CHAPTER TWO: The Contract

Alexander’s POV

She let up her eyes, it’s just a little bit wet. Don’t cry Angel. I hate that too.

She’s nibbling on her lips again, her unintentional seductive jab. Stop nibbling angel. Do you have any idea the damage you’re causing, the trouble you’re calling?

“I have…a lot of concerns” A bit of struggle in her tone.

“Oh…Please share” I shrug, unmoved.

She swallows. Her lips move first, exposing red tongue. Crimson red like she had just had a lollipop . Damn, the things I could do with it.

“Number 1” Her soft voice interrupts my mind savagery.

Masking my dirty thoughts, I anchor my devouring gaze on her. “Yes” Waiting.

“No expectations of companionship?” Her eyes take mine, gauging them.

“Yes” I rasp, almost flipping.

Her eyes fall again. “No expectations of romance?” They snap, nearly bulging out, her voice trips.

“Yes” I rasp again, ignoring her fast shifting emotions.

“No expectations of passion…no expectations of loyalty…you could keep a concubine and I am not to complain?” Her sardonic chuckle, her words hitting like bars, her eyes shifting from the document to my face, she’s terrified, almost petrified.

“Yes Yes and Yes” I roll in frostily. Oh Angel, I guess I have broken your heart.

“Can I take a concubine too?” She shot at me, sea blue eyes tackling me.

Jaw drops, a low grunt. Damn Angel, what would you need a concubine for? Angels don’t have cravings. No flare for the carnal, just dull and boring.

“Not in the Clifford Estate, you absolutely cannot…but I definitely will not consume my thoughts with what you do with your time” I rasp, starving her of emotions.

She shrunk, sadness flushing her skin. Poor Angel, this demon has broken your heart.

“So if you don’t need all the things a wife can provide, why even bother?…what’s my purpose in this marriage?”

“Oh you haven’t read the crucial part?” My eyes nudge her back to the document, her eyes falling along with mine, they scroll downwards and tremble, her chin falls, oh poor angsty angel.

I rapt in. “The Clifford lineage has dwindled down to me and as such I must take action….produce more Clifford heirs…that’s your purpose”

Slowly, she lets up her eyes. “Procreation…that’s it?” Her eyes tackling mine.

Mine, taking hers, fierce, resolute, unyielding, unwavering. “Yes Angel, I will not offer you companionship, I will not offer romance, I will not offer passion…Love does not exist here. It will never exist here. I want heirs, you birth me heirs…that’s it” My voice coursing.

Her fingers clawed the table. “And why on God’s Oxygen earth would I agree to something so selfishly designed… so wickedly crafted…incredibly insulting?, It’s total nonsense” She flipped, her eyes shooting daggers, jaw clenched, cheeks hot red, an angel in her fury. What shall this demon do?

“Compose yourself, Miss. Catherine” I caution, a firm clam on the table.

She clammed back. “You compose yourself Mr. Clifford. What do you think me to be? A desperate lay about? A miserable cast aside? your brother’s left over?” Her sardonic chuckle again, her eyes burning, her voice charging loudly.

Damn, she had a mouth on her. I stood, towering over her, a nasty, carping angel. Unexpected. My eyes seized hers, blank as bullets, her eyes hanging over mine.

I splurge. “If you do not accept, Simon will get you on a plane this instant and you head back home immediately, forget you ever met me…forget the day you laid eyes on this demon, forget the total nonsense contract…” I pause, summoning my decades-old intimidating, penetrating gaze, designed to wear walls down. “But you must decide now; for I cannot waste any more time on trivial matters such as this”

Her eyes debating, her lip curving into her teeth, digging, Stop it Angel, take your lip out of your mouth, don’t let me make you. My palms twitch, I manage to stall them. Collect yourself Alex. Stay focused, stay hard, set the angel straight. Be done with her.

“So what’s it gonna be, Angel?” I hold her terrified blue eyes.