by Mia Ford
“What the hell is the matter with you?” I demanded but realized as I was speaking that I didn’t care. Whatever his answer was didn’t matter to me. So, without waiting for a response, I turned around and stormed out of the house.
As soon as I slammed the door, I was running to my car.
Tears were flooding my eyes and my breath was audible.
I heard my father call out into the night, but my mind was long past him and my mother, for letting him speak to me like that. She might not have liked what he was saying but she sure as hell didn’t do anything to stop him and so, I was finished with both of them.
As I turned the key in the ignition and peeled out of the long driveway, I wondered what had taken me so long to realize that was how they truly felt?
While I drove, millions of signs leading up to tonight flooded my memory and in hindsight, they were all so obvious.
The problem with my life wasn’t that I lived in a small town or that my family had money that they didn’t earn. It was that my parents never intended to let me live my own life. It didn’t matter whether I was an adult, or not. If I had continued to keep up appearances and maintain a relationship with my family, I was never going to have the chance to live my own life.
With that epiphany, I was set. I no longer wanted any part of my parents, or Anthony.
As I reached the hotel where Anthony was staying and stormed up to his room, I had two distinct goals paving my intentions. The first, was to ruin my parents’ deal with Anthony completely and the second was to make Mr. Shields leave this shitty little town and never come back.
Chapter 10
I pounded on the door and it seemed as though the whole floor was shaking. However, looking back, I was fairly certain that it was me that shook.
I was manic with pain and fury, but it was clarifying. For that moment, it was freeing, and I would rather feel that way than be blinded by the social and familiar ties that previously bound me.
For as much as I had always wanted to get away and for as much as I had tried to rebel, I was still tethered by the weight of making my parents proud of me. I realized that I was about to fall right into their trap, regardless of how much I thought I was pulling away.
Yet, tonight, for the first time, I had heard the truth. There was no blessing of my heart, no head games that I foolishly fell for and there was no mercy. Finally, my parents had proven to me what I never really wanted to know. Everything I said about them and everything I accused them of was true.
Secretly, I had wished to be proven wrong, which is why I allowed the townspeople and the social structure of our small-town guilt me into feeling anything other than resentment for my parents.
Although, now, I was free of all that and soon, I would also be free of this silly love affair.
It seemed to take forever for Anthony to answer the door but when he did, I felt my resolve dissipate slightly.
“Sahara? What the hell is wrong with you?” Anthony demanded, lightly grasping my elbow, and ushering me inside while he looked up and down the hallway for the cause of my outburst.
“Don’t touch me!” I screamed, yanking my arm out of his grasp as he carefully closed the door. “Did you lie to me?”
“I’m sorry, what?” He asked, recoiling slightly from my strange response. “Lie to you?” He continued, trying to piece together what parts he might understand enough to comment on.
“Don’t play stupid,” I retorted with a huff, crossing my arms in front of my chest and facing him.
Ignoring what I had said, his face fell into confusion and concern when I faced him.
“Why…Are you crying?” He demanded.
Enraged that I had let him see what was left of my breakdown, I roughly swiped the remaining tears off my face.
“That’s none of your business!” I screamed, “Answer my question!”
“What do you think I lied to you about?” Anthony asked softly, a stark contrast to my obnoxious wrath.
I could tell that he wanted to reach out to me, presumably to comfort me, or to distract me.
Since I couldn’t be sure which was the truth, I pulled my arms in tighter across my chest and backed away from him.
“What happened?” Anthony insisted, this time with a persuasive power behind his remark. His voice continued on an even keel but worry doused his previous calm demeanor. “Are you okay?”
“Did you get close to me just to use me as leverage with my father?”
“What? No!” He responded, sounding genuinely insulted, “Why would you think…” As he spoke, his face scrunched up with disgusted understanding. “Oh my God, did your father tell you that?”
I tried not to give anything away but the waiver in my glower was enough to assure him of what had happened.
“Sahara, no,” he replied, this time stepping forward and grasping my arms in his hands, supportively. “Please,” he added as his brow furrowed, “Sahara, I love you.”
“You can’t love me, Anthony. We just met,” I spat, breaking out of his grasp, and spinning around so that my back was to him.
Instantly, I felt him behind me, sliding his arms around my waist and pulling me back, into him.
“Please, Sahara… I know you must be angry and hurt…and the world probably seems like one massive misunderstanding;” As he spoke, his head nuzzled softly into the nape of my neck until his lips kissed my skin, “It’s like you don’t know you are at place. I get it. I’ve been there but listen to me, okay?”
After one last kiss, he slowly drew his head away and I could feel his eyes staring at me, waiting for an answer.
At first, I refused to look at him. Yet, eventually, the power of his unyielding gaze compelled me to relent.
“Okay, I’ll listen.”
Anthony’s grin was beaming, and his eyes rested on me thankfully. Even in my crazy, aggravated state of mind, it was hard to ignore that he seemed to be acting genuinely.
“I know we haven’t known one another that long but I didn’t need a lot of time to get to know you. It was easy to get to know you and it is even easier to love you.” Anthony paused, and I wondered if this was his way of asking for permission to continue.
I didn’t respond but I didn’t break eye-contact either. While I wasn’t completely convinced, I couldn’t help but feel myself settling into his arms. The strength and warmth I found within his arms was comforting and had started to soothe the savage reality that I had come to know.
“Sahara, I have never met anyone like you. I have never had this kind of relationship before. I don’t want you to leave but if you do, I couldn’t live with myself if I thought for a moment it was because you thought I was untruthful with you. I have never lied to you, Sahara, and everything that I have said, or did was genuine. I promise.”
I took all of this in, focused on his words and contemplated the intentions I perceived. While I had no reason to mistrust him, I couldn’t bring myself to completely loose myself to him. Not yet.
However, after staring at me for a long while, without receiving a response, his arms dropped, and he pulled himself back, giving me space.
Still, his eyes remained on me though and I continued to contemplate my reaction to what he was saying.
“Well, thanks for hearing me out, I guess. I don’t want you to go but I would never force you to stay. I’m sorry about what happened to you. Your dad’s an asshole and if I’d have known…” Anthony allowed his voice to trail off there as he shook his head, “Anyway, I guess it doesn’t matter now.”
“What do you want?” I finally asked, prompting Anthony to stare back at me with renewed enthusiasm.
“I want you to come with me,” he replied without missing a beat, “I travel all over the world to broker deals, but I have the freedom that we could travel together. There might be some close quarters but I’m okay with making the best of it if you are,” his sly simper returned, and I couldn’t help but return a small grin.
I thought about traveling the worl
d with him and the thought excited me. Immediately, I envisioned exploring the world together and focused on how wonderful that would be.
Yet, I didn’t respond but I wasn’t quite sure why.
“So…” he started, obviously slightly disheartened by my lack of response, “I guess the only natural thing to ask now, is…after hearing me out and now that you do know my intentions, Sahara, what do you what?”
I met his gaze and beamed. Finally, I felt I could make a decision and this time, I didn’t care whether it was right or wrong. I only knew that right there, in that moment, with Anthony, I had a concrete answer and a clarity I had never experienced.
“You,” I replied, rushing forward, and sliding my arms around his neck.
Anthony pulled me closer and returned a playful simper.
“I don’t care where we are, as long as I’m with you,” I added in a whisper as his lips pressed passionately against mine.
Epilogue
The day was warm, but my nerves made me feel cold and empty. It had only been a few days since the argument with my parents but in that time, it felt like so much had changed.
I was happy, consistently.
Even though Anthony and I had yet to leave the town where I grew up, my life had become one of adventure. Everywhere Anthony and I went seemed new and exciting. I wanted to be with him but part of the reason I enjoyed it so much was because I could finally be myself. I never felt like I was being judged or made to feel inferior.
In fact, Anthony stayed true to his word and allowed me full access to his company’s books. I had spent a few hours in the morning and in the evening going through and organizing everything. I enjoyed working with the books and we both felt I was making progress. It was nice to be able to enjoy his company and feel as though he wasn’t nervous about me knowing something he didn’t. Anthony was thankful for my help and I appreciated it.
However, since we had made our plans, I had dreaded this day. I knew it was coming and now that it was here, all I wanted to do was get it over with.
“Everything is going to be okay,” Anthony assured me as we walked up to the door of my parent’s house.
The gate was closed again and even though we had called and told them to expect us, so we figured, while climbing the fence that they were still angry.
Let them be angry. I told myself. You are making yourself happy and that’s all you can do.
My insides quaked as I heard commotion behind the door a moment after Anthony knocked.
“Maybe they won’t answer it,” I hissed, “Or maybe it’s not too late to just leave a note.”
“No,” Anthony insisted. “You need closure. Remember, you’re not running away. You’re living your own life. You’re donning what you want to do. That’s it, so don’t act like a fugitive. Show them that you are a strong, independent woman who knows what she wants.”
Before I could respond, the door opened, and my father’s scowling face glared back at us.
“Have you come to bring her back?” My father snarled with a sinister sense of humor lining his tone.
Instantly, I felt Anthony tense with fury, but I spoke before he had a chance to defend me.
“No,” I replied, “We’re here to close the deal you had with Anthony’s father.”
Again, my father chocked a cold, sinister laugh as his attention slid over to Anthony, “Oh, I see. You didn’t have the balls to do this yourself, so you’re getting my half-whit daughter to do it for you. That’s real manly.”
“Dad, that’s enough!” I screamed, this time causing my father to back up slightly with surprise.
“Excuse me?” He demanded.
“I said, that’s enough. I am not going to let you belittle me like this and I am certainly not going to let you treat Anthony like that.”
“You’re going to to take this man’s side, over your own parents? God, the fuck must be good.”
“Shut up!” I screamed, too angry to realize that the fear I presently had of my father had dissipated, leaving only repressed aggression. “Just because you have money doesn’t mean you can do and say whatever you want. I am a grown woman and I am happy with Anthony. You’re welcome to be a part of my life but I don’t need you in it, especially if you’re going to continue to underestimate me. Just because we’re related by blood certainly doesn’t make us family.”
“Fine, but you remember that when you’re in the middle of some city, hooked on drugs and dying in a sewer because being just another slut didn’t get you anywhere. Don’t call me,” he insisted as his face turned red from outrage.
I felt Anthony next to me, lunge out as though he was going to attack my father, but I grabbed his arm and held him back.
“Oh, so you’re a tough guy now, huh? You want to fight me?”
Anthony drew in a long breath and let it out slowly before answering, “No. I don’t. You’re not worth fighting but your daughter, she’s worth everything. If you weren’t so wrapped up in yourself, you’d see that. It doesn’t matter though because you never have to see me again. I hope you come to your senses about your daughter, but I’ve come to tell you that the deal is off. Never contact me again.”
“And unless you want to make an effort at actually being a father, don’t call me either,” I answered, turning my back on him as Anthony followed suit.
For once, it appeared my father was at a loss for words. As we returned to the car and drove off, toward the airport to get the hell out of this town, he didn’t say a word.
I was excited to start my life, the way I wanted to live it, so I didn’t care one way or the other. I had the man I love by my side and a world of possibilities before me.
Regardless of the outcome, I had already achieved my happily ever after; so, whatever came next was simply an adventure!
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The Perfect Gift
Blurb
She’s my sister’s Best Friend
And I want to give her something…BIG!
I am a billionaire businessman with an empire to run
Women were just an after thought in my life
Until that hot Christmas Eve
When I fell for those amazing curves of hers
It was supposed to be just for one night
After a long gap I see her again at my sister’s wedding
She’s still HOT as ever but avoiding me
I guess she is hiding something
Don’t worry son! Daddy’s gonna win back your Mommy!
Chapter 1: Dex
As the small symmetrical icy crystals floated gingerly from the sky and landed on the lawns of Central Park, I felt a sadness swell inside my chest. It was Christmas Eve, a time I relished when I was growing up. My parents always decorated the house to match the festive nature of the city with garlands, lights, and the smell of cinnamon and pine. They threw big lavish parties at their sky-high penthouse in Canton Commons. The wealthiest families in New York would put aside their high natured snobbery to bring gifts, food, and merry greetings to share with everyone else. As children, my sister Natalie and I would run around the house with the other children, playing with our toys and soaking up the feeling of Christmas. It had always been my favorite time of the year.
Years later, I found myself staring at the lights twinkling in the park, people walking hand in hand through the Christmas Eve snow, and carolers wishing people well, all the while feeling nothing but the silence of a now mostly empty home. After my parents died, the holidays stopped feeling like a magical time. There were no more parties, no more crackling fires, and the decorations sat in storage boxes, hoping one day to be picked up and used again. My sister loved Christmas and tried to keep the spirit alive but it was too much for one person. With me running the company now, I didn’t have time for such frivolous things as holiday parties. It almost felt like my pa
rents took the holidays with them when they passed.
Neither Natalie nor I had a family of our own, so we either spent the holidays with each other or I went to work and left her to her own devices. This year, with my pending travels approaching I decided not to work on Christmas Eve. I tried not to be the scrooge, so I gave my employees off on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Usually, I ended up spending that time alone in the office, eating Chinese food and watching A Christmas Story while going over financial reports. Everything was settled this year since I was going to be leaving soon and so there I sat, reminiscing and staring out at the city. It was cold outside, colder than any Christmas I remembered and even inside the penthouse, I kept my sweater on to fight the chill. I could hear Natalie down the hall, getting ready for something, though I thought she would be spending the evening here in the penthouse.
I pulled up the number to the local Chinese delivery place and figured I’d order us some food for the night. I didn’t know what Natalie liked to eat anymore, so I sat waiting for her to come out of her room. The fact that she could always keep a cheery attitude during the holidays comforted me. I looked up as she walked quickly down the hall and pulled her coat from the closet. She put on the wool pea coat and turned back, surprised to see me still sitting in the living room.
