AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He wants me.
He might love me.
I sure as fuck love him. I love him so hard it’s burning through my skin.
This conversation is going to be difficult, but what I’ve learned from Ben is that I can do difficult things. I can be a leader. I can make decisions.
I’m making one now.
I’m going to fight for us.
I’m going to tell the truth and fight for us.
I find Ben in his office, reading glasses on as he sits in his swivel chair and reads something on his phone. He glances up and smiles as I enter wearing a white silk chemise that he bought me.
“I hope you don’t think you’re working right now.” I know we planned to have a big talk, but if it starts with sex, it might actually work in my favor. Hence, the negligée.
Ben’s eyes graze down my body with desire, but then his attention shifts behind me.
I turn to look and immediately squeeze my eyes closed, regretting each and every one of my life decisions.
“What is going on here?” Ainsley asks from the doorway.
“Oh, Ains.” Ben is climbing to his feet, taking me by the shoulder and trying to turn me around. I’m as immovable as a statue. “This is who I wanted you to meet.”
“Oh, we’ve met.” The humor in his voice guts me like a fish. I’m splayed out on the tiles for the gulls to pick through. I still don’t look up.
Ben’s grip on my shoulder loosens but he doesn't let go. “You’ve met? Victoria?”
I look up then and meet his eyes. The look there is cautious, but not yet devastated.
Give it a second, buddy. It gets better.
“Please for the love of god tell me this is some kind of fucked up threesome thing. I knew you were kinky, Vic, but I had no idea you were into?—”
“That’s enough.” Ben cuts him off. He looks back down at me, but my eyes are downcast, my entire essence seems to have retreated back inside, rendering me incapable of movement or speech. “Ainsley, give us a second. Close the door and don’t wait outside. I’ll come find you in a few minutes.”
Ainsley gives a low whistle, and I hear the door close.
Ben finally lets go of my arm as he collapses back into his chair, covering his face with both hands. I take a step back.
I watch from the corner of my vision as he drops his hands to his knees and cocks his head at me. “This isn’t exactly the way I expected our big talk to start.”
The memory of the cart ride back from the dock, when Ben all but told me he wanted to talk about a future with me, comes flooding in, bringing with it a wave of hot tears. They roll down my cheeks and into the corners of my mouth. I don’t move to wipe them away.
“I can see that you’re having a hard time, so I’m going to take a stab at what’s going on here. If I get something wrong, you let me know, okay?”
I don’t move to even draw a breath. Let me die here.
“You were involved with Ainsley. He took off or you broke up or something, and then you got involved with me, knowing I was his father, and decided not to mention it to me. Is that a correct summary?”
His cold, business-like tone sends chills down my spine.
The last thing I ever wanted was to have this conversation, but my body is refusing to fall over dead, so it looks like I have no other choice. “Ben…”
“Just a yes or no will be fine.”
“No.”
