Chapter 18
Nairie
The week leading up to the church banquet was hectic and bittersweet.
William was officially leaving the day after and was getting ready to make the journey back home.
The idea made both of us want to spend every waking minute together.
I thought of a million different ways to tell my parents, but I knew they’d be upset no matter what.
I decided the end of the night would be best so we could make an easy escape if need be.
I got to the banquet hall early to help set up.
Luckily Elspeth was coming with William, so he wouldn’t be alone while I got things in order.
The room was filled to the brim with people I had known since childhood.
There was Mrs. Aznivian, who had the worst farts in the whole congregation.
She usually liked to let them rip during the morning prayers, thinking nobody would be able to hear over the din of singing voices, but there was an unspoken agreement that everyone consciously ignored it.
I spotted Mr. Hartunian and his much younger mail-order bride. She always had a new Gucci purse to show off. A payment for being an eighty-year-old man’s plaything. I learned long ago that some people’s marriages worked better as business partnerships.
Hordes of kids wreaked havoc underneath the dining tables, their mischief shrouded by draped tablecloths while clusters of teens talked animatedly about the latest school gossip.
In the sea of familiar faces, William stood out immediately.
His silence was commanding as he scanned the crowd looking for me.
I noticed he was always in the habit of taking every exit and every loud noise into account.
He was wearing a collared shirt, the buttons loose, showing a hint of his strong chest and tattoos.
The blazer and slacks hugged him in all the right places, making him look like some damn cologne ad model.
The ones where the taglines said things like, “Effortless. Sexy. Le Cordon Bleu.”
My heart fluttered.
Elspeth was next to him, smiling wide and talking to some people she recognized. Since the pub was doing better, the stress that weighed on her had lifted, and I saw that same carefree Elle again.
I caught William’s eye, and he gave me a quick wink, but before I could go over, Mom pulled me into a group of other mothers.
They welcomed me loudly, clouds of perfume accosting my senses.
They enveloped me in tight hugs as they surveyed my body.
I was wearing a floral dress with a corset detail that made me feel like a sexy wench without being too inappropriate.
“Ladies, hasn’t my Nairie matured beautifully?” Mom said.
The lady to the right nodded vigorously. “Yes, she’d be perfect for my Raffi.”
The lady across from me cut in. “Raffi is dating that girl from the bakery. Nairie, Christian is the perfect boy for you: smart, funny, kind.”
The lady next to me chirped, “And bald. No, Nairie, you don’t want bald children. Here come, let me introduce you to Alex.”
She pulled me across the room in a firm grip, the talons of her acrylic nails digging deep into my upper arm. Before I could protest, Alex appeared with a wide smile and a creepy glint in his eye. He skipped a few buttons in his shirt so I could see his hairy potbelly protruding.
His greasy hand dropped a pita chip as he extended it toward me. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Before I could shake it, I made a quick excuse. “I’m so sorry, but there’s a kebab emergency in the kitchen.”
I made my escape but unfortunately bumped into David in the process.
The drink he was holding spilled over onto his hand, and he looked at me pointedly. “You have a tendency to spill things on me.”
I chewed my cheek in anger. “Excuse me.”
David looked over my shoulder, and I turned to see William giving him the death glare from afar. “Seems like that guy is never far behind when it comes to you.”
“My boyfriend is protective that way.” I crossed my arms.
David’s eyebrows rose. “Oh, you work fast.”
I was about to lay into him again, but he shushed me. Actually shushed me. “Calm down. It was just a joke, and your parents are about to approach, so I suggest you remain civil.”
Mom fawned over David. “I’m so glad you two were able to work things out. It’s so nice seeing you together.”
I was about to correct her when David chimed in. “Of course. It was just a little misunderstanding. Sometimes I can be blunt, and Nairie wasn’t used to it.”
David wrapped an arm around my shoulders and squeezed. Why the hell was he lying?
Mom started pushing on Baba’s arm. “Of course. We’ll leave you to it.”
I shrugged out of his embrace and looked at him suspiciously. “What the hell was that about?”
“Just trying to help. I assume your parents wouldn’t be too happy about you dating an outsider.”
“That’s none of your concern. I can take care of my parents myself.”
“Sorry.” He chuffed. “But once they find out, it’s not going to be pretty.” He winked at me and then looked over my shoulder again. “Speaking of. Your boyfriend doesn’t look too happy.”
David sauntered away, and I turned around to find William making a beeline toward me. Before I could explain, he swiftly held me by the elbow and walked me to an abandoned hallway. He found an open door to a storage room and locked us both inside, pinning me against the wall.
William stared intensely at me. “What was that about?”
I rolled my eyes. “He wanted to make you jealous, and it clearly worked.”
He trailed his nose along my throat. “Me? Jealous?” His deep voice rumbled softly in my ear. “What did he say?”
I wet my lips and controlled my breathing as William continued to trail his nose along my skin like an animal toying with his prey. “He made my parents think he and I were still seeing each other.”
“And did you correct him?”
“They left before I could tell them otherwise.”
William tutted. “That won’t do.”
I made a motion to turn the doorknob. “I’m sorry, you’re right. I’ll go tell them right now.”
William’s hot mouth latched onto my neck, and he bit down hard enough to leave a mark. “Ah-ah. Before you go to them, I want to hear it from you first.”
“Wh-what?”
“I want to hear you say your mine.”
I was so turned on that I felt like my body was on autopilot. He lifted me from my waist, and my legs wrapped around his hips. There was a bow at the front of my bust that William quickly unraveled so he could slide his large hand over my breast, and I moaned.
He chuckled darkly. “I love your sounds, baby. But I’m going to need words. Whose tits are these?”
“You-yours.”
“That’s right.”
William dipped his head and took one nipple, nibbling on it until it popped out of his mouth.
He trailed his tongue along the shell of my ear. “Touch yourself, love.”
I slid down his tall frame and looked up at him, unsure.
He enveloped my fingers with his strong hand and gently brought them to his mouth.
He sucked them, running his soft, hot tongue over my index and middle finger.
My knees nearly gave out. He released me from his mouth and guided my hand down my body, the intensity of his gaze burning through me.
William watched my fingers dip into the hem of my dress.
He lifted the rest of my skirt so he could get a better view of the way I worked myself.
I was already wet for him as I crept my slippery digits inside my pussy, moving back and forth.
I rubbed over my sensitive clit and arched against the wall as William watched me.
He grabbed my wrist and brought my fingers to his mouth, closing his eyes and savoring the taste.
He lifted me back up and unzipped his pants, swiftly impaling me with his cock.
I gasped at the sudden intrusion, but I ground my hips against him, loving the feeling of the angle and his hard body pressed up against me.
His thrusts were fast and strong, and the sounds of his grunts and my wetness unraveled me.
My orgasm came fast and loud, and I buried my face in his shoulder to quell the sound.
William quickly followed and leaned his head into my hair, breathing me in.
I could feel his heartbeat slowing and clutched him tighter.
William leaned back to take in my face. He smoothed my hair back in place and slowly removed his cock, letting me back down gently. We stared at each other for a second, smiling like giddy fools until William bent down on his knee. Almost like he was proposing. Almost.
He lifted my leg over his shoulder and brought the hem of my dress up so he could see his cum dripping down my thigh.
William dragged his finger through it and pushed the hot wetness back up inside me. “You’re mine, Nairie. Say it.”
I felt a sick satisfaction at his display of possessiveness, and the devotion and hunger in his eyes nearly took my breath away. “I’m yours, always.”
William smiled and kissed my inner thigh before getting back up.
We adjusted ourselves before opening the door and were too busy looking at one another to notice the crowd that had formed in the hallway. When I turned my head, my parents wore horrified expressions, and my stomach plummeted. David was holding back a laugh as he watched the chaos unfold.
The rat bastard set me up.
Baba’s voice was hushed but stern. “Nairie, why were you in a room alone with William?”
I looked at William and back at my father. William’s face was unreadable, and he stood with his hands clasped in front like a soldier awaiting punishment. It was hard catching up to what was going on when I was still reeling from the supply closet.
William spoke for me. “I was helping her reach something from a top shelf.”
Mom scoffed. “Nairie, you shouldn’t be hanging out with boys like this. What is going on with you?!”
My parents looked at me with disappointment and anger, and I was tired of the guilt weighing me down.
I took a deep breath and found the strength somewhere deep inside. William was still willing to keep up the lie, but I wouldn’t have it.
“William and I are together.”
Mom’s mouth gaped open. “Together?”
Baba’s face was filled with suspicion. “How long has this been going on?”
“For the past month or so.”
“So this has been the negative influence on you lately. We knew something was wrong, but now it all makes sense,” Baba said.
“Don’t say that.”
Mom beckoned me to stand by her. “He’s not for you, Nairie. He’s a thug.”
I could sense William’s energy shift even though his expression remained impassive.
I grabbed onto his hand. “Don’t speak about him that way. He’s the most wonderful man I’ve ever met, and he treats me better than anyone you’ve ever set me up with.”
Mom was about to argue, but Baba stepped forward. I’d never seen him so upset. He was practically shaking, and it scared me.
“We had plans for you, Nairie. For your life. You think we came to America to watch our only daughter end up with an outsider?” Baba said as his face reddened with anger.
He broke out in a sweat, and his left hand was twitching.
I took a step forward to calm him. “Baba, take a breath. It’s going to be okay.”
He tried reaching for me but clutched his arm before collapsing onto the floor.
William quickly sprang into action and dialed 911 while I knelt to support his head. Mom was completely speechless and in a state of shock as she watched her husband wheezing on the ground. Everyone stood in anxious anticipation as William tried to keep my Baba stable.
Elspeth, William, and I rode to the hospital together while Mom rode in the ambulance with Baba. It felt like I was holding my breath all the way there.
The waiting room was cold and cast in bright fluorescent lighting.
It wasn’t packed with people, so I could pace the room in peace without too many stares.
William patiently sat with Elspeth as I spiraled.
He attempted to comfort me, but I quickly redirected myself toward the window.
Even though I craved his support, I stayed distant to punish myself.
This was all my fault, and I didn’t deserve comfort. Everything had happened so fast, and I was struggling to cope with the near-death experience, my parents knowing the truth, and William’s imminent departure.
It wasn’t until the doctor came to announce that Baba was stable but that he would need to be under observation the next few days that I could finally sit down and take a moment to breathe.
Likely sensing I still needed space, William went to grab everyone water and tissues. Aunt Lilit arrived shortly, and I shot into her arms, letting her cinnamon scent soothe me.
My confession came out in a burst of tears. “I almost killed him.”
Elspeth clutched my shoulder. “No, you didn’t.”
Aunt Lilit shook her head as she held me. “As much as I’d like to believe the women in our family have that kind of power, your father was on a steady diet of red meat and butter for the past thirty years. This was bound to happen.”
I choked out a cry. “If I were a better daughter, I would have followed the rules. Just do what they wanted me to do . . .”
Elspeth wiped my tears. “No, we’re not going there. You deserve to be happy, Nairie. You can’t live your life for them.”
“Elspeth’s right. Your parents will see that in time,” Lilit said.
I tried believing their words, but I was so mentally drained. I couldn’t navigate my thoughts and feelings properly. My head was swimming with panic, sorrow, and fear. It felt like everything in my life was hemorrhaging, and I had to stanch the bleeding.