I pulled out a fistful of tissue and used it to wipe off the chocolate cake on my dress. How could she be so childish? I should have worn black, now this stain would never come off. Everyone would think a horse pooped on me. I couldn’t go to lunch like this.“Gianna.” Brad hammer on the door.“Leave me alone Brad. I’m kind of busy.”“Mind explaining why you took a bath in mud?”Bryan snickered on the other side. I fumed and opened the tap. Tissue wasn’t going to work.“You should know the answer.”He was silent. I thought he left. That’s what I should have done left. Left the Wolfe mansion.“Alright, let me in.” He said.“Get your own bathroom.”“Technically it is my bathroom.”“No, you don’t live here.”“You’re going to make me beg? I’ll break the door down Gianna.”I doubted he would. Brad was a massive man. He could lift me with one arm. I could sit in his arms like a swing. It was one of my fantasies to do it. Among other things. Stupid fantasies sent butterflies in my tummy. I c
I pulled away from our intimate position. It frightened me how romantic he was being and how easily I was giving in to him.“So… what are we going to do to pass the time.”He adjusted his cufflinks. “I can think of a few things.”He pulled of his jacket and my heart sank. “Don’t worry. I don’t plan on bending you over… yet.”He threw himself on the bed.“And when will that be?” I asked.He patted the space next to him. I reluctantly climbed on the bed and lay like a log beside him. We’d been intimate before, why was it scaring me now? Brad was a terrifying person. He would rip my heart out the second he knew I was handing it over to him. He was capable of cheating and lying and disappearing for days just for work. I bet he would stop in the middle of sex just to answer a work call.He raised his brow at me. I kept my hands on my stomach and kept a healthy distance between us.“After we get married.” Brad said.“What? Are you scared I’ll figure out you’re not good in bed and run?”He r
I left the tailoring store and walked into the street. It was late now. I couldn’t go see my mom. I caught a cab and went home. I wasn’t sure how to think about this whole trust fund issue. Could I even trust Luke? I couldn’t be sure there even was a trust fund.I could see the house ahead and a black car behind us.“What now?” I whispered.I paid the taxi and he drove out. The black SUV idled in the parking lot. I stared at it like a lion about to pounce. No one got out of the car. I probably had ten seconds head start.I didn’t reach the front steps when the front door slammed shut.“Miss Glass.” A male voice said.“Yeah?”He held the back door open. “I need you to come with me.”“You know how suspicious this looks right?”He shrugged. The man was tall with dark sunglasses and a black business suit.“Mr. Wolfe wants to see you.”“Couldn’t he come on his own?” Did I do something wrong that he couldn’t come see me?I was nervous.“You should come with me.”I had half a mind to tell hi
“Brad.” Gianna reached for me and I backed up. Luke would never in his miserable life touch a woman I was involved with. All I wanted to know was why she was meeting him for coffee. “You can’t possibly believe I did anything with him!” “What happened?” She opened and closed her mouth. She was trying to lie to me. “Uh—” “Let’s not go around this Gianna. The fucking truth. Now.” “He… He! Found me and made me have coffee with him.” “Why?” I deadpanned. Gianna wolf was a witch, a temptress that I couldn’t resist. Her full pink lips just beckoned to me sucked. Damn, she wasn’t even wearing lipstick. I was trying to be stern with her yet I was getting. What had this woman done to me? “He… told me some stuff and I have to think about it.” “Is that all you’re going to say? You’re not going to tell me what he told you?” She lifted her chin and I struggled not to grab it and kiss her. I should have run the minute I saw her standing on the balcony the day of our engagement. “I don’t
I set down the fifty KG weight and grabbed the towel off the rack and whipped my face. I remembered the first time I fell asleep with Gianna in my arms. I woke up with a boner. It wasn’t different this time. I left her to take a cold shower.I had no choice but to flee when I slept over at her house or I would have woken her up and fucked the hell out of her. I wonder what I was thinking when I told her I would only sleep with her after we were married. I can only guess I was trying to torture her, but it’s killing me instead.Gianna had been a virgin for twenty one years, how could I not know she would survive anything I threw at her? I had things to do in underground which was the world I needed Gianna to never find out about. Odd how I didn’t care what Sydney knew because she was born into this world, but Gianna it was different. Fuck, the woman was getting under my skin.Speaking of skin, I needed another shower. Sweat dripped down my back and sucked the fabric of my shirt to my
“I don’t have much time okay. I’m not sure what time Brad’s coming home.”“Uh, you too are moving quickly.”“Well, we are engaged. What do you have?”“The information on your trusts and properties. Did you ask your father?”I shook my head. My heart was pounding. None of this felt an ounce real. I was an heiress.“I haven’t had the time.”He pulled out a file and placed it flat on the table. It felt like touching a hot rock.“What is this?”“Open it.”I flipped it open. It was the details of an account. I shook my head. That was my name. Gianna Amelia Glass. I had an account with over five million dollars. Tears stung my eyes. Had I known earlier I wouldn’t have had to marry Brad or drop out of community college before I got my degree to help mom out.“It’s for real?”Luke nodded. “Keep looking.”The next document was a will. My grandfather’s will.“How did you get this? Are you supposed to have it?”“Money talks sweetheart. Read it. You’ll be surprised.”I scanned through the paper a
“A bachelorette?” I asked.“Of course, your wedding is in less than two weeks!” Nora appeared from the kitchen with a cup tea between her hands.“Your step-mom called us. We got this amazing place booked for tomorrow night.” Lilly said. I’d never seen my best friend so excited.“Tomorrow night?” I needed to make an important phone call.“Are you sure about this Nora?” I asked.“Of course I am sure. Every girl needs a bachelorette and don’t worry I won’t be there. I have a hot date.”“You mean dad?” I asked, mortified.She winked, “Ronald can be romantic too.”I shuddered. I didn’t want to imagine that. Nora left and my friends ushered me into the living room.“Gia! Why didn’t anyone know you’re engaged?” Grace asked.I glanced at Lilly who smiled too brightly to be believable.“Uh, well it happened so fast you know whirlwind romance.”“I heard he’s a billionaire too. How lucky can someone get?”She had no idea how stressful Bradley Wolfe could be.“What do you guys have planned? Nothi
I had no idea where she could be having her bachelorette. A small quiet restaurant maybe. I wanted to see her. I wasn’t going to press the issue of not getting married. It was dumb if I was being honest. I wanted her. I fucking wanted Gianna Glass. It was a miracle how I had gone this long without making her mine.A couple of my friends organized a bachelor’s party for me at an exclusive underground casino. Every loan shark in the city was here. The best escorts and strippers were on call. Not that I wanted any of them. None of them were Gianna so they were useless to me.I poured myself another half full glass of whiskey. I was officially a broken man.“Come on man. The girls are dying for you.” Bryan said.“Let them die then.” I brought the glass up to my lips.“I thought this was an arranged marriage.” Bryan asked. He had a girl on his lap with too much red lipstick and a bra too big for her small breasts. She fiddled with his tie, craving his attention.“It is.”“Then it shouldn’t
“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