Dark Layers Volume 2: Dark Layers (17 page)

I look away while gritting my teeth. He grabs the edge of my chair and turns my entire body to face him.

“Answer me Anile?”

“I don't know.” I say childishly.

“So if you do not have another solution, what was wrong with this one? It got the job done to my satisfaction and now I am free to do as I wish.”

He is right, I just hate the thought of him being with her that way.

“Can we please go and relax? I do not want to fight with you, not tonight Anile.”

I nod my head in defeat. Elijah rises and pulls me up with him. I stand on wobbly legs - I feel like he's literally just told me off.

"Elijah - did you? - No, no, I don't want to know." I squeeze my eyes shut.

He sighs. "Open your eyes Princess."

I ignore him, desperately trying to forget.

"Anile," he says, gently grabbing my other arm, "open your eyes."

I obey him.

"Things will be okay from now on - I promise." He says, turning on his heel.

Why do I feel this way? I know she was his wife but it does not mean I signed up to share him.

"Elijah, stop."

He turns back to face me.

"Anile, please. Do not spoil tonight."

"No, I just want to say, I'm sorry. I don't want to ruin tonight either."

"Then don't. Things can either be complicated with us or we can make them easy."

"Easy." I huff.

"Better. We can make things better than they are. We have so much time, so much good fortune, and the fact we found each other is our life's bonus. Just try to make the best of things Ani."

"Ani? Okay, I draw the line at Ani when it comes to my pet names Elijah."

He laughs, "you do not like Ani - no?"

"Eh, no. I don't." I say firm.

"Okay, Princess it is."

He turns to leave again. I wish he would touch me, make me feel good; one touch is all I need.

“The macaroons Elijah.” I point because they look delicious.

He grasps the entire cake stand.

"One or two would have serviced." I joke.

"One or two would be too underdog of me." He smiles. He takes my hand and entwines our fingers together. Heated shivers quickly escalade down my spine. I shudder at the contact. Thank you God - someone up there is listening to my pleas.

"You feel it too?" He asks.

My eyes, mouth, and brain are all agape - holy fuck! He does feel 'this'! I don't answer him, my brain is fried egg, and I'm too shy.

He raises my hand to his lips and kisses it tenderly. "Nothing better than my physical fix of Static-Ani." He says sweetly.

"Static-Ani?" I ask amazed. My smile is wide.

He tugs on my hand, "'this' feeling I get from your touch."

Oh my! I bow my head, rapidly turning puce.

"Come." He says.

HE QUICKLY LEADS
me into a cosy snug just off of the living area - although it's cosy, it's still larger than most. The lights are low and red - it's so romantic. It looks Moroccan with scattered dark brown pillows on the floor forming a perfect circle below the television. The carpet is a bed on its own! It's so soft, like a marshmallow - a deep burgundy red. The television on the wall was built for a cinema - it's huge! - it has a gold picture frame surrounding it. There is another lit fireplace below the television which catches my attention. The fireplace on its own is grand enough. It's the same as the one in the living area; built from old sandstone. I gaze at it for all of two seconds, because I clock the pink pillows from the London Eye that he had made for me.

"Nice touch." I joke, elbowing him in the side.

"Yes, I thought so too." He replies nodding proud.

"Have you had them in here the entire time?"

"Yes, why wouldn't I have them? They remind me of you."

I smile at his sweet side, he really knows how to soften me up!
Snake.

The curtains are drawn. They are stunning - red with golden ties. It's very erotic and sensual, especially with the low light illuminating from the fireplace.

“What do you want to watch Princess?”

“Do you normally watch movies?” I ask curious.

“I do, on my own though.”

He sounds lonely and it pulls on my heart strings.

”Elijah, do you have many friends?”

“A small few. Some of the men who you had hanging on your every word tonight are friends of mine.”

“I see. Are they work friends or personal friends?”

“A little of both; one of them I have known since I was a child but the rest are through work.”

He turns to face me. He takes my other hand while gazing down at me. His eyes are dark and glazed over with a haunted expression of passion - it burns into me.

“I want to try and make things work between us Anile. You just have to give me a chance and not jump to conclusions all the time. A lot of the time in life things do not go the way you plan them but you have to improvise and keep going.”

I smile at his words. He seems to change when we are alone, he lets go and seems soft, gentle, romantic. I wonder why he isn’t like this more often?

“I will try.” I promise him. “Can I ask you something without you getting defensive?”

He nods, slowly. He looks uncomfortable.

“When Jezebel came to my place, she told me that you like to drown your women. Is that true?”

He frowns and instantly let’s go of my hands.

“Do you think I like drowning my women?” He gasps.

Okay, I was not expecting him to ask me that.
Answer carefully, this is make or break!

“I think… I think you have issues and I'm not sure if you deal with them in the proper form. I'm not sure if you drown women but I remember you filling that strangely placed bath in the house of hell.”

“House of hell.” He whispers and laughs to himself. “That place can be very pleasurable Anile, but I do understand how it would scare you - you are very innocent.”

I scoff like ‘you can say that again’.

He isn’t answering my question so I try to change tactic. I slip out of my shoes and go sit in the middle of the arranged pillows, hoping that he will see he has complete control of this situation. He smiles and mirrors my actions by gracefully falling beside me. I'm still in my red mini dress, definitely not dressed for the occasion but thankful for my naked skin as he gently strokes my arm. I watch him slowly caress my skin with his touch. His eyes are fixated on me. He moves closer, still touching my skin. He gently and sensually kisses me, everywhere his hands once were. Physical contact with this man brings me to my knees but his lips are the ultimate power; knowing they hardly touch a thing in life makes me want his kiss even more, every second of every day.

He slowly pulls my spaghetti straps off both my shoulders, revealing my now naked neck. He trails kisses from side to side on my collar bone. I let my head fall back and enjoy him being my undoing. He strokes each part of me that he kisses, enjoying me.

“You are so beautiful.” He whispers.

I feel his hand on my chin. He pulls my face forward, forcing me to meet his eyes.

“I want to do something Anile,” he asks quietly, "can I touch you?"

I bite down on my lower lip while trying to smile. "You don't have to ask for permission every time you want to touch me Elijah."

He frowns deeply. "But what if you are not in the mood for me? I have to know I'm not crossing a line Anile."

"Why would you think you are crossing a line? You are always careful with me."

He licks his lips, "I do not know how to quit myself Anile; I do not know when to stop. I trust you; I need you to stop my dark desires from swallowing me whole."

I take his face in my hands. His words cause a strange pain inside my chest.

"Elijah, I trust you - always."

He shakes his head, "you shouldn't, not always."

"Why? - look at me Elijah."

He raises his eyes to meet mine. They are so unlit, like his soul. "Because I am dark without you."

Oh God - I feel tears making their way to my eyes.

"I'm here, always." I promise.

"Please Anile," he grips my hands while I'm still holding his face, "do not give me free reign of you - I do not trust myself, I only trust you."

He looks as though he's fighting with himself. I frown, wondering how the hell I can save him from himself. He licks his lips and unexpectedly presses them to my face. Over and over again he kisses me, all my features, but never in the same place. He almost reaches my mouth but stops himself by lowering his head. I cannot help myself, I'm panting like a lioness, desperate and longing for desire to finally caress me. He holds my face firm in his hands and comes a little closer. Our lips almost touch, he's just millimetres away. He's deadly still, like stone. He closes his eyes. I can feel his warm breath against my face. I can smell the apples lingering in the air as his breathing becomes more ragged and thrashes into me. My mouth is open, desperate for some air. He moves a little closer; I can almost feel him on me. He takes his time, savouring the moment or trying to test himself - I'm not sure.

The sudden impact of his lips finally touch mine -
wow
. I hastily release the large breath I was holding. Electric surges through me like thunder; all the way down the centre of my body to my sex - and that's where it hits me. I breathe into his mouth, a sound of relief and desperation. He doesn’t kiss me, he rests his lower lip against mine. I do not move an inch, I wait for him. His dark seductive eyes open and meet mine. We stare at one another, testing everything that is broken by unspoken words. His lips close around my bottom lip. Oh my! A gut wrenching feeling takes over my system; butterflies and heat and terrible desperation.

"Ah." I moan quietly into his mouth.

His lips are so soft and full - perfection. Ecstasy starts to rush through my brain, but the feeling came too soon. It's too much for him; his mental pain is just too much. He lets out a huge breath, revealing all his teeth while he mentally suffers more pain. He swallows hard, trying to start again but I see tears in his eyes at his failure.

“Stop Elijah, I can wait.” I promise as I hold his face.

“I need to kiss you somehow Anile.” He confesses. “You do not understand - I need it.”

Oh, how can I help him? I need to save him, make him feel close to me.

"Come here." I whisper, taking his hand. I lie back on the plush pillows. Slowly, I take off my dress, pulling it down my tummy, and then sliding it down my legs.

"No, stop." He says, grabbing my hands. His eyes are wild.

"Elijah, you can touch me. Kiss me, kiss my body if you can. You do not have to make love to me."

He lets go of my hands. I pull my dress off completely. I lay in only my panties - no bra. Strangely, I feel uncomfortable. I trust him, but my nudity makes me feel off balance. He stares at me with burning desire projecting through his eyes, penetrating mine.

“Kiss me everywhere.” I beg. I motion my trembling hands all over my body. He bites his bottom lip and climbs atop of me. His eyes are locked with mine.

"I am going to touch you now." He whispers against my face.

"Yes." I breathe.

He runs his hand down the centre of my body, sliding across my neck, then between my breasts, then to my tummy - that is where he stops. I shiver involuntarily. My God, will I ever become immune to his touch?

He sounds as though he's desperate for something as he moans.

"Ahhh."

He closes his eyes while he slowly lowers himself down my body. He locks lips with my tummy, tenderly. I quiver - oh that feels good. Darks flu immediately infects my system; I feel ill, a good kind of ill - an Elijah ill. The sound of relief he breathes completely steals my soul.

He slides one of his hands under me, clutching at the skin on my back. He holds me tight and relentlessly tickles my tummy with his plump erotic lips. I need some release; Fuck I'm desperate for him to be my undoing. I know he said he will not take my virginity but we cannot stay this way. I need him inside me; I crave him every moment I'm with him.

“Elijah, please make love to me.” I beg.

He looks up at me with electric blue eyes - they are hooded and glazed. He doesn’t say a word, he continues touching me, caressing my skin with his lips, knowing his way around my body so perfectly. It's as though my tummy is something enchanting to him, something he has never tasted before. After what feels like an eternity of waiting, he stops kissing my tummy. He comes and lies beside me, taking my hand in his.

“I cannot do that Anile, not yet.”

I close my eyes in defeat, but to my surprise, his hand makes its way to my sex. My eyes spring open as a sudden bolt hits me
there
. He doesn’t actually touch the centre of my sex, he gently glides around some kind of boundary line, completely torturing me. I take his hand and safely place it exactly where I want it. He squeezes his eyes shut. I somehow show him what I want, what I need, and he folds, giving in to what I need. He takes his time as his lips again move down my body; every touch ignites me as I grow more in tune with myself. I'm desperate for him to make me come alive, to penetrate my soul the way he did before but only this time, it feels truly intimate, like we have been given a second chance to enjoy one another.