which echoed only of the sound of her footsteps as she walked in, Samantha pushed the translucent glass door open only to behold the sight of the one she dreaded most.
The white sofa he was sitted against was as milk coloured as his hair which he let to flow down today,the walls and decorations, basking mostly in white as well gave the large parlor a sense of the calm purity of heaven but ironically to her,this was hell in disguise.
Just when she walked in,he grabbed hold of his phone, tapping on it,then placed it over his ear but said nothing before disconnecting and then smiling at her.
"Come Here my sweet rose"
Even his voice sounded like a saintly Angel.
Knowing better not to be stubborn,she did as he asked.
"Come"
He stretched his hand out to her and slowly,she took it and he drew her unto his lap. His hand went to her hair, pulling it's band off to have it sprawl down her shoulders, raving his hand through her loose hair had become a habit he wished not to stop.
Taking few strands,he curled them around his fingers,the sound of the door opening was heard as Rex walked in.
" you called sir"
"What time is it?"
Raphael asked without taking his attention from the woman on his lap.
"19:13 sir"
"And what time were you to bring her back?"
Silence reigned for a short while before Rex answered
"18:30 sir"
"You're fired"
At once,panic could be seen to cross Samantha's eyes.
"I'm the one who insisted on going somewhere else, please,it's not his fault"
She defended knowing fully well she was the reason for coming back late,she recalled the man had begged her not to take long as Raphael had given him an order on the time she needed to be brought back from work and only from work,if he lost his only job now,she would feel awful knowing she was who caused it.
"Where did you go sweet?"
He asked
"T_to a friend's"
"Man or woman"
He snapped,his voice no longer the soft Angelic one he used earlier and this was enough to make her shudder.
"Woman".
"Then why do you smell like a man?"
At his words,her eyes widened in slight panic.
"Her d_date was around as well"
She replied cause when she went to visit her friend,she had no idea she wouldn't be alone.
"Did he torch you?"
His tone sounded deadly this time.
"No"
"Hmm,__leave"
At once, Rex who had been standing and trying to figure out how he would cope without his job walked out while thankful he didn't loose his job today,he was the breadwinner of his poor family and this job was well paid even more than a civil worker, loosing it would be a heart wrench.
"I missed you alot my sweet pumpkin"
Raphael said returning to his alluringly angelic voice, pushing her hair back,he kissed her neck.
"I'd like to go take my bath and go to sleep"
"And let you off the hook for breaking my rule?"
He placed another tender kiss by the side of her nape.
"I don't think so"
He whispered into her ear
"You need a little punishment as a reminder baby girl"
Pulling back,he cradled her in his arms.
"So.."
taking hold of his phone,he unlocked with his password as the short form of her name
S.A.M.
Scrolling through for a while,he smiled.
"How's this for your punishment?"
He showed her his phone and Immediately her eyes met with his screen,they almost plunged out of their sockets and she gasped. It was news about her mother,few articles about her,twisted into fake news.
It's headline clearly outlined.
SUSAN KENDALL,FORMER STRIPPER AT A...
The rest of the article continued about where her mother worked at and few fake photos of her as well, Samantha felt a boil in her tummy just by looking at the photos which feigned a big lie about her mother. Yes,she worked at a bar a long time ago but only as a bartender and that was to take care of her and her little sister,well until this devil came into their lives.
"Raphael you know this is false" she said referring to the article which referred her mother as a former stripper.
"I know,but the internet doesn't" he smiled,a smile which irked her,made her want to gorge his eyes off his face and crush them,she regretted the day she ever thought of this man as their savior when he came at their point of grave need,he was nothing less than a devil.
Suddenly,his laughter filled the palour.
"The devil isn't far from what I am baby girl, don't stress your brain too much"
He replied and Samantha realised she forgot he could hear her thoughts.
"That's right baby girl,each and every one of them"
He replied.
He was impressed at how dark her thoughts grew with each day that passed, although somehow it saddened him knowing that all those thoughts were directed at him but no matter.
"So,shall we carry on?"
"Please!"
She exclaimed stopping him from tapping on his phone which in terms would directly send this article to different news companies,some of which he owned and definitely,they'd publish such a juicy news sent from someone as elite as himself. News feeds these days didn't care whether or not something was genuine,it was all aimed at just making profits even though it involved ruining a person's reputation.
"Raphael please I beg you, don't do this"
She got off his lap and got on her knees.
"Don't ruin my mother's image like this please" she pleaded with hands clasped against each.
"So I shouldn't send it?"
He asked leaning down
"No, please"
He observed her for a while before taking his hand to hers, bringing her up from her knees,he didn't like the sight.
"Fine" he made her sit back against his lap
"I won't"
Grabbing his phone.
"Here"
He gave it to her
"Do as you wish"
Quickly collecting his phone,she searched for the delete icon and once she saw it,she immediately clicked it, removing the disgusting article from his phone and a relived sigh left her lips.
"See?,I can be a very good puppy some times"
He said collecting the phone from her hand only to throw it in the opposite direction not minding whether it landed on a sofa or the floor.
"But don't you think this puppy deserves a reward for being so nice" he asked with one of his charming smile.
"Hmm?"
He hummed,his hand crawling to the back of her dress, slowly unzipping.