7. Kissed
1122 Words
CHAPTER SEVEN: KISSED
“What?” I whispered in shock.
“Fine, I’ll go ahead. Next weekend. Tonight I’m meeting up with her parents and we will schedule for a full family meet up within the week,”
Marriage? I was feeling numb from both fear and shock. I was never going to going to marry him even if he threatened to kill me. But what if he threatens my family if I don’t get married to him? Goosebumps enveloped my entire body as I shivered involuntarily.
“Honey, are you okay?” he voiced his concern and I almost started back at the faking.
“I-I’m fine. Just filling a little chilled,” I replied hastily avoiding eye contact, choosing instead to tag back my hair.
“But its sunny outside,’ I ignored Reed’s comment.
“Mr. and Mrs. Valiente I’m so happy to finally meet you but I need to go. I’m picking up my parents at the airport and I wouldn’t want to keep them waiting,” I was already turning to disappear from this house.
“It’s Okay. Let me grab my coat and I will drive you,” Dominic offered.
“No. It’s fine. You still have that meeting remember?” I didn’t wait for his argument before I bolted out of the building.
Why did it feel like I just missed death by a tiny strand of hair? The moment I was safely inside a taxi I exhaled in relief. It was hard to believe that I had been a freaking bunch of nerves earlier all because of one filthy rich asshole. I combed my hair using my fingers and crossed my fingers that my face wasn’t much of a mess either. It was only when I stepped out of the cab did I remember that I had not carried my purse with me. In my hurry to get away I had completely forgotten to ask Dominic for my purse. But to hell, if I have to go back into that mansion no matter how ridiculously big and breathtaking it was.
“Gosh! I’m really sorry but can you-“
“Nicky Wilde,” The cab driver, an old man of about fifty years or so suddenly cut me off.
“Yes?” I frowned.
“You are the author of Loving Twice. My wife loves that book and has been dying to meet you,” he gushed as I fought the urge to burst into tears. Talking about my books brought about the unwanted feeling of nostalgia.
“I’m sorry but I don’t write anymore. I took a break but hopefully soon enough I could get back into it,” I swallowed the bitter lump of the hard, cold truth.
“Don’t worry you are still my wife’s and recently my daughter’s favorite author. You don’t need to pay me. The fact that you sat in my taxi is honor enough,” I was overwhelmed and tempted to hug him but refrained.
“Thank you so much and I will never forget this small favor Mr.…” I trailed off.
“Emmanuel Cortez,” he smiled brightly flashing a perfect set of pearl white teeth.
I rushed inside the gate to where my brother and I lived. Sure it was different houses but our sibling bond was too strong to stay far away from each other. Instead, we had ended up occupying the houses next to each other. I rang the bell to Julian’s house and in two minutes he opened the door, his bed hair a tousled mess.
“Oh my God! You are a total wreck,” he muttered.
“Morning to you too and you look very ravishing,” I commented sarcastically while pushing past him plopping down on the couch.
“Seriously what happened to you? Your hair is a frigging mess and you still have your clothes from yesterday,” he sat across me, his brows furrowed in question.
“I should be asking you about what happened. Last I remember we were drinking to my job loss and the next thing I wake up in is …Dominic’s bed,” Even mentioning his name sent icy quivers down my spine.
“Really? That’s I…Um,’ he scratched back of his head, his gaze falling away from me.
“Julian?” I narrowed my eyes at him as I sat upright.
‘I couldn’t say no plus he made a promise that he won’t harm you in any way,” he blurted out.
“You let him take me? Jesus Julian. He is in the Mafia or are you forgetting that?”
“What the hell is going on here? And Nicole why are you shouting so early in the morning?” My gaze whipped to my mother who was rubbing the sleepiness off her eyes.
“They arrived yesterday night,” Julian explained my obvious shock.
“We weren’t expecting you in at least another two to three hours,” Mum went on.
“What? Why would you say that?” I question, surprised.
“Come on Honey. We already know where you were and trust me your Dad and I are very much happy for you,”
“Mum, what are you talking about?” Julian couldn’t have…I turned to Julian my eyes widening in disbelief.
“I didn’t say anything,” his surprised expression mirrored my own.
“Then how did you know?”
She was about to answer but the bell rung as we all glanced towards it. Julian opened it and as though my day couldn’t any worse Dominic graced our presence, his lean, athletic self-striding towards us. His movement was taped in slow motion, as fear crept in every living cell of my body. All I could think was my mother and my first instinct was to rush to her side so as to protect this from this guy but somehow I seemed frozen where I stood. All I could do was feel my breath hitch as he got closer to me, an arrogant smirk falling off his lips. My own saliva felt like a huge bitter lump stuck in my throat. When his warm lips touched the right side of my cheek I hissed loudly through my teeth hoping he would just leave me alone and if possible just disappear altogether.
- Writer
