Status: Just Starting
A Stark Love
Five
Demetri fidgeted with his collar as he rode the elevator down to the ground level of the company building. His mind raced with thoughts of “What if?” as he walked through the main lobby, passing people left and right. He would be having dinner with Sonja tonight, and for once, was incredibly nervous. He walked out the revolving doors to the open car door held by his driver Jeremy. Demetri slid into the vehicle, exhaling softly as the door shut behind him. This would be the first interaction the two would have alone and he wasn’t so sure how she would react to him. As they drove back to his home, Demetri couldn’t help but replay every moment he shared with her the night of the family dinner. She was distant – hesitant even. It was far from her usual self.
Demetri leaned into the leather caresses of the car’s interior as he shut his eyes, the image of her appearing in his mind. Before all of this, whenever he would visit she would run up and hug him violently. Her small frame pressed up against him, arms locked around his neck as he held her just as tight to himself. It always made him a little embarrassed when she did that as the whole family would stop and laugh at the two. Sonja was the only person who he could feel at ease with – it was effortless with her. She understood his troubled mind as a young boy into young adulthood. She was his confidant, his guardian, his best friend – the most important component in his life.
His eyes opened quickly feeling the car come to a complete stop. They were parked in the private area of the large complex he lived in. Jeremy opened the door for him as Demetri stepped out, smoothing the lines of his dark grey suit, “Thank you, Jeremy. That’s all for today.” Jeremy, a tall broad shouldered man with a face of a soldier, nodded his head, “Yes, sir.” Demetri walked towards the elevator doors in the parking garage, tapping the button quickly as Jeremy went to work on the other cars in the lot – all belonging to Demetri. The elevator whistled its arrival, doors opening quickly, as Demetri stepped inside. He pressed the button for the top floor, doors shutting as he pulled out his phone, his fingers tapping it to life.
There were two voicemails and several calls missed from his pilot. Demetri quickly tapped the voicemails, a feeling of worry slowly creeping over him, “Mr. Grey, this is Louie. Just letting you know I have landed in the proximity and am awaiting the arrival of Miss. Stark.” Demetri swiped the screen to the last voicemail, “Mr. Grey, Louie here. I attempted to reach your office, sir, but was told you had left for the day. I wanted to update you on the flight.” Demetri held his breath as the elevator made its crawl to the top level, “It was heavenly. Miss. Stark thoroughly enjoyed it and is awaiting your arrival at your home.” Demetri’s jaw clenched as the doors slowly opened up to reveal his lavish home.
She’s here.
He walked into the open area of his living room, door shutting behind him quietly and looked around.
There was no one there.
He walked slowly through the living room, the open area also shared with his kitchen and dining area. Demetri slid out his phone again to dial for Louie, obviously he was mistaken. Maybe she didn’t want to wait here. Maybe it was all just too much and she left. Maybe –
“Didn’t think I’d actually beat you here, Grey.”
Demetri turned around sharply as he heard her voice. His body relaxed instantly, eyes held hostage by her presence. Sonja stood on the second level of the penthouse, arms resting against the railing as her unique set of eyes, emerald and sapphire, smiled at him. She walked slowly down the stairs; the form fitting dark red dress highlighting every curve. As she reached the bottom, her dress ending just above her knee, she walked slowly over to him, head tilted to the side as she smirked at him, “Grey? You okay?” Demetri cleared his throat as she stopped before him, taking a quick breath in, “Fine. Wasn’t expecting you so early is all.”
Sonja straightened her head and nodded, “Mr. Plan-it-all didn’t know I was here? That would explain the look on your face.” She laughed lightly, her chestnut hair falling over her shoulders in soft waves. Demetri smiled lightly down at her, “The look of shock seeing an intruder in my home.” Sonja scrunched her nose at him as she walked around him to the glass walls that allowed a full view of the city, “Intruder? That’s what I am now.” She shook her head, smiling, as she stood before the glass walls, “Great view. You’ve got some place here, Grey.” Demetri turned to watch her, a soft smirk on his face, “Glad to hear it meets your approval, Miss. Stark.”
Sonja turned back around to face him, soft smile on her face, “You’ve done very well for yourself, Dem. You should be very proud.” Her revert to his nickname made him look away from her momentarily before locking back in her gaze, “You look beautiful, Sunny.” His comment skimming over hers as to not address his success. Sonja blushed lightly, smoothing her dress and shrugging, “It’s the dress. Rachel let me borrow it…” her voice trailed off. Demetri walked over to her, hand under her chin to pull her gaze back up to his, “It’s not the dress.”
They stayed gazing at each other; Demetri’s thumb lightly caressing her chin as his face moved closer to hers. He could smell her vanilla perfume permeate his nostrils, his lips inching closer to hers, “It’s all you.” Sonja pulled her chin free of him, stepping back for a moment, biting her lip out of nervous habit, “Thank you. So where are we going?” Demetri eyed her for a moment, her question catching him off guard. She was obviously a little uncomfortable and he was all too eager to demonstrate his care. He made a mental note to take things slow – he didn’t wreck this in a day, he wouldn’t put it back together in that time either. He sighed lightly, forcing a smile, “I need to change.”
Demetri walked away from her to the staircase, climbing up it two steps at a time, “Explore – as I’m sure you’ve already have. I’ll be just a minute.” Sonja shook her head, smiling faintly as she watched him ascend upstairs into, what she presumed was, the bedroom. She had taken some time to explore the upstairs – never into any of the rooms, but to better few the art pieces he had on display. All of them were very abstract and dark – a still movement of Demetri himself. Sonja walked back to the living area to where her small red clutch sat and plopped down next to it. She could hear the faint noise of drawers opening and closing as she pulled her phone out of the clutch. There was a light blinking on the phone to indicate a new message. Sonja tapped the phone to life and sighed, smiling, as she saw there were four new messages from Rachel.
Sonja clicked on the message button to scroll through Rachel’s messages:
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7:25 PM: Did you make it there alive?
7:27 PM: Has the Dark Lord made his final appearance?
7:45 PM: You better be dead if you aren’t answering my texts.
DO NOT KISS HIM SUNNY! I MEAN IT!
7:55 PM: DO. NOT. KISS. HIM.
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Sonja slid the phone back into her clutch, not wanting to attempt a response to her over protective best friend. She met Rachel in high school and their bond over the arts. Even back then, Rachel and Demetri never saw eye to eye. Sonja leaned back into the couch, the leather potent to her nostrils, as she pondered through memories. Rachel always believed that Demetri would never be able to properly care for her. “The dude is an ass, Sunny. Stop trying to make him into your perfect little boyfriend – he’s not capable of it.” Rachel used to say to her back then. After everything happened she would reflect on that line – agreeing with it. She had tried to pull him into something he claimed he never wanted and it tore them apart.
“Ready?”
Sonja’s eyes fluttered up, shattering her thoughts as she gazed over at him. He was wearing a matte black suit – a classic for him. His grey eyes softer than usual as he watched her, “Come.” Demetri walked closer to her, his arm stretched out, hand waiting, “Don’t want to be late, do we?” Sonja smiled softly, taking his hand hesitantly, as she pulled herself to stand. She let go of his hand once she was standing on her own feet as she followed him to the elevator. As they stood inside, Demetri stole glances of her repeatedly. Sonja kept her eyes up on the descending numbers, pretending that she didn’t feel the trail his eyes left on her. The elevator whistled at their arrival to the parking garage, Demetri’s arm extended to motion her out first.
Sonja walked out of the elevator slowly looking at the line of cars parked around them; two Audi’s, a Jaguar, three Ferrari’s, two Lamborghini’s, a Bentley – a fort of high end, luxury vehicles. Sonja raised her eyebrow as she looked up at him, “Who are your neighbors? Billionaire playboys?” Demetri put his hand on her lower back, guiding her to the jet black Audi A8, “Just one.” As they reached the car, Demetri pulled out a set of keys as he unlocked the doors. The surprise couldn’t be held back from her face as she watched him open the car door for her, “Thank you…” She slipped into the car carefully, afraid she might damage such a beautiful item. Demetri walked swiftly over to the driver’s side and slipped inside, turning the ignition key to hear the roar of the car.
They sat in silence as Demetri navigated through the traffic of the city, carefully stealing glances at her, his jaw clenching and unclenching out of nervousness. He pulled the car over in front of a hotel, slowing to a stop as the valet came around to open Sonja’s door. She eyed Demetri for a moment, confused, as she stepped out of the vehicle and on to the sidewalk. She held her clutch close to her as Demetri gave the keys to the valet, walking over to Sonja, hand on her lower back, “Shall we?” Demetri pressed them forward as the door man held open the door for the two. Demetri guided her to the elevator, pressing the “UP” button as they waited together. “I hope you aren’t trying to bring me to a bedroom, Demetri Grey.” Sonja hissed in a low voice to him. Demetri watched as the doors opened for them, a sly smirk on his face, “Not tonight, Miss. Stark.”
As they stepped in the elevator, the top button pressed by Demetri, Sonja began to shift uneasily from one leg to another. She was expecting a nice dinner, like he had said, a nice upscale restaurant. She got dressed up for God’s sake. Sonja looked over at him, trying desperately to decipher the emotionless front he put on. After what felt like eons, the doors to the elevator hummed and opened its blocked arms for them to pass through. Demetri walked out first, turning his body slightly to her, eyebrow raised questioningly, “Ready, Miss. Stark?” He let his arm swing behind him, hand out for her, “Don’t want to be late, do we?” He smiled softly at her, letting his question from before fill the space between them.
The elevator had stopped on a roof top.
Sonja’s hand clasped onto Demetri’s lightly as he pulled her slowly from the metal holding cell. As they walked toward an empty table, fully clothed and dressed with the finest dishes for their arrival, Sonja took in the scenery as the warm air of the night caressed her skin. There were two waiters: one at the table watching them and another fixing something with a chef over a sterling silver table. Hanging lights adorned and hung around the perimeter of the roof, two violinists, and a cello player sitting to the far corner to bring life to the scene. Demetri nodded at the waiter who returned the gesture and moved from the table back to his other staff members. He let go of Sonja’s hand to pull the chair out for her, “Your seat, Miss. Stark.”
Sonja was completely taken back by the whole scene, her eyes wide and full of shock. She couldn’t form the words so she simply smiled lightly and sat in the chair as Demetri tucked her into the table. He walked around, pulling his chair out by himself, and sat comfortably across from her. The waiter returned to the table with a bottle of champagne, “The Bollinger – Rosé, Mr. Grey.” Demetri nodded, his eyes fixed on Sonja as the waiter poured the champagne in their glasses. Sonja placed her clutch on the edge of the table, shifting uncomfortably under his gaze. This was all very unusual for her to see come from Demetri.
Sure, they had nights out before to fancy restaurants. Back then though, she paid for most of them as he was still in the throes of debt trying to start up his company. Debt that he chose to take on himself instead of taking money from his parents. They both came from rather wealthy families; His Father, a well known Psychologist and Mother, a decorator to the stars. However, Sonja’s Father inherited all his fortune, being the last royal to a long line of royals – Royals that no longer held any power but were respected based on principle. Her mother married her father long before his inheritance and was a teacher before becoming a home maker. The main point, in her thought process, being that Demetri didn’t do romantic gestures. The most romantic thing he ever did was in the confines of their bed – his bed. And those moments never seemed to last long enough for her.
Demetri held up his glass to her, “A toast…” Sonja snapped from her deep thought, picking up her glass a little too quickly and spilling some of the champagne, “To what?” He made a very tiny smile to her, one that she had to search for as the lines of his mouth hardly parted, “To Little Fox…and your fantastic gallery.” He lifted the glass up once more and took a sip. She smiled softly, taking a slow sip of the champagne before placing it back on the table, “Thank you.” He nodded at her, a small smile now evident on his lips, “You’re welcome.” The waiter came back again, placing their plates before them, “Enjoy.” He left with a quick gust of wind as Sonja looked at her plate. Fillet mignon, asparagus, and a small serving of potatoes – presentation was exquisite.
Demetri picked up his fork and knife, motioning to her to do the same, “Please, go right ahead. I’m sure you’re starving.” Sonja nodded her head, as she mimicked his movement, “Nearing it.” He smiled softly at her as they both ate in silence, her eyes glancing over to the musicians as they played softly, the lights that swayed lightly in the breeze – it was all so calming and perfect. It was all so opposite of Demetri Grey. She looked over at him, his eyes focused on his plate as he ate, wondering what angle he was trying to pull. She was so certain that there was a hidden agenda. Six years doesn’t blow over because you throw a few nice words and a pretty dinner. The stinging from his words and the push and pull his emotions left on her wouldn’t be so easily erased.
Demetri swallowed his food, glancing up at her, about to say something light and playful, a brief smile on his face, as he caught her stare. Sonja cleared her throat as she shoved another helping of asparagus in her mouth, looking down at her plate quickly. The smile slowly vanished from his face as he watched her. Her stare was so – potent. There were so many questions that lay behind her eyes and he never noticed it until that moment. He sat back in his chair, placing his silverware delicately on the plate, as she made quick glances every now and then. He didn’t say anything, waiting for her to finish calmly, as the warm breeze played with her hair.
Once finished with her meal, the waiter came back to retrieve the plates without a word. Sonja put her hands in her lap as she looked everywhere on the patio of the roof except for the penetrative stare from Demetri. She was not one to back down from a fight, but that stare of his always made her feel two feet tall. It was demanding, assertive – a true stare of a leader. If you could only just bottle that up and send it to Merriam-Webster, they would surely agree.
“You don’t like it, do you?”
Her head jolted back over to him, eyes wide, “I’m sorry?” His face was back to its emotionless state, hand waving tiredly around them, “You don’t like it?” Sonja’s body winced at the words, the thought, that she wouldn’t adore something like this. She adored it so much she wasn’t sure just how to process it. This was all coming from nowhere. One minute they meet at a family dinner, after six years of not speaking, and the next she’s on a roof top with the man she always wanted. It was this piece of evidence – this push and pull of the last week, that was concerning to her. Was this really something she wanted to delve back into? This constant heartbreak of him wanting and then discarding her?
“Sonja?”
Her thoughts broke, yet again, hearing his voice. She furrowed her brow, tilting her head slightly, “I don’t know what you want me to say, Demetri.” He leaned forward, forearms resting on the table, “I want to know if you like this or not. You look like you hate it – you look really…concerned? Confused? I’m not quite sure what it is.” Sonja straightened herself, looking at him sincerely, “I love…” Her hand mimicking his gesture as she waved it to the area around them, “this.” He sat back, a little more relieved to hear her response. “This is so incredible, Demetri. It’s all so beautiful and just perfect. Thank you.” He smiled softly, happy to hear that she was pleased with the work he did – or that he had Lizette do. He mapped out the entire thing, but of course, hired others to bring his vision to life.
“It’s just…”
His ears perked up as he listened to her intently. “I don’t understand why you’re doing it. Don’t say it’s for my gallery either.” Her finger stopping him as she watched his lips begin to part, “It’s been six years, Demetri.” His heart sank as he sat up straighter, surprising her that it was, indeed, possible. “I left and I never heard from you again. This all just feels like…a weird way to apologize?” Sonja was surprised, herself, at her forward nature. She didn’t want to ruin this beautiful evening but she couldn’t suppress the reminder of heartache she felt after she left. The days she spent waiting to hear a response from him. The agony when she received nothing. The frustration of dialing his number and slamming her phone down, refusing to make the call. Seeing his stern face in the papers as he grew above her, far above her, and she remained just a shadowy figment of his past.
“I just don’t understand.”
Demetri swallowed the lump forming in his throat as he listened to her words, her voice barely above a whisper. His eyes full of sincerity and concern, “I did this because it’s something that you deserve through all the things that have happened. You have been the only consistency in my life – a guiding light, if you will.” He shook his head, not knowing what words to use as he watched her, “I guess…it could be an apology. I’m not sure it is. I just knew I wanted to do something special for you – to make you happy.” Sonja’s eyes glistened lightly as she listened to him, unbelieving of what spilled from his lips. Demetri smiled half-heartedly as he shrugged lightly.
“I just wanted to make you happy.”
Sonja dipped her head, staring down at her hands in her lap, “Okay.” Demetri tilted his head slightly as he watched her, wanting to reach over and pull her into his embrace, but instead cleared his throat, “Okay then.” Sonja lifted her head slowly as the waiter returned with two slices of cheesecake. He slipped the plates in front of them as he walked away quickly. Sonja smiled lightly, “Cheesecake? My favorite.” She picked up the dessert fork and began to take small bites of it. Demetri nodded his head as he did the same, “I know.” She hesitated for a moment as she glanced at him before finishing the dessert.
They spent the rest of the evening making small talk – uncomfortable, meaningless small talk. Talk about his work, the meetings he had lined up, about her gallery, how her brother’s were – meaningless topics to fill the void of everything else they didn’t want to face. As they headed back to Demetri’s home, to await the helicopter to fly her back, the two sat in silence – avoiding the other’s gaze. Demetri kept his eyes focused on the road before them as Sonja traced the design on her clutch. It was a loud silence that filled the space between them. Demetri thought about her demeanor at dinner, the quick change of her face, the way she questioned his intention – the confusion of it all. He let his head fall back against the leather cushion, his gaze far too intent for the road ahead, pondering what he was even doing. Sonja tilted her gaze to him for a moment as she sighed silently, eyes returning to the busy clutch in her lap.
Demetri pulled into the garage, parking the car slowly, and turning the ignition key off to allow the car to sleep. He looked over to Sonja who was now resting her head against the leather seat, eyes staring straight at the concrete wall. He gripped the steering wheel for a moment before getting out of the car without another word. Demetri walked over to her side, opening the car door for her, “Let’s just wait upstairs. I’m sure they’ll call for the helicopter soon.” Sonja stepped out of the vehicle, nodding her head, “Yeah, sure.” The two walked to the elevator, the doors opening in a hurry, as they stepped inside. Demetri placed his hands in his pockets, glancing over at her every now and then, attempting to read her mind. His lips parted, chest rising in anxiety, as he pulled his hand slowly from his pocket to reach for her.
The elevator doors welcomed them back to his home as Sonja stepped into the room quickly, unnoticed of the hand he now retreated back into his pocket.
She looked back to him, standing in the elevator as if frozen, “Dem?” He cleared his throat and walked out of the elevator to her, “I’m fine.” Sonja nodded her head slowly as he passed her going into the kitchen, “Would you like something to drink?” Sonja moved to the leather couch, sitting down, “Um, no. No, Thank you.” Demetri walked over to the sitting area, two couches facing one another and parted by a marble coffee table, “Alright.” He placed his wine glass on the table, sitting across from her as he unbuttoned his coat, shrugging it off his broad shoulders. Sonja let her eyes travel over his torso before looking back down to her feet. Demetri tossed the coat to the side as he sat down, “You okay?” She nodded her head a little too quickly as she relaxed into the couch, legs crossed, “Eventful day”, a small smile creeping on her face.
Demetri gave a half smile, nodding, “Yes. It has.” He picked up the wine glass taking a long sip of the wine as his grey eyes focused on her. Setting the glass down, he leaned over, elbows on his knees as if he was studying every curve and line on her face. Sonja stared into his grey eyes, doing her best to abide her friends’ request. Demetri dipped his head, hand behind his neck as he sighed, looking back to her, “I’ve really missed you, Sunny.” She smiled lightly, “Missed you too, Dem.” His shoulders relaxed as her words trailed over him. He swallowed for a minute, eyes soft, “I am sorry.” Sonja’s eyes widened slightly, ears perked up, “For what?” He shook his head slowly, jaw clenching and unclenching tightly, “Everything.” His eyes looked pained as thoughts swirled inside his head – memories of long ago. Sonja broke his gaze, hands gripping each other as she shrugged lightly, “It’s…okay, Dem. I’m fine.”
He stood quickly, moving around the table to sit beside her, “No. It’s not.” His hand cupped her cheek, turning her to face him, “It’s not okay, Sunny. And I’m sorry. I’m sorry for all of it.” Sonja’s eyes glistened with a line of tears as she looked up at him. Demetri exhaled slowly, “You were always the most important part of my life.” Repeating words from before to ensure their clarity and sincere nature. Sonja shook her head slowly, shutting her eyes as a few tears rolled over her cheeks, pushing away from him. Demetri’s face contorted as he watched her back away from him, his hand falling back into his lap. “You always do this…” she whispered.
Demetri tilted his head slightly, watching her, “Do what?” Sonja looked up at him, eyes burning from the tears, “This speech. You claim I’m so important, that you care so much, that I mean so much to you and then boom,” Her hands clapped together, “You push me away. I ‘misunderstand’ what you wanted. I’m not compliant for you. I get too close for comfort and you shove me away like I have a disease.” Demetri looked away from her, his jaw stern as he shook his head, “Sonja, I’m trying here.” Her eyebrows furrowed, face contorting, “You always do this, Dem. You don’t know what you want and when I get too comfortable, you toss me aside. I’m not something to be thrown about.” Her chest rose and fell, the sobs threatening to break through, “You dismissed me completely. I was your ‘friend’?” He shut his eyes as he listened to her, hand rubbing his face roughly. “You don’t ‘do’ relationships? You ripped me apart, left me like that for six years, and you’re saying this now? What do I do with that, Dem?”
Demetri’s eyes opened again, hands aching to caress her skin and console her. His eyes strained to stay on her – the pain and anguish he had caused was fully displayed on her face. It was the one thing he didn’t want to face – the agony he placed her under. All he could do was shake his head, eyes soft, unsure where to turn, “Sonja, I’m sorry… I don’t know what to say… I don’t know…” She winced under his words, “What do you want, Dem?” He looked at her confused, sliding closer to her on the couch, “I want you – that’s all I’ve ever wanted.” Sonja bit her lip, frustrated, “Just only when it’s convenient for you.” Demetri sat up straight, mouth open, his frustration and confusion over the situation beginning to ripple through him.
A low hum was coming from his pocket.
The two sat staring at each other, not knowing what to say or do at this point. Demetri slid the phone out of his pocket, sliding a finger across the screen, his eyes remaining focused on her, “What?” He shut his eyes, exhaling sharply, “Yes, of course. We’ll be right there, Louie.” Demetri tapped his finger on the screen and tossed the phone on the coffee table. Sonja wiped her face, doing her best to render and save the last bit of make-up that was present. Demetri moved closer to her, knees touching hers as he cupped her face once more, “Sonja, please.” She pushed his hand away as she stood, smoothing her dress as she walked to the elevator. Sonja jammed the button over and over, hailing its arrival with a fury. Demetri stood, strong strokes of his legs following after her, his hand wrapped around her waist flipping her to face him as he pressed her up against the elevator doors. His freehand cupping her face, tilting it up to him as he leaned down to her.
“No.”
Demetri’s chest rose and fell quickly, his eyes intense as he stared into hers, not speaking. Their lips inches from one another, “No, Dem.” His shoulders slowly fell as he leaned away from her, following her command. Sonja’s eyes swelled with tears again as the doors opened, slowly backing into the confines of the metal cage. Demetri’s arms hung to his sides as he watched her retreat from him, “Sonja.” The doors began to close, her eyes looking away from him, not saying another word. The elevator doors shut loudly to him, an inflection of her final word.
Demetri leaned into the leather caresses of the car’s interior as he shut his eyes, the image of her appearing in his mind. Before all of this, whenever he would visit she would run up and hug him violently. Her small frame pressed up against him, arms locked around his neck as he held her just as tight to himself. It always made him a little embarrassed when she did that as the whole family would stop and laugh at the two. Sonja was the only person who he could feel at ease with – it was effortless with her. She understood his troubled mind as a young boy into young adulthood. She was his confidant, his guardian, his best friend – the most important component in his life.
His eyes opened quickly feeling the car come to a complete stop. They were parked in the private area of the large complex he lived in. Jeremy opened the door for him as Demetri stepped out, smoothing the lines of his dark grey suit, “Thank you, Jeremy. That’s all for today.” Jeremy, a tall broad shouldered man with a face of a soldier, nodded his head, “Yes, sir.” Demetri walked towards the elevator doors in the parking garage, tapping the button quickly as Jeremy went to work on the other cars in the lot – all belonging to Demetri. The elevator whistled its arrival, doors opening quickly, as Demetri stepped inside. He pressed the button for the top floor, doors shutting as he pulled out his phone, his fingers tapping it to life.
There were two voicemails and several calls missed from his pilot. Demetri quickly tapped the voicemails, a feeling of worry slowly creeping over him, “Mr. Grey, this is Louie. Just letting you know I have landed in the proximity and am awaiting the arrival of Miss. Stark.” Demetri swiped the screen to the last voicemail, “Mr. Grey, Louie here. I attempted to reach your office, sir, but was told you had left for the day. I wanted to update you on the flight.” Demetri held his breath as the elevator made its crawl to the top level, “It was heavenly. Miss. Stark thoroughly enjoyed it and is awaiting your arrival at your home.” Demetri’s jaw clenched as the doors slowly opened up to reveal his lavish home.
She’s here.
He walked into the open area of his living room, door shutting behind him quietly and looked around.
There was no one there.
He walked slowly through the living room, the open area also shared with his kitchen and dining area. Demetri slid out his phone again to dial for Louie, obviously he was mistaken. Maybe she didn’t want to wait here. Maybe it was all just too much and she left. Maybe –
“Didn’t think I’d actually beat you here, Grey.”
Demetri turned around sharply as he heard her voice. His body relaxed instantly, eyes held hostage by her presence. Sonja stood on the second level of the penthouse, arms resting against the railing as her unique set of eyes, emerald and sapphire, smiled at him. She walked slowly down the stairs; the form fitting dark red dress highlighting every curve. As she reached the bottom, her dress ending just above her knee, she walked slowly over to him, head tilted to the side as she smirked at him, “Grey? You okay?” Demetri cleared his throat as she stopped before him, taking a quick breath in, “Fine. Wasn’t expecting you so early is all.”
Sonja straightened her head and nodded, “Mr. Plan-it-all didn’t know I was here? That would explain the look on your face.” She laughed lightly, her chestnut hair falling over her shoulders in soft waves. Demetri smiled lightly down at her, “The look of shock seeing an intruder in my home.” Sonja scrunched her nose at him as she walked around him to the glass walls that allowed a full view of the city, “Intruder? That’s what I am now.” She shook her head, smiling, as she stood before the glass walls, “Great view. You’ve got some place here, Grey.” Demetri turned to watch her, a soft smirk on his face, “Glad to hear it meets your approval, Miss. Stark.”
Sonja turned back around to face him, soft smile on her face, “You’ve done very well for yourself, Dem. You should be very proud.” Her revert to his nickname made him look away from her momentarily before locking back in her gaze, “You look beautiful, Sunny.” His comment skimming over hers as to not address his success. Sonja blushed lightly, smoothing her dress and shrugging, “It’s the dress. Rachel let me borrow it…” her voice trailed off. Demetri walked over to her, hand under her chin to pull her gaze back up to his, “It’s not the dress.”
They stayed gazing at each other; Demetri’s thumb lightly caressing her chin as his face moved closer to hers. He could smell her vanilla perfume permeate his nostrils, his lips inching closer to hers, “It’s all you.” Sonja pulled her chin free of him, stepping back for a moment, biting her lip out of nervous habit, “Thank you. So where are we going?” Demetri eyed her for a moment, her question catching him off guard. She was obviously a little uncomfortable and he was all too eager to demonstrate his care. He made a mental note to take things slow – he didn’t wreck this in a day, he wouldn’t put it back together in that time either. He sighed lightly, forcing a smile, “I need to change.”
Demetri walked away from her to the staircase, climbing up it two steps at a time, “Explore – as I’m sure you’ve already have. I’ll be just a minute.” Sonja shook her head, smiling faintly as she watched him ascend upstairs into, what she presumed was, the bedroom. She had taken some time to explore the upstairs – never into any of the rooms, but to better few the art pieces he had on display. All of them were very abstract and dark – a still movement of Demetri himself. Sonja walked back to the living area to where her small red clutch sat and plopped down next to it. She could hear the faint noise of drawers opening and closing as she pulled her phone out of the clutch. There was a light blinking on the phone to indicate a new message. Sonja tapped the phone to life and sighed, smiling, as she saw there were four new messages from Rachel.
Sonja clicked on the message button to scroll through Rachel’s messages:
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7:25 PM: Did you make it there alive?
7:27 PM: Has the Dark Lord made his final appearance?
7:45 PM: You better be dead if you aren’t answering my texts.
DO NOT KISS HIM SUNNY! I MEAN IT!
7:55 PM: DO. NOT. KISS. HIM.
-------------------------------------------------------
Sonja slid the phone back into her clutch, not wanting to attempt a response to her over protective best friend. She met Rachel in high school and their bond over the arts. Even back then, Rachel and Demetri never saw eye to eye. Sonja leaned back into the couch, the leather potent to her nostrils, as she pondered through memories. Rachel always believed that Demetri would never be able to properly care for her. “The dude is an ass, Sunny. Stop trying to make him into your perfect little boyfriend – he’s not capable of it.” Rachel used to say to her back then. After everything happened she would reflect on that line – agreeing with it. She had tried to pull him into something he claimed he never wanted and it tore them apart.
“Ready?”
Sonja’s eyes fluttered up, shattering her thoughts as she gazed over at him. He was wearing a matte black suit – a classic for him. His grey eyes softer than usual as he watched her, “Come.” Demetri walked closer to her, his arm stretched out, hand waiting, “Don’t want to be late, do we?” Sonja smiled softly, taking his hand hesitantly, as she pulled herself to stand. She let go of his hand once she was standing on her own feet as she followed him to the elevator. As they stood inside, Demetri stole glances of her repeatedly. Sonja kept her eyes up on the descending numbers, pretending that she didn’t feel the trail his eyes left on her. The elevator whistled at their arrival to the parking garage, Demetri’s arm extended to motion her out first.
Sonja walked out of the elevator slowly looking at the line of cars parked around them; two Audi’s, a Jaguar, three Ferrari’s, two Lamborghini’s, a Bentley – a fort of high end, luxury vehicles. Sonja raised her eyebrow as she looked up at him, “Who are your neighbors? Billionaire playboys?” Demetri put his hand on her lower back, guiding her to the jet black Audi A8, “Just one.” As they reached the car, Demetri pulled out a set of keys as he unlocked the doors. The surprise couldn’t be held back from her face as she watched him open the car door for her, “Thank you…” She slipped into the car carefully, afraid she might damage such a beautiful item. Demetri walked swiftly over to the driver’s side and slipped inside, turning the ignition key to hear the roar of the car.
They sat in silence as Demetri navigated through the traffic of the city, carefully stealing glances at her, his jaw clenching and unclenching out of nervousness. He pulled the car over in front of a hotel, slowing to a stop as the valet came around to open Sonja’s door. She eyed Demetri for a moment, confused, as she stepped out of the vehicle and on to the sidewalk. She held her clutch close to her as Demetri gave the keys to the valet, walking over to Sonja, hand on her lower back, “Shall we?” Demetri pressed them forward as the door man held open the door for the two. Demetri guided her to the elevator, pressing the “UP” button as they waited together. “I hope you aren’t trying to bring me to a bedroom, Demetri Grey.” Sonja hissed in a low voice to him. Demetri watched as the doors opened for them, a sly smirk on his face, “Not tonight, Miss. Stark.”
As they stepped in the elevator, the top button pressed by Demetri, Sonja began to shift uneasily from one leg to another. She was expecting a nice dinner, like he had said, a nice upscale restaurant. She got dressed up for God’s sake. Sonja looked over at him, trying desperately to decipher the emotionless front he put on. After what felt like eons, the doors to the elevator hummed and opened its blocked arms for them to pass through. Demetri walked out first, turning his body slightly to her, eyebrow raised questioningly, “Ready, Miss. Stark?” He let his arm swing behind him, hand out for her, “Don’t want to be late, do we?” He smiled softly at her, letting his question from before fill the space between them.
The elevator had stopped on a roof top.
Sonja’s hand clasped onto Demetri’s lightly as he pulled her slowly from the metal holding cell. As they walked toward an empty table, fully clothed and dressed with the finest dishes for their arrival, Sonja took in the scenery as the warm air of the night caressed her skin. There were two waiters: one at the table watching them and another fixing something with a chef over a sterling silver table. Hanging lights adorned and hung around the perimeter of the roof, two violinists, and a cello player sitting to the far corner to bring life to the scene. Demetri nodded at the waiter who returned the gesture and moved from the table back to his other staff members. He let go of Sonja’s hand to pull the chair out for her, “Your seat, Miss. Stark.”
Sonja was completely taken back by the whole scene, her eyes wide and full of shock. She couldn’t form the words so she simply smiled lightly and sat in the chair as Demetri tucked her into the table. He walked around, pulling his chair out by himself, and sat comfortably across from her. The waiter returned to the table with a bottle of champagne, “The Bollinger – Rosé, Mr. Grey.” Demetri nodded, his eyes fixed on Sonja as the waiter poured the champagne in their glasses. Sonja placed her clutch on the edge of the table, shifting uncomfortably under his gaze. This was all very unusual for her to see come from Demetri.
Sure, they had nights out before to fancy restaurants. Back then though, she paid for most of them as he was still in the throes of debt trying to start up his company. Debt that he chose to take on himself instead of taking money from his parents. They both came from rather wealthy families; His Father, a well known Psychologist and Mother, a decorator to the stars. However, Sonja’s Father inherited all his fortune, being the last royal to a long line of royals – Royals that no longer held any power but were respected based on principle. Her mother married her father long before his inheritance and was a teacher before becoming a home maker. The main point, in her thought process, being that Demetri didn’t do romantic gestures. The most romantic thing he ever did was in the confines of their bed – his bed. And those moments never seemed to last long enough for her.
Demetri held up his glass to her, “A toast…” Sonja snapped from her deep thought, picking up her glass a little too quickly and spilling some of the champagne, “To what?” He made a very tiny smile to her, one that she had to search for as the lines of his mouth hardly parted, “To Little Fox…and your fantastic gallery.” He lifted the glass up once more and took a sip. She smiled softly, taking a slow sip of the champagne before placing it back on the table, “Thank you.” He nodded at her, a small smile now evident on his lips, “You’re welcome.” The waiter came back again, placing their plates before them, “Enjoy.” He left with a quick gust of wind as Sonja looked at her plate. Fillet mignon, asparagus, and a small serving of potatoes – presentation was exquisite.
Demetri picked up his fork and knife, motioning to her to do the same, “Please, go right ahead. I’m sure you’re starving.” Sonja nodded her head, as she mimicked his movement, “Nearing it.” He smiled softly at her as they both ate in silence, her eyes glancing over to the musicians as they played softly, the lights that swayed lightly in the breeze – it was all so calming and perfect. It was all so opposite of Demetri Grey. She looked over at him, his eyes focused on his plate as he ate, wondering what angle he was trying to pull. She was so certain that there was a hidden agenda. Six years doesn’t blow over because you throw a few nice words and a pretty dinner. The stinging from his words and the push and pull his emotions left on her wouldn’t be so easily erased.
Demetri swallowed his food, glancing up at her, about to say something light and playful, a brief smile on his face, as he caught her stare. Sonja cleared her throat as she shoved another helping of asparagus in her mouth, looking down at her plate quickly. The smile slowly vanished from his face as he watched her. Her stare was so – potent. There were so many questions that lay behind her eyes and he never noticed it until that moment. He sat back in his chair, placing his silverware delicately on the plate, as she made quick glances every now and then. He didn’t say anything, waiting for her to finish calmly, as the warm breeze played with her hair.
Once finished with her meal, the waiter came back to retrieve the plates without a word. Sonja put her hands in her lap as she looked everywhere on the patio of the roof except for the penetrative stare from Demetri. She was not one to back down from a fight, but that stare of his always made her feel two feet tall. It was demanding, assertive – a true stare of a leader. If you could only just bottle that up and send it to Merriam-Webster, they would surely agree.
“You don’t like it, do you?”
Her head jolted back over to him, eyes wide, “I’m sorry?” His face was back to its emotionless state, hand waving tiredly around them, “You don’t like it?” Sonja’s body winced at the words, the thought, that she wouldn’t adore something like this. She adored it so much she wasn’t sure just how to process it. This was all coming from nowhere. One minute they meet at a family dinner, after six years of not speaking, and the next she’s on a roof top with the man she always wanted. It was this piece of evidence – this push and pull of the last week, that was concerning to her. Was this really something she wanted to delve back into? This constant heartbreak of him wanting and then discarding her?
“Sonja?”
Her thoughts broke, yet again, hearing his voice. She furrowed her brow, tilting her head slightly, “I don’t know what you want me to say, Demetri.” He leaned forward, forearms resting on the table, “I want to know if you like this or not. You look like you hate it – you look really…concerned? Confused? I’m not quite sure what it is.” Sonja straightened herself, looking at him sincerely, “I love…” Her hand mimicking his gesture as she waved it to the area around them, “this.” He sat back, a little more relieved to hear her response. “This is so incredible, Demetri. It’s all so beautiful and just perfect. Thank you.” He smiled softly, happy to hear that she was pleased with the work he did – or that he had Lizette do. He mapped out the entire thing, but of course, hired others to bring his vision to life.
“It’s just…”
His ears perked up as he listened to her intently. “I don’t understand why you’re doing it. Don’t say it’s for my gallery either.” Her finger stopping him as she watched his lips begin to part, “It’s been six years, Demetri.” His heart sank as he sat up straighter, surprising her that it was, indeed, possible. “I left and I never heard from you again. This all just feels like…a weird way to apologize?” Sonja was surprised, herself, at her forward nature. She didn’t want to ruin this beautiful evening but she couldn’t suppress the reminder of heartache she felt after she left. The days she spent waiting to hear a response from him. The agony when she received nothing. The frustration of dialing his number and slamming her phone down, refusing to make the call. Seeing his stern face in the papers as he grew above her, far above her, and she remained just a shadowy figment of his past.
“I just don’t understand.”
Demetri swallowed the lump forming in his throat as he listened to her words, her voice barely above a whisper. His eyes full of sincerity and concern, “I did this because it’s something that you deserve through all the things that have happened. You have been the only consistency in my life – a guiding light, if you will.” He shook his head, not knowing what words to use as he watched her, “I guess…it could be an apology. I’m not sure it is. I just knew I wanted to do something special for you – to make you happy.” Sonja’s eyes glistened lightly as she listened to him, unbelieving of what spilled from his lips. Demetri smiled half-heartedly as he shrugged lightly.
“I just wanted to make you happy.”
Sonja dipped her head, staring down at her hands in her lap, “Okay.” Demetri tilted his head slightly as he watched her, wanting to reach over and pull her into his embrace, but instead cleared his throat, “Okay then.” Sonja lifted her head slowly as the waiter returned with two slices of cheesecake. He slipped the plates in front of them as he walked away quickly. Sonja smiled lightly, “Cheesecake? My favorite.” She picked up the dessert fork and began to take small bites of it. Demetri nodded his head as he did the same, “I know.” She hesitated for a moment as she glanced at him before finishing the dessert.
They spent the rest of the evening making small talk – uncomfortable, meaningless small talk. Talk about his work, the meetings he had lined up, about her gallery, how her brother’s were – meaningless topics to fill the void of everything else they didn’t want to face. As they headed back to Demetri’s home, to await the helicopter to fly her back, the two sat in silence – avoiding the other’s gaze. Demetri kept his eyes focused on the road before them as Sonja traced the design on her clutch. It was a loud silence that filled the space between them. Demetri thought about her demeanor at dinner, the quick change of her face, the way she questioned his intention – the confusion of it all. He let his head fall back against the leather cushion, his gaze far too intent for the road ahead, pondering what he was even doing. Sonja tilted her gaze to him for a moment as she sighed silently, eyes returning to the busy clutch in her lap.
Demetri pulled into the garage, parking the car slowly, and turning the ignition key off to allow the car to sleep. He looked over to Sonja who was now resting her head against the leather seat, eyes staring straight at the concrete wall. He gripped the steering wheel for a moment before getting out of the car without another word. Demetri walked over to her side, opening the car door for her, “Let’s just wait upstairs. I’m sure they’ll call for the helicopter soon.” Sonja stepped out of the vehicle, nodding her head, “Yeah, sure.” The two walked to the elevator, the doors opening in a hurry, as they stepped inside. Demetri placed his hands in his pockets, glancing over at her every now and then, attempting to read her mind. His lips parted, chest rising in anxiety, as he pulled his hand slowly from his pocket to reach for her.
The elevator doors welcomed them back to his home as Sonja stepped into the room quickly, unnoticed of the hand he now retreated back into his pocket.
She looked back to him, standing in the elevator as if frozen, “Dem?” He cleared his throat and walked out of the elevator to her, “I’m fine.” Sonja nodded her head slowly as he passed her going into the kitchen, “Would you like something to drink?” Sonja moved to the leather couch, sitting down, “Um, no. No, Thank you.” Demetri walked over to the sitting area, two couches facing one another and parted by a marble coffee table, “Alright.” He placed his wine glass on the table, sitting across from her as he unbuttoned his coat, shrugging it off his broad shoulders. Sonja let her eyes travel over his torso before looking back down to her feet. Demetri tossed the coat to the side as he sat down, “You okay?” She nodded her head a little too quickly as she relaxed into the couch, legs crossed, “Eventful day”, a small smile creeping on her face.
Demetri gave a half smile, nodding, “Yes. It has.” He picked up the wine glass taking a long sip of the wine as his grey eyes focused on her. Setting the glass down, he leaned over, elbows on his knees as if he was studying every curve and line on her face. Sonja stared into his grey eyes, doing her best to abide her friends’ request. Demetri dipped his head, hand behind his neck as he sighed, looking back to her, “I’ve really missed you, Sunny.” She smiled lightly, “Missed you too, Dem.” His shoulders relaxed as her words trailed over him. He swallowed for a minute, eyes soft, “I am sorry.” Sonja’s eyes widened slightly, ears perked up, “For what?” He shook his head slowly, jaw clenching and unclenching tightly, “Everything.” His eyes looked pained as thoughts swirled inside his head – memories of long ago. Sonja broke his gaze, hands gripping each other as she shrugged lightly, “It’s…okay, Dem. I’m fine.”
He stood quickly, moving around the table to sit beside her, “No. It’s not.” His hand cupped her cheek, turning her to face him, “It’s not okay, Sunny. And I’m sorry. I’m sorry for all of it.” Sonja’s eyes glistened with a line of tears as she looked up at him. Demetri exhaled slowly, “You were always the most important part of my life.” Repeating words from before to ensure their clarity and sincere nature. Sonja shook her head slowly, shutting her eyes as a few tears rolled over her cheeks, pushing away from him. Demetri’s face contorted as he watched her back away from him, his hand falling back into his lap. “You always do this…” she whispered.
Demetri tilted his head slightly, watching her, “Do what?” Sonja looked up at him, eyes burning from the tears, “This speech. You claim I’m so important, that you care so much, that I mean so much to you and then boom,” Her hands clapped together, “You push me away. I ‘misunderstand’ what you wanted. I’m not compliant for you. I get too close for comfort and you shove me away like I have a disease.” Demetri looked away from her, his jaw stern as he shook his head, “Sonja, I’m trying here.” Her eyebrows furrowed, face contorting, “You always do this, Dem. You don’t know what you want and when I get too comfortable, you toss me aside. I’m not something to be thrown about.” Her chest rose and fell, the sobs threatening to break through, “You dismissed me completely. I was your ‘friend’?” He shut his eyes as he listened to her, hand rubbing his face roughly. “You don’t ‘do’ relationships? You ripped me apart, left me like that for six years, and you’re saying this now? What do I do with that, Dem?”
Demetri’s eyes opened again, hands aching to caress her skin and console her. His eyes strained to stay on her – the pain and anguish he had caused was fully displayed on her face. It was the one thing he didn’t want to face – the agony he placed her under. All he could do was shake his head, eyes soft, unsure where to turn, “Sonja, I’m sorry… I don’t know what to say… I don’t know…” She winced under his words, “What do you want, Dem?” He looked at her confused, sliding closer to her on the couch, “I want you – that’s all I’ve ever wanted.” Sonja bit her lip, frustrated, “Just only when it’s convenient for you.” Demetri sat up straight, mouth open, his frustration and confusion over the situation beginning to ripple through him.
A low hum was coming from his pocket.
The two sat staring at each other, not knowing what to say or do at this point. Demetri slid the phone out of his pocket, sliding a finger across the screen, his eyes remaining focused on her, “What?” He shut his eyes, exhaling sharply, “Yes, of course. We’ll be right there, Louie.” Demetri tapped his finger on the screen and tossed the phone on the coffee table. Sonja wiped her face, doing her best to render and save the last bit of make-up that was present. Demetri moved closer to her, knees touching hers as he cupped her face once more, “Sonja, please.” She pushed his hand away as she stood, smoothing her dress as she walked to the elevator. Sonja jammed the button over and over, hailing its arrival with a fury. Demetri stood, strong strokes of his legs following after her, his hand wrapped around her waist flipping her to face him as he pressed her up against the elevator doors. His freehand cupping her face, tilting it up to him as he leaned down to her.
“No.”
Demetri’s chest rose and fell quickly, his eyes intense as he stared into hers, not speaking. Their lips inches from one another, “No, Dem.” His shoulders slowly fell as he leaned away from her, following her command. Sonja’s eyes swelled with tears again as the doors opened, slowly backing into the confines of the metal cage. Demetri’s arms hung to his sides as he watched her retreat from him, “Sonja.” The doors began to close, her eyes looking away from him, not saying another word. The elevator doors shut loudly to him, an inflection of her final word.