In Love with my Dad's Best Friend.... (A Steamy Romance)[ Completed]

Chapter Ten

I wait on the couch for Cole to come back.

"Em is actually sleeping with a smile on her face" Cole beams as he enters the living room.

I just smile at him, like Emily I'm struggling to stay awake as well. Cole sits on the couch beside me and I snuggle into him as he unlocks his phone.

My eyes just start to close when my phone beeps loudly from the coffee table. My eyes snap open then I slowly reach for it. It's a facebook notification. Yawn.

Deciding to give it a quick look then fall back asleep I quickly unlock my phone and open the app. I notice Cole grinning at me. Ignoring him I open the notification bar.

Cole tagged me in something....

I'm fully awake now as I quickly click on the notification.  Mine, Cole's and Emily's faces are grinning back at me from the screen of my phone.

Cole posted the picture of all of us with the caption "my girls 😍" and a few others of Emily throwing water balloons with the caption "beautiful Emmy, my greatest achievement has been given the privilege of being your father" and many more.

I smile dorkly at the post until I realise it will show up on my Facebook page and my Facebook is regularly monitored by my father, not that I ever actually use it. I don't have a social life or friends so my Facebook page is basically empty. I start to panic, "Cole! My father will see."

"Let him! You are my pretend wife after all. We have to husband and wife things and you're too beautiful to not show off" Cole smiles.

I think about it for a second, "I guess that makes sense and I can just tell father that as a wife I have to everything to make my husband happy."

Cole frowns in disgust, "I hate that! I honestly hate that so much. If should be equal, both husband and wife do everything to make each other happy."

I just shrug "that's how I was raised. Believing my only role in life is to be the perfect wife. It's hard to tell if my mother is happy or not. She has never expressed her feelings to anyone that I know off. I don't even know if she wanted to marry father in the first place" I frown, now I really think about it, it's starting to bother me how all the women in this religion is going around in an endless cycle.

"She didn't. I was only eight at the time but your father and I were very close. He was best friends with my brother and when he died your father took me in. Became the surrogate brother for me when I really needed it and we've remained close ever since" Cole starts as he looks at the wall, deep in memory.

I always wondered how they became friends. It's actually shocking my father had friends outside of the religion in his youth because as far as I know none of Cole's family are actually religious. I didn't even know Cole had a big brother. I know he has a sister, there's so much I don't know about him.....

Oblivious to my inner monologue, Cole continues talking, "I remember the morning of the wedding. I was so excited that your dad was getting married. I didn't know the whole story, all I knew was that marriages were exciting parties where I got to stay out late and eat amazing food.

Before the wedding started I had to go to the bathroom, my sister was suppose to be looking after me but she got distracted and I was busting so I took off on her. I got lost and accidentally walked into the bride's area and I found your mother curled up in a ball crying so heavily she couldn't breath.

I honestly thought she was dying and I didn't know what to do. She was all alone, I found out years later that her parents left her like that because they believed she was being stupid.

Being eight I did the best I could...I hugged her. She clung to me and I asked her what was wrong.

In her state she wasn't thinking and blurted everything out. How she was in love with someone else, she was terrified of having to share a bed and have sex with a man she doesn't know. She was scared he was going to hurt her and she didn't want to marry him.

After twenty more minutes of crying her parents came out. I watch in horror as they forcibly dressed her then dragged her down the aisle.

It was heartbreaking to watch and I remember crying to my parents but they just said sadly it was none of their business.

It's their way of life not ours, or some bullshit like that. From that day I refuse to allow anyone to go through what your mother went through.

I was hoping they didn't have a girl, your father's sister was treated so badly, I was there to witness every beating, her crying and her many suicide attempts.

I couldn't stand to watch it all again. So when you were born I vowed to protect you, but I fell in love with you instead" Cole says.

I stare at Cole in horror, disbelief and shock.

I didn't know any of this! I try to image what life was like for my mother. It sounds horrible! I didn't even know father had a sister! My heart breaks for her as well. How bad must her life have been that suicide was her only way out!?

In a way I'm lucky my parents aren't that traditional and never beat me.

"What happened to Father's sister? I didn't even know he had one. Why didn't I get treated like that?" I whisper.

"She killed herself the day before her wedding when she was eighteen, around nineteen years ago. Because I wouldn't allow it. When you were around one and Antony was two, your grandparents were staying over. I love your father, but I hate his parents, what I witness them doing scarred me for life.

Knowing what they are capable off I clung to you and Antony, ready to protect. I was only ten but I believed in my heart, I could do some damage if I had it and I knew I would do anything to protect you and your brother.
You and Antony were innocently playing on the ground with your toys near your grandparents not knowing the danger, we all were tense and on edge, even your father.

Antony accidentally threw his toy car and it landed next to your grandfather. Before anyone could move, your grandfather backhanded Antony so hard, he fell back and hits his head on the wall. He was in so much shock he couldn't even cry. It took a few seconds to realise what happened, and when Antony realised he screamed. It broke my heart, no child should ever cry like he was.

Your mother when to get up but your father held her hand, holding her down. I hated him for that but if she went to him, your grandfather would either beat her or make your father do it. One thing I admire about your father is that he never raised a hand to you, Antony or your mother.

I didn't follow their beliefs so I quickly stood up and ran over to Antony. He basicallyjumped into my arms when I reached him. He was crying so heavily you started crying as well. You were in your grandfather's reach so I picked you both you and took you to Antony's room.

We sat on the bed and you both snuggled into me. I held you both why you cried. Antony looked at me, his eyes filled with tears, he held his head and said, "I feel sore everywhere." He didn't understand why he was hit and why his parents didn't protect him.

It still hard to even think of it. Once your grandparents left I screamed at your father. I said if he or anyone touches you and Antony I will call child protection services then the news and spill all the religions dirty secrets. The treat hit hard and your father stopped talking with his parents" Cole frowns.

I pull my knees up and rest my head on them. I turn my head and look away as I cry.

I am never telling Antony, he may act tough but hearing how our parents didn't protect him will kill him.

Cole wraps his arms around me, I snuggle into him as I bawl. My heart breaks thinking of it.

I love Antony and the thought of anyone hurting him kills me. Eventually I cry myself asleep.