Chapter 3
I knew he was drunk before he’d even opened the door of our bedroom. FUCK!
Not only did he ruin my moment of a potentially mind-blowing orgasm, but he was drunk. Jason was a loud, obnoxious drunk. He was also a horny drunk and if I was really being honest…he was a selfish lover at the best of times. This evening was going to suck and not in a good way.
I cared for Jason because of who I hoped he could be. I couldn’t deny it, he checked all the boxes. On paper, he offered stability, wealth and the proper appearances. Those were exactly the things that had been drilled into my head since I was little. Yet despite all this, something just never felt right.
“Hey Lex…wake up…” Jason said as he rolled me over on to my back. I opened my eyes and smiled sweetly. “Did you have fun honey?” I asked, always the ever-dutiful fiancée.
“Yeah, but I’m going to have more fun now…” he slurred. His touch was rough as he pulled at my pretty lace lingerie, pawing like an animal for what he wanted. His face registered shock as he shoved two fingers into my pussy.
“Fuck you’re so wet for me.” He stated, surprised by the wetness that remained from my solo escapades.
Yeah for you, it’s all you, you drunken genius. I rolled my eyes behind their lids as I suppressed the urge to push him off of me.
Jason pulled off his clothes in five seconds flat and lay back down over me. He leaned in and kissed my lips chastely. I reached forward for more, hoping that my physical reaction would show him what I needed. Instead he roughly fingered me again without any idea as to what he was doing. After all of five seconds he barked, “Open your legs Lex.”
Already? Ugh. At least he’d be done soon.
Jason pulled his cock out of his pants and rubbed himself up and down a few times. His cock was long but not very thick and it always curved like a banana when hard. I tried to smile, although really it was not a pretty sight. His bushy pubic hair stood up all around the base, like a fluffy bird’s nest. I think my vagina may have dried up just looking at him.
“Open your legs wider.” He demanded.
I dutifully complied and opened my legs wider. I mean really though, how wide did I need to open? Did he think he had some kind of colossal dick or something? He held my legs apart until I thought they might snap off like a Barbie doll. My mind drifted to being a kid and playing with Barbie’s. My brother Logan was always stealing them and snapping their legs off to make me cry.
Shit. This thought process was really not helping my case.
Jason entered me without so much as a warning and we began our usual back and forth motion. “Yeah…Yeah…” he repeated over and over under his breath. He grunted, groaned and soon threw his head back before pulling out and finishing himself off with his hand. He stood there naked, a sticky white mess all over himself, looking nothing like the perfect image he preferred to present to the world. He probably told everyone he was a sex god. Ha! If only they knew.
“Good job Lex. I like how you’re always ready for me like that.” He leaned in and kissed my forehead before reaching for his clothes.
“You know, you’re perfect Lex. Thanks to you, I now have the perfect family and the career I always wanted. Plus, you’re fucking stunning…not to mention always wet and available.” He winked.
“Honestly, I couldn’t have planned it better if I had tried.”
Bile came flooding into my mouth.
“Is that all I am to you Jason?” I croaked. “A great job that came with a willing hole for you to park your junk in?” It wasn’t often that I challenged him, but this time I’d had enough.
“Do you even remember that we got engaged earlier this evening?” I shouted as I threw the duvet off and ran into the bathroom after him.
“What’s your problem Alexis? Pissed because you didn’t come?” he huffed. “I’ve told you before, I don’t have twelve hours for you to figure that shit out. If you can’t make it happen, it’s not my problem.” He shrugged as he casually waltzed towards the shower.
“Excuse me?” I screeched. “I have been nothing but goddam perfect for you and this is how you treat me?”
That was it. Everyone has their breaking point and that was mine. My voice began to shake with emotion and my throat tightened up with tears, as I shouted out the never-ending list of the things I had done for him. Everything from abandoning the career that I had wanted, to constantly disregarding his bullshit behavior. The room began to fill with a fog as I lost control and the tears flowed freely down my face.
I yelled for what seemed like an hour. Finally, Jason put one hand on my shoulder and reached forward to wipe a tear as it rolled down my cheek. And for one brief moment, I thought he understood.
“Calm down Lex. I hear you.” He spoke softly. “And I do thank you. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me.” Jason smiled. His mouth was curving upwards but something was off. I searched his eyes for warmth but found nothing more than a static, emotionless icy stare.
“I have to say though, what really sealed the deal for me, was when your parents offered me this position. They said if you had the right man in your life, you’d be happy to step away from it all. How could I say no to a hot girl in my bed and being able to make partner right out of school?”
Holy shit. There it was. The blatant truth.
I felt nothing. I was frozen.
We stood there staring each other down for what seemed like hours before Jason gave me a smug wink and stepped into the shower.
The darkness of betrayal engulfed my spirit.
I was broken.
Chapter 4
I stayed in bed for days. Faking illness to the point of pretending it was the flu.
Truth? I couldn’t move, speak or even eat. My life had turned into a fucking disaster. I had tried so hard to do everything right and it had all been for nothing. Less than nothing, actually.
I buried my head in my pillows. That fateful scene of back slapping and chuckling between my dad and Jason from long ago, on constant replay in my mind. They had planned it all behind my back. The three of them had decided that Jason would be the golden boy, and I would be the Stepford wife. How could I have been so blind?
All those years, my mother had groomed me. Groomed me to be exactly what they wanted. Knowing that when they found a replacement for Logan, I would just fall neatly into place behind him. I didn’t disappoint. Nothing more than a puppet, a puppet in their sick, twisted game. My entire life was a complete sham and I was at a loss what to do about it.
I went from the bed to the couch and back again. Nothing helped.
Jason didn’t even notice and probably wouldn’t have cared if he did. As always, the only thing he cared about was himself. As soon as I said I was sick, he announced that he’d have to stay at a friend’s place for a few days. Typical jackass. But at least this left me to mourn the loss of my nonexistent life alone.
He did call a few times to see if I was feeling better but it barely registered. It was obvious that he just wanted to know if he could come by and pick up his stuff without risking contamination. He couldn’t care less about how I was feeling. In fact, he was completely clueless about my sudden flu like depression.
My dad had called too, but only to brag about how Jason had won a particularly difficult case despite the inconvenience of not being able to live at home that week. Even my mother had managed to piss me off. She had texted of course, saying she preferred not to hear me speak for fear that the sound of sickness in my voice may make her feel unwell. Fucking nut jobs all of them. It was no wonder I was so messed up. Maybe Logan had the right idea all those years ago. Maybe I should have followed in his footsteps instead.
Finally, after about a week, it dawned on me that if I was going to survive this, I was going to have to do it alone. And it would have to start by getting out of bed.
So, finally I made my move. Showering was first on the list. I let my pajamas pool at my feet as I stared in the mirror at my naked body
. My hair was oily and limp, my skin pale except for the dark circles under my swollen red eyes. Even my body had changed. I had always been slim but now after a week of barely any food, I just looked skinny. My curves seemed to have deflated; even my posture was slumped forward. This was going to be even more work than I anticipated.
Stepping into the shower, I let the warm water run off my skin. I lathered up and slowly washed my body in long circular motions. By the time I was finished, I felt clean and refreshed. Maybe even hopeful? After all, they say a good shower can fix anything.
After drying my hair, which was now back to its thick bouncy waves, I coated my face with my favorite La Mer moisturizer and slipped into my Lululemon grey leggings and a purple tank top. Makeup would have to wait for another day, there was no one left to impress but myself.
Grabbing my laptop, I settled into the couch and began to reconnect with the outside world. I answered all the emails, calls and texts that had come in over the past week. I even announced on social media that I’d been sick and was on medication for bronchitis. Yeah…I knew it wasn’t really necessary to lie to everyone but I guess I felt like it bought me some more time.
I still wasn’t ready to face Jason but I did need to know if what he said was true, or if he had just been fucking with me. Either seemed totally plausible at this point.
There was only one way to find out. My mother.
I took a deep breath and dialed her number.
She answered almost immediately. “Hello?”
“Hey mom, it’s me.” I began.
“Well then, are you ready to rejoin the land of the living dear?” she asked, her voice already haughty and shrill.
“Listen mom, I need to know something…” I started by telling her how Jason had left me the night of our engagement. How he had come home drunk and we had fought. I left out the part about the sex because well…self-explanatory, right?
When I explained how Jason listed all the ways I was perfect for him, there was nothing but silence on the other end.
“Mom? You listening?” I asked.
“Yes…” she responded slowly. “You know honey, maybe it’s time that I let you in on a little something.” She paused and I held my breath.
“Maybe this will help you to understand your place in all of this.” She continued. The words that came next were the nails in the coffin.
“Every marriage is a partnership. An exchange of goods and services, if you will.” She paused again but still I remained silent. “You see, Jason wanted a pretty wife who would be, well…in the background of his life while he focused on making partner at a top firm.”
Still I said nothing. Anger was ripping through me, pulling apart every shred of my mind, body and soul.
“Your dad always wanted a son to help in the business and of course you; well…you’re like me sweetie. Us girls were always meant for a life of luxury. So really, it was a win for us all!” I could hear the smile in her voice as she continued. “I can just see you two living in Forest Hill together with my grandchildren. It will be perfect! Besides, he’s quite the good-looking catch himself that handsome Jason Cunningham! You’re such a lucky girl!”
Jason had told the truth. And what a disgusting truth it was.
I felt like I was going to throw up.
“I have to go Mom.” I managed to croak out as the floodgates opened again.
I didn’t think I had any tears left, but boy was I wrong. I hung up with my mother and immediately made two of the most important calls of my life. First to “Uber Eats” because food is life. Two hours into stuffing my face and scrolling Instagram, I came across a travel post that made me think of the only person who would understand. Angela.
Five minutes into my call with her and I made a spontaneous decision that would change my life forever. Montreal was the answer. But I needed to move quickly.
As soon as the thought occurred to me, I said it out loud and Angela jumped on it. It took all of fifteen minutes before I was frantically searching for paralegal, law assistants, and receptionists’ jobs all over Montreal. It had been a while since I had used my French, but I was pretty sure it would come back to me with a little practice. Seven years at the Lycée Français, had to count for something, right?
Even more important than where to go, was just the fact that I needed to get out quickly. Out of Toronto and away from the jackass and my parents. It was all I could focus on. I knew that if I stayed here any longer, they would try and coerce me back into a life that I had never wanted, a life that disgusted me to my core.
Montreal, with its laissez-faire attitude and European charm seemed the perfect laid-back antidote to my toxic state of affairs. This couldn’t just be a vacation though; they needed to know that I was serious. This time, things would happen my way.
I debated about how to do it, but in the end, I decided to pull the rug out from under them. Really, in much the same way it had been pulled out from under me.
Was it a bitch move? Sure thing. But hey, I’d earned it.
Chapter 5
Before making my announcement, there was something I needed to do. Somehow, this decision had materialized overnight and along with it, was this crazy new urge to cut my hair. My waist-length, bouncy, blonde hair. Perhaps it was this new city, new life plan that I was about to undertake or maybe it was part of the Fuck You Assholes plan. But either way, both my mother and the jackass had a major thing for my white blond Rapunzel inspired hair…so yeah, it needed to go.
My whole life, it had been a point of contention between us. You know, your hair is really your best asset, Alexis. My mother would always say, as if I had nothing else going for me.
And the jackass? Yeah, he liked to compare it to porn star hair. Except he always remembered to let me know that I didn’t fuck like a porn star.
The hair had to go.
It was a Thursday, just two days after that fateful talk with my mother when I walked into an unknown salon and felt like I was losing my virginity all over again. It wasn’t the fancy, uptown salon that I’d been going to for most of my life. Nope. This was a trendy little spot, with a rock n’ roll vibe to it. The stylists looked more like punk rock musicians, than hairdressers but it was exactly what I needed.
I was terrified but also determined. And when I came out feeling ten pounds lighter and rocking a shaggy, cropped, shoulder length ‘do. I loved it. Still feminine and pretty, but more edgy and less Barbie. I felt like I could take on the world. I was a new woman.
Next on the agenda was making reservations for four at Canoe. It was one of Jason’s favorite spots which made dropping the bomb there even more enjoyable. They were thrilled of course. Any excuse to get out in public and perpetuate the family image.
I made sure to arrive late. Their faces when I made my grand entrance were priceless. Shock and horror would probably be the best descriptions but honestly, it was so much better than that.
“Alexis! What have you done to your beautiful hair!” my mother cried, her hand around her throat, as if to hold together her voice that cracked with emotion. “How on earth will it grow in time for the wedding?”
The jackass? He said nothing. He just stared. A cold, emotionless stare that hid a fury just bubbling beneath the surface. Bet he couldn’t wait to give me hell for it later.
Despite her horror at my hair, being in public meant my mother would have to digress into more acceptable conversation. And that she did. So bloody predictable. Within just a few minutes the table discussion had moved on to the latest gossip in the community. It didn’t mean that the discussion about my hair was over; simply that it would be dealt with later.
Little did they know what was coming…
I remember how I casually ordered my risotto and began talking as if it was nothing more than another comment about the weather.
“Just wanted you all to know that tomorrow will be my last day at work.” I said, smiling sweetly at the three gaping jaws staring back at me.
�
�What do you mean sweetheart? Oh my God! Are you pregnant already?” My mother asked glaringly. “You only just got engaged! What will people think?” she continued, already cradling her face in her hands. “First your hair, now this.” she trailed off into her napkin, tears beginning to fill her eyes.
Jason stepped up in seconds to conceal his surprise. There was no way he was going to be seen as being taken for a ride. “Nothing to fret over Marjorie. Lexi’s not pregnant.” He consoled my mother, who looked up at him with wet eyes. She was so pathetic. She cared more about our family image than her own flesh and blood. Yet, despite all her shit, a flicker of pity shot through me.
Jason continued to take charge. “Well, Lexi and I have discussed this at length and really, she needs to focus on planning the wedding right now. Plus, I’ve told her that once we are married…” Jason paused and looked me dead in the eyes. “I’d prefer she stay at home, tend to the house, our social network and naturally our future children.” My parents visibly relaxed as he smiled at them. No one was even paying attention to me. Jason had taken the reins so effortlessly and once again, I was invisible.
There he was working his perfectly sickening magic.
“Lexi’s timing for announcements is still something we’re working on Marjorie.” Jason continued as he patted my mother on the arm. “Next time I’ll take the lead when there’s something to announce.” Behind that smile was a rough, commanding tone to his voice and a chilling look in those icy blue eyes.
He was one smooth talker my soon to be ex-fiancé.
“Very smart of you, my boy.” Muttered my father, as he continued to dig in his niçoise salad.
We sat in silence, sipping our wine and eating our meal. The four of us caught in a time warp of sorts. Although I had taken a blow, I wasn’t finished with them yet. I decided to let things simmer down. I truly didn’t want to ruin my risotto, after all, who knew when I’d be back to Canoe again. With the way my life was going, there was a good chance it would be never.
Inked Love: An Enemies to Lovers Romance Page 3
