บท 33: Gaze
When Prudence reached her room did not care about the butler and just rammed the door. Nevertheless, Orson did not mind the lady's behaviour. He knew well on how His Grace had been keeping her here and though every maid in the house doubted Prudence that she seduced the Mafia King and now is playing hard-to-get.
Orson had served Vincent enough to know the lady was truly here against her will. His hair wasn't grey for no reason.
Turning on his heels, Orson made his way to the kitchen, which was in the middle of the manor, just a few steps away from the dining area. He knew well what his master liked and on seeing him, the head chef made space on one of the three large counters in the manor. Orson got to doing his job, making the blood tea for Vincent and Drakos. The head chef asked him, "Will his Grace be needing anything to eat along with it?"
"That won't be necessary," Orson replied as he brewed the tea in the teapot before adding blood to it, just the way Vincent liked it.
He carried the teapot along with two cups, making his way outside the kitchen, through the dining room and to Vincent's study, which was located in the west wing of the manor. Orson knocked twice on the door before turning the handle and entering inside. He did not bother talking, as he knew very well how Vincent hated to be disturbed during his discussions. Vincent sat in his usual place, the main seat behind the table, while Drakos stopped talking on seeing the butler.
Drakos was roaming around aimlessly in the room before Orson had entered, and now he looked through the self where scrolls and books lined the shelf. When Orson was done serving the tea in two cups, he bowed and left the two gentlemen alone in the room.
"I didn't know you read gothic fiction," Drakos commented, looking through one of the books he had taken out and flipped through the pages not bothering to read the contents.
Vincent took a sip from his tea before turning in his chair, "It book is a classic, though I merely bought it to see how they used to depict us vampires, back when our existence was less known. It is more of a comedy than horror." Vincent took another long sip from his tea as he saw Drakos keep the book back in its place.
Drakos came back to seat on one of the chairs that faced Vincent with only the semicircular table in between. He took a sip from his cup and did a chef kiss in the air, "Orson does it the best."
Vincent turned his chair to face Drakos, "So what did Cirillo say about the liquor business?"
"Sailing smooth," Drakos commented as his hand moved through the air as if a ship moving in a calm ocean. "Why do you insist on having the business not involve in black cash?"
Vincent hummed before he brought the cup of tea to his lips. He took in the faint metallic scent of blood which dilated his pupils, but the expression on his face remains passive. Vincent took a good sip before placing the cup back in its place, "It is to hide all the black business. There are eyes on me after all, not to mention Lilian is here half the time of the month." Vincent had a gentle, distasteful expression on his remembering the girl.
"Ah yes, the daughter of the supreme court's judge," Drakos remarked about Lilian, "I wonder what she will have to say about your new love interest. You give too many special privileges to Lady Prudence. Your sister is sure to sneer at her if she watched her sit at the head table with you."
Vincent's eyes narrowed at Drakos. If this was someone else who would have talked this casually, Vincent would have shot a silver bullet through their head by now.
However, Drakos had been with him through his journey of becoming the Mafia King, and Vincent was well aware of his provoking nature. "For a man who is quiet in front of others, you sure do talk a lot in private," On hearing Vincent's words, Drakos scratched the back of his head innocently. Vincent clicked his tongue, "How is the gambling base coming along?"
Drakos quickly changed the expression on his face to a serious one, "I have appointed the new overlooker. There is a sum of 10 million we spent on the slaves."
Vincent hummed at it, "I am sure you introduced the rules to them."
"Yes," Drakos was quick to respond, "As long as they pay their buying amount back, they are free to go." Vincent wasn't fond of the slavery system even though he had been offered slaves a lot in deals before. He would buy them for his gamble house in auctions which used to be held annually and girls who had been kidnapped or tricked used to be sold off. The gambling house earned enough for the girls there to repay their buying amount in a year and then the girls were free to decide on their stay or decision to leave.
"Good, let me know once the renovations are complete," Vincent finished his cup of tea and rang the bell that was kept on his table.
On the other side of the manor, Prudence's eyes were fixated on the small useless golden bell, which was kept on the side table along with the empty glass of water which she had just placed down. She rolled her eyes and made her way towards the window that was adjacent to the bed. Her eyes traced the green patch outside where half of it had harsh sunlight while the other rested in shadows of the manor.
The stable keeper had brought one of the horses out for a walk and was heading towards the back of the manor, which wasn't visible from the window. Prudence remembered Daisy watching the horse, and a heavy feeling came to settle in her heart.
There were too many casualties she had caused in just one night and Vincent had said had he has invited Don Sam here.
The thought of facing the man somewhere scared her, knowing very well how she had stepped on his nerve and consecutively, his gigantic ego. She refused to believe that Vincent took a liking towards her, but for now, she found it a little safe to be here when Don Sam was looking for revenge. More than all of that, she believed Vincent was far more dangerous and powerful than Don Sam. So Prudence decided not to push his buttons and be careful with her mouth.
When the time for dinner had come, Nicola came to invite Prudence. There was a knock on the door, "Milady the dinner is ready." Prudence laid on her stomach on the bed and for a moment she wanted to retaliate. Throw a fit or make it so that the maids do not drag her out.
But the last thing she wanted was Vincent barging in through the door and pinning her against the wall or on the bed. She lazily got down from the bed and went to open the door.
Nicola was was glad from the depths of her heart that Prudence was finally willing with the ways around here.
The maid led Prudence to the dining area and left from outside itself. As usual Vincent sat at the head table where a lace was reserved for her beside him. She gingerly made her way to where a seat was arranged for her. When Prudence sat down Vincent leaned closer and her breath hitched while her body moved to the other side, "I don't like this artificial musky scent you, the natural flowery one is the best."
Prudence could not help but glare at him for saying such intimate words, and that too in front of the maids who were serving right, "I will keep that in mind, His Grace. Now if you will please enjoy your dinner."
She intended to push Vincent away, but her hand couldn't come up to touch him. It only made her gulp as her breath turned shallow in his close presence.
Vincent loved to see her struggle with her personality and right now he knew why she was complying so much. It was the fear of tomorrow which engulfed her mind and Vincent had only talked about how he was going to invite Don Sam home, not what he planned to do later on. He oved away from her space tucking the napkin in his shirt while a maid placed one on both of their legs.
The steak was served and Prudence quietly ate while what Vincent had just said played on repeat in her mind. She wasn't aware she had a distinct flowery scent but for Vincent to point that out... the colour on her ear quickly rose up.
It was a little embarrassing in her thoughts when suddenly her fork clanged against another fork and her eyes moved down to look at her plate.
Vincent had cut a piece of steak from her plate and taken a bit while his eyes met hers. There was salient smirk on his face as he saw the little action take its effect. The girl was going red with embarrassment as he was doing it in front of everyone else. "His Grace, there is food on your plate, please have that instead of taking it from someone else's," Prudence words came barely audible as she did not want to sound arrogant.
The hand in which she held the knife tightened its grip and she imagined how it would be if she were to stab this into Vincent's hand right now.
Vincent flashed his charming smile Prudence thought of him as nothing less to a devil who lured his prey with his charm. "The steak on my plate is too raw, I just wanted to taste the same thing that touched your lips."
"You should eat better cooked meat then," Prudence said as she went ahead to cut another piece before putting it in her mouth.
Vincent chuckled at her comment, "I have my meal just how I like it. Tender and raw."
Prudence did not add another word to his obnoxious comment. She quietly went on to eat her food. Every gulp felt heavy as she felt Vincent's eyes on her. Prudence wondered if all her meals are going to be this way where Vincent does something to provoke her and she would have to struggle with holding herself back.
"Are you scared?" Vincent asked in a nonchalant tone to break the chain of whatever Prudence's thoughts were forming right now.
Prudence's gaze turned towards Vincent, "Did I not tell you that already?"
She could not believe Vincent had forgotten this fast on how the conversation in the garden had went. Prudence had made sure to clear her fears about the night creatures, even though the fears were indirectly about her dear ones and not her own self, she was still afraid of them.
Vincent hummed as he brought another piece of his steak to his mouth before placing it in it. "I was asking about tomorrow's meet with Sam Murray," he clarified.
There was a part of Prudence that want to loudly scream yes ask a favour from Vincent to send Don Sam someplace far away so she did not have to worry about it anymore. "Should I be scared?" Prudence asked Vincent back trying to test the waters.
A huge grin appeared on Vincent's face hearing the words. The girl always amused him even during such times, "Depends on you, do you want a personal meeting arranged with him"
"I wouldn't want that," Prudence replied in a whisper hoping she did not get to meet Dom Sam tomorrow at all.
Vincent suddenly grabbed her chin and turned her face to him. Prudence's heart jumped in her chest. But Vincent did not go any closer to her just made her look straight into his crimson eyes, "I will be right there with you so do not fear. You are my girl now and no one is allowed to even raise their gaze at you."
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