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I find a strength deep inside me and push him away.
“No matter what happened in the past, it doesn’t change the fact that all this is about money. I can’t agree to that, Eaton. I mean it. I want to go back to Pharr. I want you to look into how I can give you the money without the need for a wedding and a baby. I’m sure there must be a loophole in my father’s will.”
He shakes his head. “My father had the best lawyers pull everything apart. Marriage and a child are the only way you can inherit and sign your inheritance over to me.”
“We really don’t have a choice. I don’t have a choice.” I shut my eyes. “Eaton, do what your father demands. I want this all over. I want to go home. Even if it’s back to a trailer. At least it’s real and not about money.”
“I’m sorry, Shelby. I can’t do that. If you’d asked me to marry you that first night I picked you up, I would have done so without hesitation, but now, I can’t.”
“Please,” I beg.
Eaton leans forward and presses a kiss to my lips. I taste every element of passion in the kiss, and it leaves me weak in the knees. I soften in his arms even though my brain is telling me I should still be angry with him. I let go and surrender to him as he kisses me again before he pulls back.
“I’m sorry. I’m never going to let you go, and for the first time in my life, I’m not ashamed to admit it’s not because of the money. It’s because I’ve tasted you. Here.” He places a finger on my lips. “And here.” He places his hand over my sex. “Your ingrained in me now, and I couldn’t give you up even if I could. In the beginning, I wanted you for revenge, but that has come back to haunt me because now I just want you, completely and utterly. I want every part of your body, and all your firsts. Nothing is going to stop me. I mean it, Shelby. You’re mine, and I’m never giving you up. I’m not going to let someone take you from me, and I can’t let you walk away. You’re mine, forever.”
Eaton leads me to the bed, and I follow willingly. His words have flooded all my senses. He’s been with me all my life. He’s ingrained in me as well. I realize I couldn’t walk away now if I tried. I’m kidding myself thinking I could.
He sits beside me on the bed and strokes my face, wiping away the tears that have been endlessly falling since he entered the room and confirmed the truth of our situation. He leans forward and kisses me again. The kiss deepens, and my arms wrap around his neck to bring him closer. Finally he pulls his lips away and rests his forehead against mine.
“Sleep, Shelby. It’s been a long day.”
“Eaton.” I’m confused.
“I told you I would only have you when the time was right, and after the truths you’ve learned today, it’s not now. We both have so much to think through, to get straight in our heads. I need to prove to you I’m worthy of you and that revenge and money haven’t consumed me. I need to be certain there are no more secrets between us.”
He steps away from me, and I feel the loss of his warmth. I instantly wrap my arms around my body to give me comfort.
“Sleep.” He nods at me before leaving the room.
I fall back onto the bed, curling into a tight ball. So much has happened today, and to try and process it all will probably take me a lifetime—maybe that’s not long enough. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to understand my father or the reason he put me in this position. This is a nightmare I’ll never wake up from.
22
EATON
Surprisingly I feel calmer over the next few days in the lead up to the ball. I return Shelby to her original bedroom, and we spend a lot of time together getting to know each other properly. I answer her questions, and she answers mine. I still can’t believe I’m talking about myself. I’ve never done that before, even with Max.
There’s something about Shelby that makes me want to open up and be a different man. It doesn’t mean I’m going soft. No. Anyone who messes with me or the casino will still get what’s coming to them.
It’s a shame I can’t deal with my father like that so we don’t have to go to this ball tonight. Watching Shelby being prepared for the evening is the only thing helping me get through this. She’s been waxed again, her hair and makeup done, and she is currently in a white dressing gown while a voice coach is with her, trying to improve her Texan accent so she blends in with the Vegas rich and powerful. Cecilia is beside her, debating on what dress will be the best one for Shelby to wear.
“Keep your posture straight, shoulders back, open the ribcage and repeat after me. Freshly fried flying fish, freshly fried flesh. Make sure you sound out all the letters, start and finish,” the voice coach instructs, she’s been trying to get Shelby to say you all rather than y’all for the last hour and hasn’t been successful yet. I don’t think she’ll ever stop saying it, but to be honest, it’s growing on me.”
Shelby cough then pulls her shoulders back.
“Freshly fried flying fish, freshly fried flesh.” The words are spoken slowly, deliberately, and perfectly. But I know she’s never going to be able to speak like that all evening.
“That was excellent. Now I want you to say it a bit quicker.”
“Freshly fried flying fish, freshly fried flesh.” Shelby repeats the words at a slightly faster speed, and they still sound perfect.
“Now we’re going to make it a lot harder. I want you to keep repeating it and speed up each time,” the voice coach instructs, and Shelby nods her agreement.
I watch the rise and fall of Shelby’s breasts as she inhales deeply.
“Freshly fried flying fish, freshly fried flesh. Freshly fried flying fish, freshly fried flesh. Freshly fried flying fish, freshly fried fish. Freshly fried flying fish, fresh fish fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck!”
It doesn’t go exactly to plan, and I can’t help but laugh as Shelby stomps her feet and waves her hands in the air as she tries to get it right. She looks like a petulant toddler having a tantrum.
