Chapter 20

Minerva thought that Darwin was simply craving for it.

            But as soon as she saw the smoke in his eyes, the boiling rage on his ragged-looking face, she knew something was wrong with him. And it has to do with her.

            He licked his lips with his tongue. Minerva just waited for him to gather the courage to ask her what he badly needed to ask.

            “Is my father courting you?”

            Minerva leaned closer to him with widened eyes. She thought she heard the wrong query when she looked at his hands, clenched hard on his either sides—as if he was ready to punch her.

            She fathomed how angry he was now. Minerva thought that this was just some of a simple quarrel and little misunderstanding.

            But it wasn’t.

            “I’m sorry, what?!” She crossed her arms, arching her brows and moved her body a little further away from him and nearer to the cream-wallpapered wall.

            Darwin breathed deep first and briefly tore away his eyes from her. “Does my father fancy? Do you fancy him?”

            Realizing, she gave him a breathy laugh. But he gave her a stark, long and piercing gaze.

            “Are you nuts?” She exhaled and shook the dust from her dress—a subtle excuse to avert her sight from him.

            “Define fancy,” a sheer and firm command from her own tongue.

            It was Darwin’s turn to cross his arms, exhale, and stomp his right foot as if he was crushing something beneath the soles of his shoes. “Do you like him?”

            “Ye—”

            “In a romantic way?”

            If only Minerva’s brows could speak, it had long complained of being hoisted and lowered, raised up and down several times.

            “Darwin, have you even heard of yourself?”

            “I know what I’m saying, Minerva.”

            She watched him reach for the nearest couch and sat, resting his legs on the table with a vase of red tulips in the center.

            “Answer my question,” he demanded.

            “I like your father…” Darwin’s eyes were like this hot, long sword that seemed to cut her in half. “Because he was the father I never had—the parent I used to know.”

            He clicked his tongue. “You’re not a good liar, Minerva.”

            “I’m not lying!!!”

            “There you go…” He waved a hand on her whole body, “You just proved you are. If you’re not, why would you be so strong and desperate to urge me that you are not lying to the point that you’ll yell at me.”

            “I’ve yelled at you a couple of times!”

            She can’t believe him. This was not her Darwin. One minute, he begged her for a make out. Now, he was interrogating him as if admiration to someone was another form of murder.

            “I only admire your father,” she stated with sheer confidence. “In fact, he was happy for us, babe.”        

            Darwin smiled, secretly. He turned to her, slowly walking towards her. His grin was now wider than Picasso’s painting that adorned the adjacent wall. “Stop lying, babe. I know that my dad is handsome and has a very strong sex appeal. But…” 

He closed the distance between them and lifted her chin, made her belly feel the bulge on his pants, “I am sexier, better than him. In fact, you’ve experienced it already, right?”

            Darwin kissed her cheeks, then her neck, then her temple, Finally, he brushed a kiss on her lips. “You are mine, Minerva. So don’t lie to me and tell me what my father told you, think about you.”

            She hoisted her hands to his chest, before she wrapped it around his masculine neck. “He told me I look like your mother, Deanna. That I was a splitting image of your mom and he became even happier because of that, and he fully supports our relationship and wholly accepts me as his future daughter-in-law.”

            “I told you to stop pretending,” rage shone in his eyes. 

            Before she could blink, a mighty slap landed on her beautiful face, sending her flat on the ground.

***

She yelled in pain and moaned in agony for her belly. 

Luckily, she landed on her back.

            Darwin panicked on the inside. But, his anger surpassed his desire to stop. He must squeeze the truth out of her no matter what.

            “I thought you loved me, Minerva,” he whispered, disappointment in his eyes.

            “I did, I do. I always will…” she breathed.

            Darwin reached out a hand to her and she accepted it. But, she didn’t see what was coming next.

            He grabbed her with such mighty force and Minerva landed on the couch as she tried to stand. Minerva gasped as Darwin took off his shirt and crawled on top of her.

            “Darwin, please. Stop it. Stop this.” Minerva begged, a tear slid down into the bridge of her nose. Darwin saw this and he flinched.

            “Ouch!” She cried in pain, she felt a kick in her belly and almost fell to the tiled floor when she moved to the side.

            “Look out, Minnie!” Darwin’s cry was now more visible than ever. Luckily, he managed to catch her in a heartbeat.

            The two hugged; two bodies became one without the bridge into the cave.

            Darwin began to weep, his face buried on her neck. “Promise me, Minerva…”

            She tilted her head to the side and placed a kiss on his cheek. “I will, Darwin. I will.”

            “Promise me that you will always love me, Minerva. Promise me that your heart will only beat for me. Promise me your lips will only meet mine. Promise me your body will only ride mine. Promise me—”

            Minerva chuckled and sat up. Darwin was still on her lap. “I will, Darwin. Perhaps you forgot, I’m your asset right? I was paid by Derrick to you. Hence, I belong to you. And to you only.”

            He, too, sat straight with a wide grin plastered on his glorious face. “If you broke your promise…”

            The smile on her face vanished like a cloud hiding from the heat of the sun. “I will eliminate anyone who comes between us, Minerva. Even if that person was a friend or a family.”

            “So I’m really an asset to you then…”

            She forced a delightful smile on her face as she wholly closed the distance between them. “Do whatever you want. I have a word of honor and a sense of loyalty. My body will only be yours to feast, my scent will only be yours to breathe, my kiss will only be yours to take. I promise.”

            Darwin stood, glancing at his shirt on the floor then to Minerva. “I think it’s time for you to know that I like your dress.”

            The pregnant woman arched her brows. “But?”

            “But I prefer them laid on the floor,” Darwin remarked with a masculine wink.