Passionate confession

"No matter what happened in the past, that doesn't change the fact that this is all about money. I can't agree with that, Eliot . I mean it. I want to go back to Pharr. I want you to look into how I can give you the money without a wedding and a baby. I'm sure there must be a loophole in my father's will."

She shakes her head. "My father had the best lawyers take it all apart. Marriage and a child are the only way you can inherit and sign over your inheritance to me."

"We really don't have a choice. I have no choice." I close my eyes. "Eliot , do as your father demands. I want all of this to end. I want to go home. Even if it's to a trailer. At least it's real and not for money."

"I'm sorry, Revean . I can't do it. If you'd asked me to marry you the first night I picked you up, I would have done it without hesitation, but now I can't."

"Please," I plead.

Eliot leans forward and kisses me on the lips. I savor every element of passion in the kiss, and he leaves me weak in the knees. I soften in his arms even though my brain tells me I should still be angry with him. I let go and surrender to him as he kisses me again before pulling away.

"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 puts a finger to my lips. "And here." He places his hand on my sex. "You're ingrained in me now, and I couldn't give you up even if I could. At first, I wanted you for revenge, but that has come back to haunt me because now I want only you, completely and totally. I want every part of your body, and all your first times. Nothing is going to stop me. I mean it, Revean . You are mine, and I will never give you up. I'm not going to let anyone take you away from me, and I can't let you go. You're mine, forever."

Eliot leads me to the bed, and I willingly follow. His words have flooded all my senses. He has been with me all my life. It is also ingrained in me. I realize I couldn't walk away even if I tried. I delude myself into thinking I could.

He sits next to me on the bed and strokes my face, wiping away the tears that haven't stopped falling since he came into the room and confirmed the truth of our situation. He leans forward and kisses me again. The kiss deepens and my arms go around his neck to pull him closer. He finally pulls his lips away and rests his forehead on mine.

"Sleep, Revean . It's been a long day."

"Eliot." 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 a lot to think about, a lot to clear in our heads. I need to prove to you that I am worthy of you and that revenge and money have not consumed me. I need to be sure there are no more secrets between us."

He pulls away from me and I feel the loss of his warmth. Instantly I wrap my arms around my body to comfort myself.

"Sleep." He nods to me before leaving the room.

I fall back onto the bed and curl into a ball. So much has happened today that processing it would take me a lifetime...maybe not enough. I don't know if I will ever be able to understand my father or the reason he put me in this situation. It's a nightmare from which I will never wake up.

ELIOT

Surprisingly, I feel calmer during the days leading up to the dance. I return Revean to her original room and we spend a lot of time together getting to know each other well. I answer her questions and she answers mine. I still can't believe she's talking about me. I've never done that before, not even with Andrew .

There's something about Revean that makes me want to open up and be a different man. It doesn't mean I'm getting soft. No. Anyone who messes with me or the casino will get what they deserve.

It's a shame I can't deal with my dad like this so I don't have to go to the dance tonight. Seeing Revean getting ready for the evening is the only thing that gets me through this. She's been waxed again, her hair and makeup done, and now she's wearing a white gown while a vocal coach is with her, trying to improve her Texas accent so she can blend in with the rich and powerful of Las Vegas. Carol is at her side, debating which dress will be best for Revean .

"Keep your posture straight, shoulders back, open your rib cage and repeat after me. Freshly fried flying fish, freshly fried meat. Make sure you pronounce all the letters, beginning and end," the voice teacher tells him, who has been trying for an hour to get Revean to say you all instead of y'all, but still hasn't succeeded. I don't think he'll ever stop saying it, but I'm actually liking it."

Revean coughs and throws his shoulders back.

"Freshly fried flying fish, freshly fried meat." The words are spoken slowly, deliberately and perfectly. But I know he's never going to be able to talk like that all night.

"That was excellent. Now I want you to say it a little faster."

"Freshly fried flying fish, freshly fried steak." Revean repeats the words at a slightly faster speed, and they still sound perfect.

"Now let's make it a lot harder. I want you to keep repeating it and speeding it up each time," the voice teacher instructs him, and Revean nods.

I watch Revean's breasts rise and fall as she takes a deep breath.

"Freshly fried flying fish, freshly fried meat. Freshly fried flying fish, freshly fried meat. Freshly fried flying fish, freshly fried meat. Freshly fried flying fish, freshly fried fish, freshly fried fish, freshly fucked fish. fuck, fuck, fuck!".

It doesn't go exactly as I had planned, and I can't help but laugh as Revean stomps his feet and waves his hands in the air as he tries to get it right. She looks like a little girl having a tantrum.

"Stop it." He scowls at me. "I'm trying so hard, but I'm getting tongue-tied. I'm going to embarrass you tonight."

Taking a step toward her, I grab her around the waist and pull her toward me. The singing teacher pulls away and pretends to talk to Carol .

"You could never embarrass me. You forget that I don't even want to go to this event tonight. I'd rather stay home and lick you."

"Eliot." Revean's eyes widen at my rawness.

Carol chuckles. "Lucky lady." She winks at me and goes back to examining the dresses with the voice coach.

"You can't say that in front of people." Revean continues to protest.