At first, I try to protest and do my own makeup. But once the fake eyelashes come out, I just give up and give in. So does Mom.
When O’s finally done, I look at myself in the mirror and don’t recognize the beautiful woman staring back at me.
By four o’clock in the afternoon, we are all ready. Just in time for the ceremony. O leads the way, taking us to the garden. My mom looks like a movie star. She moves as if she were floating on air.
The wedding will take place in the garden’s gazebo. When we walk into the garden, Mr. Whitewater is standing at the head with a small book before him. Luke is right next to him on the right, and Jax is next to him. Luke looks like all fiancés do in movies, nervous, lonely, and incredibly handsome.
I follow O down the aisle. In the end, I turn to Jax. He’s radiant. The tux accentuates every hard line of his body. It looks as if it were made to just be worn by him in this world.
“Doesn’t Jax look handsome?” O whispers.
“Very,” I say. I try to meet his eyes, but he purposely avoids mine.
When the music starts, I turn away from him and look at my mother. She walks down the aisle slowly and majestically, as if she was born to do this. At this moment, she is no longer my mother. She’s Danielle. A woman on the verge of starting her new life with the love of her life, and I can’t be any happier for her than I already am.
When she gets closer, I see that the most beautiful thing that she’s wearing is the smile on her face. The last time I saw her this happy was when my little sister was still alive. And that was many, many years ago.
The wedding passes in no time. Mr. Whitewater reads from the Bible and asks the bride and groom if they promise to care for each other in sickness and in health, for better and for worse. They say their “I do’s” and lock lips.
“Okay, let’s all head out to the foyer for cocktails,” O says as we walk down the aisle following the happy couple. Throughout the ceremony, I tried to meet eyes with Jax, but he had successfully evaded me until we were supposed to lock arms and walk back down the aisle. Finally, I thought. This will be my opportunity to at least touch him. No matter how chaste.
But he didn’t give me his arm. When I reached for it, he recoiled and walked slightly ahead of me. It took a lot of courage for me to reach out to him. I hope he knows that. I also know what he would say if I’d said that out loud. “Why don’t you just get the courage to tell me the truth?”
I will. Later this evening. I will tell you everything, I promise myself.
Chapter 44 - Sophia
When Ryan shows up…
When I get to the foyer, I head straight to the bar.
“What would you like?” the bartender asks. He doesn’t look familiar. He was probably just hired just for the occasion.
“Martini. Dry, please.”
I should’ve started drinking a long time ago. At least, way ahead of the ceremony.
“Here you go, madam.” He hands me the drink.
“Excuse me, sir. You can’t be here. This is a private party.” I hear someone say behind me.
“Don’t worry, this won’t take long. Only a few minutes.”
I drop my glass to the floor. That voice is all too familiar and frightening.
Time stops. I turn around. Everyone’s still mingling, talking, and for a brief moment, Ryan and I are the only ones in the room.
“Hi, sweetie.” He takes a few steps forward and is suddenly right next to me. He’s breathing on the back of my neck. Suffocating me. I want to move my feet and run, but I’m bound to the floor. Frozen from fear.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see that he’s carrying a handgun.
“Wow, you’re even more beautiful than I remember,” Ryan says, brushing his hand against mine.
I shudder and recoil from his touch.
His wide black eyes are devilish and sinister. Arrogant. I can’t believe that I was ever drawn to them.
“Can I help you?” Jax comes closer. I don’t know if he knows about the gun. I want to scream for him to go away and stay away. This man is armed and dangerous. But I remain still and barely breathing.
“Yes, you can actually. I’m here to pick up Sophia,” Ryan says, tossing his head back. His shoulders are square with Jax’s. He’s challenging him.
“Pick her up for what?” Jax asks.
“Not for anything. Just pick her up. She’s coming with me.”
“I’m sorry, who are you?” Jax asks. “Do you know this man, Sophia?”
“Tell him, Bree,” Ryan says.
But tell him what? The truth that I should’ve told him a long time ago. I can’t do it now as much as I couldn’t do it before.
“Okay, then. If she won’t do it, let me do it. My name’s Ryan McPhee. And Sophia and I are together. She’s the love of my life. She got lost for a little bit, but now she’s back.”
Jax stares at him. And then turns to me.
Finally, I summon courage from someplace deep within me that I didn’t even know existed. I’m shaking. But my words are steadfast.
“We are not together, Ryan. I have a restraining order against you. Or did you forget that?”
Jax gets it immediately.
“You have to leave, Ryan. This is a private party.”
“Oh, yes, I know. But I’m not leaving without Sophia,” he says and pulls out his handgun. The whole room grows quiet. It gets so quiet I can hear my mom’s pulse from across the room.
Ryan grabs my hand, shaking me out of a daze. “Let’s go, Sophia.”
“Ryan.” Jax steps forward. Ryan is too fast for him. “Another step forward and I’ll shoot you. You better stay back now, you hear?”
Everyone stops in their tracks. Out of the corner of my eye, I see O’s terrified face.
“Let’s go, Sophia.” Ryan wraps his cold, strong hands around my waist and pushes me forward.
A thousand thoughts rush through my mind. I can run, but then he’ll shoot me. Someone could get hurt. I’m not sure everyone in the room realizes just how crazy he is. Just how out of control.
Outside, the clouds that have been gathering ever since the ceremony finished suddenly break out into thunder. A few aggressive flashes of lightning follow, and all of the lights go out. My mom screams. Ryan pulls me closer. I can’t see a thing anymore. The whole room is a blur. It’s pitch black, and I have no idea where Ryan is pulling me.
A few moments later, my eyes adjust to the darkness. Then, from the distance I see him. I want to yell out to him to stop, to get away, but I don’t want to alarm Ryan, who has yet to see him.
With one swift motion, Jax knocks the gun out of Ryan’s hand and punches him. Ryan falls to the floor, but he doesn’t let go of my hand, and I tumble onto the floor along with him. Jax looks around for the gun, but Ryan is quick. He grabs him at the ankles. Jax falls to the floor. Thump. Ryan’s back on his feet. He’s holding the gun over Jax’s head.
“No!” I scream out. My voice can’t stop a bullet. Jax moans. He’s been shot!
Rage boils within me. The fireplace is right next to me. I see the metal poker Mr. Whitewater used to adjust the wood on the flame. I grab it, put it behind my back, and turn to face Ryan.
“Oh, you think you’re so brave defending Sophia like that? What, you think you’re some sort of hero?”
Ryan’s talking to Jax, who’s writhing in pain on the floor. He doesn’t see me. This is my only chance. I don’t think, don’t give a thought. I simply act.
I run straight for him, poker extended. It goes through his chest. Blood spurts out of his mouth. I step back to keep it from touching me.
“Sophia.” Ryan shakes his head. “Sophia.”
Those two words will haunt me forever. Ryan’s legs give out, and he drops to the floor.
“You’re going to be okay, Jax. You’re going to be okay.” I grab Jax and cradle his head with my body. He’s still breathing, but each breath is laborious. He has been shot in the stomach. I hear O calling the police and fee
l everyone circling the two of us. I feel them here, but at this moment, we’re alone. No one else exists, but us.
Jax opens his mouth and tries to say something.
“It’s okay. You’re going to be okay. You don’t have to say anything,” I say. Hot tears run down my face, and I pray that I’m right. But Jax keeps trying. Eventually, he manages to form the words.
“I…love…you.”
Epilogue - Sophia
Jax, O, and I often talk about that fateful day, the day my mother got married. O had her baby while Jax was still recovering at the hospital from the gunshot to his abdomen. He spent four days in the hospital recovering. I spent another two weeks telling him everything about Ryan and I. Everything that I should’ve told him earlier. He was my boyfriend for a year, but he got a little clingy. So I decided to break up with him. At first, I thought he took it alright, but he said that he wanted to be friends. And continued to contact me. When I told him that we could no longer be friends, he got angry. Hit me. Pushed me down. I tried to call the cops, but he smashed my phone. When he finally left, I went to the police station and got a restraining order. He was told to stay away, but he didn’t. I saw him cruising past my house. He came to the café and sat in the parking lot until someone told him to leave. I called the cops. They enforced the restraining order, told him to stay away, but he kept breaking it. And each time that I saw him, I got more and more afraid.
Then I came to Jax’s house. This was the one place where I felt incredibly safe. Ryan couldn’t reach me here. He didn’t know where I was, nor did anyone else. I stopped hearing from him. Months passed and I thought that he had moved on with his life. Then I got that first email.
My whole life was turned upside down. I started to panic. Fear ate me up inside. I was terrified. I couldn’t think of anything but him. The only thing that kept me going was that I really believed that he didn’t know where to find me. And then he did.
I didn’t know how he found out about this place, but then I got a call from my mom. Apparently, her trailer had a break-in and some documents were missing. One of them was the letter from Grayson, Inc. and another from Jax about repaying the debt, along with the letter was his return address.
“He must’ve just come here on a hunch,” Jax says when we talk about it again. Jax’s home now, but still a little weak from the medication.
“Yeah, that must be it,” I agree.
“I still can’t believe you did that,” he says.
“Did what?”
“Killed him like that. That took a lot of courage, Sophia.”
“I’m just sorry that I didn’t do it earlier before he shot you.” I put my hand in his. “I knew how dangerous he was, and I just let it go. Let the scenario play out.”
“No, you didn’t.” Jax smiles and kisses the top of my head. “You didn’t know he was going to shoot me. He was crazy. You couldn’t have predicted any of this.”
I try to believe him.
“Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask you something. I’m thinking of taking that job in LA working for my father’s company. After I get a little better. What do you think?”
“I think that would be so exciting. Yes, definitely. A nice change of pace. You need that.”
I’m happy for him, but another small part of me is a little sad. What would that mean for us then?
“Well, I can only do it on one condition, though.” Jax flashes his mischievous smile.
“What’s that?”
“You have to come with me. Will you?”
I look at him. I can’t believe what I’m hearing.
“What would I do there?” I ask.
“Anything you want. It will be a new start for us. What do you think? Please say yes.”
I think about it for less than a second. “Yes! Yes!” I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him. “Of course, yes!”
Then something occurs to me.
“But only under one condition,” I say, pulling away from him. “We go horseback riding first. After you get a little better, that is.”
“You want to go horseback riding?” he asks. “I thought you were afraid?”
“I am.” I smile. “Well, no. That’s not entirely true. I’m a little apprehensive, but I’m not afraid anymore.”
Jax pulls me closer to him and kisses me.
“You’ve got yourself a deal,” he whispers through the kisses.
Auctioned to Him Excerpt
Aiden Black wanted to own her from the minute he saw her. He paid good money and has the paper to prove it. The contract is unbreakable. Ellie has to do everything he wants tonight. But he doesn’t want just sex. Oh no…he wants more.
Tonight, there are no rules.
It was just supposed to be a luxurious yacht party. Until Ellie discovered that all the female guests were going to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. If you don't want to play, you can’t stay. But if you stay, you're in for a night of whatever he wants and you get to keep all the money. Ellie’s friend thinks she’s crazy. But she owes $150,000 in school loans. Plus, the guys are hot and very rich. What can go wrong?
WARNING: This is a HOT, modern day, dark erotic romance with an alpha billionaire for fans of EL James, Pepper Winters, and Alexa Riley. It contains light bondage, NO CHEATING, and a HEA.
1
When the invitation arrives…
“Here it is! Here it is!” my roommate Caroline yells at the top of her lungs as she runs into my room. We were friends all through Yale and we moved to New York together after graduation. Even though I’ve known Caroline for what feels like a million years, I am still shocked by the exuberance of her voice. It’s quite loud given the smallness of her body.
Caroline is one of those super skinny girls who can eat pretty much anything without gaining a pound. Unfortunately, I am not that talented. In fact, my body seems to have the opposite gift. I can eat nothing but vegetables for a week straight, eat one slice of pizza, and gain a pound.
“What is it?” I ask, forcing myself to sit up. It’s noon and I’m still in bed. My mother thinks I’m depressed and wants me to see her shrink. She might be right, but I can’t fathom the strength.
“The invitation!” Caroline says jumping in bed next to me. I stare at her blankly. And then suddenly it hits me. This must be the invitation.
“You mean…it’s…”
“Yes!” she screams and hugs me with excitement.
“Oh my God!” She gasps for air and pulls away from me almost as quickly.
“Hey, you know I didn’t brush my teeth yet,” I say turning my face away from hers.
“Well, what are you waiting for? Go brush them,” she instructs.
Begrudgingly, I make my way to the bathroom.
We have been waiting for this invitation for some time now. And by we, I mean Caroline. I’ve just been playing along, pretending to care, not really expecting it to show up. Without being able to contain her excitement, Caroline bursts through the door when my mouth is still full of toothpaste. She’s jumping up and down, holding a box in her hand.
“Wait, what’s that?” I mumble and wash my mouth out with water.
“This is it!” Caroline screeches and pulls me into the living room before I have a chance to wipe my mouth with a towel.
“But it’s a box,” I say staring at her.
“Okay, okay,” Caroline takes a couple of deep yoga breaths, exhaling loudly. She puts the box carefully on our dining room table. There’s no address on it. It looks something like a fancy gift box with a big monogrammed C in the middle. Is the C for Caroline?
“Is this how it came? There’s no address on it?” I ask.
“It was hand-delivered,” Caroline whispers. I hold my breath as she carefully removes the top part, revealing the satin and silk covered wood box inside. The top of it is gold plated with whimsical twirls all around the edges, and the mirrored area is engraved with her full name, Caroline Elizabeth Kennedy Spruce. Underneath her name is a date, one week in th
e future. 8 PM.
We stare at it for a few moments until Caroline reaches for the elegant knob to open the box. Inside, Caroline finds a custom monogram made of foil in gold on silk emblazoned on the inside of the flap cover. There’s also a folio covered in silk. Caroline carefully opens the folio and finds another foil monogram and the invitation. The inside invitation is one layer, shimmer white, with gold writing.
“Is this for real? How many layers of invitation are there?” I ask. But the presentation is definitely doing its job. We are both duly impressed.
“There’s another knob,” I say, pointing to the knob in front of the box. I’m not sure how we had missed it before.
Caroline carefully pulls on this knob, revealing a drawer that holds the inserts (a card with directions and a response card).
“Oh my God, I can’t go to this alone,” Caroline mumbles, turning to me. I stare blankly at her. Getting invited to this party has been her dream ever since she found out about it from someone in the Cicada 17, a super-secret society at Yale.
“Look, here, it says that I can bring a friend,” she yells out even though I’m standing right next to her.
“It probably says a date. A plus one?” I say.
“No, a friend. Girl preferred,” Caroline reads off the invitation card. That part of the invitation is in very small ink, as if someone made the person stick it on, without their express permission.
“I don’t want to crash,” I say. Frankly, I don’t really want to go. These kind of upper-class events always make me feel a little bit uncomfortable.
“Hey, aren’t you supposed to be at work?” I ask.
“Eh, I took a day off,” Caroline says waving her arm. “I knew that the invitation would come today and I just couldn’t deal with work. You know how it is.”
Obligation Page 16