ROXANNE'S P.O.V
The drive was a full hour, and I checked my time before getting out of the car. Twenty-eight minutes past ten. I swallowed hard, then got out, my chest heaving. The place was lit up, and I could see a neon sign above the place. Dirty Dreams followed by the illustration of a pole dancer. I bit down on my lips before I slowly walked to the entrance. "ID," said one of the guards at the door. I sighed and turned to him. "I just need to check something inside." "You can't enter without an ID." I nodded. "Can I enter with a police man?" His brows furrowed, and he turned to the other. "I am turning twenty-six soon, and even if I wasn't, I am not here for any of the business that apparently goes on here." They went silent for a long minute before they finally opened the door for me and let me in. I slowly walked into the place. The music was loud, and the place was dim, but from the blue and red lights, I could see some scantily dressed women pole dancing on stage, with men throwing money at them. I felt bile rise up my throat, and I hoped to God that Damien wasn't really here. That the call was some stupid prank. That I had driven all the way here for nothing. "You look lost." I turned swiftly, and a woman wearing a long gown with slits on both sides was staring back at me. She had a small smile and long hair, and I swallowed, taking a small step back. "I am looking for someone." Her eyes dropped to my hand, and she smiled at the massive diamond ring that I was still wearing. I had planned on taking it off tomorrow morning before the ceremony. I hoped I wouldn't have to take it off tonight itself. "You are not the first, darling. Do you see him down there?" I turned, my eyes scanning the screaming men. "No," I said, turning back to her. "If what I heard is true, he wouldn't be here." She gave a small chuckle. "So he is getting down already. Want my help?" "Why are you helping me?" "Trust issues, huh? I do understand. But I oversee this place, and I am not looking for trouble. I will help you find your fiancé, but you need to take the drama outside. I am being kind." I nodded slowly. I would lie if I say I don't resent her for being the one to mobilize these girls. But these girls do not owe me any sort of loyalty. Damien does, and I hope he is out there staying true to the vows he had so religiously written. "Thank you," I managed to say, and her smile returned. "Come with me." I hesitated for a bit as she walked away. I still had time. I could still pretend none of this happened. I could go on like I hadn't received that call. My wedding tomorrow could still be held. I swallowed again, shaking my head. If the truth was going to shatter me, then it would. I immediately followed her, running a little to catch up to her. We went around the dancing stage to a quieter hallway that held a total of ten rooms on each side. "If he isn't in one of these rooms, then he isn't here." I nodded, my chest heaving. Please. Please let him not be in any of these rooms. She walked to the first, then opened it and stepped in. There were four men sitting around and three women serving them wine while they giggled and laughed. Damien wasn't there. She closed the door and led me to the second. A man and a woman. The man wasn't Damien. It was the same with the third, fourth, fifth rooms, and I could feel myself calming down and at the same time growing even more apprehensive. We still had five more rooms, and it made me nervous. We got to the fifth room, and it was completely empty. The sixth, seventh, and eighth were empty, too. She gave a small laugh. "You might need to buy the man a rose for not trusting him." At this point, relief was starting to wash over me already, and I smiled, my hand coming to my chest. She laughed at the gesture, then shook her head as she led me to the ninth room. There was only one woman in it, and she was lying in bed, her eyes closed. My eyes fell on the phone next to her, and for some reason, it felt weird. I noticed how the music from the stage was louder in the rooms from five downwards because the building was a full circle. This room was particularly loud, just like how it had been over the phone. Come to think of it, if she had been outside, there wouldn't be sounds of moaning or the door I had heard. She would have to be yelling in order for me to hear her above the music, but she hadn't really been yelling over the phone. I hated how well the dots connected, and I slowly turned towards the last room. My heart sank, and my eyes immediately filled with tears. I couldn't wait for the mistress to lead me to the tenth room, and I immediately walked to it, wrapping my hand around the door knob in a death grip. I blinked, tears running down my cheeks, my body shaking lightly. "You think he is in there?" I turned to her, my lips parting. "I hope he isn't," I managed to say, but at this point, I knew it was nothing but blind hope. I was too scared of getting my heart broken. I turned back to the door and slowly opened it, then stepped in, my chest heaving. The first person I saw was my very own brother. He was passed out on the floor, a few bottles of beer laid out around him. A tear dropped to the floor and shattered into pieces, just like my heart. "I am sorry," the mistress said behind me, but I could barely hear her. My eyes fell on the bed, and right there, in the middle of underwear, bodily fluids, and three women, was the man I was going to get married to in a few hours.ROXANNE'S P.O.V My fairytale was crumbling in front of me, but there was nothing I could do. The illusion I had made up in my head was shattering, and I realized just how my own mind was my biggest enemy. How everything that I had carefully glazed over came back, glaring at me. How Damien's inconsistencies now stared right back at me, daring me. That secretary two years ago that he had assured me was nothing. She was, after all, his employee, and he wouldn't have anything to do with her. That time, he had stayed out throughout the night, and he had come back to tell me he had fallen asleep in his car. The strange number in his phone that was saved under my name, but I knew it wasn't me. I blinked hard, my chest heaving as I struggled to breathe. I should have seen it all. I should have known that this... this drunk man speaking gibberish, swimming in despicable acts of shame with no remorse whatsoever, this was the real Damien. Everything else had been a fragment of my own imagin
ROXANNE'S P.O.V I slowly turned to Florian, my lips parting, the salty taste of my own tears filling my eyes. He was driving slowly, his sleeves rolled up, his brows drawn as he focused on the highway in front of us.I closed my eyes tight, swallowing hard. "Why are you not with them?""Where were they?"His voice was just as I remembered it. Deep, resonant, smooth. "The strip club. Dirty dreams." I broke into a laugh, but my tears only streamed down my face harder. "I should have known.""It isn't your fault you didn't," he said simply. I watched him, my eyes thin. Florian was one of my brother's closest and oldest friends. Even though his family was much richer than ours, I could remember how he was always at our place every day, especially at the time I was in high school.Looking back now, I wasn't sure why we never got along. Maybe because I was chubby then, but he loved to poke fun at me. I hated it back then, and I couldn't lie, he had been one of the reasons I decided to im
FLORIAN'S P.O.V I could taste her tears on her lips, but she wasn't stopping, and sure as hell, I wasn't going to. The next forty-five minutes that it took to get to the mansion was an absolute pain, and I hated that I had to drive. I wanted to give her all of the attention she wanted, all the things she was looking for by pushing herself on me like this, touch her in all of the places she never showed anyone else so she is never tempted to feel anyone else.We finally got home, and I pulled her into me, her body fitting right in my arms, her legs wrapping around my waist. I opened the door, then turned to the wall, her back softly hitting the wall. She adjusted her legs around me, and I chuckled to myself, my fingers holding on to her.She was breathing heavily, her eyes closed, her fingers holding on to my shirt. I let my hand slowly tuck her hair back in, my eyes looking down at her. I wanted to take it slow. Understand her grief. Maybe. "Do you still want this?"She swallowed,
ROXANNE'S P.O.V I turned slowly to Florian. My hair fell on both sides of my face, so I was hoping he wouldn't see the glances I was stealing. His eyes were focused fully on the road, his hand, adorned with two rings, rested between his thigh and mine.His other hand navigated the steering wheel, his hair falling prettily on his face. I held my breath as my eyes took him in. I remembered just how I had always seen him at least one tier above every other man around. He was that beautiful. He had the stainless charisma that turned girls his way.That's how I knew I didn't have a chance.I shook my head and turned, my knees trembling a little as if to remind me of the very thing I didn't want to be reminded of. I wasn't even completely sure how it had happened, but I knew I wouldn't forget it.I had never expected that I had been waiting so long despite all the times I had come close, only to finally be taken by Florian. Florian. That one man I never thought I would ever be good enough
"What the fuck, Florian? How could you fucking do this?""What did I do?" Florian asked, his voice deep, dark, and smooth. "Drive her insane with pleasure when you were planning to drive her insane with pain?""What?" Damien countered, his eyes wide. "What the hell are you talking about?"I swallowed hard, pulling myself away from Florian. "You were at..." I trailed off, blinking the tears away. In as much as Florian was right about his ability to make me forget everything, at least for last night, seeing Damien, those pretty eyes I had loved so much, that face I saw in my happiest dreams...It hurt. All over again. "Fucking speak up, Roxanne! What is yoir excuse for being this bastard's little slut?""Don't you dare call me names. You are the one who went around and broke the vows we didn't even get to make. You are the one who...""Shut up, Roxanne. Shut up." It was my brother this time, and I could see the nervousness in his eyes as he looked towards Damien.My eyes filled even fa
I let out a small whimper as my eyes closed, my chest heaving hard. My face buried in my palm, and I let out a shaky breath. I was trying as hard as I could to not let Florian hear me, but I knew I had gotten loud at some point, and I was grateful that he hadn't bothered to say anything to me.I sighed, closing my eyes. Today would have been my wedding. Yet here I am. I have nowhere to go.I straightened slowly, sniffing hard as I tried to best to compose myself. I turned to Florian. His eyes were cold as he drove silently, his fingers resting between us, the other navigating the steering wheel."I... I will sleep at the office till I can...""You are coming home with me."I bit down on my lips. "That is hardly home, Florian."He turned to me, his brow lifting. "Okay? You have called the Roseville mansion home for twenty-six years. Surely it wouldn't hurt your soul to call my place home for now."I turned away, my eyes brimming with tears. He was right. I had never felt at home in the
I stood in front of the mansion where Florian apparently lived. It was at least twice that of my parent's, and was situated in a quaint, quiet place in the richest part of CA. I looked around. Nature was thriving here, and the mansion itself was victorian style and extremely beautiful."Let's go," Florian said finally as he came beside me. He had handed the keys to a man who had greeted me and said man was currently taking the car away."I..." I started to say, my eyes falling to my feet. I still couldn't shake off the heavy awareness of him that I felt. And the awareness of what we had done last night. "Are you sure this is okay? I could sleep in my office before I find a way to retrieve...""Stay here, Roxanne. Don't be stubborn."I nodded slowly, then swallowed as I felt his hand rest gently on the curve of my waist. Without another word, he pulled me into the massive entrance, his body heating mine up due to how close together we were.The interior was even more magnificent, and I
"Ma'am, please come with me to the bedroom. Sir has asked us to help you settle down before lunch."I tore my gaze away from the path where Florian had taken away from me and turned to the woman. She was young, probably around my age, and dressed in a very neat maid's uniform.I forced a small smile, then nodded. "Thank you."She smiled, then gestured with her hand towards the stairs. I took the path she directed me to, while she fell into step next to me, her fingers elegantly clasped in front of her.I looked around the house, as last night was a complete haze, and I could barely even remember that wr had climbed a stair case. There were dark pieces of art around the house and one on the wall at the very top of the stairs.It was a close-up of a hand. My brows furrowed. Those rings looked like Florian's, and the longer I looked at the painting, the more I saw.I could see the rest from what could have been there, and his fingers seemed to be wrapped around a... chin?I could see the