Marriage by Law

by N. K. Pockett

  I felt hot breath on my ear before I realised he was speaking, speaking to me.

  "James was in the bar. I know what happened between you both."

  When I stiffened, he continued. "He was broadcasting it live."

  "Alright, go to bed now." Darius, unaware of what his cousin told me, grabbed Adrian's shirt and pulled him away from me.

  "How much did you drink? You reek," Darius continued as he pulled him through the door, leaving me outside. My body temperature dropped. Adrian knew.

  I should have told Darius before. Damn you, Ivory. Still, he had no clue about my past, so why should I tell him?

  Because it is the right thing to do, said my conscience. Damn it. I really have to tell him now so it'll be less awkward later.

  I looked up when I heard footsteps and saw Darius walking back to me while shrugging his coat on. Where was he going?

  "You know what we should do?"

  "What?" I asked.

  How about we speak the truth?

  Shut up, conscience.

  And then he said, "Go to the pub."

  I was so shocked I felt as though my jaw dropped to the ground. "What?" Needless to say, I was flabbergasted. Darius, of all people, wanted to go to the pub? Why on earth would he want to go to the pub at this hour? "It's nearly midnight though." He shrugged, putting his hands in his pocket and rolling back on his heels.

  "Adrian left his wallet there, too."

  Just great, Adrian. I bit my lip, imagining me at the pub, at this time, with Darius.

  "Come on, let's go."

  Against my better judgment, I stepped inside and locking the door behind me. "Fine," I muttered as we walked toward the front door. Maybe some alcohol in me would make me tell the truth. I was about to open the front door when I heard someone from behind us clear his throat. Adrian was standing in the middle of the staircase with one of my teddy bears and I felt my face heat up. Where on earth did he find that?

  "Excuse me, I believe you both have a curfew. Where are you going?"

  "Out," was the only thing Darius said.

  "You're going to the bar, aren't you," he said, pulling at my teddy bear's ear. Don't hurt Mr. Snow. It was a special gift from - actually, burn it.

  "What if we are?"

  "I want to come, too." Adrian sauntered over to us.

  We looked at him as if he lost his mind. "Don't you think you had enough to drink?" It was Darius, eyeing Adrian wearily. Adrian threw one arm around my shoulder and one around Darius.

  "Nope."

  Darius gritted his teeth in annoyance. "Fine," he grumbled, then threw Adrian’s arm off his shoulder and walked ahead of us.

  With Adrian on my shoulder, I turned around to lock the door.

  "You weigh like a pig," I told Adrian, his weight practically crushing me as I walked down the street trying to catch up to Darius.

  "It's all these muscles," Adrian explained, and I saw him wink in the dark. What an egotistical man. He continued, saying, "You know, you should have married me instead. I am hotter than Darius and I have more muscles." He even poked me in the cheek.

  I swatted his hand away, ignoring the glare I earned from Darius. I felt like asking him, what on earth did I do?

  "Is that a yes?" called Adrian loudly as we neared the pub. The line from the pub ended on the street!

  "Darius, the end of the line is here," I told him, confused why he was walking to the front.

  "You silly girl." It was Adrian, who, for a change, walked without my assistance and even pulled me to hurry up.

  "What?"

  At the door stood a huge man. And by massive, I really meant massive: bulging muscles everywhere, even his ears I reckon, with long hair that was tied at the back with a pony tail. That one tattoo on his arm would have scared everyone.

  I tried not to move as his scrutinizing gaze met mine and his dark eyes held it there. His eyes went from me to Adrian, and then to Darius, whom he obviously recognised. He muttered something to Darius and then opened the door, from where I could barely see the inside.

  "We don't wait like them?" I was referring to the people who were waiting for their turn to get inside. They watched us, clearly annoyed that we cut the line. Adrian raised an eyebrow, giving me this look and marching inside with me hot on his heels. He stopped so suddenly that my nose collided with his back.

  The smell of alcohol and sweat hit my nose, making my stomach feel weird. Obviously, Ivory, you're in a damn pub.

  I squealed in protest when Adrian dragged me to the crowded dance floor.

  "DANCE WITH ME!" He yelled to get himself heard, but he was near me it made my ears hurt. He grabbed my waist and my arm, turning me around this way that had me colliding with people, then spinning me the other way that had me crashing against more people.

  "Adrian!" I squealed when he did an over-exaggerated movement of making me lean on my back that I almost touched the floor. Even with the loud music, I heard my back crack. And then he pulled me back up and everything was spinning. I hadn't even had anything to drink yet.

  He leaned close and whispered to my ear. "You know when I saw James, I didn't recognise him at first. Then I heard your name."

  I almost died.

  Adrian kept dancing, or more like throwing me back and forth like a teddy bear. I accidentally stepped on someone’s foot and I looked over my shoulder, meeting a pair of annoyed eyes.

  "I'm so so-oh shit." I rammed into Adrian's chest. My nose was bound to break tonight. I could actually feel it start to swell.

  "And then he began talking about how you both were a couple. He recognised me. He also is a bad drunk, did you know that. He is more emotional than a woman on her period. Trust me, I know."

  I sent him a glare upon hearing the last part of what he said. He smirked. "Are you on your period?"

  I felt my face reddening in embarrassment. "Adrian," I growled, narrowing my eyes. I was doubting whether he was drunk or not. One minute he was drunk, then the next he was serious.

  I froze when he said, "Then he was talking about some teddy bear he gave you."

  "So I had to check. There could be a million other Ivory out there, you know?" he continued, oblivious to what I was going through. I felt my heart beat pick up, and it wasn't due to the number of bodies crashing against another or the heat in here.

  Adrian looked at me closely. "So tell me, dear sister-in-law, did you and James have a fling?"

  I was afraid that I might say the wrong thing, or he might misunderstand whatever I was going to say. When I didn't say anything, he continued. "Because he seems heartbroken, what with his one love getting married."

  I gritted my teeth in annoyance. That son of a bitch! He was the one cheating on me and now he was going around and telling other people. I could only imagine what story he was telling others.

  I was saying, "That's no-" but I stumbled forward when someone rammed into my back, hard, their elbow digging in. Adrian's hands steadied me and he glared at someone behind me. I looked over my shoulder, seeing the guy I had stepped on.

  What was this, payback?

  I looked away, not wanting to cause some stupid fight.

  "I don't really care what happened then," said Adrian, grabbing my attention from the guy. "But you need to tell Darius about this. If you do still have feelings for James, then you shouldn't be in a relationship with my cou-"

  "I don't!" I snapped a bit too loudly.

  "Huh?"

  "James and I broke up a long time before I got married to your 'cousin'. I don't know why he was even talking about me. He was the one who cheated on me," I whispered, looking around to make sure Darius couldn’t hear me.

  "The whole time, James was dating two of us at the same time. When he told me he had a business meeting, he was actually with her. He is a rat bag and I have no intention of even speaking to that scum."

  “He cheated on you?” Adrian whispered like he was still trying to get his head around it. I nodded. God, it felt shameful. I was che
ated on. It would make anyone feel like scum, like they were so bad at relationships that they were cheated on.

  But that wasn’t true. It just made the man who cheated scum.

  “What’s worse is that, I was the other woman.” Which I hadn’t realised, so that actually made me not cheated on but the other girl was cheated on. I shook my head in disgust.

  Adrian also shook his head. "You still need to tell Darius."

  "I was going to!" That is, I was just waiting for the right time. I felt someone behind me too close, the same guy from before.

  "Hey, babe, why don't I show you how to have some real fun?"

  I narrowed my eyes at him and Adrian grabbed my arm, pulling me away from the crowd. My eyes started scanning the crowd. The last thing I needed was a drunk James telling Darius everything before I could.

  "He went home," said Adrian, reading my mind. "I called him a cab actually." And he seemed proud for doing so. Adrian steered us through the crowd and led me to a table in the corner where a brooding Darius was sitting with his arms crossed over his chest.

  "Thank you for joining me," Darius grumbled at Adrian, who just winked at him, flicking his imaginary hair.

  "Anytime, girl friend," Adrian replied in a mocking tone as he slid into the booth. It was a three-seater booth. One seat was against the wall opposite the dance floor and the other two on the side, so it was still semi-private.

  Adrian ordered more drinks and I gave him a weary glance. "Are you sure you should be drinking more?" I asked.

  Adrian gave me a disgusted look and then turned to Darius. "Ivory and I have something to tell you."

  "What?" I asked, my eyes probably as big as golf balls. No, I don’t. I was not ready to tell him. I had to prepare myself. Before I could chip in and divert the topic, Adrian beat me to it.

  "We're in love."

  My jaw hit the floor, not expecting this from Adrian, and I was pretty sure Darius was caught off guard with the way his posture changed.

  "We want to get married, so divorce her please."

  Darius raised an eyebrow at me and I shook my head. "I –He’s drunk, I had nothing to do with this," I said as I put my hands up. Right then the drinks came. I eyed the twenty shots Adrian ordered. Oh hell, no.

  "Don't be modest," Adrian was saying. "I love you and you don't love me, that's enough." He was smiling wide, showing all his teeth. He grabbed a shot and raised it to his mouth. I watched as he dropped it, his head slamming onto the table.

  The awful sound of his head hitting the table made me jump in my seat.

  I looked at Darius. "Is he-?"

  "He had too much; he'll be fine." Darius was shaking his head at Adrian. I heard a slight snore, telling me that Adrian was fast asleep in this humid, loud club.

  "I-um, should we do something?" I asked. Darius shrugged and sighed loudly.

  "Fine." He got up. "I'll tell Richard to lend me the staff bed for the night. We can dump him there."

  I nodded and watched Darius go to the bar. He seemed to know everyone here. Okay fine, he was rich. Maybe he was a frequent patron of this club.

  I looked back at Adrian, poking him in the shoulder.

  He snorted.

  He was fine. I felt someone watching me and looked up to see the guy from before. He smiled and waved at me.

  I stood up, ready to flee to Darius, but he was already on his way back.

  "Eh, do you want help carrying him?" I asked.

  Please say yes. Please say yes. Please say yes.

  "No, I'll manage."

  Great.

  "Just sit here."

  I sent him a glare but he didn't even notice it as he grabbed Adrian none too gently. I sat back down, hoping the other guy got the message. I watched as another man, probably Richard, went around the counter waving to Darius to follow him.

  I looked around the club, then almost jumped when I saw the guy sitting in front of me. He was fast.

  "Hello there, beautiful."

  Would I stay here just because Darius told me to? Hell no.

  I started to get up when he grabbed my hand.

  "No, sit back down. My name is Nicholas. Yours?"

  "Go away," I snapped, trying to pull my hand back.

  He smiled, the kind of smile you wouldn’t trust. "Now, now. Don't be that way. Sit."

  "Actually, I better be –" I stopped as I saw Darius walking back with Richard. I watched them say something before they both gave each other a handshake and half-hugged. He turned and his eyes met with mine, and then looked to the guy on the other seat.

  I felt the guy’s grip on my hand loosened as he stood up and left.

  Oh god, please don't start a fight. Then I remember, Darius 'doesn't fight'. Oh please, don’t bash up my husband.

  I saw Nicholas walk up to Darius. They stood facing each other and talked; my heart skipped a beat. Darius smiled. What was going on?

  Nicholas looked over his shoulder and Darius patted his back, nodding toward a door. What the hell?

  The other guy left while Darius walked up to me.

  "Ready to go?" he asked upon reaching my seat.

  "Eh, uh, yea?" I was scratching my head in confusion.

  "Good."

  He walked ahead to the direction of the back door. We slipped through the back door, where I saw Nicholas go through and I knew it. Darius was a mafia leader after all. Was he going to sell me?

  "You have something on your face."

  "Huh?"

  I looked up to see Darius motioning and pointing to my face.

  "I do?" I asked as I stepped outside, the cold air hitting me in the face.

  He nodded. "Go wash it off. I'll wait here."

  "Okay," I said. Still confused, I watched him walk around the corner. Why didn't he just tell me earlier? I turned around to walk back in when I saw my reflection on the window.

  Might as well use this as a mirror. Saves time, plus I won’t have to lose my way to the wash room.

  I looked at my face. There was nothing there!

  What on earth was he talking about?

  With a groan, I turned around, ready to lambast him for tricking me.

  I rounded the corner, ready to give him a piece of my mind. "Dari-" Then I froze at the spectacle in front of me.

  I blinked, hard. On the ground sprawled Nicholas, with blood pooling from his mouth.

  And then I heard Darius's voice.

  "Speak about my wife again, and you won't have a tongue to talk with."

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  I ducked behind the wall and leaned against it.

  I don't think I was meant to see that. I could hear my heart beating so loud I was surprised no one else heard it in the night. I heard footsteps and I quickly stood up, opened the door and stepped back inside.

  Did I really see what I saw? I racked my brain, trying to determine whether what I saw was real.

  I thought he said he didn't know how to fight? I didn't know whether to feel happy or scared. I had never seen him like that. I didn't see his face but his stance, his behaviour, it was something I had never seen before. It scared me, just a bit. This only made me realise that I didn’t know him at all.

  Yep, he was a mafia leader. That was settled.

  Who would have ever thought that he would stand up for me like that? Something in my stomach churned and it wasn't the smell of alcohol this time. When I touched my cheek, my hand came away wet.

  I was crying because of this? I wiped my face quickly. Damn it, Ivory, get a grip.

  I opened the door to see Darius leaning against the wall, as if nothing happened, like he had not a care in the world. He looked up as I stepped out and I looked at everything but him.

  The fact that he did that, for me, it was something that I just… I didn’t know what to say. He did that for me.

  I thought he hated me.

  "You washed your face but you didn't dry it."

  Shit.

  I wiped my cheek with a hand, hoping he wouldn't notice
my eyes.

  I started to walk ahead when he grabbed my arm and spun me around.

  "There's a dead cat that side," he reasoned out, taking me in another direction. My eyes searched for his hand holding my wrist. If anyone saw us, it would seem like he was dragging me. Once we reached the main road, he dropped my hand and suddenly I missed the warmth. I hurried to keep up as he walked in front of me.