by H. Q. Frost
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Dedicated to my
#DestructiveJunkies
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This copy is intended for the original purchaser of this book. No parts of this book may be reproduced in any form, electronic or printed without permission in writing from the author. Short excerpts for reviews are acceptable.
Cover art by Inked Imprints
Copyright © 2018 H.Q. Frost
All rights reserved
Lilith woke in a fluster. Ian was meeting Peachey. Meeting her fiancé. The man she was going to marry. This was one step closer to the confirmation she was engaged to a man that had a girlfriend.
Amused by Lilith's nervousness and not wanting to piss her off, Ian stayed in the other room while she changed several times.
"Baby!" he called from the dining room.
"I'm almost ready!"
"I want to show you something!"
"Ian! We have to go. We're already going to be late."
"I'll let you drive, speed racer. Just come here, please." A boyish smile beamed on his face as she approached. His happiness always made the wrongs right. He flipped the laptop around to face her. "Can we get married here?"
The beautiful beach wedding on the screen was enticing.
"Where is that?" she asked.
"Barbados."
"You want to get married in Barbados?"
"I'll buy your mom's ticket and whoever else. Maybe your uncle and his family?"
Worry about Ian meeting her mom struck again and her smile faded. "Can we leave now?"
"Lily." He grabbed her hand before she could walk away. "Why do I get the feeling you're not going to marry me?"
"Because you're crazy?" She spun, sitting in his lap. "If this is where you want to get married, baby." Her lips softly, reassuringly kissed his. "Yes, by all means, we'll get married there, but can we get to my mom's? I'm never late for anything and she called me yesterday but I didn't answer. She's going to flip if we're late, thinking I'm dead or something."
"Why are we here?" Joanna, Uncle Rick's daughter, bitched to her mother.
"We haven't seen Lilith since the funeral. It'll be nice to see her," her mother snapped.
"There's a reason we haven't seen her. She's a freak. I should have gotten that job she got at Apple Management."
"Joanna, please stop being such a little bitch," her mother scoffed. "She's not a freak. She's a little…different."
"No, she's a freak, mom. I'm surprised she even has a fiancé. I heard he's in and out of jail, and Aunt Peach told me he's weird too. He talks to her like she's his daughter. Oh, and his name's Sloan. That's the name of a child molester!"
"Joanna!"
"They're weird."
"I heard that stuff too," Aunt Carol mumbled. "Just shh, I think they're here."
Peachey's Meet Lily's Fiancé Barbecue was more than Lilith was expecting. All the cars in the driveway and lining the street made her anxiety heighten.
"I have no idea whose cars these are," she whispered as Ian parked.
"They can't hear you, baby." He grabbed her face and laughed. "I love you, Lily, and if you want to turn around and go home, I'll do it."
"Ian." She rolled her eyes, making him laugh again.
"Kiss me," he said still holding her face. "Please," he coerced with a pouty lip when annoyance met his gaze.
Leaning in, her lips pressed to his for a soft kiss that he gradually deepened, making her melt into his arms, abandoning her nerves.
Pulling away she breathed, "Ian, I love you."
"I love you too. You have nothing to worry about. I'm here tonight and it's just your mom and uncle. Maybe Rich drove separate." He glanced at the many cars surrounding the house.
"Please don't leave my side."
"What?" He laughed. "Are you afraid I'll wander off and embarrass you, Lilith?"
"No, I just don't want to be left alone with these people!" she confessed in laughter.
"It's your family."
"Your idea," she countered.
"Get out of the car."
Skeptically stepping out, she straightened her short dress and pulled her sweater closed.
"You okay?" He wrapped his arm around her.
"Yeah, you?"
"Yeah. I faded your lipstick. Is it on me?"
Lilith reached up, wiping his lips. "You're fine. Hold this." She handed him her purse, removing a small mirror and lipstick. "Maybe I shouldn't wear red?" Her eyes went wide with apprehension and she looked up at him.
To hide the humor he got from her nerves, he pulled her closer. "Wear red. You're beautiful, Lily," he whispered against her temple then gave it a soft kiss.
"You're beautiful." A peck graced his lips before she took his hand and walked into the house.
Twenty-five people cluttered the small house, with still more strangers outside. All eyes landed on the couple of the evening and Lilith looked around as her heart began to pound. Ian felt her grasp around his hand tighten.
"Holy shit," Joanna quietly said when she saw Lilith step out of the house into the backyard.
Holding her composure, Lilith looked for a familiar face. With his hand locked in her grasp, Ian ducked as he stepped out the back sliding door behind Lilith.
"What the fuck!" Joanna gasped when Ian appeared.
"Jo!" her mother whispered nudging her, but she too was glaring in shock.
That wasn't the Lilith they remembered, and they most definitely did not expect that man to be her fiancé.
Lilith finally spotted Peachey and approached with a forced smile. "What the hell is going on?" she whispered, keeping that smile tight to her lips while they embraced.
"Honey, I've been talking about you for days. I wanted to have a party and everyone to meet my beautiful daughter who's getting married."
"I don't know any of these people, Peachey," Lilith urged in a whisper, still hugging her.
"They're here to meet you. They're my friends and family, and, honey, most of these people were at dad's funeral. Please don't run off."
Lilith huffed and pulled away. "Mom, this is Ian. Ian, my mom, Peachey."
Ian smiled and shook Peachey's hand while she stared, enamored by the tall modelesque man.
"My god, you're handsome," she finally said.
"Thank you. You have a beautiful home." He glanced back at the house uncomfortably. "Oh, here." The gift bag in his hand jutted toward her.
Lilith was already mortified by her mother's comment that caused her to blush. Noticing her flush face, Ian put his hand around her hip.
LILITH's become the conductor
I cannot believe she did this. Why the hell would she do this? She knows I'm not really a people person. I don't know how to interact with so many people. I'm a damn introvert!
Now that I think about it, that was me, but that's not me anymore. I'm an escort for the love of god!
I will probably never see these people again because they sure as hell are not coming to my wedding. Especially if it's in Barbados. Which I like. A lot. I want to marry him. I'm going to marry him. I'm just really nervous.
I finally realize Peachey is bombarding Ian with a million questions and I intervene. "You hungry, baby?"
The look she gives me is laughable. Maybe because I called him baby?
"I am." Ian nods and I know he wants away from her.
"Go. Go help yourself. We have plenty of food. Eat. Oh, you kn
ow who's here? Joanna. She's home from school for the winter," Peachey boasts like I should be excited.
"Great." I give her a deceiving smile.
Joanna has always hated me. Our parents forced us to play a few times. I'd read and she'd talk on the phone. When I was thirteen I went to her sleepover and had to leave in the middle of the night because I made myself sick. I never went over there again.
Ian grabs my hand and we follow Peachey toward the house. When he leans down and kisses the top of my head I see my aunt Carol and Joanna glaring. I feel like a god amongst men. I can't help but grin and a small laugh escapes.
"What?" Ian smiles down at me.
"Nothing." Pulling him closer, we walk into a cluster of my mother's friends that I don't even remember from the funeral.
People start approaching and grabbing my hand, inspecting my ring before congratulating Ian and telling him he 'did nice work'. This is terrible. This marriage crap is awful.
My cheeks hurt from the fakest smile I've ever had to hold on my face for almost an hour now. Strangers are talking about my dad and I really don't care. I don't want to talk about my father.
We still haven't eaten and I don't feel well. The feeling of lightheadedness causes me to stumble and Ian grabs me, bending to eye level. Thank god he's the only one to notice.
"What's wrong? You're pale," he quietly says and the worry on his face makes me smirk.
"I'm always pale." I roll my eyes. "I need to eat, they just won't shut the fuck up—"
"Oh, Lily, did your mom ever show you the picture of your dad in the canoe?" a woman asks.
I roll my eyes toward Ian but smile and look back at the woman while nodding. "I've seen that picture."
Ian's slipped away from me. I know it's not his job to stay by my side because, after all, this is my side of the mess, but I don't want him to leave me with these people! Peachey is pulling me toward the living room where her mother is and this woman has never liked me either. The only people that have accepted me are Uncle Rick, Aunt Carol, and Richie.
"Lily," the old bag says while standing. She coughs twice then puts her arms around me, hugging me. "You get a job? I heard you got canned from your last job."
"I wasn't canned, I quit. And yes I have a job." My teeth grind while I force a smile.
"What is it now? You a cart girl?"
"No." I fight my ill scorn for this woman with a smile. "I'm a model."
"Damn right my daughter's a model," Peachey boasts over my shoulder, putting her arm around me.
"I'd like to see that." Grandma Dean's dubious eye roll makes my jaw tighten.
"Sure." To put this old hag in her place, I pull out my phone.
I'm going to show her the raunchiest pictures I can find that Ashley has taken of me. Opening an album on my phone, I spot a picture of me in the fishnet dress from the night of the club. Opting for this image first, I hand over my phone. She pulls her glasses from her head to sit on the bridge of her nose, getting closer to the screen.
"That's just from the club last Saturday," I mutter like it's no big deal.
"Club?" Peachey says over my shoulder.
"Here's some of my work." I scroll over a little and step back.
"Lily, what's up?" A very fake, excited voice says from behind me and I turn to look at Joanna. She does that girl squeal and lunges for a hug.
"Hi." I uncomfortably laugh, not hiding the fact I find her greeting strange.
"Look at this, Jo-Jo, you haven't done nothin' like this," Grandma Dean says, shoving my phone at her.
Flabbergasted, Joanna asks, "Is that you?" while she scrolls through my pictures.
I don't think I look that different. The only difference is I'm barely wearing clothes, I'm not slouching, and my hair isn't in barrettes and bows.
"Yeah."
"You do modeling?"
"It's her job," Peachey brags and wraps her arm around me with the happiest expression I've seen from her in a long time.
My gaze drifts toward the kitchen where Ian's talking to Richie and Uncle Rick. Richie sees me and waves; it's nice to see his genuine face.
When I take my phone back from Dean, Joanna grabs my hand to see the ring. "Let me see!" She's acting too excited and it's making me sick. "What's your fiancé's name? Sloan?"
"Oh god." I burst into laughter. "No, I dumped him. Ian." I point to Ian.
"Ian," she says ogling him too long.
"What happened with the other one? I thought you were with him for a while?" Aunt Carol stares at me with concern, as if she really cares.
Nervousness causes me to jitter as I worry everyone's going to start questioning why I'm getting married after such a short period of time.
"He turned out to be a loser. Me and Ian became good friends while I was with Sloan and then we went to the Caribbean with friends, fell in love, and made things official." I'm not going to tell them I fell in love with Ian on the elevator the instant I saw him. Oh, then fucked him.
Joanna's jealous confusion is pathetic and funny. "He proposed in the Caribbean?"
"It was romantic," I lie. I threw up for God's sake!
"Where are you getting married?" a friend of Peachey's asks.
With a sweet smile I reply, "Same."
Ian's laughing with Richie and my uncle, but I want to interrupt, grab him, and kiss him to make all of these women jealous because he's mine…and Karen's.
"Oh?" Peachey sounds upset.
"He'll buy your ticket." I smile at her and watch as her face lights up.
"What's he do?" Grandma Dean squawks.
All I can think of right now is Justin saying he changed pepperonis on pizza and it makes me laugh out loud. "Sorry." I put my hand to my mouth. "He owns his own business."
A proud smile parts my lips. I'm proud of myself for getting a hot, accomplished, loving, incredible fiancé. Even if circumstances are a little off kilter.
"Oh wow." Aunt Carol nudges Joanna, going for discreet but was far from.
"What business? What's he sell?"
"Cosmetics." They keep throwing questions and I'm answering, but thoughts of Justin keep floating into my head and that's the last thing I need on my mind.
"Lily!" Uncle Rick calls out and I'm beyond relieved. I look over my shoulder and he waves me over. "Don't get caught up in that nonsense."
I laugh. "Thanks, Uncle Rick."
Ian holds a plate of food out to me and meekly smiles. "Might be cold now."
"Did you eat?"
He nods.
"Go, run while you can," Uncle Rick quietly says and I smirk, taking Ian's hand to go outside because most of the circus has come in. It's cool out but it's better than being surrounded by strangers and fakes.
"You feeling okay?" Ian asks as we sit at the picnic table.
"I'm hungry and I hate this. The only people I care about are my mom, Uncle Rick, Richie, and Aunt Carol. And now she's even questionable." I pick at my food. "I wish my dad were here," I mutter knowing I shouldn't have said it because I doubt Ian really wants to deal with me being depressed about my dad, but it's the truth. I miss my dad a lot.
Before I realize it, Ian pulls me into his arms. I'm not one for public displays of affection, but with this man, I'm all for it. I wrap my arms around him and slide into his lap. We really shouldn't be doing this at my mom's but this is what she gets for blindsiding me with all these people.
I want to go home because this week he's going to be at his place or Karen's more than with me. I don't want to think about that. Sharing him is getting old but there's no end in sight.
"I love you, baby," he whispers when I push my plate forward.
Looking at him, I can't help but smile. "I love you, Ian." I touch his bottom lip and I want to bite it, suck it, lick it.
I want to sit on his face and scream his name while he gives me an incredible orgasm like always. My wayward thoughts are turning me on and this is the last place I need to be having these images dancing in my head.
"Con
gratulations, congratulations, oh congratulations!" Peachey is walking from the house with a huge cake.
This is humiliating but I smile confidently and slide off Ian's lap. She has a damn crowd behind her.
IAN's solitary echo
I don't mind people. I know how to deal with them for the most part, but I won't lie, I'm glad Lily doesn't have much to do with these people. I like Peachey, she's fine, she seems kind, but the rest, with the exception of the uncle and male cousin, are a bunch of fake, catty bitches. The cousin Joanna keeps shooting daggers at Lily out of jealousy and I love the way Lily's handling it. It's with a confident 'fuck you' smile.
I stare at Peachey while she sings this ridiculous song, terribly at that, and I wonder what Lily's real mom looks like. Peachey is a cute, pudgy blonde that's a little outdated with her clothes but trying to make up for it with her hair. Seeing her clothes makes me think back to first seeing Lily. At the time I didn't realize what she was wearing was a monstrosity because the only thing I focused on was her face, tits, ass, pussy. The next day I saw her, she was wearing something worse than the first day, but again, I didn't give a shit. Now though, my girl dresses better than the high-end bitches I employee and I can say I haven't seen a better dressed woman in a long time.
I look over at her smile that's fake, but it looks good on her. It's getting the job done and I know it's there as a big fuck you to these people pretending to care about her. She doesn't need them in her life. I'll always be here, as will my sister. My sister fucking loves her and I've never known my sister to be this fond of another female.
Lily needs me in her life to feel loved and physically protected, and she needs my sister to feel confident and surrounded by friends. We've come a long way in a really short time and I don't usually believe in shit like this, but she's helped me just as much as I've helped her. And bullshit to anyone who says I didn't help her.
I love this woman more than I've ever loved anything and she deserves everything I can give her. The fact she's willing to accept what I can give her is proof I need to lock her down. I need to keep her happy, and I need to step up my game not to let Karen find out. I think at this point if Karen found out, I wouldn't be as upset, but I know Lily would be devastated. She doesn't want that on her conscience.