PAPER VOWS Novel Chapter 6

I’m standing in front of the mirror looking at my reflection. I am wearing a long gold dress with clear square heels. Those office slacks and skirts made me forget how much of a good figure I have. As much as I am sad about losing my job, those people were abusing me. I was always overworking and barely had time for myself. I know I had Sundays, but I spent the day sleeping and trying to recover from the other six days at work. Maybe losing my job is the best thing that has ever happened to me.

It’s forty minutes after six pm, I am preparing for my date with Dante. I won’t lie, my insides are starting to get warm when I think about him. I don’t know if it’s because I am starting to like him or maybe my body misses a man’s touch. Also, my job was keeping me busy; I barely did anything outside work. I was always tired and spent most of my free time with my sister or parents.

I bought this dress, shoes and bag today when I went shopping. I would be lying if I said I enjoyed shopping. I am not used to shopping alone – usually I go with my sister. This shopping thing must not be for me. I only went into one store and bought everything in one place. Elis was with me when I was shopping, but it wasn’t fun.

“Giselle!” I call when I hear the front door opening.

Our door has a little bell that rings when someone opens the door. Giselle put it so that she can hear me come in. She and James are very loud during sex. The bell is so she can hear that I am back from work and keep it down. Unlike me, my sister believes that she doesn’t have to work as long as she has a man. James takes care of her and her portion of the rent.

“Giselle, are you back?” I call but don’t get a response. She must be drunk on the sex that she gets nonstop from her boyfriend, that she cannot hear me. I grab my bag, make sure I am fine and head out of my room.

“I am about to go out with my sexy fine king,” I say, walking towards the fridge, trying to put on my earrings. God knows why I didn’t do that while I was still in front of the mirror. “How does my dress look?”

“You look like a sexy fine queen,” a male voice utters, startling me.

“Dante? Don’t you knock?”

“I did knock and didn’t get a response, so I let myself in. If you don’t want people coming in, maybe you should try locking the door,” he says, comfortable on the couch. This creepy man. What happened to calling people?

“Next time, call me before coming in. And you are early, you said seven pm.”

He checks his wristwatch, “It’s ten minutes before seven. I am on time. If I came at seven, I would have been late.”

“Okay then, we can go.”

He stands from the couch, today he is wearing black formal trousers, a white shirt with a black waistcoat and a black tie. He looks fine as hell. In my six years of abstaining, I have never been this tempted by a man. I work around models, good-looking men, but this one makes me want to press my thighs together.

“Are you coming?” Dante’s voice snaps me back to reality. He is now by the door, waiting for me to walk out first.

“Yes, we can go.” I walk towards him, heading for the door.

“You look gorgeous,” he compliments. “You left your house keys.”

“Right,” I rush to get them on the counter. I need to not let his good looks blind me. He could be a horrible person for all I know. I shouldn’t let his good looks and money blind me.

He holds out his hand. I don’t know what that means, so I give him my hand. “You have cute hands, but I want the keys.”

“Just say so then, don’t just hold out your hand,” I shove the keys in his hands. He must use his words. While waiting for Dante to lock up, I hear Mr Meyers’ door unlock. I swear he comes out every time he hears my door open.

“Hey Mr Meyers!” I greet him first.

“Hey Jade! Going somewhere?” he asks, his eyes fixed on Dante.

“Yes, I am going on a date,” I say, then look at Dante, who is now next to me, clearly waiting for an introduction. “Mr Meyers, this is Dante, my date and Dante, this is my neighbour.”

“Hello young man,” Mr Meyers extends his hand to Dante who shakes it. “I hope you keep my Jade safe.”

“See you around, Mr Meyers!” I take Dante’s arm and we walk away. Once Mr Meyers starts talking, he doesn’t stop. That’s why I always pretend I am rushing somewhere when talking with him.

“Is that your best friend?” Dante asks me as we walk towards the elevator.

“That’s my neighbour.” Of all people, why would Mr Meyers be my best friend?

The elevator doors open, Dante lets me go in, and once also in, he says, “Is it true that you beat up men?”

Oh my God! “What? No!”

“You did beat up your sister’s ex when he started bothering her,” he says.

“That was a one-off thing. That doesn’t mean I beat up men. How do you even know that?”

“I have my sources,” he answers. The elevator doors opening save me. How does he even know that? It happened eleven years ago.

As we walk to the car, I say to Dante, “I do not beat up men.”

“Noted.”

I am even ashamed to ask how he knows this. I used to have anger issues growing up, but I am fine now. I worked on myself, I am a better person. But did Dante have to ask me that? Now I am embarrassed. When Dante and I are in the car, I send my sister my live location in case this man kidnaps me. One has to stay safe.

Dante is the one driving us; from the looks of it, we are heading towards Seventh Street. I clear my throat and ask, “Are you taking us to Oday’s?”

He looks at me, then back on the road, “How did you know?”

“We are heading towards that direction.”

“Ever been?” he asks. I tell him once. It was my birthday, Giselle took me there. It is hard to get a reservation there. “Are you fine with us going there or do you want another restaurant?”

“I am fine with that one. I am sure it was hard getting a reservation there.”

He shakes his head. “It wasn’t. I just called and made a reservation.”

That’s weird. Giselle had to book a month before. They are always full. I guess when the rich call, they do everything to make space for them. When he gets there, the waitress is already waiting for us. She welcomes us warmly and takes us to a session I didn’t even know existed in the restaurant. Giselle and I walked around to see this place. I didn’t know restaurants had VIP sessions too.

Dante pulls a chair for me. When I am settled, he orders a bottle of Krug Grand Cuvée, then we look into the food menu. I settle for oysters served with fresh lemon wedges and mignonette sauce. Dante goes for veal chop served with vegetables.

“I have a few questions, Dante Lyon.”

Dante answers, “Ask away, Jade Marshal.”

“Let’s say I accept your proposal, which I’m still thinking about by the way. Are we going to have a fake marriage?”

“Why would I ask you to be in a fake marriage with me? It will be the real thing, you get to be my wife and I will be your husband,” he answers.

“Why me?”

“Because you beat up men,” he says, humorously and I laugh. Can he stop saying that? “I just chose you, Jade. There is nothing to it.”

“For no reason at all? You looked at a drunk woman in your club and said yes, that one?”

He sips on his champagne and says, “You do know that I was sitting next to you the whole time that night? I heard everything you said on the phone and everything you were venting about. I just chose you and why did you think men didn’t bother you that night?”

“The barman was looking out for me. And what do you mean you were eavesdropping on my conversation?”

“You were not keeping it down. Also, the barman has a lot more things to do than watch over a drunk person.”

Our food comes and we dig in. I cannot believe I thought that the barman was looking out for me. He made me believe he was. I say to Dante. “What if I want to continue abstaining. Would you still want to marry me?”

“If that’s what you want.”

“Don’t married people have sex?” I ask him. He tells me to ask myself the same question since I am the one who wants to continue abstaining. I add, “What if I say yes and you turn out to be some sadist who abuses women?”

“I am sure you will beat me up since you beat up men.”

“Hey, stop that,” I playfully hit him with a napkin.

“You and your loose hands.”

“I didn’t mean it like that. I don’t hit people, oh my God.” Can he stop that?

He says, “If you are scared I might abuse you, then write down everything you are scared I might do and run it through a lawyer. We will have a legal agreement of me promising not to do any of those things. Once I marry you and do them, sue me for a million dollars.”

“A million is a lot of money. And let me guess, you want a prenup?”

He shakes his head, “No.”

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