Bands of the Unpaid Dowry

Chapter 21

"What did you say?" Jace took a forceful step forward and his initially warm face contorted into an intensely dissatisfied look. Millicent on the other hand, looked pertinacious and only took that little step, having her back attached to the wall to accommodate some space between his impressive build.

Looking into his meteor gray-blue eyes she emphasized saying, "This marriage fiasco, I'm ending it." She saw the angry lines appear at the corners of his eyes that were blazing even with the red shirt that he wore. He thumped his full hand on the wall above her head, still intensely gazing into her eyes and becoming confused at the resolution he found in them.

"No, I don't agree. Are you even ready to let your family know that this is a lie?" He bent down his head letting his nose touch hers in a whispering movement.

"I just needed my mother to leave me and she has since she met you." Millicent's heavy, and breathy voice replied, bending away from his touch. The tense atmosphere was heating up their breaths which fell through their nostrils. "I can pay you."

She sucked in a sharp breath when his warm hand slid down the wall and pushed up her neck, crawling to her nape and into her hair that was let loose to curtain her face. Her skin heated as her lips parted, turning her eyes misty in her struggle to hold the devouring gaze he had. The gray had completely shadowed the blue in his eyes. She felt her chest struggle to be confined in the top she wore as she searched his tan face down to the beard he was currently sporting.

"Why can't I accept this sudden change? Why can't I seem to want to let you go?" His gravely, tremulous tone challenged. She was having a difficult time keeping up with the conversation and his closeness, so before she thought it through, both her hands had pressed on his perky chest and pushed him back with an average strength. Jace stumbled back in surprise which caused his eyes to open exceeding their normal range and his hand that grasped her neck to fall.

"Well, you have to! You see, I found someone I like." Millicent screamed before she stalked toward him in the hallway where their bedrooms were located. Her step caused Jace to shuffle back till he was almost glued to the wall behind him. His eyes slithered and his thoughts turned chaotic at her confession.

"Wh-"

"And I hate it when other women claim to like that man." Millicent continued, her eyes never leaving him even when she stopped in front of him. Her piercing brown eyes tormentingly drilled his own which were immensely perplexed. His pink lips separated in his muddled state as he searched for the words to let her know that her statements pierced his heart.

"I hate it when they want to own him." She shot out harshly with her burning eyes willing him to understand but he was at sea. Millicent snaked her hands up to his shoulders and roughly pulled his tall frame down and all he could do was follow the command of the woman. "Tell me Jace, why does my chest burn in fury when another woman claims ownership of you?"

At her declaration, his eyelids drew up to allow him to inspect her face and confirm the words she just spoke. He could see the anguish and the desire in the depths of those brown pools. Everything around them was silent except for the occasional chirping of the crickets outside and the hot pants of expiration that jarringly escaped their lungs.

"You." Jace whispered before suddenly shutting his eyes and shaking his head. "Oh, to hell with it. My chest smolders, wanting to explode at the thoughts of you in arms that are not mine." His raspy, abrasive voice, passionately relayed and was thrilled to see her eyes flare darkly at his own confession.

"Help me." Millicent's heart quickened at the vulnerable, pleading voice that croaked in her ears. Jace, who was still being held down, swooped his eyes down to her slightly puckered lips and groaned, "I've tried to hold back more than I could."