After Rocco left I couldn’t sleep. I curled into my bed and rethought the entire night. The most traumatizing thing was Chad kissing Cleo. I couldn’t digest that I was single. I’d been with Chad for so long already. Rocco bore his heart out but the night wasn’t long enough for me to come to a decision.The next morning, I had to get ready for my sister’s engagement. I put on a brave face for my family and prepared of the engagement taking place at seven in the evening.Gianna told me she couldn’t make it. She hadn’t been feeling well so Brad put her on lockdown. I needed my best friend but this was my battle to face. There would be questions when I showed up without Chad. Mom would throw a fit.The sun came and went before I knew it I was packing up my makeup and picking shoes. After drowning a glass of wine I called a cab. The engagement was at my family’s estate which had been in the family for years. Mom would sell her leg before selling that piece of property. Thank goodness I did
“Sorry about your shirt,” I said as Rocco washed his hands.“It would have been my shirt or your dress. I needed a distraction to get you alone,” he smirked.“How do you know my Dad?” I wasn’t sure I wanted the answer to this.“We’ve done business together. Whatever that is you don’t need to know.”I planted my hand on my hip, “The first day of our relationship and you’re already keeping secrets from me?”Rocco laughed. He grabbed my chin and kissed me. “One thing about me is I’ll try to protect you at any cost. Let it go, okay?”I nodded. My heart settled. Some things were better left buried.We walked of the bathroom at the same time and drew some eyes. I turned to Rocco he walked ahead unbothered. He oozed confidence. I appeared by his side. I still had to answer questions about my ex-boyfriend and being seen so close to Rocco would spark rumours then I remembered I needed to get Candice out of the bathroom.“I have to take care of my sister,” I whispered.Rocco smiled easily, “I’l
GiaRocco shut the door behind him. Closing me out from the rest of the outside world, blocking me from freedom, preventing me from backing out of the deal. Not that I would ever back out. It didn’t take me all night to decide what I had to do. She was my Mom and I wasn’t going to let anyone take away what she worked so hard to achieve. Even if she willing borrowed the money from Rocco, I wasn’t going to sit idly by and watch her go down.This was my fourth meeting with Rocco. I hated coming to this club even though it was exclusive and lavish it was still the scene of many shady deals. Rocco wasn’t an old sweaty man with a stomach that expanded so much it strained the buttons of his suit that I thought he would be. He was five years older than me. He was extremely handsome with his pushed back black hair, strong jawline and sculptured body.He took over from his father months earlier. He wasn’t giving m
GiaI already paid ten thousand dollars to Rocco and I knew I could do better. I just needed time, something the douchebag wasn’t giving me. The debt to be paid was more than this, but I thought I was doing well. If I was close to my dad, he would have given a fancy family heirloom and I would have sold that. My half sister Sydney was given an old diamond necklace. That would have come in handy right now. I bet Sydney didn’t even wear it she had a bunch of priceless jewelry pieces.I couldn’t ask Sydney for help. We hadn’t had much of a relationship since sophomore year in high school. The rest were just sad attempts at communication. Dad was worse I couldn’t remember the last time he showed up. He lived in a different town, but he did call to ask how I was doing at least twice a week.I didn’t have a relationship with Nora, Sydney’s mother. I really believed she hated me.
GiaMy dad and Nora lived three hours away in a small town. As promised a taxi came to pick me up by six in the morning. I barely slept wondering what Nora wanted to talk about. It had to be serious if she called me herself. It made me scroll my sister’s Instagram, but I knew it wouldn’t give me any answers. She hadn’t posted any pictures in a while. Most of them were of her on vacation or simply spending money with her rich friends.I hadn’t seen Sydney since Christmas two years ago. It wasn’t even a planned meeting. I really didn’t have a relationship with my half sister. It sucked too because when I looked at her I saw myself. Expect I was a little darker and had a thick head of curls. Otherwise we had the same brown eyes, same pointed nose, height and weight. We could be twins, but we lived totally different lives.I wasn’t sure I could help them though. They weren’t the type of peo
I stood and shook my head. Why was marriage suddenly on every table? I was still waiting for actual butterflies and fireworks before I thought about spending the rest of my life with someone.“You don’t have to do it.” Dad sighed.“What happens if I don’t? What happens to you?”Nora stood, avoiding dad’s gaze. She wanted to grab my hands, yet pulled back at the last second.“You can think of this as a deal too. What do you want Gia?”There were a lot of things I wanted, but none so important I would marry a total stranger. Then the terms of the contract I signed hit me. I had no more than seven weeks to pay back the debt I now owned and with each day five hundred dollars was added to that debt. If I failed to pay the debt went back to mom and surely she would lose everything and I might end up as a high end prostitute.“Nothing, nothing I’m not bribing my daughter into doing t
If dad hadn’t communicated the change of plans, then it really put me in an awkward position.“Um, you really don’t know why I’m here?’Brad eyed me up and down. I didn’t know how that made me feel. Exposed?“Of course I do. What I don’t understand it why the sudden change of plans. I also wonder why Sydney never mentioned she had a sister.”“You can imagine we’re not close.” I said, through clenched teeth.“A little sibling rivalry? No one else mentioned you existed either.” Brad shoved his hands in his pockets.“Why am I not surprised?”The party bellow us in the garden was getting loud. Nora would be here any second. It was time for the show. Put on the mask and get on stage. I picked up my dress and walked passed Brad into the room or at least I tried to.“Gianna,” he said.My name sounded so foreign coming fro
“Boundaries?” I lifted my head. His eyes were enchanting. “Yes, come with me.” He released me, but captured my hand. I lifted my dress so I wouldn’t step on it as I followed Brad into the house. All eyes were on us. Some people eyed us and smiled while others commented on how lovely we were as a couple. “Are you going to tell me there are certain places I can’t go? I don’t even live here.” I asked when we were alone in the dark foyer. “No, but there are a few things you can’t do.” “Like what?” I folded my arms. “Like, whatever you have with Rocco, I won’t tolerate it.” I nearly burst out laughing. Thanks to him there wouldn’t be anything between Rocco and I. “There isn’t anything going on between us.” “It didn’t look like it when you too were dancing. Look, I won’t be made a fool of. If you’re going to marry me you’re not going, bring your men into it.” I gasped, “I am not sleeping with Rocco!” I s
“Sorry about your shirt,” I said as Rocco washed his hands.“It would have been my shirt or your dress. I needed a distraction to get you alone,” he smirked.“How do you know my Dad?” I wasn’t sure I wanted the answer to this.“We’ve done business together. Whatever that is you don’t need to know.”I planted my hand on my hip, “The first day of our relationship and you’re already keeping secrets from me?”Rocco laughed. He grabbed my chin and kissed me. “One thing about me is I’ll try to protect you at any cost. Let it go, okay?”I nodded. My heart settled. Some things were better left buried.We walked of the bathroom at the same time and drew some eyes. I turned to Rocco he walked ahead unbothered. He oozed confidence. I appeared by his side. I still had to answer questions about my ex-boyfriend and being seen so close to Rocco would spark rumours then I remembered I needed to get Candice out of the bathroom.“I have to take care of my sister,” I whispered.Rocco smiled easily, “I’l
After Rocco left I couldn’t sleep. I curled into my bed and rethought the entire night. The most traumatizing thing was Chad kissing Cleo. I couldn’t digest that I was single. I’d been with Chad for so long already. Rocco bore his heart out but the night wasn’t long enough for me to come to a decision.The next morning, I had to get ready for my sister’s engagement. I put on a brave face for my family and prepared of the engagement taking place at seven in the evening.Gianna told me she couldn’t make it. She hadn’t been feeling well so Brad put her on lockdown. I needed my best friend but this was my battle to face. There would be questions when I showed up without Chad. Mom would throw a fit.The sun came and went before I knew it I was packing up my makeup and picking shoes. After drowning a glass of wine I called a cab. The engagement was at my family’s estate which had been in the family for years. Mom would sell her leg before selling that piece of property. Thank goodness I did
Rocco chuckled, “Aren’t you going to answer that?”“Hide in my room!”Rocco grimaced before walking to the couch, settling on it and lifting his feet on the stool.“That isn’t hiding Rocco!”Rocco rolled his head back and rested his palms on his chest like an innocent man. The pounding continued.“Lilly, open up,” Chad demands.I fidgeted with my hands. I couldn’t just wait here until he went away.“Want me to open the door for you? You knew this was a long time coming.” Rocco pushed himself up from the couch and closed the space between us. He was right. I cheated on Chad now I had to face the explosion.I marched to the door. I glanced at Rocco there was a hint of surprise on his face but he said nothing. I opened the door. Something squeezed my heart when Chad appeared on the other side stood his receptionist Cleo.“What’s going on?” I asked.Chad marched inside, Cleo tailing him. Alright, y’all can both come in, I thought.“You’re asking me what’s going on? Who’s he?” Chad pointed
Rocco picked up the phone slowly. He leaned back and brought the phone to his face. Silence settled between us while he scrutinized the photos. Did he even know what he was looking at? He was so drunk nothing must be registering in his mind.Then he tossed the phone on the table.“What is this? Did you come to seduce me with your semi-nude photos?”“Excuse me? Seduce you? Don’t you know what those are?”“Pictures of your ass,” he said, bringing the empty glass to his lips. He frowned when he got nothing out of the glass.“Pictures I didn’t take! Did you send these?”“Why would I, Lilly?”He hauled his body off the chair and staggered to the liquor case. I groaned and followed him to the case. I caught his arm before he could grab another bottle.“That’s enough alcohol for one night,” I said.He snatched his arm back. “You can’t tell me what to do.”“I have a problem here! Someone has nude photos of me if it isn’t you.”“Your naked imagine is embedded in my mind for the rest of time.”
I ran to my door but there was no one chasing me. I ran as if a dog was right on my heels. I never wanted to see another silver suit in my life. I didn’t think I would have to walk around nearly butt naked. I would have to sell my soul to do it. I’d have to sell my soul to pay Rocco back. Tears rolled down my cheek as I rummaged my kitchen for a bottle of wine I kept for special occasions. I kept it under the sink. I pulled out the bottle of white wine and grabbed a curvy wine glass. I filled the glass and collapsed on my couch. I was screwed. I would have to go to my parents for money and maybe my sister. I sniffled the ultimate embarrassment. I kicked off my heels. My boyfriend would leave me. At least my best friend wouldn’t abandon me. On my second glass pounding came from my door. I grumbled. I ignore it and took a sip. The pounding continued. I didn’t care I couldn’t afford this apartment anyway so if my neighbours complained it was fine with me. “Emilia! Open this door.” I
I arrived under the cover of night at the nightclub. I let my hair down, plastered on red lipstick. I pulled out black heels from the back of my closet and pulled on a black coat. Maybe I would fit in at the club. Still my skin crawled when I entered the underground club.The bouncers let me through. The bartender left his station and told me to go to the office to the right. It wasn’t Rocco’s office. The office was smaller than Rocco’s office. It had a desk and a chair behind it. An arm chair the in the corner of the room as well as a small liquor cabinet.“Where’s Rocco?” I asked.“He left but I was told to bring you here when you came.”“Okay?” I walked to the chair in the corner. “By whom?” Too late the bartender was already gone.I picked up the brown liquid on the desk. I brought it to my nose and winced. Strong stuff. Did Rocco have another office? He wouldn’t mind if I helped myself to a bottle in his cabinet.I scanned the bottles each one stronger than the last. I settled on
My sister scowled and raved about me being late and my hair being a mess. I couldn’t argue with her about my hair. It looked like I just walked out a bed I’d been fucked in all night. I was thankful rather than mad when she gave me a pink beanie.“You know what you’re looking for Candice?”“I’ve got an idea. I’m thinking glamourous rich princess.”“I’m having a hard time envisioning it,” I frowned as we walked into a dress store with pink cursive letters over the door. Headless manikins posed in the windows wearing dresses of all sorts of designs.We walked in and the scent of lavender and lilac welcomed us along with a ceiling covered in yellow lights. Rows and rows of wedding gowns lined the walls and extended to the backrooms. This place reminded me of how I missed my best friend’s dress fitting.Gianna’s situation was complicated. I wouldn’t have made much of a difference. Her sister-in-law showed up with her husband’s ex-mistress. The day ended with a damaged wedding dress that G
Rocco’s fingers traced the line of the side of my body. How did I end up back here? I lay in his bed, staring at the bathroom door. My clothes had been discarded on the ground. I asked him to help me forget that people exist. He did that. For hours.Subtle moans turned to screams that would have Rocco’s neighbours reporting him in the morning. He closed his lips on my neck. If I checked the time on my phone it would tell me, it was somewhere after two in the morning. I should have been at home instead I was snuggling closer to a man that had knives sticking out of him.“Rocco?”“Lilly?” he rested his palm where he wore a cold metal ring on my hip.“Aren’t your neighbours going to complain? I made a lot of noise.”He chuckled and brushed my hair out of my face. “They should get used to it.”My heart cracked with information I had tucked in the back of my mind.“Right… you have a lot of women here.”“None of which are like you.”I wanted to tell him all women are different but he slid h
“Hey,” I flipped my hair over my shoulder and smiled wide.Chad marched in and looked around.“Are you with someone?” He asked.“What? No. I’m alone. I’m ready too. Shall we get going? You know mom likes us to be on time.”He eyed me from head to toe. “You look gorgeous but I’m sure I heard voices in here.”“Voices? I had the TV on must have been that. I turned it off when I answered the door.”“You were talking to the TV?” He raised his brows at me.“Chad? Would I do that? Maybe you’re just stressed you work a lot.”“I’ve been stressed before and I’ve certainly never heard things.”His eyes roamed around the living room and scrutinized the balcony doors. Anything but the bedroom.“Can we leave? I don’t want to get on mom’s bad side tonight.”He br