Truth

by Penelope Sky

  When I woke up Christmas morning, I immediately got into the shower and got ready for breakfast with my family. I did my hair and makeup more extensively than usual and grabbed an outfit I’d bought just for the occasion.

  I’d officially blown through my savings, didn’t have a euro to my name anymore because I spent everything I had on Heath’s gift. So, I had to start using his money to buy things, which didn’t bother me as much as I thought it would.

  I really had no other choice.

  He gave me a debit card he’d ordered at the bank, giving me access to his account even though I wasn’t his wife yet. But I took it because I wouldn’t return to the ballet until February, and as of right now, I wasn’t even sure if I was physically able.

  When I finished getting ready, I looked at my appearance in the mirror, wearing a long-sleeved red dress with black tights underneath and thigh-high black boots. My hair was curled, and the rock on my left hand accentuated my outfit in a way I could only have dreamed of.

  Heath stepped out of the shower with a towel around his waist. “Damn, Merry Fucking Christmas.” He moved to me, bending his neck down to kiss me as he grabbed my ass through the tights.

  I smiled into the kiss. “Merry Christmas.”

  “Lose the tights,” he said. “I want to fuck you in this later.”

  “Romantic…”

  His hand moved into my hair until he grabbed me by the back of the neck, turning possessive in just seconds. “I’m romantic in my own way.” He gave me a hard kiss on the mouth before he released me, noticing the ring on my left hand. “You’re sure about that?”

  I cradled my hand with the other, admiring the most beautiful ring I’d ever seen. “Yes.”

  He didn’t give any outward reaction, but there was a slight look of approval in his gaze. “I’ll get dressed.” He dropped the towel, his dick nice even when it was soft, and stepped into his closet.

  I opened my nightstand and grabbed the small box I’d wrapped for Heath and carried it into the living room to place it under the tree.

  But when I got there, there was already a present sitting there.

  It was wrapped in silver wrapping paper, and instead of a bow, a single sunflower sat on top. It was lush and full, like it had just been plucked in the last day. It was such a stark contrast to the gloomy weather outside, the bitter cold that frosted the windows because Heath kept this place warm like a furnace—for me.

  I grabbed the tag and flipped it over.

  To: Sunflower

  From: Your Man

  He’d never called me Sunflower before, just baby, but it fit me so perfectly. I didn’t expect him to get me anything because Christmas was a foreign holiday to him. I got him something because I wanted him to have a special Christmas with a special gift. I sat there for a while, staring at the box, having no idea what he could have possibly gotten me.

  He came into the room a moment later, looking like a new man in his dark jeans and his deep olive-green sweater, wearing dress shoes that were much fancier than the boots he usually wore. I’d picked everything out for him, and he wore the clothes without complaint, which was great, because he looked so handsome.

  I was still on the floor. “You got me something?”

  He sat on the couch, leaning forward with his arms on his knees. “Yes.”

  “You didn’t have to do that…”

  “You didn’t have to get me anything either.”

  “Well, you didn’t need to get me something just because—”

  “I got your gift a month ago.”

  So, he’d already picked it out before I even thought about Christmas. “You want to open them now?”

  “Sure.”

  I grabbed both of them and sat beside him, handing him his small gift.

  “You first.” He rested it on his thigh.

  I grabbed the flower and brought it to my nose, immediately thinking of summer from the smell alone. The petals grazed my cheek, making me think of a meadow in the hot sun. “You should take me to your place is Tuscany sometime.”

  “How about this summer?” he asked. “We’ll have a second honeymoon.”

  I rested the flower on the couch beside me before I broke through the tape that affixed the wrapping to the box. I ripped it off, revealing a simple black box with a lid. When I took off the lid, the contents were wrapped in tissue paper, like it was a pair of shoes. I pulled everything away until I stared at a pair of pink ballet slippers.

  They were beautiful.

  I could tell they were well made, and when I looked at the designer imprint on the sole, I released a quiet gasp. Philippa Julio. It was one of the most luxurious brands in the world, something I’d never been able to afford on my own.

  And they were pink.

  My fingers felt the fabric, felt the wrapping, felt the instant connection that formed in my soul. My whole life was dancing, and looking at the slippers made me realize how much I missed it.

  His hand moved to my wrist. “You will dance again, Sunflower.”

  I turned to him, my eyes wet from his confidence, his belief in me.

  “I know you will—and you’re going to wear these.”

  “Heath…” A tear dripped down my cheek. “Oh fuck.” I wiped it away. “Not my makeup…”

  “Personally, I think you look better that way.” He made a joke to lighten the mood, knowing that his gesture was almost too much for me to handle.

  I sniffed. “Well…thank you. I love them.”

  “I know you do.”

  I placed the lid back on top, hiding the shoes from view.

  “I can’t wait to see you put them on.” He leaned in close to me and pressed a kiss to my hairline. “And then dance in them.”

  “Yeah…me too.” I placed the box on the table, along with the flower. “Now, your turn.”

  He picked it up and held it between his fingertips, noting how light and small it was. “It’s not lingerie, so that’s a disappointment.” He gave me a gentle smile before he peeled the wrapping away and got to the black box underneath. When he popped off the top, he saw the simple black band inside, the wedding ring made from a fallen meteorite. I didn’t just want to give him a random piece of jewelry made of gold or steel. I wanted something special, so I gave up my savings to give him something that didn’t even come from this world.

  He examined it with narrowed eyes, his fingers sliding across the material as if he recognized its unusual properties.

  “It’s made out of meteorite. There’s this special jeweler that carries it…”

  He turned to me, his eyes soft and deep, like he didn’t know how to feel about my gift.

  “I’d like you to wear that for the rest of your life…”

  He slid it onto his left hand, putting it in place on his ring finger. It fit perfectly after a gentle shove over his knuckles. Then he examined it, turning his hand over to see it from different angles.

  He was hard to read sometimes, so I wasn’t sure how he felt about it. But I hoped he liked it…or at least the thought behind the gesture.

  He finally turned to me, leaving the ring on his left hand. “I love it.”

  “Yeah?”

  He pressed his forehead to mine. “I’ll never take it off, baby.”

  I knew that wasn’t a jab at me, but a declaration.

  “And I’ll be buried with it.”

  “I know it’s not as nice as your Skull King—”

  “It’s better.” He took off the skull diamond and tossed it onto the coffee table, like it really meant nothing to him. “I would much rather wear this for the rest of my life than that.”

  “Why do you have to choose?” I whispered.

  “Because your father made me.” He glanced at the ring on the table. “It’s time to pass that on to someone else.” He played with the ring on his left hand, spinning it around his finger. “The new Skull King.”

  Nineteen

  Heath

  I stepped out of the truck and grab
bed the presents from the back seat.

  Catalina eyed me from the sidewalk, looking sexy as hell in those boots and with that diamond ring on her finger. “You know, you’re handling this very well.”

  “Your gifts don’t weigh much.” I joined her on the sidewalk.

  “No,” she said with a chuckle. “I mean, spending the day with my family. You don’t seem nervous at all.”

  I looked down at her, not understanding the statement. “Why would I be nervous?”

  “I don’t know…you’ve never done this before.”

  “Your father gave me the rundown, and your brother and I have tried to kill each other. Having breakfast together is like taking a nap, baby.” I walked up the steps to the front door.

  She joined me, giving me a slight smile. “I forget that you aren’t scared of anything.”

  I was scared of only one thing—losing her.

  She opened the door and walked inside. “Merry Christmas, Patricia.”

  “Merry Christmas, dear.” She hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. When she saw me, she was rigid, still terrified of me.

  Catalina took it in stride. “Patricia, I don’t think you’ve formally met Heath…my fiancé.” It was the first time she’d said those words out loud.

  It had a nice ring to it. I shifted the boxes to one arm and shook her hand.

  She relaxed a little, but she still had her guard up, like getting used to me would take time. “They’re in the dining room.”

  We walked into the dining room where I’d spoken with her father, and there was a large sixteen-foot tree in the corner, fully decorated with lights and ornaments. Red and green centerpieces were along the table, along with covered serving dishes like the food was already ready.

  Damien sat next to Anna, while Richard sat across from them, enjoying their cappuccinos as they waited for us. They were a normal family, growing up with the kind of wealth and love I’d never had.

  But Catalina had given me all the love I didn’t receive all those years ago.

  “Merry Christmas,” Catalina said as she announced us. She barely made it to the table when Anna screamed.

  “Oh my god.” She pointed at Catalina’s left hand. “What the hell is that?”

  I was holding the presents, so I walked to the tree and set them down next to the rest of the piles. Catalina may have been dreading this moment, but I wasn’t. I did as her father asked, made a big sacrifice, so I had every right to give her a ring. The least she could do was put it on and not hide it.

  She’d made the right choice.

  Catalina held out her left hand, letting the diamond sparkle under the chandelier. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

  “Shit, it’s gorgeous.” Anna took her hand and examined it, turning it to watch it sparkle.

  I’d known stepping into this room would be tense, so the ring broke the ice and made it less awkward.

  Damien stared at the ring, not saying a word.

  “I love it,” Catalina said proudly.

  Richard didn’t say anything either, probably caught off guard by the sudden announcement. But he recovered much quicker than his son did, and he did it with a lot more grace. He slowly got to his feet and embraced his daughter with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Merry Christmas, sweetheart.”

  “Merry Christmas, Daddy.”

  He took her left wrist and examined the ring. “It’s stunning—just like you.”

  I respected her father for being selfless, for being there for his daughter instead of getting sucked into his own feelings—like Damien.

  “It’s perfect for you,” he whispered as he dropped her wrist. “It reminds me of your mother’s.”

  “It does, huh?” she said, looking at it again.

  Richard turned to his son. “Damien, get up and congratulate your sister.”

  I stood at the other side of the table, near the tree, watching the scene as a spectator.

  Damien ground his teeth, like he didn’t enjoy being bossed around, especially when he really didn’t want to do what he was told.

  Anna got up first, like that would make it easier for him. She hugged Catalina, squeezing her hard like she was genuinely happy for her friend. “I’m so happy for you. That ring is gorgeous, girl.”

  “Thank you,” Catalina said as she squeezed her back.

  Richard stared down his son.

  Damien got to his feet but didn’t move to his sister. He looked at me instead. “My father said you could marry her after you left the Skull Kings, and from where I’m standing, it doesn’t look like you—”

  “I didn’t marry her,” I said simply. “I just asked her to marry me.”

  When he shut his mouth, his teeth clenched together tightly.

  “I’ll uphold my end of the deal.” I made my way around the table, passed behind Damien, and joined Catalina’s side.

  Damien struggled with this the most, like his hatred for me was so strong that my gestures weren’t good enough. He released a heavy sigh, as if he was beyond frustrated with all of this.

  His father walked over to him, placed his hand on his shoulder and lowered his voice so no one else could hear. But I made out every word. “You trust your sister?”

  He sighed quietly.

  “I trust her,” Richard whispered. “I trust that she wouldn’t ask us to do this unless this man was that important to her. We’re a family that sticks together and supports one another. You need to let the past go, Damien.”

  He said nothing.

  “A man doesn’t walk away from everything unless it’s love, Damien. He agreed to walk away. Focus on that—not the other stuff.” He clapped him on the shoulder. “Come on.”

  My respect for him grew tenfold.

  Damien finally cooperated, walking around the table until he was face-to-face with Catalina. He took a deep breath before he dropped all his pride. “Congrats, Cat.” He wrapped his arms around her and embraced her.

  She clung to him harder than everyone else, as if his approval was the one she needed the most. “Thank you…”

  He kissed her hairline before he pulled away. “It is a beautiful ring.”

  “I know it is,” she whispered.

  “Exactly what you wanted.” He patted her arm and stepped back.

  That went better than I expected. I moved to Richard next and extended my hand. “Merry Christmas, sir.” I’d never called anyone sir in all my life. I was the fucking Skull King. I didn’t say shit like that to anyone. But he deserved my respect.

  He took it, giving me a firm shake that belied his age. “Merry Christmas, Heath.”

  Catalina watched us, her eyes a little wet like that simple handshake was all she wanted for Christmas. She lived for her father’s approval, dreamed of having us all together—the people she loved.

  I moved to Damien next, not bothering with Anna until I figured out what his response would be. He clearly didn’t like having me near his fiancée, not after what I’d done. I extended my hand to shake his, wordlessly greeting him.

  He struggled with it, struggled with it just as much as he’d struggled to congratulate his sister. We’d never shaken hands before, and that was the final nail in the coffin for his acceptance. A part of him hoped I would just go away, that I would change my mind about stepping down and I would disappear from his sister’s life. But now he knew I was in this forever—that I wasn’t going anywhere. So, he reciprocated, placing his hand in mine, giving a firm shake with eye contact. “Be good to her.”

  I spoke before I released his hand. “I’d die for her.” That was what a man wanted to hear, complete dedication and loyalty. I would always be faithful to her, always protect her, always provide for her. That didn’t even need to be said.

  He nodded.

  I turned to Anna but didn’t touch her. “Merry Christmas.”

  She glanced at Damien, liked she was waiting for permission to come near me.

  Damien slid his hands into his pocket and looked at the floor as he nodd
ed.

  She walked up to me with her hand extended. “Welcome to the family.”

  I smiled slightly. “You too.”

  “Alright,” Richard said. “Food’s getting cold, so let’s eat.” He moved to the table and took a seat.

  I turned to Catalina, who stared at me with a look she’d never given me before. It was a mixture of love, gratitude, and a million other things I couldn’t identify. I watched her come closer to me, watched her wrap her arms around my waist and kiss me on the mouth, showing affection like there was no one there at all. “I love you…”

  My arm circled her waist, and I rested my lips against her forehead. “I love you too.”

  The large fireplace against the back wall was lit with high flames, and we gathered around the tree in armchairs, exchanging gifts while we enjoyed slices of pie and coffee. Catalina handed a gift to Damien.

  “You didn’t have to get me anything,” he said as he tugged on the bow.

  “You always get me something,” she argued.

  “But you’re my little sister,” he said. “I’m supposed to.” He continued to rip through the wrapping.

  I sat next to her father but didn’t try to make small talk with him. He didn’t strike me as the kind of guy that needed to fill the silence with words because he was uncomfortable. I watched Damien open his gift, a watch to add to his collection.

  “Do you have family?” Richard asked, seeming to understand there was a good chance I didn’t.

  “Yes. My brother and his wife are coming over to my house tonight for dinner.”

  He nodded. “How do they like Catalina?”

  I almost scoffed. “They love her.”

  “No surprise there,” he said with pride.

  “My brother is my twin, actually. A few months ago, Catalina spotted the two of them having dinner. She didn’t know I had a twin, so she assumed I was two-timing her. She chased down my brother on the sidewalk, told him off, and punched him in the face.”

  Richard smiled, like he found the story as funny as I did.

  “And that was how they met.”