When Darkness Falls

Chapter 37: A little princess

Micah stood there, his fists balled at his side and a look of absolute hatred masking his features. Darius stepped closer to him and tilted his head as if waiting for Micah to defy him. Instead, Micah turned his gaze to me, his lip twitching and then stormed out of the kitchen, the door slamming loudly behind him.

My eyes drifted toward the door, and I felt regret seep into the pit of my stomach. The last thing I wanted was to create a rift between Darius and his friends, but it seemed that the longer I was here, the more damage my presence did.

Devon stood on the other side of the island, discomfort in his eyes, and he gave me a soft smile. "Well, who's hungry?" He asked in a chipper voice, attempting to lighten the mood, and Darius turned to look at Devon, his eyes still clouded with darkness.

His gaze turned to mine, and Darius peered into my eyes with concern. He held my face in the palm of his hand and gently rubbed his thumb along my cheek. I leaned into his touch and closed my eyes, a feeling of serenity easing the tension that rested deep within my bones.

I looked up at him, and Darius smiled at me, then turned his attention to Devon. "What are we cooking?" He asked, and Devon rubbed his hands together.

The three of us cooked breakfast together in near silence, the awkwardness of earlier still lingering in the air. As we sat down to eat and filled our bellies with hot food, the events from this morning seemed to be nothing but a distant memory. My mom always said that a sour mood could be fixed with a hot plate of food, and I couldn't agree more as I watched Devon and Darius laugh together.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and I saw Dahlia standing in the doorway. I smiled as she walked in, her presence demanding attention as she entered the room and rightfully so. She wore a pink dress and had her hair in pigtails, complimenting her attire.

She sat down in the chair next to me and smiled at everyone. Darius leaned forward, getting a better look at his little sister. "Would you like something to eat?" He questioned her, and Dahlia shook her head in response.

Her gaze flickered between mine and her brother's. "No, thank you. I ate already." She told him quietly, and I didn't want to know what she meant by that.

Dahlia looked at me. "I'm actually here to ask you something." She said, and my brows furrowed with interest.

She twirled her thumbs together and pursed her lips with hesitation. "Well, with the ball coming up, I need to pick a dress, and I was wondering if you would help me choose one?" Dahlia asked me in one breath, and I smiled at her request.

I glanced at Darius, and the corner of his mouth tilted upward as he sipped his coffee. Then, I turned back to Dahlia and gave her a warm smile. "I would love to," I told her with assurance, and her face lit up with enthusiasm.

She stood from her seat, smiling from ear to ear and bouncing on her feet. "Come on, let's go," Dahlia said hurriedly before gripping my hand in hers and pulling me from my chair.

I stood abruptly from my seat and glanced back at Darius, who was smiling. He waved nonchalantly as Dahlia led me from the room, and I wondered what I had just got myself into by agreeing to help her.

We walked to Dahlia's room, and she burst through the doors, her feet shuffling swiftly along the floor as she led me to another door inside her room. Dahlia gripped the handle and swung open the door, revealing a closet the size of my apartment.

She walked inside and stopped in the middle of the room, gesturing around her. "What do you think?" Dahlia asked me, and I glanced around with admiration.

Rows of sparkling dresses hung on either side of the room, and an array of shoes sat neatly along the back wall. "It's amazing," I told her truthfully, and Dahlia smiled brightly.

Dahlia walked over to a rack stuffed with dresses and sorted through them, pulling a few off the hangers. She held the brightly coloured clothing in her hands and walked over to a bench nestled in the middle of the closet.

She placed the dresses on the furniture and neatly laid them out. I walked over to her and stared down at the chosen few. I inspected them carefully and then turned to look at her, my lips pursed with indecision. "I can't decide; they're all beautiful. Maybe we could decide which is the best if you tried them on." I told Dahlia, and she smiled, nodding in agreement.

We spent a good portion of the day playing with dresses and shoes, Dahlia trying on numerous outfits before finally coming to a decision. She chose to wear a black lace gown, with a pink train and shimmering tulle, along with a pair of black shoes.

As Dahlia was putting away her outfit, Darius came into the room. He stood there with a brow raised, his eyes roaming the room as he read the situation. "How are things going?" Darius asked with interest, and Dahlia stood in front of her dress.

She hid her gown from his eyes, not wanting him to see it until the night of the ball. "I have my dress picked out, but you can't see it yet," Dahlia told him, and he chuckled.

He held up his hands in surrender. "Ok, I'll be patient and wait, but I'm sure that no matter what you choose, you will outshine all the others," Darius told her confidently, and I smiled at the love he showed his sister.

Darius gazed between the two of us. "It is almost dinner time, and you both should eat something." He told us firmly, and my stomach growled with hunger as the words left his mouth.

I stood from the floor and nodded. "Yes, I couldn't agree more," I told Darius eagerly, needing to stretch my legs and look at something other than glittering fabric.

He gave me a curt nod and turned his attention back to Dahlia. "Grayson will be by shortly with your food," Darius told her and then turned to look at me. "And you will come with me." He said, and Dahlia rushed to hug me goodbye.

She reared back and stared into my eyes. "Thank you for helping me," Dahlia told me with appreciation in her tone.

I smiled. "Anytime," I told Dahlia honestly, and she smiled cheekily before leaving the closet. Darius and I followed suit, walking closely behind Dahlia. We left her room, and as we strode down the hallway, I turned toward the stairs but stopped when Darius gripped my wrist tightly.

He pulled me in the opposite direction, leading me further down the hall and toward the other bedrooms. We walked into his room, and my brows furrowed as I wondered what we were doing.

Darius guided me into the bathroom, and as we entered the dimly lit room, he moved to the side, no longer obstructing my view. I stood there, my mouth agape, as I entered the steam-filled room, and various smells filled my nose.

An array of candles were placed about the bathroom, the tub filled with hot water and rose petals floating lazily. A tray piled with food sat next to the bathtub, and I licked my lips with hunger.

I whipped my head around and looked into his mischievous eyes. "What is all this for?" I asked Darius, and he gripped the seams of my shirt before pulling it over my head.

His golden eyes devoured me with lust, and I bit my lip as my thighs squeezed together. "To relax," Darius told me, his voice velvety smooth, and I shivered as the cool air blew against my taught nipples.

Darius knelt before me, his steel-like gaze penetrating me as he slid my pants down my shaky legs. He kissed my inner thigh, and I moaned from the sensual touch. I waited with bated breath for his next move and watched intently as he stood to his full height.

Abruptly, Darius placed an arm beneath my legs and picked me up in his arms. He carefully put me into the tub, and the warm water eased my aching muscles. I closed my eyes and inhaled the intoxicating scents that filled the air. I wasn't sure if he was a mind reader or I completely underestimated him, but this was precisely what I needed.

Darius stood at the edge of the tub and loomed over me with a look of desire. The corner of his lip twitched as I rubbed my hands over my body, caressing my breasts firmly in my hands.

He gripped the back of his shirt and pulled it over his head before unbuckling his pants. The material hit the floor with a thud, and my eyes followed as he stepped into the bathtub.