Page 98 of Between Now & Heartbreak

“Please, play,” she says softly. And because this woman has captivated me, captured me, and made me her servant to her happiness, I turn around and do what she needs.

The light beside her chair goes out leaving the room in a dim darkness that reminds me of those summer nights when the moon is so bright that it never gets dark at all.

This situation is very wrong. I walked away from money, but I only had myself to consider. And I have a family who, despite whatever disappointment I’ve caused, loves me. She’s walking away from it and she has me. And I…I have nothing.

I’m gripped by rage. I want to ruin these men. To take away all of the riches they’ve been given, but don’t deserve.

Including the woman they’ve wounded. I play until I feel some of the anger leave my body.

She drapes her arms over my shoulder from behind. I tip my head back so that it rests in the middle of her chest. I open my eyes and look right. Her breast, bare, flushed and mauve tipped comes into my view.

She has a beauty mark on the upward sweep of it and I turn my head, unable to resist the succulent sight and stick my tongue out and lick it. She sighs. It’s a sweet sigh of relief and so, I do it again.

A shudder runs through her and she presses her body into my back and slides her hands up my shoulders and twines her fingers into my hair.

My breathing is fast and my heartbeat quickens and my fingers slip off the keys.

I have an idea.

“You think your father would approve of me--” She stiffens against my back and then moves to sit beside me.

She looks at me intently.

“No.” Her voice is harsh and unequivocal. “I don’t want to dobusinesswith you. This…with you is the most beautiful experience I’ve had my whole life. You’ve opened my eyes so much, and maybe one day, I’ll be free at the same time that you are. But I won’t ask another person to bind their future to mine for money. And I don’t want my father to even know you exist. He’ll find a way to ruin it. Please.”

I don’t have anything productive to say. I don’t have anything to offer her.

“When is he back?”

“One more month. He and my father are coming back for his huge fundraiser. Everyone thinks we’re broken up. So, he’s going to make this public show of us getting back together. And that’s the night he’ll give me my ring back and we’ll announce a date.”

That makes my blood run cold.

She puts her arms around me “Don’t worry. I’ll never marry him. I just need to make sure I can leave. But once I’ve done that, nothing will stop me from coming to you.”

She kisses me and when her tongue slides against mine, I almost believe her.

30

SISTER SOLDIER

CARTER

I callmy sister on my way to see Beth. We’ve got a week left before her father is back and I’m coming apart at the seams. I can’t do what she’s asked and pretend she’s not mine. I don’t have the means to offer her a solution.

I need to talk this out with someone who loves me but doesn’t pull any punches, either.

“You’re actually the worst human ever. Why has it taken you so long to return my call?” Nadia says by way of greeting when she answers her phone.

“You called me?”

She growls.

“Don’t fucking pretend. You probably sat there, watching it ring because you were too chicken shit to send it to voicemail. If you don’t want to talk to me, own it. “

“I’m sorry and I’ll make it up to you when I get home. I’ll take you to Levain’s for lunch.”

“Carter,” she yells like she’s said my name a thousand times already and I haven’t responded.

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