“Darden it isn’t a big deal like that. It was just breakfast.”
“We are going out to eat, topic closed. Either you pick or I pick makes little difference to me but I am not eating what you were preparing for another man.” Darden raised his voice more than he intended and he saw the anger in her eyes.
“Darden I am not a child. You shouldn’t be speaking to me that way. Who the hell are you to treat me like a child?” Willow was angry. This is why I didn’t want to date him. He always felt he knew what was best for me. Yes, his take charge attitude was okay for the old me that used to hang on his every word but not the person I am now. Didn’t he realize I have changed? Doesn’t he know I make my own decisions? “Darden, we don’t have to continue this. As I said last night I want you to leave. You don’t respect me. Fine you don’t want to eat what I was preparing that is fine. But did you ever think I could be preparing it for you? Yes it may have started out for Sean but morphed into something for you. But, now I really rather not have anything to do with you.”
“I am sorry you feel that way. But I want things for me from start to finish. And I didn’t mean to come off as condescending. It just angered me that you would be cooking for any man other than me.” Darden stood and looked at Willow for a long moment. “But contrary to what you think I won’t be leaving anytime soon. We were fine until your tantrum. If you want to be treated as an equal throwing a tantrum isn’t appropriate. We should try and work things out if we are in disagreement. You want to be treated like an adult act like one.” Darden offered his hand to her to help her out of the bed. Willow placed her hand in his and felt the electric current course through her.
“Your point is well taken, we are at an impasse. We will go out.” She was mad as hell. Yes, on some level Darden was right but moreover why was she so ready to bend to him when he never bends to her will. There was never a real compromise between them it was either his way or no way at all. “Darden, is there a way we could compromise? Could we go out now and let me make us a light snack a little later?”
Darden ran his hand down his face. Not sure how to respond. He wanted to be unreasonable and tell her he wanted the complete contents of her kitchen thrown out. But, he knew better. He was jealous. She had offered to cook for him but his male pride couldn’t help but wonder if it was part of the meal planning was for Sean. The little bastard pissed him off to no end. Just the thought of him being in this apartment made him mad. Again he wanted to be unreasonable and make her move in with him. His feelings were more out of protecting her than out of jealousy. He had spent three years paying for protection for her. Just for peace of mind, he would have Sean followed around the campus and have a little bit of a background check. Know thy enemy. He didn’t want Sean to turn out to be like his brother. That is another little bastard he could do without. One of the reason’s he kept his distance from Willow was to protect Willow from the agony of having to see Dade. But, if he could help it, she would never see him again.
Darden, finally, was able to have Dade pay for his crimes against women. The last straw for their father had been that Dade had gone after one of his father’s current indiscretions. She pressed charges immediately but, to avoid the media frenzy they agreed to a deal with the prosecutor’s office. He had been sent to Minnesota Correctional Facility - Oak Park Heights (MCF-OPH), it is a level five maximum security prison. Dade is serving 15 years in complete isolation from the other prisoners. Though, the prison has had only one homicide since its inception, he was sure if his brother was in the general population he would be the second homicide victim. Darden and his father had called in many personal favors to make sure his brother was going to do hard time and not skate due to their parent’s financial status. There wasn’t a day that went by that Darden didn’t think about that night that Willow had suffered through with Dade. Not to mention the other women who had come forward after Willow’s incident. Discovering the monster his brother had become was eye opening. He wasn’t fit mentally to see the light of day for a very long time.
Sean was over at Gallup Park sitting on a bench, stewing about how this day had gone so horribly wrong. He was angry as hell with himself, Darden and Willow. Admittedly, Darden had handled the situation extremely well, it was smooth too smooth almost as if he had planned it but how. Maybe it was just that the pieces had fallen into place. I most likely played right into his hands. But, then again so had Willow, she does whatever he says or asks of her. She doesn’t even question it. Had he really just come out of nowhere? Or, has he been in this area all the time? Maybe I should let this pass and move forward. Maybe it was a set-up between them to get me to leave her alone once and for all? Then why lie to me about wanting to start a relationship? Something isn’t right here. I don’t know what isn’t right but something is definitely wrong. Willow isn’t cunning, nor is she about hurting my feelings. But that bastard, Darden doesn’t give a shit about my feelings or if the truth be known doesn’t care about Willow’s feelings either he just wants what he wants. “I have got to go back over to her apartment to hear her out.” Sean walked to his car.
“I need to hop into the shower before we go.” Willow was gathering clean clothes.
Darden nodded. “Look, I want to apologize about the food thing. I just can’t handle knowing you were cooking for him and I don’t want anything to do with it.” Darden walked over to Willow and gently placed his hands at her waist. “I know it may not seem reasonable but I just can’t bring myself to do this. I am willing to clean up the kitchen, while you are showering.” Darden lowered his head very slowly it was agonizingly slow for both of them. The last thing Darden saw was Willow’s lips, quivering. On contact, Willow latched on with her own brand of hunger. Darden lifted her and headed towards the bathroom. His damn honor was getting in the way again. His manhood told him, he was walking in the wrong direction. He lowered her to her feet and broke the kiss. “Please go into the bathroom and lock the door.”
“Why?” Willow thought it was a strange request.
“Because, I am liable to join you in the shower if you leave the door unlocked. Neither of us is ready for that.”
“I understand.” Willow opened the door and slipped into the bathroom locking the door behind her.
Darden started the water for the dishes. He threw away the food that was on the countertop. And he began washing the utensils. He thought about the beautiful naked body just a few feet away. He longed to be in the shower with her. He could just imagine kneeling and placing one of her legs over his shoulder and allowing his tongue the pleasure of exploring her womanly folds. Her mouth has an exceptional sweetness. Her sweet nest between her legs must taste even sweeter. He couldn’t wait for her to explode into his mouth. That day will come soon enough, he hoped.
Darden heard the knock on the door. He opened it without looking through the peephole. Sean stood on the other side of the threshold. Sean took one look at Darden and ran headlong grabbing Darden and slamming him to the floor. Darden barely had time to react. He got his arms up to cover his head from the punishing blows. Darden got his legs up and in a twisting move was able to latch his ankles around Sean’s neck. Once latched on, Darden forced his legs downward. This gave Darden time to regroup a little. He squeezed his ankles together in a scissor like move and then without warning released his ankles for a few hard kicks to the head. Darden quickly stood up. He went to refrigerator and got out a bottle of water and poured the contents over Sean’s face.
Sean immediately rolled to get out of the way of the stream of the water and stood up.
“What the hell? Why did you comeback?”
“I want to talk to Willow. Now” Sean for the first time heard the shower going. He headed for the bathroom door but Darden proving to be too fast blocked his path to the door.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going? You aren’t going in there.”
“I said I want to talk to her. You are not going to stop me.”
Darden looked at him. He
thought about his brother. He ought to knock the hell out of this dumbass. Did Sean really think Darden was going to allow him to talk to Willow? Darden heard the door open behind him and Willow slipped out from behind him.
“Sean? What’s going on? Why is your lip cut? Did something happen?” Willow looked from Sean to Darden. Darden was a little bruised himself but nothing like Sean.
Darden was the first to speak, “Are you going to tell her about how you attacked me? How you took one look at me and tackled me to the ground?” Just thinking about how it started pissed Darden off. Darden wanted to beat his ass. Sean is definitely a loose cannon and can’t be trusted.
“Willow, I want to talk to you in private.”
“Uh, how about that’s not going to happen.” This bastard has some nerve, asking to talk to Willow privately. Darden wanted to beat his ass just for making the request.
“Right now, I don’t think that is wise. You aren’t at all calm. Frankly, you look like a mad man.” Willow edged closer to Darden but she wasn’t sure if doing that would incite Sean further.
“I am not leaving until I get some answers.”
“Then discuss what you have to say with Darden and me.”
Sean was seething and Willow’s eyes showed fear but Darden’s eyes showed nothing. “Willow, were you using me to get at Darden?”
“No, of course not, Darden had arrived unexpectedly; I actually left the door unlocked so you could come in without me having to stop chopping vegetables.”
“Why did you allow him to kiss you like that? Why didn’t you stop it?” Sean practically said the last sentence through gritted teeth.
Willow bit her lip, and took a deep breath. “Darden has been the only man I have ever kissed. I was 18 years old before I ever got my first kiss and that was provided to me by Darden. Darden will always be special. And yesterday when you said Darden takes liberties, you are right. He is the only man that I allow to hold my hand or touch me in any way. It has just always been that way. But, just know I have my reasons for that.”
“So basically, you never really wanted to explore a relationship with me.” Sean was screaming it through his teeth.
“That isn’t true either. I have been thinking about it for a while. It just was never the right time and I have a lot of personal issues to work through in regards, to allowing an intimate relationship with any man.”
“But you have no problem fucking him right? You have somehow made him the exception to the rule right?”
Darden immediately moved forward and grabbed Sean by his shirt. “She isn’t fucking me. It is none of your business what we do or don’t do. This conversation is over!”
“Darden please let him go!” Willow pleaded.
“I want your ass out of here now. I don’t know who you thinking you are speaking to but you are to never speak to Willow like that ever again. Do you understand?”
“Get your hands off me!”
Darden dragged Sean to the door and threw him out in to the hallway and slammed the door shut. Darden locked the door. Willows eyes were huge. She immediately sought the shelter of Darden’s arms. She knew she had garnered an enemy in the form of Sean McAllister.
Chapter 5
“At this point, I think we need to order in pizza or something.” Darden had his back against the door and Willow in his arms. Willow was shaking. Darden tighten his arms and lowered his cheek to the top of her head. “I am right here and I am not going leave you here by yourself. Maybe it is time to introduce you to the team who has been looking after you for the past three years.” Darden accessed his Palm Treo and his Windows Mobile 2003. He identified himself and asked that someone come to the apartment. In less than a minute, there was a knock on the door. One female, that seemed to be in many of her classes and 2 males who she was slow to recognize because they too had been in her classes entered her apartment. None of them had ever spoken to directly to her. Willow looked from Darden to the new entrants to her apartment. She couldn’t believe these people had been assigned to look after her. Willow couldn’t believe Darden had gone to all this trouble for her.
“Willow, I would like you to formerly meet Marissa Alexander, Logan Cameron and Gabriel Mason.” Willow shook hands with each one. Marissa was about her same height and body frame, she had hazel eyes and a short brunette pixie cut. Logan Cameron had the body of an Olympic diver, he was approximately 6 feet tall with alert eyes and wide muscular shoulders. Gabriel Mason appeared to be more Hispanic in origin, than his name indicated. He had dark piercing eyes, a solid build, with a cleft in his chin. Each person had taken a variety of classes with her but she seemingly hadn’t notice them other places that she went.
“Darden are there more people on your team than just the three of them?”
“Darden’s mouth quirked, “Why do you ask?”
“I just want to know.”
“Yes there are more but they are used on a case by case basis for whatever the need is.”
“So that is how you know so many finer details about my life.”
“In part, there is more too it but, I rather not release all my secrets. These three are the main ones you will see. One of them goes where ever you do. Because of our little altercation with Sean McAllister it is important that you make sure they know your schedule for the next two weeks and any changes that need to be made. Also I would like you to spend your nights with me. One of them will bring you back to the campus for classes. I think for your safety at night it is the best idea and until we know for sure what Sean will do next.”
“Willow, why don’t you get started packing up enough clothes for eight days. Anything that you have forgotten, I will gladly buy, so don’t stress about it. I will be more than happy to take care of your needs. My place is a 3 bedroom 2.5 bath condo off Nixon and Green Rd. So there will be plenty of space for the two us. I converted the smallest bedroom into an office. So there will be a space for you to study.”
“It sounds very permanent. It is almost as if, you plan to stay in this area for a while.”
Darden looked at his security force and told them, “You may go about whatever you were doing at this point.” The trio left and Darden regarded Willow silently for a few moments. “I have a job that will give me the flexibility to be wherever you need me as well as a trust fund to fund me when I choose not to be employed. My goal is to marry you as soon as you will have me. I already told you I plan to court you so we can develop a relationship that will be long lasting. So I plan to stay here as long as you are here. Wherever your job choice or schooling choice takes you I can rent the condo and we can move. I want to be with you, now more than ever. Just for the record it wasn’t that I didn’t want to be with you. I wanted to be with you when we left Plattsburgh. I just wasn’t ready to settle down. I didn’t think I could handle keeping my hands off you so I thought it was best that I keep a physical distance. But you know this already.”
“Just please get packed and I will help you get any study materials you may need together. We can order any textbooks that you want to keep at my place. I want to do whatever it takes to make this work and make it convenient for you. I want you to be comfortable and I want you to feel at home.”
Willow simply nodded. She couldn’t believe that he was rambling like this. She couldn’t believe he was seemingly excited about the prospect that they would spend their evenings under the same roof. She had been given a lot to think about. Was Sean just disappointed or was he angry enough to do her harm? He had used some pretty harsh words. He attacked Darden and there was no denying that. Sean didn’t even bother to try to deny it. Does his frustration manifest itself into violence make him that dangerous? His level of anger certainly scared the hell out of her, that’s for sure. How should she proceed? Should she blindly trust that Darden wants what is best for her? Or does this play into Darden’s agenda? If she has security people living across the hall why can’t she just stay put? But on the other hand what happens if Sean is lying in wait for her or D
arden to be by themselves? After all, Sean now knows where I live and he has been back here once already. I don’t believe for a minute he won’t be back because, of the way Darden threw him out. Yet, a sane person wouldn’t try Darden. So does that mean? I am once again dealing with someone like Dade? That thought prompted her to pack more earnestly.
Darden sat with his head in his hands. This wasn’t at all a position of despair. This was his position when he was making sure he was doing all the right things. I have to make sure she is safe. Right now temporarily putting her up at my place it the best thing to do. Once there several things need to be set in motion. Her car needs to be changed out but that isn’t an immediate need. We just need to make sure she doesn’t have to come back here at least until we have a better handle on Sean and what he is likely to do. Sleeping arrangements need to be discussed but at his place not here. I would prefer her to sleep in my arms. But whatever will make her feel the most comfortable will take precedence. We need to sync her Palm to my computer. And then that information can be disseminated out to the security team. Darden took a deep breath. There had to be something else that he was missing but whatever it was he would make sure it was taken care of immediately. All he could think about was that her well-being was of the upmost important to him. He had come too far to lose her.
Willow walked out her bedroom with her laptop case, her backpack and her Briggs and Riley rolling duffle. If truth be known she had packed more than enough outfits for many more days than 20 and that included her shoes and her touring outfits for the days she did that. Darden immediately got up to help her with her bags. Darden didn’t even bat an eye at the size of her suitcase. Darden called for Logan Cameron to pull around the car. Logan would call when he was in place. Darden placed all the items near the door. Gabriel escorted them down the elevator when Logan indicated he was ready. Willow was placed in the black SUV in the backseat. Her items were placed in the cargo area of the vehicle and they quickly took off leaving Darden behind. Gabriel walked with Darden to his car. Darden called for pizza while Gabriel maneuvered the car into traffic. Darden looked to the right and glimpsed Sean staring back him. He had been right Sean had been waiting for them. But, that doesn’t matter. Now, he needed someone to be tailing Sean. He would put Brent Underwood on that. He was a member of Gamma Pi and he worked for Darden. Brent had many classes with Sean and they were “friends” and had been friends for the same 3 years that Sean had known Willow. So it would not be unusual for Brent to be around Sean. Darden dialed Brent’s cellphone.
Darden's Pursuit of Happiness: Darden and Willow Page 5
