Shadowed

84

"You look ravishing." His voice is a smooth whisper of hunger in my ear. I gently cock my head angling my jaw upwards towards him. Trent's sickening ice blue eyes are locked on me as his hands smooth over the rich silk of the dress feeling the warm curves of my naked body beneath.

"I was hoping for something with a bit more colour." I retort arching an eyebrow and curving my lips into a simpering smile.

"Black suits you."

I trail my fingers up his shirt and Trent's body stills as my finger slips above his collar and the tips of my fingers skim across his smooth-shaven jaw. "Matches my soul," I purr as I watch the muscle in his jaw twitch at my touch. His hands tighten upon my body. My finger gently presses upon his bottom lip and there is a flash of his white teeth, "What of your heart?" His deep voice growls.

"You don't get to ask of my heart" I snap my hand freezing and my fingers hovering above his lips.

"Oh I do"

"There's nothing left." I smile bluntly and remove my hand.

A low chuckle escapes his lips and my stomach tightens, "Oh I doubt that".

I stared at him my face blank of all expression as adrenaline slips through my body. I find myself silently begging him to say it again just so I can show him how very wrong he is.

Moments pass in silence until he eventually motions me towards the table and he smoothly pulls out my chair for me.  I carefully lower myself down into my seat. Goosebumps creep up the nape of my neck as he carefully scoops my hair back and positions it meticulously over my left shoulder. The pads of his fingers are suddenly on my neck and I resist the impulse to stiffen. My skin is crawling, I hate the feeling of his skin upon mine. His fingers trail across my shoulder and I know when they stop, they are poised directly above the mark where my bond tattoo with Kale begins. Beneath his fingers a warm tingling sensation surmises and I am suddenly hyper-aware of the tattoo and it's blood mark which is engrained deep within my skin. I can picture each accent and map each curvature as it is suddenly so ingrained in my mind. Heat is coiling in my chest around my heart as I think of Kale. I can feel my conscious stretching along the ties I have with him, if I let myself I could continue the stretch and be connected again mentally and emotionally to him. Weakness would hit me like a tidal wave. It was a closed door, and I had my eye to the keyhole and my hand on the doorknob instinct begging me to open it again. I couldn't and I wouldn't open it.

 A spike of agitation boils beneath his touch, and I am clenching my jaw so tight that it aches. Just as I'm about to snap at him but our attention is suddenly drawn to the sound of a door opening. The flash of pure white silk is stunning against the darkness of the room as Carmen sweeps into the room. Her eyes meet mine and they shoot ice cold daggers. Trent's hand lingers long enough on my naked shoulder for Carmen's gaze to then shoot up towards him as a dangerously coy smile blooms upon her red lips.

Carmen pauses long enough beside the table for me to assume for a second that she is waiting for Trent to politely pull her chair, and I can't help tugging smile upon my face. She slowly pulls the chair out and seats herself down opposite me, her eyes are now fixed on me and the smile utterly removed. A few moments pass and Trent's hand slips from my shoulder as he walks over and takes his seat.

There is a long silence as nobody says a word as the three of us sit there, Carmen staring at me venomously and Trent looking between the two of us. I roll my eyes and slide my hands impatiently onto the table. The door swings open again. Food.

I watch hungrily as four waiters dressed in identical suits enter the room with platters of food, I can feel my mouth beginning to salivate. Each waiter silently approaches each taken chair and begins to plate up food onto our plates. I watch as a ribeye steak is delicately placed on the plate in front of me and my fingers twist impatiently in my lap now as I fight to control my table manners and not stab straight in. Across the table, Carmen's hand shoots out and she rudely waves away one of the waiters, who bows his head and continues around the table to Trent. As our plates fill the final waiter approaches and generously fills each of our glasses with a bubbling golden champagne. I hate champagne.