His gray eyes scream peril and danger as it pierces through me. My hands begin to quaver while holding the doorknob. It knew Denver’s effect on my body as soon as I saw my husband in front of me. I manage to open the door slightly to see his whole face, but he instantly grabs my wrist, preventing me from what I’m doing.
“Denver…” I uttered as my voice withered on his grip on my left wrist. My legs almost quivered as he walked near me until an inch was our only space between. He pinned me on the door as his gray eyes stared into mine.
He looks at me as if I got lost. As if he was hankering for my existence. The mere expression I could see in his eyes was ferocity, but also another emotion is hidden in them. He looks exhausted as if he didn’t have any sleep. The eye bags beneath his eyes were so visible that I couldn't help but trace them with my right hand. His gaze at me softened and his expression earlier vanished.
I was about to remove my hand when suddenly, he snaked his other arm on my waist and caged me into a tight embrace. His head rests on my shoulder as he slowly lets go of my wrist that he was holding earlier. Both of his arms embraced me.
“I’ve been looking for you,” he mumbled. His voice is low and husky. “I thought I’ll lose you.”
I pursed my lips as I heard him mumbles that. I really didn’t expect him to look for me. I was gone for a day, and I left him drunk and tired that night. I didn’t even tell him about Kian. And here he is, in front of me.
“I texted you,” I uttered as I hugged him back. It’s rare to embrace him like this again, after weeks of being casual with each other.
“I know,” he muttered. I can feel his breath on my neck that sends shivers down me. I pursed my lips not making a sound and chose to caress his gray hair. It wasn’t fully gray now and already mixed with black as his hair grew longer over the past weeks. I felt him plant a kiss on my neck before he moved away and looked at my reaction. “You told me you’re having a vacation.”
I put my hand on my back as I looked away, hiding my reddened cheeks because of what he just did. I walked past him, and I heard him close the door behind me. I puffed a deep sigh as soon as I sat on the bed, waiting for him.
“Really, young lady?” He stood in front of me with his left hand on his waist. “You’re having a vacation without me?”
“Huh?” I uttered, confused at what he just said. “You’re busy and didn’t even have a proper rest. And this vacation was unexpected, Denver.”
“I see,” he muttered as he looked down. His eyes stared longer at my body, and it made me conscious. His jaw clenched and his expression shifted quickly. He immediately looked away and muttered multiple curses.
“Why are you here, Denver?” I asked that got his attention.
“Tsk,” he hissed. “Will you stop calling me that?”
“Huh? Denver?” My forehead creased. “But that’s your name.” His eyebrows were crumpled. He was about to talk back when suddenly the bathroom door opened, revealing Carmienne in her summer dress with a towel on her head.
She looked stunned as she glanced at me and then at my husband. But then, a smile plastered on her lips as walk near the bed.
“So… you already knew, Mr. Velasquez,” she uttered as she removed the towel from her head. “Good thing, you wanted to become the bait.”
“As long as it’s for my wife.” Denver folded his arms on his chest as he looked at me. “Will I take her with me?”
“Chill, Mr. Velasquez.” Carmienne chuckled as she glanced at me. “She didn’t even enjoy her stay here. Let her decide if she wants to be with you first.”
“Carms,” I uttered, asking what she was talking about. She shrugged her head and managed to smile at me even though I do not have any idea what she was doing right now.
“I’ll take her with me,” Denver uttered and grabbed my hand. I stood up along with him. “We’ll occupy the other room.”
As soon as he said that, we left the room with Denver holding my hand. We walked past Kian’s room and took the elevator. He was quiet inside and so did I. The elevator tinged and we entered a room that is much larger than Carmienne and I had downstairs.
“I thought you don’t want to have our vacation,” he spoke as soon as we entered the room. It was so grand and spacious that even a group could occupy it. “Sharmienne.” He called my attention.
“This was unplanned,” I uttered as I chose to sit on the king-sized bed. “Kian and Carms wanted th—”
“He’s here?” I was startled when his voice thundered. I looked back and saw him walking near me. He pinned me on the headboard.
“Denver…”
“You’ve been with him since yesterday?”
I bit my lips because it was all true. If I will tell him why I was with Kian and Carmienne, he will think that I already know about his gang—The Falcon, and him being a gangster. I don’t want him to doubt, but I do not know how to dodge his question.
“Yes,” I responded slowly while staring directly at him. I need to confront him without stammering. “He called me that night after you fell asleep and told me to stroll around for a bit.”
“You didn’t even tell me about it,” he uttered with a restrained voice. It was clear that he was already irritated. “And Daniel told me you were meeting someone. I thought you were with Carmienne, but I didn’t know that your ‘friend’ is also with you.”
I sighed. I felt guilty about it, but I cannot do anything as Kian told me to turn off my phone. “I know you will get annoyed. I was just refreshing my mind from everything. Maybe this is the right time to relax?”
He stared at me as if he was processing what I said. It took him almost ten seconds before he sighed heavily and nodded. I smiled as I avoided the topic of him and his gang. I am not yet prepared to know about it, coming out of his mouth.
“I’m sorry if I’m impulsive,” I muttered which got his attention. He sighed and shook his head as if he didn’t agree with what I’d said.
“No… You have your right to make your own decisions, young lady,” he said with a calmer voice. His gray eyes darted completely at me. “I felt bad that you needed to ask for consent as if I were your guardian.”
“But you are.” I pouted to conceal my smile especially when I saw his forehead ruffle again.
“I am your husband, young lady.” He moved away from pinning me on the headboard before he looked away. “Enough with this conversation.” I chuckled as I found him amusing. I nodded and held his shoulder, but he moved farther away from me as he jolted with my sudden touch. He even stood up and faced the window, avoiding me.
He removed the long sleeve shirt that he was wearing, leaving him half naked. I gasped as I saw his bare back. Gosh! Am I really alone with him? I don’t know if I am breathing fine as I kept staring at his sexy back. How much if he turns around?
I reminded myself that we should be casual with each other. I still need to confirm that he is a gangster. I needed time to prepare myself. I am afraid that what he will tell me might trigger something in me. I want him to avoid me, just like what he always does. I want him to be the husband that is casual to me. I want to confront my husband who still hates me.
In that way, I could do as what Carmienne planned to happen.
“Denver,” I called him. I stared directly into his eyes to see his eyes. I don’t want to be drawn away by his body.
“What?” he was annoyed all of a sudden. “Will you call me by another name, instead? I started to hate my name.”
“Roque.” His eyes widened as I mentioned his second name. I do not know he doesn’t like me to call him Denver though. I stood up and faced him. With our height difference, I need to look up and level his eyes. He pursed his lips as if he was expecting the next move I’ll make. “I want to...”
“What is it?” He gasped as I put my hands on his shoulders for support. He places both of his arms around my waist. “Get straight to the point, Sharmienne.”
I stared at him before I moved closer and reached for his lips. It was soft against mine. He was stunned as his grip on my waist tightened. I closed my eyes and feel the tenderness of his lips, moving with the rhythm that only the both of us understood. He wasn’t moving his lips, so I stopped and moved an inch away from him. Before he could recover, I muttered what I wanted to say.
“I want an annulment, Mr. Velasquez.”