King's Prize (Kissed By The Baddest Bidder)

Chapter 29: Hearts of Stone

Dad dropped me at the hotel before going alone at the airport.

Said he didn't want to see me see him off, not after weeping silently at mother's grave.

We were already there even before the sun broke out in the horizon, and we talked about her, about how they met and how he never wanted to get back to his homeland after abandoning us, and I merely let him talk as I watch him remember with both fondness and sadness the few good days he shared with her. For all his blind ambition he really must've loved her, and it was enough for me.

I gave him my phone, and there at mother's grave, we took some photos of us together, our smiles hiding the gloom of impending separation.

"Take care, you," was the last thing he said.

I waved at the taxi that would take him to the airport, broken at the knowledge that I might never see him again, and with a sinking heart I turned to face the entrance doors of Tres Spades, determined to face its master's hatred in this huge fancy gilded cage.

***

Eisuke opened his laptop the next evening, keyed in a password, and soon the screen opened a window showing Satine's suite.

Perfect timing.

The girl was sitting on the floor with her knees bent and her head on it, and by the shaking of her shoulders, was clearly crying.

Kenzaki informed him Russo Delacroix had left for his flight earlier that day, and refused to have Satine see him off. 

He had seen her cry rigidly before, but nothing like this.

She was pounding the floor with clenched fists, and when she raised her face once, her features were contorted in pain.

He slammed his laptop shut and walked out of the suite.

The chatter of the others died down as he descended the stairs, and ignoring the curious looks thrown his way, he walked out of the penthouse. He had forbidden Baba from speaking of what went on in France and the others from ever talking to her again, and though Honey clearly objected, for once she silently obeyed and without question.

Eisuke rode the penthouse elevator to the 45th floor.

She looked up when he entered without knocking.

Her eyes narrowed, her lips pursed and her sobbing stopped. 

Eisuke knew he'd been rough with her last night and it bothered him all day until he could think of nothing else. He knew he wasn't being fair; he was so angry at her father he was taking it out on her, and for some insane reason he wanted to see how much she was willing to take. 

Looking at her now, he knew he had gone too far.

The tenderness he'd seen in her eyes last night was gone, replaced by a coldness that caught him unaware.

She stood up, her eyes not leaving his, and when she started unbuttoning the top of her dress he winced.

"Satine, I want to talk to you," his voice sounded so unlike his own.

He watched mesmerized at the little hands fiddling with the buttons until more and more of her skin showed, his blood boiling at fever pitch like always whenever he was near her like this. She pulled her dress over her head, and Eisuke felt his mouth go dry, but the angry eyes and the tears flowing freely on her cheeks stunned him.

Her lips curled, her eyes flashed in anger, and when she spoke Eisuke flinched. "Am I the prize of your vengeance? Here, enjoy it as long as you want it, Mr. Ichinomiya." 

They stood there in tensed silence but her eyes didn't waver; she stared back unblinking until Eisuke could no longer bear to see the hurt in her eyes.

He turned away from her.

***

I closed my eyes as another wave of pain hit me when he turned away from me again, and probably for the last time.

He had every reason to be angry, and shame coursed through me for brazenly acting this way infront of him as if he was the one who has wronged me.

Knees trembling, I opened my eyes and bent down to pick up my dress, my fingers shaking as I put it on again. I might as well go outside for if I stayed here a minute more I'm sure I would drive myself crazy.

Picking up my purse, I looked around, trying to see from the blur of tears.

My sandals, I thought hazily. Where are they? 

I stopped my frantic searching, seeing the thin straps of my sandals dangling from his fingers.

My throat constricted at once.

He hadn't left after all.

I gasped when he knelt infront of me and I almost jumped when his hand touched my foot and raised it, my heart beating wildly there was no doubt at all he could hear it. His touch was gentle when he put my sandals on me, one after the other, and like I doll I merely stood there, staring down at him and his brown hair.

When he looked up at me, I knew I could never stay angry with him for long.

"I-I'm sorry," was all I could say.

He stood up and towered over me, placed a finger on my lips as we stared at each other, hope rising within me.  

"Satine..." his voice broke. "Don't give up on me."

A moan escaped my lips and I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him to me.

He buried his face on my hair, and I could feel his labored breathing when he hugged me back and pulled me tighter.

"Help me get through this," he whispered.

I knew what he meant as I sobbed in silence, part in joy and part in sorrow, for he meant he was still angry with my father but he's not as insensitive to me as he led me to believe.

"Please forgive us," I whispered back. "Maybe not now.. but someday..."

"Then don't leave me," he said, pulling away and I only had a moment to see that his eyes were red, before he bent down to kiss me.