✓ WICKED VOWS| JAKE (Book II )

19-Master Of Exteriors

ANNA

In the gentle embrace of dawn, I cradled a bottle of water, its contents destined for the thirsty earth that cradled a plant. As I poured the life-giving liquid, the soil drank thirstily, and the plant seemed to sigh in relief. It was a remarkable specimen, blooming defiantly, a splash of blue amidst a sea of green.

I had just worn my gym clothes planning that today would be a leg day. It had been two days since I had left my husband playfully soaked by the fountain's mischievous spray. The sensation of his lips pressed against my skin was as vivid as if it had just occurred. Time had marched on—over fifty hours had passed—yet his presence haunted my dreams, his breath a ghostly whisper against my neck as I slumbered.

 More than fifty hours passed and his breath haunted me in my sleep while my tongue still tasted like honey and sins in my mouth. A taste of transgression that my tongue couldn't seem to forget. The kiss was a revelation, a moment of unexpected passion that shattered any lingering doubts. he kissed well, and the theory that he was a gay man was kind of out of the picture right now. 

Even tho, I found myself erecting a wall of pretense in the days that followed. These two days, ignored his existence completely while I did my things and focused on my work and he did too, by going to work and if he got back early from work he would clean the dishes before he confines in the bedroom. That was our usual routine. This dance of domesticity had become our customary cadence, a choreography of coexistence where words were unnecessary, and the space between us spoke volumes

I watered the plant on my windowsill, but its green leaves have started to fade. The blue flowers have turned into a purplish-blue color. I'm not sure how to care for this plant. Could it be because the weather has gotten hotter? It was beautiful. I'm puzzled as to why the queen gave me this flower as a wedding gift. For now, I believe this plant should be kept indoors because it seems to dislike the sun. I think I'm starting to hallucinate, but that's probably because my period started today.

I hear a commotion coming from downstairs; the house is usually silent except when I'm causing chaos with my bullet training in the bullet room.I see Ethan talking with the housemaid, who is offering him a bright smile of her own. He kisses her cheek before walking towards the stable. Ethan is dressed casually, which means he's not at work at the law firm. Sometimes, I'm glad that my suite faces the stable and the lands behind it. The mansion was built for peaceful people and calm weather, and now I understand why it was Jake's.

My phone rings as I look out at the land. Seeing Ethan's contact flashing on my phone, disturbing my peace, I answer, "Anna speaking."

"You can come down to the stable and watch Aconite and Acacia having their time to run," Ethan suggested. "Who's Aconite and Acacia? Is that even how to pronounce it?" I asked, puzzled. I'd never heard these names before. Were they Greek? I could hear Ethan laughing on the other end of the phone.

"Those are the names of your husband's mares. Odd, right?" he said.

"More like outlandish," I replied, making him chuckle.

"I'll wait for you at the horse ranch. Wear something comfortable on your feet," he advised before ending the call. Who would name their mares Aconite and Acacia? Looking down at myself, I realized I was still wearing my gym clothes, and I knew I needed to change if I wanted to enter the horse ranch. I hadn't been there since I arrived. Deciding on my blue jeans and a black sleeveless blazer, I slipped it on over my bra, given the sunny weather that was harsh on my skin. I added my black boots, the ones I usually wear when riding. This should be okay for an animal pen, I thought.