~Darius's POV~
Abigail reminds me of a cat. She's graceful, unpredictable, and annoyingly aware of her own presence. I've never been a fan of cats, but here I am, watching her as she talks and laughs with my mother like they've known each other for years.
They're chatting about hobbies and music, and even though it's been barely fifteen minutes, my mother is already doting on her like she's found her new favorite person.
It's actually… nice.
Mum's been pestering me to get married since I was twenty-three, and now her dream has finally come true. If only she knew the reality behind this farce.
Abigail suddenly glances at me, those hazel eyes narrowing for just a second before she looks away, brushing a strand of dark hair behind her ear as she smiles sweetly at Mum.
"So, you two have been in all day," my mum begins, her sharp green eyes darting between Abigail and me with that familiar knowing glint. And of course. Here it comes.
"Did I interrupt you two making me grandbabies?"
Of course. My mother has never believed in filters.
"Mum," I groan, dragging a hand down my face before glancing at Abigail. She looks completely stunned, eyes wide, and honestly, I can't blame her.
This marriage, our marriage is nothing more than a transaction. Her father sold her to me, and now she's doing everything she can to make my life miserable for it. She expects nothing from this arrangement except a clean, mutual divorce.
Too bad for her, I'm not giving her one.
I chose her, and I'm going to make this marriage work for my family's sake, for appearances, for control. That contract she signed wasn't just ink on paper; it was a promise carved in stone.
Till death do us part.
And unless one of us dies, she's mine.
"Oh, I did, didn't I? You two are so embarrassed," Mum laughs, clearly enjoying this far too much.
Abigail gives her a polite smile, ever the actress. "No, no, Sofia," she says softly, and I almost roll my eyes.
"Oh, don't worry. I'm leaving now." Mum rises to her feet, and both Abigail and I stand as well. We follow her toward the door, but she suddenly stops and turns back to me like something just crossed her mind.
"Darius, your uncles are asking to meet you and Abigail," she says with a frown. "And while I understand it's a family thing, I don't like where this is going."
I sigh, already knowing what she means. The sub-families never make things simple. I glance at Abigail, who's watching me curiously completely unaware of just how deep this mess runs.
"They'll have to wait," I say finally. "Abigail and I are leaving for our honeymoon tonight. We need our quiet time."
I slide an arm around Abigail's waist, pulling her gently toward me. Her expression is priceless. Wide-eyed, lips parted in shock, like she can't believe what I just said. The deep red of her dress makes her look even more striking under the chandelier light, though she'll never hear me admit that.
Mum gasps. "Oh my, I actually forgot! With all the wedding fuss, it slipped my mind." She clasps her hands together, beaming. "I wish you both the best! You're so quick to start working on my grandbabies."
Then she winks at me mischievously. "Where are you two heading off to?"
"Rassais Bay, back in Greece," I tell Mum smoothly. "With the coast and the villa all to ourselves, you'll have your grandbabies soon."
I flash her a grin right as Abigail pinches my ass through my slacks. My body stiffens instantly at the unexpected contact.
"Oh wow! Perfect!" Mum beams, oblivious.
"Indeed it is, Sofia," Abigail says sweetly, her smile bright and innocent while her fingers dig in again.
My jaw tightens, and my hand clamps around her waist in warning.
"No need for an escort! Go have fun, kids," Mum says cheerfully before heading out of the room.
The door barely clicks shut before I spin Abigail around, pinning her against the nearest wall. The breath leaves her in a sharp gasp, her glare snapping up to meet mine.
"A honeymoon?" she hisses, her voice dripping with disbelief. "Are you fucking serious? I have a job."
"Well, you just got married," I tell her, my tone calm but edged. "And you're not working at that firm anymore. You're a Rassais now. You'll handle all the legal affairs for the companies and take over the firm itself."
I step closer, my hand catching her wrist before she can move away. "But first, we're going on our honeymoon."
I pull her toward me and press her back against the wall again. She gasps, her eyes flashing with rage.
"You better have fun, Wildcat," I murmur, leaning in just enough for her to feel my breath, "because I will."
"Do you want another allergy attack?" she hisses furiously.
I smirk, leaning my face away from hers. "That's old news. Try a new trick, will you?"
She snorts, shoving both hands against my chest. "Let go of me!"
I push her right back, the impact soft but firm enough to remind her who's stronger. "You know what? You almost killed me today and the only reason you're still breathing is because you're useful. So from now on, I want nothing but respect coming out of that pretty mouth."
She glares up at me, unflinching, then flips me off. "Fuck. You."
A breathy chuckle escapes my throat because, honestly, at this point I could use two bottles of vodka.
"Are you deaf?" I slap her hand away from my face.
She flips me off again, drawing out the words like she's savoring them just to get under my skin.
"Fuck. You."
How respectful.