by Mary Smith
Xaviera smiled brightly. “I figured he would. He has a good heart.”
“Not too bad on the eyes, either.”
We both laughed and, for a moment, it was comfortable again.
“Will you let me say goodbye to him after you banish me?” My heart was back in my throat.
“I’ve sat here, every day since you left, trying to figure out what I was going to do. I know that you broke the Rules and I know that there needs to be consequences for it, but at the same time,” she took a deep breath, shaking her head. “You’re my Protector, my best friend, and I love you. Then Oliver came and told us about your home life and I was crushed. I didn’t know what to do. I talked to Dad and Mom and they both said that I needed to work this out on my own.”
“And then there’s Thaddeus.” I reminded her.
“That, too. No wonder I’m a mess. Let’s not forget I’m pregnant.” She pointed down at her belly.
I couldn’t let this internal battle go on any longer. It was eating her up. I couldn’t let that happen to her.
“Let me take the punishment and let Thaddeus come home. You can’t have a fatherless heir. I won’t let that happen.” I meant it. I had been so worried about myself, again, that I had forgotten that my duty was to Xaviera.
“What about Oliver?”
“The Thomas’ will match up with someone else. He’ll be fine.” The words burned my throat; I did not want to think of another woman in Oliver’s arms or in his bed.
“You’re the worst liar sometimes, Amaya. Thank you for trying though. But, I already have your punishment.”
I held my breath. Here it comes: the moment that would change my life.
“Okay, I’m ready.” I sat up taller.
“I was hurt that you didn’t tell me right away, or that I didn’t know it at all. I trusted you. Then I learn from Oliver about your parents and I was even more hurt. Of everyone in my life, you were the one I was closest to. I told you everything.”
“I know.” I swiped the tears away.
“However, I think I’m more upset at Thaddeus than you.”
“Why?” If anything, I would have thought it would have been the other way around.
“Because he should have told me right away. Instead, he swooped me right into bed and into falling in love with him.”
I opened my mouth then closed it again. Was Xaviera upset? Was that even possible? She never would have been this upset at someone. She was too good of a person.
“Wait, do you think he doesn’t love you?”
“No, I know that he does, but this should have been something that we dealt with first, before everything else happened.”
“Okay,” I nodded. “I do agree with that, but he and I were in this together. I’m sorry, but you shouldn’t be madder at him than you are at me.”
“Then why does it hurt so badly?” Xaviera broke down in a heap of sobs.
I rushed over to her and wrapped my arms around her. Oh, she was a mess of emotions and I wasn’t helping matters at all.
“If you don’t calm down, you and that beautiful baby are going to cause an earthquake,” I teased her in hopes that it would calm her down.
“I know.” She took a deep cleansing breath.
“I’m sorry that I hurt you.”
“I know, and I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you to protect you from your family.” She sobbed on my shoulder.
I didn’t say anything, but I continued to hold her until she finally calmed down. When the crying stopped, I pulled away.
“Your punishment is simple.” She took another tissue and wiped her face. “The next time you break the Rules, I’ll banish you.”
“What? You’re giving me another chance.”
“Amaya, you spent three months in a cabin. I think that was punishment enough. Besides, I need my Protector back. I like Graham, but he isn’t you, and I need you.”
I covered my mouth with my hand. There were no words that I could form at that moment to express the elation that I was feeling.
I wasn’t banished.
I was home.
I was Xaviera’s Protector.
I was Oliver’s Matched.
“Thank you.” It was my turn to sob on her shoulder. “I promise I’ll never hurt you again.”
Once I calmed down, Xaviera said that she needed to make a call. She picked up her cell phone and sent a text. About two seconds later, Gia came bursting through the door and landed on my lap. The three of us began laughing.
“Oh, I’ve missed this.” Gia’s voice was full of glee.
“Me, too.” I hugged her again.
I felt like an elephant had finally been lifted off my chest. I was with the ones I loved again. I didn’t think this could get any better.
“Well, it looks like you girls are having fun.”
The three of us turned and saw Graham leaning against the doorframe. Oliver, standing behind him, had a large smile on his face.
“Yes, Graham, we are.” I snipped at him.
He shook his head and reached for Gia’s hand. He pulled her up to her feet. “Come on, Gia. I’ll run you home and then Oliver and I have to get to the airport.”
I felt Xaviera stiffen next to me. Thaddeus was on his way home. It was time for his punishment.
“Graham,” Xaviera tried to stand, and I helped her up. “Gia can stay. Amaya, go with Oliver, he needs to show you something. Then Graham, you and Oliver can go to the airport once Amaya is back here. I need my girls with me. Then everyone can leave once he’s here.” I heard the crack in her voice, and Gia took her hand.
“Amaya,” Oliver motioned for me to go with him. I hugged Xaviera and Gia and went with him.
He didn’t say anything to me until we got into the Escalade.
“Told you not to worry,” he smirked.
“Yeah, yeah,” I waved my hand. “Whatever.”
Oliver chuckled and backed out of the driveway. He headed down the block and then turned up the alley.
“Where are we going?”
“Home,” he winked as he pulled up to a garage. He hit the remote on his visor and instantly the door opened.
“This isn’t my parents’ house.”
“Nope. It’s our house.”
“Our house?” My mouth dropped.
“Come on.” He jumped out and headed to the door. “Come on.” He waved me forward.
I followed him. Oliver opened a door and it lead out to a nice size back yard. Even though it was covered with snow, I could just imagine what it would look like in the spring. We walked up a few steps to the enclosed back door.
Oliver opened the back door, and I stepped into a small room, where he took off his coat. “Now, I somewhat decorated it, but you can change anything you want.”
He pulled me through and I was taken aback by the large kitchen. It had brand new cabinets, new appliances, and a stainless steel kitchen table.
“What do you think?”
I nodded as yet another tear fell from my eye. I thought that I was done crying for a while, but I was wrong.
“There’s more.” He took my hand and took me to the dining room. “This table was my grandparents, but we don’t have to keep it.”
It was an old oak table that seated ten people. Each chair bore a design of leaves and trees. It was stunning.
“I love it.”
Oliver smiled and pointed out the living room next. He had purchased a large off-white sectional and an even bigger TV than in the cabin. There was also a small bathroom and the laundry room on the backside of the house.
He took me upstairs where there were three bedrooms, and two more bathrooms.
“I took the small room as an office and left the other room empty. I didn’t know what you wanted to do with it, and this is our room.”
The master bedroom was a deep purple with gray accents. The bed was a large king size that sat in the middle of the room. There was a large bay window looking out the back yard and a reading nook.
“Oliver.” I couldn’t compose any words. “I love it. I love it all.”
“I know we need more furniture and stuff, but I didn’t want to do everything.”
I grabbed his face and kiss his lips hard. “I love it,” I repeated again. “So, this is where you’ve been staying.”
He nodded. “It’s not the same without you here.”
“Oliver, I love you. I love you more than anything.” I wrapped my arms around him.
“I love you.”
Xaviera
“What did you think of your house?” Gia, sitting on my left at the kitchen table, asked Amaya.
“Gorgeous.” Amaya smiled with a slight blush on her cheeks.
“He wanted to paint the bedroom red, but I talked him out of it.” I joked with her.
“Thanks for that.”
Amaya was on my right side at the table. Right where she belonged. I have missed her a lot. It was good that she went through the punishment, though. I could see the changes in her. She’s practically glowing. The two of them made a great Matched pair.
“How are you feeling about your parents?”
I hated to ask her that question, but I wanted to know. I couldn’t believe that she’d never told me how abusive her parents had been to her.
When Oliver told us, all I could do was cry. Amaya is my Protector and my best friend; to think that she had gone through all that pain, alone, broke my heart. She shouldn’t have had to go through any of that.
“I don’t know. I mean, on one hand, I’m glad they’re gone, but,” she paused. “It’s strange that they’re gone and can’t hurt Rebecca and me anymore. I think I’m still in shock that the King banished them in the first place.”
“Unit was turned upside down for a few days.” Gia added.
“When did this happen?”
“A few weeks ago. Oliver was here the whole time. He made sure Rebecca got settled into his parents’ house. He also purchased your house and had some furniture delivered.” I explained. “I know that he was anxious to get back to you.”
“Yeah, I was anxious for him to come back, too.” She bit down on her lip, holding back a smile. “But, now I want to hear about Gia’s ceremony.”
We all turn to Gia in time to see her face fall.
“It was simple, pretty,” she mumbled.
“Come on.” Amaya egged her on. “I want details.”
Gia lifted her head and gave a smile. “We had it at the banquet hall. We had invited family only. Then we ate, a lot.”
“And…”
Gia instantly blushed. “And what?”
I knew where Amaya was going, but Gia was playing dumb.
“You want me to spell it out? How was the s-e-x?”
“Amaya,” I shook my head at her. “Don’t embarrass her.”
“I’m not; I’m simply asking.”
Gia hadn’t told me anything about Graham and her sex life. I had asked a couple of times, but she shrugged it off.
“It’s private.” Gia’s voice was low.
“We know everything about you, nothing is private between us.” Amaya continued to push her. “I mean you have had sex. Does it suck that bad?”
Gia dropped her head.
“Gia, what is it?” I reached out for her hand.
“You haven’t had sex.” Amaya called her out.
Gia’s face turned bright red.
“Gia, what’s going on? Talk to us.” I lowered my voice in hopes that my Controller would tell us.
“I think there’s something wrong with me.” A tear rolled down her cheek.
“What do you mean?”
“Graham has kissed me one time. Just once at our ceremony. He sleeps in the guest room. Now, he does hold my hand, but every time I try to engage him into some activities, it never works. He must think I’m ugly.”
“You’re not ugly.” Amaya and I shouted at her.
“Maybe he’s nervous. I mean, Oliver was we when we’re becoming closer.”
“He isn’t nervous, Amaya. He doesn’t want me.” Gia wiped her face.
“That’s can’t be right.” I handed her a tissue. I’ve been keeping them close to me since all I do anymore is cry. “He wouldn’t have gone through the ceremony if that was what he felt.”
“What did you do on your dates?” Amaya asked. She hadn’t been around for most of their decision period.
“Everything. We went to movies, dinners, hikes, shopping. I mean anything I touched or looked at, he bought.” Gia patted her face with the tissue.
“Did you talk?”
“All the time. About life, parents, friends, our future goals. But, every night, when he dropped me off, it was a hug, never a kiss. He never tried to do anything more than hold my hand. Then, when our decision period was over, I figured I was going to be pushed back. I never thought he wanted to continue.”
“But he did,” I smile. “That has to mean something, right.”
“I don’t know. I mean, we talk at home, but the moment the sun goes down, he sits in front of his Xbox, and doesn’t move. Once that happens, I go to the bedroom and read.” She dropped her head into her hands. “It’s like we’re roommates and not a Matched couple.”
“Okay, I have to ask. Has he even seen you naked? Have you done anything besides hold hands?”
Leave it to Amaya to get to the hard-hitting questions.
“No and no. I told you, the only time he has kissed me, or remotely touched me, was at our ceremony.”
“That was a passionate kiss.” I confirmed.
“Maybe he’s, you know.” Amaya holds up her pinky and waves it.
“What does that mean?” I asked.
“You know, maybe he’s on the smaller size. I mean, not all his muscle can be that big.”
“He’s not small.” Gia defended him.
“Well, how do you know?” Amaya quipped back at her.
Gia’s face went red again. “I walked in on him one day when he was stepping out of the shower.”
“Well, then he’s a nervous-nelly.” Amaya crossed her arms.
I ignored Amaya and turned back to Gia. “Have you discussed this with him?”
“I tried a couple times, but he would never answer me. He would just walk away, leaving me standing there like an idiot.” Gia began to twirl a piece of her longs black hair around her fingers.
Gia was so sweet, shy, and innocent. I wondered why Graham was acting this way. They seemed like the perfect Matched couple. Their relationship was like a Unit citizen’s dream. Then again, was anything picture-perfect anymore?
Look at Thaddeus and I. Look at Amaya and Oliver. Everything in Unit seemed to be turning upside down lately, and this would be added to the mix of crazy that’s been going on.
“Could we please drop this?” Gia begged us. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
The three of us sat in silence for a few moments, which made me realize that Thaddeus would be here soon.
I still didn’t know what I was going to do. I mean, I wanted him home. These past three months have been the longest of my life. I felt the small butterflies in my stomach that reminded me of our love and joy that grew in my belly.
“Do you know what you’re going to do yet?” Gia asked me. She had asked me several other times, but I have never answered her.
“I don’t know.” I finally told them the truth.
“I have a suggestion.” Amaya piped up. “Forgive him, then have lots of sex, and then go to The Diner for a bacon cheeseburger. Simple.”
“Amaya, it’s not that simple.” I rolled my eyes.
“Sure it is. You love him. He loves you. For Mother Nature’s sake, you’re having a baby together. Do you really want to raise the heir of Unit alone? Could you possibly live with yourself knowing that Thaddeus was out in the world and not with you and your child? I thought a lot about that with Oliver, when I thought I was going to be banished, and I couldn’t do it.”
Leave it to Amaya to be the smart
one of the three of us.
“He loves you; we all saw it,” she reached for my hand. “You gave me a second chance. Give him the same.”
“I’m so angry with him. I’m so hurt.”
“Explain it to me. Explain to me why you can forgive me, but not him.”
I looked at my Protector. Her green eyes were serious and I knew that she really wanted me to tell her what I was thinking. Heck, maybe it would help.
“I gave Thaddeus my love, my trust, and slept with him. I gave him everything. I don’t understand how he couldn’t tell me before that happened. I told him everything about me, all my silly dreams and hopes.” I shook my head as all the memories flooded my mind. “I’m a Princess first. I have to remember that.”
“Did you remember that with me?” Amaya narrowed her eyes. She could still read me like a book. “Or did you remember me as your friend?”
I hung my head. “It’s different.”
“Tell me how.”
“You have been paired with me since we were babies. Thaddeus,” I paused, trying not to cry, again. “He wasn’t supposed to hurt me. He was my Matched.”
“He is your Matched. Xaviera, everything that happened with him and I happened in the past. It was all BX. I know, for a fact, that he never loved me. Hell, I don’t even think he liked me. It was a crazy, stupid thing we did. It’s nothing like you two have. Nothing. When you two are near each other, the love that comes off you two almost gives me a cavity; it’s so damn sweet. He loves you. I’m sure he loves the baby that you two created. Look at the three months that you did spend together. Look back and see how happy you were. Look back and see how happy he was. Three months away from you, was his punishment. Trust me; I know.”
I started to sob. I couldn’t help it. She was right. I loved him and I knew he loved me. Every time Mrs. Edwards came over, she would tell me everything they talked about. He would always ask about me and sent the message that he loved me and missed me. I wiped my face of the remaining tears.
“When did you become so smart?” Gia giggled at Amaya. “And what is BX?”
“Hey, I’ve always been smart. BX is Before Xaviera.” Amaya turned to me. “You okay, now?”
“I do love him. I really do,” I confessed.
