melting the ice
“Are you doing legit business?”
“I do.”
“Really? Or was it just a front?”
Daemon glanced at her from his seat and smiled. “You think I’m that clueless when it comes to business? I’m not bragging or what but-”
“You are bragging already,” she said matter-of-fact and grinned when he chuckled.
There is something about Daemon today that she cannot quite put her thought into. He smiled more than five times at her. That’s a lot considering how stiff he is all the time. He also asked if she’s okay during the last meeting he hosted where she sat down beside him grinning at Maddy whose face looked so bloated.
For the entire time, she didn’t feel out of place in the sea of big bulky men talking as if they own the world in that boardroom. Her eyes were only on him while he stood there silencing everyone in a mere glance when the argument got too heated.
“Okay, I am bragging. It’s okay as long as I’m telling the truth. I’m good at what I do. I love doing business.”
“Okay, you can say that. Was going into this dangerous world necessary then? I mean, think about it, you could still succeed in the world of business without being a mafia.”
She gnawed on her cheeks after saying that. She could be really saying things without thinking.
His face turned dark for a second before he shrugged it off. “I need the power that comes with it. I need people to fear me.”
“Why?” she asked in curiosity. “Do you want the feeling of being feared, Daemon? Or are you extracting revenge against someone? Is it about money then?”
A cold expression flicked across his eyes before he completely hid it back. “You will be shocked once you learn how fear operates, Devon. It incapacitates people.” He paused to gaze at her face. “Are you scared of me?”
She shook her head and spank his shoulder jokingly. “Not anymore. You’re like a child, you know. Every kid in this world wants to fast forward the time to grow into an adult so that they can do whatever they want only to get disappointed when they get to live their lives as one.”
“And what does that have to do with me?” Daemon asked in a laughing tone. “And what’s with your philosophical tendencies today?” He leaned in to touch her forehead. “Are you sick?”
“No, I just think that you’re really a child deep inside. You’re disappointed as an adult with your life that’s why you wanted to be invincible to people by being feared.” Raising her one leg on the cushion on the seat, she rested her cheek on her knee to see his face. “Did I read you right? Hmm?”
“You, you’re trying to instigate a fight.” Closing in to pinch her cheek, he rustled her hair before leaning in the backrest. “But I’m not going to give it to you. I’ve been too lenient with you lately which explains your comfortability around me. Should I discipline you a bit, Devon?” A hint of a warning in his voice.
But that isn’t enough to threaten her. As she told him, she can already read him like an open book. “You know what I like about being a kid? They’re braver than us, adults. They don’t evade questions or threaten people.”
Daemon smirked. “Ah, big words from someone who can’t remember anything. Except that I’m not a child anymore, Devon. I can threaten people that I want to.”
Devon fell into pensive thought. When Daemon said he wanted people to fear him, does that include her or was it only directed to other people?
“Daemon, what am I like when we were married? Am I happy with you? Sad? Constantly threatened by Maddy’s presence in your life?”
She felt him stiffened to his seat before he answered. “That was too sudden. Why?”
“I just want to know. Maybe telling me that could help me recover my memories quicker. So, tell me? Did you love me as your wife, Daemon?
She waited for his answer but it didn’t come. She wanted her to confirm to her the confession he made when he was drunk but he became unreachable the second she asked him that question. The walls he built grew higher so she didn’t dare ask him the same question.
Until they arrived in the house, he didn’t say a single word to her. They climbed the stairs silently, wary of his mood souring because of her.
“Do you want me to cook you some food?” she finally broke their silence.
“No, no please. Let’s just order,” he answered coldly and opened the door to his room without glancing at her.
She nodded, her shoulders down. “O-Okay.”
“Devon,” he called when she turned to open her door.
“Yes?”
Daemon stared at his eyes before he sighed and dropped his hand to his side. “I don’t have the concept of romantic love so I can’t answer your question.”
That night, while they lay together in the bed, their arms on each other, she was visited by a dream. She was celebrating her birthday in a garden decorated with tons of flowers when she spotted a standout presence in the crowd. Despite his mask that concealed his face, she still picked out his familiar build and stance.
That’s Daemon Druft, her father’s nemesis. What is he doing there on her 18th birthday? Could it be that…
She opened her eyes to find herself awake from her dreams or memories. Sitting down in bed, she looked at the man beside her who stirred in his sleep.
“Are you okay?” Daemon pulled her into his body and put his arms around her.
“Yes, I’m okay.”
“Did you remember something?”
Her mind is debating whether to tell him that indeed, she remembered the first time that she met him face to face, but in the end, she decided to lie.
“No, I didn’t remember anything. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. Don’t force yourself too much. Go back to sleep.”
But she wasn’t able to no matter how many times she tried hard to concentrate.
