Chapter 9 RULE #8 Don’t make a scene. #2
He lifts me up and grinds hard between my legs. “I want to fuck you. I want to pound all my fucking frustrations out on you with this dress draped on you. I want to tear Liam and Ollie’s eyes out because they watch what is mine. Is this what you wanted?”
Before I could answer, he leans forward and pinches my nipple.
I moan because the pain shoots right down to my pussy. My fingers dig into his shoulder. He pushes my dress up.
“Roman…” He stops, his hand resting on my thigh.
I hear a clicking of shoes.
“Where are those two lovebirds?” Elizabeth asks.
Someone chuckles, and a voice that is definitely Tillie says, “I think they may have gone upstairs.”
“Those two better come downstairs or else.”
“You’re right, or else it’s curtains, curtains for them both.
I fold my lips, trying to hold in my laugh, as Roman lets me down. I straighten my dress. He steps out from behind the curtains first, and then me. Just in time to see Elizabeth and Tillie coming back down the stairs.
“There you are; everyone is here but Tessa.” Elizabeth fusses with her dark blue dress when she reaches the last stair.
“You were looking for us?” Roman asks.
“Yes, Son. My nerves are wrecked. This is the quiet before the storm since 100 wedding guests will be descending upon us tomorrow,” Elizabeth says as she leads the way back to the dining room.
Roman, Tillie, and I walk side by side.
Tillie smirks and points. “Roman, there is some lint stuck in your hair. Where did you get that from?”
Roman ignores her and passes his hand through his hair.
We enter the dining room, and each of us finds our designated seat.
“Where is your fiancée, loser?” Ollie asks Liam, who is in turn frowning down at his phone.
“She says we can eat without her; she is some minutes away.”
“So be it.” Cliff nods as the servers place our first course down. It’s a charred romaine lettuce, topped with shaved parmesan, toasted pine nuts, and lemon anchovy vinaigrette.
I crunch, enjoying the salty, vinegary taste of the salad.
“You like it?” Tillie asks.
I nod as I continue to chew.
The conversation flows around me as I think about the text Roman sent me. Maybe he wanted to formally end the contract. For some reason, that makes my heart flutter. I don’t want us to end, but if he wants to end it, I will walk away.
“Hey, you okay?” Roman bumps my elbow with his.
“Yes,” I reply. A heavy feeling of dread settles over me, and I glance around the table to see if anyone is feeling it too. Everyone is eating, talking, and drinking.
“Princess?” Roman whispers, his eyebrows furrowed.
Just as I am about to answer, Tessa comes in wearing a stunning slim-fitted dress, and it is shimmering. Not in a tacky showgirl-in-Las Vegas sort of way. No, it fits her body like a glove, and sequins catch bits of light, making the dress look like she is covered in diamonds.
“Hi, everyone,” Tessa says with a huge smile on her face. She steps to the other side of the table between Cliff and Elizabeth with a folder in her hand.
She throws her bouncy hair over her shoulder and stares directly at Roman. I feel like someone turned down the thermostat. A chill runs down my spine. Something is wrong. My hand lands onto Roman’s thigh, trying to steady myself.
“I am so sorry for being late. I had to pick up a very important guest. Come in, honey,” Tessa says.
Not a lot of women take my breath away, but Anushka has the ability to do that to most people.
“Anushka,” I whisper, watching the dazzling woman stride into the room in a red strapless satin dress.
The table drops quiet; all are stunned by Anushka.
“Oh, shit,” Tillie mutters.
When her icy blue eyes meet mine, she smiles brightly. That’s another thing; Anushka is unbelievably nice.
She rushes toward me. “Noelle?”
I push back my chair and stand, awaiting her hug. “Hi, honey.”
Anushka pulls me in “Hi lovey. What are you doing here? I got hired by Tessa. I’m here to meet an Ollie-.”
Before she can say more, I turn to her. “This is Roman Voss.”
I hope she gets the hint. Anushka’s eyes widen as the confusion settles over her face.
“What are you doing here, Elle?”
“I will tell you what she is doing here.” Tessa walks down the side of the table, stopping by Liam. “I thought it only right that the family meet the woman Roman originally intended to bring. Since there is some confusion.”
Roman stands slowly. “Tessa, this is not the way.”
She shrugs. “No, Roman, it is. Remember when I came in to talk to you?”
“When I rejected you,” Roman sneers.
Liam looks between Roman and Tessa.
“Potato, potahto. You left your laptop open with the contract. So I read it, and now I think everyone should as well.”
Cliff wipes his mouth and stands. “What is going on?”
“I don’t want anyone else to be misled by Roman’s relationship before the wedding…or his lack of.” She smirks.
Anushka’s hands become cold. “I think you have something wrong.”
Tessa shakes her head. “Oh no, I read the contract. You should too.”
She opens her file and rests a stack of papers on Liam’s side. “Take one and pass it around.”
Elizabeth frowns as she reads the papers. “What is this?”
Roman’s fist clenches at his side. “Tessa, that is enough.”
“No, it’s not. You hired a prostitute to pretend to be your fiancée.”
Anushka steps forward. “She is not a prostitute. She is a coordinator.”
“She is a fucking liar. She is not Roman’s real fiancée. He paid her to act like she was.” Tessa laughs. “This is all a fucking act.”
Elizabeth gasps, Cliff frowns as he continues to read the contract, and Liam’s jaw rocks.
Tillie sips her wine. “Sit down and stop this, Tessa.”
“No, Tillie, no. Roman can sit down, or he can explain to us all why he is paying someone to act like they love him!” Tessa shouts. Her voice is filled with venom.
I want to throw up and crawl into a deep, dark hole and hide.
“Noelle is my fiancée,” Roman proclaims.
“Pfft, please, Roman; she is not.”
I push my shoulders back. “Tessa, please stop. You don’t understand.”
Tessa tilts her head and pouts. “I do understand; in fact, page three of this slut contract says it all.”
Liam stands. “What the hell are you doing?”
Tessa recoils in shock. “She is not his real fiancée.”
Liam pushes back his chair. “Tessa, stop.”
“No. This is not right, Liam.” She slaps the folder on the table.
Roman scoffs. “Because I rejected you two days ago, you are trying to use Noelle as a punching bag for your grief.”
Tessa’s lips tremble. “Fuck you, Roman. That’s what she is, a hired punching bag.”
I move closer to the edge of the table. “Go ahead and throw your first punch then; it’s about to be your last.”
Cliff stands. “Everyone, stop. Liam, get Tessa under control.”
Tessa whips her head around. “Control who?” She backs away from the table, and a scowl covers her face. “Why the fuck are we ignoring that he hired a slut to act as his fiancée?”
ROMAN
“Because I’d rather be married to a slut than be married to you.” Rage was coursing through my body.
Liam presses his hand down on the dinner table. “Don’t shout at my girl, Rom.”
I don’t know if it was the alcohol or the fact that I feel like I am losing control over the situation. “You mean my girl. As is the fucking norm, Liam. You always want whatever I have.”
Liam grips the linen on the table and whispers, “Fuck you.”
“That’s your M.O., isn’t it? Always taking what you can’t fucking have!” I shout. In my peripherals, I can see Anushka ushering Noelle away. Good, she doesn’t need to be here for this.
“My M.O.? I didn’t take it from you, Roman. You are always leaving, running, walking the fuck away. Running to work, to your fucking office, moving to another fucking city.”
Liam pushes his chair further away. “The company, the family, Tessa. You just walk away.”
His words begin to irritate me. “Shut up, Liam.”
“Boys,” my mother pleads.
“No, Mom; he needs to know. You always walk away, leaving everything and everyone in shambles, and I am the fucking one here! Picking up whatever you dropped, piecing together whatever you fucking broke.” Liam wipes his face.
“That’s not stealing, you cunt; that’s me cleaning up after your coward ass. ”
Something inside me snaps. I leap over the table, diving on my baby brother. A fist connects with his face, and I feel satisfaction when I hear a crunch.
“Clean this up, motherfucker.” I sit on his chest, delivering one more punch, but he hits me on the side of my ear, and I fall to the floor.
Someone screams, and I deliver two more blows to his side before I am dragged off of him.
My father and mother are instantly down by his side. Tillie and Ollie are pulling me back. Anger surges through me as I watch them coddle him.
“All of you are the fucking same!” I shout. Tillie and Ollie try to hold me back. “Rom, stop.” Tillie whispers.
I pull away from her, and I stand over them. “I didn’t walk away from a mess. I refused to live in a house built on fucking lies!”
My father rises slowly, and he steps in front of my mother and Liam like he was protecting them…from me.
“Stop, Roman.”
“No, since we want to dwell in a trust circle. Let’s air it out. Grandpa was fucking Mom, and you acted like it was okay.”
I hear a gasp. My father’s nose flares.
“What, Dad? Cat got your tongue? I walked in on them, and when I told you, you acted like you were okay with it. Who is the coward now?”
The room drops in silence.
“Get out,” my father murmurs.
I laugh. It’s like I can’t stop myself. “Oh, so now you want me gone. Is Liam yours or Grandpa’s?”
Something like a brick connects with my face.
“Cliff, no!” My mother screams.
I stumble back, and Tillie and Ollie catch me.
I stand, shrugging off my cousins’ hands. I wipe the side of my mouth, seeing blood on my fingertips.
“Yeah. I will see you in maybe ten years. Maybe by then, we will know if Liam is yours or not.”
“Get the fuck out!” My father trembles, and my mother stands up, pressing herself to the wall.