The blood in my veins carries gasoline. “And perfect slut.”
The driver stops, dosing the rampant lust, for now. Escaping the sensuous web I constantly find myself in proves more difficult with each passing day.
Will I ever be able to function like before? I doubt it, but I wouldn’t change a thing.
Work is duty and responsibility.
Dahlia is life and delight.
It’s an obvious choice, but sadly, I must make the duality work.
Outside, she shields her eyes from the blinding sun, taking in the perfectly manicured gardens.
I thought I had an ego problem, but the Sun King surpasses it with the grandeur of this place.
As the concierge brings our luggage inside, I follow her as she walks down the path, stopping every few feet, awing and oohing.
Not liking that her attention is somewhere else, I clear my throat.
She eyes me with a serious look. “Who’s greedy now?”
I arch a brow at her, and the most radiant smile greets me back.
You might have been a true king, but I am the true winner.I have my personal sun that shines the brightest just for me.
Gathering her in my arms, I twirl her around, sweeping us into a land of dreams for the taking.
“Can you imagine what it was like back then?” she asks, seeming lost in a different time.
“Stinky as fuck.”
She rolls her eyes at me for destroying her romantic view.
“They invented perfume in France to hide the stench of piss and shit in the Palace. Flowers were gifted to mask the stench. What people see as romantic now used to be practical then,” I say, recounting facts.
She plays with the ends of my hair. “That didn’t keep humans from fucking.”
“No, I think nothing could.”
Her delicate brows furrow. “Hmm, I feel for the situation of the royalty back then. Duty above love…” she says, looking forlorn.
I rest my forehead on hers, inhaling her sweet scent. “Nothing is greater than love. Empires fell, kings abdicated. Entire lines ended because someone would always pick the ones they loved.”
She seeks my eyes. “What would you have chosen?”
“I doubt I would have had much of a choice even then.”
She nods, pleased with my answer. Then, she slips out of my hold, dragging me toward the palace.
“It’s ours for tonight. No need to rush.”
She stretches out her arm and sweeps it around. “This place is enormous, and I want to see the Hall of Mirrors.”
“You’ll see it,” I say smugly.
Money doesn’t buy happiness, but it paves the road in decadence. It buys silence when needed, discretion when wanted, and gives you experiences you wouldn’t get otherwise. And I am taking full advantage of that.
I have to give this place some credit. From the stunning architecture to the lush gardens and golden fountains, it’s the embodiment of grandeur. In one word, opulent.
