Golden Crown Series 02: The Twin Dragons (4 page)

“I want these both wrapped and delivered,” Ryan said as he stood in the jewelry store and seemed a bit excited even for him. He has a way of not showing any emotion anymore and I almost prefer it that way. I stood by the counter and let my pale fingers run along the glass until I stopped and saw a beautiful piece staring up at me. It was a necklace far too elaborate to be sitting in any store. I mean it looked museum quality and yet here it was with a large cut diamond at it center and many running up each side of it. All rounded in shape and it surprised me that I enjoyed looking at it so much. I tend to like things that are ridged and squared off like the wedding ring I wear, which means nothing to anyone but me. I looked down at the square cut ruby and then I saw Ryan’s reflection in the glass and looked up at him.

“Pretty,” h
e said as he looked down on it.

“It is an exqui
site piece, created for royalty,” the clerk said.

“Oh yes?” I asked as he looked at me and smiled.

“That is what we were told when it was brought in.”

“What story does it have?” I asked him and he sighed as he looked down at it.

“Well, it was made by a jeweler in Romania for the daughter of the King. It is called the Heart of Fire.”

“That sounds intriguing.”

He smiled at me and then glanced at Ryan.

“Diamonds have always had folklore attached to them
and I find it intriguing myself,” the clerk said.

“Like what?” I asked him and he cleared his throat.

“Well, I don’t want to bore you Ma’am,” he said and I shook my head.

“I am not bored or in a hurry.”

He then pulled the necklace out and sat it in front of me as the light played off it so beautifully.

“Well, Diamonds were once used to show innocence or guilt.”

I laughed. “In what way?”

“Well, a diamond would be held in front of a person and if they were guilty it would dull, but if they were innocent it would shine.”

I leaned forward and so did Ryan.

“Be careful
, Beth,” he said and I stood up straight.

“He would ruin it,
” I said and Ryan grinned and reached out to it. The shine disappeared on the diamond, but it was just the flickering of the lights in the shop. I laughed and he watched me as I could not help it.

The clerk smiled and then continued on.

“A large variety of healing properties have been attributed to the diamond, including the ability to cure memory loss, depression, mental illnesses, nightmares, and many other head and heart ailments.

“Huh,
” I said as Ryan watched me but I had nothing to say to that and neither did he which was probably a good thing.

“Roman literature, which first made mention of diamonds in the first century AD, also said that Cupid’s irresistible a
rrows were tipped with diamonds,” the clerk said and Ryan laughed. I looked at him and he stopped.

“I shou
ld have bought her more of them,” he said as the clerk looked to me and I said nothing. I had only agreed to come with Ryan to this place to get the boys something amazing for their 18
th
birthdays; I mean, two gifts of many I was sure. Ryan insisted on two Rolex watches of the best quality and I agreed. Ryan has always worn one and so did Father, it seemed to be a status symbol of some sort for men so I was not going to argue. I also wanted to get away from the house. I know I sound as if I am making up excuses and perhaps I am, I have not decided yet.

“What else?” I asked and the clerk looked at me and grinned.

“Well…In Persian culture, there exists a myth that God had no need for diamonds, gold, or any other precious metals or gems when he created the world. Satan, however, took notice that Eve loved the brightly colored flowers in the Garden of Eden and thus created gemstones in the same hues to tempt humans.”

“God, always ignoring luxury,
” Ryan said as he laughed and I looked at him.

“I am sure she doesn’t care,
” I said and Ryan watched me closely as I touched the large diamond in the center.”

“So G
od is a woman, that makes sense,” he said and I turned to him.

“Of course God is a woman, what man could have enough of an attention span to do all of this?”

He leaned in and whispered into my ear.

“
I have enough of one for you.”

I stepped back and felt a bit odd. We had not flirted or even attempted to be that way in so long it seemed foreign to me. I had already returned his key, something I felt had held me captive for years with a sliver of hope. Perhaps returning it to him had sparked something in him that awoke the old hunter in his heart. Ryan was just that, a hunter
, a shark looking for a kill and I knew it. I regret allowing my blood to trickle into the water.

“Is this something you wish to purchase?” The clerk asked us and we both turned as I said ‘No’ and Ryan said ‘Yes’. I looked at him and shook my head.

“I don’t want it.”

“Don’t lie. You look just like you did when you found your ring
, Beth.”

I turned back to the c
lerk and shook my head no.

“Have the watch
es delivered soon please,” I said and with that I walked to the door as a man opened it for me. I stepped out into the sunlight. I took a slow breath and felt a bit of chill on the air. I needed it to wake me up and bring me back to my senses. I knew it was probably a bad idea to come with him to the city and do this together.

Ryan has this way of always making me feel desperate to a certain degree and with that I felt his hand to the small of
my back. He leaned in and spoke into my ear.

“I want to fuck you.”

I blinked and turned to him.

“I am not some maid you hired
, or a stripper at a club.”

“Why would you say that, Beth?
I am talking to you. Do you think I ever felt like you were like them?”

“I don’t think you thought of me at all
, Ryan.”

“I think of you
every day,” he said as he walked past me and the driver opened up the door to our car and he slid into the back seat. I hesitated as I felt if I did get into the car things would be suddenly be different so I turned and started to walk as the driver watched me and Ryan leaned out, yelling my name. He stepped out and told the driver to turn around and follow slowly as he ran up and started to walk next to me. I sped up a bit and so did he, until I decided to stop and look at him, feeling a bit flustered.

“I a
m not your next conquest,” I said to him and he stopped and looked me over.

“This is not a game
, Beth.”

“
Oh please, Ryan. Everything is a game to you.”

“Beth…Beth,” h
e said as I started to walk and he caught up again and grabbed my arm. I looked at his hand in disgust and he let me go as he stood there staring into my eyes.

“Stop,
” I said as I held my hand up to him and a couple passed us by. Ryan looked at the woman and then turned a bit and I laughed as I started to walk away again.

“Beth!” he yelled as I started to run
, I rounded the corner and then I saw an alley up ahead on the left and ran down it. Steam rose on both sides and the smell was not something I was happy to be dealing with. I kept running to the end of it and then slowed to a walk to the right. I moved forward until I heard a bottle drop and roll, the sound of glass ringing out in the alley as two men appeared and looked me over. They both grinned as I stopped and looked around me and saw no one else but them.

“Well
, hello,” one man said as he stepped forward and grinned. I heard a clicking and looked to the other man who had a knife in his hand. I stepped back and suddenly understood the reality of the situation. I knew the city was not safe, everyone knows to not wander alone and yet I had allowed Ryan to upset me to the point where I dramatically ran straight into trouble. I knew I should have stayed home, right where I belonged. It was a world I felt safe in and could simply fade into.

“Take it off,” o
ne man said. I looked at him and shook my head. “Strip,” the man said a bit louder and my hand shook as the other man stepped closer to me with the knife out. I slipped my fur off and let it fall to the ground and then stood there as they looked me over.

“Damn, baby you got some curves.”

I rubbed my arms as I stepped back and felt the cold brick wall to my back. There had to be a moment in time where the old me would have been cursing and spitting at these two, but for some reason I felt petrified and it was then that I knew I had changed. I was not as strong as I once felt I was. It was almost as if Karma was going to strip me of whatever false hope I had left in me at the hands of these two.

One man stepped up and leaned into me as I turned my face and smelled his breath. He reeked of alcohol and nothing with any price to it. It was obviously the cheapest shit you could get your hands on. I almost laughed as I found myself judgmental even in this certain danger. He
reached up and grabbed my chin and made me look at him as his other hand cupped my pussy and he stuck his tongue out and licked my lips as I moaned in disgust. He grabbed my throat as I struggled a bit and saw the knife rise to my eye. He grinned and started to undo his pants as he laughed. I closed my eyes as I knew what would come next and none of it would pleasant, but perhaps I should just pay the fee of all I have done. I know I have done wrong, I know there is something to things catching up with you and making you pay for everything. I then heard a yell and felt the man pulled from me and saw him tossed onto the ground. The other man flipped the knife from one hand to the other as he shook his head and stared down my knight in shining armor. I would love to say that it was Ryan, but no, it was someone I had never seen before, but he was quite striking and having that thought even enter into my mind was a pleasant surprise.

“You should re-think this,
” the man said as I watched him closely. The man with the knife waved it around in front of him. The one on the ground started to moan and move a bit and then pushed himself up on all fours. My knight suddenly kicked him in the side and he rolled as the man with a knife screamed at him.

“Fuck you!”

“I bet you would try,” he said all calm and then he stepped forward.

“Listen, I have things to do, could we just get this over with?” he asked and the man with a knife lunged at him. My anonymous savior gra
bbed his arm and bent it back. It cracked at the elbow and dangled as the knife fell and his arm hung there like a broken tree limb. I hissed and turned my face as it made me nauseous for a second. Then the man with the knife started to run away as the other would be rapist pushed himself up, holding out his hands, and then he started to run too. It was then that the man turned to me and I looked at him, my chest rising and falling quickly. I touched my lips and he stepped to me quickly and looked me over. His eyes were so blue, laced in thick black lashes. His skin looked youthful and yet he had some age to him, I would not doubt he was close to my own age, but I could not be sure. His hair was also jet black and swung into his face a bit. His lips…well, let’s just say they are not the kind you would turn away from any part of your body…

“Are you hurt?” he asked me and his voice sounded like a welcome jolt of compassion I had never known. I stared at him like a schoolgirl for a moment longer until he pushed my hair from my face and asked me again.

“No…no, I am okay,” I said and he grinned at me.

“Are you sure? You look very pale
,” he asked and it was then that I heard Ryan yell out to me. I looked down the alley and saw him running towards me with a look of panic and anger on his face. The man stepped back from me and Ryan stopped, looking him over.

“What is going on here?’ Ryan asked and I held my hand up and stepped forward, pushing from the wall and regaining my senses.

“I was almost assaulted, Ryan.”

“Beth…” he said as he stepped towards me.

“I am okay, I mean if it was not for…” I turned back to look at the man and he smiled at me. I stopped for a moment as his smile was genuine and his face lit up as he did it.

“
Emmanuel, but my friends call me Mani,” he said and Ryan extended his hand to him and shook it.

“Well thank you
, Emmanuel. Bethany means the world to me. I mean, she is my wife.”

“Oh,
” Mani said as he looked at me and smiled. I smiled back and then rubbed my neck as Ryan noticed. It may have been years since he had been able to fluster me, but he knew my body language as well as I knew his. He straightened his shoulders and pulled out his wallet. He plucked a $500 bill from it and extended his hand out. Mani looked at it and shook his head.

“I don’t want your money.”

“I insist,” Ryan said and Mani started to walk as we both watched him.

“Mani,
” I said and Ryan looked at me like I was crazy.