FORBIDDEN FRUIT

• four •

Atticus

The phone rings.

My wife is blowing up my phone.

But I don't pick up. Because when you ghost your wife, it's a rule that you don't receive her calls or respond to her texts. Infact, I should block her. Block her on everything. That would be the smart thing to do.

I crawl out of bed and drag myself to the bathroom.

I turn on the shower and stand there for a long time, thinking about her. Not my wife. The sèxy stranger.

She's been on my mind since the second I saw her at the club. We spent a few hours together but I think those were the best few hours I've had in a long time. That's why it sucked breaking her heart. I could see the dark desire in her eyes. I could see the hard n*****s through her skimpy little dress. I could see how bad she wanted me to fùck her.

But I'm not easy.

So I said NO. And I watched her tears spill over her eyes. And her heart crash into pieces. And in that moment, I knew that I had made the right choice.

Sèxy Stranger didn't want to have a one night stand with me. She just wanted to do it as a distraction from whatever she was going through in her personal life. An escape from her sadness. A distraction from her demons. And I couldn't let her go through with her plan. Especially not when she was drunk. I knew she would regret it in the morning.

I knew she would regret me.

So, I tucked her in bed and she immediately passed out. I stayed in bed, next to her. Staring at her beautiful face. I was in awe of her beauty. And I'm sure if she woke up in that moment, she would think I'm some creep.

I turn off the shower.

Thought the water would wash her away from my mind. But I was clearly wrong. I can't stop thinking about her. She's like a stain on my mind. And I keep thinking about her beautiful eyes. And her beautiful lips. And her beautiful body. And her beautiful àss…

I step out of the shower.

I wonder if she's woken up yet. I wonder if she was mad waking up in bed alone. I wonder if she was mad that I ghosted her after leaving her with blue balls last night.

But atleast we'll never meet again. Atleast our paths will never cross again. She'll get over the disappointment real quick and forget I ever existed. I hope the same happens with me. I hope I forget she ever existed. And I hope it happens real quick.

Because she's been doing marathons in my mind.

And I'm tired.

I put on my white t-shirt. It smells like her. I pull on my ripped jeans. I remember her soft hands placed on them in the cab. And that's when it hits me. My green sweater. She still has my green sweater. I'm sure she's so mad that she's already dumped my green sweater in the bin. Fùck. It was my favourite sweater.

My phone rings.

It's not my wife this time. Thank God. I should really block her. What the fùck am I waiting for?

It's my brother.

Ace.

•••

It's afternoon.

I stop outside the lavish restaurant.

I shove my hands in the pockets of my jeans, walking through the glass doors. I feel out of place in my ripped jeans when everyone here is dressed in dashing suits and expensive watches.

I spot Ace in the far corner of the restaurant. He blends well with the classy crowd. Dressed in a dashing suit and tie.

I stop and stare at him, taking him in.

He looks so much like mother. His soft brown eyes. His long brown hair. I haven't seen him for ten years now and he's all grown up. But strangely, he still looks like the fifteen year old boy that shared so much resemblance with our mother.

He looks up.

He sees me. Stares at me. Taking me in.

His lips c***k into a little smile and he stands, waving at me.

I smile back, waving at him. Walking towards him.

I was going for a hug but he stops me and shakes my hand instead.

Ouch!

After ten years of not seeing each other, I was hoping for a hug. But he only gives me a handshake.

I sink on the leather seat.

The waiter takes our orders and walks away.

“Good afternoon, Atticus.”

Good afternoon? That's how he greets me after ten years of not seeing each other? Good afternoon? It's so formal and so flat and so fùcking feelingless. That's not how brothers greet each other after ten years of not seeing each other. Ten years of not talking to each other.

“Good afternoon, Ace.” I grin. “How have you been?”

“Good.” He smiles a tight smile. “And you?”

“Good.” I smile back. “Married?”

I spot the ring on his finger.

“Yes.” He says sharply. “Happily married.”

People who say they are happily married are never happily married. They are miserably married. But the little smile on my brother's face proves otherwise. He's indeed happily married. And I want to know her. The woman who makes my little brother happy. I want to meet her and know her and thank her for keeping my brother happy.

“But we're not here to talk about my happy marriage.” He says sternly. “We're here to talk about business.”

A few days ago, I was shocked to see his email. For ten years, we'd never been in contact. But he reached out through email and said he wanted to discuss business. I couldn't say NO. And not because I care about the business or the company. It's because I care about my little brother. And I missed him. I terribly missed him.

“The company is going bankrupt.” Ace announces. “A couple of investors have pulled out.”

Silence stretches between us.

“You're a billionaire now.” He says. “I would appreciate it if you could come in as an investor.”

Another long silence stretches, tension building between us.

“Yes.” I say. “I'll be honored to be an investor in your company.”

The waiter returns with a cup of coffee and croissants that look like they taste like shìt. Ace knows how much I hate croissants but he still ordered them for me. Maybe he forgot the foods I hate. Ten years is enough to forget.

“I will be an investor.” I sip the coffee. “But only on one condition.”

“What condition?”

“Live in your house.” I say. “Be your roommate.”

•••

A gorgeous glasshouse.

A gorgeous glasshouse mixed with wood.

A gorgeous glasshouse mixed with wood surrounded by a forest of trees.

I stand staring at the work of art. Architects should get a little more praise for the masterpieces they create. And my little brother has impeccable taste.

“Is this house the reason you're bankrupt?”

Ace suppresses a smile and rolls his eyes, walking toward the front porch.

“I would go bankrupt just to live in a house like this.”

“Congratulations!” He smirks. “You'll be living here rent-free.”

I follow him to the front porch.

The door swings open. His wife throws her hands allover him. What a warm welcome from a wonderful wife!

When she pulls back and our eyes meet, my heart stops. My whole world stops. Oh. My. Fùcking. God.

Sèxy Stranger is standing infront of me.

She's wearing my green sweater. Matched with little denim shorts.

“Meet my brother, Atticus.”

She stretches her hand to me, staring me dead in the eye.

“Meet my wife, Adaline.”

I shake her hand. It's shaking. And my hand is shaking too.

My heart is pounding loudly. So loud that I almost don't hear it when Ace chirps.

“Welcome home!”

••••