The Trading Game

Ch. 15

    Dinner is an awkward strained mess to say the least. I haven't spoken to Alix and he wisely hasn't said a word to me. I'm hurt, I'm angry and I feel stuck. But the real bitch of it all is, I want to be with him! I'm close to dropping my face into the table just to knock myself out for a few minutes of peace.

I told myself it was temporary. I told myself to enjoy it while it lasted. Now, I don't like the thought of it being over. Granted this is my first intimate relationship...can I even call it that?  No, this is a game to him. This is not a relationship. He's figured out a way to have it all, work, sex, wife and children. All conveniently wrapped up in a business deal, perfect for such a man as Alix Greco.

"What are you two fighting about?" Alexia asks, clearly having none of this quiet reserved dinner.

"I want her to marry me." Alix states, in way of an explanation. My mouth drops and I see Alexia's shocked face turn to delight.

"No. No. No." I say, holding up my hands. "Thats not what this is about. Its about your sneaky way of getting what you think you want." I tell him, glaring at his placid expression.

"I'm well aware of what I want." He refutes, simply.

I roll my eyes. "You just don't want to put in the time to meet someone else. You can tolerate me. So, you think why not just make a go of it, right? That's not how these things work." I explain, angrily.

"You're perfect. There is not need to look any further."

I wince. "Don't even try to be cute! That may work for your mom, but not for me. I know exactly what just happened, I was there." I state, recalling our fight.

"You misread all of that."

"Then explain it." I reply, still angry.

"You still have a job. I realize I may have jumped the gun, as they say. There is no need to rush into anything." He states. Agreeing with me without words that marriage in our circumstances isn't negotiable or necessary.

"That's putting it mildly, but okay. Calling truce." I agree, still weary of him. I holding out my hand to shake his.

He smirks but shakes my hand. "Truce."

His mother grumbles something and Alix comments back in Greek, making them all smile.

"What did you just say?" I question, suspiciously.

"That you are stubborn." He answers, easily.

"Me! That's rich coming from you." I reply, sarcastically.

"You always win. I may be stubborn, but you win every time." He reminds me, looking completely baffled. "I never deviate from a course that I set, but you make me scrabble." He states, eyeing me like he doesn't know whether to be annoyed or impressed.

"Because, I'm always right." I point out. "If you listened in the first place you wouldn't have to scramble."

He lifts one eyebrow and smirks. "Of course."

I scoff and narrow my eyes at his tone. "Don't say it in a patronizing way." I reply. Hating that he sounds like he's giving a petulant child a piece of candy to keep from having a tantrum.

"My apologies." He replies. I can see the twitch of his lips as he keeps himself from smirking.

"How can you say I always win? What about our trade? Is that me winning?" I ask, perplexed.

"Most definitely. I've been very generous." He replies, his eyes hot on mine.

I grind my teeth together, knowing he's referencing his oral abilities.

He tilts his head, deep in thought. "What are you losing, exactly?" He asks, curiously and I have no response. What am I losing with being with him? I am providing security for my family, I like being with him, I'm definitely not losing out in that department. I just feel that I'm missing the choice to be with him.

"The fact that I no longer have the choice. Isn't that losing?"

His eyes narrow, and he shakes his head. He leans towards me putting his forearms on the table. "Babe, you did choose." He reminds me.

I roll my eyes. "I don't see it that way."

"Perhaps you should." He suggests, his eyes intently watching me.

His Dad clears his throat and I glance towards him. "Just how many times was Alix dropped on his head as a kid?" I question, suspiciously.

Cairo smiles, "I never dropped him. He did fall off the changing table a time or two, though." He admits, unapologetically.

I point at Alix, feeling justified in every way. "I knew it!" I shout, delighted to have an explanation.

"Knew what?" He grins.

"You could not be the way you are without blunt force trauma to the head." I explain, completely serious.

Cairo and Alexia laugh as Alix, scolds them. "Why are you laughing? You've made me this way."

Alexia waves his statement away. "Braxton took a tumble down a set of stairs, he turned out fine." She shrugs.

"Mama!" Alix, shouts, amused yet appalled.

"Don't ever let your parents watch your kids. It could be tragic." I whisper, teasingly.

"No, our children will be supervised by adults." He says, loud enough for them to hear.

I tense up as I hear him say, our children.

Alexia gasps, "It was hard to keep my eye on the two of you. Both of you wouldn't stop moving and never in the same direction." She states, defensively.