6. Dalliance

Dawn-

“Ivy!! Stop. I don’t wanna fight him… it’s not his fault.” I defended Kai as Ivy seemed angry, I on the other hand was broken into tears. 

“It’s not his fault?” Ivy huffed in frustration and we got out of his car. Apparently, he asked his men to know the whereabouts of Kai and here we are. 

I feel terrible but it can’t be helped, can it? When my own father didn’t stand by my side, why would I expect a man I just met two days ago defy his own father for my sake?

Kai finally gave up on me, I was free but not one bit happy about it. It is not like I wanted to marry him, but I didn’t want to be abashed like this either; being rejected like this wounded my pride and left me feeling humiliated.

“Kai!” Ivy roared, “how dare you hurt my Dawn?” I’ve never seen Ivy being angry around me. Usually, he’d calm himself down whenever I'm around but today… is it because I'm hurt?

“Ivy, stop it.” I tried to catch up to him, but Kai’s eyes on me held me stationed at my place, in the moment, Ivy raised his hand to punch him however, Kai grabbed his wrist, twisting it and a sharp cry of pain escaped Ivy’s lips, freezing me in my tracks. My steps halted seeing how much fury and abhorrence he has in him for Ivy or everyone for that matter.

“You dare say my name?” Kai growled, “also, who are you to meddle in between?” He turned his gaze toward Ivy and grabbed his throat.

“Let him go.” I sprinted towards Kai, desperately grasping onto his arm in an attempt to halt his actions, but his strength proved too overpowering for me to restrain.

“What are you doing here? Didn’t I lock the door properly?” Kai glared at me.

“You locked her?” Ivy gasped with frustration, “and you were saying it’s not his fault?” He turned to me, his eyes dripping disappointment, like he hates my vulnerability and incompetence.

“Did you bring your pet here? You seriously thought he’d be a match for me?” Kai grinned, his eyes turning red with rage. 

“Don’t talk like an idiot, of course, I’ll meddle. I l---love her.” Ivy expressed breathing and Kai threw him away yelling loudly. 

“Of course, I talk like an idiot, how else could you understand me?” Kai strolled toward him and I blocked his way. 

“Let h---him go.” I sobbed.

 “Get aside.” His voice was low, he didn’t shout at me, it was obvious it took all of him to control his anger. 

“Please, let him go,” I yelped, begging to stop him and his steps finally halted, seeing me pleading for a man, contradicting every word he said to me, made him disappointed to an extent where he couldn’t hide his emotions anymore.

“Don’t hate me unnecessarily, I’ll fucking give you a reason. Until then, stay away from my way.” His eyes inflicting wrath as he voiced his thought, looking at Ivy lying on the ground, helpless but alive.

Alive.

“Dawn,” Ivy yelled standing up but I shook my head telling him not to follow me as Kai started walking away with his hand in mine, the last thing I want is to see Ivy hurt because of me. Kai wasn’t a type to smile however, a dangerous fury emanated from him, as if he desired to end someone’s life. The intensity of his anger was unsettling, and I wanted was to escape from this dark and treacherous situation.

“Will you stop crying now?” We sat down in his car, my eyes aching from the times I’d cried since I met him, “do you want me to go back and beat him so your tears have a legitimate reason?” His tone was slightly higher and he huffed in anger. 

I sniffled as low as possible and he stretched his arm wiping my tears away. “I don’t like girls who cry, stop it now.” 

As he locked eyes with me, my heart raced with intensity. The touch of his skin against mine sent shivers down my spine. His face is too serious to give me these sorts of hopes, I'm afraid I’ll latch onto him. 

“Where are we going?” I enquired changing the topic and swatted his hands away. 

“Home,” he replied.

 “I. Am. Not, going back there.” I sniffled.

 “No one asked you,” he retorted, his straightforwardness and indifference cutting through me.

“Why are you doing this? You aren’t forced anymore, let’s part ways before we hurt each other again.” The place he calls home has become a living nightmare for me. The way his father humiliated me is etched into my memory, and I can never forget it.

He never listens to me; he does as he pleases, as if the world runs according to his whims. Ivy even got hurt because of me, he was compelled to express the feelings he had kept hidden for years, why was he so insecure? Why am I this scared? Was it because Kai Eldorado single handedly defeated Ivy, the man who has been ruling our mafia for so many years now?

“Ms. Dawn, did you have dinner yet?” My steps halted as we entered the mansion as Nancy queried, my head bounced once to nod having no appetite and I went back to my room locking it from the inside, I looked at myself in the mirror, gazing at my reflection. The dress his grandmother gave me, I ruined it. I threw the hair pin off my hair and washed my face with cold water to dismiss the overwhelming emotions off myself. 

I heard a knock and opened the door; Kai charged in, he looked at me, and then turned around, scanning the room with his pathetically beautiful eyes. “Do you need help?” He muttered gawking at the dress I desperately wanted to come out of.

“Is that why you came here?” I shrugged turning my back toward him, “no thanks.” I didn’t want to remove my clothes in front of him for obvious reasons and stood immobile.

“You knew it, right?” Even before I could say further, I felt his hands pressing against my back, he was way too close, way too soon for me to realize and felt his breath on the nape of my neck. 

I was dumbfounded to even speak, I felt shivers running down my spine. Slowly, he placed his hands on the zipper of my dress, sliding it down. 

“W---what are y---you doing?” His actions and propinquity are undoubtedly confusing and I want no part in his world, a mafia who plays with life and death daily. 

“You knew it, how crazy Ivy is for you, right?” As his soft yet troubled voice reached my ears, a wave of sensations coursed through my body. Goosebumps formed on my skin, my legs grew weak under his touch and a sense of unease settled in the pit of my stomach.

Tremors ran through my entire body as his hand traced a path down my spine, leaving a lingering imprint of his touch, “how shocked I was but you didn’t even blink as he spurt out nonsense about love.” My back felt ticklish as he smeared his cold fingers on it, why is he being like this? Why does it matter? His voice was calm though I could sense the frustration walloping behind his words.

“Is that why you’re unhappy with this marriage? Because you love him? Huh?” He grabbed the hem of my dress, if he moves further, the dress will fall off my body and it can’t be undone, we don’t have a control Z in our lives and I wish we had it.

Undo

Undo…

I gasped and held his hand to stop him and moved away. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” I gulped as he crossed his arms and looked around the room. He is so indifferent and unbothered about the panic on my face, “who told you can touch---”

“Hmm,” he sighed, “your room is not dirty,” and sat down on my bed crossing his legs as I was standing far away from him. 

“It’s because it’s not my room, would you mind taking your ass out now.” It got weird instantly but the reaction on his face was the same, apathetic, devoid of any emotion. I’m sure he’s breathing without a heart. 

“It’s not your room, why should I?” He smirked.

“Fine, I’ll leave.” I found my steps faltering at the sudden tug of his hand.

“I dare you to take another step out of this room in the condition.” His tone rose, he was fuming and I jerked his hand away. He is too strong to be resisted and pulled me closer covering my back with his frame, “you’re too desperate, aren’t you? To leave half naked, huh!” He growled in sarcasm.

“Desperate to leave you, and if need be, I’ll fuck another man before letting you see any part of my body.” I clenched my fist in shock, I don’t know where that came from.

“Fuck?” He chuckled ironically, “I thought you were funny,” and walked up to me, “however, you are just too dumb to say,” he stared daggers at me, “no, to think that I’ll let you do that.” telling me how I should act, how things work and how he’s never heard a no before.

“Does the thought of another man touching my body disturb you that much? Are you in love Mr. Eldorado?” I slapped his hand away before he could touch me.

“Huh! Love? I don’t do love Dawn, I'm better than that,” he chortled dismissing my ire directed toward him, “neither should you.”

“I hate you,” I pushed him away and saw him hiding his grin.

“Do you? No! Can you actually hate someone?” the grin on his lips widened, “the likes of you who thrive to be loved will forever be unknown to the word hate,” he forcefully tapped his hell on the floor, “so,” and took a long pause, “don’t say something you don’t mean.”

“Right,” I crossed my arms, “we shouldn’t hate animals,” and moved ahead creating distance between us. His head dropped dead hiding away his grin that should be embarrassment, but he’s too insensitive to feel those emotions.

“Your jokes must be fun in your head, I wonder where the humor goes when they leave your mouth.” He leaned on my door.

“You are on the door already, how about I kick you and throw your useless body out?” I gritted my teeth in frustration evidently.  

“Perfect,” he chuckled leaving my room and I locked my door again rushing toward the bathroom. 

My heart was beating like crazy, I washed my face over and over again with cold water. I needed to stop this loud pounding inside my chest, it was killing me. 

I don’t understand him, what is going on inside his mind? Is he trying to have sex with me? How did I end up like this? 

How does he make my heart beat and cry at the same time?

I slapped my own face, trying to snap out of daze, if only I knew how sick these mafias are on the inside. 

What is it between us? It’s not arranged, it’s not forced, it’s not even a dalliance, what is it?

My life before was far from perfect, but it wasn’t as miserable as this. I’ve entered this home again as I have no pride. 

I’m the daughter of the mafia who denies my existence, a girl living in someone’s house who’s keeping me here without a reason, a person who just lost her friends, and a woman who doesn’t have pride. 

I’ve successfully fucked my life up at the age of twenty-two.