Chapter 51 Thoroughly fucked.
CHAPTER 51
Thoroughly fucked.
SCARLETT – POINT OF VIEW
I drag on his shorts with a frown, “Luca is getting married?”
“Apparently so.” he pulls me between his legs and helps fix the shorts clips.
I try not to dissolve into a puddle. His large hands are around my waist, holding me in place. I can feel my cheeks heating. My dress is a mess. I think he broke the zipper. Elena is going to lose her mind, but that’s not the point right now, not when I can still feel every part of him around me. He branded himself on my body.
I am silent as he bends and works on the shoelace next. I try not to squirm under his gaze and attentive touch. I try not to dissolve into a puddle, but it seems inevitable.
All I remember when I see him is the ways he touched me, the ways he broke me apart like bread, the way he has lodged himself deep in me, the way he has spilt into me like ink. Sex has never been like this for me. I never thought it was possible like this, but now, he has shown me another dimension.
“Do you know who he is marrying?” I ask, pushing away the knot in my throat.
He shakes his head, “I’ll call him on our way home.” He stands upright and wraps his arm around my waist absentmindedly.
“What else do we need to take? Are we good to go?” he asks, looking around the bedroom.
“I’m good.” I smile.
He pulls me closer to him and presses his lips to my forehead. My heart skips a beat, but I play it cool. I don’t know what this means for us, and I’m not interested in asking certain questions.
He leads me out of the apartment, we take the elevator, and go to his car. He doesn’t stop touching me. He helps me into the car, closes the door, goes around and gets in, then he’s back to touching me, his hand lingering on my knee, drawing circles.
He calls Luca, places the phone in the dashboard mount, and drives out.
Luca answers almost immediately, as crude as always, “Thought you got lost in your girlfriend’s cunt.”
I flush hard immediately.
Roman mutters a curse and snaps, “She’s right here, Luca. Keep the bullshit in your pants.”
“Hello, Scarlett. Sorry about that.” Luca chuckles, shameless and amused.
I nod, “Hi, Luca. Let’s just forget you said that.”
“Understood,” he responds.
“Heard you’re getting married.” Roman begins, keeping his eyes on the road as he drives.
“Yes. It’s a duty.” Luca’s humour is gone, replaced by an emptiness I know so well.
“Do you have to?” Roman frowns as he gets on the bridge. I look at the dark water below, and my chest swells.
“I’m the first son, Roman, and my father is dead. It is important to let everyone know that we have our affairs in order. I’m thirty-four. I should have been married years ago, but I ran from it, playing billionaire playboy around the world. This is expected and inevitable. Come next weekend, I’ll be married, and you must be there. Bring the whole circus.” He articulates calmly and casually as if he isn’t talking about grief and a marriage.
“I’m sorry about your father, Luca,” I whisper, biting my tongue hard, pushing back my grief. It never gets better.
“Thank you, Scarlett. I’ll send Roman the details.” He tells me, and I nod.
“Have you seen the bride-to-be?” Roman asks cautiously, drumming his hand on the steering wheel as we drive into traffic.
“Adelina Salvatore.” He answers stiffly.
“Salvatore?” Roman is in shock, and I’m confused.
“I was supposed to marry her older sister, Gianna, but she messed around with the bodyguard publicly. Now, I’m stuck with the younger and brattier one. I have to go. She’s very expensive to manage.” He hisses, annoyed.
“Good thing you have the money. What’s the point of working if we can’t spend it on our women?” Roman teases, and my cheek flushes hard.
We say our goodbyes, and the call ends. I try not to read too much into what Roman said, or the way he didn’t dispute it when Luca called me his girlfriend.
Soon, he drives through the gates and parks in front of the house. I reach for the handle, but he holds my wrist for a second, pinning me with his intense gaze before letting go.
I walk out of the car with shaky knees and a pounding heart. He steps out and hands Russel the keys. We walk in together. Elena, Caleb, Rick and Eve are in the living room. Elena has a laptop in front of her and a phone against her ear. Eve seems to be editing as she sits cross-legged. Caleb and Rick smile at us as we walk in.
“Where’s Damian?” Roman asks, impatient.
“By the dock. He has been making calls.” Caleb answers calmly.
“Well, hello to you. You look thoroughly fucked.” Eve grins at me, and I can’t help but laugh as Roman heads to the door.
“No, no, hold on, Rom, we need to talk.” Elena stops him.
“Can this wait?” he sighs, glancing at his wristwatch.
“No, it can’t. It’s about you and Scar,” she ends her call and glares at him.
He exhales and walks back to me. He places his hand on my lower back and helps me to the stool. He doesn’t sit. He stands behind me, with his hands lightly on my shoulders. His touch is burning, but I lean into it.
“You caused quite a stir last night, which works in our favour. People are buying the relationship, but we need to raise the stakes. So, I have a chronological list of events that can help to achieve our goal.” She begins, speaking calmly and clearly.
“Tonight’s Gala is first on the list, of course, then we have brunch with Marjorie and other members of the DOE, or brunch with us. Luca’s wedding is next weekend, and we must attend and sell the story perfectly. There’s a Yacht party after that, thrown by the Elites as some sort of charity for orphans. After that, there will be a weekend retreat with the DOE and their families. We’ll top it off with a pre-wedding photoshoot and a pre-honeymoon vacation. Everyone will be at the edge of their seats, waiting for the wedding announcement, waiting for something,” she smiles as she explains every bit.
“But, then, you just elope! No announcement, no paparazzi, just a private ceremony and pictures after. Of course, before that, she’ll have to meet your mom, Roman,” she frowns at him, almost cautiously.
“Of course,” Roman responds, stiff.
“So, that’s the plan, a lot of closeness, a lot of romance, and events. I need your approval to stamp it, because once I do, nothing can change. Once I make the arrangement and contact the necessary people, there will be no room for change. Are you ready to change your lives?” She beams widely.