I spun my head quickly. “There’s no sex in the relationship I have with Max Stanton,” I snapped, then quickly cupped my hands over my mouth. If that got out, Max would be humiliated, and he’d... Quickly, I backtracked. “Any passion we had has dwindled with the stress of everything.” My face was suddenly warm, and I needed to get out of there.
I reached for the blindfold and, just as I was tearing it off, the lights went out, engulfing us in pitch black. I felt hands on me, tugging me into his arms. As if we simply needed the excuse of darkness to touch one another, our lips collided in a furious frenzy. His hands moved up my arms, finding my jacket and tugging it down. My lust took over, and when his hands dropped to my ass, squeezing them, I wrapped my legs around his middle.
I felt his hardness, and the image he’d sent me of what was underneath his pants sent me spiraling. The piercing was intriguing... would it feel good?
In my mind, I was back with Gatsby in that hotel room.He’d just finished my tattoo, and then he took my virginity. This was what we should have had. Not me and this stranger.
I kissed my Gatsby stand-in with the energy I’d give to the real thing. Our tongues danced in glorious need as he held me tight and began to walk. As if he could see in the dark, he found the chaise lounge and laid me down. He dropped to the floor and lifted my dress, grabbing for my panties.
I was dizzy as I arched my back, giving him easier access to taking off my clothes. He pushed my thighs apart and his tongue ran across my skin.
“Oh!” I gasped.
“Daisy... I need to taste you.” His fingers trailed along my thighs, sending delicious shivers to my core. Arousal pooled in my pussy, pleading for me to relax and let him give me pleasure. I allowed my mind to replace his hands with Gatsby’s. His tongue with Gatsby’s.
“Gatsby once told me you tasted like heaven. I need to experience it as he did.”
Something about the stranger saying his name bolted me from the illusions I’d created. I sat up fast and shoved him away.
“No! We can’t do this. This is wrong!” I stood and felt around. “Where are my underwear, my jacket? I can’t—this is wrong!” I was gasping for air as I felt along the floor for my things.
“What are you talking about? You want this—” he started, but as I found my panties and struggled to shove them on, I interrupted him.
“No, I don’t want this. I don’t want you. I want my Gatsby. Not a stand-in.” I grabbed my jacket and strode blindly to where the door was. I turned the handle andopened it, letting light flood in. For a moment, I froze, debating whether or not to turn back and get a look at the man who’d almost gotten me to betray Gatsby.
I took a deep breath and refrained.
“I have to go.”
Chapter 22
Daisy
I calledNeal from my car, sobbing into the wheel. They didn’t answer, so I tried again, and a third time, but each time, it only rang and rang. I screamed and threw my phone into the passenger seat. Starting the car, I pulled out of the parking lot, furious.
As I drove home, I fumed over Neal not answering their phone. And then I fumed over the unknown man almost seducing me. And finally, as I reached Max’s estate, I parked in the garage and sobbed over myself being so desperate for the love I’d lost so long ago that I’d take a stranger in the dark to not be alone.
I cried in my car until there were no tears left, and then I went inside and lost myself again in the shower. I scrubbed the unknown man’s sensual scent off me and then dropped to the floor and let the hot water boil my skin as I screamed and cried.
Deep down, somewhere in my soul, I’d still believed that Gatsby would one day come for me, and now reality was hitting me full force. He was never coming back. I’d be marrying Max Stanton within the year, and he’d bring Lydiaback and I’d have to quit ballet to focus on raising the little girl. I could feel my freedom slipping away with each day.
“Our daughter needs a mother, Daisy.”Max’s words taunted me. I put my hands over my ears and rocked, as if he were here in the room, screaming them at me.“You promised you’d do this.”
This was not the life I’d envisioned all those years ago. I’d promised nothing.
I just didn’t want anyone to know my secret.
I stayed until the shower ran cold, and then I got up and dressed for bed, where I stared at the ceiling, begging to be released from the hell I’d gotten myself into. Running wasn’t simply an option. Max and I were too entangled. I’d be ruined if I left without explanation. He’d tell the world all of my secrets, and the world would not be forgiving.
He returned home, and for a few days, he acted as if he loved me. We shared meals together, he took interest in my dancing, and he offered to take me to a movie. Knowing the other option was to run back to the opera house, I chose to see a film with Max. However, as I stared at the large screen, all I could think about was the man I’d left behind in the dark.
Was he angry I’d teased him and then abandoned him? Or was he apologetic for using my longing for a man on death row to his advantage? I hadn’t received a text from him since, and I wasn’t sure if I was disappointed or relieved.
Disappointed.
He was my only tie to Gatsby.
I cried every night, although a little less each time. It felt like I was thrown back in time. When I would watch him on trial. He really had no chance. The woman I’d killed was one of the richest people on earth. They wanted to use him as an example, a warning to not fuck with the rich, for if you did, you’d end up like him.
