Chapter 9 - You’re Mine
1323 Words
Elizabeth
Hayley arrived just after lunch, her energy filling the house the moment she walked in.
"Missed you!" she squealed, pulling me into a tight hug.
We settled in the living room with coffee, and I told her everything about Marcus—how we met at the gala, his text, and how he had asked me out for lunch. Hayley’s eyes lit up immediately.
"Lunch? Oh honey, no. Make it dinner. You’re not some casual coffee date. You’re a whole meal. Tell him dinner tonight."
I hesitated, biting my lip. "Tonight? Isn’t that too soon?"
"Exactly," she said with a wink. "The sooner you start living, the better. Your ex doesn’t deserve any more of your time. You need to test the waters."
Before I could overthink it, she grabbed my phone and handed it to me, watching as I texted Marcus to change lunch to dinner tonight. He replied almost instantly, saying he’d pick me up at seven. Hayley grinned.
"Perfect. Now let’s get you ready."
She dragged me upstairs to my room and flung open my closet. After scanning through my clothes for less than a minute, she shook her head in disbelief.
"Elizabeth, what is this? Every single thing in here is loose, floral, and goes down to your ankles. This looks like a church wardrobe, not a closet." She turned to me with a determined look. "Get dressed. We’re going shopping. Right now."
We spent the next few hours at a high-end designer store. Hayley was in her element, picking out dresses, heels, and lingerie I would never have chosen for myself.
By the time we left, I had multiple shopping bags, and she had paid for almost everything despite my protests.
When we got back home, Hayley helped me get ready. She did my makeup, curled my hair, and helped me into a sleek black dress that hugged my body in all the right places. When I looked in the mirror, I barely recognized myself.
"You look hot," Hayley said, clearly proud of her work. "Marcus is going to lose his mind when he sees you."
We were still laughing when I heard the front door open downstairs. Daniel was home early. I froze. Hayley noticed my reaction but didn’t understand it. A few minutes later, Daniel appeared in the doorway of my room. His eyes landed on me, on the dress, the makeup, and the heels, and his entire body went rigid.
"Where are you going?" he asked, his voice low and tight.
I didn’t look at him. "Out."
"Out where?" His jaw clenched hard. "Aren’t you supposed to be married?"
I finally turned to face him. "I’m separated, remember? And as my brother, you should be happy I’m finally moving on from that cold and controlling marriage."
The words landed exactly as I intended. Daniel looked like he was barely holding himself together, his fists tight at his sides. Hayley stepped in smoothly.
"Daniel, let your sister live a little. She’s young, beautiful, and she’s been through enough. She deserves to have some fun and choose herself for once."
Daniel didn’t get a chance to respond. The doorbell rang.
Marcus was here.
"I’ll get it!" Hayley said, giving me a quick wink before heading downstairs.
Daniel didn’t move. His eyes stayed locked on me, dark and stormy. "You’re really doing this?" he asked, his voice low.
"I’m not doing anything wrong. I’m separated. I’m allowed to go out."
His jaw clenched so hard I could see the muscle jumping. His eyes dropped to my dress, noticing the way it clung to my body, the cleavage, and the length that stopped mid-thigh. Something dangerous flickered across his face.
"You look..." His voice trailed off. He couldn’t even finish the sentence.
Hayley’s voice floated up from downstairs.
"Elizabeth, Marcus is here!"
I grabbed my purse and walked past Daniel without another word. As I brushed by him, I felt his fingers twitch like he wanted to grab my arm, but he stopped himself.
Marcus looked sharp in a dark navy shirt and black trousers. His face lit up the moment he saw me. "Wow," he said, clearly stunned. "You look incredible."
"Thank you," I replied, smiling.
Marcus opened the car door for me like a gentleman. The drive to the restaurant was pleasant, and when we arrived at the beautiful rooftop restaurant, we settled into our table with a stunning view of the city. Halfway through dinner, Marcus looked at me curiously.
"So, can I ask you something?" he said.
"Sure."
"You mentioned you’re separated. What happened, if you don’t mind me asking?"
I took a small sip of my wine before answering.
"I was married for four years," I said honestly.
"It was a very cold marriage. My husband was controlling, distant, and emotionally unavailable. One day I just couldn’t take it anymore. So we’re separated now."
Marcus nodded slowly, his eyes soft with understanding. "I’m sorry you went through that. You deserve so much better than that."
I smiled, feeling genuinely seen. "Thank you. That means a lot."
The rest of the night flowed easily. We talked, we laughed, and for the first time in years, I felt like a woman who was allowed to enjoy herself.
Marcus dropped me off just after midnight. He walked me to the front door, gave me a warm hug, and said, "I had a wonderful time tonight. I’d really like to do this again."
I smiled and told him I did too. The hug felt safe, nothing more. No kiss, no pressure. Just nice.
As soon as his car pulled away, I stepped inside and locked the door. I’d just kicked off my heels and started heading upstairs when I heard his voice behind me, low and soft.
"Elizabeth."
I froze on the stairs. When I turned around, Daniel was standing there in just his sweatpants, watching me. His eyes slowly moved over the tight dress, the makeup, my bare legs, taking everything in. He didn’t look angry. He looked different.
He walked up to me slowly and gently cupped my face with both hands, his thumbs stroking my cheeks the way he used to in the beginning.
"You’ve been avoiding me all day," he murmured, his voice low and intimate. "Do you know how much that hurts me?"
My heart started racing. This was the Daniel from the very beginning we met, the one who knew exactly how to make me melt.
"I’ve been thinking about you all night," he whispered, stepping closer until our bodies nearly touched. "You looked so beautiful when you left but seeing you now, dressed like this for another man..."
He leaned in and kissed me, slow, deep, possessive. For a second, my body responded out of habit. The familiar pull was still there. But then I remembered. I remembered how cold and empty it always felt afterward. How he only touched me when he wanted something. How little I actually meant to him.
I pulled back, turning my face away.
"Hayley is around," I whispered, my voice shaking. "Have you forgotten about our little sister brother lie?"
Daniel’s eyes darkened. His thumb brushed across my bottom lip as he stared at me with that intense look.
"I don’t f*****g care," he said quietly, his voice rough. "Let her hear. You’re mine."
He tried to kiss me again, but I stepped back, forcing his hands to drop from my face.
"Goodnight, Daniel."
I slipped into my room and locked the door behind me, heart still pounding.
I leaned against the locked door, heart racing, and whispered to myself, I can’t keep doing this.
- Writer
