“Well no, I never thought of selling…”
“I want you to price all your paintings from now on.” Julian briskly interrupts me. “No less than $10,000,000 per painting.”
I gulp as I think about such large sums of money. I already created fifteen paintings and if I sold all fifteen that would be $150,000,000 to add to my $12,000,000 from Julian.
“That much per painting?”
Julian raises an eyebrow. “I want to establish you as an elite, world-class artist. You do that by offering quality and pricing it high.”
Julian clears his throat and looks me squarely in the eyes. “Your paintings are comparable to Willem de Kooning’s work but better. Those are just standard prices for abstract contemporary paintings of exceptional talent. I know talent when I see it.”
“Thank you.” I blush and look down at my folded hands in my lap. See! Women can be better than men in many areas.
“I can help you establish your reputation very quickly with my connections. I know the head of Phillips De Pury and Company in New York. I can also get your paintings in all the major contemporary art museums worldwide.”
I look up, amazed and wide-eyed. “Really? That would be wonderful.”
“I’m part of an elite secret society. I have very influential connections.”
The maid brings in our appetizers, and I am way too excited to eat, but I take a few mouthfuls anyways to please Julian. I go through each course taking only a few mouthfuls and I think Julian begins to notice but says nothing. I notice him smirk discreetly but not escaping my observation.
After dinner, Julian asks me to stay in my seat and wait until he comes back. He goes into the living room. I wait and I wait, but still he does not return. I begin getting impatient as I sit there feeling bored.
I lift myself up from the dining table and make my way to the living room, freezing as I take in the view before me. What looks like a few hundred candles are lit and placed among the dark living room. There are a few hundred candles lined up to form a pathway toward what I think must be the couch. They glow and flicker magically as fire does so very well, especially in pitch dark. Smooth jazz music is softly playing in the background.
“You don’t listen do you?” I hear Julian’s gruff voice from somewhere in the room, but it’s too dark to make out where he is located. I make my way very steadily along the candle lit pathway until I make out the white couch and take a seat. I look around at the magnificent and romantic sight before me. I am suddenly aware of Julian, who makes his appearance out of the pitch-dark room and seats himself right beside me.
“I hope you don’t mind?” he whispers.
“I don’t mind.” I gulp as my emotions and urges endeavor to take over my body. This is so romantic. My heart flutters but I stiffen instantly, and don’t let the feelings go any further. I still love Derek. I take a deep cleansing breath, trying forcefully to halt my rapidly beating heart.
Julian hands me a glass of wine. We sit in silence for long time, listening to the soothing piano jazz. Weirdly he’s not making any moves on me. If he had any bad intentions, he would have done what he wanted to do to me by now. I take sips of my wine and admire the candle-lit room.
“Do you trust me?” Julian whispers, breaking the tense silence.
“I’m not sure.” I say quietly.
Another bout of silence follows and Julian is the first to break it again.
“Are you truly happy?” Julian asks.
“I was quite happy with my life with Derek.”
“What do you think brings happiness?”
“I don’t know,” I mutter.
Julian shifts on the couch and turns to seat facing me. “It is the most common philosophical question of all time and at the same time one of the most difficult to answer, consisting of many different answers according to various beliefs,” Julian instructs. “What makes you happy Cheryl?”
“A great relationship, good friends, lots of money, good health.” I turn to seat facing him. “What do you think?”
“I have many different beliefs about life, but when it comes to what brings happiness, I have only one answer.”
“What is it?” I ask curiously.
“I will tell you, but not today.”
“Okay, when?” I ask, my curiosity peaking. It is a very intriguing question.
“You will learn what it means to be happy, but only if you remain with me.” Julian whispers.
I take a sip of my wine, and shrug the matter away. I listen to the soothing jazz music and my thoughts get carried away to my old life, my friends, Derek, my daily schedule, my walk-in closet containing my collection of jewelry, shoes, and clothes. That life feels so far away now. I look down at my hand, and observe my ring-less finger.
I finish off my wine. I feel relaxed and warm. The candles appear to have raised the temperature in the room.
“Well, I enjoyed your company yet again. I have a long day tomorrow. Goodnight.” Julian and I rise from off the couch at the same time.
“What about the candles?”
“Natalia will be here shortly to clear them away.” Julian walks along the candle-lit pathway and I follow closely behind him. We part ways at the hallway as I make my way to the bedroom.
“Goodnight,” I whisper to Julian’s retreating back as he walks away.
“Goodnight, Cheryl,” he calls back and disappears.
I take a shower, wash my hair and shave. I find myself humming one of the smooth jazz tunes I unconsciously got stuck in my head from that evening. What am I doing? I never hum.
I get into bed and settle in. I close my eyes, and immediately my mind brings up the image of the night spent questioning what brings happiness surrounded by candles. What brings happiness? I know that I enjoy painting. I enjoy spending time with my girlfriends, and Derek, and Julian. Julian! There goes my disobedient mind again. I take in a deep cleansing breath and slowly drift into a deep sleep.
The next morning, breakfast is waiting for me as I take a seat at the dining room table. Pancakes. My favorite. I consume it quickly and go into the living room to continue working on the unfinished painting from yesterday. The sunlight is pouring into the living room making it incredibly bright, white, and cheerful. I am in a good mood, better than I’ve felt in a long time.
Natalia brings me a coffee and places it on the coffee table.
“Thank you Natalia.” I greet her cheerfully.
She gazes at me, looking surprised, and walks away.
I take a sip of my coffee and get back to my painting. I tip my head to one side as I analyze the colors, deciding what else the canvas needs.
I spend the rest of the afternoon engrossed in bright, rich colors and loving strokes. I stop for the lunch Natalia prepares for me, and then I get back to finishing the painting.
Natalia comes to inform me to prepare for dinner. What is the reason behind Julian taking away my watch and all the clocks from the rooms?
I gaze out the window and see night has befallen. The stars are twinkling high up in the sky.
After dinner, Julian and I take a seat in the living room according to our usual routine with a glass of wine in hand. As we settle back comfortably on the couch, Julian begins to tell me about his work. He explains that he buys companies, reinvents them, and sells them. He also invests in commercial real estate.
Suddenly, when he is mid-sentence he glances at my arms with concern. “Are you cold? You have goose bumps.”
He leaves the room and enters with a big blanket. He wraps it around me.
The action melts me; such a small but profound gesture. Derek never noticed when I was cold. I always had to ask him to keep me warm.
“We have been getting really cold weather lately. I’ll turn up the heat if you like.”
“Sure.”
Julian turns on the electric fireplace, lights about a dozen candles, and dims the lights. He sits back beside me. We sip our wine in silence for a while, as I begin to feel warmer.<
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The heat from the fireplace warms up my skin immediately. I stare at the orange and red flames mesmerized. They dance and weave holding me captive, the heat seeping into my skin, pleasantly warming up my whole body. It feels so good to be warm.
I feel so taken care of. What is it about fire and heat? I long for Julian to keep me warm instead of the blanket. I long for him to touch me. Just to feel how it feels to be touched by him, but I know he has vowed not to touch me until I give him permission.
All of a sudden, all my built up urges make themselves known. Fuck, I ache to be touched by him.
Desire swells in my chest, in my stomach, and down below. Sure I miss Derek, but being in the presence of this man, who desired me so fiercely so as to abduct me is just so primal, so hot. My face flushes as my guilty conscience lectures me on how wrong my thoughts are.
I’ve been suppressing and pushing back all my urges and desires for Julian over the past month, and I feel I can’t do it anymore. I simply can’t control myself and hold myself back anymore.
“Please touch me,” I whisper without another thought.
“What?” Julian gazes at me, stunned. “Say that again,” he whispers. A flash of triumphant glee sparks in his eyes.
“You can touch me. I give you permission to touch me.”
“Are you sure?” He pierces me with a passionate, heated stare.
“Yes.” I confirm.
He moves closer beside me and wraps his arm around me. I cling to the warmth of his body. I enjoy his enveloping heat.
“Warmer?” He asks gently, seductively.
“Yes, thank you,” I mutter, barely audible.
“Women like to be warm,” Julian says as he tightens his arm around me.
“Yes, I am feeling much warmer now,” I say as formally as I can muster and glance at him. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Julian says.
After a while, I feel so incredibly hot that I feel a bead of sweat drip down my temple, so I remove the blanket.
Julian places his muscular arm around my shoulder. A thrill rolls through my body. It feels so good to be skin-to-skin with him.
There comes to pass a long, tense silence as Julian holds me close, his body radiating warmth.
“I can sense that you are holding yourself back from me,” Julian says.
I don’t say a word, frightened about what will come forth from my mouth, worried that just maybe I will tell him I want him.
“Why don’t you just give yourself to me?” Julian whispers seductively as he pierces me with his stare. I hold his gaze, immobile, quiet.
“At least answer me this. Do you find me attractive?”
“Yes,” I croak, my mouth dry as if filled with dust.
“Then stop overthinking and just feel it. Allow yourself to give into the sensations you feel when you’re around me.”
The night passes, but still I am holding back, suppressing my urges, as if frozen into a trance of loyalty to my fiancé, completely denying how fucking bad I want Julian.
When Julian decides it’s time for us to get some rest, he leaves the room, and I realize that I resume breathing normally. When I am around him, my breathing pattern gets really deep, heavy, labored. What is wrong with me?
Even though he is gone, the air is still so charged and dense. Images of Derek flash through my mind, and my heart aches. However, I never felt the way I feel when I’m with Julian.
Images of Julian flash through my mind, and I realize I am attracted to him in such a primal manner that I don’t know if I can take it anymore.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The next day, I awake just as the sun is rising. I spend my day immersed in painting, stopping only for lunch.
For dinner, Julian and I devour butternut squash soup, beluga caviar, wagyu steak, and for dessert we have caramel parfait. Julian remains silent during dinner, but every so often our eyes meet and a thrill runs through me as I consider how attractive I really find him.
After dinner we head to the living room, which is already dimly lit, with candles spread about everywhere and the electric fireplace burning brightly. Julian pours us each a glass of wine, and we sit on the couch. The wine is especially delicious, and I down a few glasses faster than usual.
“Would you like to dance?” Julian suddenly asks while standing and holding out a hand, his face conveying an urgent plea.
I don’t say a word as I get up to join him, feeling quite energized and bold after the wine.
He pulls me close, holding me by my waist, and begins to rock me slowly back and forth to the beat of the piano jazz. At first I am as stiff as a block of wood, but as he continues to hold me tenderly against his chest, cradling me, rocking me back and forth; I can’t help but relax and my body liberates.
I start feeling very woozy, and strangely…very horny. Oh no! I simply can’t help myself. I succumb to the irresistible urge to nuzzle into Julian’s neck. I feel him stiffen and finally relax. I take a whiff of his cologne and I feel myself get damp down below.
Julian tightens his grip on my waist as he rocks me back and forth. I wrap my arms around his neck. After a few moments, I lift my head, and gaze into Julian’s eyes. His eyes are as intense as usual. My eyes drift down to his lips, the temptation to kiss this alpha male irresistible.
I lean forward for a kiss. It’s like my body betrays me. I love Derek, but at this cardinal moment my sexual feelings for Julian are undeniably strong.
We lock lips and enjoy each other’s plush lips, tasting each other slowly as my heart flutters. Our tongues meet, swirl, explore, and we connect intimately. I tighten my grip around Julian’s neck and moan into his mouth. I feel him stiffen as if to hold himself back from making a move; from just picking me up and taking me to bed. He continues kissing me back, gentle and intimate, driving me wild; arousing my desire for him stronger than ever.
Regardless of my tipsy state and my strong sexual desire for Julian, I stop myself and push him away, holding him at arm’s length. “I can’t be with you. I love Derek,” I murmur. “I don’t even know you that well.”
He glares at me irritably for a moment, and then his expression softens. “I completely understand,” he mutters. “Get some rest, Cheryl.”
He exits the room, leaving me standing there, alone with my thoughts. I don’t know if I can do this. I’m starting not to trust myself around Julian. Why did I let my feelings almost get the better of me tonight?
As I lie in bed, feeling fresh and clean after a shower, I begin my comparison thinking again. Julian and Derek seem so similar, but Julian appears so much more attentive. Derek treated me like his plaything and dinner companion. Then, he comes out of nowhere, with the whole traveling around the world thing. On the other hand, Julian seems intent on settling down, he lets me pursue my dream, and he also brings out some kind of primal urges within me that I never felt before.
I wake up slowly and blink my eyes open into the bright morning sunlight. I feel so relaxed.
I get up, take a shower, and have breakfast. I get started on a new painting. During lunch, Julian surprises me by bringing me lunch instead of Natalia. He smiles affectionately.
“Hope you don’t mind salmon sushi.” He places the plate on the dining room table. On the plate along with salmon sushi rolls, there is a single red rose. “It’s wild Alaskan salmon. Any other type is laden with heavy metals.”
“Oh thank you, I love sushi,” I say quietly.
“I must get back to work,” Julian leaves without another word.
He must have a home office.
I finish up lunch and get back to my painting. I complete the painting within a matter of hours and get ready for dinner.
After dinner, Julian and I take a seat in the living room. The room has already been set up with candles everywhere, lights dimmed, and the electric fireplace is pumping out heat. There is an unopened bottle of wine and two crystal wine glasses.
I sit unusually close to him and my nose picks
up Julian’s customary musky, manly scent and my blood begins to heat up.
Julian pours us each a glass and hands one to me. He stands to get a book from the bookshelf and comes back to seat himself beside me. I glance curiously at the book.
“It’s a book on astrology,” Julian explains. “Astrology can be a helpful tool in discovering each other’s personality. It’s how we can learn more about each other.”
Julian opens to the table of contents and puts the book in my lap. “Let’s read yours first.”
I turn to the page number listed for Pisces.
“Read it aloud,” he orders.
I take a sip of wine and clear my throat. “Pisces is a mutable, water sign. They are sympathetic, gentle, shy, timid, loyal, dependent, confiding, emotional, creative, trustful, and easily led. They are sensitive to their surroundings, and to the thoughts and feelings of others. They blend into their environment much like a chameleon does. The benefit is the ability to fit in anywhere, but the downside is that they disappear in the process. Pisces serves and sacrifices itself for others.”
Julian takes the book from my hand. “That sounds very much like you Cheryl,” Julian whispers and then turns a few pages of the book back.
It does sound a lot like me. I’ve been loyal to Derek, completely denying how I really feel about Julian.
“I’m a Capricorn, Cheryl, and that explains why I never give up,” Julian whispers. “Capricorn is a cardinal, earth sign. They are practical, ambitious, focused, sensible, reserved, methodical, thoughtful, hard-working, self-controlled, and determined. Respect and recognition is important to them. Hard work invigorates them. They have strong self-discipline and nothing turns them from their course if their mind is made up.”
Wow, that sure does sound like Julian. It sounds like Capricorns never give up once they have made their mind up. I find that personality trait so incredibly sexy in Julian.
Julian closes the book, puts it on the coffee table, and takes a sip of wine.
“Tell me more about yourself Julian,” I whisper.
Rapine: Abducted by the Billionaire Page 14