ELLIE
I sit on the porch of the small stone cottage. The island is off the shore of Sicily. The water is perfectly clear and the pebble beach is clean and beautiful. The water turns various shades of turquoise as the depth of the water varies. It is an absolute beautiful sight to behold. In the far distance another larger island is visible but only faintly.
Greyson has sent for the bodyguards to join us on the island. Their only job is to make sure nobody approaches the island.
Greyson has a more relaxed demeanour and seems to be enjoying the fresh air and quiet of the remote island.
Greyson joins me on the porch with two glasses of champagne in his hands.
"Walk with me" he says as he hands me a glass. I stand up and join him as he walks down the few steps onto the pebbles that goes all the way to the shoreline.
I hook my arm into his and we start walking towards the water.
"I have to tell you" He says as we walk "I am truly very happy to be here with you"
I smile at Greyson. "I am also very happy to be here with you"
We reach the shoreline and stand looking out over the waters when Greyson turns to me.
"Ellie"
I turn to Greyson as he puts his hand into his pants pocket and pulls something out that he hides in his hand. He holds his fist next to his side and looks me in the eyes.
"Greyson?" I smile at him. He seems nervous. I wonder what he is so worried about.
"Will you marry me?"
* * * * * * * *
RACHEL
I swipe my card at the ticket office where I booked my bus ticket back to my home town. I do not yet know what I am going to go looking for there but after speaking to Ryan I want to sit and talk to him face to face.
He called me the night I asked Adrien for his number. We spoke a bit but didn't discuss anything serious. I am still plagued by questions of thing that do not make sense.
I get my ticket from the lady behind the booth and walk towards the bus that I need to take.
There is still twenty minutes before the departure time on the ticket. My mobile phone rings in my pocket. I pick it up. On the screen it says private number. I answer with caution.
"Hello"
"Rachel!" The woman on the other side of the phone screams with delight! "It's Ellie! Greyson and I are getting married!"
I smile broadly. "Congratulations Ellie! That is wonderful news!"
"I am not allowed to give out too much information over the phone. Please, please, please come to my wedding! Ryan will be in contact with details. Will you please come? I need a bridesmaid! It has to be you!" Ellie is positively bubbling over with joy. How could I refuse.
"Of course, Ellie! I will be there!" I am so happy for her but there is a sadness in my voice that I am struggling to hide.
"Ryan will call you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
The call ends. I sit on the small bench next to the bus stop. Ellie is getting married to Greyson. At least one of us got to marry the love of our lives.
The bus pulls up in front of me. I hand my ticket to the driver and take a seat at the back of the bus.
* * * * * *
AVA
I watch Adrien as he stands absolutely naked in front of my stove in my small kitchen. He is busy making breakfast. He hums some kind of song while he is cooking. It is hilarious to look at. Adrien comes by every night after work. He leaves in the mornings before the sun is up. Today he didn't leave. It is weekend. I like having him here.
Adrien turns around with the pan in his hand and lifts the eggs into the plates.
"There you go, boo" he announces when he is done cooking breakfast.
"Thank you, you!" I answer him sweetly.
I get up from the couch where I have been waiting for him to finish. I thoroughly enjoyed the view while watching him cook. I smile at him as I walk towards him.
"You look damn fine, Ava" he tells me as he slides his eyes down my body. "I think I like this naked breakfast thing we have going here" he laughs as he takes a seat at the kitchen table.
I am not completely naked though. I have a pair of lace panties on, but that is it.
We eat breakfast and talk about simple non serious things like we used to.
Adrien's phone rings. He turns in his seat and takes it from the kitchen counter. This kitchen is really very small.
He answers the phone and leans his elbows on the table. He licks his lips while shamelessly looking at my breasts.
"Yes brother?" he answers his phone. "Hmm? Yes. Of Course! That is absolutely fantastic! Congratulations! Yes, yes! We will be there! Oh yeah, yes, I did say we. We will be Ava and I."
Adrien chuckles at whatever his brother is telling him. I sit back and push my breast out a bit. I absolutely hate being excluded from conversations. I stand up and slide my hands down my sides. I can see Adrien's eyes lose focus. He is struggling to listen to his brother. I smile and hook my thumbs into my panties and pull them down slowly. I let them drop to the floor and walk out of the kitchen to the bedroom.
"Yes, yes, I will speak to Ryan. I have to go"
I hear his chair move in the kitchen and within seconds he is in the bedroom with me.
"Rude little minx." He growls as he pushes me onto the bed. "Need to be punished" he kisses me in my neck and pushes my legs apart and proceeds to punish me in the most satisfying ways.
* * * * * *
BAILEY
I hear the beep of the intercom system on my desk. The number one light flickers. I lift the receiver and press the button.
"Come see me" Brandon's gruff voice sounds over the receiver and I hear the distinct click of him putting his earpiece down.
Rude. I think as I stand up and walk to the furthest office from my table. As I approach his office another woman exits it. She looks flushed and flustered.
"Good luck in there," she tells me as we walk past each other, "He is absolutely on fire to day. If I weren't married, I would be crawling on his desk." She disappears around the corner and I turn to look into Brandon's office.
He does look damn fine today. He is wearing a white shirt with navy blue cuffs and a navy-blue collar. His sapphire eyes gleams as he lays his eyes on me. I can feel my body respond to his presence and instantly wishes that he didn't have this effect on me anymore.
I force myself to remember how rudely he summonsed me here and lift my chin to speak to him.
"You asked that I come here?" I tell him in my flattest voice.
"Yes, please close the door" he tells me and walks around the table.
Damn it. He should stay that side of the table.
I close the door and turn back to look at him. Brandon walks towards me and comes to stand in front of me.
"I got a call from Greyson." Brandon has a sad look in his eyes. I immediately think something terrible happened to Ellie.
"Are they okay?" I ask as panic rises inside me.
"Yes, yes they are fantastic. Actually. They have asked us to attend their wedding."
My eyes widen and I am overwhelmed with joy! "They are getting married! That is wonderful!"
Without thinking I throw my arms around Brandon's neck and hug him tightly as I would have done when I was only eighteen years old. Brandon puts his hands around me and slowly hugs me to him. I realises that I have acted on impulse and immediately step away from Brandon.
"I'm sorry" I tell him as I straighten my clothes. I am such an idiot. Jumping into his arms like that. I need to keep Brandon at a distance. Even if I want to be tightly pressed against him and do various pleasurable things to him. I cannot even think of the reaction he would have if he had to see me naked.
The attack we suffered ten years ago left the ugliest scars on my body. I cannot let anyone ever see it.
The sadness in Brandon's eyes seems even deeper now. My heart aches and my body screams with need. What an awful combination.
"I'm sorry" I apologise again. I turn and walk out the door.