by Marie Kelly
“Oh…yes I forgot to tell you” His tone was casual, nonplussed, as he moved to stand at the window, “There is no rush for you to do that…my business here is going to take longer than I thought so I have extended my stay” Sara felt her legs start to shake, her eyes moving to stare at him with shock and disbelief. “W…what do you mean? How long?” the fun leaving her tone, her voice almost a whisper as he looked over at her in surprise. “Not sure…about a month…maybe more. So there is no hurry for you to find somewhere else to live” “NO!” Her loud cry saw him scowl as he turned around his eyebrows knitted together in annoyance. “What do you mean ‘no’?”
She stood, eyes wide open in horror, her hands nervously pulling at each other, Darius seeing as she tried so hard to pull herself together, to calm herself. “In three days that will be our two weeks… I need to find a job and a home… I need to sort out my life… so thank you but I can’t stay”
Sara saw as he stood taller, his eyes narrowing, “Our agreement Sara was that you stayed with me until I returned to Italy” Shaking her head, she groaned. “No…I asked you for a timeline…you told me two weeks” Waving his hand dismissively he gave a small snort of irritation, “What I said was that I thought I was returning to Italy in two weeks, that you would stay with me until I returned… well things have changed so deal with it”
Anger filled Sara as she moved closer to him, glaring at the man she both loved and hated in equal measures. “No”, her body rigid, “Two weeks. Our agreement was for two weeks - no more. I stuck to our agreement Darius and you have to stick to it too” He stared back at her in surprise, a small superior smile touching the corners of his mouth. “Well I guess that as I am the one holding all of the cards Sara, you will just have to adjust YOUR timeline because if you want to walk feel free…just know that your sister will be in prison the next day…and I am sure neither of us wants to put little David through that”
Sara stumbled backwards, her horrified expression clear in her lovely eyes as she stared back at him. “Y…y…you wouldn’t do that”, she mumbled, her voice full of shock. Darius gave another smile, one devoid of any humour, “Push me and find out Sara”, his low answer as she turned from him, her whole body trembling, her hands moving to her mouth in stunned disbelief.
With a sigh he strode forward, his fingers wrapping around her shoulders as she stood shaking. “Has it been so bad Sara? We get on well…in and out of bed. I really didn’t think you would mind spending more time with me…so you put off looking for a job and another place to live for a month or so…does it really matter?” To his surprise, she tore herself from his hold, turning to face him, tears magnifying her eyes.
“Yes…yes it matters. It matters Darius, and I will not stay any longer. We had an agreement and I am sticking to it” Darius felt the clenching coldness deep within him. “Wow…you have had me fooled Sara. I actually thought you were happy here” Standing tall, his features became colder, “Well it doesn’t matter. You are going nowhere. You or your sister…the choice is and always has been yours”
Sara moved to sit on the edge of the bed, the anger leaving her as she looked somewhere above his head, desperation clear on her face. “It isn’t right…it isn’t fair”, she murmured. He frowned, realising that she was talking to herself, before she lowered her eyes to his. “Then you have to do what you have to do…because I am leaving”, a tear winding its way down her cheek, the words spoken softly and with grim determination.
“You would see your sister in prison?” His disbelieving harsh words whipped over her as she dropped her eyes to the ground; her whole body slumped in defeat, Sara nodding silently. “Then so be it Sara. You leave this house then tomorrow Angela will be rotting in some damn prison cell and you can explain to her son why”
She heard as he moved from the bedroom, slamming the door behind him as he left, Sara raising her head to hold back the choking sob which rose to her lips. Her hand covered her mouth as she fought to control the way her whole body shook, the tears spilling unchecked down her pale cheeks. She had done all she could. She could not do any more she told herself over and over, willing herself calm. If she did not leave as they agreed then it would destroy all her own chances of happiness, a long steadying sigh leaving her still quivering lips.
Standing, she slowly took off the summer dress she had chosen for that day, hanging it back up in the closet beside all the other clothes he bought her. From the back she retrieved the jeans and t-shirt she had worn the day she appeared in his office, a sad smile touching her lips, the memory seeming to be from so long ago, yet less than two weeks old.
With no luggage, and leaving the jewellery he bought for her she phoned for a taxi, relieved to hear that there would be one within fifteen minutes. Finally ready she sat on the edge of the bed taking deep calming breaths as she told herself over and over that she was doing what she had to while deep inside she felt sick.
The ringing of her mobile heralded the arrival of the taxi, and rising, she made her way slowly down the stairs. Reaching the door, she heard Darius move into the hallway, his voice grim, “So, you are really prepared to leave? Prepared to see Angela in prison?” Biting her lip and not looking back at him she nodded, reaching her hand out to the door, her tone low and sad, yet determined. “I have to”, her shaking hand opening the door as he moved towards her.
“Wait….please wait Sara” She paused, wishing that he would just let her go. For several seconds there had been silence, before his hand took her arm and led her to the small couch within the cavernous hallway hunching down beside her. “Why? Why is the time so important to you?” his voice softer this time
Sniffling miserably, Sara gave a small shake of her head her voice almost inaudible full of misery, “I can’t…I can’t tell you…I just have to get my life sorted out…find my own home and job…I have to Darius” Taking her hands into his, Sara had not even tried to fight him as he looked into her eyes, those wonderful eyes swimming with tears, before finally giving a long slow sigh, “Do you want rid of me that much Sara?”, he asked gently as her eyes flew to his. “No…No…It isn’t…” her words trailed away as she once more looked past him, missing the look of relief which filled him, “I just have to get my life sorted…soon”.
“Ok…what if we come up with a compromise” “C…compromise?” she sniffled softly, their eyes meeting once more, a glimmer of hope filling her. “W…what kind of compromise?” Darius lifted her hand gently kissing the knuckles, his voice slow and thoughtful, “The chances of you finding somewhere to stay right away are remote. After Friday you can search for a job as planned, but it seems unlikely that you would find somewhere to move straight into… What if you stay here for as long as you need on the understanding that after Friday you are free to go whenever you can?”
Sara looked at him with surprise. “Y…you mean it?”, the realisation hitting her that staying with him was far more appealing than moving back in with her mother till she found somewhere of her own. Darius nodded, “But…” Her eyes narrowed as he continued, “If I am still here when you get settled then I would want you still to be my date for events. I have neither the time nor the inclination to find somebody else to replace you, especially as I have no idea how long I am going to be here”
The happy bubble which had been swelling within her popped at the realisation that he was solely interested in losing his date for events, she not understanding what more she expected. Giving a shaky smile she nodded softly. “As compromises go…I think that I can work with that” Darius was not sure why he felt such relief as he pulled her into his arms, the two hugging the other as their new terms had been settled.
For the next week Sara searched for a job. The process was slow, and despite having a degree in business, her lack of experience was proving a stumbling block. She saw several apartments which would be suitable for her needs, but without a job she was in no position to take on a lease, or afford the deposit.
As one week disappeared, she g
ave up trying the top companies, and was desperately looking for standard office work, her time within her father’s company more relevant, quickly lining up several interviews. Darius frowned as she told him of her first one later that week. Sara brushed off his questions of why she had not sought a junior management role.
She noticed how he seemed to have become quieter, often seeing him work till late at night. Sara wondered if he was trying to avoid her, prepare for asking her to leave perhaps, this thought filling her with pain. It had been over a week since they came to their new truce, and Darius lay over Sara, his mouth kissing her down from yet another mind blowing climax, she looking up at him, her eyes soft and mellow. With a small chuckle she caressed his hair, allowing her fingers to slip through the thick silkiness. “When did this stop feeling like punishment?” the question out before she had time to hold it back.
His mouth twitched as his head dropped to lay the gentlest of kisses on the corner of her mouth, a return grin from him, “Truthfully…the night after we first made love” Her eyes flew to his in astonishment as he shifted his position pulling her into the crook of his arm a deep sigh leaving him. “I thought I blamed you for everything that happened all those years ago Sara…but I’m not sure if that was really the problem” She remained silent, her head tilted to listen aware as she held her breath. “I always liked you - did you know that?” She shook her head softly, “No…I thought you only dealt with me so that you could flirt with the other girls” His chuckle made her flush, Darius kissing her forehead softly. “Nope. I suppose that what I was really angry at was that I never got the courage up to ask you out…and then of all the people chosen to fire me …it was you” “Y…You wanted to ask me out?”, her voice incredulous as he nodded before giving a deep sigh and turning onto his side so that the two could look into the other’s faces.
“I have to go back to Italy Sara” His simple declaration caused her stomach to drop, the small flame of hope at his words snuffed out, her eyes dropping to hide the hurt. “I see”, she muttered, his finger pulling her chin up as his eyes flicked over her features. “No…I really don’t think that you do” Sara gulped down the tears which welled up within her, and were even now burning the back of her eyes. “I…It is fine Darius…we had an agreement…” The rest of her sentence lost as his mouth covered hers in a tender kiss.
“No more about agreements Sara. I have to return to Italy…and I want you to come with me…of your own choice” Sara stared deeply into his eyes. She searched for some ulterior motive, but found none, just honest warmth. Everything within her wanted to throw her arms around his neck and cry “yes” - yes she would be with him, that she would do anything for him because she loved him. Dropping her eyes once more she cleared her throat nervously, hurt so evident in her voice, “I wish I could Darius…but I can’t” She was surprised to hear a note of pain enter his. “You do not want to be with me?”
Her eyes flew back to his, her head shaking emphatically, “No…No it’s not that”, the tears now shining in her large eyes, “I just can’t go to Italy. I have to prove that I have my life in order. Get a job…a home” Darius felt the tearing deep within him as she refused to accompany him, then the confusion of her words. Instinctively he knew she wanted to be with him, this alone keeping him calm as he took a shaky deep breath. “Do you want to be with me Sara?” Her eyes stared back hauntingly at him as she muttered almost inaudibly. “Yes” His hand came to her cheek, his thumb gently rubbing away the tear which wound its way down.
“Then be with me. It really is as simple as that” She gave a half-laugh devoid of humour, her teeth catching her bottom lip which she nibbled with uncertainty. “How long do you have to be in Italy?” He sighed deeply at her question, his eyes full of frustration “About two weeks”, his answer as she gave a small nod.
“I have an interview in four days…and I think I have a good chance of getting the job, which means that I can afford to rent somewhere” Raising her finger, she placed it gently on his lips to stop his argument “If all goes according to plan Darius…then in two weeks things should be sorted”, a small tremulous smile rising to her lips. “Then maybe we can see where this is going”
Darius frowned thoughtfully, “What if you don’t get the job?” He saw the fear which flitted over her features, her expression so serious. “I have to. I have to prove that I can stand on my own…so much depends on it”, her tone sombre. He regarded her before speaking softly, “You should not be working in an office Sara. I have seen what you are capable of. What if I were to give you a job within my management program? You have the ability and the qualifications. You should not be wasting your talents”
Sara stared at him, her eyes wide. “Y…you would give me a job?” His head nodded, “And not because of the fact we are sleeping together…you truly have got management potential…and It would mean that you would have a job in three days…not just an interview in four” She blinked back the tears, happiness now shining from her. “Thank you”, her words a mere whisper “You have no idea how much this means” Darius pulled her in closer, hugging her, “No…I don’t but I would like to know Sara”, releasing her to look into her lovely face. Sara seemed unsure before she gave a soft sigh.
“When you come back from Italy…things should be right…then I will tell you everything, but until then I have to sort things out myself” Giving a deep sigh he leaned forward to kiss her. She still did not fully trust him he could tell, but her words had given him hope and he could wait for two weeks.
The next day dragged for Sara. Seeing Darius prepare to leave had torn at her. She loved this man, loved him with everything in her, the desire to be at his side rising so strongly within her. That night they had a party to attend and the following day a flight booked to return to Italy.
His call to his office enrolling her in the Management Program confirmed that she would be expected to begin work the day after he left and Sara lost no time in contacting her realtor with instructions of which apartments she wanted a second look at.
For Sara, everything seemed to be slotting in nicely, and for the first time she allowed herself the luxury of believing that things were going to be fine. The only storm cloud on the horizon was her inability to reach the one person she most needed to talk to. As her allotted time had come and gone, her phone continued to ring out panic filling her as she prepared for the party, that night wearing an off-the-shoulder cornflower blue figure-hugging long dress.
Pulling on a smile as Darius moved behind her, she allowed him to fasten the necklace he had bought for her, turning in his arms as she sighed, “I will miss you” His mouth lifted at the corners at the sincerity in her voice. “I got you a small present…so you don’t forget me” Sara raised her eyebrow as he pulled a long box from his jacket. She gave a small groan, her eyes rising to his, the diamond tennis bracelet sitting snugly within the black box.
“Oh Darius…it is beautiful”, her eyes flying to his, “You shouldn’t have” His throaty laugh filled her with small tremors. “Oh…but I did…like I said…don’t want you forgetting me”, his fingers removing the expensive string of diamonds and fixing it onto her small wrist before turning her hand around and kissing the small vein, his eyes flashing as she smiled back.
“Has any woman ever been able to forget you Darius?” He laughed softly before drawing her in to kiss her lips. “Maybe I just give away a lot of bracelets”. Sara chuckled as she gave him a pretend glare; he winked at her as he left in search of their tickets for that night. When Darius left the room Sara pulled out her phone, frowning once more that there had been no call that day. While she was not supposed to call the manager, she finally dialled the number.
The woman on the other end of the line was defensive and accusatory and became aggressive, telling Sara that she was not meant to phone so late. Sensing trouble, she dug her heels in, throwing back that she had not received the phone call that she by legal right was due every day at five, the woman becoming nervous. Sara
frowned, knowing that something was very wrong. After constant demands, finally the phone was handed over to the one voice she needed to hear, her sigh of relief quickly turning to concern.
Sara spoke softly, the voice on the other end of the line sounding weak and in pain, the telltale sniffling of crying ripping painfully at her heart as her voice struggled to remain calm and upbeat as she insisted that everything would be fine. As the receiver was transferred once more to the same woman she had earlier spoken to, her voice became harder and insistent. “If you do not call the doctor RIGHT now”, she bit out angrily, “then I will call the police and anybody else who will listen…DO YOU UNDERSTAND?”
The huffy answer made her even angrier as she stifled the curse which rose to her lips once more repeating her threat, before hearing as the other woman finally agreed. “If I do not hear from you in a couple of hours, then I am coming over there with the police…Do I make myself very clear?”
Again she heard the irritated confirmation, as the phone went dead, Sara cursing loudly as she stood trembling with anger and panic. Everything in her wanted to ditch the party, to go over there herself, knowing that she would not be given entry. “Who were you talking to?” The amused voice of Darius made her jump, Sara twirling round, forcing a smile on her face. “N…nobody important”, she lied, seeing as he grinned back. “Sounded like somebody had irked you”, he teased as she gave a shaky return laugh, praying that he had not heard what was said, relieved as he seemed to forget the incident almost immediately.
“Car is here” Lifting her wrap he placed it over her shoulder, dropping a small kiss on her neck; Sara gave him a wide smile in return, a smile which hid the nerves and foreboding swirling so uneasily within her. The night dragged by for Sara, amazed that she managed to smile and give the appropriate pleasantries. Darius however, frowned seeing how nervous and fidgety she seemed, constantly sneaking a look at her mobile phone, becoming more and more restless as the time slipped by.