So Twisted

by Melissa Marino

  We all sat, Aaron on one side, Abel on the other, all of us staring at one another until menus were placed in front of us. We busied ourselves with food selections, wine pairings, and obligatory admiration of the view.

  “You look lovely, Callie,” Leslie said, leaning over. She was seated on the other side of Aaron.

  “Oh. Thank you. It was all your son’s doing.”

  She smiled at her son, and patted his hand. “That was very thoughtful of you, sweetie. The earrings are…”

  “Extravagant,” Daniel said.

  His face didn’t show a hint of humor, which surprised me. My anxiety began to rise again. While Daniel only said what I’d thought earlier, it was still hurtful.

  “Yes,” I said, reaching to my earrings. “I told Aaron the same. It’s too much.”

  Aaron’s hand found mine under the table, and I squeezed it tight. “I wanted to. She deserves it.”

  Daniel raised his eyes and chucked softly. “I’m sure she does.”

  “Daniel,” Leslie warned.

  “Is there a problem, Dad?” Aaron said. His grip on my hand grew tighter. “I can hardly see it as any concern of yours if I want to buy my girlfriend earrings or anything else.”

  “Oh, look,” Abel said. “Wine’s here.”

  We were all silent as our glasses were filled with wine the color of blood, which I was sure was the same color pooling in my mouth from biting down on my tongue so hard.

  Aaron raised his glass. “To family, love, and the future.”

  We all took a sip, and I hoped the alcohol would be enough to chill everyone out.

  “Speaking of the future,” Daniel said. “You’re finishing your master’s soon, aren’t you, Callie?”

  Keep drinking everyone, especially you, Daniel.

  “Bachelor’s,” I said. “Going part-time, along with the teaching program, made it take a little longer than most.”

  “I thought you said Master’s, Aaron?” Daniel said.

  Aaron took a long sip. “I don’t think I did.”

  Leslie nudged Daniel. “It doesn’t matter.”

  Abel cleared her throat. “Callie has worked so hard. I’ve never known anyone who worked so hard. School during the day. Working at night.”

  “That’s right. You used to be a go-go dancer at one of Aaron’s former clubs, right?” Daniel said.

  I glanced at Aaron, hoping he’d jump in to defend me, but his eyes were focused on the table. He was clearly avoiding what his dad had said. Luckily for him, I was capable of defending myself.

  All right, if old man wanted to go a round with me, he was going to lose. I wasn’t going to be ashamed or embarrassed for anything I’d ever done. I’d been nervous about all the wrong things for this evening.

  “Bartender,” I said. I brought my glass to my lips and downed whatever was in my glass. “The dancers make more money, but I’m not nearly as good at dancing as I am at other things.”

  Abel snorted as he started taking a sip of water and started coughing. Once he composed himself, he attempted to turn the conversation around. “So, that school I’ve been subbing at thinks there might be a spot for me next year.”

  “I didn’t know you were subbing?” I asked.

  “Didn’t Abel tell you,” Aaron said. “When you guys went out that one time I thought—”

  “You and Abel?” Leslie asked, confused.

  “Oh yeah,” Abel said. “But it was strictly business. Two education majors discussing things over dinner.”

  The table grew quiet again, and when the topic of Delilah came up, I thought the evening might be turning around. We enjoyed our salads, but by the time soup came out, things started to get weird again.

  “So, how long has this been going on?” Daniel said, waving his spoon between Aaron and me.

  “How long has what been going on?” Aaron said, clearly agitated.

  “Well, she hasn’t even worked for you for six months and—”

  “I don’t think it’s our business,” Leslie said to her husband. “They’re together now and they seemed very happy.”

  Aaron put his arm around his mom and kissed her on the temple. “We are, Mom.”

  “All I’m saying is that it’s been a long time since you’ve been involved with anyone, and I don’t want to see you rush into anything,” Daniel said.

  “We aren’t rushing,” Aaron said. “We’re in love.”

  I put my head in my hands. “Oh God,” I mumbled.

  Leslie’s eyes opened wide. “Really?”

  “Oh come on, Aaron,” Daniel said. “How much do you even know about her after a few months? She could be after money, a cushy place to live—”

  “What?” he barked, loud enough for people at other tables to turn to look. “What is wrong with you?”

  I closed my eyes because if I didn’t, if I had to sit and watch this unfold further, I was either going to cry or lose my shit.

  Daniel threw his napkin on the table. “This is the same kind of infatuation you had with Lexie. The lovesick thing that made you unable to see anything go on around you. I don’t want you to make the same mistake again.”

  “Dad,” Abel said. “I’m sure Aaron knows you mean well, but I think you’re a bit over the line.”

  “A bit?” I said softly.

  I hadn’t meant to say anything, but it slipped out.

  “I’m worried about my son, who I think has put himself in a difficult position. You can’t go from working with each other, to living together, to dating and then…living together,” Daniel said.

  “Well, we have,” Aaron said flippantly.

  “And what about Delilah?” Daniel said. “She has to be so confused. Is she going to think every nanny will end up your girlfriend?”

  I stared at Aaron with wide eyes, silently begging him to put his dad in his place. But like he had the entire night, he left me to defend myself. It was humiliating.

  I jumped up, bumping the edge of the table as I did, and shaking the glasses on top. “Mr. Matthews, I’m sure this is all coming from a place of love for your son, and you’ve been very kind to me up until this evening. I can see I was respected as an employee of Aaron’s, but not as anything else. I assure you I’m not after money or anything of the sort. Everything I’ve ever had I earned myself. As far as Delilah goes, she means more to me than anything. I’ve never taken that lightly.”

  Abel grabbed my arm. “Okay, okay. Let’s step outside for a second and when we get back everyone will be calm.”

  “I am calm, but I won’t be disrespected,” I looked at Aaron who had turned quiet. “No matter how you dress it up.”

  I grabbed my purse and yanked my arm away from Abel. “Enjoy your dinner,” I said.

  I hurried away from the table, as I heard whispers from other guests and the voice of Aaron rising above them. One foot in front of the other, I rushed to the elevator, so I could get away. My finger pressed the down button as I prayed for it to open as quickly as possible.

  “Callie,” Aaron said, running through the restaurant, causing an even bigger scene, with Abel trailing behind him. “Wait!”

  The elevator door opened and I stepped in, frantically pressing the lobby button. The doors began to close, but Aaron reached it in time to stop it and stepped in. Abel ran in just before the elevator door could close.

  “Both of you. Just go back,” I said, tears spilling over.

  “No,” Aaron said sharply.

  Aaron’s arms were crossed in front of him, and his eyes were watching the elevator displaying the floor numbers. We were quiet, the numbers lowering from the seventy-fifth floor, at a snail’s pace, making the tension so much more uncomfortable.

  “Come on, Callie,” Abel said. “Just come back up and it’ll be fine.”

  I couldn’t talk. I was mortified and hurt, but most of all I was angry at myself for letting someone talk to me like that. I was mad I was crying about it all.

  The elevator stopped, and as soon as the door b
egan to open, I tried to rush through it. Aaron jumped in front of me, blocking my exit. “Can you please say something?”

  “No,” I said, pushing past him.

  “I’ll just give you two a minute,” Abel said.

  We walked across the lobby and stopped just before the revolving doors. I spun around to face him. “I think you should stay.”

  “Well, I’m not going to let you leave alone.”

  “You’ll just leave me alone up there, right?” I said, pointing up. “You’re so thoughtful to think of me now, but I think I’m capable of doing a lot of things alone.”

  He tossed his hands in the air. “What did you want me to do? Knock out my dad?”

  “No, but you didn’t do anything.”

  He rolled his eyes and shook his head. I hated it. It felt dismissive and condescending.

  “I knew this would happen,” I said.

  That feeling, the nagging anxiety that circled me all day, was a premonition. Or maybe it was just my conscience trying to tell me something. Whatever it was, I should’ve listened to it.

  “You knew what would happen?” he asked.

  He squinted his eyes at me as he pressed his lips together in a tight line. I looked over at Abel, who was waving me over, but I shook my head.

  “Callie?” Aaron said. “You knew what would happen?”

  “Never mind. It doesn’t matter. Let’s just go.”

  We were almost out of there, when Abel stopped us. “Hold up a second, guys,” he said rushing over.

  “Aaron,” he said. “A word before you go?”

  “Not now, Abel,” Aaron said.

  Aaron turned toward me. “Are you ready?”

  “I said I was,” I snapped.

  I looked at Abel and managed a smile. “See you later. Thanks for everything.”

  Aaron mumbled a good-bye to him and walked through the revolving door, pushing his way out of the hotel. I followed close beside him, but it didn’t escape me that he wasn’t trying to ease me as he did when we first walked in or didn’t bother to hold my hand. Aaron passed off his ticket to a valet, who rushed off to retrieve his car, leaving us standing silent on the curb. No words were exchanged, no playful touching, but just distance in far more ways than our physical presence.

  The valet pulled his car up in front of us and jumped out, rushing to the opposite side to open the door for me. I walked over to my side of the car and sat down as Aaron was on his side. My door closed gingerly while he slammed his shut roughly and peeled out of the valet line.

  I waited several blocks before I spoke. “Why are you angry at me?”

  “I’m not,” he said as his grip on the steering wheel tightened.

  “You’re certainly acting like it and I didn’t do anything wrong. All I did was—”

  “I never said you did.” he said, interrupting.

  His tone was short, and he hadn’t looked at me once. He could say what he wanted, but I could feel the indignation rolling off of him. We drove the rest of the way home in silence while tears stung my eyes. I couldn’t wait to get out of the dress, the clothes I wore as a costume, dressing up as someone that I wasn’t—someone he clearly wanted me to be.

  Once we returned to his home, the silence continued, until we walked through the front door and stood uncomfortably in the foyer.

  “I’m going to go pay Sophie and see how the night went with Delilah,” he said, avoiding my eyes.

  “Okay,” I replied quietly. “I’ll check on Delilah, and then I’m going to turn in after I take a shower.”

  “Okay.”

  He leaned in and gave me a quick peck on the cheek before turning to walk down the hallway. I lingered, watching him walk away and feeling lonelier than I’d felt in ages. After I heard the beginning of the conversation between Aaron and Sophie, him telling her in a phony enthusiastic voice what a great evening we’d had, the tears I had been holding in all evening came flooding out—big, fat tears escaping and running down my face.

  I didn’t know what was worse, that he had to lie about what a wonderful night he had or the fact he truly didn’t, the reason being because of me in some way.

  After going upstairs and checking on a peacefully sleeping Delilah, I went into my room to peel away my costume. I took my dress off, carefully hanging it in my closet, with my shoes placed neatly beneath it. My earrings were removed and put back in their velvet box, my fingers lightly tracing over the brilliance of the diamonds. I grabbed a pair of my old, cotton pajamas, realizing there was no need for anything sexy, considering I was definitely not going to be visiting Aaron in his room.

  I threw the pajamas on the vanity of my bathroom and stood before the mirror, removing bobby pin after bobby pin which had been holding my hair in place. I turned the shower on and stepped in, not even waiting for it to heat up. The cold water hit me, chilling my skin, but comforting me at the same time. I wanted the water to wash it all away, the makeup, hair products, hurt, and embarrassment. I wanted it all gone.

  I scrubbed at my face roughly, the warming water from the showerhead mixing with tears. The entire evening kept replaying in my mind, both horrifying me and bringing everything I’d suppressed to the surface. I never belonged there in the first place. It was too much, too soon, and tonight pushed us over the edge.

  There was no doubt on my part where my affection lay. I was still as in love with him as I was when I woke up this morning. The scary part was, I didn’t know if he felt the same.

  I shampooed my hair, allowing myself to wallow and block out the rest of the world. Being in such a deep mind-set was probably the reason I didn’t hear Aaron come into the bathroom until the door of the shower opened and he stepped in. I drew in a sharp breath, both surprised and relieved to see him.

  “I should’ve shut up and I know—” I babbled through my tears.

  “Shhhh,” he said, cupping my face in his hands, his thumbs gently moving across my cheeks. “Please don’t cry, baby. Please.”

  I looked into his blue eyes and saw the same softness I was used to mixed with the same confusion I felt. “Did I…we…mess it all…” I trailed off, unable to articulate what I even wanted to ask him.

  He leaned his forehead against mine. “No.” He sighed softly as I breathed my own sense of relief. “I don’t want you to ever doubt what I feel for you.”

  He brought his lips to mine and I whimpered against his kiss, desperate for the reassurance. Our wet bodies pressed against each other as our kisses deepened and grew with the urgency we both found ourselves craving. Aaron moved me back, pressing me up against the wall of the shower.

  “You don’t have to say it back,” he said. “But…I’m in love with you.”

  I wanted to say it back, but the words stuck in my throat.

  His attention turned back on my body. He kissed his way down my body, stopping to draw circles with his tongue around each of my nipples and eventually down to my navel, pausing only to briefly look up at me for a moment. My hands gripped his water-slicked hair as he knelt down on the wet floor and brought his mouth to between my legs. I braced myself against the wall as my body tingled from the sexual intensity and the surreal intimacy of the moment. It was a culmination of the day’s events, him down on his knees, confirming his love and desire for me in the only way he knew how in that moment. Sometimes there were no words.

  His tongue kept a perfect rhythm against me until I came so powerfully I had to bite my bottom lip so hard I tasted blood, to stifle the screams of my orgasm. Once he knew I was done, he kissed his way back up my body, his eyes connecting with mine as he stood back up. His thumb ran across my bloody lower lip gently while he frowned slightly, trying to mend what I’d done. He brought his thumb to his mouth, sucking the blood from me into him.

  “Turn around,” he commanded.

  And because he asked, I did. I wanted to be whatever he wanted.

  Pretty dress and diamonds, perfect and sparkling…I wanted to be right for him because he was right for
me.

  He gripped my waist tightly and slid his dick into me, groaning against the back of my neck once he was fully in. His usual gentle, gradual moves to start were replaced by a frantic, deep tempo. It was like he was seeking out the same things I was.

  Facing the wall, I tried to grip onto the smooth tiles to keep me steady, but my fingers kept slipping. My hands were desperate to hold on to something, but everything was out of reach. I knew I needed to hold on to something, anything, but I couldn’t.

  He leaned against my back, bringing his mouth close to my ear, his breath hot, so hot. “Tell me, Calliope.”

  “I love you.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  AARON—

  Daddy? Daddy, did you hear me?”

  “Hmmm?” I replied sleepily, still not completely awake.

  I felt a tiny nudge on my arm. “Daddy, are you having a sleepover?”

  “What, baby girl?”

  “Are you and Callie having a sleepover?”

  I stretched my arms and opened my eyes, “What are you talking…”

  Oh, shit.

  I looked over at Callie as she bolted upright, her eyes wild and confused.

  “I…uh…guess…I forgot to lock the door last night,” I stuttered.

  She swatted me in the shoulder. “How could you forget?” she hissed.

  “I was a little distracted, in case you forgot.”

  I frantically lifted the sheet and comforter, letting out a sigh of relief as I recalled us getting into pajamas, after the shower, before bed. I threw a silent thank you up to the universe for us not being naked and making the situation any more difficult than it could possibly be.

  “So, you did have a sleepover without me?” Delilah asked sadly.

  I looked at Callie.

  Callie looked at me.

  We both looked at Delilah.

  Well, there was no time like the present.

  “Come sit down here, baby girl,” I said, patting the area on the bed between Callie and me.

  “Daddyyyy. I’m NOT a baby. My name is Delilah,” she said as she climbed up the bed.

  She wiggled her way between Callie and me, giggling as she plopped down and looking up at me with her beautiful blue eyes. I was hoping I, or rather, we, would have more time to discuss how we wanted to handle explaining our new relationship to Delilah. We both knew there would have to be some sort of talk because if we weren’t hiding our feelings from anyone outside of this house, it seemed rather silly to hide it within our own home, especially since the one person we’d be keeping it from was Delilah.