Chapter 2 - My Husband's Best Friend
1357 Words
So, when Robert woke up, he found himself somewhere else, not that room. The sun hit his face, and it was too bright for him. It had been a horrible night for her, a terrifying first time with a guy who didn't give a damn about her.
When she got up, her legs, stomach, and, well, everything hurt. She noticed the blood stain on the sheets, freaked out, and rushed to the bathroom. A hot shower, tears streaming down her face, trying to wash away any trace of Robert Graham. But it was a futile attempt.
Her hips and back ached too. He didn't show an ounce of gentleness, just possessed her. Consummating the marriage, but in the worst possible way.
She stepped out of the shower, looked at herself in the mirror. A bruise on her side, marks on her neck from where he kissed and bit her like some kind of beast. His hands were rough, just like everything else about him. Alice couldn't stop crying.
Dressed, she headed downstairs for breakfast. Surprise, surprise - her husband and Jared Sinclair, her best friend, were both there.
The guy she actually loved.
Alice wanted to turn around and flee, not ready to see the love of her life with her husband. But it was too late. Jared's green eyes locked onto her, and recognizing her, he got up to greet her.
"Jared," she said super timidly. Alice lowered her gaze, kinda embarrassed thinking about Jared while her husband was claiming her. Seeing him now made her blush like crazy. She'd thought of him, and now that she saw him, she was blushing excessively, her cheeks on fire. "Good morning."
"Good morning, Alice," he gave her a little peck on the cheek, immediately spotting the marks on her neck. Feeling his eyes there, Alice covered her neck with her hand, and her eyes welled up. He could see the marks from her wedding night, and that almost made her cry. "Congratulations on your wedding," he said in a low tone, taking a few steps back and keeping his distance.
"I didn't see you there. I thought you might come." She commented, even though she hadn't invited him. But she knew Robert had, given they were best friends.
She'd felt relieved he didn't show up, but now she was just mortified to unexpectedly see him that morning, especially after what she'd done the night before with her new husband.
"I was out of the country," Jared replied. "Couldn't change my schedule to attend your wedding, but I'm happy for both of you. How are you? Joining us for breakfast too?"
"Yeah, but don't worry, I'll grab another table. I'm sure you guys have things to talk about," she said.
"Absolutely not! Come." He took her hand and guided her to the table. With that touch from Jared, Alice felt a strong tingling in her hand and her stomach. "Sit with us. I just came to apologize for missing your wedding. But Robert tells me everything went swimmingly, which makes me very happy for both of you." He pulled out the chair, and she sat, facing Robert and next to Jared.
"Shame you weren't there. Just realized you already knew my wife," Robert said coldly, eyeing both of them. Sweet Alice knowing his best friend was a revelation to him.
"Who doesn't know the lovely Alice Taylor?" Jared replied. "We went to the same university. She was quite popular, like all her sisters who also attended."
"Ah, got it. The popular Alice Taylor," he feigned sympathy in front of his friend, but all Robert could think about was who the man was that his wife loved, now stuck in his head. "Were you two close in college?"
"I was like her older brother, looked out for her. But then I graduated before her, lost touch for a while. Been busy with work, you know, Robert."
"You never told me about her," Robert said, finding that strange.
"And you never told me you were planning to marry her," Jared shot back. Caught him off guard; he never thought Alice would marry so young, be engaged to Robert, or have anything in common with him.
"It was sudden," he admitted. More like an obligation, something neither of them wanted to admit. "But here I am, tied to a Taylor. Isn't it wonderful?" he asked, smirking and focusing on his wife's eyes.
"Man, it's like every guy's fantasy, right?"
"Not mine," he said, taking a sip of his coffee and glancing at his wife. The marks on her neck, the way she sat, the shape of her face, how elegant she was—her breasts showing under that fabric, and those full lips. "But here I am, hitched to her. What do you think, Jared?"
"You're a damn lucky man."
"Think so? I reckon there's a luckier guy than me, right, Alice?" he gestured to the person Alice Taylor had the hots for.
"Well, I think it's time to bounce, Alice," he said, getting up and reaching out to his wife.
"But she hasn't eaten anything yet," Jared chimed in. "Go ahead, I'll escort her to your room's door, don't worry. I'll take good care of her."
"Alright, but don't drag it out. We've got a packed schedule today. It's our honeymoon! Gonna savor every moment with my wife," he left a hand on her face, his thumb tracing her lips as he spoke.
Once Robert left, Alice felt more at ease, less on edge, but equally awkward.
"I'm still blown away, Alice," he confessed, genuinely surprised. "You tied the knot outta nowhere, with my best bud. What's wild is neither of you spilled the beans to me. Was it some kinda secret? He never mentioned a thing."
"It was... unexpected," she said, nervously rubbing her hands now that they were alone without Robert.
"I had no clue you were head over heels for Robert. Hell, I didn't even know you two knew each other," something didn't add up for him, and he'd been mulling it over since Robert spilled the beans about marrying Alice Taylor. "When I got that wedding invite, I was dumbfounded to find out it was you getting hitched to Robert. It was... confusing."
When Jared first met Alice, she was the baby of his sisters, but due to her smarts, she was already in university. He always looked out for her, not just like an older brother, as he claimed earlier, but with a whole lot more. Alice was young, and he was eight years her senior, while Robert was ten years older.
Now she was all grown up, married to another man—his best friend. Alice Taylor wasn't just an impossible woman for him; she was also a f*******n one.
He wasn't just surprised by her wedding; he felt a twinge of pain, especially because it was his best bud marrying the woman he loved. Now they were husband and wife, shutting the door on any chance for Jared Sinclair, considering Alice lost forever.
Alice was hurting, being by his side and married to another man, but Jared had no clue about Alice's feelings for him. He believed she was in love with Robert.
"Sorry, I think I should take off. Robert's probably waiting for me," he said, standing up and escorting her to the elevator. He couldn't handle the tension and the ache in his chest while being with his beloved.
"I hope you're happy," he wished her as the elevator doors closed. Deep down, Jared was hurting—hurting because she was now off-limits.
With tears welling up, she cried, composing herself before reaching the room.
"We gotta catch a flight in an hour," Robert said the moment he saw her walk in. "Gonna make the most of our honeymoon. Somehow, I'll make you forget about that other guy you claim to love. And trust me, I'll find out who he is. When I do, I'll show myself to him and let him know you're mine, and you'll never, ever stop being mine, Alice Taylor. My possession can't love someone else. You'll see."
- Writer
