Part Playlist:
• Talking to the Moon - Bruno Mars
• You Found Me - The Fray
• My Immortal - Evanescence
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I decided not to say anything to Nik on the drive home. So it was a very long drive home, at least there wasn't any road works.
But when we got home anyway, father hadn't prepared anything for dinner and was in his office. Nik cooked and we sat down and ate it alone.
He cleared the table and I took the chance to go and knock on fathers office.
He grumbled and I think that meant to come in, see I let myself in. He was on the desk and reading something on his computer. "Katarina. What do you want?" He snapped, barely giving me a glance.
"I actually had something to ask you, father." I said, as kind as I could to him. He didn't seem in the worst mood, he hadn't kicked me out yet or anything.
"What?" He replied, looking up at me.
I cleared my throat. "You know that apartment above the studio. I'm obviously really happy here, but I was wondering if it's possible... maybe I could find a way to live there."
Father took his glasses off and stared at me. And I couldn't depict his emotion. I kept talking. "Like by myself. I would have more time to work at the studio and could possible get some clients. You can obviously visit me whenever and you-"
"Katarina." My father stopped me and put his hand up. He didn't even look angry right now. I wished he showed any emotion. "And why do you want to leave here?"
"I don't." I replied quickly. "I just think it could be a good thing, try and gain some independence and work harder." Father raised his eyebrow, and I hated how he had no emotion still. I'd rather he showed something, so I remembered something that should bring some emotion from him. I'm just not sure what. "Earlier today at the studio, someone named Sam came and introduced himself." My father raised his brows further. "Is he a friend?"
Father laughed a little. Laughed. And I still had no idea what was going through his head. "Sam." He shook his head. "He will actually..." he looked at his watch. "Should be here any minute now. There's actually some things I needed to tell you when he arrives. I see he jumped the gun with meeting you."
I squinted a little. "What does that mean?"
"Shut up and wait, Katarina. Go wait in the living room." He nodded me out of the office. I got up and ignored him, heading upstairs to my bedroom.
I opened the door and found Rhea already here and lying on my bed silently. She nearly looked asleep, but she got up as soon as I came in. "Hey, is everything alright?" She asked me, coming to put her hands on the sides of my head.
"Fine, yeah." I replied, softly taking her concerned hands off of my head. "Father said that man who was at the studio is nearly here. He needs to tell me something."
Rhea let out a breath. "I really don't like this. What could he need to tell you?"
I shrugged. "I have no idea, it could be something for his work." Rhea looked down and closed her eyes. "I just wanted to see you first." I smiled and put my hands on her shoulders. "I need to go back down though."
Rhea didn't seem to want to let me go back. Rhea pulled me in and wrapped her arms around my neck, hands splayed on my jaw and cheeks. I found her waist. "Be safe. Be smart. I can't lose you to anything." Rheas face was so close to mine. I could smell her warm breaths. Feel the warmth of her lips so close to mine. "I mean it, Kat. Come right back to me, princess."
I nodded and pulled myself back from her. "I'll be back." I said, and opened the door to leave. Giving her a gentle and assuring look before I left. I went back downstairs and luckily my father or Sam still wasn't there.
I sat down and think I waited patiently by myself for 30 minutes. I'd admired the photos of my mother for too long, which dampened my mood a whole lot. Memories of being in the hospital all the time flooded me. Oh, I hated that year.
I was about to go check on my father when he came into the living room, Sam right behind him. The guy was dressed very fancy. But he wasn't the only one. There was another man too, this was one the same age or close to my father.
Sam nodded to me and sat beside me. My father and the other man sat on the couch in front of us. They were finishing up a conversation, when Father introduced us. "William, this is my daughter Katarina. This is William."
"Hello, Kat. I believe you've already met my son, Sam." He said. I nodded. "Great, so you are already acquainted. Sam has made it a bit easier for you."
I looked at him, unsure of what was happening. I looked to Sam who was cross legged and basically checking me out. I looked to my father. Who looked to Sam. "Katarina, you are to marry Sam."
What?
My mouth opened and I looked to Sam who was still just checking me out. God...
"This is a great business opportunity for me and Will. Kat, I expect you to follow this." Father said, giving me a threatening eye. "Will and his son both live in Florida. When you brought up moving out, I thought it would work well. You and Sam will find a home in Florida and settle down."
My mouth opened further. I looked around to make sure they weren't joking with me. "W-what?" I whispered.
"Katarina." My father threatened and I closed my mouth. "You have until next Wednesday to pack, gather your things all ready before Sam gets here to fly you back to Florida. A home is prepared for you two."
A home is ready?
All I could think about was that it was not Rheas. It was in Florida, but not Rheas. I couldn't marry him.
"This is going to be great, Kat. Thank you." Will spoke up, looking at me. "Sam will take great care of you, and this is making me lots of money." He grinned. "Get to know eachother, we have something to discuss." He said and him and my father stood up, leaving the room.
I didn't even want to turn to look at Sam. I eventually did and he was already looking at me. "What's your favourite colour, love?" He asked.
My eyebrows creased. "Colour?"
"I just need to know what colour to pain our bedroom." He said, grin on his cheeks that made me cringe. "I'm a fan of red. Black. Maybe even a charcoal. Deep blue."
God. Please not this. This has to be a cruel joke. "I like purple." I said.
"Shut up." Sam snapped, angrily. And it shocked me, I looked at him. "You don't get a say unless I ask you in this relationship. You shut up and take what I give you. That's how this is going to work. If I can't marry someone I actually want to, I'm going to make sure who I am married to at least does whatever the fuck I say."
I looked to my lap.
So he was my father. Maybe worse.
"Excuse me, I need the bathroom." I excused myself and held back my break down all the way up the steps.
I didn't even want to tell her this. I can't see her face. I don't want to see that.
My cheeks were stinging as I opened the door and Rhea got up, rushing over to me as I shut the door.
She went to say something but I stopped her by collapsing in her arms, falling down together and not letting her go. Tears fell over my cheeks. "I don't want to do it. It's one to another, and I can't..." I cried.
"You can't what, Kat? tell me. You can't what?" Rhea asked softly, pushing my hair from my face to try and see my face. But I didn't want her to see it. I didn't want to see hers. She forced my face to look at hers. She was beyond worried. "It's one to another what? What's happened?" Rhea examined down my body on the floor, like she inspected for any blood.
I cleared my throat, swallowing. "He's set me up. Sam... he wants me to marry him." Rhea didn't say anything, so I kept explaining to her. I wanted her to know everything. "They have a house for us in Florida... But it's not right, it's not yours." I cried against her chest.
Rhea still wasn't saying anything, she was just holding me unflinching.
"I'm sorry." I looked at her again and saw her face, hardly any emotion on it. Maybe some disbelief and anger. "I'm so sorry. You shouldn't... you should just go. This is all..." I thought to just screw it. "This is all fucked, Rhea. You shouldn't be here with me. You don't need to be involved with me-"
"Kat." Rhea snapped and grabbed my cheeks. "Don't you fucking say that to me, ever..." Rhea's eyes glossed over. "Look." She swallowed to gather herself. "You're not marrying him, Kat. You should know that. You're not marrying him." My eyes softened and dried as I listened intently to her, like I believed every word. "You're sure as hell not getting in bed with him. Anything with him." Rhea shook her head. "When are you meant to be moving?"
I sniffled. "Wednesday."
Rhea rolled her eyes, and I knew she was upset because she was away tomorrow until Tuesday night.
"Listen, Kat. I'll be here Tuesday night and I'll have a way for you to get out of it. You do what you can while I'm gone, but if it doesn't work, Kat. I'm fucking taking you from here. You're not going with him, you'll be going with me." I nodded because I believed her. Every word.
"I don't want to be here. With them or Sam. I want to be with you and out there in the world. I want to do this. Kiss you. See places and-"
Rhea cut me off by pressing her lips to mine. I didn't move at first, being surprised.
Rhea briefly pulled back to see my reaction, unsure of what she did.
But she should have done more.
I grabbed her head and kissed her deeply. She grabbed my waist and pulled me tight against her, using her tongue expertly in my mouth. I kissed her as hard as I could and climbed on to straddle her hips, Rhea pulled me hard against her.
She tasted so incredible. So warm and so perfect.
I kissed her as best as I could, touching her back and running my fingers through her hair. The hummed and let out a small groan between kisses, like she has been dreaming of this.
Rhea hands ran up my back and she pulled away to study my face. Her lips were wet and slightly open. I wanted to kiss them again. "I can't do this here."
"W-what?" I asked gently, sitting back a little to look at her.
Rhea shook her head. "Fuck. I really want to. I really fucking want to. But, not when your father is awake. Sam is downstairs. His father. Not now."
"When they leave?" I asked hopeful, resting my hands on her shoulder.
Rhea looked down. "No, Kat. You deserve a better place for that. Somewhere beautiful. Not in this house."
I smiled because it was really sweet. Then I climbed off of her and couldn't stop myself from blushing.
That was a hell of a lot of sinning for the hour.