GAURD DOWN

Josiah's Pov

The ray of the sun hit my face from an opening in the drapes. I groaned and turned to the other side, my back against the light. I tried to go back to sleep, but I couldn't stop thinking about last night. She skipped dinner. I couldn't help but feel responsible.

I turned to face the ceiling. I shouldn't even be feeling this. It's not my business she eats or not, I said nothing of offense to her. I was trying so hard to convince myself that I wasn't in the wrong, but I wasn't sure it was working.

I sat up. I should take a shower to drown these thoughts. Taking my clothes off, I placed them on the bed, and walked into the shower. As the water ran down my body, I started to think, 'when was the last time I had a woman in the shower with me', ironic that I'm married, and my wife cannot satisfy me in that manner. She has gotten too comfortable, she needs to be reminded that she has duties as my wife, it was all in the contract, and whether she likes it or not, she will carry out those duties.

I got out from the shower, and put on some comfort clothes. I was not going to work today, I could imagine what my day would be like, in the same house as her after the events of last night. There I go again, thinking about last night.

I walked out the door, my eyes flashed passed her door, I found myself wanting to go knock on her door. I'll pass, I whispered as I descended the stairs. I scanned the room with my eyes, not sure why. I walked into the kitchen,

"Good morning Jane", she looked up from the dough she was kneading,

"Good morning Sir", she bowed,

"When would breakfast be ready?", I looked at the other staffs in the kitchen,

"In a minute Sir. I apologise for the delay", she gave a stern look at the other staffs, and they immediately hastened up, sucks to be them,

"Bring me coffee to the library", she nodded and I left,

I walked through the living room, still no sight of her, why was I even worried, she's somewhere in the house.

I walked into the library, and there she was, sitting by the window with a book in her hands. She looked up in my direction, before returning to the book. She's not talking to me? I walked in her direction, and stood right above her, clearing my thraot, she gazed up at me again, and returned to reading her book.

"You are not talking to me?", I looked down at her,

"I'm trying not to get in your way", she did not look up from her book,

"That was not what I meant", I rolled my eyes,

"So what did you mean?", she looked up at me from her reading glasses,

"I..I just know I did not mean it that way", I stammered,

"Since you're not telling me what you meant, I will interprete it the way I want", she hissed,

"Don't use that tone with me", I hissed back,

"You will not tell me what to do", she slammed the book to the seat, got up and began walking to the door,

I followed behind her immediately, grabbing her hand, I pulled her towards me, "You will not walk away from me. You will do what I want. I am your husband. I own you", I looked her squarely in her eyes,

"Adorable joke", she pulled her hand away, and walked away,

I bit my lip, containing the anger boiling up inside me. I walked to the chair, picking up a book, I sat down. How dare she mock me like that. No woman had ever talked to me like that. I was going to teach her a lesson.

I opened up the book, but I couldn't concentrate. She was all in my thoughts. I slammed the book shut, stood up and walked to the window, I found her walking into the yard up front, she had a flowery short gown on, and despite my boiling anger I found myself wanting to run my hands up and down her legs.

I heard someone walk in making me turn away from her, it was Jane with my coffee,

"Thank you Jane", she bowed and turned to go out,

"By the way Jane", I said as I picked up the cup, examining the coffee,

"Yes Sir", she turned,

"Do tell the Mrs that she would be sleeping in my room tonight ", I sipped my coffee,

"Will do", she struggled to keep hide the surprise in her voice,

"That will be all", she bowed and left,

I returned to the window to watch her. She was sipping tea as well, having another book in her hands. I had never really taken notice of her features, I had never really looked at her. She was actually beautiful.

Jane came into my sight, going to deliver my instructions, I smiled to myself, waiting for her reaction. She smiled at the sight of Jane, and slowly her smile disappeared as Jane kept talking, 'There it is', I thought to myself, as my smile got wider. She turned sharply to me, locking eyes with me, she could see my smiling and that seemed to disgust her even more. She turned to Jane, restoring her smile, as she returned to her book, and Jane walked back into the house.

I walked to my table, finally able to concentrate on my book, as I sipped my coffee smiling again to myself.

Katie's Pov

I was up early for some reason. After the event of last night, I made up my mind not to even try with this man, if this was how wants the two years to go by, then so be it. I was not going to waste my tears on him or his silly tantrums, in fact, I was going to throw my own tantrums, and not care at all.

The library. Yes. I got out of my clothes, and into the shower, taking longer than usual to pamper my body, because, why not.. Lol.

I got into a comfortable, flowery gown, stopping few inches above my knees. I walked out of my room, my eyes flashing by his door, 'ugh', I rolled my eyes. As I walked down the stairs, I got hit by an aroma I could never miss, even in my sleep, BREAD!, home made bread, I could already feel my mouth watering as I got closer to the kitchen.

Every inch of the kitchen had something going on, and there was Jane at the centre of it all,

"Good morning everyone", eyes turned to me immediately,

"Good morning ma'am", they all bowed, proceeding immediately to what they were doing,

"How did you sleep mistress?", Jane walked up to me,

"Well, thank you. And you?", she smiled as she nodded,

"This smells amazing, my stomach people are jumping for joy, and can't wait", I chuckled,

"Soon ma'am", she chuckled back,

"I'd let you get back to it", she bowed and returned to what she was doing as I walked out.

I walked into the magnificent library, basking in all its glory. So many books, I didn't know where to begin from. I walked around running my hands through the books as I danced walked like ballerinas do. I felt happy, a momentary escape from reality.

After a not so long search I found one of interest. One of my favourites romance novels, 'the fault in our stars', I didn't expect to find romance novels, especially knowing the type of person the owner of the house is. I sat down on the couch by the window, and dug in.

The door opened, food, I thought. I looked up, it was the devil himself, what is he doing here?, isn't he supposed to be working?, we starred at each other for a second, I returned to my book, I had nothing to say to him. I could here him walking towards me, and in no short time, he stood above me, clearing his throat, I looked up at him again, and returned to my book,

"You're not talking to me?", I could feel him stare at me,

"I'm trying not to get in your way", I kept my gaze on my book,

"That was not what I meant", I almost scoffed,

"So what did you mean?", I peaked at him through my reading glasses,

"I.. I just know I did not mean it that way", he stammered like a child,

"Since you're not telling me what you meant, I will interprete it the way I want", I didn't care to hide the disgust in my voice,

"Don't use that tone with me", his voice suddenly became stern, not that I cared,

"You will not tell me what to do", I slammed the book to the couch, and got up to walk away, I wasn't having any of this,

He came up swiftly behind me and in a split second he grabbed my hand, pulling me towards him, making me look him directly in the eye,

"You will not walk away from me. You will do what I want. I am your husband. I own you", he looked directly at him, I could see the fire in his eyes. I looked at his lips, imagining them on me as he spoke, and the hairs on my body stood,

"Adorable Joke", I pulled away from him, slamming the door as I walked out,

I stood for a second outside the door, regaining myself, as I walked outside the house.

I walked into the lawn, to continue a book I came along with from home. Jane walked towards me,

"Is it ready?", I smiled at the thought of that delightful breakfast,

"Yes ma'am. Would you want it brought to you outside?", she looked around,

"Yes please", it was a beautiful weather,

"Also, the master wanted me let you know that you will be sleeping in his room tonight", the smile on my face immediately vanished,

"What!", I caught him looking at me through the windows of the library, he had smile on his face making me want to smack him really hard,

"That would be all Jane. Thank you", she took her bow, walking away.

I peaked at the windows one more time, he had left. I wonder what he wants to achieve with this.