TEMPORARY CRUELTY

Temporary cruelty 3

Morgan entered Eric’s office and closed the door behind her slowly. She felt so nervous; she secretly cussed Eric for always creating such turmoil in her. She sat opposite him and remained quiet.

“What is it Morgan? I don’t have all night to watch you fidget. Debra will be knocking off soon I need her to do some things for me before she leaves.” Eric snapped.

“I am ready to get back to work.” She said quietly.

“I don’t think it’s wise for you to get back to work so soon after what happened.” He muttered.

“I want to get back to work; doing nothing will drive me crazy.” She got up and moved around the room.

“You can go around shopping for more useless dresses, if its money you need I can give you.” Eric said.

She looked at his blank face and wondered how she could desire someone so cold.

“I don’t need handouts…” she spat.

“Oh don’t pretend to be righteous with me Morgan; I think I have known you long enough to know you are a conniving little demon.”

“You are a bastard!” Morgan snapped.

She had never spoken to Eric like that and she regretted losing her temper. Eric’s reaction surprised her because he laughed.

“It won’t be handouts; you own all of Allen’s shares now. You don’t have to work.”

“I don’t want anything.” She spat.

“I would be glad if you signed papers giving everything back to his family.” His eyes flashed.

“I will do it willingly.” She murmured.

“I think this little discussion has reached its limit.” Eric said.

His phone rang and he picked it up as Morgan sat down and watched him angrily. She needed him to understand that he couldn’t make decisions about her life.

“Damn it! I forgot all about it. What time is it Debra?” Eric spoke on the phone.

When Eric put the phone down Morgan got up from the chair and glared at him.

“I don’t think you have the right to control me. If you won’t give me work I will work elsewhere!” She walked to the door.

“Wait.” Eric got up and walked towards her. “If you like we can continue this discussion on my way to my next program.”

“What is there to talk about? You have made your point quiet clear.” Morgan opened the door to walk out.

“Okay! You win.” Eric said quickly before she could walk out.

“What do you mean?” Morgan turned to look at him in confusion.

“I need someone to wear one of my new dresses. I am attending a party in about thirty minutes and there are some clients I have to impress.” Eric said.

“You want me to come to this party with you?” Morgan asked in surprise.

Eric had many models at his disposal, all he needed was to make a call and one would come running. Morgan didn’t understand why it had to be her, the woman he had been forced to put up with for years because of his cousin.

“Yes, that is if you haven’t planed anything for tonight, like drinking away the night with that vulgar Fred.” Eric said picking up his laptop bag.

“I don’t have any plans.” Morgan murmured.

Eric opened the closet and removed a long red dress.

“It’s beautiful.” Morgan admired the dress as he gave it to her.

“I think it will fit you, I will leave you to change. My car is down stairs.”

“I have my car, tell me the venue I will meet you there.” Morgan said.

“It’s better if we leave together, give me the keys I will have someone take the car to the house.”

Morgan quickly gave Eric the keys and he left her in his office.

Five minutes later she was walking out of Eric’s office in the dress.

“Wow, you look like a million dollars.” Debra smiled.

“It’s not me it’s your boss’s creation.”

“Are you going with him to the party?” Debra asked suspiciously.

“Yes, only for work he wants people to see the dress.” Morgan said quickly. She didn’t understand why she felt the need to explain to Debra but all she knew was that she had to make it clear that she wasn’t Eric’s date.

“Have a good time.” Debra said.

“I doubt I can enjoy anything with Eric hounding me…” Morgan said almost as if talking to herself.

“He isn’t so bad.” Debra muttered.

“Good night.” Morgan walked away.

When Morgan entered Eric’s black Royce Rolls he immediately started the car.

“Seat belt.” He ordered.

Morgan quickly put on the belt; she braced herself for the rest of the night because she was sure Eric would continue treating her like a child.

The party was at a famous movie star’s condo. It was filled with New York’s finest business people and celebrities. Morgan walked beside Eric into an elegant gallery where people chatted loudly and there was laughter everywhere. Morgan smiled at some familiar faces.

Immediately they entered the large room, People begun to follow them to talk to Eric. He listened and made acknowledgments but Morgan noticed that he was indifferent to everything that was happening around them.

He pulled her away from everyone slowly and leaned in to whisper in her ears. Her muscles clenched at his closeness as her nostrils took in his male scents and his mild cologne.

“I need a drink.” Eric said.” Whisky. Order something strong for yourself; you look like you need it.” And then he walked away to talk to some people.

There! They hadn’t been there more than twenty minutes and he was already pushing her around. There were men dressed in black and white uniforms holding trays of

Champaign glasses moving around the room and yet he felt he had to send her to collect his drink.

Morgan walked to the bar and sat down.

“Can I get you something to drink?” The bar tender asked.

“Yes, please. I will have some Whisky and vodka on the rocks.” Morgan said.

The bar tender gave her two glasses. Morgan sipped all the Vodka at once and gave the glass back to the bar tender.

“Some more…”

“Are we celebrating something?” She heard a female voice that she recognized immediately as Liz’s voice.

Her heart beat fast against her chest. Liz had managed to make her despise her like she had never despised anyone. She sipped her drink and ignored her.

“Did I just see you walk in with Eric?” Liz tried to sound unaffected but Morgan knew she was jealous.

She turned and saw the contempt on the pretty woman’s face.

“Your obsession with Eric has nothing to do with me.” Morgan tried to walk away but Liz stood in front of her.

“Being widowed suites you. You are enjoying the Bradford fortune without having to put up with that delinquent Allen. I bet you now own his share of everything.” She said nonchalantly.

Morgan felt tears in her eyes; she couldn’t fathom how someone could be so unkind.

“Won’t you say something?” Liz said.

Morgan got up slowly and walked away from her without a word. It was pointless arguing with Liz, the woman had demeaned her for years and the cruelty towards her seemed to worsen with each passing year.

Morgan headed for the door, she was hurting inside and she didn’t want to break down in front of all those people. How could that woman say she was better off without Allen and how could she make their relationship sound so appalling?

“Where are you going?” Eric asked rushing after her.

“If you had told me your girlfriend was coming I wouldn’t have come.” Morgan said walking on.

Eric held her hand and stopped her.

“What are you talking about? Why are you crying?” Eric asked gently.

Morgan couldn’t help it, tears fell down her face and she struggled to free herself from his grip.

“Come with me.” Eric said pulling her away from the room.

Morgan followed Eric outside the condo in the long passage, where there were a few people too busy drinking and chatting to notice them.

“What happened? You were fine before.” He said edgily.

“Your girlfriend…” she cried.

“I don’t have a girlfriend!” He retorted.

“I just want to go home.”

“I want to know who did this.” He demanded as he removed a handkerchief from his jacket pocket and gave it to her.

“Liz, that monster you move around with.” Morgan said wiping her face.

“What did she say?” His face was serious.

“That…” Morgan couldn’t repeat the hateful words.

“Go on.” He commanded.

“That I was enjoying being a widow… that I…”

“Enough! Liz has gone too far.” Eric said angrily.

He turned to walk towards the house but Morgan stopped him. He looked too upset and she didn’t want him confronting Liz in public and ruining his reputation. She had accompanied him that night to help him and not to cause trouble for him.

“She is not worth the trouble, am sorry I didn’t help you much tonight. I will call a taxi.” Morgan said.

“Don’t give her the pleasure of driving you out of here; she will be glad if you leave.” Eric said.

Morgan reluctantly followed Eric into the house and when they entered the room she was surprised to feel his hand in hers. Her face blushed from the stares their presence attracted.

“You need to remove those tears from your face.” Eric said.

“I will be right back.” She attempted to walk away from him.

“I will escort you to the powder room.” He said.

Morgan looked at him in horror. What would people say if he followed her into the ladies room?

“Don’t worry; I will wait for you outside.”

Morgan powdered her face quickly and found Eric waiting for her outside.

“You didn’t have to wait.” Morgan said shyly.

“I know.” Eric said as he picked two glasses of champagne on one of the trays from the waiter passing by and handed her a glass.

“Thank you.” She smiled.

“Don’t leave my side.” He ordered and she spent the rest of the night following him around and enduring Liz’s evil stares.

“We should leave now.” Eric said holding her hand lightly.

“My feet are killing me.” Morgan muttered following him towards the door.

She felt her temper coil in resentment when she saw Liz stand in front of them.

“Leaving so soon?” She said smiling at Eric.

“Yes.” Eric said.

“Without letting your friends know? Am offended Eric.” Liz said with an uneasy laugh.

“You mean friends that go around insulting my family?” Eric barked.

“I don’t understand…” Liz faltered, her face turning red hot.

“Understand this, next time you open your mouth to ill-treat Morgan you will have to deal with me.” Eric snapped.

Liz just stared; she looked so enraged that Morgan thought she would blow up.

Morgan felt thrilled and astonished that Eric would defend her so passionately.

“Good night, friend.” Eric said sarcastically and moved on, Morgan followed him quickly.

Morgan had been sure the two were lovers but after that night she wasn’t so sure about what sort of relationship they had. Liz was the only constant woman Morgan had seen Eric with. He dated one beautiful woman after another but there had never been a relationship she would have considered as serious.

Morgan couldn’t help but chuckle softly when she sat next to Eric in the car; Liz’s countenance was just too

comical for her to ignore. Liz was an assertive and opinionated woman that demanded reverence or inspired fear wherever she was but Eric had rendered her speechless with just a few words.

“Don’t enjoy it too much, Liz can be very vengeful. I would be careful if I were you.” Eric said and started the car.

As Eric drove them home Morgan pondered about how much her relationship with him had changed. A few months ago they had been strangers that worked together, never mixing their personal lives with business but suddenly their association had become so complicated that Morgan failed to reason. She was learning a different side of Eric she had never seen. She was beginning to see him as a sensitive human being and he had revealed signs of benevolence that she would never have guessed he possessed.

Morgan moved behind Eric into the sitting room. She watched silently as he poured whisky in a glass.

“Good night.” She muttered as she tried to leave the room.

“We should eat something, am hungry I bet you are as well; there wasn’t any real food at that place.” Eric said.

Morgan didn’t feel hungry; she hadn’t felt hunger since Allen died but she still wanted to be in Eric’s

company. She wondered if he would be as silent as he had been in the car on their way home.

“I can cook something.” She said forgetting that the servants did everything in that household.

“Okay.” Eric said.

She then remembered that their private chef always left meals in the kitchen for them to put in a microwave anytime they came home but why did Eric agree to her cooking? Morgan decided he was just fooling her like he always did but after having such a tranquil night she didn’t want to spoil it with pettiness because of her crazy notions of cooking for him.

She shrugged because she knew it was imprudent to want to prepare a meal for a man who was used to first class food. He could never prefer her simple meals. She couldn’t understand the urge she felt to build an intimate connection between them.

“I will warm the food; I will bring it to the dining room.” She muttered.

“The trouble isn’t necessary; we can eat in the kitchen.” Eric said following her to the kitchen.

Eric put two plates on the counter as Morgan warmed their food and when he was done he stood watching her

absorbedly. Morgan avoided his stare as she kept herself busy playing with utensils.

Morgan quietly put containers of warm food on the counter and they both put some of the food on their plates. The silence in the room was deafening as she felt Eric’s eyes on her. She could feel her chest heave more than normal and her breathing was so loud that she was ashamed that he was hearing it.

“The food is good.” Morgan muttered. . The mac and cheese and lamb were delicious but she had made that statement to get rid of the uncomfortable atmosphere.

“Yes.” Eric said with a husky voice.

She wished he could know what he was doing to her and then she guessed that maybe he knew he was turning her mind and body upside down.

Their meal was quiet and intense. Morgan hardly ate anything and when she looked at his plate she noticed that he had very little to eat too.

She couldn’t stand the tension; no man had inspired such confusion in her. She wanted to run away from him and she also wanted him close to her at the same time.

She abruptly got up from the stool.

“I am done.” She said picking up her plate and taking it to the sink.

Eric also got up and followed her to the sink; he stood close behind her as she disposed of the leftovers and then he did the same.

“I will wash them.” She said getting the plate from him.

He stood watching her as she washed and wiped the plates.

“You didn’t have to clean them, they are people employed to do it.” Eric said when she was done.

“It’s not a bother, am used to cleaning up after myself.” Morgan said trying to walk past him but he stood in front of her.

“Are you trying to say I can’t clean up after myself?” Eric said. His face showed emotions that confused Morgan. His eyes were obscure and daring.

“No… I didn’t mean that. I am sorry am used to doing everything; I have never had a maid.” Morgan muttered.

“Why are you sorry?” he asked hoarsely.

Morgan’s emotions were all over the place, she wasn’t even sure what they were talking about anymore.

“I…” she mumbled, she didn’t know what he was asking.

“I think it’s time we both went to bed.” Eric said and he tried to walk away but she quickly held his hand. He stopped and looked at her with anticipation registered on his stern face.

“I… thank you for defending me against Liz tonight.” She murmured.

“You are family.” He whispered.

No! Morgan didn’t want him to see her as family because she knew that her feelings for him had nothing to do with family. She desired him as a man and her body was yarning for him desperately.

“Family.” She laughed bitterly. She forced herself to accept that it was impossible for anything farther than the kiss they had once shared to happen between them.

Eric released himself from her tender grip and walked out of the room fast.

On her way to her room Morgan was tempted to bypass her door and to go to Eric’s room. The urge to be in his arms once again was so strong that she found herself standing at his door staring at it intently.

She was sure she had lost her mind. She opened Eric’s door slowly and closed the door behind her as she walked into the empty room.

“Eric.” She called silently.

There was no sign of Eric anywhere. She wondered where he could be.

She moved to his bed slowly and lay there, she held on to one of his pillows to smell him but everything was washed and changed every day in that household. She held on to a pillow and eventually fell asleep.

The next thing that happened confused her, she found herself lying on the bed. Eric was staring at her fixedly.

“Eric.” she murmured woozily.

Eric just stood there watching her, he appeared disconcerted.

She looked around her surrounding and realized she wasn’t in her room. For a moment she wondered where she was and then she remembered sleeping on Eric’s bed. She got up abruptly but she didn’t know how to explain what she was doing there. How could she have fallen asleep on his bed? What was Eric thinking about her? And she also wondered how long he had stood there watching her.

“Morgan, what are you doing sleeping in my room?” Eric asked. His face was hard with emotion and his tall frame hovered over her.

Morgan stood up slowly and she couldn’t look at him.

“I…” She stammered in confusion.

“I am still waiting for an explanation.” He insisted.

She was so embarrassed that she just ran out of the room. She had hoped Eric would let her leave but she head his long footsteps walking after her fast as she ran to her room.

She shut the door behind her and leaned against it. The light tap on her door made her turn quickly and lock the door. There were a few more taps before she heard the doorknob move.

“Morgan, open this door.” Eric barked.

She just stood there, her heart beating fast until she heard Eric’s footsteps moving away from the door.

She slowly walked to the bed, feeling more confused than she had ever felt in her life. She was certain she was losing her mind because nothing she did last night or this morning was rational.

Her shaky hands dialed Fred’s number; he was the only one who could understand her and bring her back to the real world where Eric would never want anything with her and where she agreed that their domains would never mingle. No matter what she wore or how she behaved Eric would always see that unsophisticated young girl who had gone into his office and humiliated herself.

“Hello…” Fred said.

“Fred, I need you.” She cried.

“Sweetie, what happened…?” Fred answered.

“Can we please meet later today?” she interjected.

“Yes, where do you want to meet?”

“At koi.”

“Okay, I will be there.”

Morgan put the phone down and went to the bathroom. Under the shower, all she could see were Eric’s dark hazel eyes watching her and she felt her body react. She imagined his hands on her skin as the cold water ran down her body and she didn’t shy away from the fantasy. She closed her eyes and uttered his name passionately.

CHAPTER FOUR

Morgan looked at her favorite meal at Koi’s restaurant with disinterest. She always had her meals there with Allen and Fred. Being there brought back a lot of memories and she wished they would stop going but it was Fred’s favorite restaurant and it was the only place that seemed to please him ever since Allen died.

Unlike Allen, Fred liked an extravagant life. Coming from an equally wealthy family he enjoyed all the good things that life could give. Even though his family was against his modeling career and his s****l preference, they still provided him with sufficient allowance.

“You are growing too thin, eat.” Fred reprimanded her.

“I miss Allen.” Morgan said quietly.

“Is that the reason you look so…you look so grown up?” Fred asked staring at her carefully.

“What do you mean grown up?” Morgan asked, irritated by his suspicious glare.

“You sounded worked up over the phone when you called me this morning.” Fred muttered.

“I wasn’t well, I feel fine now.”

“Are you in love, little Morgan?” Fred laughed.

“Why would you ask me that? You know I have no time for such nonsense.” Morgan sipped her wine.

Was she in love with Eric? No, she could never love a man that was so stuck-up and emotionless.

“Your eyes, anyway am just imagining things. You haven’t been up and about since you started staying with the two vampires.” Fred remarked.

“Don’t call them that.”

“Are you defending them?”

“Mr. Bradford has been very generous with me.” Morgan muttered.

“So the only evil there is Eric…”

“He isn’t as bad as we thought.”

“Oh, they have brain washed you. Do you intend to live in that dull house forever?”

“Of course not, I have been thinking about leaving.” Morgan said avoiding Fred’s suspicious look.

“Then leave, that place is turning you into a secretive and timid woman.” Fred remarked.

“What are you talking about?”

“I have known you for many years and you have never been this withdrawn, it is as if you are hiding something.”

“I am not hiding anything.” Morgan snapped and got up. “I didn’t meet you here to be distressed.”

“Sit down and stop all the drama. I can see that the Bradford’s self-importance is contiguous.” Fred retorted.

Morgan sat down silently and glared at Fred crossly.

“Move out of that house so you can come back to normal.” Fred said.

She knew Fred was right, she was losing herself but she couldn’t tell him that her transformation had nothing to do with the Bradford household but her attraction to the dark prince Eric.

“What I need is work.” Morgan replied playing with her food.

“Then you are in luck.” She heard a soft male voice say behind her. She turned to find George Norman; he was a tall, tanned and handsome man in his early thirties with a

rough edge to him. He had long blond hair and he always wore causal expensive cloths.

“George!” She smiled.

Fred looked pleased to see him too and he gestured to him to sit with them. George complied and joined them.

“Am sorry I heard about Allen. I just arrived from Europe last night.” George said.

“Thank you.” Morgan retorted and sipped her wine; she saw the sad look on Fred’s face and decided to change the topic quickly. “I have not seen you in a while. Were you touring the world as usual?”

“Yes, I spent most of my time in Africa.” George said signaling to the waitress to come to their table.

George’s family owned a chain of hotels around the world. He was never in one place for a very long time and Morgan had been introduced to him by Allen. The two were so alike in a way, and like Allen George tried to escape the Embellishments that he had been born into. He was a humble and easygoing man. He was also known around New York for his womanizing, he especially liked models.

“My mother was from Africa.” Morgan said.

“What country?” George asked.

“Zambia, she told me her family had a large farm there.”

“Have been there?”

“No.”

“It’s a nice place, I visited it once. Do you have family there?”

“I do but I don’t know them.” Morgan murmured.

“I have always wanted to visit Africa.” Fred said.

“Next time I am going there you could join me.” He smiled at Morgan. “You too, it’s a relaxing place.”

Their meal went on pleasantly; George always had a lot of stories to tell about the places he visited. Morgan envied his life; if she had the privilege she would travel around the world and never return to New York where she felt smothered then.

“What about work, Morgan?” George asked. “We are working on a commercial for our new Vodka and I believe you are the perfect face for it.”

“I don’t know. I have to consult Eric.”

“Eric isn’t God; he hasn’t booked anything for you in months.” Fred said.