Samantha…
My name was said, not by the man whose hands were wrapped around my waist, head buried in my neck, but by my husband.
Rexhard Black.
My name from his lips floated around the room, and for a moment I didn't know what to do. Wilhelm suddenly couldn't read the room, because instead of letting me go, his grip only tightened as if he wanted Rexhard to see. As if he wanted to provoke him.
But why?
I shifted uneasily, pressing against Wilhelm's chest to free myself, and all he did was turn his head, which was buried in my neck, toward Rexhard and whisper, his hands still protective over my waist:
"Who invited this kid?"
I wanted to speak. To explain. To scream at Wilhelm for being reckless. But nothing left my throat except silence.
What the hell was he doing? Was he asking to die?
A bitter thought stabbed at me, well, this isn't new, is it, Rexhard? You were the one screwing my sister on our wedding day. The words burned on my tongue, but I swallowed them down. No matter how much it hurt, I wasn't going to stoop that low. I wasn't going to sell myself for revenge.
Now it time was for damage control.
I shook out even stronger, and Wilhelm let go begrudgingly. I started:
"Rexhard… it's not what you think… trust me…"
But all Rexhard did was stare at me. He hadn't spoken a word since he entered. His coat was folded in his arms, the sleeves of his white inner shirt rolled up, the top buttons loose, hair messy, eyes cold.
I tried to walk even closer toward him, but in the silence he came, he turned around and left.
Wilhelm chuckled behind me.
"Some marriage you're in, Samantha… It's a pity you ended up with such a dunce. You need someone who completes and appreciates you."
"Oh?" I said, a little annoyed. "I wonder who that would be, Wilhelm. I called you here not to spite my "husband" my voice slowing into a whisper, "..but to relieve old memories…" My words now inaudible, bitter memories.
With pain in our eyes, and my eyes a little misty, we stared at each other. He walked close, his hands framing my face, and leaned in.
I knew what he was going to do. It's what he's always done.
He kissed me.
At that moment, Rexhard burst into the room, and we both looked up in shock. The silent rage in his build was so startling I froze for a moment.
Rexhard grabbed him, ripped him from me, and struck.
The first punch cracked. Blood sprayed. A tooth clattered to the floor.
Holy. Shit.
Call me an asshole, but I wasn't about to throw myself between two grown men, two martial artists for a fact who were hellbent on tearing each other apart.
No, scratch that. Rexhard wasn't fighting. He was demolishing. Wilhelm barely raised a hand, almost as if he knew resistance would cost him his life. And maybe he was right.
I might be a strong-ass woman, but I wasn't willing to get involved in grown martial artists pummeling each other.
He was Rexhard, after all.
You can't hit the Black heir and not live life without a death sentence hanging through your neck.
Why was he so furious? Why did he walk away before, only to come back? Would he blame me for this?
And Wilhelm… Wilhelm had kissed me.
Not on the lips.
But softly. On my nose.
Wilhelm was my lifeline right now. I couldn't get rid of him for Rexhard for no reason, not when there was an issue with the third.
Rexhard was pretty brutal.. and by the time he was done, Wilhelm's face was swollen like a pig's head. And he had bruises all over.
Immediately after Rexhard pulled my hands and marched along I followed without as much as a word.
Knowing fully well, If I don't behave I'd be seeing the martial elders. Which is something that wouldn't bode too well for me, even as his wife.
It was late, the company employees filing away as the intense walk with him turned into a stroll, he was still silent.
But all I cared about was if he was going to report this incident.
The crime of letting another man's hand on me as the bride of Rexhard could include multiple sanctions. On my company, estate holdings and if Rexhard was pissed enough. My life.
I tried to not show how nervous I was.
My hands were tightly bunched up in a fist.
I stared at his back, beautifully sculpted and down my belly churning in nervousness.
Just say something! TF??
The silence was killing me. My brain whispered frantically. I was drowning in my thoughts but then, I slammed into a body and looked up, knowing it was him.
"Samantha" he called..
"Yes?" I managed to croak out in surprise.
He held my face gently and warmly and I froze in shock, something I had been doing for far too long today, my nerves had been all tangled up, and maybe.. I thought I was seeing things..
"Rexhard…? Alex? Who are you??"
He chuckled slightly.. his face pressed against my cheeks.
"Felix, you could perhaps say I am a persona"
And he inhaled my scent, hugging me like his life depended on it.
"I missed you Samantha".
There was a familiarity in the way his voice jumbled my thoughts. It was intoxicating.
He leaned in and kissed me, with a passion Rexhard never gave me, an intensity Alex never showed..
"Felix.." I muttered, committing the name to heart, and suddenly, I couldn't think further.
He held me against the wall and pressed against me, biting my neck, and slowly unbuttoning my clothes.
"Weren't you supposed to be mad at me?"
I stared at him for a second, pausing.
Still in shock from the warmth of his hands.
"I could never be mad at you Samantha.
Even if you took a knife and stabbed me through my guts, God knows I deserve that" he replied.
My eyes felt misty, at this point I couldn't even think about why the persona called Felix knew me, or missed me, or told me he deserves to be killed by me.
I kissed him of my own will, for the first time in my life.
So intensely I didn't see his eyes turning cold.
"Felix.." I couldn't help but mutter again, somehow, I had been starved of affection for God knows how long.
And then I went ahead to wrap my hands around his neck..
A strong girl needs her pillar at times.
Just then..
I felt Rexhard's hand hesitate behind me, stuck between holding me and wondering what brought about such an intense emotion from me, but at that point I couldn't put my thoughts together to reason why.
Why are your buttons all opened up? Was the last thing I heard before slipping away in the comfort of his hands.
Rexhard was back.