“Miranda?” I say under my breath, “Do I know a Miranda?”
“I showed you through to Mr. Farrow.”
Oh, the lady who seemed like she never smiled.
“Um, what is it?”
“May I come in?”
“I’m not decent.”
I swear I hear her sigh. “Dinner will be served in the dining room in five minutes, Mr. Farrow has requested your presence.”
My lip curls, “Tell him I’m not coming.”
“Miss Lauder,” Miranda starts sternly.
“I am unwell,” I fake a cough, “I can’t make it.”
I wait, and I wait some more for a reply but when none comes, I figure I’m in the clear and get comfortable again, pressing play on the paused movie. The fruity flavor of the wine hits my tongue with a sigh, and I glance to the window, the sun setting so beautiful here. I can see the meadows, bathed in a wash of gold as the night chases away the final traces of the sun.
If the house and estate wasn’t owned by an absolute ass of a man, I might actually say this is a place I’d like to explore.
I’m about ten minutes into the film when the door opens so abruptly, I scream, throwing my wine across the sheets and my phone to the floor.
Malakai stands in the doorway, his eyes narrowed in on me where I’m poised in the middle of the mattress on my knees. The sleeve of my robe is wet with wine, and I can feel my knees getting wet too where the wine soaks the sheets.
“Sick, huh?” He growls, eyes flicking to the open bottle of wine on the bedside table and then to the floor where the film still plays on the tiny screen.
He cocks his head and then curls his finger, “Let’s go.”
“You can’t make me,” I sit back on my heels and cross my arms. Yes, I was being petulant, but fuck him.
“Should we test that theory, Olivia?”
The way he says my name sends warning bells ringing inside my head. It’s part threat, part purr, the tone of it licking down my spine as the rumble of his voice vibrates through me, all the way to my bones.
He steps forward, making good on that promise.
“Fine!” I snap, snatching up the bottle of wine from the bedside unit.
“There is wine on the table,” He sighs impatiently.
“Well, I want this one.”
I may as well stick out my tongue at him with the way I am acting.
He sucks his tongue against his teeth before he throws out an arm, letting me go first.
My feet slap loudly as I walk, the wine held by the bottleneck in a death grip. It feels like I’m doing my death march down this long corridor, but I hold my head high and turn left at the end, turning downanotherlong hallway. This place is a damn maze.
Malakai clears his throat behind me, and I spin, ready to snap at him but he’s gesturing in the opposite direction I’m heading.
Head held high, I stomp back the other way, avoiding any part of my body touching any part of his. Thewine sloshes around in the bottle as I take the stairs down to the ground floor, the smell of the food instantly hitting me in the face.
Oh, fuck that smells good.
“This way, kitten.”
