Amara – Reunion

Author's note: this is from Seraphina's point of view

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When Duke and I got out of the bathroom, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the bed was made and breakfast was on the rolling cart in the middle of the room, all three levels were filled with yummy goodness.

I quickly went to see what all is available.

There were thermos pitchers with tea, coffee, milk, and juice, a variety of pastries and spreads, and fresh fruits. One bell-covered plate was with scrambled eggs, and another one had breakfast sausages and bacon.

I licked my lips shamelessly at the sight of fresh crepes drizzled with chocolate syrup. Those will go great with strawberries.

"You should give Maria a raise.", Duke said, and I hummed in agreement.

The scent of food was inviting, and for the first time in a long time… I was hungry.

Duke and I sat on the sofa, and he spread his arms, inviting me into his embrace. I leaned on him and helped in preparing food.

He held the waffle and I applied jam on it. Team effort.

Duke gave me the first bite before taking one himself.

Once we finished that waffle, we made another one and I poked with a fork a finger-sized sausage and gave it to Duke who bit half of it, leaving the other half for me.

Food in my mouth and Duke all around me, I was in Heaven. 

I snuggled into him and enjoyed the experience profusely. It was not snuggling in bed but snuggling on the sofa was very rewarding also and I realized that it's not about the location. It's about Duke. He enhances every experience.

The only thing that would make this better would be if Duke was still wearing only a towel instead of a t-shirt and sweatpants, but I guess one can't have it all.

Once my tummy was satisfied, I looked up at Duke and smiled foolishly. "I don't think life gets better than this."

Duke chuckled and ran his thumb over my upper lip, collecting the jam mess I made as I ate.

"I can think of a few ways to improve your experience."

His sly smile told me that he was talking about carnal pleasures, and I couldn't agree more.

Before he could retract his thumb I opened my mouth and sucked on his finger.

Duke's eyes widened, and I saw the moment when his gaze turned lusty. Ah, I got him again. It's not that it takes him much to be turned on.

I wondered if he was always like that or only with me and I didn't dare ask for clarification because I couldn't handle the truth.

After all the techniques he demonstrated last night, I would be an idiot to believe that I was his first. How many were there before me? Was he treating them like this, making them feel special… and then what?

"Hey, hey…" Duke's panicked call got my attention. "What happened, love?"

I could see the concern on his face, and I realized that my thoughts reflected in my expression.

"Nothing.", I lied. "I'm psyching myself over things I can't change and don't matter.", this part was the truth. It shouldn't matter how many women Duke embraced before me. What matters is that right now I'm his only one and in the future… we will see.

I thought that Duke will drop the topic, but I was wrong.

He cupped my cheeks and forced me to look at him. "It's not nothing if it gets you upset. Tell me. Only if I know, I can fix it."

"You can't fix the past."

"I can't fix it, but I can punish whoever made you feel bad."

"Even if that someone is you?"

Duke paused and looked at me seriously. "Even if that someone is me."

I shook my head at the silly man. "I'm just overthinking things. Can you drop it?"

Duke let out a slow breath. "Serina, I can't force you to open up to me, but I hope you know that I will do anything in my power to make you happy. If I ever make you feel sad or angry, I need you to tell me so that I don't do it again. My happiness is tied to yours and only if you are enjoying, I can do the same."

He looked at me intently and I realized that he was still waiting for me to tell him what bothered me in the first place, but I couldn't.

If he said that he never slept with a woman before me, I would call him a liar, and if he told me a number, I would be upset no matter if it's one or a hundred.

I felt rage bubbling inside me, and I saw red.

I wanted to know where he put his mouth, and who heard his sweet whispers.

I wanted to know women who moved his heart and gave him pleasure.

I wanted to get their names and addresses and… murder them slowly, painfully. Each cut would erase one memory that woman shared with Duke until nothing is left.

Only a world without Duke's ex-es will be a world I can live in peacefully.

I didn't want to share him. Not now, not in the past that lingers in his memories, and definitely not in the future. He was MINE!

Maybe I should erase his memories so that I'm the only one in there, and after I kill all his ex-es, I can erase my memories also, so that I'm not plagued by images of Duke with other women.

I remembered photos of Duke I received anonymously during my college days. I can start with those women.

The ringing of my phone pulled me from thoughts of carnage into a reality where Duke observed me with a puzzled expression.

I took a deep breath to compose myself and silently thanked my luck that Duke can't read thoughts because if he saw all the bloodbath where I killed half of London, he would probably freak out.

"I need to get that…", I wiggled out of his hold and went to answer the call.

It was Calista.

"Hey, hey… you had a busy night.", Calista said in a singing voice.

How does she know? I looked around the room while wondering if there are any cameras.

My face exploded in blush. Did Calista saw me and Duke last night, right here?!

"Why are you so quiet?", Calista asked. "Now that you are a celebrity, you don't want to talk to little me? Am I below you now?"

I paused. "A celebrity?"

Calista huffed. "Didn't you see the trending topics online? Your name is not specified, but anyone can figure out it's about you. I mean, the young heiress of the Notte Pharmaceuticals, it would be better to just put your name there instead of trying to appear secretive."

I relaxed. As long as no one saw what transpired on that bed last night, it's fine. However, I still had no idea what Calista was talking about. "Uhm… I didn't go online yet."

"What?", Calista snapped. "What do you mean by that? It's past noon! You always check…", Calista paused. "Wait a minute! Duke is with you, isn't he? Did you spend the night together? Again!? How was it? It must be good if you still didn't get the chance to see the results of your work. Did you finally go all the way? You said he is athletic, so he probably has a lot of stamina. Did he drain you so much that you overslept? Or did you go at it until now? Did I interrupt you? Oh! Let me talk to him."

I was flustered. Calista was talking quickly, jumping from one topic to another, getting naughtier with every next question, and she didn't give me a chance to say anything, but the last thing Calista said before the silence was how she wants to talk to Duke.

I glanced at the man who was sitting on the sofa and watching me with an amused smirk on his handsome face.

Why do I sometimes think that he can hear anything?

"Calista wants to talk to you.", I told Duke and he waved at me to come closer, indicating that he accepts.

I didn't want to allow Calista to talk to Duke unsupervised. Over the years, she squeezed out of me too many details related to Duke.

I sat next to Duke and put it on the speaker.

"He is listening.", I told Calista, unsure if this was a good idea.

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