A Gorgeous Villain

by Saffron A Kent

  Smirking, he replies, “And that girl is not you.”

  I raise my eyebrows at him and his smirk only becomes more devilish.

  Just to be a brat, I bite my lip. “Well, you got me. I am jealous. Because I thought I was your main girl.”

  “My main girl.”

  “Yes. See this?” I let go of his bicep and show him my left hand, the one sporting a wedding ring. “This proves that I’m your main girl. For the rest of your life. So what do you have to say for yourself, husband?”

  He eyes my hand for a second, a flash of possessiveness flickering through his features.

  The same one he had on the day he put that ring on my finger almost a year ago.

  It was exactly a week after we brought Halo home.

  He took me out on a ride in his Mustang and popped the question in the woods where I used to dance for him. He said that he wanted to do it right but he couldn’t wait. I told him that he’d made me wait long enough so this was perfect. And then, we laid on the hood of his Mustang, his engagement ring on my finger and watched the stars for a bit before going home to Halo.

  Who luckily had been super good for Conrad and my brothers.

  Who in turn already knew what Reed was going to do and they were completely on board.

  Good.

  Not that it would’ve changed anything – I loved Reed and I was going to marry him no matter what – but I was glad that my brothers approved.

  A week later, we got married in our backyard with all my friends and brothers in attendance. Pete couldn’t be there because he was traveling but he did call. It was small and intimate and absolutely perfect.

  Reed’s eyes come back to me, the look in them all heavy and intense as he murmurs, “That. Right. My bad then.”

  “It is,” I say primly before winding my arms around his neck. “So where’s my present?”

  He puts his other hand on my waist and tightens his grip on my braid with the other. “Outside.”

  “What?”

  “It’s a Porsche 911.”

  My mouth falls open for a second before I sputter, “But wait, wasn’t… wasn’t that the car you were restoring for that guy? The car that you finished today.”

  Now that he said the name of it, I remember.

  He shrugs. “I lied.”

  “You lied.”

  “That’s sort of what I do.”

  I can’t help it. A shocked laugh bursts out of me.

  He doesn’t actually.

  Except that one time when he broke my heart, Reed has never lied to me and I can’t believe that he lied to me now. I mean, it’s not a bad lie but oh my God.

  A car?

  We don’t need any more cars. We’ve got his Mustang that usually sits in the garage because we have Halo. And Reed, my sexy, badass husband, is super adamant about driving the minivan that he got last year because it’s the most kid friendly.

  And now this, a Porsche?

  I shake my head. “But Roman, we already have two cars and I don’t… I don’t need a car. I…”

  “Yes, you do,” he tells me. “For Juilliard.”

  Juilliard. Right.

  So after deferring for a year, I’ll finally be going this coming fall. It’s going to be a huge change but I think I’m ready. I’m excited at least and well, nervous.

  This past year has been great though.

  I did everything that I wanted to do. I got to be with Halo and Reed. I got to see my brothers as much as I could. I got to teach at the Baby Blues and I discovered something about myself.

  That I love kids.

  I absolutely love them. I love, love, love being a mother. I love, love, love teaching little kids and seeing wonder on their faces when they do a pose correctly or when they simply twirl for fun.

  It just makes my heart so happy.

  So that’s what I’m going to do. After I graduate from Juilliard, I’m going to teach kids. Letting go of my other dream of dancing with the New York City Ballet Company is the easiest thing I’ve ever done.

  But first, I’ve got to get through this amazing program.

  Our plan is to move out of the glass house for the duration of it and live in an apartment we found that’s midway between Wuthering Garden and New York City. So I can do my classes and Reed can work at the garage. And I was going to take the bus to the city.

  It’s not going to be easy but a lot of people do it so I can do it too.

  But apparently not. Because I have a car.

  “But I… it’s too much.”

  He squeezes my waist. “Look, it’s fast. It’s safe. You’ve got a few weeks to try it out before you actually have to go. And it’ll get you there twice as fast than a fucking bus would. And what in the world gave you the indication that I’d ever let you ride on a bus?”

  I squeeze my own arms that are still around his neck. “Let me?”

  “Yeah. You’re my main girl, aren’t you? And she doesn’t ride on a bus.”

  I purse my lips. “That’s extremely archaic but I’m gonna let it slide. Because you’re kind of being sweet right now.” I reach up and kiss his jaw again. “Thank you. I really appreciate it. Even more than I appreciate you letting my brothers win tomorrow.”

  He goes alert then. “What?”

  “At soccer.”

  “You want me to let your brothers win tomorrow. At soccer.”

  I peek at him through my eyelashes. “Please.”

  So tomorrow, along with Halo’s birthday party, we also have a soccer game. A friendly soccer game.

  After the get together from last year to celebrate my acceptance to Juilliard, I also discovered that I love doing little parties and lunches. Even though that get together was sort of disastrous with all the hidden tensions and whatnot.

  But anyway, it’s a regular thing now, these get togethers.

  I try to do one every three to four months depending on everyone’s schedule.

  I cook and bake and we have a fun time in the backyard. The people who attend are usually the same: my brothers; my St. Mary’s friends plus the loves of their life; of course Tempest. Sometimes Pete makes it too.

  Oh and I made two new friends in the past year, Jupiter and Isadora or Dora. I adore both of these girls and it works out because they’re dating my brothers.

  Yeah, they’re dating the twins and I’m not gonna lie, seeing Shep, the player, totally whipped makes my day every time.

  Anyway, as fun as these get togethers are, some time last year, they were also turned into soccer games.

  I’m not sure whose idea it was but whenever all my brothers and Reed are together, they split into teams and play each other. Sometimes Arrow joins in, even Salem.

  Reed usually ends up with Shep because they’re great friends now. Because well, my brother loves cars and Reed is sort of a car expert.

  Their games are pretty low key and for the most part, friendly. Except Ledger and Reed sometimes still butt heads. Not like before though, thank God.

  But the fact that Ledger’s little sister, me, is married to Reed, is still a point of contention between the two.

  Anyway, I try to keep the peace as much as I can.

  Hence the request that Reed let Ledger win tomorrow.

  Not that he cares about the game, no.

  In fact, he watches me from the field more than he watches the ball. Which pisses Shep off because they miss shots that way. But he doesn’t have much leg to stand on, my brother. Because he watches his girl from the field just as much.

  Anyway, I’m making this request because as I said, Reed and Ledger still butt heads. And along with me being married to Reed, the other point of contention between them is that my brother is dating my husband’s sister, Tempest.

  Which came as a relief after months of Ledge being an idiot about it.

  But yeah, I don’t think Ledger and Reed will be best friends any time soon.

  Reed bends down t
hen, his features sharp and wolfish. “What do I get in return?”

  My heart skips a beat. “What do you want?”

  “You.”

  “Me what?”

  His eyes sweep over my features again. But this time, there’s no sign of the good, noble protector. This time when Reed looks me over, he’s doing it with that predatory, villanous intent that I love so much.

  “I hear you’re a ballerina,” he drawls.

  I bite my lip to stop my smile and nod. “I am.”

  He pretends to think about it, all the while squeezing my waist, flexing his fingers in my braid. “So I want you to spin like one. For me.”

  I pretend to be shocked as I play with the ends of his soft hair. “You want me to dance for you?”

  “Fuck yeah,” he rasps. “You promise to dance for me like the pretty blonde ballerina you are and I’ll think about letting your brothers win tomorrow.”

  God, I love him.

  So much.

  “And if I don’t?”

  “Then I’ll have fun wiping the floor with them.”

  I can’t stop my smile then as I shake my head. “You’re a villain, aren’t you?”

  “I am.” He pulls me even closer if possible, tugging my neck back. “And you’re my fairy.”

  “I am.”

  “For the rest of our lives.”

  “Until the end of time.”

  His jaw clenches with emotion and I can’t help but whisper, “I love you, Roman.”

  He swallows. “I fucking love you too, Fae.”

  At last, he bends all the way down and I stretch myself all the way up so we can kiss after a long, long day of being apart.

  Because this is my life now, see?

  This wonderful, lovely life where I get to kiss my villain whenever I want. Where I get to tell him that I love him freely, without hesitation.

  Where I get to dance for him.

  Which I’ll do tonight.

  Like always.

  And like always, he’ll get impatient and grab me before the song’s done. He’ll take my clothes off and kiss every inch of my skin. Even though I’m not the same after the pregnancy. I’ve got ugly stretch marks and the scar where they cut Halo out of me still lingers.

  But it won’t matter.

  Because it’s him and he still kisses my belly like it carries precious life.

  For now though, we’ll eat dinner.

  Later, Halo and I will show him the surprise we made for him — cupcakes with ‘Halo + Mommy loves Daddy’ spelled out in pink frosting.

  Which I know he’s going to love.

  I also know that he’s going to choke up a little like he always does when Halo and I make him something. Like he thinks he doesn’t deserve it.

  But it’s okay.

  I’ll keep making him things until he believes it.

  It will be bath time for Halo then. Which is all handled by Reed because she won’t let anyone do this but him, not even Mommy. Followed by story time, which Reed is in charge of again.

  And then I’ll get to witness another beautiful thing: Halo sleeping on a bare chested and drowsy Reed.

  When I’ve had my fill of watching the two loves of my life, we’ll put her in her crib, and I’ll drag him to our bedroom. So I can dance for him.

  Because I’m still his dancing fairy and he’s my wild mustang.

  And as I said, this is our wonderful and gorgeous life.

  THE END

  (For Callie and Reed)

  His eyes are pretty.

  And so are his hair and his face.

  I think if I wanted to, I could draw him.

  I’m an artist; I draw things. I see things as a piece of art. As lines and angles. As colors and shades. It’s just something I’ve done all my life.

  And I’m not going to lie, he is a piece of art.

  He has a broad face, a square jaw and high cheekbones. His lashes are curled and dark, almost forest-y, furry. And his hair’s dark too. With shades of brown, just like his eyes.

  Brown of the earth.

  Ledger Thorne is handsome and worthy of any artist’s time and attention. Especially when he’s looking at you like that. With so much focus and intensity.

  Although I don’t know what I did to catch his eye.

  I’m not an attention worthy girl.

  I’m usually pretty quiet and shy. I like to stand away from the crowd, in the back of a room, close to a wall. I’m a wallflower, if you will. People don’t generally notice me. As they shouldn’t.

  Because I’m the artist here. I should notice them.

  I do have one quirk though.

  I love jewelry. Nothing expensive or fancy. Just cute, quirky stuff. Like toe rings and thumb rings. Ankle bracelets, belly chains, necklaces, leg chains and stuff. You could say that I clink when I walk or move because I usually have at least five pieces of jewelry on my body at any given time.

  So maybe there’s that.

  Maybe I clinked in his vicinity because I have an arm chain on my right arm, sort of in a butterfly shape with yellow stones. I’m wearing two long necklaces — again made of yellow stones — to match my bohemian looking yellow maxi dress. Not to mention, I’ve got a pair of tinkling earrings and a belly chain under my dress, which is invisible of course but has star like charms that rustle against my skin and my dress when I move.

  So yeah, maybe that’s why.

  That’s why he had to take notice of me. Because of my crazy love of jewelry.

  Because other than that, I can’t think of any other reason as to why he’d follow me in here. Especially when I think there’s something between him and Reed’s sister, Tempest. Whom we’ve all just met and I think who could be Poe’s troublemaking soul mate.

  Anyway, by follow me in here I mean, inside this house made of glass.

  This is where Callie lives now that she’s pregnant with her sort of ex-boyfriend’s, Reed, baby. She’s having a small get together today because she just got her acceptance letter to Juilliard and we’re all super duper excited.

  These days, nothing excites me. Nothing feels right. Not the colors, the sketches I keep drawing because I don’t know what else to do. Not the woods behind our school or green rolling grounds. Things I usually loved because they inspired me to draw.

  But I’m really, genuinely happy for her.

  My friend deserves all the good things in life. Including the guy she’s in love with and from the looks of it, that guy loves her too. Not sure if he realizes it but still.

  Anyway, I’ve gone off topic here.

  I have to solve this mystery first.

  Mystery being why does Callie’s brother keep looking at me? He has been staring at me ever since the get together started. And why did he follow me in here, the kitchen, where I came to get away from the crowd for a few minutes, from the backyard where everyone’s currently gathered?

  But then he speaks and the mystery gets even more… confusing.

  “I’d like to take you out on a date,” he says.

  Okay, I think I heard him wrong.

  Did he say a date?

  “I’m sorry?”

  “A date,” he says in a deep voice, standing casually against the marble island, his arms folded. “With you. I’d like that very much.”

  “You’d like to take me out on a date?”

  “Yes.”

  I’m standing by the counter, holding a glass of water and my fingers around it tremble. Hugging it to my midsection, I reply, “I’m not… what?”

  Something like amusement flickers through his beautiful eyes. “You’re allowed to go on dates, right? I mean, at St. Mary’s. Over the weekend. Or whenever you’re allowed out.”

  “Um, yes. I can get my day pass.”

  He smiles then, all confident and arrogant. “And you’ve been on dates before?”

  “Yes.”

  Sort of.

  I mean, as I s
aid, I’m not an attention worthy girl. I usually stick to the shadows and pass by without making any sort of ripples. And where I come from, Wuthering Garden, the town of the rich, people don’t generally notice girls with weird taste in jewelry who wear bohemian dresses and have messy, uncombed looking hair and a sketch pad in hand.

  Even so, I have been on dates.

  With guys in my art classes, back at my old school, before St. Mary’s.

  And then there have been dates where I…

  Okay, don’t think about it, Wyn. Don’t think about your non-date dates. Especially not in front of him.

  “So yeah, you and me,” he says, his eyes taking in my arm chains, his lips twitching with a smirk. “What do you think?”

  What do I think?

  I think it’s all kinds of wrong. And not only because he’s Callie’s brother. But because Ledger is his brother and oh my God, I can’t even fathom going out with his brother.

  Not that he would mind. He doesn’t care and he…

  I clear my throat to break my own thoughts and try to appear calm. “Oh, I don’t… I’m sorry but I don’t think so.”

  It doesn’t faze him at all.

  In fact, it looks like he was anticipating it.

  “Why not?” he asks, still standing casually, only a few feet away from me.

  “Because I don’t think we’re each other’s type. Besides you’re Callie’s brother and I…”

  “You what?”

  I press the glass to my stomach even harder. “It would be inappropriate.”

  Yes, definitely.

  Only it doesn’t feel inappropriate when it’s him.

  God, I’m a bad friend.

  “You know what, I think I should…” I trail off when he moves.

  Ledger unfolds his arms, which I have to admit are extremely corded and sexy but do nothing for me. Nothing at all. They don’t even stir my creativity like his arms do.

  He closes the gap between us and I swallow thickly, my eyes wide. His eyes, on the other hand, are calm and relaxed and serious.

  “Look, I’m not the best guy, I’ll tell you that right away,” he says, his gaze flicking all over my face. “I’ve been a player. I’ve been an asshole too. To girls, I mean. And I’m pretty sure Callie would freak out at the thought of you and me. Not because she wouldn’t want you to be with her brother. But because she wouldn’t want her asshole brother, me, to be with one of her innocent friends, you. Despite that, I’d very much like to take you out on a date. I think you’re interesting. You’re quiet and maybe sad and I think I could get you to smile. Even though we’re not each other’s type. But then who made the rule that you can only go out with someone your type, right? I’d like to break the rules for you, if you’d let me. So this is me breaking all the rules and asking you out. What do you say?”