That night she had not slept, rising early in the morning and moving downstairs to make herself a cup of tea. Sitting by the window, her mind in turmoil, she almost convinced herself that she would not meet Darius - that she would leave the two women to stew in the trouble they had brought upon themselves, almost convincing herself that she could ride out the publicity as a small hand tugged at her arm.
“Aunty Sara” The sweet child’s voice made her drop her head to smile warmly down on her little nephew, pulling him in for a cuddle as she looked closely at his worried little face. “What is wrong sweetie?” she asked softly as he clambered up onto her knee, Sara smiling at how loving the four year old boy was.
“I’m scared...my mummy says she might be going away...like daddy”, his small face stared back with such intensity, Sara’s resolve leaving her as she hugged the child. As much as she wanted to turn her back on her selfish mother and sister she knew that she could never turn her back on the little boy on her lap, holding him tightly as she sighed with the inevitability of her decision. She knew that at twelve that day she would be once more at the suite of Darius Garelli. “No. No David...I promise that your mother is going to be staying with you”, feeling David’s mouth curl in a smile against her.
Sitting in his study, Darius worked at his computer, his eyes flicking constantly to the clock on his wall. As the hour drew closer to twelve, he felt his body tensing. He was sure that she would show, that she would agree to his terms, not certain why he cared which form his revenge took. Sighing, he frowned, pushing himself back into the softness of the chair, his mind once more returning to the kiss; his hand moved across his mouth groaning feeling his body’s awareness of the woman, chastising himself. She was a cold-hearted using bitch, but still the kiss had been mind-blowing. Darius knew that he wanted to experience everything about Sara Balfour.
As the clock read twelve the intercom beeped, a satisfied smile filling his handsome features. “Sir, Miss Balfour is here to see you” Pressing down the button, he bit out the command to tell her to wait, wanting to make her sweat as she had him, a smugness filling him. For fifteen minutes she waited in the living room of the suite, alone save for his kindly and efficient secretary who typed at a computer at one end of the room. As time slipped away the secretary with an apologetic smile offered her a drink, Sara politely refusing. As the minutes ticked by, she felt the anger growing within her, knowing that he was playing more mind games with her, determined to remain calm as the woman once more flashed her an apologetic smile, promising that she was sure he would be free soon.
As the command for her to join him finally came, Sara stood taking a deep breath. She felt the curious eyes of the secretary follow her, knowing what a strange figure she made dressed in her jeans and baggy t-shirt, her hair allowed to fall around her unmade face making her look even younger than her twenty-four years. Entering his office she saw as his eyes narrowed at the sight of her before a smile filled his handsome face, a loud laugh leaving him. Standing, he moved closer to her, his look taking in everything about her appearance.
“Wow... did we just time travel back to when you were eighteen Sara?” his mocking voice making her furrow her brow. She hoped that seeing her like this would change his mind, would make him back away from having her in his bed, her small shoulders shrugging softly. “This is the way I like to dress...deal with it”, her look challenging as he moved around her, another low throaty laugh leaving him, Sara hating the way he seemed to be deriving such amusement from her show of defiance.
“Well fortunately for you little Sara Balfour...I have seen how well you scrub up...so I am sure we can do something about your appearance” Sara felt the seething anger fill her, her eyes daggers of hatred as they glowered at him, Darius once more laughing. “So, I take it by your appearance here that you accept my terms”, his voice smug as she clamped her mouth shut tightly, her feet shuffling as she cleared her throat nervously.
“There must be another way Darius...I am seeing someone...somebody I might actually have a future with” He looked back at her, his look sharpening as he shrugged, “This man is your lover?” Sara’s flush and shocked expression making him smile softly, “So...you are not yet lovers then?” Sara spluttered, her voice full of mortification, “We have only been seeing each other for two weeks!” Darius gave another laugh. “And who is this saint-like man...a man who does not drag you straight to his bed after only one day?”