Chapter 4

When I woke up in the morning, I was no longer in my little hideout. I was in a big comfy red-satin bed. I groaned and rolled away from the light drifting in through the windows. I rolled right into a bare and firm chest and recoiled slightly before someone pulled me into them. My eyes flew open and I stared at a well-built chest that was slightly tan though still very pale. His muscles flexed as he tightened his grip on me. I looked up at my captor.

Draven.

I was hoping that it was a gorgeous prince that had come to rescue me from my doom of marrying the creature. I was hoping he had swept me off of my feet in the middle of my deep slumber and taken me far away from Creature’s castle. I was hoping that anyone BUT Draven was touching me at the moment. No, I was WISHING that anyone but him were touching me at the moment. I’d even let a hobo hug me if it meant that Draven wouldn’t.

He stirred slightly and woke up, a sleepy smirk on his face. Damn arrogant boy-he always smirks, never smiles. No, he ALWAYS smirks.

I huffed angrily at my thoughts and realizations.

He chuckled and pulled me in closer to him. I squirmed in his grip and tried to push him away. Once I had pushed hard enough against him, he let me go, causing me to fall off the bed.

“Urgh. You’re such an ass.” I grumbled, picking myself up and looking down at the clothes I was wearing.

Underwear and Bra.

I screamed and covered myself, falling to the floor and scrunching up into a ball. He laughed as he sauntered up to me, only clad in boxers.

“You ASSHOLE!! What did you do with my jeans and favorite shirt?!” I screamed at him.

His eyes turned a stormy color and he glared at me before roughly picking me up off of the floor. He held me up by my neck as my face turned purple from lack of oxygen.

“Don’t you ever talk to me like that again.” He hissed.

I nodded my head as best as I could, for I was at a lack of words while no air could enter my lungs. He dropped me to the floor and stepped over me, making his way to our closet. I lay there, crumpled up on the floor, and not knowing what else to do.

I didn’t know why I had suddenly become so afraid of Draven, when I used to stand up to him without a second thought. Perhaps it was because of the fact that I was now stuck with him for the rest of my life. I would probably have to have his kids so they could have an heir to their family business after Creature had passed on.

My face scrunched up at the thought of little monsters running around the house that I would be forced to live in. I couldn’t avoid the inevitable. I would have to have his… babies… someday. I suddenly felt like I was going to puke at the thought of him getting anywhere close to me like that. I sighed and dropped my head to the plush and comfy carpet. I could just lie here all day.

“Having fun?” Draven asked from the doorway to the closet, an eyebrow rose as he looked at me as if I had grown three heads.

“Urgh. Mumble… leave me alone… mumble-mumble.” That was my incoherent and bored response to him.

He chuckled and scooped me off the floor. I groaned and became dead weight in his arms, though he had no trouble still carrying me. He threw me onto the bed and climbed on top of me, now in just a pair of jeans, his chest still exposed.

I turned my head to the side and sighed, knowing this would happen sooner or later. He looked at me funny, regarding my now depressed state. I was slightly surprised when he climbed off of me. I simply lay there until he left the room, fully clothed.

That was when I took my chance to get up and get dressed. I dressed in a plain t-shirt and jeans, to look as plain and dull so I wouldn’t attract Draven in any way. When I was about to exit the bedroom to go and explore, Creature was at the door.

“I’m here to take you to break-fast. I see you’re ready. Lets go.” He grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the room. “We’re going to a small diner. It will only take a few minutes to get there-its right on the outskirts of town and close to our mansion.”

I nodded my head and followed along idly. I didn’t speak, move without his consent, and did everything he asked-due to being in deep thought about how our lives would be when we got older.

He would be an abusive husband, want lots of kids that I would have to take care of so he could pass down his business to the one he liked most, he would keep me in check-making sure I did nothing that he didn’t want. Perhaps he would even throw me away once he got an heir.

There would be nothing I could do to fight back. My family wouldn’t take me in, they wouldn’t be able to live or survive if I didn’t stay married. I would never be able to leave Creature, so punishments could be horrible and I could not get away from him. I’d be forever bound to him, even if he did ‘dump’ me on the side of the road and not want to be with me anymore- I would never get to marry the man I loved.

Before I knew it, we were at the diner. I got out of the car slowly, drawing out the time where I would have to sit with him and act like his ‘girlfriend’. I closed the door behind me gently as I walked side by side with Draven into the small diner. With out a word, he picked a booth and led us over to it. A waiter came with a note pad to order drinks right away. I smiled slightly. He was quite cute.

The waiter was about a year or two older than me – in college perhaps. He had dark curly brown hair and warm chocolate brown eyes. There was slight stubble on his chin from perhaps being shaven a day ago or so. He was just over 6 feet tall with a nice build. He wore a normal uniform for a waiter: slacks, button down shirt, and a green apron. He smiled sweetly back at me.

Draven caught on to me checking the waiter out, therefore pulling me into his side as if I were his ‘treasure chest of gold’ he was protecting from ‘pirates’. He smirked to the waiter who looked a little crestfallen at the idea that I was taken. I sighed and lowered my head.

“Hello, my name’s Chase. I’ll be your waiter this morning.” The boy, Chase, announced. “Would you like anything to drink?” His mood had considerably dropped.

“Water please…” I mumbled.

“I’ll have a decaf coffee.” Draven pretty much barked at the poor boy.

He nodded, jotted the orders down, and walked away without another word. Draven brought his lips to my ear, causing me to tense up.

“Don’t you ever look at another man like that again…” He whispered menacingly into my ear.

I nodded gloomily and shrunk back into my chair even farther, if that were possible. He kept his arm tightly around me the entire breakfast, and when the Chase would come back to check on how we were doing, Draven would occasionally kiss my cheek, nip at the skin on my neck-disgusting things like that. I would throw pained looks towards Chase who would crack a smile before Creature would look up.

I hadn’t eaten much, too distracted, depressed, and worried about my future to even think about eating. I was slightly happier when we got to go home, waving goodbye to Chase behind Creature’s back as we walked out. We got into the car and drove back home.

I was relieved when Creature left me at the front door, able to continue my exploration of the house. I was about to walk into a room, when Draven tugged on my hand and pulled me along into another. His father was waiting in there for us. I sighed and plopped down on a single chair when he ordered us to take a seat.

Creature had other ideas.

He took me out of the chair and brought me onto his lap on a matching red velvet couch. I looked down at my hands before his father began to speak.

I ignored most of it. It was all about how we were doing – which Draven lied about and said we were doing great. Maybe he was, but I certainly wasn’t doing well at all. Then he went onto the topic of getting me new clothes-I flat out refused as I snapped from my reveries of a better life. He didn’t argue with me any further. Then he brought up our betrothal ball.

It would be in about a month to announce our engagement to all of those who were important to them – famous people, like the governor, movie stars, musicians, and other famous politicians who worked with Mr. Raely. He worked in the Senate. When we were done, Draven pulled me out of the room quickly.

“Madelieva… to make this more… convincing, we need to act like girlfriend-boyfriend. I’ll call you Eva from now on, and we get to make out when ever I want.” He said smugly.

“Can I go take a nap?” I asked softly, ignoring his last comment.

“Didn’t you hear what I said? Are you going to say anything about that? Like ‘Oh of course, Draven! I’d be happy to be your girlfriend and constantly make out with you!’” He asked, astounded at my reaction.

“Oh of course, Draven. I’d be happy to be your girlfriend and constantly make out with you.” I stated monotonously.

He looked at me incredulously before flinging me over his shoulder and carrying me upstairs to our bedroom. He slammed open the door and tossed me onto the bed. I instantly curled up under the covers and hid myself in the pillows. Soon after, I felt the bed sink beside me and pretended to be asleep. He obviously thought I was.

“Why can’t you just treat me like a human being? Not some monster that’s going to devour you on first instinct. I don’t want this marriage to be tough between us. The better we like each other, the easier we get along, and the simpler marriage will be.” He whispered as he brushed away some of my hair.

I turned over and looked up at him blankly.

He stared straight back.

Okay, he knew I was awake. He was probably just trying to get me to think better of him so he can seduce me. My gaze hardened as I looked up at him, thinking this all over. I fell back into the pillows with a ‘humph’ and snuggled back to an attempted sleep.

He kept pushing my hair away from my face though, causing me to wake up constantly and shy away from him. Finally I had had enough of it. I bolted up straight, smacking his hand away out of frustration.

“Stop it! Stop petting me!” I commanded, scowling at the amused look upon his face.

“Nope. Never…” He said softly, smiling at me with laughter evident in his eyes.

“Ah! I don’t get why you have to tease me all the time and wake me up! It’s rather annoying you know…” I stated matter-of-factly with my arms crossed over my chest.

“Awe, but you look so darn… funny!” He chuckled deeply, pulling me into him as he lie down next to me.

“Um… Draven? What are you doing? Would you mind letting go of me?” This boy was confusing me. He PMS’s way more than I ever do.

“Nope. I think I’ll hold onto you.” He murmured sleepily.

“Ewe. That has to be the corniest line ever.”

He laughed slightly and buried his face in the crook of my neck. I whined and tried to push him away.

“Ewe!! Cooties!” I squealed, still struggling to get away from him.

“No. Don’t do that.” He mumbled against the skin on my neck.

“Urgh. Off. I can’t sleep like this. I feel like I’m suffocating!” I complained.

He lifted his head and raised an eyebrow at me dangerously. I’ve always wanted to shave his eyebrows off. I could never lift one eyebrow on cue, sometimes I would do it without noticing it, then I would try to keep lifting one eyebrow, but in the end, I failed miserably. I glared at his eyebrows as he began talking.

“Leave it alone. You’ll have to get used to it.” He grumbled. “And why are you glaring at my forehead?”

“Not your forehead you idiot-your stupid perfect eyebrows.” I huffed, turning around in his arms to face away from him while I napped.

He chuckled and pulled me in closer to him as we lay down. I mumbled useless and incoherent swear words as I drifted off into sleep.