3

3

Annalise

I inhaled deeply, then exhaled, all in an effort to catch my breath.

What was that dream? I wondered although it hadn’t felt like a dream at all, but a memory, a flashback.

I closed my eyes as I remembered the scene once again.

“I will kill you just like I did to your parents,” I whispered into the empty room.

I stared into the blank nothingness. I couldn’t ignore the fact that the voice had sounded exactly like Spencer.

“What exactly is goimg on?” I wondered aloud.

A knock sounded on my door, ending my flow of throats. I rolled my eyes in frustration as I answered. “Come in.”

The door creaked open and a petite girl dressimg in a thigh length black dress covered with a white apron entered.

“Hello, Alyssa. What’s the matter?” I asked. Alyssa was the maid permanently assigned to me for the rest of my life.

“You have a visitor, Mrs,” Alyssa replied. I could see that she was trying hard to fight the blush off her face, and neither did i miss the emphasis on the last word she uttered.

“By your tone, I can assume it’s my husband?” I guessed with a laugh.

The mischievous smirk that settled on her face proved me right.

I and Alyssa were more comfortable around each other than a maid should be around the boss. I had deliberately molded our relationship into that because I needed somewhat of a friend.

I smiled at her and nodded my head. “I will be there in a bit.”

She curtised then hurried out, giggling.

My smile dropped as soon as the door closed behind her.

“What am I going to do now?” I groaned in frustration as I collapsed on the bed, my head in my hands. Adrian was most likely here for explanations, explanations I didn’t have.

Why did he agree to it in that moment? My eyes snapped open as soon as the thought popped into my head. I also had explanations I wanted to hear.

I quickly pulled on the pink dress from earlier and hurried out.

Adrian was standing outside and his head was tilted as he stared at the stars. I stared at him for a while, noting how the breeze made his brown hair flutter slightly.

He looks attractive. I shook my head immediately to get rid of the thought and cleared my throat, announcing my presence.

He turned to face me then bowed slightly. When he stood tall, the moonlight was shining on him, leading him to glow despite the darkness. All his facial features were highlighted by the glow, making him look eextra handsome. Especially his lips. 

I quickly shook my head and turned away from him. “Follow me, let’s have a seat,” I suggested as I walked as fast as I could to the bench that was in the garden. I knew that if we stayed in that spot, I would be distracted.

By his lips, a voice teased.

I shook my head, a little harder this time. Immediately, the contents of my head began to get jumbled up and my vision was nothing but black dots. I staggered a few steps back with my hand placed on my forehead. While staggering, I missed a step. I closed my eyes tight and braced myself, waiting for the fall.

My body never collided with the floor. Instead, I felt an arm rab my waist and pull me up… and in. When I opened my eyes, I was pressed against Adrian’s chest.

I looked up and my eyes met his brown eyes. They looked like a pool of golden honey, I wouldn’t mind drowning in them. My eyes moved down and fell on his lips. They were a beautiful bright shade of pink.

They look so kissable, I thought as I unconsciously raised a finger and began to trace the shape of his lips. His hands clutched my waist tighter and it was only then I realized we were still pressed closed against each other.

We both jumped back immediately, disentangling ourselves.

He cleared his throat and turned in the opposite direction. I cleared my throat and looked at my feet, kicking at the grass. An awkward silence had replaced the… moment..

“So,” he finally began, his sharp voice cutting through the silence. “It will take a few days to get my home ready to accommodate a wife. Is that okay with you?”

“Yes.” My voice came out as a hoarse whisper and I cleared my throat once again, with a tinge of red on my cheeks.

He let out a small laugh. “I didn’t know I’ll be getting married today. Did you know your husband will be different from your fiancée?”

We maintained eye contact as I pondered the question. It was a question that masked many questions and I knew he wanted answers to all his questions.

“I’m sorry,” I simply said.

He raised an eyebrow at me. “Is that all you have to say?”

No. That isn’t all I have to say. I have so much more to say, but he’d think I’m crazy. 

“Yes. For now, that’s all I can say,” I answered and hung my head in shame.

A sarcastic laugh escaped his mouth. “Don’t I deserve some sort of explanation for why you dragged my name through the mud? Now everyone thinks I was sleeping with a betrothed lady.”

You would think I’m crazy. 

I inhaled deeply. “I know this might sound crazy, but I’ve been here before.”

A comcerned look crept unto his face. He took a few steps forward and placed the back of his hand on my forehead. “Are you okay? Should I call the doctor?”

I slapped his hand away and took a few steps backwards. I felt hot now, but that was because I was burning with embarrassment. It had nothing to do with the fact that where his hand had been on my head was now tingling. “I’m serious,” I cried out. “I have been having deja vu throughout the day, and deja vu never lasts that long. The only explanation is that I have been here before.”

He raised an eyebrow at me. “Okay, let’s assume you’ve actually been here before. What does that have to do with marrying me? Why did you choose me?”

I let out a frustrated breath. “I’m sorry about that. You had the choice to say I was lying, or to refuse the marriage, but you did neither. Why?”

He ignored my questions and asked his own. “Why did you choose me, Annalissa?”

I rolled my eyes. “No reason, I promise. I just knew I had to end the marriage but I couldn’t see any credible reason to. I came up with anything and picked anyone. It wasn’t preplanned. I promise,” I protested.

Adrian held my gaze for a while before he finally let out a sigh. “Okay, let’s say I believe you. We need some ground rules for this marriage, as it is not one that any of us want.”

“Yes. I agree,” I nodded hastily.

He snuck a glance at me. “Do you have any suggestions?”

“No sex,” I blurted out. My hands flew to my mouth in the same hurried manner I had said it.

“I see that has been on your mind for a while,” he said with a laugh that made me smile.

“No, not really,” I blushed in response.

“Well, any other boundaries that we should set?” he asked.

I tucked my tongue in my cheek as I pondered his question. “None from me,” I stated.

“Well, it’s a deal,” he declared.

I looked up at him. “How do we seal it? We have no pen or paper, or anything of the sort.”

I froze as Adrian began to slowly walk towards me while holding my gaze. He reached me then placed his hand on the small of my back and pulled me in to be pressed against his chest. Deja vu. 

“Let’s seal it with a kiss,” he said in a hoarse whisper, looking into my eyes.

His golden brown eyes were now a beautiful shade of coffee brown. It seemed that they had me under a trance as I silently nodded. It’s just a peck. 

I stood on my tiptoes while he leaned down and our lips collided. His lips were soft like bread, and they molded perfectly with mine. I raised my hands and clasped them together behind his neck, while he pulled me in closer with one of his and used the other to carress my face. My fingers roamed through his hair as his tongue slipped into my mouth. He tasted like red wine. Sweet, fruity red wine.

I love this, I don’t want to let go, I thought as I pulled his head closer.

Crack! 

We both jumped away from each other, breathless, wondering where the sound that had interrupted the moment came from.