WINE OVER GOLF

CHAPTER FOUR: WINE OVER GOLF?

A week had passed since Malek's opening party and I hadn't heard from either Dashiell or Malek.

Fear began to engulf me as the thought of Malek already signing off the inheritance to his mistress's unborn baby filled my head.

I paced around my large bedroom frantically, thinking of how to reach Dashiell. Where do I even start from? How do I get to my child, who I don't even know his name. What should I do?

Just then, my phone started to ring. Like a bolt of lightning, I rushed to pick it up and saw that it was an unknown number.

I swear if it's the interior designers that are calling to ask whether we have a new event coming up, I am going to kill that person myself.

"Hello?"

Then, his familiar baritone voice filled my ears, "Were you waiting for me to call?"

I moved to sit on the chair, even more restless than before, "I was almost tempted to steal your email address from my husband," I confessed

"My driver is in your estate. He's going to bring you to my golf field club," He conceded then hung up.

I couldn't believe my ears. Why on earth did Dashiell ask his driver to enter the estate? What if Malek was around, or worse, Barney, or any of those snitches he placed on duty to watch me like a hawk? Dashiell had started to cross the line, and I wouldn't take it lightly with him if my husband punished me for his stupidity.

My mind raced with questions as I grabbed my purse and headed out the door.

The drive to the golf field was long, and my thoughts drifted through possibilities of mine and Dashiell's discussion being about why he was pressing me against him last week, but I soon shook those thoughts off. When we arrived, Dashiell was already there, dressed in a white polo shirt and three-quarter shorts. Immediately after I stepped onto the field, he turned to face me.

"How calculative," I thought, smoothing my short white skirt.

"Hurry up!" he commanded, his voice low but serious.

I immediately started to jog, even though I didn't want to. As I reached where he stood, the familiar whiff of his wood spice filled my nose. My throat felt dry, but I didn't want to step backward. Dashiell was intimidating, but his aura was to die for.

"What is it, Dashiell?" I scowled, feigning anger. "I thought you had ghosted me after you relayed all that bull crap about saving my kid and our inheritance. Why did it take you this long to call me?"

He only stared me down, his dark eyes boring into mine. My heart flipped a thousand and one times as I felt his gaze ripping through the pumps in my chest. In the blink of an eye, he seized my arm and grabbed me by the waist, pressing me towards him. I felt the build in his chest through my breasts. His dark eyes flickered to scan my expression, then he moved to whisper in my ear, "Don't you dare question me. Do you understand?"

Each word burned my ear intensely. But like a puppy, I nodded obediently, and yet, he still didn't let me go. And I was enjoying it. His arms were so strong, and having them around me made me feel protected.

"What do you want me to do, Dashiell?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.

He leaned in closer, his fresh, minty breath fanning against my ear. "I want you to talk to Malek about your son today. He'll be at your estate for now, and be rest assured that he won't do anything to you."

I pulled back, looking up at him in disbelief. "What? I can't talk to him about that."

He furrowed his brows and then released me from his grasp. "You don't trust me enough to protect you, do you?"

"This is not... it's not a game," I stuttered, my eyes watery. "He beats me to a stupor. I buy so many medicines for myself so I wouldn't bleed to death. I stay silent for my survival. Malek is insane-"

He cut me off, his voice cold. "I will protect you. Recite that in your head as your daily mantra. Meet Malek today and tell him that you want your son back. When he leaves, take some time to look into the drawers in his bedroom and bring me the most interesting thing you find."

I felt a shiver run down my spine as he said those last words. I nodded meekly and turned to leave, but he pulled me back. "Who asked you to leave?" Then he pointed over to his car and said, "There's wine in my car to quench your thirst. And I'm not requesting you to drink it, I am commanding you to."

As we left, I couldn't shake off the feeling that we were being watched. I turned back, but I saw no one. I knew Dashiell might have thought the same, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he waved at his fat bodyguard, who stood by the car, and the man moved to search the area.

On the grass, I noticed a wristband lying on the ground. "Kashem Empire" was written on it, but before I could say anything, Dashiell spoke up, his voice low and urgent.

"His men are here," he said, his eyes scanning the surroundings.

"Blazer!" he called out to the fat bodyguard. "Gotham!" he called to the other muscular one who stood by the car. "Shoot anyone you find in the area."

Without hesitation, the bodyguards flew into action. Their movement, swifter than the bolt of lightning.