As soon as I cooled off, eyes snapping open, I made myself a vow. Right here, right now, I was going to promise myself that I was going to have the real thing. I was going to taste her, fuck her, hear her moans and have her cum all over my cock. I was going to have all that and more with my Emerald.
I sat up, picked up a towel on the floor, and wiped my hand. I realized she gave me the perfect opportunity to woo her with this trip. Sure, the two other idiots would be there, but that never stopped me before.
I would prove to her on this trip that we were meant to be together. That I was the perfect balance to her cold, badass ways. That she could be the hardened assassin and a sex goddess all in one. I could help fill her life with blood, love, and pleasure. Then she will never want to leave me. She will love me so much that she won’t let anyone stand in our way.
Not my father, not my guild, not the stupid crown. None of them would come between us. I looked at my window, the one she always crawled through.Because if they tried, she would kill them. And that meant we would last forever.
I cleaned myself up and started to pack for the trip. My stomach fluttered with excitement, hands fidgeting with my bag as I stuffed in clothes I thought might work. I made sure to pack a few small surprises because, let’s be honest, I was not a muscle stacked guy like Ajax and I could only carry so much. Plus, we have enough big, bulky men in this world. We needed sculpted perfection to be the new standard.
My mind drifted to thinking about the sleeping arrangements. Maybe it was going to be a tent situation and I could cuddle up with her, or sneak into her tent. That could be fun and give an element of naughty.
Maybe it was going to be more of a lay down in the grass and look up at the stars kind of trip. That had its own romantic appeal to it, but then the two other fuckers will be there and the likelihood of them letting me seduce her to fall in love with me was slim. Cock blocking dickholes.
Before I could figure out my plans for seduction and making Emerald fall in love with me, I had to inform Romo that I was going to be gone. The only good thing about my father’s lackey being in charge was that he didn’t seem to give a fuck about me.
When my father came crashing into my room in the morning's twilight hour, I cursed myself for not keeping a weapon under my pillow. I’m sure Emerald always had one. He was on his way out to hide from the authorities, but he had to rub it in that I, his heir, would not be taking over the guild for him before he ran off.
When I talked to some members, it seemed that Romo told the guild that someone wrongly accused my father of some heinous crimes that would need to be cleared up before he returned. That he had people working day and night to fix my father’s reputation, but that my father didn’t want to stay there and have the guild tarnished by his presence. Romo assured them he would be back, and I guess they all bought it. My father and his lackey were the best of liars.
After I learned all of that, I stomped my way to my father’s office and saw Romo sitting there. At first, I was livid. Pissed that this big dumb mute was in my rightful spot, the spot I realized long ago my father never wanted me to have. I looked over at my mother, who still looked frail and weak like normal in her corner chair, but this time there was food in front of her and a blanket on her lap. Two things I have never seen her with before.
I shook off her state of being, telling myself that she wasn’t my concern anymore as I fixated on Romo. I opened my mouth to yell at him, tell him off for taking what was mine, but then a moment of clarity found me and I remembered how my father was cemented to that desk. How he was stuck to this house and all the problems that arose and I… I didn’t want that.
As Romo looked at me expectedly, I closed my mouth and turned away, mumbling my apologies for disturbing him.
As I walked towards the door, I felt a small hand land on my shoulder and I shuddered.What the fuck did she want?I turned around slowly, looking her up and down before sneering out, “Yes?”
She looked at me with her weathered and sunken face, years of abuse reflecting in her eyes as she pleaded with me. “Now that your father is gone-”
The laugh that came out of me was sharp and nasty. “Gone?” I turned to face her, staring down at her, as I gave her a vile smile. “You think he’s gone? What a laughable idea that is.” She flinched at my words, eyes widening as she took a step back, but that only made me take one forward.
“He said this was temporary. He has plans to come back and I’m sure that once he does, you’re going to be right at his feet like a dog you are, lapping at the scraps he gives you in one hand as he beats you with the other.” Her lip quivered as her shoulders sunk in and a deep sadness entered her eyes.
I stopped advancing and stood up straight, not wanting to be my father, but I still had these ugly feelings towards my mother for ratting me out to my father. Not once, but twice. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, resetting myself before I opened them again. Erasing all emotions from my face. “The only chance we had was for him to get caught by the guards, sent to prison and hanged for his crimes, but that didn’t happen.” Her eyes turned downward to look at her wringing hands, and I gave her my only warning, for old time’s sake.
“Mark my words, he will be back, and all of this,” I waved around the room, “will be his again. I would advise you not to get too comfortable.” Then I looked over her shoulder at Romo, who was watching our conversation but too far away to hear it. Something about his protective gaze made my anger rise again.
“I would also advise not to sleep with his lackey while he’s gone.” Looking towards Romo, I bent down and whispered in her ear, “Father doesn’t like it when others touch his toys.” I could hear the disgust and venom in my voice. I knew it wasn’t fair to throw that in her face, but like I said, I was having a hard time caring because of her sins against me.
Her mouth opened and shut like a fish, trembling as she stood there, not knowing what to do. “Tell your new boss that I’m going out of the city for a bit, a week, maybe two if things are rough. I heard there were a couple of brothels starting up on the outskirts. I was going to check them out for new talent before I told them they would need to pay the guild a tax for working in our territory. Okay?”
Still looking at the ground, she nodded, and I turned away. Even though she was my mother, and somewhere deep down, the little boy inside me still cared for her, I couldn’t help but be disappointed and disgusted with her actions. This was why I appreciated and valued Emerald so much. Why I was so dead set on her. I could tell from a mile away that she wouldn’t take any shit from anyone. That she would more than likely kill a man for even approaching her, or those she loved, the wrong way. She would never cower to any man, or person, in power. She would stand up and fight.
I had my hand on the doorknob, ready to get out of here, when I heard a whisper of a voice behind me say, “Be careful, son.”
At that moment, I was transported to that little boy who just wanted his mother’s love and attention. Craving those words of thoughtfulness, wanting to be cared for and loved. My body jerked to a stop as my breath hitched. After all I just said to her, she still…
I didn’t know how to deal with what was going on in my body, the feelings of shame and guilt that were blooming inside of me. So I nodded, not knowing what else to do before I yanked on the doorknob and ran out the door as fast as I could. I needed to get away from that place. I couldn’t let her in again, give her another chance, just for her to shatter me in the end. I refused to be that dumb.
I ran to my room, gathered all my things as quickly as I could, locked my bedroom door, and went out the door. As soon as my heels hit the cobblestone I realized I didn’t know where to go. Emerald said that we would meet tomorrow morning, but I was ready now, I didn’t want to stay in that place a moment longer.
I wonder if she would let me crash at her apartment. My legs started to move as I was thinking of where I would go and soon, I found myself in front of her door, hesitating to knock. Not wanting to be a pest, but not wanting to be anywhere else.
I lifted my hand as the door swung open and my dark love was standing in front of me. “What do you need, Zayden?” Her tone and stance of holding the door halfway closed, blocking the entrance, told me she was not in the mood for antics, so I got right to it.
I didn’t mean to sound so pathetic, so it surprised me when my voice croaked out, “I can’t stay at the guild a moment longer. I just… I just…” I couldn’t finish my sentence but something in my face must’ve convinced or appealed to her softer side because her face relaxed, eyes full of understanding as she let go of the door, opening her place to me as she nodded her head to come in.
I let go of a breath I didn’t know I was holding as I passed through her doorway. Happy to be here, even if I had to sleep on the floor. I was here, with her, and that was all that mattered anyway. The cavern in my chest started to close as I dropped my bag. “So, what do you want to eat for dinner? It’s on me.”
