Entangled

Chapter-21

Xavier Knight

The moment my lips touched the soft, delicate skin of her forehead, I knew I was in trouble.

My heart was pumping blood furiously, making it beat at an alarming rate. I didn't know why I always felt that way when I touched her. For haven's sake, that was just a kiss that too on her forehead but still, it felt like it was not just a kiss on her forehead. It felt like, like...Damn! I couldn't even explain it to myself. I didn't know what it feels like. But it felt different.

My plan was to walk out of the penthouse after I had given her icepack, but I didn't know when my feet involuntarily walked me to her and when my lips involuntarily made their way to her forehead. And I kissed her...I fucking kissed her forehead. Damn...Why? Why? Why?

I closed my eyes to calm myself down but as soon as I closed my eyes, her face with that red handprint flashed before my eyes, making my body fill with rage again.

That bastard... Andrew Smith... How dare he hit her? How dare he hit a woman.
I abhor men who hit women. Actually, they should not be allowed to be called men. These kinds of people are a fucking coward, fucking scumbags not men. Because...
'Real men don't hit women'

I always hated Andrew with all my guts. He was very obnoxious, disgusting, and evil. He was not respected in the business world. I never regarded him and the act he pulled by hitting her made me detest him even more.

And her mother! How could she allow anything like this to happen to her own daughter? Andrew was her stepfather but Jade? She's her biological mother.

If anyone dares touch me in front of my mother she would kill that person with her bare hands. Okay.. not kill ..but will surely make that person regret the decision of laying hand on me.

And her mother, she didn't even utter a word? How could she do that?

I thought she would want to meet her mother since she hadn't met her since our marriage but I had no idea that her mother had problems with her. I had no idea that Andrew would slap her. If I knew about it, I wouldn't have asked her to attend the party.

I had no idea what exactly happened there. I just knew that she was slapped for a highly excusable act. That is what she told me and I knew she didn't lie about it.

I even asked Finn about what happened at the party because I gave him the responsibility to drive her there and bring her back safely since he's my trusted driver and bodyguard.

He was hesitant because apparently, he had promised Ariana that he won't tell anyone so I had to threaten him to open his mouth. And then he told me that within fifteen minutes of going into the party she came out crying.

I had known her for a month now. She had been living with me in my penthouse and had been working with me for a month now, but I never saw her crying. The hurt I saw in her eyes this morning, I had never seen that before, even when I said many bad words to her, she remained emotionless.

She must be hurting a lot emotionally. I knew it because her eyes conveyed it all, she didn't have to speak, her eyes spoke for her.
I just wanted to relieve her pain, except agreeing to marry me she hadn't done anything bad to me so I didn't want her to cry anymore.

I would not let her go that place again, I'd make sure to keep her away from those vile people ...at least.. till she is with me.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when Daniel and Sean entered my office.

"Hey man, where's Ariana?"

"Where is princess? She isn't in her office."

I sighed silently. No greetings, no good morning, nothing, just where is Ariana! They had developed this new habit by now. They would not acknowledge me but would ask about her.