Not In Control

Daphne paced around Moon's beach house, admiring and remembering. She saw it clearly in her head like it had only happened last week. They were so happy together. She couldn't understand why he had decided not to marry her. He proposed. It's not like she went and got herself a huge diamond ring to sit on her finger. No! He personally went to a jeweller and got that ring specially made for her. He couldn't have gone through all that trouble for nothing. Lost in all her musings, Daphne ended at the door she remembered led to his room. She gently opened the door and it gave way. She gasped. He was sitting at the edge of the bed, shirtless. "I was wondering how long it'd take you to find me" He rasped. What was he on about? She wondered. He stood up and walked towards her and stopped a few feet away from her, folding his large arms. She could see the only piece of clothing he had on was a faded jean that hung quite low on his waist. She couldn't seem to tear her eyes away from his body, so she fed her eyes with the sight of him. Damn! She thought. His jeans were so low she could the "V" outline of his torso. The jeans definitely left a lot to be imagined in her head. The breadth of his shoulders were baffling, his hairless chest and the toned muscles of his stomach made her wonder what it would feel like to touch him. To just run her hands through. She would really like to know what his skin would feel like under her palms. To remember what he had felt like.

"Like what you see sunshine?" she heard Moon say somewhere in her head. She jerked her head away from his body and looked at his face. "What?" she asked, temporarily lost.

"I asked if you liked what you saw" he repeated. Of course with a smug smile on his face. He looked pleased. What was wrong with her? How could she shamelessly be checking him out like that? She lost herself for a while. This wasn't right. She had to make him take her home. She didn't want to listen to anything he had to say. She relaxed by taking deep breaths and folded her arms to match his stance and with a smile on her face. "What is this Moon? What is this caveman attitude you have inhabited?"

"Relax, sunshine. I am simply trying to get you back." He said smiling back at her.

"You must be mistaken. I need you to stop trying to get me back. And even if I am conforming to your wishes, is this how you want to do this? Kidnap me and try to force me? I need you to take me home or let me go. Surely, I will be able to find my way back."

"It seems you don't understand. You are not leaving here till you agree to be mine again."

"You've got nerves huh? You've got nerves Moon! Abducting me and asking that I take you back after what you did."

"And just what did I do? So, I didn't show up to the wedding. Is that so grave a mistake that you won't take me back? I simply chickened out. That's all."

"What?" Daphne roared in rage. "It wasn't such a grave mistake? We had friends and foes alike at that wedding. It was a huge wedding! And you left me! Never showed up. Do you know the things I heard people say? Do you know how I had to listen to my mother tell me she warned me to stay away from you? And what? You simply chickened out, that's all? I can't believe you just said that to me!" byDaphne was enraged. She felt her heart beat fast and her head grew hot really quick. Is that what he was going to do? Dive back into her life like nothing happened? Feign ignorance at the pain and embarrassment she went through. Her aunties and uncles from Nigeria attended that wedding. She could still remember how they repeatedly said "Ah. O ma se o" (It's a pity) In their very thick Yoruba accent while shaking their heads and eyeing her. Her mother who she had expected to comfort her only said in Yoruba "Shebi mo so fun e kpe ko ye ra fun okurin bi eleyi. O ri nkoti o shele bayi?" (Didn't I warn you to stay away from men like this? Now, look what has happened.) And her dad, her loving dad only said "Ma wori, o ma ri oko gidi ni ko kpe." (Don't worry. Soon you'll find a good husband.) It was no secret that when Nigerians get provoked, their accent thickens and they revert back to their local language in which they can better express their frustrations and disappointments. That was exactly what had happened. Daphne remembered her friends from New York had reacted. They were more understanding. Most of them left in silence, some of them apologized with their eyes. The rest sent her messages, telling her that she'd find someone better. While she was going through all of these, only Liza was her rock. Who was he to demand that she get back together with her with an excuse as flimsy as "I chickened out" She couldn't understand him. She looked up at him, he was silent and he had a pained expression on his face. The same one she noticed when she looked at while she was being whisked away. "I'm sorry Daphne. Unfortunately, that's all I can say." She regarded him for a while wondering what to do or say. "Well, I'm sorry too. I won't stop trying to run away from here even as your goons have surrounded this whole place. These men you hired are Nigerians. There are ways I can through to them."

With a smirk, he replied. "I'd like to see you try. I'm sure they only care for their money."

"Not if I beg and cry and tell them that I have been kidnapped." Daphne stubbornly returned. Moon threw his head back in laughter which left Daphne wondering if he had a few screws loose in this head. "Stop trying so hard sunshine. They won't let you go. Nigerians or not."

"Why do you sound so sure?" Daphne asked narrowing her eyes and stealthily walking towards him.

"Because, I told them you are my dear wife who's suffering from a severe case of sex addiction." He announced.

"You joker! You did not!"

"Well I did and I also told them that you had begged me to drag you back home and carry you if I had to any time you were on one of your conquests. I made them understand that they were doing us both a favour by rescuing you from your urges." Moon said with a huge grin.

"What?! No way! You couldn't possibly have done that. They are not so gullible, they won't believe you." Daphne replied defiantly.

"You are right. They are not gullible. That was why I showed them this" he held his phone to Daphne's face. It was a marriage certificate with her name and signature alongside his.

"No way" Daphne grunted and yanked the phone from his hand in order to take a closer look. And slowly it dawned on her. How could she have forgotten?

"Surely, you didn't forget we registered our marriage? We are man and wife, sunshine. I am your husband. All I had to do was show them this, not that it was any of their business but it acted as evidence to my claims. Don't tell me that even for once in three years, you didn't remember that we had registered our marriage?" Moon asked in feign disbelief.

"You slimy, conniving son of a bitch! How dare you? How dare you Moon?" Daphne roared at the top of her voice, hitting his chest with her hands pushing him backwards in the process.

"Easy now, sunshine. Don't act so spoilt. Control yourself."

"Control myself? You bastard!" she swung at him intending to slap him but missed. She lurched at him. He swerved in time but still caught her. One hand holding both her hands above her head and the other hand held her waist tightly. Her back was up against the wall but he towered over her. Huge, sexy and all male. The scent of his cologne invaded her nose. His huge chest heaved slowly up and down inviting her to rest her head on his chest and stop resisting. But she strongly declined the offer by shutting her eyes. She felt his breath fan her neck and ears as he whispered in a breathless rasp "Look sunshine, look how well you fit into my arms. Perfect isn't it?" Daphne caught a breath. Instant heat swept through her body. Her heart hammered hard against her chest. He raised his head up from her neck and met her eyes. He was staring into her soul. If this was a battle, Daphne was sure she'd lose. There was no mistaking the desire she saw in his eyes. Did he feel what she felt? Was he going to kiss her? Did he want to? Daphne's head was in overdrive. "You are still so beautiful, Sunshine" he whispered to her again. His breath fanned her face once again. She inhaled deeply. She could smell the mild minty toothpaste and the cologne he had used. She was tempted. She needed air. She felt claustrophobic. If he was throwing a bait with those desire-filled eyes and his parted lips that seemed to be anticipating any action of some sort, she'd have to break free. Could she break free? Could she resist his charms? And he? What was he aiming to achieve by standing so close to her? She should be pushing him away but she couldn't find the strength. She was lost in all his eyes had to say. His blue eyes drew her slowly into his world. She was losing herself. Their faces drew closer. They were leaning slowly and sensually into each other's embrace. Daphne's tensed shoulders relaxed, her eyes slid shut and a sigh escaped her lips. She surrendered. With bated breath and a heart beating so loud she was sure anyone would hear, she waited patiently for his mouth to take hers and claim it. She heard a chuckle instead and her eyes flew.

"Keep acting like you can resist me and see where that leads you, sunshine" with that he strutted off. When he almost out the door, Daphne who had been lost and was barely grasping at what had happened between them asked. "Moon, what did you just do?" she couldn't describe how embarrassed and little he just made her feel. How could she forget to be in control of herself? When he heard her question, he stopped and turned to her with his signature lopsided smile. "Relax, Sunshine. I simply caused your heart and body to remember who they belonged to. Me." With that he was out the door, leaving Daphne stupefied and angry.

Cocky bastard. She thought. The nerve of him to play her like that. How could she let herself get so vulnerable? She shouldn't have let him stay so close to her. It's like she lost her sense of reasoning any time he got so close to her. She wondered what his plans were. After abducting her and locking her in his cave like a beast, what next? Did he plan to charm his way into her heart? Well he was in for a surprise. As for the way he deceived her by acting like he wanted nothing more than to kiss her then ended up with that stupid smug smile? Well, two could play that game. She'd remind him that she was no longer the woman he could toy with. But first, she'd have to find out where her room was as it was already past midnight and she couldn't afford to miss her sleep. Tomorrow, she'd handle Moon.

Moon paced the beach at night. It was cold and windy but he didn't seem to care as he was lost in thoughts. Thoughts of Daphne. That woman would be death of him. For a while, he was happy he got to hold her again so close to him but he knew. He knew that at that moment he wasn't in control. What happened tonight was exhilarating as well as exhausting. He had first spotted her in the middle of the crowd at that party in that dress. That red dress. His heart did skip a beat. Her beauty made him wonder. The gentle sway of her waist left him in awe of her. She had looked so out of place, so uncomfortable. She amused him without even trying. Every bit and part of her left him in delight. He knew he'd eventually have to tell her why he never came to the wedding. He'd have to mention Yvonne and Cole eventually but not now. How could he tell her that he'd married someone else? That while she suffered, he was married to another woman. A woman she'd always complained about and had warned him to stay away from. How would he tell her that his drunken mistake caused her so much misery? He couldn't. Not yet at least. Back there, he had wanted to kiss her. To slam his lips against hers and taste her but he'd promised himself that he would not touch her till she had agreed to be with him again. It was true though, on paper, she was still his wife. That made him happy. The way she reacted to him left him hopeful. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. That bit, he was sure of. He had to win her heart back. He had to make her his or there would be no reason for his existence. Tomorrow would be hectic. Surely, she'd develop ways to make him mentally exhausted. He anticipated it. He prayed to the universe. He needed one more chance with Daphne. If given, he'd right all his wrongs.