Dark Layers Volume 2: Dark Layers

by Gray, A L

  His suit is extraordinary - figure hugging. It's a three piece navy blue pinstripe suit; he's matched it with a crisp white shirt. He has a white handkerchief in his left pocket and his cufflinks are just beautiful - diamonds, I think. He looks like a gangster. His raven hair is loose; his eyebrows are full and his mouth is open. He starts his announcement with a deadpan tone. His face is impassive - understandably so. Here comes calculated Elijah.

  "Thank you all for coming. I would like to announce my divorce before you all start publishing selfsame stories on Jezebel and I. The divorce was a mutual agreement."

  "On what grounds Mr. Darks?" A reporter asks.

  "That is private business." Elijah says firm.

  "Mr. Darks. You have been seen recently with Anile Gooden. Are you now in a relationship with her?"

  Elijah doesn't answer them, he stares at me blankly. My cheeks heat as every reporter turns in sync to my direction. My eyes open wide.

  "That is Anile Gooden, is it not, Mr. Darks?" Another reporter asks, pointing directly at me. Again, he doesn't answer and they all start making their way to me. Holy fucking shit! I quickly get to my feet but I have no time to escape.

  "Miss Gooden, could you elaborate on your relationship status?"

  I stand still like a wet fucking fish. Their camera lights pop, they start talking over one another. Shit, I need to say something!

  "Elijah and Anile are desperately in love. There, you have your story." I turn to see who has come to my rescue. I'm flabbergasted to see Castor standing directly behind me.

  "Castor." I whisper.

  "Come, let's get you out of here." He says, gently taking me by my arm. I don't want to leave Elijah but I'm so stressed that I fear I'll pass out if I don't leave quickly. I follow after him. Every single reporter starts snapping pictures of us and whispering between themselves. I do not even listen to their bullshit, I stay with Castor.

  We make it outside and I welcome the fresh air. I take a huge gulp and fold over, leaning on my knees while panting. Castor tenderly rubs my back.

  "Are you okay?" He whispers.

  "I don't -" is all I manage because Elijah interrupts me.

  "Get your fucking hands off of her!" He snaps. He thunders towards us, his hands stern, his eyes wild.

  "Oh put a sock in it Elijah! Look at the girl, she was almost on all fours panting for her life." Cast snaps, still rubbing my back.

  "Castor, do not make me repeat myself." Elijah screams just inches away from Cast.

  I finally make my way to my feet, I stand tall.

  "Cast, stop it, stop winding him up." I say as firm as I can manage. I still feel a little stage sick. How the hell am I going to make it as a damn lawyer? This family have officially fucked with my chi!

  Castor smiles, "so you did not manage to propose then?" He jokes.

  "Propose?" I ask serious, eyes wide. What the hell? I thought I was over thinking it!

  "Oh yes Anile, because no one is financially responsible for you, i.e." he elongates the 'i.e.' sarcastically, "he knows he has no control over you. The divorce and the proposal in public are his way of gaining control over you."

  I turn to face Elijah. He's standing extraordinarily still. I cannot tell if Cast is speaking the truth.

  "Elijah, is that true?"

  He gazes into my eyes. I almost feel as though Elijah has made Cast disappear! The outside temperature starts to dramatically rise - Darks flu, damn him!

  "Do you think it is true?" Elijah asks me, serious and composed.

  Ah, the trick question - I know Elijah is all about trust. This is my chance to become one with him.

  "Well fuck me. This is something I have never witnessed before." Cast gasps.

  "What?" I ask worried.

  "The tension between you two - I have to say, I am impressed," he rubs his chin, "I never thought sexual tension could be visible, but I see it, and I feel it. - You do have a way with women, don't you brother."

  I turn back to Elijah. "No, I don't think it is true." I say. His eyes are warm. His smile slowly reaches his eyes.

  "Then you are a silly girl." Cast says.

  "Cast, I appreciate your help - but Fuck off with the sarcasm." I snap. I have had enough of everyone's damn games - will they ever stop?

  "You do not want me to fuck off Pretty. I can give you some insight into the Dark Elijah. Do you want to hear it - the real reason he is the way he is?"

  My heart officially stops. Oh, I do want to know more of Elijah's darkness, but not like this - I want Elijah to feel safe enough to tell me. I look at Elijah; I know he's testing me. He smiles affectionately - I passed.

  I face Castor with the deepest frown. "Are you just out to cause your brother pain?" I ask extremely upset.

  "It is easier to find men who will volunteer to die, than to find those who are willing to endure pain with patience. That is my brother, and the reason is -"

  "A quote, how very biblical of you," I snap sarcastically cutting him off, "you know, Elijah may have proposed to me, he may not have, but one thing I know for sure - if he did, it would have been out of care and love, not evilness. Your motives speak louder than his."

  "You do not know him Anile; you do not know what he did to our mother!" Cast gasps.

  "I do not fucking care!" I scream.

  "You bitch!" Cast snaps, edging closer to me. He reaches me and squares up to me. "He is the reason -"

  *POW*

  I punch him in the face, as hard as I can - I have officially found my balls and I do not plan on losing them! I clutch at my hand - fuck that hurt!

  "I do not give a shit what he has done - I love him!" I scream. The words are out of my mouth before I register them - fuck! That was my lifesaver line!

  I hear an array of gasps. Castor, Elijah, and a man that has appeared in the back car park alongside us. Castor and Elijah turn, they look haunted.

  "Father." Elijah breathes.

  "Hello father." Cast says soft.

  The press start filling the car park, all with their cameras in hand. Elijah, Castor and I barely register them; we are gazing at their father. I cannot help but see how beautiful he is - for an old man. He is the double of Elijah; long raven black hair; dark olive skin; a wrinkle free face; as tall as the Gods; and full puckered pink lips.

  I eye Elijah, wondering why the hell he has not introduced me. I take the situation into my own hands.

  "Hello Mr. Darks, I am Anile Gooden. It's really nice to meet you."

  He walks closer to me, hands in his black suit pockets. He looks shrewd, dangerous. The vibe I sense from him is not a good one.

  "Hello. I was wondering when I would meet the lovely Anile." He says while taking my hand and kissing it with tender lips. I blush - I cannot help it; he really is beautiful. His eyes are electric green, dark with his long eye lashes and his thick eyebrows - exactly like Elijah, apart from Elijah having deep blue eyes.

  "Come, how about a family photo for the nice reporters?" Mr. Darks says.

  Elijah and Castor eye one another. I have never seen two strong men appear to lose all their strength in one sitting. They walk towards Mr. Darks and I; they stand either side. Elijah strangely stands the opposite side to me. Castor snakes his arm around my waist and the reporters start snapping their shots.

  "Mr. Darks, you have recently been out of the public eye; are you back to welcome Anile Gooden into the family?" A reporter asks.

  I swallow hard - holy shit!

  Mr. Darks smiles viciously - fuck he looks evil.

  "The young Miss Gooden is very welcome into my family. As a lawyer, she has already peeked for me," he turns and smiles at me, "the wonderful Miss Gooden will have dinner with us tonight at my penthouse apartment. We will become acquainted further. I want to know everything about her." He says firm.

  "Miss Gooden, how do you feel?" A reporter asks me.

  "Um -" words fail me. Fuck I feel too damn hot! Elijah takes the lead, coming to my side and taking my hand. He entwines our fi
ngers. Oh thank God. I mentally sag; this is what I need.

  "Anile and I are very happy. We are in a new relationship and are taking things slow. She does not like the spot light so please forgive her silence." He says. I want to grab him and kiss the bones off of him - but I know better.

  Horribly and embarrassingly, all the reporters start bombarding me with private questions.

  "Is she still a virgin, Mr. Darks?"

  "Is it true that she saved her virginity for you, Mr. Darks?"

  "Will she be rising with power as you did, Mr. Darks?"

  Holy fucking shit! These questions make me feel really uncomfortable. I need to get out of here.

  Elijah's father unexpectedly shuts them down. "Legal papers regarding Anile Gooden have been submitted to each and every one of your bosses. Know that if you run allusive stories on her, we will sue. All stories must be submitted to me for my approval."

  What? That's news to me! Fuck me, every reporter is silenced! This man has power; an obscene amount of power.

  "Lunch first, Anile?" Mr. Darks asks.

  "No, father, we have plans." Elijah says firm.

  "Your plans can wait." Mr. Darks snaps.

  Mr. Darks places his hand at the low of my back - it feels a little inappropriate. He ushers me back inside The Dorchester. I do not even have a chance to allow Elijah to rescue me. He follows behind us with Castor.

  "Table for four." Mr. Darks tells a beautiful red headed waitress. She's dressed in a sharp black suit to almost match his.

  "Of course Mr. Darks." She says with blushing cheeks - what is it with the bloody Darks men? I roll my eyes at her.

  She leads us into the restaurant where Elijah and I had our first date. It's so beautiful here and vast; it has not changed one bit. It's a huge dining area with over fifty tables - at least. The colours are so tranquil; the wall paper that stretches beyond my eyes is pale orange at the bottom and soft cream at the top - it just oozes relaxation. The tables are a deep rosy brown and they are huge- even the tables for two; they are big enough for all my sauces. There are cream melted candles now in the centre of the tables that were not there before. Nice warm memories pool around in my mind. It was not the best date but it was still a date with Eros himself.

  "Can I take a drinks order?" The waitress asks as we take our seats.

  "Sit here Anile." Mr. Darks insists I sit next to him. Oh God, I don't like this. I do as I'm told though, not wanting to cause a scene. Elijah sits next to me, and I'm thankful.

  "A triple vodka please." I order before anyone else has the chance to. I need some Dutch courage. Everyone gazes at me, Elijah sort of smiles but Mr. Darks looks displeased.

  "Should you be drinking Anile?" Mr. Darks asks.

  Holy fucking shit! I stare wide-eyed. Is he joking?

  "Um, why can't I drink?" I ask sort of annoyed. I am not letting another over bearing Bastard boss me around - Elijah's father or not!

  He raises his eyebrows but doesn't answer me.

  "Three of your best whiskies." He says to the waitress.

  Rude Bastard!

  I desperately need a five minute break from the Darks men.

  "I just need the loo." I say, rising to my feet. They all rise also. The atmosphere feels a little awkward, actually, really awkward! I start to make my way to the toilet but have an idea - I wonder if they will talk about me? I stop and stand behind a corner wall that leads to the toilets - thankfully I'm only a few feet away from them.

  I'm bang on the money - Elijah's father takes the lead.

  "Why are you with Anile?" Mr. Darks says stern.

  "Why are you here? You should be in America." Elijah raises his elbows and places them on the table top. He cups his chin. He looks comfortable, strangely. Now I'm gone it's like he can trust himself to question his father. Cast looks around and almost catches me eavesdropping, so I hide behind the wall; I'm still within hearing distance though.

  "Elijah, boy, you know I do not repeat myself."

  Fuck me - that's Elijah's line!

  "Me either." Elijah says.

  What is this, a dick contest?

  "I am back for good. Now answer my question."

  "Why wouldn't I be with her? She's smart as hell -" Elijah stops talking so I quickly peer around the wall. The waitress is passing Elijah his drink. She blushes terribly when he thanks her. Oh the power of Darks flu. I smile, knowing he's mine. I hide behind the wall again - I do not want to get caught ear-wigging.

  "Smart? The girl couldn't string two words together at the press conference."

  "She is disarmed by my presence, that's all. It does not mean she is not smart. She passed the bar with a higher grade than I did father. And do not bad mouth her, you will force me to cut dinner short."

  They go silent for a while. I wish I could peek round again to see how they look.

  "What else? You could have your pick of women." Mr. Darks asks.

  "Look father, Anile and I are none of your business."

  "She is my business, until you marry her."

  MARRY ME! I'm wide-eyed.

  "Oh, how so?" Elijah says clipped.

  "Well, now that you are not married, you do not own Darks Lawyers. So unless you want me to remove you from my company, I suggest you answer my questions."

  Holy fuck! He has to be married to own Darks Lawyers!

  "She is smart, she trusts me, and she's learning patience - for me. I care about her."

  "As I can see. I have never seen you so taken with a woman. Let's discuss her appearance boy."

  "Father, that's enough."

  "It is enough when I say it is enough. Why does she look like your mothers doppelganger?"

  Oh my God! I quickly grab my chest because my heart feels like it has stopped - resuscitation, resuscitation!

  "Miss, are you okay?" A waitress appears in front of me. I fall back into the wall in shock. I blink rapidly.

  "Sorry - I'm listening in." I say with a weak smile. She returns my smile and leans closer to me..

  "Be careful not to get caught, the Darks family are known for their punishment." She says and quickly scurries off.

  What the hell does that mean? I stare wide-eyed. My heart is now in my throat!

  "I do not know why she looks like mother. Her looks are not what I am besotted with. Her smart mouth, her testing tendencies, her dare to try new things with me are what make me want her so badly."

  "Most women want you. What's so different with her?"

  "Father, how long are you going to question me?"

  "Answer the question boy." Mr. Darks says firm.

  "The girl likes me, for some reason she likes me. Not for my money, not just for my looks, she just likes me, and cares for me. That is why I want her."

  "And her innocence?"

  "Adds to my desire of course. But both my wives were virgins; that's not the only appeal."

  "Yes, but both your wives were strumpets, straying after just a few months of marriage, and constantly flirting with other men."

  Elijah goes silent. What's he thinking? - damn him!

  "She is not promiscuous in any form. That is her greatest appeal. She has no idea of her beauty, therefore, she does not use it to her advantage - happy now?"

  "I knew it was her strange sexual appeal." Mr. Darks laughs.

  "Keep your hands off of her." Elijah warns.

  I cut the conversation short, I have heard enough.

  "Hi, sorry I took so long, there was a queue."

  Everyone rises to their feet again. I sit in Mr. Darks desired seat, still feeling uncomfortable. I smile at Elijah affectionately.

  "Are you okay?" I whisper.

  He nods with an impassive face. Oh dear, he really does not like his father.

  "So, Anile. When are you planning on becoming a Darks?" Mr. Darks asks.

  My mouth is agape. Did he really just ask that? I stare at Elijah. He hides his hands under the table; he's gripping the cloth; I can see how he's making it wrinkle. Fuck - he's
more nervous than I am!

  "Um, Mr. Darks. I do not ever plan on marrying. It's not on my life agenda."

  Mr. Darks almost spits out his whisky. Elijah has now narrowed his eyes at me and Cast has sat back smiling.

  "That's news to me." Elijah says in a low voice.

  "Well, the subject never came up between our... innuendos." I say firm but low.

  "That is unacceptable. You must marry. You are a beautiful young woman and must - in the eyes of God - be married before improper intercourse."

  Oh my bloody God! I cannot believe he just said that. My throat is dry. My hands are numb. You would have to be dead not to notice my pique expression.

  "I have to go." I say, rising to my feet.

  "What?" Elijah says worried.

  "Sorry, I just remembered, I have this thing."

  I leave the table in a frenzy of offbeat steps. That man is something else. How dare he tell me my opinion on marriage is unacceptable. How dare he even comment on my sexual status - I just met him!

  I make it outside and gasp for air as claustrophobia leaves my system.

  "Taxi!" I scream at a black passing cab. The taxi thankfully stops and I jump in quicker then lightning. Elijah comes running out of The Dorchester but I quickly look away from him and head home.

  Chapter Fourteen

  I ARRIVE HOME. I'm so grateful for some time alone. That family are a little much, gorgeous but still, they are so... intense. The lift pings and my heart immediately stops; Elijah is sat in front of my door. He looks so... broken, sitting there on the dirty floor.

  "Elijah? What are you doing here?"

  He looks up at me with damp eyes. Holy fuck! He's been crying! My brain crashes; my tummy tightens in pain, knotting with a sickening tightening sensation.

  "Elijah." I rush to him. I kneel down beside him. "Are you okay?"

  He peers up at me; his eyes are red and rimy, soulless. Oh Jesus this is painful. I clutch at my aching tummy while gazing down at him.

  "Why did you leave like that? I thought you said you would try." He says in a broken croaking voice.

  I frown deeply. "Elijah, I wasn't officially leaving you. Your father is just too intense. I could not handle his questions. All of your family seem to knock me off balance - including you."