Restless

JULIETTE

Darius should have been the last person I ever thought of running and breaking down. Heck, he wasn't supposed to see me this way. Yet I found myself buried in his arms even after he led me to his bed.

On the other hand, he equally surprised me, or maybe it was just the shock of the moment. He didn't question me, didn't push me away, or use this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to move me and show his superiority.

Instead, he held me, tight enough to keep me secured, he caressed my hair to soothe me, and whispered words like, *it's okay,* and *You are alright*.

Now that I am in my right senses I can't get over the fact that I chose Darius as my solace. In what world was I thinking? Maybe I just felt overwhelmed when he kept to his words and gave me the chance to find out the horrible truth of my life.

My father betrayed me, played with my feelings for fifteen whole years, and my mother? Whom I loved more than anything in this world. Not only did she destroy our family, but she also didn't bother to show up for me, not even once. I wonder where she is at the moment, probably raising my half-brother.

“Juliette.” Darius’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I tried to pull away from his grip, but he resisted tightening his grasp on my waist. “What did you learn?” He asked, his tone careful, as if he was afraid of triggering my emotions. I didn't want to revisit that terrible confession and harbor the memory any longer, but I needed someone to talk to. Ria and Stacy would understand and sympathize with me, but a larger part of me wanted to open up to Darius.

I inhaled, adjusting my head on his chest, his scent a calming and soothing combination. “That I lived a lie all my life,” I revealed, tears burning my eyes.

“What lie?” He whispered lowly, his hot breath grazing my hair.

“My mother isn't dead; she had a terrible falling out with my dad, and they separated without my knowledge. My father lied to me and made me believe she died in an accident.” I sniffed, wiping the tears that spilled on my face.

Darius didn't respond to my confession; he remained quiet for a long while, which forced me to raise my head and stare at his face. He looked lost, like he was in a daze or a familiar memory or something, his jaw clenched, veins popping on his forehead.

I raised my hand without thinking, touching his chin. His focus diverted in a flash, his head lowering to look at me. “What is it?” I muttered, my throat suddenly dry.

“Nothing.” He replied, and grabbed my face in his large palm, pulling me to meet him. Our faces were an inch apart, our lips grazing. Darius’ thumb brushed underneath my eyes, wiping the traces of my spilled tears. “Don't cry.” He said it like a command, but his gentle tone twisted the words, and I let myself be deceived that he actually cared about my tears.

“They won't hurt you anymore. Not under my watch.”

His words burned through my chest, creating a sense of protectiveness. I closed my eyes and captured his lips in a brief but intense kiss that sent my heart into a silly race.

Darius pulled away, his breathing uneven, his hand still cupping my face, his gaze dropping to my lips and lingering there for a few seconds.

He entirely pulled away from me, “You should get some sleep, prepare your mind for tomorrow.” He said, getting off the bed.

I raised a brow, “Tomorrow?” I asked, “What is tomorrow?”

“A court meeting with the nobles, I need you by my side…

“As your slave? Entertainment?” I beat him to it.

Darius shook his head, “Get some sleep.”

The next day I woke up, not in my bed, but in Darius's, and the room was empty with no trace of him. The only thing I found was a small box placed next to me with a note that said Wear this.

I puffed out air, rubbing my sleepy eyes to clear off my drowsiness. I grabbed the box and placed it on my thigh, taking off the lid.

A white velvety dress nestled in it, I pulled it out and shoved the box aside.

It appeared to be a pretty simple and elegant peplum gown, it looked fitting, not like something I would have to force myself into.

I took the box and quietly left the room, returning to mine. I had a quick shower, dried myself up, and proceeded to test out the dress.

Just as I predicted, it was beyond comfortable; the fabric was soft and soothing against my skin, and the length of the dress was just about right, hugging my body perfectly.

Honestly, it was the very first dress I genuinely liked; every other dress Darius provided, I was either forced to wear or just didn't have a choice.

But this was different, almost as if he thought about me, my comfort, and not himself. A smile tugged at my lips, but the moment was ruined by a gentle knock on my door.

I approached the door, unlocking and twisting the handle to open up. Ria stood there, all smiles.

“Hey.” I greeted her, letting her in.

“Wow Jules, you look amazing.” She commented, her smile growing wider.

Her compliment made my cheeks heat, and a blush crept through. “Thank you.”

“Stacy?” I asked, realizing she didn't tag along.

“Busy at the moment. What about you? You seem ready for a special occasion.”

“No. I am not heading anywhere. Darius just chose to give this to me. I am oblivious to his intentions.” I lied, but it wasn't entirely false. His intentions still remained a mystery to me.

However, I was being careful not to spill so much. Yes, I do consider Ria as my friend, but for some unknown reason, I chose to lie to her instead. And that thought left me restless.