Whispers on the Wind Chapter 1

The mansion was lit up like firework as the night sky twinkled in the dark night. There were white tents set up like little mushrooms across the lawn and loud music of Bach filled the air. Waiters dressed in white and black tux were walking around serving wine and shrimp on plates. Women in gowns that cost heaven and earth were dancing on the floor where the band played. Men were talking in the corners and drinking from the bar. There were rose petals on the tables that were set up in each tent and people were laughing, chattering, and dancing as the night slowly passed in time. The band finished the Bach song and everyone applauded as the dance floor started to break. Sitting on one of the chairs was Pa Nyia Summerton, the daughter of George and Iris, the only daughter, in fact. She was dressed in a sparkling blue gown that showed the curves she owned and her long black hair was up in a bun low on the nape of her neck. She wore bright red lipstick and fake lashes decorated her eyes. She also sported huge diamond teardrops on her lobes as she took another swing of the wine in her hand.

Pa Nyia was bored and she was looking for something to distract her from this party. The men who attended her parents' parties were old and out of shape, not her type. No one wanted to touch her, really, because she'd just broken off her third engagement in two years. She wasn't stupid to know when she was getting in too deep. She couldn't afford to have anyone own her. She needed her freedom. She wanted her mind to be heard. If being married meant being a slave and losing her voice and mind, then she would kiss it good-bye, no matter how much her mother begged her to marry. Her mother would have to deal with disapointment, just like she did.

Sighing, Pa Nyia stood up and walked down the path to the garden. The garden was her mother's pride and joy. She took extra care in it and hired four people alone just to tend it for her. It was filled with roses, carnations, and even tiger lilies. But Pa Nyia had to admit that the garden was the only place where she herself found peace and serenity. She set her wine glass down and took a seat on the concrete bench. She inhaled the roses and smiled as she stared up at the sky. Tonight was a beautiful night and she was stuck here with her parents while her friends were in Aspen skiing. She'd rather much be skiing. She'd much rather be anywhere but here where she was stuck pretending to be the perfect daughter.

“You must be exhausted,” a voice said from behind her.

She turned around to find Nxtoua Bensen, the family's servant's son, coming up to her. For as long as she could remember, Nxtoua was a part of the family. He arrived with his mother when she was hired on as a servant and her father took pity on the boy, teaching him as he taught her. They grew up together, but Pa Nyia always looked at him as a servant. It wasn't that Nxtoua wasn't good looking, in fact, he was the best looking man tonight. He was sporting a black tux that showed off his muscular shoulders and his dark hair was brushed neatly. He wore shoes that shined in the ray of the moonlight and he was a very handsome man with a generous smile. But he was the help and she never associated with the help.

“I'm fine. I was just tired of the scene. I needed a change. Why are you here?” she asked.

He pointed to the seat beside her and she nodded. He sat down and cleared his throat. “To be honest, your mother sent me.”

Pa Nyia groaned in a very unladylike way and then added a snort while she was at it, might as well go all the way. “Could my mother be anymore annoying? She got me to dress up in this flimsy excuse of a gown and I'm dolled up like she wanted. What more does she want?”

“She's asking for you because she wants you to meet someone.”

Pa Nyia shifted her gaze to Nxtoua and laughed. “Is that it? No way am I meeting another one of her 'oh he's so nice,' men. I'm done with her picking out my husband.”

“You mean husbands?” Nxtoua asked.

She shot him a glare before she stood up. “Be careful, Nxtoua, I can still get you fired.”

He stood up and raised his arms in surrender. “Hey, I'm only telling it like is.”

“You think your life is hard? Try living mine!”

“Sleeping late, eating fine food, money to spend, actually, I'd love your life. But I'm not that lucky and I'm not going to even try it.”

Pa Nyia stared at him for a moment and then she crossed her arms. “Look, Nxtoua, your job was to come and fetch me. You did that, thank you, so you can go back to entertaining the guests. I'm sure one of them needs their wine refilled.”

He shrugged and turned to leave. “At least I get to choose the woman I marry.”

Pa Nyia's jaw hit the ground as he darted off and she let out a long breath of irritation. She took her time getting back to the party where she saw her mother, Iris, speaking to a very tall, broad shouldered man who was wearing a white tux. She caught Pa Nyia's eyes and smiled as she reached out to touch the young man's arms. Then they both came her way and she groaned inside. The man, probably her future husband, wasn't that too bad looking on the eyes with blond hair and a pair of very bright blue eyes. He smiled at her and she felt like jumping into the lake to disappear. As much as he was handsome, she felt nothing that registered any feelings. Her mother, Iris, was smitten with him, it seemed. Iris was a beautiful woman of forty, dressed in a bright red gown that showed off her curvy figure, her cleaveage, and her tanned skin. She was wearing a large diamond necklace around her slender neck and sported a large diamond on her left hand. Anyone who was anybody knew her mother was always the best looking and never managed to outdress her. For Iris, life was full of parties, fixing her daughter with men, and wondering when she would get to throw that one wedding.

“This is my daughter, Pa Nyia. Darling, this is Nick Williams, his father is an old friend your father,” Iris said.

Nick stepped forward, all smiles, and took Pa Nyia's hand. He kissed her knuckles. “Hello Pa Nyia, I've been watching you all night. You are more beautiful than your mother described you.”

Ew, she thought as she faked her smile. “Hello Nick.” Bye Nick. “Thank you.”

Iris smiled and slowly slipped away as Nick took her elbow and led her to an empty table. They sat down and Nxtoua walked up setting down two tall glasses of wine. Then he winked at her, without Nick noticing, and walked off. Pa Nyia picked up her glass and took a long drink. Nick smiled and leaned back in his seat, admiring the view, it seemed.

“Tell me about yourself, Pa Nyia,” he said.

She cleared her throat. “What would you like to know?”

“Anything that is not too forward.”

She glared at him. So he was that type of man. All right, two could play that game. She took a long breath and then turned her eyes glossy. “I like kinky.”

His grin faded and he coughed. “Excuse me?”

Pa Nyia leaned forward and rested her arm on the table. “I like kinky. Would you spank me if I was real dirty?”

Nick's face turned red and he looked ready to shit bricks. “What?”

“You know, I'm not sure what my mother told you, but whatever she said, it's not the truth.”

“You mean, you're not a conservative girl with the goal to help the hungry?”

Pa Nyia almost rolled over laughing. Did her mother say that? Time to give Nick the good bye finger. “No. I'm more into bondage, hardcore spanking, and illicit affairs.”

Nick slowly pushed himself away from her and stood up. “It was nice knowing you.”

Nice knowing you was different from 'nice meeting you.' One meant that the person saying it would never see you again. She blew out an exhausting breath and finished the wine glass when she saw her mother coming up to her. She rolled her eyes, annoyed, as her mother came to sit down where Nick had sat earlier.

“Nick came to bid good-bye and looked as if a train ran over him. What did you say to him? What?” Iris demanded.

Pa Nyia shrugged. “Mother, if you demand on finding me husbands, why don't you find me men that won't run off the moment I start to really tell them who I am.”

“Pa Nyia, when are you going to learn? You're not going to be beautiful forever. If you keep denying these men, you'll have no one to marry!”

“Fine, I much prefer it that way anyways. No one can tell me what to do or say. I'll be content on my own, Mother. Really, you can stop finding me husbands because I'll never marry any one of them.”

Iris shook her head, disappointed and slightly hurt. “What have you done with my daughter?”

“You should know, Mother, you raised me.”

Iris let out a soft cry and darted off into the house. Ok, her mother didn't deserve that, but Pa Nyia was tired of suitors who didn't even earn two stars on her list. She leaned back in her chair and let the wine take over. She'd had too many glasses and was now experiencing dizziness. She shut her eyes for a moment and when she opened them, Nxtoua was standing before her with a tray in his hand.

“What do you want?” she asked.

“Are you finished?”

She nodded, big mistake as her world spun. She closed her eyes and moaned softly. She stood up and stumbled, she would have fallen if Nxtoua had not caught her. She jerked her hand from him and headed toward the house where a few guests were looking at her. She didn't care as she made her way to the spiral staircase and wondered how she'd get up those stairs to her room. She took one step and missed it. She landed on her bottom and when she struggled to get up, she felt strong arms lift her up. She gasped as Nxtoua carried her up the stairs and she suddenly felt like shit for treating him badly. She never knew he was so strong and she could feel his muscles underneath his tux.

“Do you work out?” she asked.

Ok, that was a dumb question. Apparently, if she could feel his muscles then he did. But he simply laughed at her.

“What do you call this?” he asked.

She gasped and was about to swing her hand at him when he stopped walking. She watched as his gaze tightened on her and she felt suddenly shy. Around Nxtoua? She gulped as he leaned in closer to her.

“Hit me and I'll drop you right here, right now,” he warned.

She lowered her hand and he continued walking until he reached the top of the stairs. But he didn't let her go as she thought, no, he continued walking until he was right outside her door. Even then, he opened her door, how he managed, she wasn't sure, and then dropped her on her bed. He stared at her and suddenly she became aware that they were all alone. He wouldn't try anything, would he? She swallowed as he bent down and as he came near her, she shifted her legs up toward her chest. Then he reached out his hand and plucked out the tag hanging from her dress.

“I think the guests were well aware that your dress cost three thousand dollars. No need to advertise it,” he said.

“What?!” she asked, shocked. “That was on there this whole night?”

Nxtoua laughed. “Did you honestly think everyone was looking at you because you were the bell of the ball?”

She ignored that question. “You helped me up. Thank you. You can leave now.”