Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 24174 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 121(@200wpm)___ 97(@250wpm)___ 81(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24174 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 121(@200wpm)___ 97(@250wpm)___ 81(@300wpm)
Fuck.
Our people strongly believe in omens, and I know the time has come to tell her about our betrothal. "Madeleine—-"
But her phone starts ringing again, and Madeleine looks at me apologetically. "I really have to take this..."
I force myself to smile. "Of course."
But the feeling of evil foreboding only becomes more ominous as I watch her walk away.
As soon as she's back, I vow to myself, I'll tell her the truth.
I'll make her understand that she's what matters most to me, and if I have to cancel my purchase of her grandfather's island, then so be it.
Madeleine disappears in a corner, and I force myself to focus on making my own calls. A few minutes turn into a half hour, and my worst fears are realized when I charge into the powder room and find it empty.
I try calling her, but she's already blocked my number.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
I call her grandfather, and that's when I find out the truth.
"It's the young man she met earlier," Paco says painfully. "He thought you were familiar, and he texted Maddy as soon as he remembered where he saw you. Where he saw us."
"He only saw us," I bite out. "How would he know—-"
"It's where he saw us," Paco cuts me off grimly. "Maddy knows I have this...this lucky ritual if you will. I only shop for tobacco to add to my collection...when I've just closed a deal."
FUCK.
"She wasn't crying when she came here, but..." Paco's voice breaks. "We broke her heart, Rashad. Badly."
My grip on my phone tightens. "I love her, Paco. I'm going there and explain—-"
"It's too late," Paco interrupts bleakly.
"Just let me talk to her," I say fiercely. "I'll make her understand—-"
"Maddy has made up her mind."
"Maddy is the love of my life—-"
But the old man goes on talking like my love is just garbage.
"Maddy says you can have the island, and in exchange...you must promise to never show her your face again."
"Didn't you hear me?" I grate out desperately. "I love her—-"
"But if you come see her again even once, she's made me promise to sell the island to Huzna's worst enemy."
Chapter Ten
I loved him.
Those words used to bring me such joy, but now I use them to castigate myself as I cry into my pillow, and I only end up falling asleep out of sheer exhaustion.
I loved him.
The words stab me as soon as I wake up, and I still feel like a complete mess as I drag myself out of bed. I try to focus on taking one things at a time, but when I start brushing my teeth, I'm suddenly reminded by how this same mouth had been so, so busy sucking his dick, and I nearly throw up.
I end up brushing my teeth thrice, but my mouth still feels disgustingly dirty even after several rounds of gargling. I know I'm being stupid, but then...that's really what I am, isn't it?
You're so stupid, self!
Sobs clog my throat as my mind taunts me with all the other times I acted so, so stupid because of him. Does he know how I used to wait for him every morning at the cafe? Was he secretly laughing at me when I told him I was dying to have a taste of his cum?
And to think I even asked him—-
I loved him so much, oh God, loved him so, so much that I actually asked if I was any good at giving him head.
You're so DAMN stupid, self!
Pain nearly buries me alive, and I almost end up smashing the vanity mirror with my bare hands. How can I ever bear to look at myself again, knowing what an idiot I've been, to let myself believe that someone like Rashad can love someone like me?
Despair tempts me into staying in bed all day and wallow in my misery, but I manage somehow to go through the motions of living as I take a shower and change out of my pajamas.
It's almost eleven in the morning when I finally step out of the bedroom, and my phone rings as I pull the door shut.
"Hey." It's Brian again. "I'll be there in fifteen minutes."
"You're...what?"
Brian sighs. "You obviously forgot about our date, but that's fine. I'm happy to wait while you do whatever it is girls do to get ready. See you, babe."
He hangs up before I can tell him I'm not up to going out, and I have a feeling he knew what I had been about to say as well.
A date is the last thing I'm in the mood for, but since I would never have known the truth if not for him...
I'm still thinking about what to do with Brian when I belatedly notice my grandfather looking up at me from the landing, a strained expression on his face.
"You have a visitor, Maddy."