Nerthus “What is it that you wanted to tell me?” I ask, a little doubt nagging at my senses fearfully.He sighs, but his fingers continue to caress my hair gently. “There have been a few occurrences in my territory. I guess that we have someone trying to start a riot and take over my business. I am sorting out rats like I never have before, but new ones keep spreading like wildfire.”“My King is under attack?” I joke lowly, trying to cover up my discomfort. I hate the fact that the sole thing I am instinctively trained to do is to be flirtatious, and I shake my head. “I’m sorry about that. How bad is it?”Arawn chuckles, pulling himself closer as he wraps his hand around my body, letting go of my hair. “I don’t know yet. But I never had such troubles, to be honest. I always got to stop them at the starting line. Now they are running a full race.”
Nerthus“Oh, I really can’t wait,” I say excitedly to Emily who has her arms looped into mine.My heart has gone through so much already, and I really can’t tell how much more it will be able to take. Only minutes after we got to the astonishing venue where the gala would be held, I got announced by the Johnsons that we would visit them in their house in the Hamptons for a Welcome-The-New-Year-Dinner and I’m feeling like the unpopular girl at school that got invited to the party of the year the coolest kids in her High School are organizing.Arawn and I had spent New Year peacefully. Instead of scurrying through the crowded streets or finding an overpriced table to eat, we had stayed at home, ordered food, emptied a bottle of good wine, or two, and talked about everything that came to our minds. I think all this relationship business is doing me good, in a therapeutic sense. Maybe it’s the sex, but I feel like my anxiety has subsided and I’m going through my days more relaxed, happier
NerthusI stand there smiling and watching the sea as if nothing happened.And it has me boiling.But I’m currently holding the most beautiful and adorable little baby that I have ever seen.And she smells amazing.So, it’s okay, I guess.I cuddle the baby girl closer, as she is staring out at the waves as if it’s the first time her luxury-spoiled eyes see it.“Oh, looks like you got yourself a new friend,” Emily says in a high-pitched voice, making me turn around while I’m rocking her baby. She leans in with a big smile, shaking a bottle of milk in front of her daughter’s face while holding a bottle of champagne in the other.She is my idol.Larissa kicks with her little legs while pushing out the cutest giggle ever, making us both laugh as well. “Isn’t she heavy? I’m so sorry. It’s already been hours that she is clinging to you.”“No way. She is perfect and not heavy at all. And we are having fun.” Hugging her closer I change my voice playfully, “Right, little angel?”As if wanting
NerthusThe dinner is lovely, and I can see how much thought and planning they put into everything, and I absolutely love it.I also love the thought that I was a direct recipient of all this as I’m invited as myself, being Arawn’s girlfriend, and not just the company who happened to be booked for the evening.After dinner, and the children being put to bed by the nanny, we are sitting in a heated winter garden. We are chatting happily while the wine flows and the men are smoking cigars.I’m enjoying my tiramisu while being cuddled against Arawn’s side in a cozy lounge.“You can stay overnight if you want. We have enough guestrooms,” Harvey offers, making me look at Arawn with big eyes.He chuckles, tearing his eyes from me. “Don’t look at me like that! I told you we had to go back to the City after dinner.”“You could leave right after breakfast,” Emily adds, making me giggle.Arawn groans as I scoop another bit of the delicious dessert into my mouth. “Why don’t you all make your pla
NerthusI hurry to collect my things and follow Arawn into the car without making a scene.As I get into the car, my heart is already beating into my throat.Arawn starts the car as soon as I have settled in and drives off the property while clasping the steering wheel.“What is happening, Arawn?” I finally ask as we are already on the road for several minutes.He shakes his head, scoffing, “I don’t know. But I have to go back to the City to check on something. If he plays like this, he is already deeper into my organization than we previously thought. This is bad, Nerthus.”I look at him lost as panic expands in my chest as he sighs, “I also don’t like that he is checking you out! I have to see who gave him such information when my men weren’t able to find who your father could be.”“Wasn’t it clear that he would look into everything that concerned me as you didn’t correct him when he kept calling me your wife?”He shrugs, avoiding looking at me, “Sure, but I didn’t think he would go
Nerthus As soon as we start to drive into the neighborhood where Danny lives, I get a horrible feeling. Scooting closer to Danny in the backseats, I loop my arm around his, leaning my head against his shoulder. “Maybe it was a bad idea,” I murmur, but he shakes his head. “It’s going to be great. You’ll see,” he says elatedly. I would like to believe it. But even though Aleksei is stoically driving the car as if we were going to buy daisies, Giulio’s leg that keeps jumping up and down is freaking the shit out of me. “You can all prepare yourself for him killing us all.” He turns around to us in the backseats as Aleksei chuckles, “And you princess will pay for your survival dearly.” “Stop being scared rabbit,” Aleksei stops the black SUV right in front of a bustling building. The beats are so loud that they were already audible as we turned into the street.My heart beats into my throat as we get out, Giulio’s words resounding over and over in my head. The street as well as the illu
NerthusAs I turn around, I see Giulio already opening the car door for me as Danny groans. “I’m not going anywhere with you.” He cuts the air with his hand, making me turn back towards him. “You are dead to me!” “Oh, Danny…” I sigh, crossing my arms on my chest. “How can you treat me like this in front of my friends?!” I lower my tone further, wanting to de-escalate the fight as everyone is already staring at us. “These people aren’t your friends, Danny!” “You don’t know anything about me or them! Don’t act this bougie. You are not better than any of us,” he shouts, making me roll my eyes. “Stop using these words! Nobody understands what it means!” Our fight even gets Aleksei to step out of the car, lighting a cigarette while Giulio is leaning against it, observing us with a grin. Danny points his finger at me. “Just you don’t know because you are old!” “Ooooh, you didn’t!” I squint my eyes, taking a step towards him. “I will just act like I didn’t hear it. And you will get
Nerthus “I have everything! I can pay for everything!” I empty my stupidly small wallet, letting drop all the cards and my small change onto the counter. “Just save him! I can pay for everything he needs!” The nurse behind the counter lays her hand on mine, stopping my panicky rambling. “Ma’am, please. You were injured as well. We checked your credit score, we received your upfront payment, and I can assure you that he is treated by our best surgeons. Now please let this nice nurse take you to your operation room as well.” Gesturing to me to wait by lifting a finger, she picks up the phone. “No! No! I don’t need any surgery. I need to know that my baby is being operated on by the best surgeon in the country! Fly him in if possible.” “Ma’am! Ma’am!” The nurse standing next to me gets my attention on her, allowing her colleague to talk on the phone in peace. “He is already in surgery. Flying in another surgeon won’t help him. Now please, sit down in that wheelchair, and let us treat
Thank you so much, my lovelies for reading, your amazing support and for your patience as I had to take several breaks to finish this one. I hope you loved Nerthus' and Arawn's love story and will be following me for the sequel. XoXo, Shelagh
Lenore Her high-pitched giggles sound like razor blades in my ears as my gaze is fixed on the huge diamond sparkling on her finger. “Well, you will surely understand, right?” Jason asks with a stupid grin as he shoves the hand of his new fiancée under my nose. “We weren’t compatible anyway.” I force up a smile, caressing my arms as I hug myself against the cold. “Of course, you are so cute together.” “Thank you so much,” Gina squeals in her fake happy voice, putting her hand on her chest. “It was so important for me that you would understand.” This scene is so telling. Also, because I’m standing in the open, freezing to death in my cute dress while the snowflakes fall on me, sticking to my hair and melting into my already freezing skin.My best friend and my ex-boyfriend, on the other hand, are standing beneath the roof of the entrance to his house, smiling at me like it’s about to be Christmas.And luckily it is. I gave the best days of my life to this man, my high-school love,
Danny “Is this thing on?” I clear my throat as I tap on the microphone, smiling uncomfortably. “Hey everyone.” The guests are staring up at me and I squirm on my feet as I push out a deep breath. I have never spoken in front of so many people and my throat feels raspy. “As my brother asked me to be his best man, I felt honored, but the first thing I asked him was, ‘Don’t you have any friends?’” A low chuckle goes through the crowd, and I wet my lips with my tongue. “Of course, I know that he has a lot of friends, but he wanted me as his brother to do it. And thank God, Bernie was not too offended about it to help me with the planning of the bachelor party.” “Hear, hear!” Bernard lifts his glass, cheering loudly, getting other guests to join him. I play with my notes, my nervousness increasing as I feel my throat close. “Well, the bachelor party was great. Sorry, Amber, but there were a lot of beautiful girls.” Amber laughs, the diamond pins holding up her hair sparkling in th
Arawn“This is not fair! You can’t treat me like this.” Amanda screams at the top of her lungs, making me close my eyes exhausted.“Well, why don’t you go ahead and sue me?”Her theatrical gasp must cost her so much air that I’m surprised she doesn’t faint.“I hate you!” She screams even louder. “I never want to see you ever again!”So dramatic.It has been quite a while and I still struggle to adjust to this ‘love topic’.All because of that woman.Fifteen years have passed since I asked Nerthus to be my wife, and claimed she just said yes because of her job.I might have her punished for this.But she made me pay severely anyway.“Well, what a shame that you are stuck with me, isn’t it, Amanda?”“I hate you! I hate you!”Groaning, I pinch the bridge of my nose. “You keep repeating yourself. We already figured it out that far, didn’t we, my love?”The shrill scream that she is used to producing during her tantrums risks bursting my eardrums.Well, my fucking fault for thinking I coul
NerthusMy birthday was more than memorable. Especially because after getting proposed to by the love of my life, I got to party my entry into a new life-year with my friends. I drank way too much, fearing I would have spoiled my chance of a tasty breakfast. “I’m out!” I hear Danny shout before the door slams close. Groaning, I fight myself out of bed, desperately needing a cup of coffee. As I reach the kitchen, a strange sensation rises in me. I notice that there is no staff around whatsoever. Not even the usual bodyguard is scurrying around my feet and I guess that Danny left with Goldie to go to the dog school, making the house awfully silent. I tie my morning gown tighter around my waist, concentrating on refilling the water tank of my coffee machine. My heart drops as I hear footsteps nearing, but I don’t turn around. Pressing the button to get the coffee to start flowing, I ignore my body shivering in anticipation as Arawn puts his hands on the counter, caging me in. “I
Nerthus - Six months later I take a sip of my coffee, hugging my denim jacket closer as I watch the children run around the statue of Alice in Wonderland. Thinking about how my life has changed in the last year, I nearly can’t believe my luck and I push down the urge to ask myself how I deserved this kind of life. So many things have happened in these six months and it is just crazy how I’m just living my days with a partner in crime, an adopted boy and a stolen dog. As they had liquidated my uncle’s and aunt’s assets, and as they couldn’t get hold of my cousin, I got nominated as their heir. First, I didn’t want to have nothing to do with it, but with Arawn’s and Danny’s support, I got to the house where I lived before I came to New York and we searched for something that I would want to keep before he arranged for the clean-up and the sale of the house. Naturally, I didn’t want to keep anything. But as we searched the house, Danny found a hidden safe where there were various docu
Nerthus It takes my lungs a few seconds to fill with enough air to push out a horrified scream. But it actually feels like it takes an eternity. Lizzy looks at us with a blank look before she sinks to the floor, collapsing in her own pool of blood. Arawn steps towards her with his gun still pointed and picks her gun up. “Are you alright?” he asks in our direction as he pushes the gun into the belt in the back of his pants. Danny nods, exhaling a deep breath, and I loop my arm around his, hugging him closer. “Let’s sit down. Shall we?” He slumps to the ground nearly immediately, tearing me with him. Nodding once again, he lets his shoulders slump and I turn my head to watch Arawn crouch down before me. Cupping my chin gently, he turns my head to inspect my face. “The ambulance is already on its way. I called Detective Ramirez. Are you feeling well enough to wait for them? Or shall I drive you to the ER?” “I’m fine,” I say, my voice nearly failing me as sobs rise in my throat.
Nerthus The first thing I feel as I wake up is the cold surface I’m lying on. Turning my head to the side, I wait for my sight to focus while I notice that I can’t move. I seem to be constricted by ropes that are tying me to the table and I suddenly feel like I can’t breathe. My clothes are missing, my body shaking as I’m only dressed in my lingerie and I dread the moment when we will find out why we are in this shitty situation. My panic is crushing my throat, my breathing getting heavy as I try to pull at the ropes constricting me on the shiny surface. Checking the room, I see Danny lying next to me. He is bound to a table as well but seems to be still knocked out, and for a moment, I’m glad as I couldn’t take his desperation which would be adding to my panic. The gas must have been inducted into the room on purpose to knock us out and I fight hard not to faint at the thought. I groan, turning my head to the other side as I hope it will reduce the pulsating pain in my skull.
Nerthus “Get him off me!” I scream pushing the dead body from me but failing miserably. Danny scurries around him a few times before he decides on what to do and how to get hold of the body the best way. With a groan, he pushes him off me, making me take a deep breath. “Oh, my God.” He remains standing, staring at the dead man with a void look while I drag myself over the ground to get to the gun he had kicked out of my hand. “Are you alright?” I ask as I sit up with a pained groan, and Danny nods. Laying the gun into my lap, I massage my hand as I take another deep breath. “I think he might broke my hand too.” Sighing, I look up while I let my shoulders slump. I watch Danny while my desperation still streams through me, and I can’t seem to be able to push it down. I know exactly that there is more where he came from. Danny has his gaze still directed to the dead man, his look is flowing into the void, and I gulp as I think about how I must get him out of this dark place as s