CHAPTER 4: Don’t You Dare Disappoint Me

GENEVIEVE'S POV:

The whirl of images spinning in front of me almost made me lightheaded. I shut my eyes tightly, trying to erase them, but it was making it worse, pulling me into a trance…

Me sitting in my white gown waiting with slight anticipation, dad putting his comforting hands on my shoulder, Jaxon standing in his black tux barely looking at me, his painful grip on my hands, his refusal to kiss me, leaving our own reception, left abandoned in our new house on our wedding night.

The images kept replaying in my head, like a broken record. The last one made me slightly whimper, it made me realize how lonely I felt that night. 

I shook my head hard, it isn’t worth it, what happened was in the past. With that thought I finally stood up from the hard wooden floor, my knees still shaking from the impact of falling; I grabbed the nearest wall steadying myself and decided to make Jaxon some breakfast when he woke up. 

I kept myself busy cleaning the house while Jaxon slept soundly inside the room. I would peek in from time to time to see him, it was the only time I could gaze at him admiringly, he hardly stayed home and even when he did he stayed shut in his office.

It was past noon, and since I had barely received any sleep last night, I decided to take a short nap until my body stiffened at my name being called out.  

“Genevieve.” He groaned loudly “come here.”

I rushed inside, my heart swelling with hope… faltering at the sight of Jaxon stretching his limbs, a loud gasp escaped my mouth when I realized I was gawking at the sight of my husband’s bare body.

“y-yes Jax?” I nervously questioned him, trying to avoid looking at his bare front.

“Some of my friends are arriving tonight; make sure they have nothing to complain about.” His tone made it clear that the consequences would be severe if I messed up.

I think that’s what makes him so intimidating, he does not have to use threats to insinuate his power. His tone alone can give you chills; devoid of any emotion, as if to even talk to you is worthless in his eyes, the way his eyes narrow; making the hair on the back of your neck rise as if one wrong word and he’ll snap. 

With narrowed eyes he questioned me, “is that clear Genevieve?” 

“Of course” I answered back with my eyes cast below, with Jaxon you should always know your place; always.

“Don’t you dare disappoint me, Understood?”

He had stood up from the bed and was now facing me, He took three long strides and grabbed my arms painfully.

My eyes met his angry black ones and for the first time I felt frightened by that dark brooding look; full of hatred.

“Understood?” he repeated yet again, his rough hands crushing my arms in a vice like grip.

“y-yes.” I could hear my heart thumping loudly, my stomach clenched with nervousness and I realized that I was afraid of my husband.

He pushed me back roughly, until my back hit the wall, as if holding me would make him contaminated and turned towards the bathroom.

“I do not want to see you in these pathetic rags which you call clothes; in front of my friends.” with that he walked inside and slammed the door shut.

I tried, I honestly tried to stop my heart from aching with those harsh words, I even tried to breathe slowly but the treacherous tears slipped out of my eyes. I clamped my mouth shut when a heavy sob wrecked out. I clutched the pale yellow blouse of my mothers in my shaking hands and sobbed. These clothes weren’t just any clothes; they were my mother’s, the only source of comfort left for me.

“I am sorry mother.” I whispered softly, looking up at the ceiling, pretending she could hear me, apologizing for parting with her clothes. My husband’s happiness was the only thing that concerned me at the moment.

*------------*

It was almost time for Jaxon’s guests to arrive; I had cleaned up the entire house, cooked Jaxon’s favorite risotto and showered. In short I was exhausted, I had been working for the past 6 hours, had minimal sleep the previous night and right now I was standing before my closet for the past fifteen minutes deciding what to wear, with a look of pure annoyance.

I finally ended up deciding on a simple black dress which reached below my knees, it had a nice heart shaped neckline that was decorated with small silver jewels, the only thing that bothered me about this dress was its open bare back. It was elegant; I admit and one of the only decent dresses in my closet. All the others were ‘rags’ 

I brushed my hair and gathered it on the top of my head. I matched my outfit with some silver earrings and black pumps. No way in hell was I going to wear heels the entire night.

I applied a bit of mascara and a red lipstick. I finally glanced at myself in the mirror and smiled uncertainly. I hope Jaxon approves.

The faint sound of the doorbell ringing and loud voices reached my ears. My eyes raked over my outfit one last time and with a deep breath I walked out of the room slowly.

The first thing I heard was Jaxon calling me and I silently entered the lounge to see seven to eight men in suits talking. They all looked like they were filthy rich just like my husband, with expensive Armani suits and Rolex watches. Finally my eyes landed on my husband in a dark gray suit, sitting on the couch, he looked breathtaking like always. His eyes,  I observed, were sweeping over me in an appreciative glance and a warm blush started to creep over my neck. For the first time Jaxon smiled at me, it was very subtle but it made the butterflies in my stomach flutter.

He snapped out of whatever trance he was in and introduced me.

“This is my wife Genevieve.” 

I replied with a polite hello.

Something felt different about these people I could tell, they were making me uncomfortable with their heated gazes and lingering looks all over my body. Making me feel extremely exposed, finally I could take no more and excused myself to bring them dinner, but I couldn’t help listen to the words pouring out of a man sitting beside my husband

“Your wife has a beautiful body; I bet she is a vixen in bed.” His voice felt like a thousand needles pricking my back, I could feel his eyes crawl all over my body and felt disgusted hearing those words, I was nearly certain that my husband was going to punch him in the face.

But Jaxon’s words were like a bucket of ice water dumped on my head. He simply laughed. I couldn’t believe my ears, my husband laughed as if this was meant to be a joke. This was too much, I could feel hot tears prickling in the back of my eyes ready to fall and dashed outside and inside the kitchen.

These people were revolting; I didn’t like them at all. Something about them kept nagging me, that their looks were deceiving. I could comprehend a very bad vibe oozing out of them. I would tell Jaxon that I didn’t like them inside the house; he might ask them to leave with some excuse. With that I decided to stay here until Jax called me.