8. MEETING THE FAMILY
The car pulled up in Dawson's mansion, and Lena's heartbeat intensified —this was the first time she would be meeting with someone from Darian's family, she hoped she would be treated nicely, and nothing like how Darian regaled her.As expected, it was a big mansion with lots of compartments. The outside was painted white and cream, and there was an orchard that beautified the house. Lena sighed, the Dawson family had a thing for flowers, it was evident from how they planted flowers all around the house.Darian pulled up in the garage that contained about ten more luxurious cars, 'They must be wealthy.' Lena thought as she got out of the car, Darian hurried to her side, and helped her out, he placed his hand on her lower back and walked her into the house.The guards welcomed Darian and Lena and accompanied them into the vast living room, as Lena stepped in with Darian, she tried to conceal her nervousness, she checked out the living room, and her jaw dropped, Darian's mansion was big, but this was even twice the size of Darian's mansion. Different sets and designs of chandeliers were hung around the living room, giving it its glowing bright colours. She'd never seen a house that beautiful all her life.Gaius's wife, Talia, a young woman in her late thirties walked up to them, and Darian kissed her hands and cheeks, she pulled Lena into a hug, patting her back lightly."She's really beautiful," Talia smiled, revealing her cute dimples. She was a very tall woman, slender and curvy. She was betrothed to Gaius after his first wife, Cassie, died of cancer. It was a marriage of convenience, as the two got along so well after marriage, and it didn't matter to her if he was far older than her, he treated her right and that was all she ever wished for in a man. "What's your name?" She inquired of Lena."Lena," Lena replied with a small smile, Talia seemed like a cool person, and she loved her already."I'm Talia, welcome to the Dawson outfit." She smiled as she ushered them to the dining room where other members of the outfit were already seated, waiting for their arrival.Gaius beamed with a rich smile when he saw Darian with Lena. He chose a really beautiful bride, he thought to himself.As demanded by the culture of the Dawson Mafia, the Don or the future Don was treated with great respect, they all stood up to acknowledge Darian's presence when he arrived at the table with Lena.They sat down when he was seated, Lena was still confused, she had no idea what was going on, and her father didn't tell her much about Darian when she had asked him, he only mentioned that he was a dangerous man."Darian, what a beautiful bride you've got!" Gaius beamed as he studied Lena. "You made a great choice. What's your name, young lady?" He asked her."Lena Johnson," Lena cradled her head, and a smile appeared on her face. "But now that I'm married, it's Lena Dawson." She said sarcastically, causing Gaius to laugh a little. "Nice meeting you, may I know your name too?" She asked politely."Gaius, come over here," he gestured to Lena, she directed her gaze to Darian for his approval, he shook his head, and she stood up to where Gaius sat, he stood up to meet her, and he placed a soft kiss on her forehead and blessed her. "Welcome to the family." He sent her back to her seat, she crouched next to Darian, but he didn't acknowledge her. His eyes were fixed on Judson who didn't take his eyes off Lena, and it annoyed him more that the look on his face was lustful, he was going against the rules of the family, and he would kill him if he did anything silly with Lena.Lena introduced herself to other members of the family, she met Gaby, Gaius' daughter who was some years younger than her. Andrew, the consigliere, and his wife, Hadassah, who was a little woman, and Lena wondered how she got married to a man that huge, she thought of how their bed experience would be, and cussed at herself for being so silly. She met Judson, the underboss, and Abigail, Judson's wife. Caleb, one of the soldiers smiled at her, Anna, his wife to be was also present, she met a few more people, and the others weren't on seats, some were in their outfit that was in Dallas to handle some businesses. The few ones she met seemed to be very nice to her, aside from Judson who didn't spare her a smile, his face was always cold, and she was quick to form a nickname for him in her head. "Cold fish," Her husband was no less different from Judson, he was as cold as him, if not colder.Gaius called on Annie, the cook, to serve the table, and in no time, the table was filled with varieties of food, viz, assorted meats, rice, snacks, cookies, fruits, fried chicken, croissants, mangoes, steaks, walnuts.Annie and her partner asked each person what they wanted, and it was served as demanded, they left them alone and returned to the kitchen."So, how did you two meet?" Gaius asked them, Lena wasn't sure who the question was directed at, but she looked at Darian, and he nodded his head that he could handle it."Through a friend, I saw her a few times, and I found her presentable. I approached her and told her about my feelings and she agreed to be mine." He looked at Lena and feigned a smile. "Right?" Under that smile was a dark expression, that looked authoritative, and told her to agree with his words. Even without saying it, Lena knew what it meant."Yes, right." She smiled and focused back on the food in front of her."Your feelings? Do you have feelings?" Judson scoffed as he took a spoonful of rice, he glared at Darian and didn't care what was going on in his mind as he twirled the knife in between his fingers."Oh, that's great. How has it been so far with him?" Gaius let his wife ask Lena this time, he let her do things because he loved and respected her dearly. Talia ran the family casino alone, he trusted that she was good enough to manage the casino so well, and she had done a great job over the years. "How has marriage been with him?"Hell! That was what came to Lena's mind but she dared not say it out, she smiled and shook her head."It's been good so far, we are still getting to know each other." She admitted, staring at Darian who was also looking at her."Good! You can always come to me when you have anything bothering you. I have been married to Gaius since I was eighteen, and I must say that it's been great." She looked at her husband and kissed his cheeks, "I love you, honey." Everyone in the outfit knew how much Gaius loved his wife, and the feelings was the same on Talia's side, she loved her husband dearly."So, do you know your husband belongs to the Dawson Mafia outfit, and he's about to be crowned the Don?" Gaius asked her, she had no idea what he was talking about."Yes, she does." Darian quickly chirped in. Lena's gaze rested on him. She sighed and agreed to his answer, fury evident in her expression."Let her speak too," Gaius cautioned Darian.Gaby and Lena shared a meaningful glance. Unlike Talia who had a sweet smile on her face. Gaby seemed to be mad about something from how she stared at Lena or was she just overthinking things? Maybe that was her usual facial expression."He's right about everything he has said." Lena supported him; she will ask him what they do in their Mafia later."Good, we wanted Darian to get married before he's crowned the Don. Now that he's married, and can provide heirs, we are rest assured we can move on with the process." Andrew chirped into the conversation after permission from Gaius.Lena wasn't sure she was cool with what he said, did he just marry her to give him children? She adjusted on her seat but the anxiety on her face was not visible, she peered over her shoulder to look at Darian, she expected him to say more, that he didn't just marry her to give him kids but of course, she knew too well that he married her because her father owed him a lot of money and nothing else."What else do you want to ask her?" Darian finally spoke again, the sound of his voice sent her chills, she swallowed hard and drank some water to suppress her anxiety."Are you familiar with the Mafia, and who are your parents?" Gaius stared intently at Lena as she played with the cutleries in her hands, she dropped them and smiled."I know a few things about them but not a close relationship with them. My mother is late, and my father is Gavin Johnson, he used to be a high school teacher before he got fired from work." She responded.Gaius bobbed his head, he loved how simple and coordinated Lena was."Do you have any relationship with the cops?" His eyes were still on her."I made my findings and made sure she's the right choice for me, Gaius." Darian was tired of the unending questions, he was getting impatient. "She doesn't have any relationship with the cops. If that's all, we would like to take our leave now. I just brought her here to show you all." He pushed the plate in front of him to the side and looked over at Lena."Darian, I must say again that you made a good choice. Treat her well." Gaius said for the last time."Thank you, I will do just that. Are you ready to leave?" He faced Lena, who was still struggling with her meal. She would have loved to stay a little longer, but the cold look on Darian's face made her shiver, she feared he would leave her alone and go home. She preferred the family house to their own house."Sure," she stood up and was met with Talia who kissed her cheeks and gave her a gift before leaving. Lena hugged her tightly and left the house with Darian after saying their final goodbye.Darian drove out of the garage, and hit the busy road, Lena stared out through the rearview mirror, the tiled road caught her attention, she wanted to talk to her husband but didn't know how to start. His eyes were on the road, and he didn't seem like he wanted to have a conversation with her. She wasn't sure how long she could keep up if he continued to have the cold and emotionless expression on his face.She sighed and was forced to speak out, "I didn't know you are a member of a mafia," she let out, "I have read about them in books but never really had an encounter with one. What do you do in your Mafia?" She asked, patiently waiting for a response.He tightened his hand on the steering wheel, and the car moved at an even higher speed, Lena mashed her lips together and wondered if she had done the wrong thing by asking him that question, but either way, she needed to know, he was her husband and she had to know some things about him."We kill people who don't mind their business,"
Darian crouched down tiredly on his mahogany brown office chair, cradling his head with his hand as he thought of Lena. A smile found its way to his lips; he waved off the thoughts and receded to the file on his table.He had heaps of them to deal with, and it was getting too much for him already. He had been away from the office due to the wedding and introduction stuff; he just had to deal with the files before they became too much for him.A knock at the door caught his attention; knowing who it would be, he gave the order for his secretary to come in.A young lady walked into the vast office. She wore a brown dress that revealed most of her back and stopped far below her knees; she had a yellow blazer hung over her shoulders. She was tall and had white skin that glowed with so much grace, she had long legs she probably liked to reveal. "Hi, Darian," her heels rattled on the tiled floor as she walked toward him. She dropped the files in her hand on the table."It's been a while."
Darian woke up early in the morning, and Lena could feel that he had left her side; she opened her eyes when the lights came on but instantly shut them back when Darian looked toward her side.He strode into the bathroom and had a cold bath before getting out and changing into his workout outfits. When he was done, he donned black shorts, a black singlet, and a pair of red sneakers with black socks. He sat up and flexed his muscles. Lena watched from the corner of her eyes, pretending not to be awake, but she could see everything he was doing.He inserted his AirPods in his ears and grabbed a black hoodie, he wore it over his head, and it stayed on his body. He looked at Lena one more time before leaving the house.Lena flew up Immediately after her husband left the bedroom. She didn't know he worked out too, she loved doing that and hadn't gotten the inspiration since she got to Darian's mansion. Though there was a gym in the house and she had visited there a few times she needed to
After resting for a few hours, she went to have her bath and prepare for work. It was Monday; she was to resume her new job as a teacher at Mayfield high school. Though she hadn't told her husband yet, she was willing to say it to him after she was dressed and ready to leave the house.She shuffled back into the bedroom, and Darian wasn't in yet. She thanked her stars as she hurriedly dressed up before he could come in; she wore a long red skirt that stopped after her knees, a white shirt, a black blazer to complete, and low fast red shoes.She combed and applied her hair cream, which smelled like mint. She packed the hair backwards and let out a smug smile. She wasn't a makeup fan, but she rubbed a little bit of powder on her face and lip gloss on her moist and plump lips.She picked up one of the bags Darian got her and checked the mirror.She was still staring at the mirror when the door flung open; she composed herself and waited for him to come in.He didn't notice that she was a
"How was your first night with him?" Lisa asked Lena, and a naughty chuckle followed her question.Lena shook her head, "I haven't had my first night with him. Don't expect godchildren anytime soon." She chuckled back a response."Why?" She was disappointed. "Why haven't you two consummated your marriage?""I don't know Lisa, I don't think he's ready, and I'm thankful he's not in a rush too, because I don't think I'm ready as well," Lena said to her friend."Hmm, are you serious about that?" Lisa asked her."Yes, I am very sure about it. I'm just in this marriage, and I don't know where it would lead, I hope my father gets to pay him back, I want to return home." Lena whined, raking her fingers through her hair."Is it very hard for you to live with him? Is he not being nice to you?" Lena smiled, she easily detected the panic in her friend's tone."I don't know him, Lisa. I don't know the man I married, he's always busy with books if he's not in the office, and sometimes he doesn't ev
14. DON'T GO AGAINST MY WORDSDarian got back that night and didn't meet Lena in the room. He hurried out to ask his bodyguards but claimed not to have seen her, then he remembered he had told her to go into hiding if anything came up, but from what he was told, there was no attack in the house.He rushed to the secret room, entered the code, and the door slid open. He got in and saw her lying on the bed. He moved closer to her, sat on the bed, and watched her sleep peacefully. He wanted to stroke her hair, caress her fingers, or do other things to her but he held back.He hoped that she would wake up from sleep, and go back to the bedroom. He wasn't comfortable that she was in the secret room —it was built for a different purpose.He stood up and carried her into the main bedroom, Lena had no idea what was going on with her, she let out a soft yawn when she landed on the bed. She stirred on the bed, opening her eyes to glimpse Darian staring at her. She jumped up and grabbed his arm.
15. TASTE MY SOUPTina resumed work early that morning, but Lena didn't let her cook for Darian. She was mad at her husband but she still wanted to cook for him. She saw how badly he was bleeding the night before and she wanted to be sure she made some soup she believed healed bleeding."Ma'am, this is my job." Tina protested, not letting Lena wear the apron. "I have five meals to prepare today. Just let me do it please." She begged Lena."No, you don't have to worry. I will make sure he eats the soup I cook." Lena tied the apron around her neck. "Tell me, don't you feel it's stressful to prepare five meals every day?" She asked Tina."No, it isn't. I have been doing this for years and besides, the pay is good. I don't have a reason to complain. It helps me pay my college fees too." She smiled."You attend college?" Lena paused, taking some seconds to process Tina's words. If she attended college and was still working as Darian's maid, when did she have the time to herself? She smiled
Lena stood in front of the mirror, glancing to check how fitted the lingerie she bought was."Oh, this is damn sexy!" She squealed, twirling around and peeking through her shoulder to have a view of her butt. She chuckled when she saw how sexy she looked in the outfit. "Getting a whip would even be sexier," she laughed. "No, no, I'm not doing BDSM." She wiggled her head. "I bet he will go crazy if he sees me like this." Veering around again, she laughed and bent over to shake off her ass. She was whining slowly and looking at the mirror when the door suddenly flew open."Jesus!" She screamed, scurrying around the room. She saw Darian and ran to hide behind the curtains.He waltzed into the room with his suitcase in hand. "What's wrong with you?" He asked, his voice echoing through the bedroom."Just dress up and leave the room, you can't see me like this." She clutched the curtains, cussing at herself for choosing to try out the lingeries."Why?" Darian took a step closer to the curta