Chapter 5

SIX MONTHS LATER...

The neon reflecting bar Thumped with hundreds of conversations told in loud voices, all of them competing with the rock music that dominated the smoky atmosphere. It was a Friday night and like every other Friday in the city of New York, the clubs were packed with people dancing and shimmying to infectious bass music.

Circling his perfectly shaped fingertip around the rim of his glass, David stifled his sigh, thinking of better ways to have spent a work-free night rather than inhaling the nauseating blend of sweat and alcohol whilst watching sweaty bodies gyrate and contort on stage like birds high on crack.

He should be home. He wanted to go home, to his safe place inside Dawn.

He missed her terribly.

With both their hectic work schedule and his constant media attention, time was limited and they barely had a moment of their own. Sex-wise, he was drained. Going this long without touching her was frustrating and every time he'd asked, she was either too tired, busy or not in the mood. It only prolonged his carnal desires and made it even harder to fight, explaining the reasons why his pants throbbed painfully.

"Hello handsome" a soft, feminine British accent suddenly said from beside him, interrupting his distorted thought.

He looked to his right to see a slender woman with her dark hair neatly pulled up into a high, slick ponytail. She was sexy - tall in a mini skirt, legs long, tight top, beautiful but sadly, she wasn't his wife.

"Mind if I buy you another drink?" she asked, trying to be conversational but David wasn't interested. He saw the dark stare in her eyes. She was already undressing him in her mind.

"I'm fine with just this one," he said dismissively and she must have taken the hint because she muttered a few words under her breath and walked away.

"What is it with you David?" the fully suited partial blonde sitting next to him asked. "You've successfully turned down free lap dances and strip teases from multiple ladies tonight and somehow you seem not to be bothered by it.

"I see no problem there" he brushed it off, swirling his glass and finally taking a sip from it.

"Come on. We're here to have fun"

"I'm married Luke, the whole point of it is to remain faithful to my lady" he countered, annoyance in his voice.

Luke chuckled "I know but don't you miss it?"

"Miss what?"

"This" he motioned his cup to the raving stage. "The dancing, hot girls, free sex. The old days"

He did miss the old times - hosting parties, changing girls like he changed his tie - it was a part of his life and fun while it lasted but now that he had Dawn, he had a responsibility and that was to take care of the love of his life.

"This isn't one of your interrogation rooms Luke. Stop asking stupid ass questions and give this man some breathing space" Tanner interrupted, redoing his buttons as he slid back into his chair.

"That was quick" Luke commented, noting the slight glint of discontent in his face.

Tanner poured himself a drink and gulped down on it "she bit my dick" he slammed the glass on the table. "that Latino fucking bit my dick"

Luke stifled his laughter "did it hurt?"

"No fool, it felt like heaven" he slurred, rolling his eyes sarcastically.

"Aren't you supposed to have a girlfriend?" David finally piped in, fighting back his laugh.

Tanner shrugged and mixed his beer with a shot of whiskey.

"We all can't commit to eating the same shit every day like you David" he mocked, chugging down his mixture.

"Herpes is a real thing man" David laughed along.

"Shames on you cus I have my dick sterilized every Mondays and Saturday's"

"The fuck!" Luke barked out a laugh, almost spitting out his drink.

"You're fucking insane" David laughed, so hard that his ribs hurt, and when they finally settled down from their laugher, his phone buzzed.

He picked it up. It was a text from Dawn.

Dinner's getting cold...

"Shoot" he got up and fixed his jacket back on "I'm sorry guys but I'm gonna have to bail"

"But we just got here," Luke said, scrunching his face in confusion.

"Unlike you fagots, I have a wife who needs me home for dinner" he patted both their backs and gave a curt nod before walking away from the table.

"Just look at him go" Luke smiled dreamingly. "I think I'm gonna get married too" he cooed, leaning into Tanner's shoulders.

"Get off me creep!"

***

WHEN DAVID FINALLY ARRIVED at the confines of his home, he walked in, knocking off his shoes and undoing his coat before making his way to the living room where he met Dawn curled up and sleeping uncomfortably on the couch.

She moved a few times, mumbling inaudible words that he couldn't comprehend. After hours of waiting for him to return she had fallen asleep.

Dropping his suitcase on the couch, David picked her up and carried her to the room where he laid her down, whilst making sure she was comfortably tucked under the duvet.

"Good night l'amore" he brushed the lock of hair on her face and gently kissed her before disappearing into the bathroom.

The next morning, David awoke from his sleep and was surprised to see that the sheets on the other side of the bed were empty but the minute his nose caught a whiff of Dawn's mouth-watering cooking, he knew exactly where she was.

He pushed himself up from the bed and headed to the kitchen where he spotted her standing by the stove and tossing the eggs from side to side.

He leaned against the wall and enjoyed the view.

Maybe it was the way in which she did it but there was something about watching her cook that made his insides flutter. They'd been married for over six months but he still couldn't get over it. Most times he'd stand there for several minutes, watching her till she finally noticed him. It was somewhat sweet and cozy. He loved it, he loved the memories and he cherished every bit of it.

When Dawn turned to fetch herself a clean plate, she caught her naked husband staring at her with an indulgent smile on his face.

"The whole point for buying clothes is that you have to wear them David" she sighed, mentally rolling her eyes and trying very hard to pretend that seeing him naked didn't affect her.

He shrugged. "It's my house, I get to do what I want"

"What are you doing here anyway?" She asked, averting he gaze and turning off the stove

David walked forward and fastened his arms around her. "Nothing, just watching you cook"

Her lips parted with surprise, and then she couldn't help but smile. "Must be boring"

"Quite the opposite. I don't think there's anything I'd rather be doing right now"

She blushed, mumbling something about his being silly, but in truth, his words made her stomach warm.

"So what's for breakfast?" He asked, looking over to the pot with his arms still around her.

"Muffins" she spoke softly, trying to pull away from his warmth but he only tightened his hold on her.

"David..." She grumbled, gesturing for him to release her but he ignored her attempts and held her tighter. "I can't right now, I have work" she prodded, sighing as he shifted his head lower to press open-mouthed kisses along the side of her neck.

"All it takes is two seconds to slip your panties off, five minutes to make you come and an extra ten to fuck you behind the counter"

Goosebumps traveled down her arm and with that mental picture in her head, Dawn let out a low gasp, abruptly wrenching away. "David stop"

He pulled her back. "I don't want to"

She pulled away. "No"

He frowned"But Why?"

"No buts," she said, trying to be stern. "Go upstairs and shower while I serve breakfast, and please put on some clothes"

David chuckled, kissed her lips, and walked back to the bedroom.

He took a shower, tidied himself for work, and after a quick glance at the mirror told him that he looked presentable, he stepped Into the hall.

By the time he returned back to the kitchen with his suitcase, Dawn had already served the table and was halfway through a piece of muffin.

He sat on one of the bar stools that lined the kitchen island and tossed his suitcase aside.

"So," he started, taking a healthy bite from his muffin and once he swallowed, he continued. "Father called"

"What did he say?" Dawn asked, lifting her coffee cup to her lips.

"He's hosting this charity event tonight and wants me to give the opening speech. Of course, I tried talking my way out of attending but he was keen on seeing us and mother was no help either"

Dawn froze, her lips lodged in her coffee mug. "Amanda?" She looked up in question, an awful feeling suddenly churning and rolling in her stomach.

"I know you two don't get along very well-"

"We don't get along at all" she interposed, setting the mug down with a loud clang.

Dawn and Amanda never saw eye to eye on things and it wasn't that she hadn't tried to win her mother-in-law over, all efforts just proved fruitless.

David dropped his muffins and let out a long breath. "You know I love you right?"

"It doesn't matter if you love me, your mother hates me. She almost missed our wedding and I'm sure if father hadn't threatened to close down her jewelry shop, she wouldn't have shown up"

"She has trust issues baby, you know this, she was only trying to protect me"

She released a humorless chuckle. "From who, me?"

He groaned, cajoling her wasn't going to be as easy as he'd anticipated. "Not you okay. It's - it's complicated"

Dawn edged herself off of her stool and picked up her plate.

"Where are you going, Dawn?" He asked her retreating figure. "we're not done with breakfast"

"If you're going to take her side, you can as well find another date to the function" she turned around and left.

David dropped his fork, sighed wearily, and ran a hand through his hair. If years of his international philandering had taught him anything it was that, as much as women were sweet and quite fun to play with in bed, they were also a handful.

"Dawn baby" he called, rising to his feet and walking into the kitchen where he met her washing the dishes.

"Dawn?"

"Go away" she bellowed but let out a slight gasp when she felt him hover behind her and pull her into his chest.

"Baby, I'm not taking any sides. I just really want you two to try and get along, for tonight at least"

"Why should we? I'm perfectly fine keeping a safe distance from her"

He spun her around, his steel-grey coming to Peirce into her blue star ones.

"Because I love both of you and it hurts when I see the two most important women in my life rebelling against each other "

"But she-"

"Please Dawn"

Dawn pursed her lips, she stared at him excessively. The look he leveled at her was grim, he was clear that he wanted it to work. He had done a lot for her and if getting along really meant this much to him, she was going to do it.

She sighed, looking away as she mumbled "Fine. I'll try and get along with your mother"

David offered her a smile and then pulled her into a hug. "You're the best"

"Don't get too excited okay, I said I'll try but if she comes at me, or insults me, I'll stop"

David kissed her forehead. "Doesn't matter, as long as you try"

She pulled away from his embrace and lined up the dishes on the drying rack. Once she had the dishes away, she grabbed the dishtowel from the oven handle to wipe her hands. "I'll be leaving for work now. I still have some leftover emails to go over at the office"

"Let's go together, I'll drop you off"

"You don't have to, I can get there on my own" she assured, walking back into the living room.

David frowned, following behind her and sitting back on the stool. "why is it that you always turn me down whenever I offer to take you to work?"

She picked up her bag "Well for starters, no one knows I'm married to an Argent and I want it to stay that way"

"Didn't know getting married to an Argent was suddenly a bad thing" He retorted sarcastically to her retreating figure.

Dawn turned and walked to him. She placed her hands on his shoulders and stood between his legs, moving one of her fingers to brush through his gorgeous bangs.

"I never said it was bad okay. I just don't want people hovering around me or giving me some special treatment because my husband is rich" her thumbs caressed his soft face. "I want to work hard knowing whatever I get is based on my ability and not an act of favor, plus Your family thinks I'm a gold digger so this is my way of proving them wrong"

David pulled her unto his laps, an arm around her waist and the other tucking loose strands of her hair behind her ears. He groaned but didn't protest after that. There was no use fighting it, he had tried countless times to talk her out of it but she was persistent - part of the reason why he loved her. "Why do you have to be so... You" he sighed, resting his head between her breasts. "They smell so nice"

"They need to go to work" she giggled, standing up and kissing his cheeks before walking to the door and once she got there, she glanced back at him. "I love you, David"