Lavender

/-Riley-/

I lean against Dean, staring at the ocean. We've spent days playing, fighting and making love. I've never felt this happy in my life.

“Dean, don't you miss your family?” I asked him.

“What family?” He asks.

“I mean your siblings, mom, all of them. Do you ever visit home?” I ask.

“No. I don't plan to either,” He says simply.

“Why? Don't you miss them? Even a little?”.

“I do miss them, but I would rather not get involved in my dad's criminal world”.

—"But he's dead. No one can force you to do what you don't want. I'm sure your mom misses you most. You're supposed to be there to comfort her. And your siblings need their older brother” I tell him.

“My mom has her husband to comfort her. She misses me more than anyone else, for sure, but I can't just go back because of that.”

“She remarried?”. He chuckles.

“Course not. Omar isn't dead”.

“He's not? But there was a funeral, he couldn't have faked that too”.

“I guess you don't know who Omar is. He faked his death, so he could cause more havoc without being traced.”

“He's really something. I guess your mom doesn't need to worry much but your siblings, especially the one you said wouldn't sleep in a room like mine, doesn't she miss you?” I ask.

“That's Lavender. A five-year-old who behaves like a witch sometimes. She doesn't even need me to come home. She just gets a family jet and barges in on me. She's one he'll of a drama queen, and you don't dare scold her, else she disappears in the next available flight. She's in school now but trust me, she'll visit the moment she gets bored with her teachers” He says, and I chuckle.
I like her already.

“And your older siblings?” I ask and he sighs.

“It's a little complicated. It's one of the reasons I left home. I'm older than my brother, Roman by a few months, but I'm an illegitimate son. A product of one of Omar's affairs. My mom died at childbirth, so He took me in. His wife was the sweetest person I grew to know. She loved me so much more than her son. I guess Omar did too. Roman didn't seem to mind though until I was named heir. He was mad. Raged. Upset. I couldn't handle it, so I asked that everything be given to him, but Omar can be very stubborn, so I left. I hoped that my departure would make him change his mind, but I was dead wrong. My sister, Barbara, loathes me so much, and I think it's cause of it. It hurts each I remember she wouldn't have anything to do with me” He explains.

That's sad. I shouldn't have asked him about it. I decide to change the topic when I notice the ring on his finger. It's always been there since I knew him, and I don't know why.
He wears a necklace too with a similar ring on it. I've never seen him take it off for any reason. So, I decided to ask him about it.

“That's a beautiful ring” I say, and I feel him stiffen. I shot away to stare at him.

“Why'd you wear it all the time? And that necklace too, what's so special about it that you never take it off?” I ask.

“Come on, wifey. It's just a ring. It doesn't mean anything. It's not important" He says, but I don't believe him.

“Are you hiding anything from me? Why is it so important you keep it on?” I ask suspiciously.

“Come on, Barbie. Don't turn this into a fight. It's really nothing, I swear” He insists, but I still feel there's something he's not telling. I frown and look away.

“Are you mad at me?” He pouts, but I ignore him. He pulls me into a hug.

“Okay, sorry. Smile at least” He pleads.

“I just want an explanation, not an apology. If you don't give me answers, then I'll simply stay angry at you” I say as-a-matter-of-factly.

“Even if I kiss the anger away?” He asks, staring in my face. I look away. He's not gonna sweet-tongue his way out of this.

“Even if you kiss my breath away” I retort and the next minute, I'm underneath him. My heart fluttered as he stakes into my eyes.

“We'll see about that, won't we?” He smirks. Just before his lips meet mine, I shield my lips with my hands. He smiles and plants a deep kiss on it.

“This reminds me of the first time I tried to kiss you. I made your heart beat so hard that you got scared you would faint if our lips locked.” He grins and my jaw drops.

“You're so full of yourself” I huff. “My heart didn't beat that hard”.

“Why're you so defensive, huh? Did your heart just flutter again?” He asks and my cheeks heat. I turn him over and clasp my hand on his mouth. He takes it off and pulls me to himself.

“How about that kiss?” He asks.

“Your overconfidence will be your ruin. Don't think I can't crush that little heart of yours when I get tired of you” I snap and he chuckles.

“Thank goodness I didn't leave my heart in your hands then”.
A tight frown crosses my lips. What is that supposed to mean? He doesn't love me?

“I simply merged it with yours, so if you really want to crush it, you'll have to stuff your hand in your chest and pull it out. Then you can powder it if you wish. I won't mind since we're both going down. But I trust you, Candy. I know you can't break our hearts” He says, and I'm pretty sure my face's all red.
I think he stole the entire book of romance and forced it down his throat. I meet his eyes and look away.

“I like it when you do that. You're beautiful, Riley, especially when you're shy. I like that puzzled look on your face each time I evade your question. I like that you're nervous around me. Yet, all that didn't stop you from crowning my heart. You complete me.....” I place a hand on his lips.

“Just stop talking” I blurt. He takes off my hand again and makes me rest on his chest.

“Then let my heart do the talking” He whispers before kissing my hair. I shut my eyes and listened to his heartbeat. I think my face will soon, but from smiling too much.
*
*
*
We stare guiltily at the floor as they scold us. Yes, we just returned and this is the welcome we get. We didn't expect anything different, though. We disappeared without even leaving a note.

“What were you both thinking? How could you leave like that?” Renzo yells.

“One minute, Riley's at the verge of losing her mind and Dean, still in coma, and the next, they vanish into thin air leaving us to die of hypertension” Liam joins.

“If you were planning to play Peter pan, you should have at least let the doctor discharge you properly. You don't just wake up from a coma and vanish then reappear to take your bride with you” Delilah scolds.

“I'm deeply sorry, guys. I'm sorry I left without a notice and took Riley with me. Forgive me, already. I don't like being scolded like a three-year-old" Dean apologizes.

“I'm sorry too” I mutter. No one says anything. They just walk away from us. Great, now everyone's mad. I go after Liam while Dean tries talking to Lilac and Renzo. They finally forgive us, but not wholeheartedly. I guess we'll still have to make it up to them.

Later at night, Dean whines about being hungry.

“I'm hungry as well, but I don't want to cook for you” I say and he pouts.

“But I was just kidding back then. You can't keep a grudge that long. Besides, I cooked made breakfast for two, I just didn't serve you, but you know I planned to. Come on, Barbie” He whines.

“Fine, I'll do it. But only because I'm hungry too. Hold on…what about the maids? I didn't see anyone when I came in” I asked.

“It's a long story. I sent them away. Go already, will you?” He groans, pushing me out of the room. As we get to the stairs, I see an unfamiliar face. She's very young, about six or seven. She scoffs on seeing us.

“Lavender? What the hell are you doing here?” He asks and she rolls her eyes.

“Like I need your permission to come over. I see you brought another slut home” She sneers and my jaw drops.

“Watch your tongue, young lady. You won't talk to her like that” Dean snaps.

“Spare me the drama. If She feels insulted, she can as well drink poison and die” She retorts. Is she this bratty? Does she even respect Dean?

“Apologises, right now” He orders and she crackles.

“How about you come force it out? I don't have time for this anyway, I'm taking your Ferrari” She says.

“No, you won't. You're not leaving this house”.

“I need to get something to eat, since she's obviously only good in bed. Like I said, the Ferrari goes with me” She says, heading to the door.

“Don't you dare” Dean warns and she stops. She stares at him defiantly.

“Watch me!”.
I've had enough of this nonsense, She obviously has no respect for him. I have to put her in her place. No matter how tough she thinks she is, she's still a little girl.

“Let the brat go, Dean. She can as well eat from the gutters if she wants” I say, and she freezes at the door. Even Dean stares at me in shock.

“What did you just say?” She growls, facing me.

“Exactly what you heard. I wonder how Dean puts up with you anyway. He should have grown tired of you by now. If you're as powerful as you think, why do you still bug him with your annoying presence? Get yourself a tower and crawl up to the roof, so you can scream orders to people below you. For now, you're just a big joke” I shrug and her eyes widen.

“How dare you say that to me? Do you know who I am? How dare you say things like to me in my brother's house?” She growls.

“Oh, I know who you are. You're my Dean's little sister but trust me, he won't do or say a thing to defend you because you disrespected him. You know, my neighbor once had a daughter who was just like you. She stabbed her brother with a knife because he got on her nerves. Want to know where she is now? In a little dark cage with tiny little bars, locked away in a little dark room where she screams all day for her brother. But he can't rescue her, because he's dead. Why do I feel she might soon be having a roommate? Or rather, cage mate?” I smirk, and her eyes glisten with tears.

“You're mean, I hate you” She sobs, running up the stairs.

“Why would you say that to her?” Dean asks angrily.

“Don't even think about it. You won't like how it'd end” I warn him before descending the stairs. I prepare beef casserole and serve him in the dining. I dish out some for her and search for her room.

I walk in to find her on the bed. She glares at me.

“I didn't say you could come in, and I didn't ask for your food” She says. I roll my eyes and sit.

“You said it's for you? I'm here to entertain myself with your tears while I eat” I shrug. She scoffs and looks away. I eat slowly and moan repeatedly. I feel her eyes on me, but I don't even look her way. After a few minutes, she walks over to me and picks the second spoon. I snatch it from her.

“If you want something, you say please” I state.

“Why do I have to beg for anything in my brother's house?” She huffs.

“You're right. It's your brother's house but the food's mine. If you can't say please, you can as well starve”.

She hesitates for several minutes before giving in.

“Please, can I have some?”. Even if it's not sincere, I adjust for her to sit and watch her eat.

“So how's it?” I ask.

“It's not as horrible as it looks” She shrugs and I chuckle.