Union

72.

Maria
Enlisting Ajla's help to find something to buy a man who has the money for whatever he wants to thinks it's all boring has two heads coming up empty. I've never celebrated an anniversary and it's hard to believe it has only been one year when so many things have happened and I can't remember a time when Roel wasn't my person. I want him to feel a fraction of how he makes me feel when I come home to a random surprise, like hundreds of roses made out of $100 bills, or a library that belongs on a vision board and not reality. Or the countless things he does but every idea comes up short.
Agreeing to meet me at the boutique and hunt physically instead of mentally we give up our online search and I get ready feeling lighter. Life is full of dips and peaks, my mind isn't stationary on one emotion and they flow through each day with the dips getting further apart. Being intimate with Roel isn't only our bodies, even though I crave it, and I believe him that it will happen. Phantom hands don't roam my body every day only when my mind falls into a dip and then they're gone replaced with rough ones that belong.
My heart sings seeing Roel walk into the closet as I pause my task of putting on my heels. It doesn't show on my face when his smug smirk comes out and his eyes roam over my body in appreciation. Leaning against the door frame he crosses his arms over his chest and his voice is playful. "Where we going angel?" Checking to see there's no zip ties, I act bored of his conversation enjoying the game we played before the nightmare. "I have a very exciting date." He goes rigid taking measured steps in time with his words. "Oh yeah, who are we going on a date with?" Curling my fingers over the back of the ottoman I lean creating more distance between us and look away from the man who owns every part of me. "My date is with your money, I'll be sure to pass on your regards."
When Roel steps into my periphery, my leg goes up automatically until my heel digs into his chest. "Make yourself useful husband." The soft smile on his face fights the lust burning in his eyes as his fingers wrap around my ankle. Feigning offence he strokes up my calf and tuts. "You only want me for my bank balance? Here I thought you were an angel." Swapping my legs, I shrug and speak around the smile hurting my cheeks. "Length matters when we're looking at zeroes." His laugh brushes the join of my foot and leg before he presses his lips to the spot and holds my limb hostage. Looking down my leg, his eyes harden with his voice. "As long as my zeroes are the only ones you think about, keep going angel."
Roel sets my foot down gently and pulls me to stand, his hands going to my hips as mine go to his chest and he stares at me with nothing but love. "Make me a millionaire." Pressing a chaste kiss to my cheek with his downgraded request a laugh bubbles out of me. Most people would see it as positive but I've seen all of his accounts, the money that sits there untouched is a struggle to spend.

I'm not permitted to go anywhere alone, the cage I was afraid of isn't to keep me a prisoner but to protect me from anyone else as Roel sends Adem nonverbal threats when he walks me down to Alissandru's car. He gets the same treatment but rolls his eyes and looks pointedly at his sister in law. "You think I'm going to fuck up with you and Lucky threatening to skin me alive or use my balls to play tennis?" Roel doesn't soften and taps his shoulder with too much force. "You'll still be attached to them when I'm bouncing them off the racket." With his threat issued he lets me go after kissing my cheek.
Clearly used to the craziness Ajla doesn't comment on the threats being traded and shows me her list she's constructed. "You could get a tattoo?" Her suggestion is an automatic no. I love him and would die for him but, I don't want anything permanently on my skin. It would stop me blending in when I feel the need to and convey too much of who I am behind my carefully placed masks.
Going through her other ideas they're all as insignificant as what I've found. Roel doesn't wear jewellery apart from his wedding ring, his clothes are all the same and his hobbies revolve around work. It hits me as Alissandru drives us to the boutique that my husband is a boring bastard, for all his talk and charm he's boring. Going to our messages, my fingers tap needing to share it with him and his reply is instant.