PAPER VOWS Novel Chapter 11

“Dante…” I pause when he places his finger on my mouth. We are still in the shower, and the water is still pouring. I make sure to close the tap for a second. I’m one of those people who cannot breathe in water. Even when swimming, I never get under the water. I have a lot of questions for Dante. As much as he is blunt and has told me everything I asked, some things still don’t add up.

Dante finally says, “I know all this is a shock for you. The fame, and finding out that I am a billionaire, but everything will be fine. You will adjust to everything. You have nothing to be worried about.”

“I don’t like people in my business. Being your cover life means all the attention is on me. Being on the front page of a newspaper is not my thing; it’s overwhelming.”

“It’s overwhelming now, but in a few weeks or months, it will grow on you, and you will start to like it,” he answers, calm as always.

“And you know this how?”

Dante answers, “You are trending because you were seen with me. I am sure you can put two and two together.”

I turn around and take the loofah, squeeze some shower gel on it and start washing myself. All this is a lot of information to process in less than a week. In less than a week, I lost my job, woke up in a stranger’s house, got a marriage proposal, and now I am sleeping with a Billionaire. Not forgetting how I am trending because of this man.

“Are you angry?” Dante holds my hand to stop me from roughly rubbing myself with the loofah. I feel like I am going to lose my mind.

“I have a lot of questions, Dante. You are barely giving me the answers I need.”

He turns me around to face him, “Then ask me. Remember, we talked about you verbally saying things and not making me guess what is going on.”

“Can we bathe and put on some clothes first?” I don’t understand this always being undressed around each other. Or maybe it’s one of those weird things couples do – I had been single for too long.

Dante lifts my chin to make me face him. “I wouldn’t have brought you into my life if it was going to harm yours. I promise your life is changing for good, not bad.”

“I really hope so, Dante. The last thing I want is regretting all this. You already don’t love me – being miserable is the last thing I want.”

“I will make sure you never feel miserable,” he answers, his finger slowly stroking my face, and his gaze is locked on my mine. He is so smooth. I hate to admit that I am falling in love with him. I hate that I folded so quickly. I am falling for a man who is telling me continuously that love is not his thing. I am falling for a man who told me that he can love me if I want.

“Do you want to do it in the shower?” Dante murmurs, causing me to chuckle. We have been in here for a while; might as well do something productive.

“I don’t mind.”

He pulls me closer and kisses me. I am falling deeper and deeper for this man every minute. He lifts me, pins my back against the tiles as he gives it to me. After our lovemaking and shower, Dante and I head out to get dressed.

“Is your sister still here?” I ask Dante. We are in his closet, getting dressed. I don’t want that dress they set out for me. I am just going to wear his shirt and his boxer shorts. I went through Dante’s closet and picked out a white shirt, then in his drawers took out white socks and his white boxer shorts. I am thicker than him; I know I fit.

Dante lifts his eyes from his phone and looks at me. “What are you wearing?”

“I don’t want to wear that dress.”

“There are many people in this house; you cannot walk around looking like that. Please wear that dress,” he goes to the room and comes back with the dress.

“I’m not planning on leaving this room. I am fine with what I am wearing.”

He tosses the dress at me, “We are going to have lunch soon, my sister could still be in the house.”

I toss the dress back at him, “I don’t want to wear the dress. This is a dinner dress, not something you wear chilling at home.”

I don’t wait for him to respond, I walk out of the closet. I don’t care what he thinks, as long as I’m comfortable. I get on the bed and get my phone. I have more missed calls from my sister. This girl doesn’t want to leave me alone. I call her back.

Me: Giselle Marshal.

Giselle: Why are you not answering your phone?

She is whispering. I hope she is okay where she is. I wouldn’t want my trending to affect my family. We all know how the internet gets crazy. I wouldn’t want them to start following my family around and digging into our lives.

Me: I was showering.

Giselle: Are you planning on coming home anytime soon? Mom and Dad are here. They want answers on what is going on. Everyone we know is asking about you.

Me: I didn’t know things would be like this. What am I going to do?

Giselle: I don’t know, when they asked, I told them I am in the dark like everyone.

Me: What am I going to do, Giselle? I can’t tell our parents the truth. They will tell me that they can take care of me if it’s money I want.

Giselle: I don’t know, little sister, you will have to think of something. They are not leaving unless they see you.

“Are you okay?” Dante, who just walked into the room, asks. He is wearing black sweatpants and a black t-shirt. This is the first time seeing him outside his formal wear. He looks different – good different.

I hang up on Giselle and say to Dante, “My parents want to know what is going on. They are at the apartment.”

He tosses that dress at me and says, “You do realise that you are an adult, right?”

“I know that, but my parents will want to know how we met, how long we have been dating and what your intentions are with me.”

“Tell them that we met at the club, we have been together for a couple of days, and I want to marry you. What is hard about that?” he helps me get off the bed until I am in front of him and starts unbuttoning the shirt I am wearing. He says, “You need to put on some clothes.”

“I am wearing clothes. Is this how you are going to be when we get married?”

Dante answers, “If you don’t wear clothes, yes. There are many people in this house, they can walk in here anytime. You need to be decent.”

“Take me back to being a nobody. This rich life is not for me.”

He lifts my chin to make me face him. “Do you already regret being here?”

“It’s a joke, Dante, doesn’t humour exist in your world?” I say, now putting on the dress. The dress is knee-length and body-hugging. It’s cute but it’s not something I would chill at home in.

“You say things with a straight face, I can’t tell if you are serious or joking.”

I wrap my arms around him, resting my head on his chest, “You will get used to it. Can you drive me to the apartment?”

“Don’t you want to eat first?” he asks. I tell him that I am still full of the fruit salad. “Don’t tell me you are one of those people who only eat when starving?”

“In my defence, I used to lead a very busy life.”

With my arms still around him, he lifts me. At least now I know he will be able to scoop me up on your wedding day – the shower doesn’t count, by the way. We know how they would do anything for sex. That reminds me, I need to get on the pill – Mr Lyon and I didn’t talk about children, and he has been pulling out.

“I guess it’s my job to make sure you eat all the time,” says Dante as we walk towards the door, heading out.

“Where are we going?”

“To feed you and then I can drive you home. I hope your parents take the news about us well,” he says.

“One thing for sure, I won’t tell them that you don’t love me because you will never see me again. They will think I am in it for money.”

“What are you in it for, Jade Marshal?” he asks.

“You ask a lot of questions, Dante,” I rest my head on his chest. How I had forgotten how good it feels to have a man. The little things, like being carried puts a smile on one’s face.

In all honesty, I think I am falling in love with him. I think I always felt something, but I just didn’t want to admit it. I think I agreed because a part of me hopes one day he will love me and we will be happily married if there is such a thing.

“Don’t fall asleep, Jade Marshal,” says Dante. I think he realises I am too quiet.

“I won’t, Dante Lyon.”