The weekend arrived faster than I had expected, and with it, the trip to the Keys loomed ahead of me. I had kept my distance from James as much as possible, and I was thankful the only thing I really ever got from him was a stray look.Lugging my weekend bag over my shoulder, I moved towards the ramp of the boat and boarded the white two-hundred-seventy-foot-yacht that was a mansion on the water. Its multi-tier level was equipped with a helicopter pad and a pool.It was a new venture for me. Never had I been on the yacht before, but according to Tally, it was a treasure James had bought the year before and only used less than a handful of times.Moving across the deck, I followed the crew leader, who took us towards the room areas. My eyes scanned the elegant decor of lavish seating and ornate furniture until they landed on one figure I hadn't expected to see at all.Chad.What the f*ck!Stopping dead in my tracks, I took in his sandy blond hair and dark sunglasses. He smil
James.Fury flowed through me as I left Becca's room. I couldn't believe, once again, my daughter was proving to be just like her mother. She didn't care about how Becca felt. It was all about her, and I wasn't going to have it.Even if Becca made it clear she didn't want to move forward with what I was offering, it wasn't right for my daughter to treat Becca the way she was. Storming across the deck, I headed towards the front of the ship where the pool was located. I had no doubt Tally was there with the others, and as the pool came into view, I saw the truth.My daughter wasn't the person I thought she was, and it broke my heart.They all sat around in and out of the pool, laughing and drinking while music played. And Tally was sitting in the lap of Chad… the disgust in my stomach was overbearing as I finally could see what kind of person she really was.She was turning into her mother more and more every day, and I hated it.I would end this kid, Chad, if he wasn't c
The weekend at the Keys turned out to be more enjoyable than I had expected. James was a man of his word and took my mind far from the things I had been troubled about, and as he did, I could find a blissful relief from Chad and Tally's presence.My mind swirled with the things he had done to me and the way he made me feel.The man really was a work of art, and I doubted any other could match his skill set."Becca… are you even listening to me?" Tally's voice called out, pulling me from the raunchy thoughts that plagued my mind."Hmm? Oh, yeah. Sorry, just super tired still from the trip."Staring at me, she paused for a moment. "I find that hard to believe considering you stayed holed up in your room the entire time. I'm glad you got over that stomach bug, though."There it was… the lie.I had lied to her the next morning after sleeping with James. She had come to me, and asked me where I had been, and telling her I was seasick was the only thing I could come up with.
Becca.It was hard not to hear the conversation Tally had with James the night before. I was terrified of what had happened, but when Tally had come upstairs, all she said was her father wouldn't tell her. That... and she was going to find out who it was.My mind had wandered all night, and for the first time in a few days, James didn't reach out to me. I figured it was because of what had happened, but I was grateful.I didn't want to get in the middle of some fight between her and her father.Even if I was the one having sex with him.Rolling from bed somewhere after 5:00 in the morning, I made my way downstairs in my pajamas in search of coffee. There was no point in still trying to sleep. I was just going to be extra tired today.As soon as my feet hit the bottom of the stairs, I felt an eerie presence. The silence was almost deafening. Everyone was still asleep, and even though I enjoyed the quiet... it made me nervous. I wasn't sure what to expect for the day.P
Anger pulsated through me as I clutched my purse tightly and stormed across the parking lot of the restaurant towards my Uber. I couldn't believe Tally had me go to lunch with that bitch.When I was younger, she had always made small comments, but never did she have the balls to speak to me the way she did today. I guess she thought now she could say what she wanted since I was an adult.I just don't think she expected me to bite back like I did."To Valentino Imports?" the driver asked, looking at the app to verify my destination."Yes, please. If you get there quickly, I'll give you a fat tip."I couldn't wait to get there and tell James what had happened. I wasn't usually one to run and tattle, but Tally was playing a dangerous game by involving her mother.And of course, the girl they were trying to find was me!Scrolling through my phone, I opened my text messages to James.'Are you still at work?'The message quickly turned red, and as I saw the dots pop up, I s
James.The moment Becca told me Tally took her to see her mother, I knew what she was going to say. Allison had never been very kind to Becca when she used to come visit, and it often caused us to argue when she was here.The one thing I hated above all else was people picking on children by judging their appearance. Becca may have been bigger than Tally back then, but it wasn't Allison's place to say something. It just showed how cruel she was."Your car is waiting out front, Mr. Valentino," Evette said from my door, causing me to nod."Thank you, Evette. Please go ahead and enjoy your day."The woman worked hard for me, and I was grateful. But even with the minor distraction, I couldn't stop thinking about Becca and Allison.The fire in Becca's eyes was clear, and I knew without a doubt she gave Allison hell. Making my way down towards the front of the building, my eye caught Katrine arguing with the girls at the front desk. Her voice raised and her brow narrowed befor
Becca."Becca, please just do this for me," Tally said once again after asking me fifteen times to be her spy. She wanted me to spy on James and tell her who he was bringing in the house or, better yet, take a f*cking photo of the girl.The girl that was actually me."Dude, I'm not going to spy on your father for you. Do you know how crazy that sounds? Like, who cares if he is sleeping with someone? He is a grown-ass man," I replied, watching irritation cross her.She knew very well I wasn't the kind of person to get involved in drama like this. "Please, for once, just do something for me."The fact she played that card pissed me off. I have done so much for her, and yet she didn't acknowledge any of it."Okay. Yeah, sure. Why not?" I sighed, knowing very well I wouldn't do it. One because well.. I wouldn't incriminate myself, and two, I was pissed at her for even asking me. As for her trip with her mom... well, that was one other reason for me to be upset. Then again
Becca.I wasn't sure what to make of it all. Dressing up, drinks, and fine dining.It was a lot to take in for a girl like me. Especially considering the fact we were acting as if we were dating and if anyone saw us, it wouldn't be good.To say I was uncomfortable was an understatement. "This is delicious," I said, trying to lighten the conversation between us. "Thank you again for bringing me here. I do appreciate it.""You're acting as if me bringing you wouldn't be something I wanted to do," James replied as he caught my eye. "Are you okay?"Shrugging my shoulders, I laugh softly to myself, "I hardly know anymore."My comment wasn't one he was expecting, and in fact, it made him furrow his brows in confusion. "Is this making you uncomfortable being here, Becca?"Lifting my gaze to his, I stared with wide eyes and a parted mouth. "Oh, no–no."It was a lie, but he had been so kind to me, I didn't want to seem ungrateful by what he was giving me or how he was acting.