“Your
dad's going to kill me, isn't he?”
Rachel
laughed, waving her hand airily. “I won't let him! And besides, I
think that if he was going to kill you, he would have already sent
somebody to murder you in your sleep.”
Grant
chuckled nervously. He knew she wasn't joking and it made his stomach
churn uncomfortably. His eyes were glued to the mansion they were
parked in front of; it looked welcoming enough, but it felt
like a death trap!
Rachel
sighed and used a hand to make him look her in the eyes. “Look, I
told you that my dad's a mob boss because I didn't feel right
bringing you to meet him without you knowing. The whole family acts
like a mob unit, and it would be pretty hard to miss it. Especially
if you happen to overhear them talk about killing someone. I didn't
want you to figure it out in the middle of a conversation and freak
out, okay? But it's not too late... If you can't handle this, we can
still leave.”
“No...
I'm... okay. I can handle this... I think,” Grant tried his best to
assure her, but his hands literally shook from how nervous he was.
The problem was that he had something important to do that was going
to be a whole hell of a lot harder now that he knew what he was up
against.
“Relax,”
Rachel insisted with a smile. “It's only Thanksgiving! It's sucky
and awkward no matter what
family you're part of! Just think of the bickering you are about to
hear as completely normal and you'll be fine!”
Grant nodded, taking a few deep breaths to try and calm
his nerves. “I'll try.”
“Great!”
Rachel exclaimed happily, kissing him as a reward. “Now, just
remember, whatever you do, don't
talk about how we already live together and bang like ever chance we
get! I mean be honest about it if he asks you directly, but otherwise
keep your mouth shut. I'm pretty sure that's one topic that'll have
you escorted out behind the shed.”
“Are-are-are
you serious?!” Grant stammered, feeling dread rising up his throat.
“Yes.
Yes I am,” Rachel stated grimly with a painful shadow in her eyes.
“Got
it! Absolutely do not admit that we have even –!”
“Grant!
I'm serious! If he asks you anything – no matter what
it is – do not
lie to him! More than anything, lying will get you killed!” Rachel
cried out insistently.
It was taking everything Grant had in him not to freak
out and lose it completely. He took several purposeful breaths,
trying to control his panic. Finally, it was like the terror let go
of him and he was able to function again.
“Okay,”
he agreed with a nod. “ I promise that I will not lie to your dad
about anything, no matter what he asks me.”
“Good,”
Rachel stated in relief. “Now I think it's about time we went
inside. I can tell by the fact that at least 10 people are staring at
us through the windows that if we wait any longer, we'll be dragged
inside soon anyway.”
Grant got out of the car and rushed around to the other
side to open the door for Rachel, praying that he made a good first
impression to those watching him. Rachel got out of the car and
linked her arm through his, looking up at him with unmistakeable love
in her eyes. She brushed a strand of hair out of his face, and then
smiled at him like he was the only man in the world.
They walked towards the mansion, the front door opening
before they were even close enough to reach out for the knob. A man
dressed as a servant bowed at them slightly, then looked at them with
an almost blank smile.
“Good
to see you again, Miss Rachel. Welcome home!”
Rachel returned his smile and murmured a greeting, but
then pulled Grant past him and into the main entryway.
“Rachel!
Why didn't you tell me that you were bringing someone with you?!” A
man demanded, appearing before them as if from thin air.
“Hi
daddy, good to see you too. Why yes, I am doing well, so glad you
asked! I'd like you to meet my boyfriend, Grant. Grant, this is my
father,” Rachel stated in a way that sounded like she was seriously
pissed off but trying hard to be cheerful and polite.
Her father huffed, obviously displeased that she didn't
answer his question. With an expression like he was tempted to roll
his eyes and maybe even ground her, he turned his attention to Grant.
“So,
Grant is it? How long have you known my daughter?”
“Six
months sir,” Grant answered respectfully.
“And
how long have you been living together?”
Grant wanted to dive behind the large plant off to the
side and hide, but he forced himself to stand his ground. “Uh...
almost six months... sir.”
Rachel's father twisted his mouth in disapproval,
narrowing his eyes menacingly. “Hmm... I thought you were going to
try and deny it, which would have been stupid since my spies told me
the day you moved into her apartment.”
“Daddy!”
Rachel shrieked. “Spies?! How dare
you spy on me?!”
He
harrumphed like he was thinking duh!
“Of course I have people watching you! You know better than most
people what can happen if I leave you unprotected!”
Rachel
wanted to growl and insist that she could take care of herself –
which was true, she had been
raised by a mob family after all – but she really did know that an
enemy could catch her unawares, and then her ability to defend
herself would be worthless. She sighed in frustration and let the
matter drop.
“Anyway,
since you have passed a basic background check, and since you haven't
had the audacity to lie to me, yet, Grant, welcome to my home. I
trust that you will behave yourself while you are here,” the mob
boss stated, gesturing to indicate the rest of his family standing
behind him.
Grant felt like his life had been hanging by a thread
there, but was now relatively safe. With a sigh of relief, he met
each and every member of Rachel's large and boisterous family. Most
of the people he met seemed to be hardened men who had the vague
title of uncle or cousin. They all watched Grant as if sizing him up;
like they were mentally planning out exactly how to make him
disappear and never be found.
Rachel eventually led Grant over to a large buffet area,
which held a fabulous spread that he couldn't believe. “I feel like
we are in a five star restaurant!” He muttered to her under his
breath.
“That's
because it's catered from a five star restaurant,” Rachel whispered
in return. They each filled a plate and then ignored the various
groups of loudly bickering people as they made a bee line for the
long dining table. Grant looked up and down it in awe, wondering how
such a massive and long table got into the dining room in the first
place.
Grant focused on eating his food, unconsciously moaning
in appreciation. Each morsel was to die for! If he survived the day,
he was going to thank every God he could think of for allowing him to
eat such a fabulous meal. Rachel giggled at him, kissing him on the
cheek.
When he was finally full, the rest of the family had
quieted down quite a bit, and was now almost well behaved. As an only
child, Grant was frankly baffled at the way everyone seemed to fight
even as they laughed and joked and even plotted against other family
members. In a way, it was almost like being in high school!
After Grant realized that he and Rachel had been staring
at each other with a lovey dovey expression for at least five
minutes, he cleared his throat and started fumbling through his
pocket. He wasn't sure if he should ask for quiet, or if it was even
possible for this group to be quiet, so he simply ignored
everyone else and focused on her.
“Rachel... I love you so much; will you marry me?”
Grant asked as he opened and held out a small box. Rachel gasped in
surprise, grabbing the box to scrutinize the ring more closely. The
rest of the family fell silent in shock.
“Oh wow! And here I was waiting to bring up the
subject of marriage until I was sure that it wouldn't scare you
away!” Rachel threw her arms around Grant, crying on his shoulder
from sheer happiness. “Of course I'll marry you!” Their lips
fused together in a kiss that made the whole world feel like it was
spinning.
A couple of people – such as Rachel's mother and
siblings – immediately offered their congratulations, but others
grumbled darkly.
“But Rachel,” her father protested gently. He
sounded truly concerned rather than angry. “You've only known him
six months. How do you know that he's the one you want to marry?”
Rachel finally broke off her passionate kiss so that she
could turn her attention to her father. “Daddy... My heart tells me
that this is the only man I ever want to be with, so what does
it matter that we haven't known each other very long?”
Her father sighed gravely, but then nodded in
acceptance. “If that's how you feel...” He stood and beckoned to
Grant. “Will you please join me for a private conversation?”
“Daddy...” Rachel growled softly.
“Don't worry, I only plan to talk to him. He'll be
returned to you safe and sound,” her father assured her.
Swallowing his nervousness, Grant helped Rachel put the
beautiful gold and ruby ring on the correct finger, and then kissed
her on the cheek before standing and following her father out of the
room. The moment they were alone – except for three men who made
certain that Grant knew they were well armed – Grant forced a small
smile to his lips as he waited for her father to speak.
“It seriously kills me that I am going to have
to accept a pissant like you into my family!” He growled in
frustration, running his hand through his hair as if he wanted to
pull it out. “You didn't even have the respect to ask me for my
permission first!”
One of the three armed men standing behind Grant snorted
in disgust. “If he had we would have made sure that he was
never seen or heard from again!”
For once, Grant was too curious to be afraid for his
life. “Why? Are you so against Rachel getting married?”
“Bah! It's not that! I simply thought she would choose
a man who could take care of her, not some shitty courier that barely
makes enough to pay his rent!”
“Hey! I resent that! I make quite a bit of money! I
could easily support a family, even buying a house!” Grant
protested angrily.
“Puh! You think you can support my daughter?! The best
house you could afford would be a pathetic little cookie cutter in a
lower middle class neighborhood! My daughter deserves a man
who can buy her a small mansion at the very least and give her
everything her heart could possibly desire! You'll be lucky if
you can afford to buy her a new car once every five or ten years!”
Grant sighed, realizing that arguing with Rachel's
father would get him nowhere. “You're right. I won't be able to buy
her a lot of expensive or fancy things, but that doesn't mean that I
can't give her what her heart desires. Her dream is to live on a
secluded piece of land where she can create art. She wants to open up
her own shop where she can sell art supplies, her art, and even teach
kids to be creative. She wants kids someday, and I can give her all
of that.”
Her father stared at him with something akin to respect.
He was surprised that Rachel wanted something so humble. She
certainly didn't take after her mother!
“So you see, sir,” Grant continued. “I truly feel
that Rachel and I will be happy together.”
“David,” her father stated abruptly. “You can call
me David.”
“Yes sir. Uh... David...” Grant replied hesitantly.
“Despite what you might think,” David informed his
son-in-law-to-be, “I only want my daughter to be happy. I hate
that she seems to be happy with a nobody like you, but I can clearly
see that she is. The way she looks at you just cannot be faked...”
he sighed morosely. “So... Welcome to the family...”
“Thank you sir – David – I promise to do my best
to always make Rachel happy.”
“You had better pray you keep that promise, because
you won't like what'll happen if you don't!” David threatened
subtly, and then thrust his chin towards the door. “Go on, go
reassure my daughter that I haven't killed you after all.”
Grant nodded at him respectfully, and then left the
room.
“It's not too late, Boss. We can still make him
disappear!” His three top men reminded him.
“Yes, we could... but I don't want to be the one who
breaks my daughter's heart. He is to be left alone; you got that!”
“Yes Boss,” they grumbled reluctantly.
*****
“You're going to love her!” Rachel squealed
excitedly. “She's been my best friend since we were little kids,
and there's no one I would rather have as my maid of honor. She's
going to be so surprised when I tell her we're getting
married!”
Grant smiled and cuddled his fiancée
close. “I can't wait to meet your best friend. To be honest, I was
beginning to think that you didn't have any
friends!”
“Well... It's a
little hard to meet and trust people knowing that almost anyone could
be after me in order to hurt my family,” Rachel admitted.
“How did you know
that I wasn't after you?” Grant wondered curiously.
“You're too clumsy
to be a threat,” Rachel muttered quietly, wanting to answer him
honestly, but also not wanting to hurt his feelings. She hoped he
wouldn't actually hear her and then just let the subject drop.
“Anyway! I have to tell you something important!”
Grant twisted his
lips in a way that let her know that he was both amused and
a little offended at
her answer. He let her change the subject without a fight.
“Jessica is...
Okay, you know how my family is pretty powerful in the organized
crime world?”
“Yeah...” Grant
replied hesitantly.
“Well, there's a
hierarchy, you see? Kind of like the nobility over in England. My
family is close to the top, but her
family is
the top!”
“Oh...” Grant
murmured in understanding. Great!
MORE mobsters!
“There's more...”
Rachel added hesitantly. She looked at her fingers as she fiddled
them around and around.
“What?” Grant
asked curiously.
“She's...”
The door to their
apartment burst open. “I'm here!” A young woman sang out. She set
her bag down and then slammed the door shut. “Damn! I was hoping to
barge in on you while you were getting your kinky freak on!”
Rachel laughed, and
then rushed to hug her friend.
Grant was bone white
and felt like fainting. “Tha -Tha -That's...”
Jessica giggled
musically and struck a glamorous pose. “That's right! I'm the one
and only, world famous, singing sensation!”
“Oh wow! I am such
a big fan of yours!” Grant gushed, still not quite believing that
he had pop star in his tiny little apartment.
“Of course you
are!” Jessica stated with a smirk. “I'd be happy to sign
something if you want.”
Grant damn near
tripped over his feet as he rushed off to get her latest CD.
“Jessica...”
Rachel growled, her eyes narrowed unhappily. “Stop it! That one's
mine! In fact... we're getting married... I want you to be my maid of
honor.”
“MARRIED?!?!”
Jessica demanded incredulously. She gaped at Rachel in open mouth
shock. Grant stopped short as he reentered the room and realized that
something was wrong.
Jessica turned to
look at Grant, looking him up and down for a moment before her
expression changed to something that looked like cold calculation.
“Married huh? To him?”
She asked with a sneer of distaste. “I've found better guys passed
out on the floor after one of my concerts!” She huffed snobbishly
as she flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Well... If you insist
on marrying such a loser,
then I suppose I have no choice but to be your maid of honor and make
sure that your wedding is perfect. Well, as much as it can be
considering...”
“Huh?” Grant
mumbled, scratching his head in confusion.
“Don't worry about
her,” Rachel informed him, taking his face into her hands. She
smiled at him adoringly. “That's just how she is. She's been a
bitch since I first met her. It's how she shows her love.”
“But... on TV...”
Grant protested.
“Of course I'm all
sweet and innocent on TV, duh!” Jessica sneered at him. “You
think my albums would sell nearly as well if my fans knew the truth!”
Rachel sighed and
shook her head with a knowing smile. “Oh Jessica! When will you
learn that you're not really like that! You literally do anything
for your fans. You bend over backwards to make them happy. You've
hand written replies to most of your fan mail. If you were just a
greedy faker, you wouldn't do all that.”
Jessica couldn't
decide how to respond to that, so she changed the subject. “So,
when is this wedding of yours?” She asked as she automatically took
the CD from Grant and signed it. She handed it back with her
trademark smile before turning her attention back to Rachel. “Next
year? Maybe the year after that? Long enough to change your mind?”
Rachel gave a short
breathy laugh. “No! It's going to be next month.”
“SO SOON?!”
Jessica blurted out in astonishment. “But! But! How
can you plan anything worth attending in so short a time?!”
“We don't want a
big wedding,” Rachel told her. “Just a little gathering of family
and friends.”
Jessica grabbed
Rachel by the shoulders and shook her. “Are you stupid?! Just
getting your
family there automatically means that you're going to have a good 500
people in attendance! If he invites anybody,
then you're going to have a gala event on your hands that is going to
need catering and, and... I can't even imagine
what else!”
Rachel smiled and
shrugged. “No, I mean that it's just going to be my mom and dad and
siblings... and bodyguards. His mom and dad, and a couple of his
friends. That's it.”
Jessica let her go
abruptly and started rubbing her temples like she had a massive
headache. “You really must be stupid,” she muttered. “If you
don't invite the family
– every single member of the
family – you are
going to find yourself a frickin' target for everyone who takes
offense at being slighted. They will think that you insulted them on
purpose!”
Rachel bit her lip
and looked to the floor. “You might be right, but...”
“You have no
choice!” Jessica insisted. “You have to push back the date by at
least a month or two and then let your mom and me plan everything!
Between the two of us, we should be able to plan an event that won't
offend anyone.”
Rachel sighed.
“Jessica... I know you mean well, but... I don't want to be part of
the family anymore. I don't want them at my wedding, and I don't want
anything big or expensive. I've set the date for next month, and
that's that.”
“Oh my God, you're
gonna get yourself killed!” Jessica muttered as she looked for a
place to lay down and fan herself.
Grant looked back
and forth between the two of them, a frown showing how concerned he
was. “Maybe she's right...”
Rachel simply glared
at him for having the audacity to agree with her best friend over
her.
*****
“Are you sure?”
The man asked in disbelief.
“Daddy, I have
decided that this is what I want, and so this is what I'm going to
get!” Jessica stated emphatically. She crossed her arms and stared
him down until he agreed.
As an only child to
a man that was considered the King of all organized crime, she had
always
gotten everything she ever wanted. Her father bought a big record
label when she told him that she wanted to be a pop star, and then he
had bought an advertising company to ensure that she was given the
proper priority. If she said that she wanted him to buy her a slave
so that she could beat him to death and dispose of his body in the
backyard, he would do it for her.
Anything
to get me out of his hair!
She muttered in her head. Her whole life, he had been giving her
things so that she would go away and leave him alone. Ever since her
mother died, he just didn't have time for her. He didn't even seem to
want her around. She suppressed a sigh of depression at that thought.
“Fine.
If that's what you want,” he stated as if the matter was no more
important than the weather. “I'll see to it right away.”
“Thank
you daddy!” Jessica squealed happily and kissed him on the cheek.
*****
Grant
paced his cell for the millionth time. He had been abducted three
days ago and tossed in this dark cell, only being given food and
water twice a day. He had no idea why he was here, and thanked his
lucky stars that there was at least a toilet for him to use.
The
absolute worst
part of the whole situation was that he knew that Rachel had been
abducted too, but he had no idea where she was, or if she was hurt.
He wanted to shout until someone heard him and answered his
questions, but he had already tried that and it hadn't worked. With a
sigh, he flopped onto the hard cot provided.
Hours
passed, and then he heard an ominous creak as a door opened
somewhere. Sharp and rapid clicking told him that someone was coming
his way. He sat up straight in eagerness, praying that they would
finally
let him go.
“I've
come with a proposition.”
“Jessica???”
Grant asked, rubbing his eyes in disbelief.
“Listen,
you are not worth anything to anyone. You will never amount to
anything in your whole life, but even so, Rachel loves you. You make
her happy. That pisses
me off! My whole
life,
I've never had that! Everyone loves Rachel! They fawn all over her
and forget I even exist! She's been happy since the day she was born,
and I've been miserable ever since my mom died when I was six! I
can't stand it anymore!!!”
Jessica
roared in outrage and paced outside the cell. “You are going to
love me! You are going to marry me! You are going to make me happy
because I will finally
have beaten Rachel at something!”
“What???”
Grant asked, shaking his head and cleaning out his ear. I
couldn't have heard that right!
“It's
all set,” Jessica stated. “The wedding will take place tonight,
and everyone who should
be at a family
event has been invited. Even your parents have been brought here for
our wedding.”
“Why
would I marry you?!”
Grant blurted out, truly baffled by her lack of logic.
Jessica
smirked at him silently for several long seconds. “Because... you
love Rachel. You see, I had her abducted too, and she's been in an
even less pleasant cell with barely enough food and water to survive.
I can do one of several things... I can simply leave her there until
she rots. I can have her killed and disposed of. Or...”
Grant
shuddered in horror at the thought of either option occurring.
“I
can let her go,” Jessica stated. “Which I will do if you agree to
marry me, but
you have to be the one to tell her that you are choosing me over
her!”
“Uh...”
Grant didn't know how to respond. “That's not really a good
incentive for me to want to marry you.”
Jessica
frowned and stamped her foot angrily. “Maybe I didn't make myself
clear! If you don't
marry me, I'll have her killed, I'll have you killed, and go on
living my life knowing that she will never be happier than me again.
However, if you do
marry me, she will go free and who knows, maybe she'll find someone
else who can make her happy, but it won't be you and it won't be
anytime soon.”
“You
are insane!” Grant blurted out before he could think about the
wisdom of his words.
Jessica
shrugged. “Maybe. At least this way I will have finally beat her!”
Grant
simply stared at her, his mouth gaping open ever so slightly. In his
head, a war was raging over his limited choices. He really wanted to
refuse her ludicrous offer, but the more he thought about it, the
more he realized that doing so would just be a win for her too.
“Well?”
Jessica demanded impatiently.
“Fine...
I'll do it,” Grant muttered.
“Great!”
Jessica squealed happily. She opened the cell and flung herself into
his arms so that she could kiss him to seal the deal. “Now don't
get me wrong. In public, you will be treated like any other
assistant. I may not ever let my fans know that I am married, but we
will
be legally and bindingly married. If you should ever try to leave me,
or if you should ever try to file for a divorce, I'll send someone
out to kill Rachel before you can even finish your sentence! When I
get married, it's for life!”
Grant
gave her a wry look, trying to push her away without upsetting her.
Married for
life? To someone she doesn't even love?
Jessica
linked arms with him and tugged him after her. “In private, you had
better be a loving and attentive husband! You have no idea how lucky
you are! You get to marry me!”
Grant
rolled his eyes but didn't say anything. He followed Jessica to a
room where she had a handful of people waiting to dress him up in a
posh suit. Once he was dressed, he stared at himself in the mirror in
amazement! I
don't recall ever looking this handsome before! I guess a good suit
really does make a difference...
“I
have to get dressed now,” Jessica informed him. “But before I do,
I'll bring you to Rachel so that you can tell her that you'd rather
marry me. I'll even be generous and give you time to say goodbye.”
She
escorted him to a dank and moldy dungeon-like area. Grant noticed
that they passed a couple of guards as they entered the dungeon, but
there wasn't anyone in it to actually keep an eye on the prisoner.
She could have killed herself and they wouldn't have noticed until
they deigned to feed her.
Jessica
stopped just inside the dungeon and whispered into Grant's ear.
“Here's the key. You have as long as you need to say goodbye, but
don't try to set her free. The guards will just have to hurt her, and
besides... She'll go free as soon as we are married!” Jessica
smirked and then kissed him on the cheek. She left him alone, rushing
away to get dressed.
“Hello?
Is someone there?” Rachel called out from inside her cell.
“Rachel!”
Grant cried out. “I was so worried about you!”
“Grant!”
Rachel exclaimed in relief. “I thought for sure that they had
killed you!”
Grant
wasted no time in unlocking the cell and joining her inside. He
hugged her tightly. “I missed you so much!”
“What's
going on?” Rachel wondered, still holding him to her as close as
she possibly could.
Grant
took a deep breath. “I've been given an ultimatum: marry Jessica or
we both die. I wanted to refuse, more than happy to be like Romeo and
Juliet, but then I realized something important... I love you too
much to just let you die for something so stupid!”
“Marry
Jessica!” Rachel gasped in astonishment. “Why would she want to
marry you?”
Grant
shrugged helplessly. “I can't really explain it, but apparently she
wants to win against you for once.”
“Oh
Jessica...” Rachel murmured sadly.
“So...”
Grant took a deep breath and prepared to break both their hearts. “I
agreed. I decided that this way, you get to go free and live. More
than anything, I want you to be happy, so you have to promise me that
you will try to forget about me and... and maybe find someone new who
can love you and...” His voice broke, unable to say any more.
“Oh
Grant!” Rachel sobbed on his shirt. “I love you too much to let
you do this! If you marry her, you'll be stuck in a marriage that
makes you miserable! You can't
agree to this!”
“The
alternative is death, Rachel! Not just yours but mine. How does that
help anyone but her? Now listen, I figure that it'll happen like
this. You'll find someone else in time and maybe even get married.
She won't be able to pull a stunt like this again, and so you'll be
able to have those kids you want and a decently happy life. Once that
happens, Jessica will grow bored with me. She'll realize that I don't
make her happy, that we don't love each other, and that she deserves
better. She may even fall in love with someone! When she realizes
that she can't stop you from being happy, she'll divorce me, and then
I'll be free to find my own happiness,” Grant explained.
“But
we won't be together!” Rachel wailed miserably.
“No...
but who knows? Maybe when we are old and gray, we'll find that we are
both free again and can be together. It's a chance at least; one I'm
willing to bet on. I'm not allowed to leave or divorce her, but I can
almost guarantee that she'll want to divorce me sooner or later.”
Rachel
took a deep breath and then exhaled a long sigh. “Fine... If we
have to endure forced separation and wait until we are old before we
can have our happily ever after, then... Then I guess it'll be worth
the wait. As much as I want to recklessly vow to die rather than let
you go, I have too much to live for, especially now...”
Grant
tilted his head curiously. “Now?”
“Nevermind
that. Just... just make love to me one last time.”
Grant
nodded, brushing the hair out of her face so that he could kiss her.
They were afraid that someone would interrupt them – especially
considering that Jessica said that the wedding was tonight, and
neither of them knew what time it was. So, they wasted no time
joining their bodies. Grant barely pushing his pants down past his
hips.
They
were frantic and needy, but still wanted to take some time to show
just how much they loved each other. Had the circumstances been
different, both would have probably considered this the hottest place
they had ever had sex! When he was done, Grant gave her a tender kiss
and pulled his pants back up.
“I
should probably get going before she comes to see what is taking me
so long,” he murmured sadly.
“Yes...
Go before I start to cry again,” Rachel agreed.
“I
love you!” Grant stated firmly. “Just remember that. She may have
won this twisted competition, but she doesn't have my heart.”
“I'll
always love you too,” Rachel told him honestly, one hand over her
heart. “I just wish that I could have her assassinated for this!”
She sighed morosely. “But that would only start a long and bloody
war, and she knows it. I can't put my entire family at risk like
that...”
Knowing
that he would only linger here forever if he didn't leave now, Grant
nodded at her in understanding, and then left her cell. He carefully
locked the door so that the guards wouldn't think there was any
reason to hurt her. Not to mention, leaving it open might be
construed as an attempt to help her escape, which would give Jessica
a reason to let Rachel rot for a few more days.
She
would
too...
One
of the guards checked on Rachel, proving Grant right, and then –
once sure that everything was the way it should be – offered to
escort Grant back to Jessica so that he didn't get lost. Grant
agreed, knowing that he was really being guarded so that he couldn't
escape. His heart sank as he realized once again that there was no
way out of this marriage.
He
was shown to a room where he waited alone – except for a couple of
armed guards – until music started to play and a gesture from the
guards told him that he was supposed to go through the door they
opened. He strode through the door as confidently as he could, only
to discover that he was literally in front of a crowd. Trying not to
faint, he went to the place the priest indicated that he should
stand.
A
nervous glance around showed him that his parents were really here.
They sat in the front row next to a huge and menacing man that glared
at him murderously. The rest of the crowd was dressed up. Not dressed
up as in they were wearing something that looked nice like normal
people wore to normal weddings, but dressed up like they were movie
stars attending a premier.
The
whole place was decorated in a way that must have cost a fabulous
amount of money; flowers and ribbons and what looked like jewels
everywhere. Grant was secretly impressed that such a lavish event was
partly because of him. He wasn't kidding when he said that he wanted
a small wedding, but anybody
would be thrilled to see such wealth at their wedding! Especially if
they didn't have to pay for it.
The
music changed abruptly and the doors at the back of the room opened.
Jessica floated into the room wearing a dress so beautiful that it
took Grant's breath away. He may not be marrying her willingly, but
he had been a huge fan of hers for years. To see her looking so
gorgeous as she walked towards him was like a strange and twisted
fantasy come true.
Jessica
cast smiles at people in the audience, radiating joy like a small
sun. If Grant didn't know what she was really like, he'd almost be
fooled into thinking that she was happy to be marrying him. Instead,
she was simply playing it up for her adoring fans – even the mob
loved her music!
All
too soon, the priest was giving them permission to seal their union
with a kiss. Jessica stared at Grant adoringly, muttering just loudly
enough for him to hear her.
“Remember,
you had better make this look good!”
Grant
nodded almost imperceptibly, and then placed his hands on her face so
that he could give her a decent kiss – or at least look like he
was. Once again, Jessica threw her arms around his neck and gave him
a kiss that should have left him weak in the knees if he cared for
her at all. Part of him was a tiny bit sad that he felt so cold and
numb on his wedding day. He had always thought that it would be the
happiest day of his life, but it wasn't.
*****
“It's
required, so I am only going to do this once, you got that!”
Jessica stated with a growl.
“Do
what?” Grant wondered, not having a clue what she was talking
about.
“Consummation,
of course!” Jessica replied with a tone that implied he was stupid
for not knowing what she was talking about.
Grant
paled, honestly not thinking that she would take things this far.
“Why? We're married like you wanted, so why does it matter if we
have sex?”
“Because
it's required!”
Jessica growled impatiently.
“No
it's not,” Grant protested.
“You
are only saying that because you have hope that this can be annulled,
aren't you?” Jessica demanded angrily.
“No!
I just don't see why you want to do it! No one is going to know
either way, so let's not and just say we did,” Grant suggested.
Jessica
pushed him onto her large bed. “I told
you, it's required to make the marriage fully binding, therefore
we are going to do it!”
Grant
sighed in defeat, realizing that if he refused, she'd probably just
threaten Rachel's life again. “Well, if you want to have sex with
me, then you are going to have to do it yourself.”
Jessica
huffed in protest but then squared her shoulders in determination.
“Fine, if you want to be like that, then be like that; see if I
care!” She stripped out of her wedding gown, taking care not to
ruin it. “It's only
my first time after all,” she muttered to herself. “It's not like
I expected it to be magical and wonderful and –” She huffed
again, throwing her shoe at him. “I saved myself for my husband
damnit! The least you can do is be grateful that I am giving this
gift to you!”
Grant
sighed, feeling like an asshole even though he wasn't at fault here.
“Look, if someone had told me a year ago that I would be married to
my favorite singer and that she still had her virginity, I would have
been the happiest man on Earth, but I fell in love. You can't just
expect me to want you after everything you've done to me!”
Naked
now, Jessica crawled into bed and started undressing him. “Yeah I
get it, I do. I am the bad bitch that tore you from your true love,
but I'm not kidding. We have to have sex to make this marriage
binding, and so all I am asking for is sex. Just frickin' close your
eyes and imagine that you are with her!”
Grant
sighed and closed his eyes. He didn't want to picture Rachel at a
time like this, so he just let his mind wander. Meanwhile, Jessica
exposed his penis so that she could suck on it and work him up.
“Remember,
I've never done this before, so you have to tell me if I am doing it
right,” she told him. “Hmm... this tastes pretty good. I didn't
expect that...”
Grant
blushed as he realized that what she was tasting was Rachel. He
cleared his throat, tempted to tell her that. Instead, images of
Jessica licking Rachel filled his mind and he was surprised to feel
himself getting hard.
“That's
good,” he murmured. “You're doing just fine.”
“Hmm,”
Jessica hummed in thought. “Well it does seem to be working.”
Grant
let his imagination run wild with all the possible combinations. He
purposely pushed her true nature out of his mind, and then fantasized
about her having sex – not only with Rachel – but also with other
celebrities that he had crushes on. When she got fed up with orally
pleasing him, Jessica sat back on her heels.
“Now
what?” She asked. “I've watched porn, but I don't know what you
want. Should I get on top and ride you? Should I –”
“If
this is really your first time, then you deserve to do it however you
want,” Grant informed her, not quite believing that she was a 20
year old pop star virgin. She was a sex symbol after all, who had
dated a lot of men over the years.
“Then
can I...” She hesitated.
“What?”
Grant asked curiously.
“Can
I be on bottom? You know, like a virginal bride is supposed to be...”
Grant
shrugged. He briefly thought that he should be brutally violent with
her to pay her back for forcing him into this situation, but he just
couldn't do something like that to anyone. Once she was on her back,
he watched her stare at him in fear for a moment before she took a
deep breath and opened her legs so that he could get between them.
“If
you hurt me, I'll kill you!” She exclaimed threateningly.
“I
understand,” Grant murmured, astonished to realize that she
actually must be a virgin! He pushed into her gently until he was all
the way inside her. She gasped in relief and used her arms to hold
him tight.
Getting
lost in his fantasies once more, Grant was able to have some pretty
good sex. Having just done so earlier, he had more stamina that he
would have otherwise. His fantasies got pretty hardcore, and soon, he
was pounding into her like she was a well paid porn star.
Jessica
started out gasping and panting like she was enjoying what was
happening, but eventually, she grew bored. “Jeez! Are you ever
going to cum?!”
“If
you want me to,” Grant promised breathily, honestly close now
anyway. He sped up, grinding into her as much as possible. He grunted
in satisfaction as he pumped her full. The moment he was done, he
rolled over onto his back.
“There,
it's binding now,” he stated before turning away and going to
sleep.
Jessica
sighed, watching him breathe. “Is this what happiness is?” She
wondered softly before snorting derisively. “Of course it is! I
finally beat Rachel!” With a grin of triumph, she got comfortable
and went to sleep.
In
the morning, she woke up to find that they had curled up to each
other while sleeping. Grant now held her like she was precious to
him, which made Jessica feel something warm and unfamiliar. With a
smile, she grabbed her cellphone from under her pillow and pushed a
speed dial number.
“It's
me,” she muttered into the phone. “You can let her go now. Hell,
I'm in a good mood, so you may as well drive her home and even buy
her breakfast if she wants.”
She
was assured that it would be done, which made her purr as she hung up
the phone. I
have everything I've ever wanted now!
*****
Grant
felt like a chicken with it's head cut off! True to her word, Jessica
had made him one of her assistants. She was a bitch to all of them,
often talking to him like he was scum and not worth her time. He had
gotten very good at biting his tongue and just doing what he was
told.
At
the same time as he was running errands and assisting her, he was
also
being taken aside from time to time by her father. At first, the huge
and imposing man simply stared at him, not saying a word. Then Grant
finally sighed impatiently.
“Look,
sir, I'm not afraid of you. The only thing you can do is kill me, and
that doesn't sound like such a bad thing anymore,” Grant stated
grimly.
He
harrumphed a couple of times, which Grant was astonished to realize
was a form of laughter. “I like that attitude! Unfortunately, as
much as I would like
to kill you, I can't.”
Grant
raised an eyebrow, intrigued by this information. The
King of the Mob can't
kill me?
“You'll
understand when you are a father,” he informed Grant with a shrug.
“I love my little girl so much that I would do anything for her! If
she wanted to go to the moon, I would make sure she had a state of
the art spaceship to bring her there and a terraformed mansion
waiting for her on her arrival. You simply can't imagine how much it
hurt me when she told me that she wanted to marry a worthless nobody
like you!”
Grant
simply shrugged, having long since come to accept that to men like
this, he just wasn't good enough.
“But
she told me that it would make her happy, and so I arranged for her
to have the best wedding she possibly could,” he sighed deeply.
“And for that very reason, I can't kill you no matter how much I
want to. So,
I am faced with a dilemma... Just what exactly am I supposed to do
with you???”
“Sir?”
Grant asked, not sure why this was such a dilemma.
“By
rights, Jessica is my only heir. She's supposed
to take over after I'm gone, but she's a bit too public for that...
So, I figured that I would simply train whoever she married as my
successor, but then she married you...”
“Oh...”
Grant murmured, suddenly realizing all over again that he had married
into a mob family. Not just any
mob family, but the
mob family.
With
a sigh, Jessica's father gestured to a couple of his men. “I guess
I have no choice. Bring him along with you and explain things to
him!”
A
year went by with Grant feeling like he was caught in a tug of war
between his wife and her father. He was treated fairly badly by
Jessica when others were around, but then she was surprisingly lovey
dovey to him when they were alone. All the while, her father had his
men bring Grant with them as they did those mob things that he really
didn't want to think about!
The
only
good thing was that Grant was finally learning some of the fighting
skills he had always wanted to since he was a little boy. His parents
couldn't afford to put him in karate or anything like that, so he had
grown up learning how to fight by watching videos such as anything by
Jackie Chan. Then one day, he realized that he had grown up and no
longer had time for such childishness. Besides, his job as a courier
had him working so many hours that he barely had time to spend with
Rachel when he got home!
All
that was different now...
*****
“Are
you okay?” Jessica asked in concern the moment they were alone in
their room that night.
“Your
dad made me kill someone today,” Grant informed her darkly. “So
no, I'm not
okay!”
Jessica
perked up with interest. “Really? Who?”
Grant
roared in frustration as he threw something across the room. “How
should I know?! All he told me that it was an underling who had
betrayed the family!”
Jessica
laughed. “Well then, you killed a mobster. That's one less to
darken the world.”
“How
can you be so...” Grant couldn't even think of a word to describe
her!
“Heartless?”
Jessica asked, and then shrugged. “You would be too if you had
grown up having your heart ripped from you every time you thought you
might be happy for half a second.”
“Whatever...”
Grant muttered, not believing her in the slightest.
“Anyway,
I'm in the mood, so get ready to fuck like bunnies! I even bought new
lingerie...” Jessica announced, pulling her robe off to reveal the
sexy outfit.
Grant
growled in frustration. Here he had opened up to her, hoping for
something resembling a normal married couple that supported each
other, but all she was interested in was what she
wanted. Like usual!
Grant
was so angry at her that he didn't realize at first that her outfit
really had inflamed his lust. It was one of his coping techniques. So
long as she insisted that they have regular sex, he had had to
replace his tender emotions with the baser ones of lust and
selfishness. This time, he felt an urge to kill her!
Grabbing
her, he tossed her on their bed. “All you ever think about is
yourself! All you ever want me
to think about is you!
Well I've had enough! How about what I want for once?!”
He
grabbed the rope that she had in a drawer full of toys, and then used
it to tie her up. He was honestly surprised that she let him, not
struggling or protesting in the slightest! He stared at her in
suspicion.
“HA!
I knew you didn't have it in you! What did you plan to do? Spank me?
HA!” Jessica taunted with a smug sneer. Grant responded by grabbing
a gag and shoving it in her mouth.
“There!
Now you have no choice but
to shut up!” He harrumphed in something akin to triumph. “And
spanking you isn't a bad idea!”
Arranging
her so that her plump and lovely rear was in the air, Grant cupped
his hand so that he could whack her. Jessica gasped through her gag.
“I bet no one has ever dared to spank you in you whole life, no
matter how
much you deserved it!”
He
spanked her over and over until his anger deflated and his hand
throbbed. She had been squirming in an attempt to get free, but now
held still, wondering if he was done. He told himself that he was...
Then he thought about everything she had done to him and his anger
burned hotter than ever. “You know what I think? I think that deep
down, you know you are a bad person who needs to be punished!”
Grant
opened his pants just enough to expose his hard and ready shaft. He
got into position behind her, and then shoved himself inside her
without any warning. “Wow... you're wetter than I can remember you
ever being before,” he remarked.
Jessica
whimpered, squirming to try and get free of her bondage once more.
“You
dirty little bitch! You actually like this, don't you?!” Grant
asked incredulously, pounding into her as hard as he could. “I bet
you secretly wanted someone to come along and put you in your place,
didn't you?”
Jessica
growled, turning her head to glare at him the best she could since he
was behind her and she was tied up face down on the bed. Her
expression promised to murder him the moment he let her go! Grant
ignored her, continuing to do anything and everything to her that he
could think of.
Just
before he pumped her full, he wondered if he had gone too far. Her
whole body was convulsing in a way that made him wonder if she was in
shock, literal clinical shock. The moment he filled her up, he felt
bad and untied her, gently pulling the gag from her mouth.
“Oh.
My. God!” She stated in a way that made him wonder if she was
pissed or impressed. “That was incredible! I had no idea that I
could feel like that!!!”
She
pulled him close and rained little kisses all over his face. Grant's
brows drew together in confusion and surprise. He felt mildly numb,
too many things had happened to him today to fully process.
“Wait...
You mean you liked
that?” He asked.
“Liked
it?! That was incredible! I think I actually had an orgasm!”
Jessica gushed, still kissing him.
Considering
that Grant had never once cared enough to see to her pleasure, it
wasn't surprising that she hadn't had one before. He scratched the
back of his neck in embarrassment, feeling like a bastard for,
well... Being a bastard to her...
“At
first, I thought it sucked and that I was going to have to kill you,
but then...” Jessica sighed blissfully. “I felt like the entire
earth moved!”
Grant
sighed and promised himself that he would try to give her a normal
orgasm at least once. Considering that she could have easily taken a
lover to treat her with something other than tolerance, but she
didn't, he felt he owed it to her to be a little more attentive in
bed. With a sigh of guilt, he kissed her in return.
“I'm
sorry that I haven't been very nice to you,” he murmured in her
ear.
“Nice?!
Ha, I'm surprised that you haven't murdered me in my sleep!”
Jessica laughed. “But – as I've just discovered – perhaps nice
isn't what I really want from you!”
“Hmm...”
Grant hummed speculatively. He pulled her with him as he lay down. It
was a thought for another time, for now, all he wanted was the
oblivion of sleep.
*****
“Hey
babe?” Grant called out as he entered the bedroom he shared with
Jessica. She watched him in the mirror as she brushed her hair,
smiling but not saying anything. “Tonight is the last game of the
season; I thought it would be nice if you went with me, for once.”
He
was referring to the VIP box he and his father-in-law used at the
basketball game. It was every bit as ritzy as everything
they went to, and was almost worth being married to Jessica for. Not
to mention, he had bonded over basketball with Jessica's dad, and now
they got along pretty well. It helped that Grant was steadily
becoming everything a mob boss – to be – should be.
Jessica
smiled at him almost adoringly. “You know, that might not be such a
bad idea. I know that my assistants have long figured out that we are
married, but maybe it's time to let my fans wonder what's going on
between us.”
“Don't
they already wonder? After all, you did take me with you to the music
awards,” Grant reminded her.
“Bah!”
Jessica exclaimed with a shrug. “I take a lot of guys to a lot of
events and it means nothing. Never once have I been seen in public
with the same guy twice before, so this really will set the world
ablaze with speculation.”
She
put her brush down and turned to face him. “And then tomorrow
night, we'll go to a famous restaurant and let the paparazzi “catch”
us. If that doesn't inflame rumors that you are at least my
boyfriend, then I don't know what will!” She stated with a laugh.
“We've
been married nearly two years now...” Grant murmured. “I still
can believe that no one has found out!”
“That's
the power of the mob,” Jessica giggled as she stood up and then put
her arms around him. “If we don't want something leaked to the
press, it doesn't get leaked!”
Realizing
that she was in the mood to dance to the music in her head, Grant put
his arms around her waist and led her through a slow dance. One great
thing about being married to her was that she insisted that they
dance together a lot,
and to his surprise, he really liked dancing.
“Oh,
I noticed that your car got dented today,” Jessica informed him.
“Yep,
just a minor fender-bender,” Grant assured her. “It's nothing! A
shop can have it buffed out in no time.”
“Nonsense!
It's about time that you got a new car anyway!” Jessica exclaimed.
Grant
laughed. “A new car?! I've only had this one a couple of months!”
“Yeah,
but now they're coming out with new models and you should really be
driving the best,” Jessica told him with a pout.
He
sighed and shook his head in amusement. “Fine, if you insist... We
can go car shopping tomorrow before our dinner date.”
Jessica
squealed happily. “We can get matching cars in his and hers
colors!”
“We'll
see...” Grant murmured, a wry smile betraying the fact that he was
amused by how happy the prospect made her.
“Just
don't forget, we absolutely positively
have
to go to that family event this weekend,” Jessica reminded him.
“I
never knew there were so many get-togethers in the mob,” Grant
stated, finding it ironic that a bunch of law breakers seemed to have
a better sense of family duty and togetherness than most regular
people he met.
“It's
a control thing,” Jessica shrugged.
*****
Grant
helped Jessica out of their brand new and insanely expensive car, and
then tucked her hand into the crook of his arm like some
old-fashioned gentleman. She looked to-die-for in a shimmering, one
of a kind, tailor-made for her dress, and he looked fairly handsome
in a subtly matching suit. Grant still
couldn't get over how different expensive clothing made him look; he
could almost pass for a movie star!
This
party looked a lot like it was being held by a bunch of snooty rich
people. Grant had thought – when he first started attending these
parties – that a bunch of mobsters getting together would be a
rowdy and somewhat crude event, but instead, they always rented out a
high-priced country club and had something fairly close to a ball. It
made no sense to Grant!
But
he had to admit that it was kind of fun to go to a party where he got
to eat rich food and dance with expensively dressed women who smelled
fantastic. Even if something should happen – such as two lesser
families suddenly breaking out into a brawl – the whole thing was
broken up and everyone simply continued partying like nothing had
happened. It was so weird to him!
Jessica
smiled and chatted with people graciously, acting like a lady that
Grant knew she wasn't. She acted much like a pop star giving an
interview on TV; never letting any one see the real her. She had
everyone convinced that she was some paragon of virtue, much like the
Princess Diana had been.
Suddenly,
Jessica growled. “There's Rachel...”
Grant
felt his heart skip a beat. “Where?!”
Jessica
hit him on the arm. “Behave you!” She studied Rachel with an
expression of distaste, and then suddenly smirked.
“She's
here with a man!” Jessica announced as if Grant had somehow missed
this fact. “I simply must
go introduce myself to him!”
“Jessica...”
Grant growled darkly.
“Shut
up and come on,” she snapped out the order impatiently.
All
too soon, they were standing in front of the woman Grant really
wanted to be married to. Rachel looked surprised that Jessica wanted
to talk to her, but narrowed her eyes suspiciously. It would totally
be in character for Jessica to try to steal her new man too!
“Rachel,
darling! How I've missed
you!” Jessica greeted her with a purr, taking Rachel's hands into
hers and kissing her on the cheek.
“Jessica,”
Rachel murmured the greeting as pleasantly as she could.
“How
have you been?” Jessica asked, smiling as if she actually cared.
“Busy,”
Rachel stated flatly, but then her expression changed. “I've been
blessed with a baby boy, so I feel like I am constantly chasing after
him, keeping him out of trouble and playing with him.”
The
happiness she felt at having a child was evident on her face. She
literally glowed. She cast Jessica a smug look. “And
my boyfriend and I just found out that we are going to have another
baby in about 7 months! I'm just so happy that I could cry!”
Jessica
twisted her lips into a sour expression. “Wonderful...”
“Jordan,”
Rachel addressed her boyfriend with a smile. “Why don't you invite
Jessica to dance with you?”
“Sure
thing,” he replied with a shrug and then held his hand out in
invitation.
Jessica
harrumphed, flipping her hair over her shoulder as if she were too
good to dance with someone like him, but then she placed her hand in
his and let him lead her onto the dance floor.
“So...”
Rachel began nervously. “How are you?”
Grant
shrugged. “Good, I guess. I'm glad to see that you were able to
move on and find someone new.”
“Nah!
I hired him just to drive Jessica crazy!” Rachel confessed with a
laugh. “I mean yes, I do have a new boyfriend, but he is literally
brand new. I just met him a couple of days ago... and I want to get
to know him better before I drag him into all of this.”
“Understandable,”
Grant murmured with a nod.
Rachel
smiled at him. “I'm glad to see that you're not miserable. In fact,
either you've gotten very good at acting, or you're actually happy
with her.”
“What?!”
Grant asked, baffled by this concept.
Rachel
playfully pushed him with her arm. “Oh come on, I saw the way you
were looking at her! She's interesting to you; I bet she keeps you on
your toes!”
Grant
bit his lip and frowned in thought. “Well... yeah... I guess so.”
“Plus,
you look like you belong here,” Rachel added with a smile.
Grant
shrugged. “I learned to play the game from the “King” himself,
so...”
“This
life actually seems to suit you,” Rachel informed him, which made
Grant really think. His head was soon spinning, but he realized
something very important.
“Yeah...”
he whispered incredulously. “It does. I kind of like being able to
buy a brand new car just because my “old” one got dented. I like
having a top box at the basketball games and eating all this
fabulously expensive food... I didn't think I was this shallow, but I
guess I am...”
“I
don't think you're shallow. I think you're simply happier than you
care to admit.” Rachel kissed him on the cheek. “I'm glad. It was
killing me thinking that you were suffering at her hands, but now I
can truly move on.”
They
both saw Jessica returning with Rachel's hired boyfriend. Rachel ran
to them and threw her arms around him. “I missed you!” The two of
them wandered off to find something to drink, Rachel waving to them
as she left.
Jessica
grabbed Grant's arm and forced him to look at her. “You better not
have dared
to plot anything with her!”
Grant
shook his head. “No. We only talked about how my life has been, and
she pointed out that I look pretty happy.”
“Of
course!” Jessica huffed. “You're married to me!” Then she
stamped her foot impatiently and crossed her arms. “But she's happy
because she's a mom, and that's something I don't have!”
Grant
shrugged. “So get off the pill or whatever you're on.”
“I'm
not on anything!”
Jessica screeched softly, not wanting to attract attention to her
behavior.
“You're
not? But I thought...” Grant frowned, puzzled.
“Why
would I be on birth control?” Jessica asked with a sneer. “I'm
married and it's all the rage for celebrities to have babies.”
“Hmm...”
Grant thought this over, biting his lip. His eyes glanced towards
Rachel for just a moment before falling to the ground. If
it's true that she's a mom now, then I guess she's won after all!
The
thought made Grant grin. He tucked Jessica's hand in the crook of his
arm and kissed her on the cheek. “Maybe you're just not meant to be
a mom, and if it's something you really want, we can always adopt.”
Jessica
crinkled her nose in distaste – at both options. “No... If Rachel
had a baby, then I'm going to have one too!”
Grant
laughed. “Okay, if you say so!” He pulled her onto the dance
floor, snuggling with her as they swayed back and forth.
“I
will not lose
to her!” Jessica insisted.
Grant
smiled but kept his mouth shut. I
think you already have...
