Hard Time's

Cake

Watching her getting dressed and getting ready for bed has always been a favourite thing of yours. She's so elegant you watch her as she takes off each earring, then the necklace which John puts into the vault for her. The engagement ring stays on as she applies creams and lotions to her face and throat. She starts to brush out the long dark brunette locks when you approach from behind taking the brush you do it for her. 'You are truly a work of art.' you praise her and she flutters her eyelashes watching you in the reflection. 'As are you, my dear, now sit.'

You sit as she stands taking the brush from you and brushing your hair you close your eyes because feeling her touch is magical. So much of her life had been spent being cold and alone, she showers all her affection on you. When she stops you open your eyes and see she is concentrating as she places your hair in a loose braid down your back. 'Now, time for bed I should think we have many plans to be made for our day.' she squeezes your shoulder and heads to bed. You follow sliding in beside her and wrapping your arms around her waist to hold her you hear her sultry chuckle. 'What's so funny?' you kiss her cheek.

'That your first thought whenever you are with me is to hold me, or comfort me. That you always are thinking of what to do to make me feel...' You prop up your head resting it on the heel of your hand as you smile down at her. 'Loved?' you offer and she rolls onto her back looking up at you. 'Yes, loved is correct.' she reaches up stroking your face. 'I didn't think I was the type to ever experience love I know what people think of me. That I used my looks to get the baron's money and killed him, that I hire people and steal their designs. That everything I have was simply given to me and it's not true.'

You don't interrupt, you certainly don't feel that way about her but you sense she needs to speak and she wants you to listen. 'You know the story of my hell with that man but I also have worked hard. I do my own research, I don't suffer fools. I debut my own designs. I do get presented with ideas from my designers but I have never once displayed a design I did not alter in some way. I'm not just a woman who got lucky, far from it. I am a woman who got unlucky when she married, I never had the luck to help me get anything in life. Until I met you.' her eyes lock with yours and you lean down kissing her. 'That wasn't luck, that was love.' you push her hair back from her forehead.

The baroness reaches up and plays with your hair. 'You must make me a promise.' You nod. 'Anything.' it's true from the moment you met her you were quite willing to set fire to yourself to keep her warm if she needed a heater. 'Never walk away from me again, from us, my heart couldn't take it. When you leave me the turmoil that courses through my body is unbearable.' You sigh and hate yourself for every time you have ever walked away from her. 'I give you my word.' you take her left hand kissing the engagement ring. 'This is forever.' you kiss her forehead. You fall asleep holding her.

John passes you the next day splattered with cake and you raise an eyebrow. 'John?' John holds up a hand. 'Not a word, not a damn word. Insufferable woman.' You enter the room seeing many elaborate and gorgeous cakes and several bakers who look scared or tired. The Baroness has a hand on her hip pursing her lips. 'I need one competent caterer for this wedding.' she dips her middle finger into a beautifully frosted cake. 'I have.' she sucks the cake off her finger her nose wrinkles with disgust. 'Zero.'

'Darling, please stop torturing the caterers.' you smirk as you swan into the room with a confidence everyone admires. You are not afraid of the Baroness, it amazes them. 'Why is everyone incompetent but me?' she asks placing her hand on her forehead. 'Okay why don't you show them.' you suggest. 'Show them?' the baroness frowns. 'That you can bake a cake better than them?' A faint blush appears on her cheeks and she clenches her jaw. 'Yes I c-could but I'm not dressed for it.' she points out. 'Then undress.' you challenge. Her blush deepens and she's glaring furiously at you. Especially when there is a faint giggle but you were only teasing her.

'Fine! You pick the damn cake let it be a disaster for all I care.' she grabs a cloth wiping her hands clean and throws it at you as she leaves. You roll your eyes. 'Over dramatic much?' You go around the room and taste the samples offered and chat with the bakers. You are much calmer and more reasonable than the Baroness. Eventually, you select a nice raspberry and white chocolate flavour you ask for it to be elegant you know that's what she will like. Later on, you join her in her office the chair is not placed where she usually sits it. She's writing furiously.

'Hey.' you greet. She doesn't answer you and you look confused. 'What's wrong?' The Baroness doesn't look up. 'I'm not speaking to you.' she aggressively moves around paperwork. 'Why not?' you ask. She looks up at you and takes her glasses off looking angry. 'You embarrassed me in front of everyone.' she hisses and gestures with her hands. 'Why would I not love that?' You walk over closer to her and sit on the edge of her desk. 'I was only teasing you, princess, I didn't mean to offend you.'

The Baroness sighs sitting back in her chair and looking up at you she's pouting now and looks adorable as hell. 'Well, you did.' You walk closer to her and run your fingertips over her exposed shoulder. 'Mmm I dunno I bet they'd have considered it a treat to see you naked...baking. I can imagine you in nothing but a kitchen apron. I thought it was quite a sexy fantasy.' you bite your lip. The Baroness's eyes widen. 'Oh, you thought, did you? Let's get one thing clear, Baroness Von Hellman does not wear aprons.' she gets to her feet indignantly. 'Oh,' you tilt your head. 'And does she wear knickers?' you smirk. The Baroness blushes and her lips part.

You grab her kissing her passionately lifting her onto the desk kissing her hungrily you wrap your legs around her waist pulling her in. 'God you're infuriating.' she moans against your mouth. You smirk rubbing her thighs gently as you pull back. 'Mmm, and you love it don't you? Can I ask why John was covered in cake earlier?' The baroness thought for a moment. 'Oh, I threw it at him.' she says remembering. You squint at her. 'You realise you aren't supposed to throw things at the staff. Especially the ones who are our friends.' The Baroness looks scandalised. 'He was in the way!'

The chief of police sits with Harold and the figure who is wrapped in bandages attached to various hospital machines. 'The files are all in order.' The chief shuffles them and slides a passport across the table to the bandaged figure. 'Congratulations your new identity is confirmed.' Harold smokes his cigar as the figure doesn't speak. 'Don't take it personally the surgeon says it won't be possible for any vocals until the surgery heals. The chief nods. 'Ah.' Harold nods puffing on his cigar. 'The only thing they couldn't change was the eyes. Hopefully, come the wedding they help the dear Baroness recognise her guess instantly. Then her little whore will suffer too.' they clink their glasses of whisky.

"I'm not a piece of cake

For you to just discard
While you walk away
With the frosting of my heart
So I'm taking back
What's mine, you'll miss
The slice of heaven that I gave to you last night"