Marrying my high school bully

Dexter

This woman was fun, and all I’d been seeing was the frustrated and wary part of her. She hadn’t stopped smiling ever since she got into the parlor.

She requested three different flavors of ice-cream and I was more than willing to give it to her. My only worry was that she could have a stomach upset later. I didn’t care if she put on extra weight.

Presently, she was scooping from the strawberry plate, licking it with laser focus.

“Relax, it isn’t running away.” I teased her, chuckling.

She dropped the plate and moved to the next. “I know it isn’t, but can you allow me to enjoy this? I don’t know when next you’ll be available for me.” She rasped, her voice a bit croaky because of the cold stuff she was taking in.

My heart ached at her words. “Is that why you are always close to Arnold?”

“Apart from the fact that he’s a good friend, yes. He’s always there for me. I remember the first time we went out, it was because you abandoned me like a nobody and went out with Emilia, Dexter. You gave me the impression that you had nothing going on with her yet you couldn’t set boundaries.” She blinked hard, like she was trying to stop her tears from falling. “It hurt like hell.” She sniffed.

I was short of words. I didn’t know that my actions had hurt her that badly. Maybe I should tell her the real reason I went out with Emilia.Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

“I’m so sorry, baby. Like I said that day, going out with Emilia was a way to protect you. She discovered that you are a maid, which in reality you aren’t, and she threatened to make a fuss about it. That dinner was just one way to make sure she didn’t get ahead of herself.” I explained and nudged her to look at me.

She lowered her lashes and licked her lips, her breathing slow and labored. If only she knew what her moistened lips did to me, she would stop.

“This is the reason I don’t want anyone to know that I’m your wife. It would cause a lot of ruckus and scandals for your business and I don’t want that. I’m a nobody, Dexter, I won’t really be affected.” She said warily.

I palmed my face, guilt washing over me. Here I was, crucifying her over her past mistakes which I wasn’t actually sure she committed, yet, she was concerned about me.

She was right about the scandals I’d face, but the thought of it didn’t faze me. I’d gone through worse situations and my business was still thriving.

Her life would turn around if the whole world got to know that I was married to her. She’d be treated with respect and dignity. No one wanted to go against the wife of one of the richest men in the world.

I reached for her hands, enjoying the warmth of them. “You aren’t a nobody, Lorraine. You are a strong woman who’s doing her best to make the most of her situation. So let’s enjoy the present and face the music tomorrow. Is that alright with you?”

She nodded and squeezed my palms, then gasped, her watery eyes darting to the ice-cream while I got up. “Where are you going?”

“Watch me.” I smirked cockily as I veered towards the karaoke part of the parlor and took a microphone.

Her questioning glance turned to an awestruck one as she realised what I was about to do. “Come back here.” She mouthed, and nearly stood up but I didn’t listen to her.

“Can I get your attention, everyone?” My voice boomed into the microphone.

The parlor became quiet as everyone wanted to listen to what I had to say. “There’s a very beautiful woman I’ve hurt unintentionally and I want to use the song I’m about to sing to apologise to her. I hope she forgives me and allows me to straighten things with her.”

The customers began to clap, some of them making funny noises while Lorraine just allowed her tears to flow.

I was going to make things right between us, past or not.

A song by Justin Bieber flashed in my mind and I began to sing it. I’d boasted to her during dinner one night that I had a marvelous voice, I hope she believed it now.

Being wrapped in the euphoria of the melody I created, I didn’t know that she was beside me until I felt her touch on my shoulder. A look of understanding passed between us as we both sang together from our hearts, entertaining the customers and when we finished, they began to chant my name.

That was when I realized that they knew who I was.

“Can we take pictures?” A young man asked.

“You both look good together. Is she your girlfriend?” A lady asked with a disapproving look like she didn’t want Lorraine around me.

I grabbed Lorraine by the arm and immediately we rushed out of the parlor and sprinted to the car. More questions would surface if we kept staying there and I hoped that no one took our pictures.

Our laughter echoed in the car, my body riveting with happiness. I’ve not had such fun in a while and it was nice to loosen up without being judged.

“You were right about your voice. I didn’t know you could sing this well.” She commented, her face still heated up.

I shrugged as I ignited the engine, ready to take her to the noodle shop. “I told you that there’s literally nothing I can’t do. I just have to put my heart to it.”

“Being cocky again, aren’t you?”

We flowed pretty well, even in the silence. It wasn’t unbearable or uncomfortable, it was shared in understanding and beautiful feelings we didn’t want to acknowledge.

Being with her was fulfilling, like it was the right thing to do. The right place to be.

“Are you sure your stomach can hold a plate of noodles?”

“Of course!” She replied eagerly. “Don’t worry, I’ll lose all these calories at the gym tomorrow. I know what I’m doing.” She assured me.

Satisfied with her answer, I kept driving. My phone rang loudly and she picked the call without me asking. “It’s Victoria.” She said quietly.

“Hello, Victoria.” I greeted gruffly as I wasn’t so excited to speak with her. Since that incident, I’d given her a lot of distance and pressured the people in charge of her new apartment to be quick with the interior decor.

“Where are you guys?” There was a note of urgency in her voice, and going by the sirens wailing in the background, I knew that something bad had happened.

“On our way to get noodles. What’s going on?” I tried to be calm, but an eerie feeling gnawed in my chest, making my attempt to be calm unsuccessful. “Talk to me! Dammit!” I thundered when she didn’t say anything.

“Someone broke into the house, Dexter.” She cried. “Whoever it was, made scary paintings on the wall. It’s so horrible. Please come home now!”