Page 14 of Whatever He Wants
The memory of Denise standing naked in front of me fills my mind again.The way she trembled as I caressed her shoulder, and how her nipples hardened from my touch.How incredibly beautiful she was, bared and vulnerable just for me.
I shake my head, tighten my grip on my gym bag, and leave my room.
9
Denise
There’s a small black box in the palm of Matt’s hand.Frozen, I stare at it like it’s some strange thing I’ve never seen before, even though I’m fully aware of what it is.What it means.
I should be excited.At the very least, pleasantly surprised.But as Matt lowers himself onto one knee, I feel like a character in a horror movie who’s meeting the monster for the first time.
“This isn’t how I wanted it to happen,” Matt says.“I was going to take you somewhere nice.But now that the cat’s out of the bag, might as well do it here.”He opens the box, revealing a silver ring with a diamond setting.“Denise, will you—”
“Matt, what are you doing?”
It’s a stupid question but I had to saysomethingto stall him.
His smile is uncertain.“What does it look like?I’m asking you to marry me.”
While my hair is still wet and I’m wearing a towel and I’m still in shock I just gave Isaac head?
“OK… but you said you bought that ring with the money you got from selling Isaac’s watch.You can’t propose with it.You have to return it to get back the money and then the watch.”
“I can’t.The ring was final sale.No returns.”
My discomfort withers, anger taking its place.Although I’m still upset with Isaac for taking advantage of me, Matt’s actions are a greater source of outrage.
“How could you do this, Matt?Why would you steal from Isaac after everything he’s done for us?On top of that, yousoldsomething that didn’t belong to you!”
He stands, scowling.“All he’s ever done is let us live in his basement.”
“For free.The money we would have spent on rent is going toward our credit card debts.We’re digging ourselves out of the hole thanks to his generosity.”
“It’s not really for free, though.He still makes us pay for utilities.”
“We payhalfof it!Which is probably unfair since it’s two of us versus him alone.”I shake my head.“You’re unbelievable!Not only are you being ungrateful, you don’t even seem sorry about what you did!”I spin away from him, then turn to face him again.“Do you know he wants to kick us out?He said if we don’t return his watch tonight, we have to leave in two days.”
“He doesn’t mean that.He cares about you.He wouldn’t do that to you.”He adds quickly, “To us.”
“Trust me,” I say bitterly.“He means it.”
“Shit.”He exhales as he runs a hand through his hair.“Babe, I’m sorry.I wasn’t thinking straight.I—I was jealous.He has so much and I have fuckingnothing.”
He pulls my hands into his, giving them a gentle squeeze.“I want to treat you right, take care of you the way you’re always taking care of me.And—and, to be honest, I’ve been feeling lately like you’re not happy.With me.Withus.Like I’m losing you.So I thought if I got you something nice, something to show you how much I love you and want you in my life forever, you’d stay.”
Would you still love me if you found out I cheated on you with the man you envy?
I yank my hands free from his grip, paranoid he might somehow read my thought through touch.
“Theft was the worst possible way to show me that,” I say, my voice tight.“Especially theft from someone I care about.”
“I get it, Denise.I fucked up.But I didn’t think Isaac would find out it was me.I thought when he noticed the watch was gone, he’d just assume he misplaced it, or maybe blame his housekeeper.How was I supposed to know he had cameras in his bedroom?”Disdain crosses his face.“Who does that anyway?That’s weird.”
“His wife was murdered in their home during a robbery.You can’t understand why that would make him want to protect it?And you just proved exactly why he had good reason to put up those cameras.”
What I said is a revelation for me too.Guilt twists in my chest.I was so caught up in feeling like Isaac was treating me unfairly, I never considered he wasn’t just angry, he was reliving his trauma.Because of Matt and me, he was the victim of another robbery.
But instead of remorse, there’s a sullen look on Matt’s face.Was his apology even sincere?I doubt it.But I’m sure he’ll be sorry if I told him what really happened when Isaac came down to the basement.
