Sapphire Beautiful (15 page)

I grab my cell from the nightstand and check the messages. There’s a text from The Club. It’s a notification that another ten thousand dollars has been deposited into my account. My stomach knots in response.

I actually feel like I’m going to be sick. “Why did you give me more money?”

“What do you mean?”

“This is a notification that another ten thousand has been deposited into my account. You just give me enough to pay off my mortgage. Why did you give me ten thousand more?”

“It’s September first. It’s automatically withdrawn from my account. Claudia was very adamant that we’d get kicked out of The Club if we ever missed a payment. It’s in our contract.”

“I’ll give it back,” I tell him.

He shakes his head. “It’s yours. I can’t take it back.”

My stomach is doing somersaults. “It doesn’t feel right.”

He kisses me. “It’s ten thousand bucks. It’s not a big deal.”

“It is to me.”

“Ten thousand dollars doesn’t even cover my sister’s clothing allowance for the month. Don’t worry about it.”

I wonder what in the world his sister is buying that costs more than ten thousand dollars a month. But I think Dante and I have a bigger problem. I don’t feel right taking his money anymore. Not when we’re starting to have feelings for each other.

“Maybe we should end the arrangement,” I tell him.

His eyes grow so wide his eyebrows disappear under his bangs. “What?”

“Maybe we should end the arrangement,” I repeat.

His head is shaking vigorously. “We’re not ending the arrangement. We’re never ending the arrangement.”

My stomach completely sinks when I realize the implications of what he’s saying. He can’t continue to pay me ten thousand dollars a month indefinitely. It’s completely ridiculous.

“I’ll give you more.” His voice is panicked. “I told you I’ll give you whatever you want. Just tell me how much.” He grabs for his phone.

“Stop!” I wipe at the tear that’s escaped down my face. “Just stop.”

His finger hovers over a button on his phone.

“Put down the phone,” I tell him.

He shakes his head.

“Put it down,” I repeat.

He reluctantly agrees and sets the phone down.

“Now look at me.”

When his eyes meet mine they’re filled with fear.

“When I suggested we end the arrangement it had nothing to do with the two of us being together. We can be together without you paying me. You’ve already given me so much I don’t need for you to keep paying me.”

He shakes his head. “I won’t end our arrangement.”

I put my hand over my mouth to keep from throwing up. I feel like I’m going to be sick. Does he truly believe I won’t be with him, that I won’t stay with him, unless he pays me?

What can I do to make him believe otherwise?

Maybe I just need to give it some time.

“Can we just forget I said anything?” I ask.

Even though he nods, his eyes are still filled with terror.

I place my hand on his cheek. “I want to be with you, Dante. I’m yours. I told you that.”

This seems to calm him a bit.

“Lie down,” I tell him. There’s at least one thing that I know calms him a lot.

He does as he’s instructed and lies on his back.

When I straddle him he frowns. “What are you doing?”

I kiss him to shut him up. As I deepen the kiss I feel him start to get hard. I kiss my way down his chest and stomach until I reach his half erect cock. I tease the head with my tongue, licking and sucking it. I’m met with a sharp intake of breath in response.

It doesn’t take much playing before he’s rock hard. As I slowly move my hands up his chest I straddle him again.

I get incredibly wet as I move my body up and down the length of his shaft riding him like a cowgirl. I ride him as hard and fast as I can until he shudders and climaxes.

My mission is accomplished when I see a look of complete contentment overtake his face.

I place a quick kiss on his lips. “We have to get ready for work.”

“Wait,” he says just as I’m about to dismount.

“I don’t want to be late.”

“This weekend. My parents are having a Labor Day thing. Not actually on Labor Day. They’re having a party Saturday evening.”

I wait for a few moments, but he doesn’t elaborate. “Are you asking me to go with you?”

He shakes his head. “I need for you to be there. My parents won’t let up about meeting you.”

“Okay,” I agree. “I’ll go.” But I’m already scared to death at the idea of meeting his mom and dad. 

***

I
’ve already changed three times and I’ve only got fifteen minutes before Dante is picking me up to meet his family. He’s given me a few tips.

One: keep my answers to their questions short and sweet.

Two: never step into a room alone with his brother.

Three: if his sister asks a question that could be incriminating just ask her about something she’s wearing to steer the conversation in another direction.

Dante and I agreed it would be in our best interests if we didn’t reveal that I’m a professor in the medieval studies department or anything about our arrangement. Our cover story is that we met at a bookstore in the history section, something we’re both interested in.

When I hear a knock on the door I realize it’s too late to change my outfit again. I’ve got to go with what I’ve got on: a fall floral dress and sandals.

“That’s perfect,” he says as he looks me up and down. “You look like you just stepped out of the Coldwater Creek catalogue my mom gets. My parents will love you.”

“I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or not,” I complain.

“How about if I tell you I can’t wait to get you out of that dress?” He gives me a kiss that includes a little nibble on my bottom lip.

“That’s better.”

He holds out a hand for me to take. “Let’s go.”

***

“W
ow,” is about all that will come out of my mouth when I step out of Dante’s car in front of his parents’ house. I always heard Barrington had some magnificent homes, but the McNally’s home is truly stunning.

The place looks reminiscent of a European country estate with its rolling hills and elaborate architecture. The magnificent two-story stone entrance has its own balcony. I can just imagine Juliet standing on it talking to Romeo.

“Ready?” Dante asks as he takes my hand.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I tell him.

When he opens the massive wooden front door we’re greeted by an even grander foyer. The staircase reminds me of an old Hollywood movie like
The Great Gatsby
.

“Dante,” a woman who looks like she’s in her mid-fifties hurries over to greet us.

“Mom, this is my girlfriend, Mary. Mary, this is my mother, Jennifer McNally.”

“Nice to meet you Mrs. McNally,” I say.

“Please call me Jennifer,” she replies as she looks me up and down.

Jennifer is a blonde who is still beautiful even in middle age. We’re about the same height, but Jennifer is amazingly toned, I’m sure the result of having a personal trainer and working out numerous times per week. If I was a gambler I’d bet money that Jennifer was a cheerleader in high school and maybe even in college.

Dante’s features are so dark it’s hard for me to imagine him coming from a woman who looks like Jennifer.

“Where did you get your lovely dress?” The way Jennifer asks the question leads me to believe she thinks the dress is anything but. Her nose is actually scrunched up in disgust.

She’s wearing a plain white cotton dress that looks brand new. It compliments her tanned skin extremely well. I admit my dress is a few years old, but I didn’t realize wearing it would be a fashion faux pas.

When an older man, who I assume is Dante’s father, joins his wife I breathe a small sigh of relief. I feel like I dodged a bullet not having to admit that I bought my dress at an outlet store. 

“This is my dad,” Dante says. “Paul McNally. Dad, this is my girlfriend, Mary.”

“Pleasure to meet you.” Mr. McNally extends a hand for me to shake. He’s got a firm grip and doesn’t seem to want to let me go. I get a little uncomfortable when he continues to hold my hand way too long and stares at me like I’m a steak dinner.

Paul is also blond with movie star blue eyes and a huge politician’s grin. He looks a few years older than his wife, but one immediately gets the impression that he can still charm his way into any female’s panties, and probably does on more than a few occasions. 

As I look back and forth between Paul and Jennifer, who look like poster children for The Prom King and Queen Thirty Years Later, I believe Dante is one hundred percent correct with his assumption that he was switched at birth.

“Ty and Ally are around here somewhere,” Jennifer says. “They invited a few friends over.”

“The guests are all out back,” Paul announces. “Plenty of beer, wine, mixed drinks. Whatever you want.” He looks me up and down. “I assume you’re over twenty-one.”

I choke. “A few years.”

“Come on.” Dante squeezes my hand. “Let’s see if we can find Ty and Ally.”

I follow Dante through an immaculately decorated living area into a massive kitchen. My townhouse has what I thought was a substantial kitchen, but this room is easily three times its size.

We exit through a set of sliding glass doors onto a large patio overlooking an even larger pool.

The pool has a beautiful waterfall at one end and a small Tiki bar on the other. There are several other bars set up around the perfectly manicured grounds. Most of the guests are gathered close to the bars. Just a handful are seated next to the pool.

“There’s my sister.” Dante points to an animated blond who looks like a younger version of her mother in every way, right down to the white cotton dress and spray tan. She’s talking to two other girls who look like Barbie dolls.

Ally waves when she spots us and hurries over to meet me.

“You really do exist,” she says as she looks me up and down. “Ty and I were taking bets on whether or not you were just a figment of Dante’s imagination.”

When I glance at Dante he doesn’t look the slightest bit embarrassed, which leads me to believe that he’s used to this kind of treatment from his sister.

“This is my sister Ally. Ally, this is my girlfriend Mary.” Dante emphasizes the word girlfriend. 

“So how long have the two of you been together?” she asks. She’s still eying me like she’s inspecting me.

I glance in Dante’s direction hoping he’ll answer the question.

“A while,” he says vaguely.

“So what did my brother have to do to get you to fuck him?”

I quickly put my hand to my mouth to stop my jaw from dropping.

“Maybe you can try not being an asshole just for one day,” Dante replies a lot more calmly than I would.

“Well your girlfriend is at least an eight, maybe even a nine under that hideous dress she’s wearing and you’re not even a three on your best day, so you must be giving her something.”

Then she spots it. Her eyes fix on my sapphire pendant like a cat fixates on a fish in a bowl.

She lifts the necklace and pretends to examine it more closely. “Let me guess. A gift from Dante.”

At least now I have a better idea about why he’s so adamant about not ending the arrangement. He’s convinced that he won’t be able to keep me without the money. And his family is doing an excellent job reinforcing that idea.

“Don’t you have someone else to annoy?” Dante asks her.

She shakes her head. “I’m having so much fun talking to your girlfriend.”

She still has her hand on my pendant and it’s starting to make me really uncomfortable. “So how long did it take you to figure out that my brother is loaded?”

“I really don’t care about his money,” I tell her.

She narrows her gaze at me. “Sure you don’t. Little Miss Middle Class has got herself a meal ticket. Do you have to keep your eyes closed when you fuck him? Do you pretend you’re doing it with someone else just to make it bearable?”

I shake my head. “I love Dante.” The words come out because I’m pissed at how she’s treating Dante, but as soon as I say them I realize I mean them.

She laughs in my face. “I’m sure you love the fact that he’s worth three hundred and fifty million.”

I’m not sure why that figure is so shocking to me. I knew Dante’s family was wealthy. But hearing her say it is like a punch of reality right in the gut.

“My little brother inherited our grandfather’s fortune. Didn’t he tell you? He was the sole heir. Ty and I have to wait for our trust fund money to trickle in, while our little brother gets to enjoy his fortune.”

Ally seems like a spoiled brat who I seriously doubt has any idea what it truly means to have money
trickle in
. 

When I glance at Dante his face is a stone mask and it looks nearly impenetrable. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to live with that kind of abuse from a sibling. My sister and I tease each other once in a while, but there’s never any doubt that we love each other.

I don’t get the impression that Ally loves anyone, not even herself.

“I have to find Ty.” Ally glances around the party. When her eyes land back on me she narrows her gaze. “New bet. How long does it take Miss Middle Class to get knocked up and trap my brother into marrying her?”

Dante squeezes my hand so hard it’s actually painful. Now I know what Dante looks like when he’s angry. It’s truly frightening. He’s glaring at Ally like he could strangle her right here in the middle of the party and not feel one bit of remorse.

When he points his index finger in Ally’s face his hand is shaking with anger. “Don’t you ever say that about Mary again. Do you understand me?”

I’m surprised when Ally gulps. For a brief moment she actually looks frightened. Maybe her brother has never stood up to her before.

Then she tries to wave him off. “Whatever.” But I can still see the surprise in her eyes. “I need a drink.”

She dons a fake smile. “So nice to meet you, Mary.”

Before I can even reply she hurries over to the bar.

“Come with me.” Dante’s voice is still filled with rage and it actually scares me a little bit. He drags me back into the house and pulls me back through the kitchen and living area into the foyer. For a moment I think he might take me back out the front entrance and leave, but he pulls me up the staircase instead.