Walking to the side door off the driveway, I step into the house. It leads me through the kitchen to the family room, which is unoccupied. Voices come from the lounge, so I head toward them.
As I step across the entrance, everyone stops talking except Justin.
“I’m just a lucky man that she took me back.” He forces a fake laugh, and I hate it.
“Excuse me,” I interrupt, and he meanders over to me. He’s six feet two, yet in my heels, I stand eye-to-eye with him. He hates me in them because he’s self-conscious of my height. He must appear taller than me; it’s an ego thing with him.
Justin is handsome; some might say he’s cute. But not to me. In comparison to Judge, he’s not even close. Justin has worn his dark brown hair in the same style for years, and it appears to be thinning on the sides. I’m sure he dyes it because it’s only one tone of brown; there are no high or lowlights to it. He’s clean-shaven, unlike Judge, who has a beard. Justin has these eyes that change colors based on his mood. It’s a form of heterochromia that I learned about in high school after he first started asking me out. I pointed it out one time, and that was the only time. He berated me for finding a flaw in him when I was the fat pig in our relationship. I should have run back then, but I didn’t. I regret that now.
I step back as Justin tugs me close, and his fingers dig into my waist, gouging the flesh. He’ll leave marks because he keeps his nails long compared to most men. It’s kind of creepy how he’s into the metro style but still tries to project he’s all male when he is fem, too. Ordinarily, that wouldn’t bother me, but it does with him because he’s so against it.
Justin leans into me, his mouth right along my ear, and says, “Don’t embarrass me, Evie, or I’ll make you regret it.” Not for the first time in our relationship, I’m afraid of him. “Play along.” He kisses my cheek, then turns to the room. “Told you she forgave me. We’re even talking about wedding dates in the spring.”
My gigi closely eyes me up and down, never missing a thing, as I bite my tongue, trying to figure a way out of this situation. I’m trapped. Justin is erratic, and I won’t risk my family.
His parents squeal and cheer as they approach, and I realize that they are the third vehicle in the driveway. Justin’s fingers dig in again as I remain quiet. I don’t know what to say, but I won’t make waves in front of everyone. My parents hold back, and when my mother approaches, she tries to take me into her arms away from Justin, but he won’t let me go.
“I’ve missed my girl,” he bites out, and I’m at a loss for words.
“Hello, Mom.” I force a smile, and she leans in to kiss me.
“You could have told us.” She looks at him, then at me.
“It was all so sudden. Like just happened.” Because it did just happen.
After all the congratulations on our bogus relationship, my mother invites everyone to come to dinner. She doesn’t have staff like my grandmother did, so Mom must call in a caterer for the last-minute meal, even though she’s a caterer herself. I hate that Justin has forced my parents to celebrate a lie.
“Can I talk to my boyfriend before we eat?” I ask my mom as she turns toward the formal dining room.
That’s another thing, my parents very rarely use that room, but because Justin’s parents are here and are stuck-up, my mom is trying to impress them.
“Don’t you mean fiancé?” Justin’s mom chuckles, and I just smile. It’s so forced that my face might crack if I’m not careful.
Everyone leaves us to go to the dining room, and I bend Justin’s finger back to get it off my waist.
“What the freak is going on? I told you we are never getting back together.”
“We got back together, babe, and you’re going to be a good girl and let this work out without issues, or I’ll make you regret it.”
“Like how? Have your girlfriend taunt me more? She told me today that I would never get you back. I don’t want to be together. I can’t believe you, Justin. I’m not lying to my family.”
Throwing my hands in the air, I walk away from him, but when I turn around, expecting him to still be across the room by the doorway, he’s not. He’s right there in front of me, and I stop dead on the spot.
“I’ll take care of Paris. You just make everyone believe we are in love and preparing to be engaged by Christmas, or I’ll make you sorry. You know you can’t protect everyone. Your father still runs on the streets. Your mom visits the gym weekly, just as mine does, and plays tennis still. Accidents happen. Then there’s your precious grandmother. She’s getting old. Just the right fall….”
Terror slams me full force. How dare he threaten my family? I shake my head as the tears prick my eyes. “You wouldn’t. Why? What’s there to gain?”
“I would. I need you. And the gain is everything. Don’t underestimate me. I’ve had all summer to concoct plans, and it’s been a long few months.”
My hand covers the sob threatening to break free if I’m not careful. I have no choice. He can’t know he’s getting to me. My family chose to save me from what my life could have been without them, and now it’s my turn to sacrifice for them.
“Don’t hurt my family.” My voice cracks.
“Then be a proper little bitch and do as I say.”
“Okay.”
He takes my hand and leads me into the dining room. All through dinner, I try to engage in conversation, but it’s impossible. Every scenario Justin threatened flashes through my mind. My family cannot be hurt. I need to figure out a way out of this and save them, too.
