Until the Ink Dries

Prologue

I sat at the vanity in the bathroom of our suite, applying my makeup. Tonight was the annual charity dinner thrown by my boyfriend’s family and I was low key dreading going. I hated these things. It was never anything but a bunch of stuck up rich folks taking turns flaunting their money for a “good cause.”

Sure, they were donating to charity, but the cost of their attire was often just as expensive as the checks they were writing. It was basically a fashion show. The looks would be talked about more than the good they were doing and the thought of being a part of that always disgusted me.

Here I was, sitting in an expensive dress with even more expensive jewels, when the money spent could have gone to a family in need. When my boyfriend told me I didn’t need to pack a dress because he’d already had one for me, I should have known he went all out.

I’d been dating Ellis Thompson for two years now and at this point, I was on the fence about continuing this relationship. True, I cared about him. I even loved him, but I felt so much of the woman I was drifting away to become a woman he wanted me to be.

A woman that he could present to society and his parents. Status seemed to be so important to him, especially in the eyes of his mother. The woman never liked me. She found flaws in everything about me and never had a problem saying it to my face in a nice-nasty way.

There was nothing I could do to please her or be good enough for her son. It bothered me when it shouldn’t because I’d always been a very likable person. I was friendly and could talk to anybody. Even that had changed about me lately. I’d found myself becoming closed off and isolated because I just couldn’t deal with people anymore.

“Baby, are you almost ready?” Ellis asked from the other side of the bathroom door.

“Just a minute!” I called.

I sighed heavily as I put the finishing touches on and stared at myself in the mirror. Even I had to admit that I looked good. The dress he’d chosen was a beautiful burnt orange, mermaid style gown that hugged my curves. The bust was covered in sequins, and it flowed all the way to the floor.

My hair was straightened and sleek, styled into a classy top knot. Diamond studs adorned my ears while a diamond necklace and bracelet complimented it. I’d done a light, natural beat for my makeup and added some mink lashes to bring it all together.

This was all Ellis, not me.

Sleek. Poised. Well put together.

A fucking trophy.

With a deep sigh, I left the bathroom and headed back into the bedroom. After filling my clutch with my essentials, I made my way into the living room area. Ellis stood at the bar, pouring himself a drink. The sound of my heels clicking across the floor caused him to turn around.

He smiled at me. “Did I do good or what?” he asked, coming to meet me in the center of the room.

“It’s nice,” I said flatly.

“Come on, Willow. Have a better attitude than that. Look, I know you don’t like these things, but I need you at my side.”

“I’m here, Ellis. Are you ready to go?”

I tried to walk past him to the door, but he gently grabbed my arm.

“Baby.”

With a roll of my eyes, I turned back to him. “Yes?”

“You know I love you, right?”

“I know.”

“I appreciate you being here. I know this isn’t really your scene, but it means the world to me that you’re at my side. Tonight is going to be special and we’re going to have an amazing time.”

Pulling me into his arms, he placed a kiss to my lips. He smiled as he took my hand and led me to the suite door so we could leave. As we took the walk to the elevator, I said a silent prayer that tonight would be good and go by fast.

* * *

Three hours.

That’s how long I’d been subjected to the snooty attitude of Dr. Marcia Thompson and her equally snooty friends. Ellis had left me at the table with them while he went to mingle. There wasn’t a single soul here that was in my circle, so I was forced to sit with these folks.

“You’re awfully quiet, Willow,” Mrs. Thompson observed.

“I really don’t have much to say.”

“Hmm. It’s rude to sit amongst company and be antisocial.”

“Mrs. Thompson, I’m not being antisocial. I’m choosing not to engage in conversation that bores me. I’ve never been one to talk for the sake of talking.”

She scoffed. “Then maybe you should find another table to sit at.”

I chuckled as I grabbed my clutch. “You’ve said nothing but a word.”

I pushed the chair back and stood to my feet. I didn’t want to be here, and I was over trying to please this old bitch. I could hear them mumbling as I walked away from the table. The bar was within reach when an arm slipped around my waist and pulled me back.

“You good, baby?” Ellis asked, spinning me around.

“I’ll be better once I have a drink.”

“How about you come with me? I have something for you.”

He didn’t give me a chance to protest before he was pulling me behind him through the sea of people. When I realized he was going for the stage, I tried to pull back.

“Ellis, what are you doing?” I asked.

“You’ll see.”

“Ellis, wait!”

My pleas fell on deaf ears as he continued to pull me toward the front. I clung to him for fear of tripping over my dress and falling flat on my face. He helped me up the steps and grabbed my hand as he made his way to the microphone.

“Excuse me. May I have everyone’s attention, please?”

The room settled and all eyes fell on us, including his mother. She held a scowl as she glared at me. I fought the urge to roll my eyes while on display for everyone to see.

“First, I want to thank you all for being here to celebrate the Thompson Family Charity Foundation’s annual benefit. Tonight’s contributions will go to so many families in need and that’s what we are all about… helping our community.”

As the crowd clapped in agreement, he looked over at me and smiled.

“Tonight is a special night for another reason, however. You see, I’ve had the pleasure of dating this beautiful woman here for two years. She is my perfect compliment, the light of my life, and I am so in love with her.”

I faked a smile as the crowd erupted in a sea of awwws. Inside, I was dying. I wanted nothing more than to run out of here.

“Willow Dawson, you are the woman of my dreams. I love you and I when I picture my future, I don’t see it with you as my girlfriend. I see it with you as my wife.”

Oh. My. God.

I screamed internally as he pulled a small box from his pocket and dropped down to one knee. Popping the box open, he presented me with a beautiful three carat, princess cut, diamond ring.

“Will you marry me, Willow? Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

My ears were ringing. This couldn’t be happening. Not here. Not now. A deafening silence fell as he waited for me to answer. I couldn’t embarrass him like was unknowingly embarrassing me right now. Everyone that knew him was in attendance. He would never live it down if I said no and I would be known as the woman that publicly broke the great Ellis Thompson’s heart.

So… I did the only thing I could do.

I nodded my head yes. The crowd cheered and he was all smiles as he slipped the ring on my finger and stood to his feet. His hands came to the side of my face and his lips crashed into mine. He kissed me passionately in front of everyone while inside, I was trying to formulate the words I had to say to him.

When he pulled away, he thanked the attendees once again and we left the stage. The bombarding of congratulations was overwhelming. I put on a smile and said thank you repeatedly. The moment we got a breather, I turned to Ellis.

“Baby, can we go somewhere quiet?” I asked sweetly.

He had this look on his face like he thought he was about to get lucky. I was about to burst his bubble. He nodded and grabbed my hand, leading me out of the hotel’s ballroom. We found an empty room and ducked inside. The moment the door closed, he was on me, kissing me and gripping various parts of my body.

“I can’t wait to marry you…” he declared, trying to take my dress off.

“Ellis… Ellis stop!”

He stepped back at the elevation of my voice and looked at me with a frown.

“What’s wrong?”

“We need to talk.”

“About?”

I held up my hand. “This. Ellis, what were you thinking?”

“I was thinking I wanted you to be my wife.”

“Why would you ask me here, though? In front of your parents, your friends, family, and colleagues? Ellis, none of the people I love are here. Did you even ask my father’s permission? Did you talk to him at all?”

He looked guilty. “No. I didn’t think it would matter as long as you were happy?—”

I scoffed. “It does matter. My loved ones being present for a beautiful moment like this mattered. You didn’t think about me at all. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised since everything is always about what you want.”

His brows furrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean? I think of you all the time, Willow.”

“No. You think of ways to make me into what you want. And your mother! God, don’t get me started on her. That woman hates me, and she always has. I’ll never be good enough for you in her eyes and I can’t compete with that.”

“What are you saying to me, Willow?”

“I’m saying…” I regretfully twisted the ring around on my finger before pulling it off. “I’m saying I can’t marry you. Not like this. I need a break, Ellis. I love you, but I need a break.”

I placed the ring back in his hand and turned to leave the room. He was quiet as he watched me leave. I could hear his footsteps behind me as I walked out of the room and down to the elevator, but I didn’t look back. I couldn’t.

Right now, I just needed to get my things and get the hell out of here.