One Man Two Many, One Woman Enough

With the absence of Elyce, the one person I really require, I found myself unwilling to discuss our plans in front of a hopeless Jojo, disgruntled Jazz and a determined Braith. I shook my head at Zizi when she broached the subject and after keeping the conversation suitably shallow for half an hour a bored Jazz grabbed her brother and departed leaving a cloud of her dislike to settle into the corners of the room. Zizi glanced at Braith then raised her brow as if asking me what was up and I gave a little shrug in return, widening my eyes in innocence. She left shortly after, her eyes sending a warning flicker but I did not require her concern, I knew being with Braith alone is a bad idea, alone here with Braith a worse idea but these failings are about all the ideas I am capable of lately.

I knew if I stayed here with Braith, he would inevitably kiss me and I would inevitably let him for some madness gripped me and I knew I was deconstructing into a mess. There is only so much anxiety I can deal with and though my friends are standing by me I realise that the decision to remove Gervais ultimately concerns me and me alone for despite my protestations, we are family. The fact I happily betrayed Jazz, even a Jazz no longer interested in Braith alarmed me. I am turning into a Dubois faster than I believed possible and even that is no excuse for my disgusting behaviour. I have always admired Braith for his resistance to Gervais, his integrity and maturity. He accomplished what he set out to do and like me, protected his family to the point of even taking the heat for Jago and the Nadia affair. Despite his courage and the fact he is totally gorgeous, I cannot dabble in romance right now and despite his attempt at support, life holds more danger than fun at this moment, Braith will have to wait.

Braith being a man used to action, to rarely being thwarted, had no intention of waiting and as soon as the front door closed he pulled me back into his arms, his lips warm on mine and all my brave resolve went flying down the slippery slope to hell. I tried to pull back but he brushed the hair from my eyes murmuring endearments into my ear and I cursed my inner weakness. Why did I need comfort all the time, why did the strength of his arms cause me to melt and lose all my self-discipline, I hated that I needed him, wanted him. When the door echoed with a brisk knock, I knew before Maritka crossed the foyer, before the sound stopped, before her snort acknowledging her disapproval, who it was and why he had come. Gervais entered the drawing room the way he enters every room, with a sense of possession that is infuriating. He showed no sign of any turbulent emotion stirring within, but I knew this is what it would take, for him to address something in person. Instead, he greeted us with such suave calm it was almost off-hand and I have to admit his audacity is beyond compare. Gervais truly believes he owns the world and everything in it, his downfall is going to be the highlight of my life.

Hearing his voice I stepped aside but Braith was having none of it and moved back beside me. Gervais entered in time to see Braith standing so close I could feel the heat of his skin in the air between us and the flash of green fire in his eyes told me that Braith had made a dangerous move. This was a story I had no party to, all I knew was that if Braith touched me in any manner in front of him there would be fallout so great that no one would be left to aid me in my plan. The two men stared at each other with an enmity whose history was palpable in the room, there was a battle here that started long before a devastated wedding.

His lips tightened at the sight of me close to Braith so I moved away to preserve the calm and watched his face relax into the handsome features he was born with. Once again, I was faced with the duplicity of Gervais, his character versus the physical state nature had accorded him. The sneer absent, his face fell back into the aristocratic features of his heritage, in repose he has the aesthetic face of a scholar or artist. Instead, these handsome features belong to an insane megalomaniac who is perfectly happy to destroy the world in order to achieve his goals.

His golden brown hair with streaks of the sun was smoothed back into natural waves off his face and his clear green eyes, devoid of flecks, are pristine emeralds whose ice can chill you to your soul. Though neither stood as tall as Simon both stand inches above Jojo and Royce, two powerful sons of two powerful families. While Braith has the athletic body of his father, broad shoulders and a well muscled torso, Gervais has the fluid grace of a panther, with long lean muscles, not an ounce of fat on him, he fills the space around him as all Dubois do, as if they own it. Gervais is languid with elegance, his body molds a suit around it and his hair and skin are immaculate with perfection. Two different men, each beautiful, each dangerous, each daring the other to move, both in my house and neither wanted there.

I was trapped within an explosion waiting to happen as neither Braith nor Gervais were about to back down so I moved to a chair and sat down, out of reach of both. I asked Gervais why he had come over and he replied that he had family business he wished to discuss. I pointed out that I had a phone that works and he should take advantage of it. He immediately smiled at my rude response and I knew his rage was back into simmer and we were safe for now. Before he could reply Maritka did something she has never done before, she came in and said she would show the gentlemen to the door. The faint wisp of hair on her upper lip betrayed her past and neither man was fool enough to challenge someone of comparable build and determination. If I had not been stressed to death, I would have laughed at the sight of the two sons of Bishop Vale being politely thrown out of my house by a very large, very resolute transgender housekeeper.

Previous Next