Chapter 6: An ally

ARA is not going to lie to herself. It's her fantasy to meet a brute man and make him humane. After meeting Vanluke, she doesn't know if she does want to anymore. It's scary being in the real situation. She'd never know when he'll treat her badly. She could end up losing her life. It's really lucky that she's still alive.

Vanluke stared down at her. He knew she was telling a fact. He might or he will treat her badly if the time comes he's not fond of her anymore. He couldn't answer back. Because it's all the reason why he wants to get to know her better. To see it for himself if he's a hundred percent sure she's the one he will spend the rest of his life with. But…

"You're right," he confessed. "Although I know for a fact that you're the first person I even thought of growing old with." It's embarrassing. Though, in order to gain her trust, he has to be honest. He was never the indirect kind of person either.

Her eyes round a bit. Suddenly she felt uneasy next to him. She quickly finished her task. She couldn't wait any longer to be away from him. "If that's all I'll be leaving now." When he didn't reply she collected the medical kit to run off into her room. “Men… always know how to get in your fantasies,” she mumbles angrily.

IN the morning Ara is forced to share a breakfast table with Vanluke unless she wants to die of hunger in her room. She spent the entire night thinking about all of his cheesy lines. She even dreamt of succumbing to it and ended up broken at the end.

“Were you able to sleep fine?” Vanluke dared to start a conversation while eating his bacon elegantly in his three piece tawny brown suit. He didn’t lift his head because he knew she wasn’t looking anyway.

“Maybe,” she answered uninterested. Okay, not really uninterested. How can she not be interested subconsciously when she’s being kept by a handsome, muscular, boss-kind of a man who’s a few years probably older than her who tells her that he wants to grow old with her? If she’s already out of her mind she would have grabbed the opportunity of gaining a hot rich guy for a husband, no questions asked. But it’s a total mess up because she’s scared of him, yet no matter how she denies it to his face deep inside she knows he’s already attracting her like a moth to a flame.

“Today can we--” Vanluke was interrupted by the newcomer, his cousin Danil if she remembers it correctly.

“Van! How are you treating my future cousin-in-law, huh?” Danil greeted them with arms wide open in the air. His smile is impeccably huge. He first meets eyes with Vanluke, then hers. “Ara! How gorgeous you look, incomparable to the morning sunshine!”

Ara found herself chuckling to his compliment.

“Oh, damn, I could listen to you chuckle all day.”

Her smile didn’t fade, which Vanluke took as irritating. He’s trying hard to be someone he’s not usually is. He’s Vanluke Kromativa, the man who has earned the position as heir for the Kromativa family head. He kills without looking back. He has had blood in his hands since he was a teenager. Women see him as the alpha. His coldheartedness might be over the top but he is willing to oppose the real him if that’s what it takes to get to Ara. Yet Danil can easily make her smile, laugh in his worst case scenario.

His eyebrow twitched as Ara greeted his cousin with the warmest welcome. “Good morning, Danil.”

“Good morning to you, too, Ara--the future madam,” Danil took Ara’s hand and gave it a gentlemanly kiss.

Vanluke’s blood began to boil. How dare Danil touch the delicate hands of the girl he’s pursuing! He barely brushed skins with her!

Danil joined them at breakfast next to her. “Wow, you’re really out of character, Van.”

“What do you mean?” Ara curiously asked, glancing at Vanluke for a millisecond before reverting it back to her plate.

“Vanluke never eats breakfast. At least not when it’s not for business,” Danil pretended like he was whispering but Vanluke could hear it all the way to his seat.

“He doesn’t?”

“Yeah, he’s always on a diet to maintain his muscles and not get fat.”

“What?” Ara can’t believe what she’s hearing.

“Oh, yeah. He’s not the type to get fat but he’s afraid to find out.”

“That’s enough,” Vanluke warns. Danil only grinned at him. If it weren’t because of Ara he had already punched his face just to shut him up. “What are you doing here?”

“Work.”

With that one word Vanluke understood as to why he’s here.

IT was a very cold evening. Ara wears a sweater and a pair of sweatpants she found in the wardrobe. Vanluke and Danil have been talking in the study all day. She didn’t even have the time to fulfill her duties as a caregiver once again. Oh, well, it wasn’t really his intention to make her take care of him. He just wanted to lock her up where he could watch her moves. She is starting to get bored so she decided to take a quiet stroll outside the mansion. Twenty-five meters away from the front porch Czar appeared, blocking her way.

“It’s already dark, Miss Ara,” Czar said politely.

“I’m only taking a walk.”

“Sir Vanluke ordered us to not let you out alone, especially after twilight.”

“Then come with me.”

“I’m afraid that can’t happen, Miss.”

“Am I a prisoner here, Czar?”

“No.”

“Then let me pass.”

“What’s going on here?” The familiar baritone voice with a thick russian accent sent goosebumps at the back of Ara’s neck. He’s definitely locking his sight on her.

“Sir,” Czar slightly bowed his head to give respect to his boss’s presence. “Miss Ara is asking me to come with her for a walk.”

“I’ll come with her instead.”

“Yes, Sir.” Czar left them alone.

Ara twisted her head towards Vanluke. When their eyes met Ara couldn’t take it back. She watched her own reflection in his grayish eyes. She wondered what it would be like to see that pair of beautiful foreign eyes every morning when she wakes up. Imagine his attention only pointing at her. Wouldn’t that be so fantastic?

“Why are you staring so intently?”

“I’m imagining what it would be like to see your eyes every morning of my life.”

Vanluke is stunned by her sudden compliment. “What’s with the sudden change of attitude towards me?”

She shrugs her shoulders. She folded her arms onto her chest and looked up at the twilight. “I’m not a discriminating type of person. Maybe I’m getting used to your presence.”

“Are you trying to get my hopes up?”

“Nope. I’m just friendly.”

They started walking opposite the mansion. They trailed the gravel road that leads to who-knows-where. She wanted to appreciate nature even if she could barely see anything. The wind is cold. Somehow she felt relaxed. Her mind is blank, thinking nothing but to appreciate the lovely surroundings. She always loved being in the middle of trees, plants, and fresh air. That’s why she really loves provincial cities.

“Who are you exactly, Vanluke?” she asked out of nowhere.

He understood what she meant. Though he refused to answer. “If you find out, you will never think about wanting to know me.”

“I can guess you’re not a common citizen of your country like me?”

“You could say that.”

“Then tell me everything unrelated to being a dangerous man.”

“What do you want to know?”

“I don’t know. I don’t have the power to run a background check on you so tell me whatever comes to your mind.”

“I don’t have anything interesting to tell you. Unless you'd like me to boast about my own riches."

"I randomly decided to start a normal topic with you and ruin it." She let out a sigh. "Here I thought you're serious about getting to know each other."

"Ara." He grabbed her arm to stop her from her tracks. "I do want to know you. If you know everything about me in my dangerous world you'd never want to stay."

She can't guess if it was sincerity in his explanation or it's simply an excuse he had prepared in case she'd ask. She pulled her arm back not looking at his face. "You are a dangerous man. Whether I find out your secrets or not, danger will come after you without a doubt. Or rather, you will come after danger yourself. If those are the cases I already don't have the inclination to stay."

Despite understanding that Vanluke still desires to make her his. The more she pushes him away is more like dragging him towards her. Without warning he pulled her against his chest. Her small body is so fragile compared to his huge build. She could be crushed in one wrong constraint. Her eyes went wide. She tried to free herself but he wouldn't let her. He put his left hand at the back of her head while his left arm kept her in place, sticking to him.

"What are you doing? Let me go!" Her voice is filled with alarm. Like a mouse trapped by a venomous snake she pleads for her freedom mimed.

"You make me feel uncontrollable," he said. Quickly, his face lowered to hers to seize her parted lips. At first she was thrashing to get away. He held her tight enough to prevent escape. Later on he moved his lips to tempt hers. He put a lot of effort not to ravish her soft, moist lips. He couldn't understand what came to him. Eyes closed he relished the sensation. He promised her he wouldn't touch her. Yet he will never regret breaking that promise. Her lips are the most delicious lips he had ever tasted. It made him happy how sloppy her movements were. Half unwilling, half involuntary. He let her mouth go so she could breathe in air.

"Are you trying to kill me?!" She grumbles between breaths.

"Damn it," he cursed himself before kissing her once again. This time it was more tempting than the first. He made sure it'll make her feel earnest. After all the complaining, she stopped moving. He opened his eyes to see if her eyes were still in shock. He bit her lower lip seeing how her eyes were closed accepting the honest pleasure. She winced. "Ssh…" he whispered to her ear. "Don't move."

She didn't say anything. She was busy capturing her breath while he savored the warmth of her body. A minute or two they were both surrounded by nature's silence. All they could hear were the crickets, windblows, and the moon's light giving them sight of each other.

"Let's get back," he stated. "If we stay out here any longer I don't know what I'd do to you."

Ara nodded. Because whatever it is he'd want to do to her she will agree to it.