The Husband Beside Me (The Devil Trilogy Book 2) (8 page)

“Look, I have to go to work, but I’ll be home just like we discussed,” Daimon said.

“Whatever,” I said over my shoulder as I finally made it to the bathroom.

“Addie, I’ll make it up to you,” he said softly in his low voice, making my heartstrings wince.

“Don’t bother,” I said grimly and slammed the bathroom door.

***

I spent the day looking over my clothes that were now in Daimon’s closet. He had his personal assistant buy me every piece of article of clothing I would ever need. Fucking ridiculous, but then again, so was this stupid farce of a marriage. Once I found some yoga pants and a t-shirt, I dressed and lounged around. I still hadn’t really eaten, unless you call having half a banana food. My stomach was too upset for me to bother with anything. I called my father to see how he was doing. He told me Sofia had already headed back to school.

“Why aren’t you on your honeymoon?” my father asked.

“Well, Daimon is working on an important deal right now, but once it’s done, we’ll be flying down to wherever he takes me.” I realized I was becoming good at lying to my father.

“Okay then, I’ll let you go. The game is on,” my father said, referring to his football.

“Okay, Dad,” I hung up and curled up on the couch.

Drako was at my feet nudging his head at me. “I better figure out what to do with myself, ‘cause staying here is going to render me certifiably insane,” I said to Drako, as I picked him up and petted him.

“You seem comfortable,” Daimon’s voice startled me.

“Yeah, sorry,” I said under my breath.

“Why are you sorry?” he asked.

“I didn’t do anything today,” I admitted, not bothering to look at him. Something broke inside me yesterday and I was left feeling even more like a shell of a person than I already was.

“Well I’m glad, you didn’t do a thing. You already bankrupted your restaurant. I don’t need you to fuck up anything else,” he chuckled.

“You’re right, I guess,” I said quietly.

“O…kay… did you eat?” he asked.

“Yeah, I ate,” I said as I rose up from the couch and headed upstairs.

“Where the hell are you going?” he demanded.

“I’m tired,” I said, genuinely exhausted.

“What? Becoming my wife and selling yourself is too tiring?” he jabbed.

“I guess,” I said as I shrugged. I was tired of playing by Daimon’s rules of engagement. He was exhausting me.

I made it up to the bedroom and lay down on the bed. I was happy when I finally fell asleep. It wasn’t a peaceful one, but nonetheless, I still slept, until a sound woke me.

Daimon must have had his stereo on. It was a beautifully sorrowful sound of a violin playing. I made it to the top of the stairs where the sound was louder. The music was heartbreaking and I could feel tears coming. After the demands and drama of the last few days, my emotions were close to the surface. Slowly, I made my way down the stairs to ask him who it was, when I saw Daimon by the window staring out of it. He was playing the violin to a concerto, and was absolutely amazing. His sound was dark and edgy. It was raw. I let out a breath as I watched him play. At first, his violin played softly in a melancholy tone with low notes, but then he played quicker and the notes became more anguished and torn. I couldn’t help but cry. His notes became higher as he played more passionately. I stood transfixed as I watched a Daimon I didn’t know. He stopped at certain points and began playing again. He kept playing in the most obsessive way. I was lost again in the world of Daimon.

The song ended and Daimon put down his violin. I moved to the side, not wanting him to see me. Daimon then sat quietly on his black leather couch and stared out the window, Drako at his side. I watched for a few moments more, torturing myself. What was really going on with me? I hardly even knew. I headed back upstairs quietly, making sure I wasn’t heard. Lying back down, I eventually fell back asleep.

I awoke, knowing full well Daimon was sleeping beside me. Drako was at our feet, snoring softly. Rising and heading to the washroom, I stopped short as I watched Daimon sleep. His bare chest was exposed as his arm rested behind his head. I looked on, my eyes willingly giving in as my mind yelled at me to stop. Pulling myself away, I turned and left the room.

Once washed and dressed, I headed downstairs to see if I could finally eat something, but the moment I opened the refrigerator, I lost my appetite.

“Going to make your hubby a nice breakfast?” Daimon said as he came down the stairs with Drako at his feet. Leave it to him to come down in mid-November without a shirt on. He yawned and stretched, his long hair tousled.

“Not really. I figure you can cook yourself.” I walked out of the kitchen the moment he stepped into it.

“You’re really taking this to a whole new level,” Daimon said from behind me.

“What are you talking about?” I asked him.

“I’m talking about this whole Daimon’s-an-asshole treatment. I said I was sorry. I said I wouldn’t sleep with anyone. What more do you want?” He stood with his arms crossed at the edge of his island.

“I don’t want anything. I don’t want you to do anything. You do what you want. Don’t even think of me. You and I just coexist in this space. That’s it, that’s all,” I said angrily. We both stood in silence. I finally turned to find Daimon peering down at me. His lean muscles moving as he breathed. I watched him for a moment longer, and then turned to leave, but Daimon caught me, pulling me toward his hard body.

“Can you stop touching me like you have some right to? I’m getting tired of your constant tugging at me, whether physically or emotionally. Just stop,” I said, my voice hard, drawing my boundary lines, which he seemed to not care that he constantly crossed.

“When is the last time you ate?” he asked as he looked down into my eyes.

“Daimon, I just told to stop touching me. So where do you get off asking me about my eating habits? Look, I ate, okay!” I yanked back my arm and left.

“This is getting old, Addie, real old,” he shouted from downstairs.

“If you wanted entertainment, Daimon, you should have paid extra. Remember, if you want, we can revise the contract!” I shouted back.
Prick.

***

“I want to go see my dad today,” I said once Daimon reemerged from the bathroom all dressed up, ready to make money.

“Can’t.”

“What? Why?”

“Because it’s Tuesday. It’s Addie’s day. Remember our contract? It stipulates you have to spend one day a week with me. You chose Tuesday,” he grinned.

“Yes, but that was before when I thought you were a man of your word. I don’t need to keep up your ridiculous stipulations,” I said as I walked to the closet.

“We agreed.” He grew angry, his words laced with bitterness. Daimon stood with his arms crossed as he leaned against the wall in front of the closet door.

“Article 2, section 12,” I said, waiting for his response.

“She was here for work and I already fired her. You will get to walk Drako all you want. I already told you I was fucking sorry,” he bit out. I walked out dressed and ready to see my father. Daimon moved off the wall and placed his hand across, blocking my path.

“I asked for one day, Addie, one fucking day,” he gritted out as he glared at me with his icy-blue eyes.

“Why do you always get what you want and I get nothing?” I asked annoyed at him.

“You could if you gave in. Stop fighting it and just give in to me already,” Daimon said deviously, grinning.

“In your dreams,” I snarled.

“I’m going to work, but it’s only a half day, since it’s my first Addie day. When I’m done, be ready. What you’re wearing now is fine.” He looked up and down at my pair of skinny jeans and an oversized knit sweater.

***

Phil opened the door for me, letting me out to meet Lucifer. He was in a black town car waiting for me. The driver was outside, and the moment he saw me, he opened the door to the car.

“Thank you,” I smiled.

“You know you don't have to thank everyone who helps you. I do pay them for this,” Daimon said the moment I entered the car.

“Whatever, Daimon. Can we just get this day over with?” I sighed.

“Sure,” he laughed. “I see you’re wearing the new jacket I bought you.” Daimon had bought me a Canada Goose jacket. He had it delivered and Lenny brought it up for me.

“Yeah, it’s nice,” I said as I looked down at it.

“You came back completely frozen last time. I want to make sure you’re warm,” Daimon noted.

“If you’re expecting a thank you, don’t,” I muttered.

“You? Say thank you to me. I never in a million years expect that,” he said bluntly.

“Where are we going?” I asked, looking out the window, then back at him.

“You’ll see,” he said, smiling at me.

The mere look of his smile, the way the color of his eyes shined, brought out a discomforting pang in my chest. How could he so easily forget what he had done? But then again, Daimon was mine only on paper. This wasn’t real. He wasn’t real. I looked away, staring out the window onto the busy streets of Manhattan.

The car finally stopped and Daimon stepped out. We were at Central Park. A heavy snowfall had fallen in the morning, blanketing the trees and the park benches.

“Come on, Addie.” Daimon held out his hand for me to take. I looked at his extended hand and then at him. A gentle dusting of snow was falling as people were passing us entering the park.

“Really? You think that I’m going to walk with you, hand in hand, in Central Park? What did you do? Look this up on the Internet and it told you to take your jilted wife here to make her feel better? Please, Daimon,” I dismissed him, placing my hands into my jacket and began walking on the path leading into the park.

“Wait!” Daimon called after me a few moments later. Daimon caught up to me holding two large designer paper cups.

“What the hell is this?” I asked as he handed it to me.

“Hot chocolate. The best in the city,” he winked. I drank it slowly, enjoying the divine taste of the velvety rich chocolate. “I’m glad you like it,” Daimon said as he took a sip from his. “To be honest, you look like you haven’t eaten in days. I was trying to figure out a way to stuff food down your throat,” he stated.

“I am eating,” I refuted.

“Bullshit!” He stopped walking and glared at me. “I’ve watched you and seen the food in the fridge; you haven’t eaten a fucking thing,” he snapped. “I honestly don’t know what your problem is, but get over yourself, because this isn’t the Addie I paid for. I paid for the Addie, who is a fighter and a survivor, not you who lounges around moping that I was trying to get a blow job. The Addie I know would have ripped me a new one and handed it on a plate for me to eat,” he barked.

“It’s your fucking fault I’m like this, so fuck off already. I’ll get over it and move on. To someone much better, I assure you,” I hissed and began walking away. I heard Daimon chuckling from behind me. He was so infuriating. It was impossible for me to go one day without having a fight with him.

The tall trees that lined the walkway were barren and black; their branches stretched out, curled and curved as they spread wide. The gentle snowfall was covering them with a fresh canvas of untouched snow. I was too taken in by all that was around me to notice Daimon was next to me watching me.

“What is it now?” I asked, exasperated.

“Nothing. Just like watching you,” he shrugged.

“Why? I’m not that good to look at.”

“You’re okay. Not Miss Universe, but still, you’re easy on the eyes,” he winked.

“Screw off, Daimon,” I said, narrowing my eyes.

“You keep saying that, but you don’t mean it,” he said with a devilish grin, but before I could retort, he took my free hand and pulled me to a food cart.

“I told you to stop doing that,” I hissed, but was obviously ignored.

“Two organic chicken sausages on a whole wheat bun with mustard,” Daimon ordered from the lady at the organic food cart. She quickly went at it and handed over the food. Daimon took them and gave them to me. “Here take.”

“Hold on a minute.” I put down my hot chocolate and held onto the food. He reached into his pocket, took out twenty dollars and told her to keep the change.

“I didn’t realize you were hungry. Why didn’t we go eat then?” I asked handing him the food.

“One is for me, the other is for you.” He took one and began eating it.

“Let me get this straight. You brought me to Central Park to get an organic, may I add, sausage, instead of going out to eat real food?” I watched him carefully as he kept eating. He finished his bite and smiled.

“What? You married a billionaire and now you want to go to the fancy places. My, my, Addie, we have grown.”

“That’s not what I meant by it,” I nearly shouted.

“Look, it’s your fault I’m poor now. I literally paid an arm and a leg for you. You think you were cheap? Trust me, you weren’t.” He then bit into the rest of his sausage.

I felt the warm food in my hand and my appetite seemed to come back. I licked my lips anticipating the first bite of real food in days. Once I bit into it, my stomach cried out for more. I ate it within seconds.