Top Note

chapter 11

Darcel

'Fuck'

I couldn't believe my own words. Was it me? Did I really say it! 
Eriantha's   large eyes grew larger, than they already were out of sheer shock and  disbelief . The last bit of waning sanity in me was pleading to my reason, which had already bit the dust.
I knew I was vicious, and I grabbed the first opportunity presented to me to capture her, the sinister darkness caged inside me lurked at my prey.
 I couldn't let go off this opportunity of keeping her by my side, and indulge into that scent which has ensnared me like an addiction.

'You are a selfish opportunist Darcel, the moment you felt unsure about  her intentions for asking to fake date you, you turned the tables and made it into something beneficial for you.'

Always looking for a win-win, I decided that, I would throw Maximilian Karwitz's cards right at his face. I will gain a greater leverage on my perfumer, so that she can't back out. 

"What?"  she finally let those words out.

Among the many things that I excelled at, pretending to be sangfroid was definitely at the top of the list. Her proximity was as enticing as her bafflement, and I was walking a fine line, which was gradually getting blurred.

"No way. You must be drunk!" She tried to push me away, but I stood as hard as rock, fixating her with my gaze. Her chest was rising and falling in heavy breathing,  she definitely had the body of a goddess, I could sense her enticing nervousness, and that appealed to my predatory excitement.  

"Not enough to lose such an  opportunity."  My smile probably already revealed my devious intentions, not that I was planning to keep them latent.

"Then you must be joking. Weren't you Mr.Karwitz?" She looked away, unable to meet my eyes, I am sure she was intimidated by me, I swear I could hear her hiked heartbeat.

I was enjoying this thoroughly, I always enjoyed cornering my opponent at the boardroom, but this was different, Eriantha isn't my opponent, she was my unprecedented temptation, she was unpredictable unlike other people whom I could read in and out, she was an enigma who made me react like a freak.
"Marriage isn't something one should joke about. Don't you think so Eriantha?" The way her name rolls on my tongue feels warm and sweet, just like her scent.

 Leaning closer, I placed my knee in between the little gap of her thighs, and cupped her face, so that she doesn't have an option but to give me her undivided attention. The Familiar spark played between us once again, and to my satisfaction she took a sharp inhale.

So it does affect you as well.

 Eriantha, my secret perfumer; her little red skirt was yearning to be ripped by my greedy hands,  I wanted to trace every crevice of what laid beneath, and drink up her sweetness in every possible way. 

'You are nasty Darcel Karwitz' I heard my inner voice scream, and immediately snapped out of my heady thoughts .It was her that scent was hitting me straight, and twisting my thoughts further.

"I don't date Miss Reux, because I find it bothersome anduselessly scandalous. The marriage in question here will be a..."
"Fake marriage?" I could sense her relief.

 Did she despise the idea of Fake marriage? Or,   was marrying me altogether an abhorrent for her. I didn't want to be too curious for my own good.

"I am many things Miss Reux, but I am not fond of fake things.So, let's say it will be marriage of convenience."

"A marriage of convenience." She repeated my words, while searching my eyes, I couldn't say if she was looking for some trace of insanity. 

Obviously she thinks that you are out of your mind Dar. Who in their right mind would talk about marriage like this!

She gave out a sigh of relief, as I finally withdrew from our proximity. I had to discuss this over with her, so, some physical distance was definitely desirable.

"It's simple, I  need to get married." I stated while hiding from her the real details as to why exactly I am so bent on the idea of marriage,and continued smoothly.

 "You need my name. I need your perfumery skills, and you need to clear off your debt and get rid of the Davytans. I can make it happen,only if you stay married to me for at least the next two years."

Her jaws dropped opened, she took a moment to collect herself, but failed to conceal her skepticism, "You can make it happen if I become your perfumer?"
"And my wife." I rectified her and I quite relished the way how that word sounded.
She shook her head in disbelief, "And, what would that mean? Do I need to sign a fifty page contract? A prenuptial? A no touching clause?Like we find in the books?"

I was clueless about what kind of toxic books this girl has been reading. 

Not any more vicious than you are. I pointed out to myself.

I could tell that, she was back to herself, as she was asking too many questions while throwing her hands in the air. I was happy that her initial befuddlement was gone. I like her this way, she was spontaneous and dazzling like sunshine. What amazed me further was that, she was already considering this marriage, not judging the absurdness of my proposition, not mulling over useless stuffs, head on to what was thrown at her. Either she is too dumb or she is really brave,it's the latter, I decided to go for with that one.

"You have too many questions in that little head Miss Reux." I smirked at her, "First of all you don't have to sign any contract Miss Reux, because, you are at too much disadvantage to let out our little secret." I was a terrible to call out her on  her circumstances, which made her flinch slightly, I noticed it and regretted at my words, "However, you have to sign a Non Disclosure Agreement, just like every other employee at the Kartwitz perfumes."

"Right" She nodded, I could tell that I made her feel disdainful. My inner self looked at me with judgmental eyes. 'Moderation' was the word I had difficulty in putting into practice.
Perhaps, it was the undigested food from the Karwitz mansion that's to be blamed, because there was no other way why I felt an unfamiliar burn inside my chest.

"So am I enough to be your collateral? if you were paying that huge debt for us..." she finally let out her question, i could tell it had been tormenting her. Perhaps she was weighed by the idea of me paying off her debt. It involved a humongous amount of money, but that's something I could give her, Money, that's all I had...

"i mean,my perfumery skills can't be enough, as a collateral, even if I worked for him without pay for the rest of my life, I won't be able to pay it back." She was looking at her knotted fingers. That's not the way I want her to be, she should be bright and vivacious, just like the sun. 

"Trust me Eriantha,you are enough,always more than enough..." my eyes her like a hungry predator,  "but to make it more convincing, you can mortgage Reux Perfumes to me."