by A. M. Kusi
“I always envisioned my future wife would be a Ghanaian woman who knew our culture and traditions too,” Ethan’s voice came from the kitchen.
Isa felt like she had been punched in the chest. Suddenly it was harder to draw in a breath. Something dark and sinister squeezed her insides.
“It isn’t too late,” his mother said.
Isa had heard enough. She opened the door to the bathroom and locked it behind her. Her heart thudded in her chest and her ears rang loudly. Tears stung her eyes. She swallowed to hold them back. Should she just leave? She had no car and it was dark out. No. She deserved an explanation. Why would he string her along like this and make it seem like he felt so much for her if one single dinner could change that?
Isa splashed some cold water on her face and dried it. She took a deep breath, willing her feet to move to the dining room. She painstakingly schooled her expression, something she had done her entire life, to mask her true emotions.
All eyes were on her as she entered the dining room. Ethan looked up, but she quickly averted her gaze. She could do this.
Through the rest of dinner, she focused on the kids and avoided making eye contact with Ethan. Even when he tried to pull her into the conversation, she would answer as politely and simply as possible.
“So, Isa, where is your family from?” Esther asked. This time, her face was friendlier. She must be happy she got what she wanted.
“Here in Boston.”
“What do they do?” Esther pressed.
Isa looked at her plate. She hated sharing about her family, because it shaped everyone’s view of her negatively. “My father is Daniel Grayson. He owns Crown Shipping.”
Esther looked shocked, just as Isa had intended. Isa smiled smugly as Esther looked to Phillip and then to her son before she focused on her food. Her expression showed indifference once more. It was a small consolation, letting Ethan’s mother know that her son could have been joined to such a prominent and affluent family, but she’d destroyed it.
Thankfully, dessert didn’t last too long. Esther and Phillip kissed and hugged their grandchildren. His parents both extended a hug to Sarah and their son. Phillip reached out his hand to shake Isa’s.
“It was good to meet you, Isa,” he said.
“Likewise.”
Isa glanced at Esther. “Thank you for dinner. The food was delicious.”
Esther reluctantly met her gaze momentarily and nodded. “You’re welcome.”
Ethan’s hand landed on the small of her back as he led her out, Max in his arms and Joy already at the door. The kids were tired and ready for bed.
“I’m sorry that was so awkward,” Ethan said, his hand resting on her thigh as they drove away.
She turned to the window, her wall of protection crumbling with his touch. How could this feel so genuine when it was all a lie?
“Isa?”
“Just give me some space,” she said.
He removed his hand and they drove the rest of the way home in silence.
Max fell asleep during the car ride so Ethan carried him to his crib.
“Can you read me a story?” Joy asked Isa as she put her toothbrush away.
“Sure.”
Isa held Joy’s head in the crook of her arm as she read her a story, wondering if it was the last time she would be able to. Her heart ached at the thought. Joy had drifted asleep before it ended, but she finished the book anyway. She removed her arm and kissed the little girl’s forehead before she covered her up.
Chapter 24
Isa’s heart broke as she closed the door to Joy’s bedroom, leaving a piece of her splintered heart with the child. She had grown more attached to those kids than she’d thought possible.
Ethan was waiting for her, his face turning worried when he saw the tears glistening in her eyes.
He took her hand and pulled her into the bedroom. “What’s wrong?”
Isa drew away, walking over to the window to catch her breath. The glass panes were frosted on the outside, barely allowing the shadow of the swing set in the backyard to be visible.
“Isa, you’re scaring me.”
She let out a humorless laugh. “Don’t bullshit me. Stupid me for thinking that we stopped pretending after the wedding.”
“What do you mean? I haven’t been pretending,” he said, his voice mixed with confusion and anger.
She turned to face him, her own anger boiling over. “I heard you.”
“You heard me what?” His ignorance would’ve been believable if she hadn’t been the one to witness his voice, his betrayal.
“I went to the bathroom and I heard you in the kitchen with your mother. You said you’d always wanted a Ghanaian wife who knew your culture. She told you it wasn’t too late.” Tears erupted from her eyes. She had been rejected just as she had feared.
“Did you hear the rest?” he asked.
“I heard enough,” she said, angrily stalking towards the door.
He grabbed her and backed her into the wall, caging her in. Her body heated, sending sparks of lust straight to her core. She hated that she still responded to him. Her heart was breaking. She loved Ethan. The man who’d lied to her, used her, and was about to throw her away like her ex, like every man in her life.
“Let me go!” she yelled.
“I’ll let you go,” he said, his face grimacing as if he was the one having his heart ripped from his chest. “But first let me tell you how I answered her.”
Isa stared at him, feeling trapped. She had never felt unsafe with him, but maybe that was because she’d had a faulty intuition. Her friends trusted him though. Was he that good of an actor that he had them all fooled too?
Without her response, he continued, “I told her I’d never intended to fall in love with an American; it just happened. I told her that she needed to give you a fair chance and get to know you. I promised her she would see what I see. I told her that her opinion means the world to me, and asked her to make an effort before she judged you. I begged her to get to know the woman who had uprooted her whole life for me. The woman I fell in love with.” His voice broke with his last words.
She searched his eyes for any sign that it was all a lie. Tears fell freely down her cheeks. He brushed his thumb over them and backed away from her, wincing like the distance caused him physical pain.
Isa’s knees buckled and she dropped to the ground. Her head fell against her knees as her whole body shuddered. The impact of her accusations was splayed across his expression, dark with despair. Two lines of tears dripped down his cheeks.
Isa got to her still wobbly feet and walked towards him. “You love me?”
“You didn’t even give me the benefit of the doubt,” he said, not meeting her eyes.
His words pierced her heart. “You’re right. I didn’t. I’m far from perfect. I’m as fucked up as they come when it comes to knowing how a relationship is supposed to work. I don’t trust people easily.”
He didn’t respond, so she placed a hand on his face, wiping away the tears and forcing him to look at her this time. “We are two very broken people who keep finding ways to hurt each other. I’m so sorry, my love.”
She felt his jaw tense as she said the words he’d whispered to her. My love. His neck pulsed as his thudding heartbeat increased, and butterflies of hope swirled in her belly. His black onyx eyes stared back at her, through her, piercing her soul with his gaze.
“What did you say?” he asked.
“It hurts to fall in love. I was terrified because it means you have power over me. It took me having my heart shattered, thinking I had lost you, to realize that I love you, Ethan Appiah. Losing you hurt worse than I thought humanly possible. I love you too.”
He wrapped his arms around her. “Say it again,” he commanded.
“I love you,” she said breathlessly.
“Again.”
“I love you.”
His mouth smashed against hers. It was anger and hurt, celebration and relief, mixed with forgiveness and all wrapped into one earth-shattering kiss. She opened her mouth to him as his tongue warred with hers. Her body vibrated and burned from his scorching touch as he stripped her naked. She landed on his soft bed, pulling him free from his clothes. She yearned for his skin on hers more than her next breath.
“I need you.” She pushed his hardness against her already slick entrance. He reached towards the drawer for a condom, but she arched up and stopped his hand with her own.
“I’m on the pill. I’m clean,” she said.
He looked at her, taking only a moment to consider what she meant. “You sure?”
“I need to feel all of you,” she said, waiting for his consent before continuing any further.
Ethan responded by sliding gently into her. He growled as they joined their bodies without a barrier. She moaned, feeling him stretch and fill her, consuming all of her. For the first time in her life, she felt complete. Like they were one soul living in two bodies, connecting back together after eons of being separated. Soul mates. He was her beginning and end.
He began to move inside her, invading any defenses she had left. His black eyes stared into hers, piercing her soul as she offered a full surrender. Ethan’s hands moved hungrily over her body, making her feel like he was everywhere at once. The anticipation of where he would touch her next left her body sensitive and reactive. Every sensation was magnified and compounded. She was floating while their bodies moved rhythmically below in an exotic dance of the most primal desires. It was all-consuming.
“You’re so beautiful,” he groaned. His expression was a mix of love and lust.
A single hot tear escaped her eye and rolled down her cheek. “I love you.” She gasped as he reached depths of her she hadn’t known existed. “I love you,” she repeated.
“My love. You’re a masterpiece,” he said, reaching his hand between her thighs to rub her throbbing spot right as she fell apart in his arms.
“Ethan,” she pleaded.
He increased his speed, instinctively following her cues and giving her what she needed. Pleasure gathered, tangling, mingling, blurring with every thrust, every breath, every groan, until all that was left was her and him, floating in a sea of chaotic ecstasy with their souls bared to one another. She held onto his muscular shoulders, her nails breaking his soft flesh as she bit her lip until she tasted blood while holding back her cries of bliss.
“I’m coming,” he said, sending her over the edge one more time. He grunted, dropping his face into her neck, sparking shivers through her body as his scruff scratched her bare skin. Her body clenched around him as they came as one.
Panting and sweaty, they gazed into each other’s eyes.
Ethan smiled at her, his face seemingly in awe. “My love,” he said.
She traced his jawline with her finger. “I love you too,” she said.
He slid out of her, and she felt as though a piece of herself went with him. She lay against his warm chest, satiated, knowing she would never be the same.
He nuzzled his face into her hair, breathing her in before whispering in her ear, “Let me take you out on a date tomorrow. Just you and me.”
Unable to open her eyes as they were too heavy with sleep, she answered, “What about the kids?”
“My parents said they could have them overnight so I could take you out.”
“Your mother is babysitting so you can have a date with me? Does she know that’s what you’re doing?”
“I asked her after I told her I’d fallen in love with you. She might not agree with my choices, but she loves me and wants the best for me. She trusts I know what is good for me.”
Isa’s belly fluttered with excitement. “A real date?”
“I’ll pick you up at your house and everything.”
“Okay,” she agreed as a smile spread across her face.
They drifted to sleep, wrapped in each other.
Chapter 25
Isa slipped into a black dress that hugged her in all the right places. She chose a pair of heels and left her hair down. Her belly fluttered with a mix of nervous excitement. She swiped the mascara on her lashes and applied a little bit of red lipstick because it made her feel daring and confident.
Her doorbell rang. Ethan wasn’t due for half an hour, but she was also expecting the art guy her mom was sending to look over her pieces to see if they were gallery worthy.
She opened the door and her smile faltered. Griffin Smith in a tailored Armani suit with a devilish smile playing on his lips.
“Uh,” she stuttered. “Can I help you?”
Every strand of his dirty blond hair was perfectly in place. His wide, muscular shoulders splayed across the door’s entrance. He stood tall, towering over a foot higher than her in heels. His gaze locked on to hers, unwavering. His scent wafted into her space, strong and spicy. Everything about his presence demanded attention.
“Your mother said you needed a critical eye for your paintings.” His gaze seeming to critique every inch of her.
“Oh, I didn’t know you knew anything about art,” she said, seeing through her mother’s plans.
“I am a man of many talents,” he said, smirking. She could only imagine what kind of talents he was referring to. “Your father does a lot of business shipping art. One part of my job is forgery and quality control.”
“I assure you, none of my paintings are forged,” she joked.
“I can take a look and offer my opinion to some galleries if you want. My name is trusted amongst the art community here,” he suggested.
She searched his eyes for any malice or ulterior motives, finding none. She bit her lip, feeling hesitant.
“Are you going to let me in?” he asked, his easy smile never faltering.
“Okay,” she said, moving to the side to allow him entry.
She walked him to her studio, feeling his gaze on her as she guided him. Her skin prickled with some unknown sensation.
***
Ethan found a spot in the parking garage. His Toyota was out of place next to Lamborghinis and Mercedes-Benzes. He put on his hat and picked up the bouquet of flowers before heading for the elevators.
On her floor, he walked down the hall and locked his eyes on her door. It opened and a man in an expensive suit exited. Ethan’s stomach dropped and twisted all at once. He hadn’t realized he’d stopped moving. His body burned with jealousy as the man leaned in quickly and kissed Isa’s cheek. Ethan’s hand clenched around the flowers.
“Maybe I can take you for dinner sometime?” the asshole with a death wish asked. Was Isa cheating on him?
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. I have a boyfriend. I really appreciate your help with these paintings, though,” she said.
That’s right, motherfucker. She’s taken.
“I understand,” he promised.
Ethan cleared his throat as he continued walking towards them. The asshole looked at the flowers in his hand and then stared smugly at him.
“Ethan? You’re here. This is Griffin Smith. He works for my father. He was here to examine my paintings,” Isa rambled.
Ethan didn’t look at her. Instead, he met Griffin’s gaze. “A lot of art in the shipping business, huh?” Maybe Isa was buying this, but the man’s eyes made it clear he was after a different kind of masterpiece.
Griffin smiled, turning to Isa. “I’d better get going. I don’t want to intrude. I’ll call you later.” He winked.
“The hell you will,” Ethan said, stepping in front of Isa.
“Ethan!” she said, putting her hand on his arm.
“Talk soon,” Griffin said, puffing out his chest before he exited.
Ethan turned to fac
e her as she pulled him inside her apartment, which was so big he wasn’t sure you could call it one. A short black dress clung to her body like a glove. Matching black heels with dark red soles adorned her small feet with straps crisscrossing and wrapping around her long tan legs that went on for days. She was stunning. A vision of seduction and beauty.
“What the hell, Ethan?” she asked, her expression angry.
“What the fuck was he doing in your apartment? Why did he kiss you?” he asked. Feeling like an idiot still holding the flowers, he tossed them on the small table in the entryway.
“A peck on the cheek—it’s really not a big deal. He was here as a favor to my mother. He has connections in the galleries and he came to see if my paintings were worth trying to sell,” she said defensively, her arms crossed at her chest.
“You dress like this for all your mother’s friends?” he asked.
“No, I dress like this for my caveman boyfriend who is supposed to be taking me on our first real official date.” She huffed. “At least my mother didn’t invite him over and call him my future husband in front of you. You had no right to act the way you did.”
He might have taken this confrontation a little too far, but something had snapped the moment that seemingly rich asshole walked out of the apartment and put his mouth on her. Isa had made it clear that monogamy had never really been her thing. And fed by his own insecurities, fear now reared its ugly head. The guy looked like he could afford her lifestyle. “He is gonna help you get your paintings into a gallery?” he asked.
“He said he was hopeful. That was before my boyfriend made an ass of himself.”
“You mean I’m not an ex-boyfriend? There’s still hope of recovering?” He smirked, knowing she liked it when he did. He needed to use all the tools in his arsenal to get out of this one.
She rolled her eyes. “I won’t lie; you being a little possessive of me is kinda hot. But you have to know I would never step out on you with anyone. I’ve seen what that did with my parents and I would never want to be in a relationship that repeated that.”
