CHAPTER EIGHT

Darius was frozen in place, too deep in his own thoughts to see that Selene had opened the door. At least, she was smart enough to not open it fully and expose her naked body. "Hi, who are you?" Selene asked, acting like she didn't know who Astrid was.

"Have you seen Darius around? I need to speak with him." Astrid said, playing calm. A little too calm for someone who found another woman in her fiancé's room.

What could she do, really? Her stomach still had a mild ache. Besides, why would she want to start a random fight over a man?

"I think he went out." Selene lied smoothly. There was silence as the two women stared at each other for a long time. "I'm sorry, do I... know you?" Selene frowned, exerting a form of dominance to intimidate Astrid.

"I don't think we've met. Do you work here?" Astrid asked, having every idea how insulted it would make Selene feel. She was no idiot to know that Selene was having an intimate relationship with Darius.

"Work here? How dare you?! You think you're all that? Well, Darius belongs to—"

Darius pulled Selene into the room and shut the door, silently praying that Astrid had not seen him. "Are you leaving?" Selene asked him, noticing he was fully dressed.

"Get dressed and leave." He ordered her. She did just that and sighed in exasperation. "What the fuck is she doing here? Did she really have to ruin it?" She mumbled, walking out of the room.

"If you see Darius, please tell him I need to speak to him. I'm Astrid, and you?" Astrid introduced.

"Selene, Darius's first love." She smiled proudly as she said it.

Darius shook his head from the room as he heard her. "Jesus Christ." He murmured.

"Oh... I'm his fiancée. I guess being the first doesn't always mean you'll be the last."

Selene gasped, while Darius tried to control his emotions which were between shock and pride. "I'm sorry, what did you just say to me?" Selene asked, narrowing her eyes into slits at Astrid.

"Nothing much. Just that Darius and I are engaged, and it'll be less embarrassing for you to come here uninvited, wearing barely anything in an attempt to claim him." Astrid stared at her from her head to her toes. Anybody a mile away from them could tell that it was not a friendly stare.

Attempting to slap Astrid, Selene raised her hand. Before her hand could touch Astrid's face, Astrid grabbed her hand and squeezed it, eliciting a scream to erupt from Selene. "Did you just try to slap me?" Astrid questioned with a glare.

"Let go of my hand, you whore!" Selene screamed.

"Whore?" Astrid raised an eyebrow, letting go of Selene's hand. "Leave." She ordered. Selene sashayed out of her sight.

"I know you're in there, Darius. Come on out." Astrid crossed her arms. The door opened and Darius got out and locked it.

"How's your stomach?" He asked, smiling as he twisted the glass of alcohol in his hand.

"Better. Did you enjoy yourself?" She asked.

"What's it to you?" He frowned and tried to walk away, but she trailed behind him.

"Oh. What's going to happen when word gets out that you're sleeping with someone else in the same house that I'm in?" She asked as he reached the stairs.

"I wasn't sleeping with her." He denied with a roll of his eyes.

"Oh! No, you weren't. If you want to do something like that, do it when I'm not around." She told him.

"How did you even know?" He asked her.

"I heard her screams, Darius. Maybe you should make the walls soundproof. Thelma and Mary heard them, too. Now they know that you're not over your love for sex with different women, even while I'm here with you." She scolded him sternly.

"What are you talking about? Nobody's going to say anything. It all depends on you. If word gets out, you'll have to be the only person who might have said something. Anything else before I go back to bed?" He asked, getting ready to go back into his room and slam the door shut.

"Why do you do it? And with different women?" She asked.

"How's that information going to help you?" He asked.

"Is it an addiction? I can help. I could hook you up with a therapist." She offered with a smile.

"You think it's an addiction? I do whatever I want. And by the way, I didn't sleep with her. Not tonight, at least." With that, he walked back to his room and slammed the door, hard.

"Sooner or later, he'll have to open up." She thought out and returned to her room, where Mary and Thelma stood.

"Are you okay, ma'am?" Mary asked worriedly.

"Is he always like this? Bringing women here at night to scream while he hurts them, all in the name of pleasure?" She asked, pacing restlessly around the room.

"We're really sorry for the inconvenience, ma'am." Thelma apologized.

"Do you know why he does it?" Astrid asked, looking at them.

"He doesn't tell us anything." Mary shook her head.

"Please, come sit. We'll give you a massage." Thelma urged her.

She sat and let them rub some ointment on her body, while also relieving some of her stress. "Allow me to say, ma'am," Thelma started, "sir really respects you."

"You think so?" Astrid asked with disbelief.

"Yes. Well, not entirely. He brings women in here, which is quite disrespectful, but he doesn't let you do things with him against your wish." She said.

"Although that's true, he should also not bring women into the house. They're engaged, and that's bad." Mary said something from her own point of view.

"That's true," Thelma's face fell. "Has he told you that he loves you yet?"

Astrid didn't know how to answer to Thelma's question. "Why do you ask?" She asked.

"I was just curious. He does admire you, that's clear to see." Thelma said.

"It is?" Astrid scrunched her brows, confused. Even she didn't know that, if it were true.

"It is, ma'am. My husband used to look at me that way, even before he proposed. Mr Titan is just adjusting at his own pace. Everyone has their pace. He might not entirely love you right now, but it'll be alright." Mary assured.

Astrid looked at the woman and smiled at her. "You have a daughter?" She asked.

"I have three daughters. Two of them live with my sister for now. The first is married." Mary answered.

"They're lucky to have you." She hugged Mary, letting the shocked woman hug her back.

The door opened and Darius's head popped in. "Oh. I didn't know you two were in here. Are you busy?" His face held a hint of discomfort.

"Not at all, sir. We were just finishing with her massage. Let's go, Thelma." Mary said, walking out of the room with Thelma.

"Astrid, are you angry at me?" Darius asked, standing there like a child who was caught stealing biscuits.

"Are you ready to tell me about yourself? My parents will be here by tomorrow. And just so you know, my mother isn't a fan. You can't do this while they're both here." She stood up.

"I know, I know. I won't be bringing anyone here as long as your parents are here." He gave her his word.

"So, what's it about—the pain and the pleasure? How long have you been into it?" She narrowed her eyes at him in curiosity.

"I'm not ready to share it." He approached her.

"I won't force you. Good night." She smiled slightly.

"Good night, Astrid." He bent over and gave her a slight peck on the cheek. He then turned to walk away.

Astrid had no idea when her sense of self-control stopped working. She grabbed him by his shirt and smashed her lips against his.