Forbidden Feud

Chapter 1 - Kennedy

The city skyline filled my view. My eyes traversing across the towers and parks. I wished summer hadn't come to an end, I could've spent the rest of my days at my family's compound in the Hamptons. I propped my head up on my hand admiring the view, a movement my mother would scold me for. I adjusted straightening my posture, "Something on your mind" James didn't look up from his phone. "Nothing, just stressed" he looked up at me a weak smile spreading across his face, "well, I remember senior year being like that" he looked back at his phone, his Rolex reflected the light pouring in the windows of the helicopter. "Yeah" the word came out hesitantly. I wasn't worried about school at all, I was actually excited about school. I was more worried what my parents would think about James. "It's more about" I paused a hot rush of discomfort covering my skin "us" his eyes shot up to me a harsh glare spreading across his whiskey eyes. I looked down to my feet the burn of his stare lighting the side of my face on fire. 

"Why would there be a problem?" a hint of rage hid beneath his tone, it was less of a question and more daring me to utter the answer we both knew. I looked up at him his jaw tense and his hands scrunched in a tight fist. My body tensed at the sight, I hated when James got angry. 

"You're right ... I'm just overthinking it" I wasn't. In truth I didn't want to be with James at all. It was purely a relationship of convenience. My father wanted to do business with his father and his father wanted a ticket into New York high society. James was a Watson, to my parents that meant nothing. He was all new money his father made it big in tech but before that they were just living middle class in Indiana. There was nothing wrong with that but I was an Astor and that came with certain expectations; my grades, what I wore, what I said, how I acted, and who I dated. In the Upper East Side you married for business, for status, for politics but never for love. I turned attempting to force quiet onto my mind by admiring the lights of the city. His cold hand reached out cupping my face and I flinched beneath his touch. He pushed my face to meet his pearly white smile painted across his face. 

James was attractive, he had a perfect smile and proportional features. He had light brown eyes and hair the colour of sand beneath the sun.  Many girls eyes followed him whenever he entered a room which he told me never to worry about because he only had eyes for me. I tried not to let it, to believe his words but I couldn't help myself from feeling sick when he laughed at another woman's joke and let her stroke his muscular arm. "Do you think there will be photographers at the event?" the proud smile grew, "we can always go through the back" his smile slowly fell before cutting me off "no, I don't mind, we should get some photos together to announce our relationship" he slipped his hand from my face. I really hadn't wanted to go public, since all of this was so new. This was just apart of the deal, this relationship for billions of dollars in business. If James set his mind to something it would get done. I couldn't shake the feeling of being used as a prop. He needed our photos together, needed the world to know he had the Astor heiress on his arm. 

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I smoothed a hand over the soft black silk of my dress. It cut low barring a tasteful amount of my breasts and the midnight fabric pooled on my lower back. I crossed my legs my posture shrinking as James's gaze shifted to mine. The chaotic traffic of the city rushed outside the windows but the air in the back of the car felt uncomfortably still, as if it was awaiting for an explosion to break it. 

"James" my voice felt embarrassingly small, his gaze didn't stray from looking outside his window. 

tap, tap, tap. His fingers drummed on his knee in frustration as if he knew what I was going to say. 

"I'm not so sure it's a good time ... with my fathers election" his glare travelled to me, a look of pure disgust and rage crowding his perfect features. I regretted the words as soon as they slipped out of my mouth. The back of the car erupted in a stream of yells and rage. My ears began to ring and as his anger reached it's peak the car stopped before the building. My door swung open and the sound of cameras and people screaming rang through the crowd. I would rather die than have to be at this fundraising gala, but since my mother is on the board it was mandatory I attend. I stepped across the carpet attempting to avoid the defining clicks of the camera and blinding flashes of light. A commanding arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me in. I looked up to see James's perfect grin on his face and his eyes fixed towards the cameras. His arm squeezed in on my waist and I forced a smile through the pain.