Page 134 of Rum & Coke
I smiled warmly at her. “Thank you.”
“And,” Melony cut in, “when you’re ready to tell us what happened, we’re here for you then too.”
I stared at the two women for a few moments as I thought about everything. “I’ll tell you now. While I hated every minute of it, I don’t think everything has sunk in. Maybe I need to get it off my chest?”
“Okay.” Sophia leaned back against the couch she and Melony were on. “Take your time.”
I proceeded to tell them everything from the night of the party when I went to look for the bathroom until the moment Vinny walked into the hotel suite this evening. I didn’t go into details about the sex with Sebastian because it wasn’t needed and they knew better than to think I would sleep with him willingly. The entire time I recounted the ordeal, Vinny held me as tight as he could. I couldn’t imagine what he must have been thinking to know I’d been with another man, but there was nothing we could do about it since it was never my choice.
That night after Melony and Sophia went home, I took a shower in Vinny’s master bath. I needed to wash off everything from the last three and a half months. When I crawled into Vinny’s bed, and he wrapped his strong arms around me, I instantly fell asleep and had the best night’s sleep in over three months.
A week passed, and I realized Vinny was right: Colton was more resilient with the bouncing around than I was. He was starting to smile more as though he knew we were in a good place again. I no longer felt as though I was walking on eggshells, worried that a man would order me to his room, and when Vinny came home each night, I was excited to see him walk through the doors.
I still had no job, but my days weren’t spent sitting around doing nothing. While Colton and Vinny were at school, I researched online colleges for hotel management. I even put in applications at all the hotels on the Strip to work the front desks. I was hopeful that one of those would pan out.
I sold the diamond engagement ring from Sebastian through a jewelry broker. The money I received for the massive diamond was enough to keep Colton and me afloat for a few months, but Vinny still insisted we live with him. I didn’t argue because I was certain if I didn’t have his arms around me each night, I would wake up back at Sebastian’s.
Joss took my statement, and I recounted everything for her. Because Sebastian was a drug lord, there was fear I might be in danger. However, Joss had somehow worked it that my statement was sealed. If they needed it for Sebastian’s trial, then I would be put into protective custody until it was over. Joss didn’t go into detail, but she was hopeful that Mateo’s evidence and testimony would be enough.
Also, I found out Mateo never killed Brent. Mateo used my pregnancy as a distraction and took Brent home, telling him to never show his face at Red Diamond again because if Sebastian ever saw him again, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill himandMateo. Melony said his friends still came in, but she never saw Brent.
Also, through victim services, I had to have an STD test, given my ordeal. Thankfully, it came back clean. I still have to meet with a therapist for a few weeks or more, depending on how everything goes. I’ve only had one appointment, but it was good. I was able to recount everything and get it off my chest. While all my friends and Vinny were there for me, I still couldn’t tell them the details. But the therapist had no emotional connection with me and I was able to let it all out. When I left the appointment, it was as though a tiny bit of everything was lifted.
After putting Colton to bed, Vinny and I started a ritual of climbing intoourbed. He made sure to tell me he’d never shared it with another woman before. That made me feel special. Most nights we watched either the Giants or the Dodgers, or we flipped between the two games, but the season was coming to an end in just another month.
Tonight, as Vinny and I laid in bed, I knew it was time. He’d been supportive the entire time, hadn’t even mentioned sex, but I wanted it, and I wanted it with him. I wanted Vinny to erase Sebastian’s touch.
Figuring I had to make the first move, I went into the walk-in closet and stripped myself of my pajamas. I grabbed my Giants jersey, slipped it on and walked back into the bedroom where Vinny was watchinghisDodgers.
His brown gaze slid from the TV to where I stood with my arm on the wall and my hand on my hip. “What are you doing?”
“I just want to make sure you know where I stand.”
“What do you mean?”
“I lied to you when I said we’d always have the Dodgers.”
He grinned. “I know. You’ve been making me watch the Giants on and off for a week now.”
“But you have to admit, I look better in orange and black, right?”
Vinny hesitated for a moment. “Well, to be fair, I haven’t seen you in Dodger blue.”
“And you never will.” I chuckled.
“Come on? Don’t you want to see if blue would look better on you?”
“Don’t you want to see ifnothingwould look better on me?” I countered.
His eyes widened, and he whispered, “Yes.”
I moved toward him and lifted my arms above my head. “Then let’s see if you’re right.”
Vinny faltered for a moment, and then reached down and lifted the jersey off of me. “I’m right.”
He pulled the covers back, and I crawled onto the bed and straddled his hips after sliding his basketball shorts off, leaving him naked like I was. “You look better in nothing too.”
“Are you sure about this?”
