“Nico, grab the rum, please.”
He nods, steps beside me, and washes his hands in the second sink. This man knows if he doesn’t wash his hands after using the toilet, I will lose it.
The second he steps out of the bathroom, I relieve myself.
Nico returns, placing two crystal tumblers on the sink. He pours two fingers of rum into our glasses. After I wash my hands, I grab my glass.
“Let’s toast,” I say.
He smirks and lifts his glass. “To married life.”
“To married life,” I repeat as we clink glasses.
“And to us being a powerful couple.”
Nico’s face lights up. “We’ve always been a powerful couple, baby.”
I bring my glass to my lips and sip as my fingers roam his chest.
“You’re right. We took care of the vain girl who fat-shamed Jenny. We also took care of Chris.”
I take another sip, then place the glass on the counter. My fingers curl around the thin strap of my red summer dress. Nico reaches for the other strap, his calloused fingers dragging along my skin, and a shiver strikes my body. He steps even closer and clenches my chin. His lips sweep mine. My fingers move over my name inked on his skin. It’s surreal to see how far we’ve comeonce I finally gave in to him. Gave into us. It’s not like I didn’t want Nico. I felt so betrayed by what he did in high school. I felt if I gave in to him, everyone would see me as weak. I hated the way my own bodyguard, Javier, looked at me whenever I’d meet with Nico. And Nico always wore that cocky smirk that said, ‘see I can have her anytime I want.’
Breaking our kiss, I inch backward.
“What’s wrong?” He asks, concern lacing his words.
With the dress still molded to my thick frame, I hop up on the counter and pour myself another drink.
“So many times I wanted to be with you…Nico,” I whisper.
He gulps down the contents in the glass.
“I was so weak. Coming to you after you crushed my heart…”
I shake my head. “…who learned their boyfriend bet he could take your virginity, and then planned to humiliate you?”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “I put the train back on the tracks.”
Nico didn’t say a word. He listened.
“I remember Javier’s face when I went to see if you were at the pizza place with that cheerleader. He shook his head like he was disgusted by my actions. And how I let you get under my skin time and time again.”
“Yes, the way I went about getting you back into my life was unconventional. Ipromise it didn’t matter if you didn’t come to my dorm room that day because I was coming for you. The second Rod entered the bet to take your virginity. I couldn’t allow it.”
Rod believed his tall, athletic frame, blonde hair, and blue eyes guaranteed he’d be the one to take my virginity. He assumed every girl desired him simply because he was handsome.
He was wrong. I only wanted Nico.
“I wanted to be your first and your last. But entering the bet severely risked me being your last.”
“You tried to hurt or kill them all, Nico,” I grit out.
“Because you were mine. Was it wrong that I cockblocked every guy that looked your way? Yes. I wasn’t ready to be in a relationship. Honestly, I liked being free.” He slips his fingers through his hair.
“Being free to talk to whoever while keeping guys from getting close to you. It was wrong. Shit, Serenity, I was fucking obsessed with you. Yet, in denial at the same time. Once we spent time together, I knew there wasn’t another girl for me. The bet was a double-edged sword. It kept other guys at bay and forced me into a relationship. You were mine, Serenity.” He palms my face and presses his forehead against mine. “Always mine.”
I drink in this moment before he steps back and stares into my eyes. His large hands squeeze my thick thighs and I love it.
