by Nikki Chase
Emily nods, raising her eyebrows.
“Are you serious?” I ask.
“Yeah, they just used to go on these weirdly tense and awkward dinners every few months. Cole got dragged to one and it was painful, he said. No physical contact at all. Not even hand holding. It was like a business dinner, which I guess it kind of was. His ex was the ambitious type. Wanted to spread her daddy’s empire.”
“But, engaged to a man like Caine, and no sex?” I ask in a low, secretive tone, looking over my shoulder as I throw a bunch of vegetables into the pot of stew.
“I know, right? Damn, if I was engaged to that fine man, I’d be all over him in a heartbeat.” She pauses. “Wait, is it weird that I’m talking about my brother-in-law like this?”
“Yeah, a little bit, but I don't blame you. He's hot, and you're not blind.” I laugh. God, it's so good to finally see my sister again. I'm just glad the airline let her board the plane with that big bump on her belly. I ask, “Besides, pregnancy hormones?”
Emily rolls her eyes. “Ugh, you don't know the half of it. My libido just went through the roof as soon as the second trimester hit. I mean, Cole seems happy about it, but it's so exhausting. I feel bad for teenage boys if this is how they feel all the time.”
I giggle as I sprinkle the chopped fresh herbs over the salad and push it across the kitchen island to Emily. She has never been much use in the kitchen, and today's no different. “You have two hands. There's a pair of salad hands. Start mixing.”
“Hey ladies, I bet you're talking about us,” Cole says as he enters the kitchen, Seth a few steps behind him. Cole saunters casually over to Emily’s side. Putting his arms over her shoulders, he bends down to kiss Emily’s bump, then he kisses her on the lips.
They're the cutest couple ever. I admit I didn't like Cole at first, but I’m glad I turned out to be wrong about the guy. He obviously makes Emily happy, judging by the twinkle in her eyes when he appeared and the big, goofy smile on her face right now.
“Yeah, we were just talking about that weird thing you do, and we were totally laughing at you,” Emily says.
“Which weird thing? The one involving your butt?” Cole asks, making Emily explode in laughter.
“Whoa, I don't need to know what kind of freaky things you guys are into, okay?” I laugh as Seth comes over and gives me a quick peck on the cheek. Damn it, this man is a monster in bed, but he's cold as ice in front of people.
It's okay, though. It's not like either one of us do this often—have people over, I mean.
In fact, it has taken months just to arrange this visit. We had to convince Seth it would be perfectly safe. There's really no need to worry about exposing them to danger.
Cole's family used to have all kinds of illegal business dealings, so he's just as used to living in paranoia as Seth is. In fact, while Emily and I stayed in the kitchen, Seth was showing Cole all the custom security features he had installed. Nerds.
“Alright, guys, dinner’s ready,” I say as I ladle the beef stew into four separate bowls.
The food is good, the company is excellent, and the laughter is abundant. This is what I love about cooking. Feeding my loved ones simply makes me happy.
“Are you happy?” Seth asks as he takes my hand in his, reaching across the small iron table.
The wind flirts with my hair. We're sitting on my favorite balcony. Emily and Cole have gone to bed, and it’s just us now, in the spot where we had our first kiss—which was actually a ploy so Seth could proceed to put a tracker around my ankle, which then led to a fight.
I still like to read here, and now Seth joins me sometimes, bringing me a cup of hot chamomile tea on chilly nights. He’d also bring his own cup of black coffee—no sugar, no frills.
Unlike his black coffee, the chamomile tea comes with a few enhancements. After some experimentation, he has found the recipe that gets a ten out of ten from me. He seems to have added some apple, honey, and a little bit of vanilla to it, but he absolutely refuses to tell me how to make it.
He says he’ll make a cup himself when I need one so it remains a special thing he does for me. Who knew a guy like Seth could turn out to be so sweet?
“Of course I’m happy. I’ve never been happier in my life, Seth.” I give him a smile. I stare into in eyes, letting myself get lost in their depths.
I’ve never felt so loved in my whole life. And to think I once ran away from this man, afraid he was going to hurt me. I see now that he was only doing what he could to keep me safe, to protect me.
I was angry once, even when I realized what he was trying to do. I thought he could’ve done it in a nicer way. But, to tell you the truth, I don’t think so anymore.
Looking back, I know that, even if Seth had told me some human traffickers were specifically targeting me, I wouldn’t have just agreed to go home with him. I would’ve told him to fuck off and show me some proof. Then, I’d go to the cops instead, even though they wouldn’t have done anything to protect me. And I would’ve died.
Seth was the only one who could help me. Sure, he was also the one who got me involved. But he was a victim, too. He had to give up so much for his mission—his work, his social life, a lot of his money.
Nobody can just isolate himself altogether from the world; not even someone like Seth, even if he’s naturally a loner. He was looking for some kind of connection, and I’m glad he found it in me.
Seth thrives on control, so I like to think that he wants me so much he couldn’t help himself. I don’t think he’ll ever change—especially in the bedroom—and I don’t want him to. He’s perfect; maybe not for everyone, but he is for me.
For the longest time, even after moving back in here, I wondered why I now love his obsession with control, the same kind of control that I used to hate. I see now that Seth doesn’t want to force me or manipulate me to be under his control. He wants me to willingly give it up.
That’s the difference.
I voluntarily give myself to Seth now.
Unlike when he first locked me up, I can live like an adult and make my own decisions. I won’t remove myself from Seth’s protection now, and I know now what kind of precautions to take.
It's such a freeing feeling, loving someone and knowing I’m being loved in return. I can give him everything I’ve got, knowing he’ll never take advantage of my trust.
What I had with Fred was about control and possession. With Seth, even though technically I can't just casually take a stroll outside anymore, I feel like I have more freedom than I’ve ever had.
If all I want to do is stay here by Seth's side, then why does it matter that I can't do the other things I don't care to do anyway? I literally can do all the things I want to do, indulging in my passion for cooking and my lust for the man who shares my passion. Maybe I’ll even open a restaurant someday, but for now I’m happy to take a little break from all that hustling.
“Me, too. I’ve never been happier,” Seth says. The moonlight illuminates his handsome face, his pupils dilated in the dark. He pulls my hand up to his lips and kisses it. “Alice, I have an important question to ask you, if you're really happy here with me. You make me really happy, too. You give me the strength to fight the demons inside me.”
He reaches inside the pocket of his sports jacket and pulls out a small velvet box. The size of a normal ring box. And the shape of a normal ring box.
Oh my god, it is a ring box, isn’t it?
I raise my hands up to cover my mouth, which is gaping open in shock. Seth gets off his chair and gets on his knees on the marble floor in front of me.
“Alice, I want to keep you here with me forever. But only if you’re happy here, and only if you’re staying for love. You just told me that you’re happy, and I hope it’s at least partially because of me.” He smiles and opens the little box, revealing a beautiful ring with a princess-cut diamond that reflects the moonlight. “Will you marry me?”
“Yes! Of course!” I bend down and embrace him, tears welling in my eyes and
streaming down my face. “You make me so happy.”
“Since you moved in, every day has been like a dream,” he says. “Give me your hand and let’s make this official so you can’t ever run away again.”
I laugh and sit back down, my heart thumping in my chest. We’re getting engaged! I can’t believe it. Just a few months ago, I thought I was going to die alone. And now, all my dreams are coming true.
Seth takes my hand, which is shaking from excitement. He puts the ring on my finger, and it slides right in. A perfect fit. Just like the two of us.
We remain still in silence for what feels like forever, just grinning and gazing at each other, excitement and happiness filling the air. In the background, the fountain plays its watery symphony, harmonizing with the rustling leaves.
Seth gets up, still holding my hand in his. With that smirk that could melt glaciers, he asks, “Care for a dance with your new fiancé?”
“Of course.”
I put my hand on Seth’s broad shoulder, and we move to a secret rhythm, one that only the two of us can hear.
“I wanted to make sure you can see your sister before asking. I know that’s important for you,” he says.
“I love you so much for that.” My eyes fill with water again.
He has thought of everything, and I feel so lucky to have someone in my life who cares about my needs and wants so completely. He doesn’t even know Emily, but he was determined to make the visit happen—either we were going to Seattle, or they were coming here, but it was happening. All because he knows it’s important to me.
I know, in this moment, that I’ll never be alone again. No matter what I’ll go through, I know Seth will be by my side, looking out for me.
“I’m going to treat you like a queen,” he says in my ear as we continue to move to an inaudible melody.
“I know you will.” I believe him now. Completely. I trust him with my life—how can I not, after he has literally taken two bullets for me? I know this man loves me and treasures me.
“And I’m going to fuck you like a whore, even when we’re old and wrinkled.”
I laugh, not expecting him to say something that dirty when the mood is this mellow. “God, I love you.”
“I know. You literally just agreed to marry me,” he says smugly.
“That doesn’t necessarily mean that I love you.”
“True. But I know you do.” He kisses my temple gently.
A big smile spreads across my face.
We’ve gone through so many difficult things, but we’ve somehow turned all that ugliness around and we now end up with the most beautiful thing in the world.
Everything considered, I wouldn’t have changed anything for the world, because this is perfect.
This moment is perfect, and this man is perfect.
And I now get to live this dream forever.
Virgin Fiancée
A Fake Engagement Romance
Piper
Two Months Ago
What the hell?
I stand frozen in the doorway, my mouth hanging open.
I can’t believe my eyes.
The door isn’t even closed, and they haven’t even heard my footsteps.
On the bed, just a few feet away, my boyfriend’s naked ass is going up and down, plowing into a woman who’s spread-eagled beneath him.
She’s the one who notices me first. She says, “Hey, she’s cute. Your friend wanna join us?”
Is this woman crazy?
Mark stills, hovering over the woman. He turns his head to the side to look at me. His eyes are wide and his forehead is covered with fat beads of sweat.
Oh, and his cock is still buried in the woman’s pussy.
“Piper. I… Uh…” Mark’s body jumps into gear, although his brain hasn’t quite caught up. He pulls his cock out, dives down to the floor to pick up his boxers, and quickly puts them on. He steps closer.
“Keep your hands off me,” I say, avoiding him as he reaches out to touch me.
“You… I… Uh… I thought you… Weren’t you planning to come later tonight?” Mark asks, stumbling all over his words.
“My plans changed,” I reply curtly.
I was about to have lunch with Carly today, but she canceled. So I thought I’d visit my boyfriend, make out a little bit, and—if things go well—maybe even let him take my virginity today.
That’s definitely not happening now.
“Hey, dude, your one hour is up. Do you want more time? It’s the same flat rate,” the naked girl says, as if she’s completely oblivious to the tense atmosphere.
Mark remains quiet as the gears in my brain goes into overdrive. Why is she being so casual about everything? And what could she mean by “flat rate”? Flat rate for what?
My breath catches in my throat as realization hits me like a ton of bricks.
“Dude? Max, right?” The woman remains on the bed as she picks up Mark’s jeans, which were lying on the carpeted bedroom floor. She pulls out his wallet from the back pocket and says, “I’ll just help myself, okay? See? I’m just taking whatever you owe me.” She takes out a few bills and holds them up for Mark to see, although he remains completely frozen in place, not daring to take his eyes off me.
My blood boils. He’s cheating on me with a prostitute? Really?
“Don’t tell me she’s a prostitute,” I say as I glower at Mark.
The woman gets up from the bed and quietly puts on her clothes, piece by piece, as if we weren’t also here in the same room.
After a long pause, in which the only sounds are the zipper of the woman’s mini skirt being pulled up and the muffled clicks of her heels on the carpet, Mark says, “Okay. I’m not going to tell you she’s a prostitute.”
The woman laughs. Looking right at me as she walks out of the bedroom, she says, “Honey, I wouldn’t have fucked this guy if he didn’t agree to pay for it.”
The woman’s ultra-high heels click noisily on the wooden floor as her footsteps get further and further away.
The front door opens, then closes again with a soft click.
It’s just the two of us now, marinating in the tense, awkward atmosphere, neither of us knowing what to say.
I look at the desk, where I left my laptop this morning. I could at least take that with me right now, even if I have to leave the rest of my stuff behind.
“I’m sorry, Piper. I didn’t mean to hurt you. You weren’t meant to find out,” Mark says, finally finding his tongue.
“And that makes it okay?” I march past him toward the desk and grab my laptop. I’m ready to leave now. I don’t care. There’s no explanation needed.
“Please, Piper. I know I fucked up, but I had a bad case of the blue balls. It’s been six months,” he says as he follows me out the room. “If you think about it, both of us are responsible for what just happened. We can move forward. We can move past this. I have faith in us.”
“I don’t.” I open the front door, step out into the hallway, and turn around. “Don’t even think about following me. Your face makes me sick.”
Mark flinches from my words. I take the opportunity to slam the door shut in his face.
Dickhead.
My feet move swiftly, fueled by anger. What a waste of my time and energy.
I thought I was going to finally lose my virginity to Mark, but now I’m glad we never did it. God knows how many times he has cheated on me and never gotten caught.
Piper
Present Time
“I swear, her heels were higher than her skirt was long.” I pick up my bottle from the floor and take another gulp of the beer. “But enough about that. I’m so over Mark. Can we just talk about something else? This is our last night here. It’s the end of an era.”
“Yeah, who cares about Mark? This is our night. Fuck that guy,” Carly says passionately, adopting my anger as if it’s her own. She pauses to think. “Wait. No. Do the opposite of that. Don’t fuck that guy.”
We both laugh. Our apa
rtment may be mostly empty now, but it still feels like home, now that we’re chatting and laughing like we usually do.
The living room looks smaller than it normally does, which is weird because there’s actually less stuff now.
Brown cardboard boxes of different sizes are scattered all over the green carpeted floor. Instead of buying moving boxes, we went with the free option. We went to the grocery store and begged a staff member for free, used boxes from the warehouse.
Other than the boxes, there’s not much left in the apartment.
A pizza box that contains our dinner. Three bottles of beer, one of which is already empty. Our bags. And us. Oh, and McClaw, my orange tabby, who’s chilling on my lap right now. He was a total nuisance while we were packing, jumping into boxes and tearing them apart with his sharp teeth and claws.
All the big pieces of furniture have been sold on Craigslist or moved to my new studio apartment.
I’m glad George, Carly’s boyfriend, has nicer furniture than we do. That’s why Carly’s leaving behind almost all the big items to me, although she was the one who originally bought most of them. So I got them for free.
God, I love free stuff.
Like this pizza. It tastes better because it’s free. Carly bought it for us both, knowing how broke I am. She’s an amazing friend.
I take another slice of the pizza, the one with a bunch of meat chunks and pepperoni on it. I’ve been subsisting mostly on ramen and day-old grocery-store bread. I probably don’t get enough protein.
“You know, I never liked Mark,” Carly says as she takes another sip of the beer.
“What? Why didn’t you tell me?” I ask, my mouth full of cheesy, meaty goodness.
“Well, you seemed to like the guy. As far as I could tell, he treated you nice enough. I thought I was just jealous.” She grins. “I know it’s weird, but I used to have you all to myself.”
“Aww…” I lean over and pull Carly into a hug with my clean hand, holding the pizza with my other one. “It’s not weird. To be honest, I’m feeling kind of jealous too, now that George gets to be your new roommate.”