15. Verity
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Verity
O ne moment I feel as though things are going to be ok - and then next we are back at each other’s throats.
I’m going crazy.
I don’t know how much more of this I can take.
I don’t want to fight with Red, but he’s not understanding me. He doesn’t get it. He doesn’t understand the intensity of my anger towards him.
I sigh, sitting on the edge of the second last step of the long staircase that leads upstairs.
Maybe if I could find a different way to explain it to him.
If I could make him see it from my point of view.
What is my point of view?
It’s about him marrying me —
“Dammit.” I shout, standing up suddenly and marching back and forth in the foyer.
I’ve been looping with these damn thoughts for so long now that I don’t even think I can put them into words anymore.
All I am sure of, is that I’m angry.
Angry because I’m married?
Yes, sure.
Angry because he forced me to marry him?
No, not quite. Because even though I was drunk he didn’t force me - did he? I guess I can’t answer that because I didn’t put much effort into trying not to get married on that night.
So, then I’m angry because I’m a prisoner here.
That’s it.
Although - if I left, my father would ship me off to Europe, and I’d be a prisoner in a far worse situation.
“Fuck.” I say, hearing my voice echo against the high ceilings.
If I’m really honest with myself, then none of this is his fault - but at the same time all if it is his fault.
If I hadn’t met Rufino Vece, I would just be carrying on with my life the way I always have been. Partying with my friends. Having fun. Without a care in the world.
Is that what I want?
The same monotonous thing over and over again. Because that’s what was happening. I was already getting bored with parties. I’d push the limits, craving something more.
Craving him.
Maybe - I got exactly what I asked for.
“Are you going to pace up and down the foyer all day?” He asks, leaning against the wall with his arms folded over his broad chest.
“If you let me go I could pace up and down the mall instead?” I say mockingly.
“Verity - please don’t start.” He sighs heavily.
“Start what? Complaining that I’m not even allowed outside? People need sunshine to survive. It’s a fact. You are murdering me by not letting me go outside and feel the sun on my skin. Vitamin D is a real thing.”
He rolls his eyes.
“Alright, I’m murdering you. I’m the worst person in the world. I get it.”
“Well, that’s the first thing you’ve said since I got here that sounds true.”
“Ugh.” He huffs. “I am so fucking over this. Maybe I will let you go. Is that what you want? To walk out of this door. To go back to your father?”
My stomach twists into the tightest knot and my heart stalls in my rib cage. What if he kicked me out and force me to go home?
Fuck.
The fear running through me becomes ominous and dark.
Then the truth slams into me like a brick wall.
A hundred miles an hour.
I wouldn’t leave even if he let me.
But what if he didn’t give me a choice?
Fuck.
“That’s not the point. This whole mess is your fault.” I snarl, desperate to change the subject.
“My fault?” He says in exasperation. “You walked up to me in the club that night - in case you don’t remember - you kissed me.”
“And you could have left it at that. You didn’t have to invite me home with you afterwards.”
“You didn’t have to come home with me afterwards.” He shouts.
“You didn’t have to make me marry you.” I yell back at him.
“Oh here we go again.” He throws his hands in the air in annoyance.
I don’t want to look at him right now because all I want to do is slap him. I’m so angry I don’t know where to direct it or how to deal with it.
I storm from the foyer and march into the living room.
But he follows me.
“When are you going to stop blaming me and start taking some responsibility for the role you played in all of this, Verity?”
“Leave me alone.” I snap.
“No.” He replies defiantly.
“Leave. Me. Alone.” I shout, picking up a pillow from the sofa and throwing it at him.
He catches it mid air and storms towards me, taking long terrifying strides.
He lifts me off my feet and throws me onto the sofa, pinning me down with his body.
“If you want to play rough we can play rough, fire cracker.”
He’s got my arms pinned behind my back, so I lift my head and bite him on the shoulder.
“Ow.” He yells grabbing my throat and pushing my head back into the sofa.
I cry out, kick my legs, and Rufino positions himself so that my legs wrap around his hips.
I can feel how hard his cock is - pressing against my pussy.
My heart races a million miles an hour.
He pushes harder against me, rubbing himself between my legs.
I spread my legs open wider and lift my hips towards him. Adrenaline from anger quickly turns to fiery desire.
Rufino leans close to my face and presses his lips against mine.
The kiss sends sharp bolts of electricity shooting through my body.
Out of nowhere, we are tearing clothes off each other in desperation to be skin on skin. I want his body on mine. I want to be as close to him as possible.
He wraps his arm around the back of my hips and lifts my pussy up towards him.
When his cock slides into me I gasp with pleasure.
He moves slow but pushes deep into me. The undulating dance of his hips thrusting his cock inside me and making my body shudder as I let go of my anger and give myself to him.
His cock stretches me open and throbs inside me.
I wouldn’t leave him.
He could hand me the keys to his car and open the front door for me - I wouldn’t leave him.
Rufino speeds up, pushing his hips faster and harder, grunting with effort every time he slams into me.
The soft moans that are falling from my lips seem to make him harder, more excited.
I scratch my nails over his biceps, down his arm and he spreads his fingers wide, threading them through mine he pins my hand above my head.
My legs shake, and he grabs my ankle and lifts it above his shoulder, folding me so that he can push deeper into me.
It is my final undoing.
My pussy clamps tightly over his cock and I come all over him.
He explodes inside me with a low growl and a hard thrust, closing his eyes for a moment and breathing heavily.
Red lies down on top of me, his head resting on the pillow next to mine. Then he rolls and pulls me with him, onto his chest.
Neither of us speaks.
Our breathing is synchronized. I am at peace here with him in this moment and for the life of me I can’t figure out why we’ve been fighting the entire time.
I sigh softly, wanting to share my heart with him but knowing that the moment I open my mouth I’m going to say the wrong thing and we’ll end up in another argument.
He strokes his hand down the back of my head, his fingers brushing through my hair.
He sighs as well.
How can it be that we are feeling the same things but unable to express them to each other?
We are so alike in so many ways it’s confusing.
“My love.” He whispers.
“Mm?”
He takes a deep breath, choosing his words carefully as I would want to choose mine.
“This whole situation is not ideal. It’s not the most perfect way we could have started our journey together - the marriage - it - um - it scares me too. But it’s only a small part of everything else. The most important thing - and maybe the only things that matters in all of this - is that I want to be with you, Verity. I can’t lose you. It all happened so fast. I fell hard. My heart never wants to let you go. That’s what matters.”
I listen. Not interrupting or telling him he’s wrong for a change.
I just wait, taking in his words and then thinking them through to understand them.
He continues to stroke his fingers through my hair while I lie with my head on his chest.
I soak in his scent, his warmth, his energy.
Finally, when he might be close to thinking I will never reply, I prop myself up with my chin resting on fingers.
“We’ve been idiots.” I smile softly.
He grins.
“We have been idiots.” He nods.
“I want to be with your too, Red. I got freaked out about the whole being married thing. I focused on it too much and didn’t step back and look at the complete picture. Or I did - but I was too angry to accept it. I understand why you married me. And it makes sense.”
I see the half smirk creeping onto his lips.
I shake my head at him. “If you dare say ‘I told you so’ you are going to be in so much trouble.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” He chuckles, still fighting to hide the giant smirk or triumph.
Wiggle closer to his face I press my lips against his, then whisper “Can we start over? Pretend like you are just bringing me home for the first time?”
Out of nowhere he sits up, with his arms wrapped around me he lifts me right off the sofa and carries me to the front door. He pulls the handle down and kicks it open then steps out onto the front step.
He sets me down next to him.
We are both buck naked standing at the door, and I can’t stop laughing.
He pushes the door open from the outside and gestures for me to go in. “Welcome to your home, our home. Let me give you a tour. You are going to especially love the custom rain storm shower I had installed and the high end coffee machine.”
I am laughing so hard I can barely walk straight.
“Is there a heated pool?” I ask, encouraging his games.
“And a jacuzzi and out back we have a state-of-the-art sauna and an air-conditioned sun room with a gym.”
“Are you kidding me - all this time there was a gym? If I don’t work out I go a little crazy?” I laugh.
“Wow - I wish you’d told me that earlier. We could have avoided all of this drama.” He scoops me up into his arms and wraps my legs around his waist.
I giggle as he presses his lips against mine.
“We both aren’t the type of people who would have chosen marriage, because we are both such free spirits. But I love you, Verity and I know you love me too. So, we can make this work.”
I run my fingers up the back of his thick neck, threading them through his dark red hair. “We can make this work. I’m sorry I was difficult.” I smile, kissing him again.
“I really love your bad attitude.” He grins.
“You really shouldn’t encourage me.” I giggle.