by Sky Corgan
Dinner felt tense, but I knew that the tension was only between Jack and I. He hardly looked at me the entire meal, as if it was my fault for Liam showing up.
After dinner, I walked out onto the balcony, hoping he would follow me so that we could talk about it. Luckily, he didn't disappoint, strolling up beside me and jamming his hands in his pockets. I glanced up at him, but he refused to look at me, his eyes ever on the scenic view before us.
“That's the man you're in love with, isn't it?” he asked.
“I don't know if I'm in love with him or not.” I sighed.
“Do you love me?”
I thought about it for a few moments. Jack and I had only known each other for a couple of weeks, but I had grown a lot closer to him. There were moments when I thought that I loved him, when his words and actions made me swoon, the same that Liam's had on many occasions.
The two of them were so different, I realized. Jack was confident on the outside but somehow vulnerable behind closed doors. He tried to be everything that everyone wanted him to be. Only when we were away from the paparazzi did Jack feel free to be himself. I still wasn't really sure who he was behind it all. Since coming to New York, I felt like I had seen so many different sides of him.
Liam was steady and stable, a kind romantic with a passion for life. Did I love him? Yes, definitely. But I wasn't sure if I was in love with him. We had so much history together, and I knew him from the inside out, the same way he knew me. There was no mystery behind the things that Liam said or did.
“I don't know,” I admitted finally. Jack had told me that he loved me on several occasions, but I never said it back to him. It had always been such a sacred word to me, only to be said if I truly meant it.
He sighed. “I suppose you wouldn't. You've only known me for a short time. How long have you known him?”
“Since I was four years old.” My mind drifted through all the memories of our happy childhood together, and my eyes involuntarily began to water at the thought that I would have to choose between them.
“What if I told you that I don't want you to see him tomorrow? Would you go anyway?” Jack's tone stiffened, and I feared his anger if I told him the truth.
“He didn't come here on business. He came here to see me. And I can't let him leave without the answers he came for.”
“Why not? There's only one answer. You're mine. You're going to be my wife, and that's the end of it.” Jack turned away and walked back inside, as cold as ice.
I stood out on the balcony for a while longer, hugging myself as the tears came down. It felt like everything Jack and I had worked towards was dashed away in a matter of minutes.
He had gotten so possessive the second that he figured out who Liam was. From gripping my waist to this new declaration, I couldn't help but wonder if this was yet another side of Jack Kemble. I had never seen him jealous before, but he obviously was, and I couldn't tell if it was because he thought of me as a possession or truly the love of his life. If only I could see inside his head, it would make things so much easier.
Jack was so upset that he didn't even come to tell me goodbye before he left. I had to listen to the heart-wrenching sound of his tires screeching as he pulled out of the driveway to know that he had gone. Perhaps he knew I would hear it—knew I would take it as another sign of his discontent.
It was a sleepless night leading into a day of nervousness. Jack avoided me by not even bothering to come to his parents' house before it was time for Liam to pick me up. I couldn't tell if I was happy about that or sad. At least, it kept Liam and Jack from bumping into each other again.
“Are you ready?” Liam asked as I opened the door to him. He wore an ear to ear grin, which I was sure was all for show for Jack's parents, doing his best to seem as innocent as possible, not letting on that he was actually a predator seeking to steal their son's fiancé.
“As ready as I'll ever be,” I sighed as I pushed past him.
For a moment, I hesitated to get into the car with him, in fear that he might keep driving all the way back to Texas. It was just my paranoia getting the best of me, though. Liam wasn't like that—wasn't that desperate.
“He's very . . . pretty.” Liam grinned to himself as he started the engine.
“He is,” I admitted, though I somehow knew that wasn't a compliment.
“I can't help but wonder which one of you spends more time getting ready in the morning.” Liam struck another jab.
“He's practically a celebrity. It's important that he look his best at all times. Maybe you could take some direction from him.” I smiled playfully, trying not to seem hostile.
“I rather like my balls,” Liam replied, and then he was silent until we pulled up to a small café down the street.
It was the simplest dining experience I'd had since coming to New York. There was nothing more complicated on the menu than a muffuletta sandwich. I decided to stick with trusty old turkey on wheat. It hadn't done me wrong so far.
We slid into a booth at the far side of the café, away from other diners. Liam seemed more focused on digging into his meatball sub than talking, so I followed his lead, scarfing down my sandwich in preparation for the heated discussion to come. Although my stomach was twisted in knots, I surprisingly hadn't lost my appetite. I had never been uncomfortable eating around Liam, though, no matter what the circumstances.
“So you're really going to marry that princess?” Liam asked after he had finished his sandwich.
“I really wish you'd quit demasculinizing him.”
“I don't have to demasculize him. He does it to himself.” Liam smirked.
“Like you're the personification of manliness?” I glared at him.
“One of my biceps is bigger than his entire torso.” Liam pointed at his arm as if I needed a visual reference.
“That doesn't make you manlier.” I couldn't help but laugh at his ridiculous pride for being ripped.
“My cock is probably bigger too.”
“Liam!” I gasped.
“Well,” he paused, “want to compare?”
“Oh my God, shut up.” I burst out laughing.
“It's good to see you smile,” he said, returning to a serious demeanor, and my heart melted. For as much of a dick as he was being, I knew that his intentions were innocent.
We fell into silence, and I could sense all the things he wanted to say but was too scared to.
“How's your family?” I asked, trying to break the tension.
“Good. They're good.” He nodded.
“You didn't come here on business, did you?”
“I actually did,” he replied, and my heart sank with sudden unmerited disappointment. Perhaps Liam was just here for a friendly visit after all, and all the tension between Jack and I had been pointless.
“Well, I'm glad you stopped by to see me,” I told him, though I wasn't sure if it was a lie or not.
“I couldn't possibly come to New York without seeing you, especially when I wasn't sure if you were alright or not.”
“I told you that I was.”
“And then you didn't return my calls or text messages.”
Oh no, I was about to get lectured. “Things were complicated,” I said, trying to avoid a fight.
“Things were complicated when you had me pick you up from the airport, too. If they're still complicated, then you should come back with me once I'm done with my business here.”
“Jack and I have been working things out.”
“In his dungeon?”
My cheeks flushed at the mention of it. If Liam only knew all the dirty things I had done in Jack's dungeon. The thought sent a hungry shiver down below.
“That's none of your business,” I answered finally.
“It became my business when I picked you up from the airport—when you wound up in my bed.”
My breath hitched, and I quickly looked around the cafe to make sure that no one had heard him.
“You will never mention that ag
ain.” I glared at him. “That was a mistake. I should have never done that.”
“Was kissing me a mistake too? Some whim of overwhelming feminine emotion?”
“You're not being fair.”
“I'm being more than fair.” The muscles in Liam's face tensed, and I knew that he was getting upset. “You're the one who isn't being fair. You can't just run into my arms and then leave me and not so much as return a phone call.”
“I'm sorry, Liam. You don't understand the position I'm in.”
“Oh, I understand it perfectly. You're in an arranged marriage that you're not happy with. You're about to sell off your entire life so that your greedy fucking family can get even more money that they don't need. They're selling you off to that pretentious prat like some expensive whore.”
“You're out of line,” I raised my voice, taken back by the harshness of his words.
“You don't love that guy. I can see it in your eyes.”
Could he see it, I wondered, and it instantly made me doubt my feelings for Jack. Liam knew everything about me. He would know if my eyes were lying. But he could also just be saying that to gain an advantage.
“Come home with me, Melita,” he continued. “You're supposed to be my wife, not his. We both know that. I've made you happy for almost twenty years. I promise I can continue to make you happy for as many years as either one of us has left.”
My mind was racing with so many things that I couldn't even think to react when Liam dropped onto one knee in front of me. The entire café stared as he pulled a small black box from his pocket and opened it up to show me the glittering diamond ring inside.
“Melita Rickard, will you marry me?” Liam asked, and I nearly choked on my own spit as I looked down upon him. This wasn't happening—couldn't be happening. Not here. Not now.
“No.” I shook my head and then had to stomach the disappointment in his eyes.
Almost as suddenly as he had knelt before me, Liam pulled himself up into the booth. The little black box disappeared back into his pocket as if it had all been a dream.
“You know it's not that simple,” I told him.
“It could have been.” Liam shrugged, avoiding my gaze.
“Why are you making this so hard for me?” I buried my face in my hands, unable to look at him any longer.
“Because I love you more than any man ever has, and more than any man ever will.” His voice was surprisingly calm for having just been rejected.
“I need you to take me back,” I said, ignoring his romantic words.
“Fine.”
The trip back to Jack's parents' mansion was riddled with silence. Liam didn't even look at me as he extracted a card from his wallet and handed it to me. “This is where I'll be staying until Wednesday. Give me a call if you change your mind.”
I watched him pull down their driveway, wondering if I would ever see him again. My response to his proposal had been firm, and I would not be changing my mind. Still, there was an aching in my heart with the knowledge that if I stuck to my decision, our friendship would be over. I knew that Liam was tired from me leading him on. This was his final stand.
When Jack returned to his parents' mansion for the social gathering in the afternoon, the tension hadn't faded between us one bit. The ride over was painfully silent as he ignored me in lieu of listening to the radio. At the event, I felt alienated even further. Jack's mother showed me off to everyone while Jack mingled with the crowd. I couldn't think of a time when I ever felt so alone in a room full of people.
I was surprised when we didn't follow his parents home afterward. Instead, Jack drove us straight to his mansion. I stared at the towering walls as the Lamborghini pulled to a stop and Jack got out of the driver's side to come open my door.
“Thank you.” My voice was soft.
Jack shed his clothing as he walked towards the dungeon, leaving a trail of breadcrumbs for me to follow. I could only assume that was what Jack wanted—for me to follow him.
Once inside, he turned to look at me. “Get undressed,” he commanded icily.
It was the first time I felt uncomfortable disrobing in front of Jack. What Liam had said about me being an expensive whore played in my mind as the sleeves of my gown slid over my shoulders and onto the floor. Jack was looking at me like I was an object, something that he could own and dominate, not like I was a person. The knot in my stomach grew.
“I sent him away,” I whispered, trying to knock some of the tension out of the air.
“Don't speak unless you're spoken to,” he ordered in a more authoritative manner than I had ever heard before.
Displeased with how slowly I was undressing, Jack came to me, practically ripping my clothing off in jerking motions. For the first time, I was frightened of him. There was no gentleness in his touch, no kindness to his words, only anger.
“Jack, please calm down,” I begged.
He grabbed one of my nipples, twisting it to the point that I let out a cry of pain. Then he tangled his fingers in my hair, pulling me to him so that his face was only inches away. “If you're going to keep being disobedient, then I'm going to have to punish you.” He threw me to the floor, and I gasped as my fear of him grew ten fold. “You knew I didn't want you to go with him, but you went anyway. You disrespected me.”
“I told you I had to go.” I turned back to him with venom on my lips.
He pulled me to my feet, shaking me before I had even gained my footing. “Do you want this to work, Melita? Do you?”
Slap! It had happened so fast that I could hardly believe my own actions. In an instant, I was gathering up my clothes and running out the door, leaving Jack standing there holding his face in shock.
I locked myself in the guest bathroom, pulling my dress back on while I dialed Liam's cell number. Fear and adrenaline coursed through my veins as I put on only what I needed to make it out of the house without getting a public indecency violation. No bra. No underwear. Just the dress.
“Come get me, now!” I told Liam. Then I rattled off the address and hung up, wanting to get out of Jack's mansion as quickly as possible.
When I opened the door, my breath hitched as I saw Jack standing there, his eyes full of remorse. “Melita, I'm sorry.”
I brushed past him, heading down the hall towards the front door. Jack gave chase, but he didn't lay a hand on me.
“I got a bit out of control. I was angry. I'm sorry. Please forgive me,” he begged.
There was nothing left to say. Whether he had acted out of anger or just gotten too far into his dominant character, I didn't care.
“Melita, stop,” Jack commanded, but I wasn't listening.
“Goodbye, Jack.” I turned to him for a moment before disappearing out the front door. Thankfully, he didn't follow me, perhaps knowing that I needed space to think.
I walked barefoot to the end of the driveway to wait for Liam, wondering if Jack realized the grave mistake he had just made. His foolish actions had once more pushed me into Liam's arms, and this time, I wasn't sure if I would return to him.
Liam had a concerned look on his face as I stepped into his rental car. I must have looked a mess, I realized, thinking about how my dress was ripped and my hair was tangled from Jack's rough actions.
“Did he hurt you?” were the first words from Liam's mouth.
“No.”
“Because if he did, I'll go beat his pretentious ass into a bloody pump. I don't give a shit who he thinks he is.”
“Just drive,” I told him, trying to keep the tears at bay.
We pulled into the parking lot of the Broadway Hotel, and Liam escorted me up to his room where he sat me down on the bed, sitting beside me and taking my hand into his. “Now, tell me what happened.”
“Jack was mad at me because I met you for lunch,” I said between sniffles. “He ignored me all afternoon. He was just so cold,” I purposely omitted the part about him jostling me around in the dungeon, and I knew Liam could tell I was hiding something, tho
ugh he thankfully didn't press me about it.
“I'm sorry, sweetie.” Liam pulled me into his arms, holding me while I sobbed uncontrollably. His hands were soothing, smoothing out the tangles in my hair as they petted over me. I listened to his heartbeat. It was faster than normal, but still steady and familiar. In his strong arms, I felt like nothing could harm me.
When I pulled away finally, there was a different look in Liam's eyes. He caressed my cheek, moving loose tendrils of hair from my face, and I didn't move when he leaned in to kiss me, though I didn't return the affection either. Liam's lips were soft and gentle against mine, a world of difference from the harshness I had felt all afternoon. Despite myself, I allowed his kisses to overtake me, demanding my reciprocation and carrying me off to heaven.
He pushed the straps of my gown down over my shoulders, and I was reminded of Jack's touch. I was far removed from Jack now, though, being held by careful hands—loving hands.
The dress slipped down over my breasts, exposing them to Liam's eyes for the first time. Instead of gaping at them in wonder, he looked at me as if he had seen them a thousand times before, more interested in my lips and my eyes than the perversions of my body.
“Oh Liam,” I whispered, wrapping my arms around his neck only to be met with fluttering kisses across my collarbone.
He laid me on the bed, pulling my dress down the rest of the way until I was naked beneath him. My heart pounded as I watched him unbutton his shirt. Liam was the definition of masculinity, heavily muscled and gruff looking with his long dirty blonde hair and dark chin stubble.
It was as if my eyes were seeing him for the first time, not as the boy who had been my best friend growing up, but as the man who loved me. The thought caused warm feelings inside my heart, and darker yearnings between my thighs. I realized at that moment that I wanted him more than anything in the world—would sacrifice everything to have him, if only for one night.
My eyes flitted down to Liam's cock as he shed his slacks and boxers, and I couldn't suppress a lecherous grin as I realized that he had been right about being bigger than Jack. Liam was larger, in all areas.