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Seventy-nine
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2024-10-29 19:42:56The awkwardness at home is impregnable, the tension so thick it stifles. I don't know what I hope to achieve with my recent attitude but I am tired of being vulnerable and alone in love. Telling my best friend this doesn't shield me from her hostility or the cold glare she levels at me, I shrink under her gaze, swallow and grip the steering wheel.
"Is this a joke?" Clarissa asks for the third time since she got into the car, I purse my lips and shake my head slowly. In a heavily accentuated voice, she adds, "Are you mad?"
"It's just hair," I reply and pat my short, black hair with gold streaks. "It will grow back."
Coiffed at the back with a pixie cut in front that sometimes falls into my eyes, I have to admit, the new hairstyle looks good on me. I take a long peek at myself in the rearview mirror, flash my reflection a smile much to Clarissa's horror and make a peace sign.
My brown eyes crinkle at the corners from trying to maintain the smile on my lips,
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Mr Reluctant Billionaire Eighty
No calls, no texts. Nothing. Radio silence. I pace the length of the kitchen in his shirt with the top buttons open to reveal a glimpse of my breasts in a black, cotton bra. Maybe I shouldn't have unblocked him. Maybe he’s tired. My hand finds the pocket of my shorts, a tiny jean that reveals half of my buttcheeks under his shirt, I stop in front of the fridge.A second rolls by, I open the fridge to see it has been restocked with the same brand of dark chocolate I have been binging on. These bittersweet junk must be the reason my breasts appear bigger. And sore too. I barely eat what Brandon cooks even though my appetite has largely improved but I snack on the most unhealthy items I can find.It has nothing to do with our fights, he just doesn't cook what my stomach wants. And I am too obsessed with ignoring him to request a different meal. A pang of momentary guilt hits me when my hand closes around the last batch of chocolates, I shrug it off, close the fridge
Mr Reluctant Billionaire Eighty-one
Silence is our best friend as Brandon carries me up the stairs. He lowers me to the bed, I latch on to him, afraid to let go for fear of him leaving the room. Panic sinks its claws into my heart when he retracts my hands from his body, I gulp, he hasn't said a word since my confession downstairs. I should have kept my mouth shut, kept kissing him."Brandon," I say. His face is unreadable, my heart skips. "I'm sorry for what I said."He kneels between my legs, smiles. "Don't be."My fingers reach for his beards, they are shinier like he took extra time with them today but he turns his face away and my hand drops to my legs. I try to remind myself it has nothing to do with me, that this is not revenge and he still finds me attractive. Pulling the cover to my chest, tears coat my lashes, I take in a deep breath and exhale slowly."I am sorry." Brandon squeezes my knees, I clutch the bedcover
Mr Reluctant Billionaire Eighty-two
A faint voice filters into my ear, my eyelids flutter open and I am blessed with a vision of Brandon leaning over me with pouted lips. His hand stroking a side of my face freezes, he smiles when I stretch like a cat and my mouth parts wide open to release a yawn.I swipe the hair falling into my eyes, he gawks at me like I did something extraordinary. I giggle, feeling shy and my hands search for the duvet to cover my nakedness but I can't find it. One look at the bed and I see he has changed the sheet and cleaned me up.My gaze fixates on his bare chest, lowers to his biker shorts and I purse my lips. Okay, I might have overslept but it's on him. My teeth sink into my lip at the reminder of our lovemaking, fucking--whatever best describes it--and shyness creeps up on me. A brush of his fingers on my nipples, I feel them standing at attention again, wanting for more.His head dips to my neck, he whispers against my
Mr Reluctant Billionaire Eighty-three
Brandon is standing by the dresser with my bottle of supplement in his hand. "Do you still take this?" he asks. A rattling sound fills the air as he shakes the bottle and a guilty smile crawls up my lips. Yesterday was the last time I took it and I had double the dose to make up for the days I missed. He doesn't smile back at me, only nods and I frown when he pockets the supplement. "Do you still want it?"Bent over the sandals giving me a tough time, I straighten up and let out a sigh. "Yes."After he disappears into the bathroom, I hear the sound of a toilet flushing, when he returns, it is without the visible bulge in his pocket. "I'll get you another bottle, okay?"Crossing my arms on my chest, I squint. "But I wasn't done with that one." Brandon nods, I pat the space beside me and motion for him to join me. He saunters to me with a sexy smirk that has my knees bucking and I grip the bedstead. "What did you do to it?"Brandon's scent infiltrates my
Mr Reluctant Billionaire Eighty-four
I am forgetting something.But, what?Trying to remember only results in a mild headache, I adjust my bag to the other hand, feet meeting the ground with purpose. The candies inside the bag cry out for me, my stomach begs me to take a bite but I push one foot in front of the other. I am famished but the image of me eating while walking is enough to banish all thoughts of hunger.Alone on my path, a passing thought hits me, if I scream for help right now, will anyone hear me? I stop and take a look around me. Flowers line each side of the lane, thick shrubs spill onto my path. The library where I am headed is about a stone throw away from me and the nearest student populated building is about a five minutes walk.Maybe I shouldn't have taken this shortcut but I was so eager to leave the class which took an extra hour. I wipe the sweat coating my forehead, pushing my legs forward.The fear is all in my head, I have taken this route more times than I can c
Mr Reluctant Billionaire Eighty-five
The ten-minute wait for Brandon soon extends to thirty, my feet drum into the floor and I clench my phone in sweaty palms, waiting for a message to explain his lateness. Tree branches hang above me, providing relief from the heat but my underarm still perspires.Curly hair’s card is still on the bench, the name written in Calligraphic letters at the top is David. After much contemplation, I snatch it and put it into my bag. I can rip it later.A Google search of the name David whispered to me reveals nothing but an image of Brandon and a girl who looks less than five years old. Tapping on the link leads me to a site temporarily down, I hiss. Okay, this David guy is an unserious hustler. He will need to give me more than a name the almighty Google can not identify if he wants my help.Brandon's car, a black BMW, slows to a stop in front of me, I slide to the passenger side before he has the chance to get out, closing the door with more force than nece
Mr Reluctant Billionaire Eighty-six
Dusk sets when we are at the hotel’s rooftop for our date. I throw a glance at a frowning Brandon, a smile forms on my lips, he is not exactly pleased with the delay I caused. He had to make calls, change plans and venues for our late lunch date to an early dinner.Box lamps cast soft orange glows on the floor, helping the evening sky illuminate our path. My hand slips from Brandon's, he grunts and I let out a nervous chuckle. A colony of ants march in my belly, nerves light my body as we near the low table they set for us.I tug on his arm when we reach the end of the rug, he tilts his head in my direction, still glowering and my smile vanishes. On my toes, I press my mouth to his, no kissing, no moving, a simple wordless plea. His hand slips to my back, he pulls my lip between his teeth and my legs wobble when he spanks my ass. My fingers weave into his scalp, breasts squash his chest and I kiss him hard enough to wipe the scowl off his face."Elna
Mr Reluctant Billionaire Eighty-seven
"Dear wife." I pause to allow the laughter bubbling in my throat to spill out. Throwing a glance at Brandon sitting ramrod straight, nails digging into the steering wheel while we wait for the light to turn green, I chuckle. He is too stiff. "This is so formal," I say and he mutters an inaudible reply. My hand moves to his shoulder. "Relax, it's just a letter.""Is it?"That didn't come out the way intended but I nod. My eyes return to the sheet of paper in my hand, settle on the font in black ink. I would have loved it handwritten but the line at the top right corner shows he printed it from his email. The date on top tells me it is about a month old. I clear my throat to continue reading out loud and my voice breaks."I miss you. Everyday." There is a fluttering in my chest like butterflies are rousing from their nap, I don't look to him when I murmur, "Then why didn't you call or text me?""
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Mr Reluctant Billionaire One hundred and sixteen
"You promised," he whispers. He lets go of me to run his hands through his hair. "You promised me, Elna. Your beginning, middle and end." Jumping to his feet, he folds his hands behind his head and murmurs, "You promised. You can't leave me. Baby, please."Unable to look him in the eyes, I bury my face into the pillow and continue shaking my head. I know the answer to his question now, I am so certain of it. Do I still want him? Yes, I will always want him, more than I have ever wanted anyone but I can't have him.Murder is murder and he killed his brother.And it hurts.It hurts every fibre of my being. I love him so much it hurts to think of a future without him. I don't think I can stop loving him but when I look at him, all I see is a killer. If I cannot look past his sins then I shouldn't be in his life. It will be our secret, it's not in my place to tell other people and I am fine with that. I wi
Mr Reluctant Billionaire One hundred and fifteen
It is hard.Really hard.
Mr Reluctant Billionaire One hundred and fourteen
He doesn't regret it. But he feels bad. What does that mean? I race down the stairs as fast as I can, my car keys dangling in my hand. Hopefully, I look sane with the way I hurriedly dressed and left. I need to talk to Clarissa but about what? Do I want to tell her what Brandon said? What if she calls the police on him? Will she do that? She won't.
Mr Reluctant Billionaire One hundred and thirteen
I wake to amber eyes staring down at me. I flash Brandon a sleepy smile, he presses a kiss to my hair and I giggle, he must love my new shampoo. "You slept well?" I ask.He nods, placing another kiss on my temple. "I did, you?" he says against my skin and I hum in response, loving the wet kisses he litters on
Mr Reluctant Billionaire One hundred and twelve
The next day, my phone is pinging with notifications. David shoots me a grateful text I don't reply, I am sure he doesn't expect one, we are not friends. My finger hovers over the delete option on his contact, I hesitate. It won’t hurt to have it so I save his number, something I had failed to do. Bored, I send Brandon an SOS and switch off my phone.Time to take matters into my hands.Bathed, shaved and clad in lace lingerie that barely holds my breasts and reveals my bump, I sit up, legs crossed while awaiting that click that will announce his entrance. He won't talk to me like a normal person and now, I am pissed. And horny. And frustrated.The click to signify his presence sounds, reverberating in the room. I shoot up from the bed as fast as a pregnant woman approaching her third semester can and saunter to the door, swinging my hips. Brandon eyes me from head to toe, the appreciative glint in his gaze is missing but I shrug tha
Mr Reluctant Billionaire One hundred and eleven
Curiosity kills the cat. Satisfaction brings it back. It has to. That is the reason I am in this café, waiting for David after I made the spontaneous decision to see him. I pull my oversized tracksuit over my belly, trying and failing to blend in with the scanty crowd.A wave of nostalgia hits me when someone passes with a tray of fish and chips. I need to call Clarissa. I don't understand how we let life, thesis and coursework pull us apart but we need to meet. Sending her a short text, I roll my lip between my teeth while awaiting her reply. If she replies before David comes, I will cancel our meeting. She comes first.I shouldn't be here.That seems to have become my new mantra and each time, things turn out better than I expect. I hope it's the case today. Taking a swig from the water bottle on the table while I wait for the first person to show up, I try to push the nagging thoughts out of my head.
Mr Reluctant Billionaire One hundred and ten
Seconds of silence pass, when Josh doesn't seem to be leaving, I ask, "Who is Brendan?""Our brother, Brandon's twin." I blink, my head spins from the sudden information and my thoughts crash to a stop when he adds, "He is dead." Josh's smile is pitiful, I don't know when I move to stand beside him. I pat his shoulder. "He died in an accident."Brandon has a twin, a dead twin. It's all I can think while my hand meets Josh's shoulder in an awkward show of comfort. He pries my hand off him with a smile I don't comment on because of how fake it is. I rub my hand against my hip. Brandon has a dead twin.Seeing how shaken I am by the news, Josh pushes me into his seat, I sink gratefully into it. I shouldn't have asked. My husband should have told me himself. "When did he die?""A while ago."I snap. "How long is a while ago?""Five years," he rep
Mr Reluctant Billionaire One hundred and nine
Josh catches up to me before I reach the house, he offers me a smile, I shrug. None of this is his fault. We take a seat by the kitchen window, staring at the trio seated inside the gazebo. From our position here, we can't see their lips moving but I can't help wishing they will start a conversation. Talk to each other even if it ends in a screaming bout."Do you think they will reconcile?"Josh snickers. He hops to the fridge like he pays rent and returns with a huge chunk of cake. The leftover I had saved to munch on later because I can't resist anything sugary and his family didn't let me enjoy it. Fleeting anger surges through me, I close my eyes."Nope. Not a chance," he says. I turn to see him dragging another stool close to me.The poise and gracefulness he was forced to adapt when we were outside vanish when he gobbles the cake. I smile foolishly, this is the Josh I know. Slapping his knee, I mot
Mr Reluctant Billionaire One hundred and eight
The gazebo is deathly quiet and the tension promises to suffocate us. Everything is going well, if you count the curt greetings from Brandon's snobbish parents. Queen Elizabeth doesn't hold a candle to Brandon's mother with her prim and proper manners, wrinkles and white hair cropped short. All she needs is a crown and I'll genuflect before her.Brandon's dad is an older beardless version of him with thinning hair. He is so quiet, the kind of quiet that allows his haughty wife freedom to speak to people as she pleases. A minute after exchanging greetings and I can already tell it was a bad idea to invite them.Seated beside Brandon, muscles tight and frustrated at my lack of release, I drum my fingers on my legs hidden under the table. He didn't have to punish me this way. I am pregnant, he shouldn’t leave me horny. One look at him shows that's the least of his worries.He is as tensed as I am, maybe even more and a wave of gu
