Taming Mr. Black

Naomi’s POV

Killian’s hiding something.

I can feel it and I’m sure of it. And I have this gut feeling that’s telling me this has something to do with this strange person that’s sending me messages and incriminating photos of me and Killian. I’m worried. I know he keeps telling me that he’s going to tell me what’s going on and maybe put an end to what’s really going on, I feel like he’s actually hiding the truth from me. Something is happening with him and lately I feel like whatever this is that’s bothering him might threaten our relationship or maybe worse.

I need to talk to someone. Someone who’s close to him and may have an idea of what’s really going on. Raymond. Before Killian and I came to Miami for Keith’s wedding, Raymond was always dropping by my table, asking me if I was okay. At first I thought nothing of it, but I had a feeling Killian put him up to it. And I guess he’s the right person to question if I want answers. And it can’t be during Eve’s wedding since he’s a groomsman, so I have to wait during Eve’s yacht reception.

Funny enough, Killian owns the yacht and he didn’t tell me about it until today. I mean it’s not really big of a deal, but I, at least, have the right to know him. Sometimes I keep asking myself if I truly know the man I’m in love with, especially during times like this when he’s keeping important things from me.

Eve’s wedding is going on outside, right on the beach. The whole setting and decorations is just extravagant, and I ask myself if someday this will be me. Maybe with Killian. Killian stands beside his brother with his full attention on me. I feel hot, having Killian’s whole gaze and attention on me. He looks really hot, with his tuxedo and bow tie. His hair is perfectly made and his beautiful silver–like eyes have its full attention on me.

I take a breath, smiling back at him before looking away to stare at Eve who’s walking down the aisle, the tail of her wedding gown flowing behind her with her veil covering her face and down to waist. She’s beautiful and she has everyone’s attention. With every step she takes, the flower girls adorn her feet with flowers, with some girls beside me muttering words of praise. Eve’s father, Elliot Mendes, walks side to side with his daughter in arms.

Eve slowly approaches the altar with the help of Elliot as he leads the beautiful bride to her soon-to-be husband. I smile, because all of this is just romantic and beautiful, you will wanna cry.

Eve stands in front of Keith who looks well groomed and good looking too. As the couple exchange vows and I do’s, Keith unveils his bride and leans in for a kiss. The crowd goes wild, with Karen Black screaming and clapping. Everyone’s on their feet clapping and screaming. I’m also on my feet, clapping and congratulating my childhood best friend for her beautiful matrimony.

Killian turns to look at me, with our eyes locked. We don’t say anything. I just continue to clap like the rest of the audience as our eyes do the talking. He smiles a little, sending my heart on overdrive with just that little gesture. I bite my bottom lip, trying to keep my breathing in check as we continue to stare at each other.

And right in that moment, I feel like he’s making a promise to me. A promise to love me and only me.

***

I have never been in a yacht or even traveled by water before and right now I’m boat sick. I feel like I want to throw up and my stomach keeps churning. Killian’s yacht is beautiful and everything about this boat just screams luxury. The upper deck has a swimming pool. Yup, you heard me, a frickin’ swimming pool. If I’m not here for a wedding, I would be up there swimming naked.

And the interior of the yacht is something I haven’t seen before. It’s beautiful, luxurious, and if this is for charter, only rich men would be able to afford it. It’s times like this I am reminded of the difference in status between Killian and I. How he’s bloody rich and I’m just there.

A female singer and her band mounts the front of the stage as she sings. Her voice is beautiful and the lyrics and melody of her voice has everyone’s attention.

I stand by the bar, gulping a glass of iced tea as I watch the newly married couples take their first dance. I see Celine talking with Killian. She didn’t show up at the wedding and that was a relief for me. I actually thought she wouldn’t show up, but surprisingly, she did show up dressed like a slut.

God, that was rude for me to say, I guess.

I’ve never been jealous of anyone before, but Celine gives me a reason to be. She’s rich, she’s beautiful, she’s classy, she can literally have any man in her bed and I’m pretty sure there are different men cueing to be with her. Also, she’s a frickin’ redhead. Most guys would do anything to date a redhead. Weird, I know.

And the most annoying thing about this whole “Celine situation” is that she once knew how Killian is in bed. Thinking about that just makes me sick. I can’t help but think about how the two were once in a relationship and he once made love to her or fucked her. I can’t stop thinking about it even if I should.

God, I despise that bitch.

Today, she’s dressed in a slutty dress. Well, it’s not that slutty though but it’s pretty expensive and sexy. My dress is expensive, Killian made sure of that. At least I’m not dressed as a slut. Celine is dressed in a long, beige colored spaghetti strap dress, with a deep V-neck showing her porcelain cleavage. The dress has a long slit in her left thigh, right up to her upper thigh. The top of the dress is decorated with rhinestones and her red hair is in waves, crowning her oval shaped face.

She’s hot, I must give her that.

” I wonder what they’re talking about.” A familiar voice says beside me, snapping me from my creepy stares.

I turn to my side, surprised to see Raymond holding an empty glass. He turns to the man handling the bar and says:

” Sparkling water, please.”

” Sure thing, sir.”

With a heavy sigh, Raymond turns to look at me.

” You okay?”

” Yeah. Just wondering what they’re talking about, too.”

Raymond chuckles. ” I bet he’s giving her a piece of his mind.”

And he’s not wrong. It doesn’t look like they’re having a friendly conversation.

” You wanna tell me what’s going on with Killian?”

” Mmm?” Raymond feigns innocence as the bartender passes him his water.

” Oh, don’t. I’m asking you as a friend and not as my boss. I need to know. Something is wrong, Raymond. I have a feeling something’s going on and Killian isn’t saying anything.”

” Don’t you think if he isn’t saying anything then he’s waiting for the right time?”

” Uh huh. When is the right time, exactly?”

” After Keith’s wedding.”

” So you’re admitting something is really going on?”

” I didn’t say that.”

” You don’t have to.” I sigh.

” Naomi, you gotta trust your man.”

” I trust him, Raymond. Who I don’t trust is that fucking bitch who is sending me blackmailing messages and photos of me and Killian. I have a right to know who that person is.” I say, dropping my empty glass on the counter.

” Have you talked to Killian about that?”

” I have. He said he got it under control.” I say with air quotation.

” Then I think you should trust him when he tells you that. Killian is going through a lot of pressure right now. Work pressure, I mean. And if something is really going on with him and he hasn’t said anything, trust him to tell you when the time is right. I believe he’s going to tell you when he thinks it’s right.”

” You know it’s funny you’re saying this. Relationships are a two way street. I deserve to know what’s going on with his life and what’s bothering him. I understand he doesn’t want to tell me what’s really happening, but I deserve to know. If it’s something that I can handle, I can help him. Also, he should trust me enough to handle whatever the hell that’s going on.”

” Did you tell him all of this?”

I bite my lip, sighing as I turn to look at the dance floor. The couple has ended their dance and the maid of honor, some chick called Charlene, Eve’s best friend, and the best man are having their dance.

” I didn’t.”

” Maybe you should. He should understand all of the things you just said to me.”

” Right.” I mutter.

” You’ll be fine.” Raymond says to me as he walks away.

My attention is back on the maid of honor and best man having their dance. Killian doesn’t look like he’s enjoying the dance, while Charlene is obviously enjoying it. With her arms around his shoulders pulling him in. Behind her shoulder, Killian locks eyes with me and smiles. I give him a small smile back, waiting patiently for the song to end so that Charlene can peel her hands off my man.

Thankfully, the song comes to an end, with the audience clapping. The audience is asked to join in the dance. Killian looks at me as he slowly strides towards me.

” You okay?”

God, why’s everyone asking me that today? Like, don’t I look okay?

” Yeah.”

” You wanna dance?” Killian asks, smiling at me.

” I must warn you, Mr. Black, I’m a really bad dancer.”

” Me too, Ms. Alderson. We could give each other a shot.”

I chuckle and nod.

Killian takes my hand and leads me to the dance floor. I place my arms on his shoulders with his arms on my waist.

” Just so you know, you’re all I think about as I danced with her.” Killian whispers.

I look up at him, seeing the sincerity in his eyes.

” I’m glad.”

” You look beautiful. And I can’t wait to have you all alone and take this dress off of you and let my lips worship every part of your beautiful body.”

I blush. How can he say things like that?

” Stop flattering me, honey.” I say in a really terrible English accent.

Killian chuckles, looking around briefly before bringing his gaze back to me.

” You know I’m not flattering you. One day, this could be us.” Killian whispers against my neck, shutting my brain down for a second.

I slowly tilt my head up to stare into his eyes. He isn’t smiling, he’s just staring into my eyes. I can’t read his face, but I feel like it’s telling me a lot of different things all at the same time.

” I don’t know what to say.”

” You don’t have to say anything. Just trust me.”

” I trust you, Killian. You have to trust me, too. You have to trust me enough to share your problems with me, Killian. Let me bear this burden with you because I’m your woman.” I give him a small smile. ” And I should be the one to decide if it’s too much for me to handle. I want to be with you and I’m not leaving except you want me to. So let me bear your burden with you. Let’s handle your problems together.”Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Killian sighs as he runs his tongue over his red lips. ” I trust you and I’m gonna tell you everything once we go back to New York. I promise you.”

” Okay.”

” I love you so much.”

I smile like a little girl. ” I love you too.”

We sway to the beautiful melody of the singer as I rest my head against Killian’s chest. In the corner of the room, I lock eyes with Celine. She’s standing alone with a glass of wine in her hand as she glares at me. I glare back before looking away. I remove my head from Killian’s chest to ask.

” What were you and Celine talking about?”

” Just telling her to stay in her lane and stay away from you. I was also reminding her I was never gonna come back to her. Never will, definitely not.”

” I like that.”

The song comes to an end as Killian leans down to capture my lips in his in a short kiss. The ceremony continues as the MC asks the bride and groom parents to give a toast. Killian’s distant uncle stands as Keith’s father. He’s a tall man, looks nothing like the brothers and he barely ever smiles. Killian told me they’re not in a good relationship with their uncle. He didn’t tell me why.

Killian’s attention is called for and I’m left to sit alone as I watch the family of both couples give their toast.

” Having fun?” A voice says next to me.

I turn to look at my side, not surprised to see Celine pulling a seat next to me.

” What do you want, Celine?”

” Oh, nothing. You’re the lucky girl, right? The girl who gets to tame the billionaire’s heart.” She snickers.

” Fuck off.”

” Of course, I will. It’s just funny you had to go cry to your man because I told you he used to fuck me really good. God, what are you, five? And just so you know, he’s gonna leave you like he left the rest. You’re nothing special, Naomi Luna Alderson. You’re just another gold digging whore who thinks she’s better than everyone else when she’s nothing but a fucking slut whose mother is nothing, and her family is just another sad tale to talk about when you just want something miserable to laugh at. You’re nothing, bitch.”

God, I want to grab her by her hair and slam her face on this table countless times ’till she’s bleeding over this boat’s floor. Fuck’s sake, I want to pull out my shoe and stab her eyes with my heels. I want to punch her really bad and beat the shit out of her.

But I don’t. Because I can’t ruin Eve’s day. Today needs to go smoothly and perfectly. Celine knows that. She knows I can’t touch her and she used it to her advantage. She smirks at me and I glare at her.

I look away, take a deep breath, as I stand up.

” You don’t have anything to say, of course. That’s what I thought.”

Glancing at Celine again, I walk away, towards the bar to drink my anger away. On my way to the bar, a server with drinks on his platter passes me. I grab two glasses from his platter, turn left, as I quicken my pace to get away. I gulp one glass till it’s empty, gulp the second one and then I drop both empty glasses on an empty table as I hurry to the bottom side of the boat to get air.

I reach the lower deck as I grab the railing, fisting it really tight as I stare at the dark water and the night sky.

How dare she? How dare she talk to me like that? Like she’s better than me? Like she is any better than me. Because she has money and her own clothing line, then she’s automatically better than me?

” Fuck!”

God, I wanna beat the shit out of her. I want to hurt her like she’s hurting me with her words. They are just mere words, I know that. But words have a way of punching you in the heart and leaving a mark there that can either last for a while or forever.

Throwing my head back to stare at the night, I take a deep breath, letting go of the railing as I take off my shoes to sit on the bottom side of the boat so my legs are inside the water.

For some reason I don’t feel good. My stomach feels weird, and it’s not because I’m boat sick, it’s something else. I wanna throw up and I feel dizzy.

” What the hell?”

My visions start to blur. Am I drunk?

No, I’m not drunk. This is something else. Something flashes through my eyes. God, was I poisoned? Oh no. I try to stand up, but my feet nearly give up on me. I’m slowly starting to slip into consciousness as I try to stand properly on my feet. And that’s when I see it. No, it’s a person. A silhouette and it’s that of a woman. Through my hazy vision and the pains I’m going through all at once, I see her take a step towards me.

” Who are you?”

Her face isn’t clear. But she’s wearing an evening dress and it looks like that of Celine’s and she’s wearing some sort of mask. Suddenly, this woman reaches forward and pushes me. My feet slip and the next thing, I’m falling inside the vast body of water, slowly drowning while slipping into the darkness.