Darkly Devoted (Book 1, 2, 3)

OTF Chapter 9 - No Cinderella

Chapter 9

ALLISON HAD been right about the butterflies. The next day, Vivienne couldn't think of anything else except how much she wanted the taste of his mouth on hers. The opera was a welcomed distraction for her lustful thoughts about ripping his clothes off with her teeth. However, there was little to do but to wait. Blake had left early that morning with little explanation as to where except that he would be home that evening.

Vivienne spent the day watching recaps of the night's festivities at the Royal Palace on television. There was something about the way King Wynn stood beside Sero and fondly patted him in the back that made Vivienne uneasy.

For the opera that night, Vivienne chose a ballgown of black tulle that was layered with silk organza embroidered with black roses. She was pretty impressed that afternoon when the servants began to fill the entire apartment with a deluge of flowers. Vase after vase of the largest, most sensual roses appeared in every corner. It seemed as though Blake was never one to miss an opportunity to remind her that she was loved by a very rich man. Vivienne did not pay much attention to the fragrant garden in their home. She decorated her hair with a single black rose with red tips.

In the afternoon, red leather boxes started to appear on her vanity table. Vivienne had a feeling they had something to do with the night's events. She opened them to reveal a pear-shaped necklace that was dripping with diamonds. Then in the other boxes, an ivy shaped diamond bracelet and then a ridiculous pair of diamond pendant earrings. She supposed that when other men gave their women diamonds they would show up with a bottle of champagne and maybe a expect a nighttime favor in return. But, as Vivienne had learned with men like Blake Thorne, diamonds just appeared to be used and thrown away as absently as other people threw away leftover dinner scraps.

As Vivienne looked at herself in the mirror wearing all her finery, she wondered if the precious jewels and fine workmanship of her elaborate gown really accentuated her beauty or overshadowed it. "I'm starting to think my father was massively underpaid," Vivienne muttered to herself as she removed the simple cameo necklace from her neck to put on the massive Cartier necklace.

Standing at the window, looking out onto the open plaza outside, she could see when his driver pulled around and Blake step out to enter the grand staircase entrance. For a second, she did have a flashback to her vision of Sebastian Thorne standing in the lobby waiting for his business associates from Remin. It occurred to Vivienne that with the critical lack of Dark Waters in Manna City, Blake was in a perfect position to control the only source of it this extravagantly wealthy city would still have available to them. Now, he also had her sister as the Grand Master overlooked by their very gullible and malleable father. Not to mention, it was rather suspicious that in all this time, he didn't kill Asher's father. During the trials of Remin, he had taken precautions to make sure the council member had not seen his face. Was he afraid of being recognized?

Vivienne's mind was spinning. Perhaps, he had picked up the family business where his father had left off. If Vivienne then went ahead and eliminated Maglania for him, he would have every single game piece in place to make a move to take over Manna City.

Vivienne tried to wipe those thoughts from her mind. Like most women being showered with affection by a very rich man, she needed to stop asking where the money came from or it might drive her insane. She loved him and he loved her back, for most women that would be enough.

Vivienne heard the key turn in their door and Blake entered looking rather ecstatic. He crossed the room and planted a kiss on her cheek.

"I thought of nothing but you today, my love," he told her with a boyish grin on his face. When he noticed her troubled expression, he grew serious. "It's the flowers, isn't it? You don't like them. It is excessive and tasteless, I agree." He snapped his fingers at his servants and they jumped into action.