Dark Layers (Volume 4)

by Gray, A L

  "You stupid girl, I played you." He snaps.

  "What - what do you mean?"

  "There was no one on the bloody phone, I tricked you."

  I gasp loudly, my next question on my lips. "Why?"

  "Because, you need to learn that you cannot take us on. You cannot go around believing that you can one up us, it's unacceptable and cannot be allowed to happen."

  I lower my gaze and think hard. This is a complete head fuck, this family is a complete head fuck! I am so glad Elijah found me, I am so glad that I can bring him some normality and happiness - he deserves it.

  "The dares. Do you want to go first?" I say deadpan.

  "Yes, I shall. If you don't follow through with your dare, you must leave Elijah, for good."

  "That will never happen. You know that will never happen."

  "Anile, I am a very persuasive man. Isn't your ill Mother back with you now?"

  "Don't you dare speak of her!" I snap, my finger almost in his face.

  "Please do not test me, Princess." He cocks his head to one side and gazes down at me. "If you do not follow through, you will pay."

  I swallow hard. "Fine, what do I have to do?"

  "I would like to taste your sweet lips. I'd like to know why both my boys are crazy about you."

  "You sick Bastard! Why would you do that? Why would you do that to Elijah?"

  Shit, I cannot believe this is happening. This is more than I can take, I should not have come here.

  "Anile, kiss me or leave now with only the worry of what is going to happen if you don't leave my son."

  He moves closer to me and stops dead in front of me, toe to toe. I'm gasping for air, I know he can hear my panting breaths. I can smell his spicy cologne mixed with the scent of ash from the dockyard, it's an overpowering mix of smells - I heed my breath. I look up at him. It's dark but I can still see a glimmer of blue in his eyes, they are illuminated by the street lights across the river.

  "Fine, do it." I say weak.

  I close my eyes and imagine that I am at work doing normal stuff. I imagine that I'm filing and answering calls all day. His lips hit me hard and aggressively and my pout swells beneath him. Oh this is awful, degrading! I squeeze my eyes tighter and count down the seconds until he will release me. He wraps his arms around my entire body, crushing me in his embrace. He tries to open my mouth with his soft tongue but I grit my teeth.

  "Open your mouth, Anile." He breathes into my mouth.

  I obey because I know he will force me away from Elijah. His tongue invades my mouth and I stand like a fish, my mouth set in an o so he can have what he wants. He swims around me, tasting every inch of me. Once he's finished, he sucks at my bottom lip. I almost gag. He releases my mouth but I'm still in his arms. I open my eyes and gaze up into his.

  "Hmmm, you do taste sweet."

  "Let me go." I snap.

  He releases me and I viciously wipe my mouth with the sleeve of my jacket. I feel sick, utterly sick and dirty. This family is so fucking fucked up it's beyond belief!

  "My dare. I dare you to give Elijah his share of Darks Lawyers with no strings attached. Sign it over. You have one week."

  I start to walk past him but he grabs my arm to stop me. I snatch my arm free.

  "Why?" He asks confused.

  "Because he needs something for himself, and we need to move on somehow. I want him to be free. I have told him that I have enough money to support us both but he will not accept living off of me."

  He laughs loudly. "You stupid girl." He continues to laugh and grasps his stomach. "Our leader is one of the shareholders - you will never escape us."

  My entire face drops. "What?" I gasp. "Money then, give him money." I start to panic.

  "Tut, tut, tut. Elijah really doesn't know you are here, does he?"

  "I told you, no!"

  "Maybe you should have consulted him. He would have been able to tell you the facts." He shakes his head. "I will sign over his shares with pleasure."

  "No, give him money." I beg. "Please?"

  "No, Anile. A dare is a dare, you cannot retract or change."

  "You Bastard!" I snap.

  "The apple didn't fall far from the tree, trust me." He says almost in a whisper. "In one hour, someone will be at Elijah's house to offer him the papers. He never need know we were ever here."

  Chapter Ten

  I'M SITTING OUTSIDE Elijah's house, still in my car. I'm defeated, and I give up. My plan was a half fail - I have Elijah back his company, but at the cost of him working alongside his cult leader. I grasp the steering wheel and lean my forehead against the cool leather, careful not to hit the horn. I knew I had to accept him staying apart of the freemasons, but I never, in a million years, thought he would be working for them. I assumed it would be a once a week thing, max two hours.

  Headlights appear in the darkness from behind me, slowly stealing their way up the driveway. That must be Mr. Darks' Lawyer or something, delivering the deeds to Darks Lawyers. I don't get out of the car to greet the driver, I watch him pull up behind me and gasp when I see, The Man in Black, climbs out of the car. I shake my head viciously - that family always has to make a statement, even with their damn delivery boys! He makes his way to my front door with ease. He looks serious, no-nonsense, with his eyes shielded behind blackout sunglasses. Elijah answers the door after the first knock, and he steals a glance over The Man in Blacks' shoulder. I immediately look away, I cannot peer into his eyes, I'm too ashamed that I sold my lips and the secret of Elijah's Mother's death, for money. I know I did it for him, but I still feel ashamed nonetheless.

  Knock, knock, knock.

  "Anile?" Elijah calls from outside the car window.

  I take a long steely breath and open the door, never maintaining eye contact. I get out, slam the door shut and walk right past him.

  "Anile, please, let's talk, please." He begs.

  I stop at the front door, next to The Man in Black, and peer over my shoulder. "It's late, and I'm really tired, Elijah, I want to go to bed. If you are not sharing our bed, I will see you in the morning." I say deadpan.

  The front door is open, so I make my way in - the scent of freshly baked bread is still in the air. I try not to inhale, it now makes me sad. I walk into the living area and right past my Mother; she's seated on the vast cream sofa, warmed by the fireplace with the book, Wuthering Heights, in hand. I smile to myself, the image of her in my house is alien to me. I continue passing her, and head towards the hallway that leads to the back staircase.

  "Anile?" She calls out from behind me once I reach the archway that leads to the hallway, just beside the kitchen.

  "I'm really tired, Mum. I'm going to bed. I'll see you in the morning." I take one more step, but she wants answers.

  "Anile, what's wrong?" She says tenderly.

  I turn to face her, my eyes sore from tiredness. She drops her book and quickly moves towards me in her sweeping, white silk night gown.

  "Mum, Elijah and I, we are just having a few problems." I shrug my shoulders.

  "About?" She offers me a sympathetic hand on my shoulder, and I bask in the warmth of her touch.

  "He wants you and I to leave him, leave London, for... well, for reasons beyond any of our control."

  "The Freemasons?" She drops that name like it's nothing.

  I gasp loudly. "You know who they are?"

  She releases my shoulder and crosses her arms. "Your father was a devoted member."

  My mouth is set in a firm o. I cannot believe this!

  "How, how did I not know?"

  She rolls her eyes at me. "Anile, that is a secret cult. If you were to know, and your friends, and the rest of the world, it wouldn't be a secret now would it?"

  "Mum, I cannot believe this. All these years that sick cult was in our home, in our family!"

  She pauses for a moment, and I don't think she's thinking about my question.

  "Why does Elijah want you to leave?"

  "Because he's worried for
my safety."

  "Why?"

  "Mum, this is a long story." I'm now rolling my eyes. "I'd need a damn week to explain the details, you're better off waiting for the movie." I try to joke.

  She sighs steely. "Don't give up on what you want, Sweetheart. He's probably just panicking. There is always a way around these things - trust me. Obeying is the key." Her eyes are serious, and her words prompt me to see what I have to do.

  "You know, you're right mum. Thank you." I pull her into my arms and hug her goodnight.

  "I'm always here for you, Sweetheart. Don't stress about the details, just do what you have to do."

  "I love you, Mum."

  "I love you too, Anile."

  We release one another and I flick the lights on in the hallway so I can make out where I'm going. My mother returns to the sofa and I stride down the hallway, up the stairs and into my bedroom. In the darkness, I immediately lose my clothes, leaving them where they fall, and sneak into bed. The bed is cold, the duvet has that material that either holds the coldness or the warmth, there is no in-between. It will be warm in a few minutes. I pull it around my face for comfort while shivering lightly. I think over what my Mother has just said, but my thoughts quickly turn negative. Why is everything in my life out of my control? Why can I not just control one damn thing properly? I have had enough, I have had enough of this life treating me badly. I suffer ten times before anything good happens. I start to sob a little. I pull my pillow between my arms and cradle it, my head now flat against the mattress. The hours fly by, I have no idea what time it is. I cannot sleep, yet I'm so damn tired.

  I hear the door open and close quietly. Elijah must think I'm asleep. I don't move, I close my eyes and pretend to be asleep. I feel him lift the covers back, the coolness of the evening rushes down my spine and I shiver involuntarily. He slides into bed delicately. His warm chest is at my back, heating my body nicely. He slides his arm over mine and seizes my hand beneath my chin. I exhale sharply and swallow hard, imagining the feeling of him never here with me.

  "Anile, are you awake?" He whispers.

  I blink a few times, then, turn to face him, still under his arm. It's dark, the only light is the moonlight shining through the nets; the curtains are open. I sniffle.

  "Have you been crying?"

  "No, Elijah, I'm really happy that you want to send me away, best news I've heard this year." I say sarcastically.

  "You know, sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, don't you." He says tenderly.

  "I am the lowest form of everything." I say weak, pitying myself.

  I catch his saddened eyes in the moonlight, deep blue irises that regard me intently. He releases my hand and gently trails my face with the pad of his index finger. Fire immediately heats my body, fire from his tender touch.

  "Please stop this, Anile."

  I close my eyes because I have nothing left to say. I had hoped that he would come in and tell me everything would be okay, but he hasn't.

  "Elijah." I gaze up at him. He's leaning on one arm, towering over me. "I know that, if you were successful in sending me away, no matter where I went, you would watch me." I frown. "So how would you feel seeing me with another man, in his arms, his lips kissing mine?" I test his love for me.

  He inhales sharply. "It would kill me, little by little, every time I saw you."

  "And yet you want me to leave you? You must have thought about the idea of me moving on with another man? I couldn't stay alone forever."

  "I have, but I love you enough to let you go."

  "That's absolute crap." I sit up quickly, my back now hard against the wooden headboard. "That saying is fabrication for an easy escape. No one truly loves someone enough to let them go and be with someone else. I love you with everything I am, but I could never see you with another woman, it would ruin me."

  He frowns deeply, and locks eye contact with me while seeming as though he's listening to me; he's contemplating the image I have just put into his head. He sits up next to me, slightly turned to face me. I do the same, insuring I can see his face properly.

  "So what would you have me do? Hm? I have always controlled situations, Anile. I have always done what it took. I love you so damn much, and I don't want to see you get physically hurt."

  "Look, I'm not going to sit here and say I'm not scared of your cult, but I'm not going to say I'm that frightened that I would leave you. We are supposed to be in this together - lovers don't bail when the going gets hard."

  "I'm not bailing." He snaps.

  I narrow my eyes at him. "Well it seems that way."

  He leans his head back against the headboard in frustration and gazes up at the ceiling. "Anile, what am I supposed to do? Be selfish and keep you here?"

  "No, not be selfish, let me help you. I won't provoke anyone, I will do as you tell me. Everything will be okay. You can continue with your... duties, and I will sit back. As long as I know you are not being sucked into the darkness again, I can be here. We can be here for each other. We will sell this house, start afresh."

  "My father has signed over my shares of Darks Lawyers. So the next step is for us to get married - is that what you want?"

  I swallow hard and steely. I don't want to be like, oh, really? Well that's good that you have your company back, because it's me lying to him.

  I lower my gaze. "Then let's get married."

  He lifts his head, immediately heeding my gaze. He rolls his eyes at me. "I don't want to do it like this, Anile. I wanted to marry you properly. Propose over a romantic dinner table covered in flowers. I wanted to hand you a ring fit for a Princess. I wanted to surprise you, make you happy."

  "You can still do all that."

  He peers over at me. "I think the element of surprise is lost."

  "Ton's of couples pre-plan their engagement these days, Elijah. I know, for me, you are a romantic at heart, but I'm okay with this. I never wanted to get married anyway, so if anything, I'm happy I'm in the loop."

  "The great outlook of Anile Gooden." He jokes.

  I playfully whack his arm. "The lowest form of wit is sarcasm." I tease in a mocking voice.

  "Touché." He jokes, grasping my hand.

  "Everything will be okay, Elijah." I squeeze his hand. "We have each other - isn't that what matters?"

  He sighs aggressively, and I think he's going to start backtracking.

  "If you are going to follow the rules - and I'm trusting you on this Anile - than we can make this work."

  I exhale sharply - I hadn't realized I was holding my breath. I'm relieved that I have finally grasped a hold of this. Worry leaves my system, and my body starts to function properly again, breathing evenly.

  "You know you can trust me." I whisper.

  He gets up out of bed, his gloriously naked butt on display. I bite down on my lower lip while a pool of heat swims around my sex. My sexual hormones work on cue when it comes to him, even in a situation like this. He makes his way into the bathroom and I sit for around ten minutes wondering what the hell he's doing. He returns, a little black suede pouch in his hands.

  "What's that?" I ask curiously.

  He gets back in bed, covering himself up with the duvet.

  "Open your hands."

  I open them, either side of my waist.

  "Put them together, I'm going to pour something in them."

  I push them together, cupping them. He pulls the little pouch open with the thin black string and pours the contents into my hands.

  "Elijah, oh my God!" I gasp, eyes wide.

  He's poured a load of diamonds into my hands; they are all of different shapes. Some round, some square, some pear shape. I am open mouth shocked at how beautiful they are. I cast my thumb over them. They are so cold, and stunning. The moonlight catches them, reflecting a magical blue light inside every diamond. He turns to face me fully and seizes my wrist in one hand. His eyes are of desperation, hope - they are wide.

  "Anile, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Whether it be
mentally watching you from a distance, or seeing your beautiful face every night before I sleep and every morning when I wake. I want to take care of you, love you, give you children - give you everything your heart desires. I want you to be my wife."

  "I, I-" I stutter - I'm speechless, utterly speechless. "No." I say serious.

  He frowns. "What? But, after what we just spoke about, I thought..."

  "Gotcha. I joke. "Of course I'll marry you, you nincompoop." I joke, leaning over to kiss his soft cheek. My lips swell beneath his light stubble, but I like it.

  He smiles proud, and cannot stop looking at me.

  "Pick one, for your engagement ring."

  "Are you serious? But Elijah, they are huge! Too huge."

  Excitement fills my tummy, butterflies that flutter endlessly. This is the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me! My heart is in my throat.

  "I like the Princess cut, it reminds me of you." He whispers.

  "Then I'll have that one." I agree, although I have no idea which is the Princess cut.

  He takes the square cut diamond out of my palm and turns my hands over. The diamonds sprinkle onto the duvet.

  "Elijah, the diamonds!" I gasp.

  "We will make love on a bed of diamonds tonight, Princess." He whispers into my ear while kissing me there. His warm breath on my skin is heavenly, desired.

  He takes my wedding finger and places the Princess cut diamond there. He's mentally envisioning how it would look.

  "Perfect." He says, and he takes the diamond away. He places it on his bedside cabinet. "Now, I want to make love to you."

  "That's fine by me." I say smiling, happy how today is ending.

  How can he always manage to make the days better? He is definitely right for me. He may make bad choices sometimes, but he's always spot on in making them right. He starts to collect all the diamonds off of the duvet.

  "I thought we were going to make love on a bed of diamonds?" I tease.

  He smiles viciously. "Turn on your front, on all fours."

  "What if I don't want to?" I joke, tugging at my bottom lip with my teeth.

  "Hm, well, I could always make you - without using my hands."