Nevertheless, this was no fairy tale.
I was no Persephone and Zeno was no god of the underworld. We were simply mortals dancing around the lines of carnal desires and complete oblivion.
Just like myself, my family wasn’t particularly fond of meeting my in-laws. Mother stomped in her heels, wearing a pantsuit and her favourite scowl, while Dacia glided over the porch steps with her usual, ice princess cool. She was wearing a sparkly periwinkle gown and looking like Cinderella instead of a cutthroat attorney.
We were greeted at the door by the De la Croix staff and security team. They led us into the house and every notion of the inside being lifeless was shattered when we stepped into the ballroom, decorated with a panoply of gold ample enough to make Midas jealous.
In the centre of all the chaos stood the De la Croixes, hearty smiles and big laughs as they clinked champagne flutes.
Once bitten, twice shy, yet I couldn’t help but throw caution to the wind when Zeno’s dark eyes travelled over to me, sensing my presence.
Navy blue three-piece suit. White dress shirt. Thick black hair slicked back with one stubborn strand landing over his forehead in his signature manner…and myDIHengraved hairpin snapped over his tie.
God, he was handsome.
Zeno held my gaze like he found me comely and brought his champagne flute to his mouth. He winked over the rim, confident, sexy, and so goddamn arrogant, it just did it for me.
My mind was plagued with images of him on his knees before me at Chaleur and MacGregor’s alleyway. With that tongue swiping over his bottom lip as he prepared to eat me out like a five-course meal at an expensive restaurant. With that clenched jaw as he prepared to propose to me with my dream ring.
We moved in the general direction of the De la Croixes.
They stopped mid-conversation and turned their heads at the same time.
Arresting. Rich. Vain.
At first glance, it was obvious these were the kind of people who always assessed others with an upper-hand, body language dripping with overtones of royalty and hubris.
Zeno was the first to break the tension. Reaching forward, he grabbed my left hand, brought it to his lips, and pressed a tender kiss to my knuckles, barely brushing the red diamond.
“You came,” he said with a wicked gleam in his eyes and faced his family. “Everyone, this is my fiancée.”
Resembling a descendant from Olympus, a short blond woman in a blue gown next to him squealed, causing Dacia, Diane, and me to flinch with her enthusiasm.
“Oh,monDieu. I’ve been so excited to meet you!” She pushed Zeno aside and wrapped me in a big hug that proved that sometimes the tiniest people had the most might. “You are even more beautiful than I imagined.” She clasped my face in a motherly gesture. It caused something uncomfortable to lodge in my throat. “Wow!”
Zeno laughed low, like he was used to this behaviour from her.
“I’m Céline,” she said, thawing the exchange with her warmth. “Zeno’smaman.”
I decided that Céline was my new favourite person on earth. I could count on one finger the amount of times my own mother had called me beautiful, and this stranger barely waited a minute to bestow that compliment upon me.
“I’m Darla,” I murmured, struck by her kindness. “Nice to meet you.”
Eventually, Céline went on to hug Dacia and Diane; the latter treated my future mother-in-law like she was the plague herself.
“Darla, this is mypapaand my brother Benjamin.”
Zeno’s note didn’t explicitly state this, but I was on my best behaviour because I had a feeling my amiability was expected in order for him not to reveal my family’s secrets.
Still, he pissed me off with the entire ordeal, so I stepped on the toes of his shoes with my stilettos as I approached the men. Zeno hissed as I ground my heel with a sweet smile. “Soniceto meet you all.”
My future husband grabbed my waist in warning and the touch was searing.
I shivered.
Zeno’s palm dropped after skimming my ass.
Yves De la Croix was a burly man with warmth that rivaled his wife. He refused to shake my hand and nearly crushed the life out of me with his hug. His deep chuckle reminded me of Alberto’s.