Mystery Life

10

Eve isn't sure what to expect now that she is no longer Lydia. She was beyond shocked when Dave had kissed her after she told him who she was. It was a dream come true for her, but at the same time she worries that he only did that because they are betrothed and not because he feels anything for her.

After that kiss, Dave seemed to stay even further away from her than before. What is even more confusing to her his second, Zander and his third, Leo seemed to be her almost constant guards. She didn't understand and they wouldn't tell her why. Don't they have more important things to do than babysit her?

Eve stands outside in the gardens. She can't see the flowers but she can smell them. She's lost in thought amid their fragrance and so doesn't hear the footsteps that come up to her.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Dave is amused by how high Eve jumps when he speaks.

He runs his hands through her hair. He loves how it feels.

"You are a multimillionaire and you're only willing to pay me a measly penny for my thoughts?" Eve teases him.

Dave gives in to his desires and kisses her neck, "Name your price then, Eve and it's yours." He manages in between kisses.

"You won't like them." Her words act like cold water on Dave. He straightens up waiting for her answer.

"Tell me, have any of my men been disrespectful towards you?" Dave demands angrily.

Eve smiles but shakes her head, "Of course not. They never have been." But then Eve's face falls, "It's not them. Are you being like this towards me, because you have to marry me?"

Anger fills Dave at her words. "You think I am only being fake in my attentions towards you?"

"See, I told you you would be angry." Eve turns from him. "I don't know what to think, actually. Up until the party you treated me like a guest and possibly even a sister. But since then you've kissed me and then avoided me. You've changed my guards to your most trusted men, although I know they have better things to do than guard me. Now you come out to the garden and kiss my neck, which I really like by the way, and so I'm confused.

"You know that my interactions with the opposite sex have been less than pleasant, other than you and your men. Of your men, they are friendly, but they won't come near me in any other way other than friendship."

Dave runs his hands through his hair. She's right, she's more than innocent in most ways concerning male/female interactions. "I'm sorry. When you told me you were Eve and then wanted to find a way to let me out of the contract...I was just waiting for your eighteenth birthday. If Eve hadn't been found then I was going to ask you, as Lydia, to marry me."

Dave's words drop on Eve like a bomb. She suddenly feels lightheaded and holds out her hand trying to find something to hold onto. Dave hurriedly holds her hand and steers her towards a bench and has her sit down. "Are you alright?"

Eve wipes the tears that are filling her eyes up, "You really want to marry me?"

"It didn't happen all at once, at first you were like just a sister. But by the time you confronted the bitch in the hall about the sex, I had already started feelings for you. I was torn between Lydia and Eve. I couldn't give up on Eve but I was starting to hope that she was safe and happy in her own life. You can't believe just how much relief I felt knowing the two are the same.

"I have avoided you since the kiss because, knowing who you are makes me want you even more. It was hard enough pulling away from you the first time." Dave lifts her face up, "Every time we kiss I'm tempted to take more. My control, around females, isn't the best. You are still pure, miracle of miracles and I want you to remain that way for the wedding."

Dave then goes to whisper a few things in her ear that makes her blush a bright red. "Those are promises."

Dave takes a deep breath and kneels before her, "I'm not a very romantic person. I've never had to be since the girls have always flocked to me, so forgive me if I get this wrong."

Dave takes her hand, "You are my only friend, Eve. I've searched high and low every where I could think of and where ever the leads took me. There were times when I nearly gave up in despair because there were no more leads, but I didn't.

"The day my vehicle rammed into yours was the second best day of my life. The first being the day we first met. The memory of that day has gotten me through more hellish days than I care to remember." Dave takes out a small ring box and takes the ring from it and slides it on her finger.

"I never want another day without you again. Marry me? Not because of the damn alliance, but because I love you and want you here with me forever." Dave waits with baited breath.

It takes Eve a moment to compose herself, "You really want to marry me and not just because of the contract?"

"More than anything, I love you, a dangerous thing in the mafia, but with you it can't be helped."

Eve can't help the tears that fall now, "Do get up, Dave. The answer is yes, a thousand times yes. The memory of that snowy day helped me get through much of what they did to me as well, but I never dreamed that it affected you the same way."

Dave bends down and this time matches his lips with hers and then pulled her in. He picks her up and swings her around in joy. 

"I'm sorry you felt like I was avoiding you like that. I was in part, but mostly because there is a traitor amongst my men and I've been trying to weed him out. I have to be even more careful to make sure that there aren't more. I changed your guards because they are the only ones that have fully been cleared and that I trust enough to be with you."

With his words Eve looks worried. "It's been weeks since the attack. You still haven't found the traitor?"

"We found one, but we haven't moved against him yet. I need to know if he is alone or if he's working with others among the men. So far the indications are that he's alone, but I'm not risking your life. The Italians were trying to kill you. If you hadn't moved when you did the bullet would have killed you, not just grazed-"

This time it's Eve that shuts Dave up with a kiss. "I am well aware of what would have happened."