Cue days full of awkwardness.

She was panicking. And I distracted her. It wasn't supposed to be something huge but she had this dark hickey on her throat for the whole world to stare at and I knew how awkward it's going to be between us.

We were bonding, there's no denying in that. And I shattered that bonding in a single minute. I could have distracted her in some other way but that was the only thing my brain could think of at that moment because let's be honest, I wanted to do that.

That was due to come, if not at that moment then sometime later. These past few days have been building up to this and now that I got the taste of her skin, I can't stop thinking about it.

I can still feel it on my lips, still hear her gasp echoing in my mind and still remember how fucking hot she looked with my mark on her neck the next morning which unfortunately she covered later.

I have never kissed any woman in any way and Farren was my first. And I wonder how many firsts she is going to be for me?

No. Focus on the job, Elysian. ON THE JOB. Don't let her distract you.

But I want to mark her neck again, over and over again, her whole neck so that the world knows she is mine. I want to hear her moaning my name and I want to watch her cheeks redden.

And above everything, I want her in my arms each and every morning, to wake up to her face, to make her happy, to give her the whole fucking universe.

I want to declare to the whole world that she is my wife and gauge out the eyes of those who eye her in the wrong way.

I am getting obsessed with her and it's not fucking healthy. Maybe I should just ask Hector to find someone else to protect her because it's becoming hard for me to focus on the job anymore. My thoughts are consumed by her.

She pretended to ignore me as she walked past me in the living room towards the kitchen and I caught her forearm and pulled her back to me before she could continue this. "It's enough now, Farren."

She refused to look me in the eyes. "Leave me, Elysian. I'm busy."

"Doing what?"

"Something. Why do you care?"

"Because my wife hasn't talked to me for three days!"

Her eyes snapped up to me in surprise. "And you are counting? Why?"

"Why won't I? You talk so much but suddenly you stopped talking to me."

"I'm just..."

I knew what all this was about but I had to say it. "If this is about what happened that day...then I am sorry if that made you uncomfortable...I did that so I could distract you. I am sorry."

She looked kinda hurt and I regretted saying anything at all. "You don't have to apologise. I get it...you did that so you could distract me...thank you for that though."

I wanted to touch her, I was dying to. I cupped her cheek. "Please, don't avoid me from now on."

"Okay..." She whispered.

But it wasn't enough. It's been three days since I had her in my arms, she just doesn't cuddle with me at night anymore and I miss it.

My arms encircled her waist and I pulled her closer to me and buried my face in the crook of her neck and I hugged her tightly.

She didn't react at first but after a couple of seconds she placed her hands on my back, hugging me back. "Are you okay?"

"Now I am." I answered truthfully.

Her body tensed for a moment before relaxing again in my arms and she tightened her hold on me.

"Do you want to go to the beach tomorrow?" I whispered in her ear and pulled back.

Her eyes twinkled with excitement. "Of course! I would love to."

I smiled. "Okay, we will go to the beach tomorrow. But please don't wear that... swimsuit again...you can wear a t shirt instead..."

"T shirt at a beach? No way. Why do you have a problem with me wearing a bikini?" And then she realised something and a mischievous smile took over her face. "Are you afraid I am going to seduce you?"

"No. You can't seduce me that easily." Lies.

"Okay, I will try that tomorrow."

My eyes widened. "Farren, no. Don't do anything stupid, please."

She started to laugh and pulled my cheeks. "You look cute when you get flustered."

I frowned at that. "I am not cute."

"Whatever." And she again pulled my cheeks. "Anyway...I think we shouldn't go to the beach. The weather is getting colder, we should go somewhere else..."

"Where do you suggest?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. That's your job now."

"Okay." And I kissed her forehead lingeringly.

.

.

.

"How's Farren doing?"

I deadpanned. His daughter is present right now in his house and he is asking me how she is doing. He could go to her and talk to her himself.

"She's doing good, sir." I answered his question.

He nodded and leaned back in his chair behind the desk. "Are you both involved in a physical relation though?"

No. But I want to.

My hands clenched behind my back. "No."

"That's good. Make sure you don't as long as you are both together."

His thoughts are so outdated it makes me wanna punch him so bad.

I nodded. "Yes, sir."

Hector stood behind him, leaning against the wall, watching me with narrowed eyes. I haven't talked to him once ever since that day even though I wanted to have a 'nice talk' about him making my wife cry.

"Okay. You are doing a good job so far. I expect the same from you for the rest of the period."

"Yes, sir."

"You can leave now." He dismissed me and nodding, I left his study and Hector followed me out as expected.

"We need to talk."

"Yeah, about how you made her fucking cry. I warned you, didn't I? I said not a single scratch."

"I thought you meant that physically and according to that I didn't even touch her."

"Be grateful or else I would have hurt you in return."

"I am your brother, Elysian. You are forgetting it." He reminded me.

I watched over the railing at Farren who was talking to her mother animatedly, her face glowing with happiness.

And I faced Hector again. "Let's talk in the garden."

Nodding, he walked down the stairs and seeing him Farren rolled her eyes before continuing her conversation with her mother and giving her a small smile, I followed Hector out to the garden.

"Are you willing to hurt me for her?" Hector questioned me catching me off guard.

He might be an asshole but...he is still my brother.

"Then don't hurt her, Hector."

"That was a one time thing." He adjusted his cuff links. "And she needs to toughen her heart if that made her cry."

I gritted my teeth and surpressed the urge to grab his collar. "Tough or not... don't do that again."

"Fine. I won't hurt her again but tell me what about when you hurt her in the future?"

I narrowed my eyes. "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean. You are finding all this enjoyable right now and so is she but we both know this won't work between you two ever. You both are destined for a heartbreak."

"Let me worry about that."

"She will be hurt badly, Elysian. Don't give her hope, this thing between you two won't work. Everyone knows that including her, so make her realise that and keep a distance from her."

He took a step closer. "You don't wanna hurt her, do you? You love her too much for that."

"I don't love her." I stated. "I don't."

"I can see that." He said sarcastically. "Tell me, did you lie to Robert back there? Have you been fucking her?"

"Don't speak of her in that way." I hissed.

"Then tell me...have you kissed her? Kissed your wife?"

I glared at him and at his mocking face. "No."

"Then it's not too late. Stop this madness right now."

I kept staring at him not knowing what to say while my heart was at turmoil. I don't want to hurt her. He's right, this won't work. Our relationship is strictly business. It should have been. From the beginning but when the lines started to blur, it became so tempting.

I have been so lonely all my life and then she came along filling in the cracks, giving life to me.

"I trust you, Elysian." He placed his hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "And will continue to do so because I know you are a very understanding man."

I didn't reply, I just turned around to walk inside.

"You don't want to hurt her, Elysian. You know that."

I shut my eyes firmly. He's right. I don't wanna hurt her.