Chapter 31: Chapter 31

Cecília

“What's going on with you, honey?

I squeeze my knees and I can't look at my mother because all I feel is shame. I'm an idiot, but I already knew that. It hurts a lot that she's looking at me with that face of who knows how stupid I am.

“I don't know,” I say softly and squeeze my knees even tighter. - I just…

I look at her, but I can't see anything because my eyes are about to overflow with tears. She and Dad arrived two days ago and it's been a screaming and cursing fest all over the place. Thomas and my father are about to kill each other. And every time Dad says he's going to take me away, I feel like throwing up.

“I don't want to go, Mom,” I say and bite my lip. “I want to finish college and stay here with…

“With Thomas? she asks in shock. “With the man who will force you to marry him to get revenge on your father? Cecilia, where are you thinking?

I shake my head and say nothing, because I don't even know how to explain it. Thomas has this thick way about him, but… Maybe I'm just being a complete idiot, but I'm so sure he likes me.

— My daughter… Come home with me. We leave these two fighting and it's just the two of us. They'll only notice when we're back home.

I widen my eyes.

- You? Against Daddy? I ask in surprise, because this has never happened.

“Your father… your father did a very bad thing when he stole from Thomas, but he did an even worse thing when he let you pay for his mistake. I don't… I don't know if I'll ever be able to forgive.

— Oh, mommy...

She hugs me and we stay like that for a very long time.

"Are you sure what you're doing, Cecilia?" she asks and smoothes my hair. “Your father already said he'll go to jail if Thomas wants to press charges, that you don't have to deal with this man. I bite my lip and pull away from her. I feel my face heat up and my mother's eyes widen. "You're in love with him, aren't you?"

I nod and she squeezes my hands tightly.

— Cecilia...

“I know, Mom. He's much older than me, he's a jerk, thick, arrogant, annoying... - She smiles in that affectionate way that is just her. “But… he makes me feel things I've never felt before.

Mom sighs and squeezes my hands tighter.

"Promise you'll be careful, honey."

“I promise,” I say, even though I'm not sure what exactly.

Because if it's with my heart, I'm already a goner. It's his. I don't even know how it happened, but it's his, and if Thomas really wants to destroy me, he can.

**

Things got a little awkward after my parents left for a while. I don't know what Thomas and Dad worked out, because I barely spoke to Dad in the time they were here. Mom calls me almost every day to see how I'm doing, but she doesn't say anything else about this whole mess either. And I didn't have the nerve to ask if that contract is still in effect, because things have changed so much that I don't even know what it all means anymore.

We didn't talk about any of that, but that scene of Thomas stroking my hair until I fell asleep has been repeated every night since. And almost every night we both have sex before bed. Or in the morning before going to work. Sometimes both. It's been a few more months now and the deadline for everything is almost up.

My graduation party is this weekend, and if the contract is still valid, that's when I'll have to go back to Brazil with him. To marry him and become the little crystal wife at home with nothing to do but spend money. Or let Dad go to jail. These last few months have been like a fairy tale, the kind I've always wanted to live, but I know very well that Thomas is a business man and I am a business.

But I can't think about that right now because today is my last college exam. I decide I'll have that conversation with him later. In the evening, when I get home. Now I need to concentrate on reading all the material again before I have to leave the house in a few hours.

And that's what I'm doing when Thomas comes out of the shower and finds me in bed with a pile of papers and a computer. I get distracted, because I always get distracted when I see him with the towel wrapped around his waist like that and his whole body a little wet. I still can't get used to how handsome he is.

- What happened? he asks and comes over to me. "You look like you're going to explode."

I run a hand through my hair nervously.

“I'm just nervous for the exam… I don't…” I take a deep breath and point to a sheet in front of me. — I don't think I understood this very well and, with my luck, it will be exactly what will be on the test.

Thomas looks over my shoulder where I'm pointing and sighs.

“Get over there,” he orders. I drag myself to the side on the bed and he sits there on the edge of the mattress.

"Don't you have a meeting now?" I ask as he takes the sheet from my hand.

"Do you want help or not, crystal?" - he asks and looks at me with those blue eyes that hypnotize me. I nod and he starts explaining the part of the story I don't understand. It's hard to concentrate with him close like that, but eventually I get it. Half an hour later, he gets up and goes to get dressed.

I watch as he puts on his suit and gets ready to leave. When he's ready, he comes over to me again and pulls my face up by my chin.

“Good luck on the test,” he says into my mouth. Before I can answer, he kisses me in that way only he knows how, rough, like he's hungry and I'm his favorite food.

Thomas leaves and leaves me feeling dizzy sitting there, needing to catch my breath and trying to focus on the subject again.

**

"I can't believe it's over!" Kelly yells and hugs me as we both exit the auditorium where the test was held. My head feels like it's going to explode after hours of sitting there, but I smile at my friend and hug her tight too.

“I can't believe it either,” I agree, breathing in relief. Problem is, now that the final exam is out of the way, all my head has to worry about is Thomas.

I go with Kelly to the college cafeteria and we meet other friends there. Everyone starts talking about exams, graduation coming up, plans for next year, and everything in between. Kelly talks me into going shopping for a new prom dress tomorrow and going out to celebrate after shopping, and I totally agree, but I'm too airy to pay attention.

I only wake up to life when my cell phone rings and I see Thomas's name there. I say goodbye to everyone and go to the parking lot, which is where he always waits for me. I almost freeze in place when I see that he's standing at the side of the car holding a bouquet.

“Thomas? I ask confused. He hands me the flowers and I take them, staring in wonder at the all-red arrangement. - What…

— Congratulations, Cecília — he says and pulls me to him. Thomas crushes the roses between us when he kisses me in a way he shouldn't with so many people around to see, but I don't mind that much. “I know you'll want to celebrate with your friends and that your parents are coming this weekend for your graduation, but today you're going to celebrate with me.

- But I…

“It wasn't a question, crystal,” he says and bites my lip. Thomas opens the car door and I get in. I sit down and continue to stare at the bouquet, running my fingers over the soft petals in disbelief.

My heart clenches all over, like it doesn't every time I remember this isn't real.

Thomas drives for several minutes in silence, and I jump in place when he squeezes my knee.

“What's going on with you today? he asks and I see that we've arrived at the hotel again. I look over at him and Thomas has a creased brow. “I thought you were nervous about the test, but you're still eerily quiet. What is happening?

I shake my head and he raises an eyebrow.

"How many times do I have to say that…"

“If you ask a question it's because you want the answer, I know,” I say. He narrows his eyes at me and gets out of the car without saying anything. Open my door and help me out. But instead of going to the elevator, he takes me to the back of the hotel. - Where are we going?

“You'll see,” he says.

Strange when we enter the beautiful area where the pool is and it takes me a few seconds to absorb everything. The place is closed, no one else is here, and it's all decorated with candles. There's slow music playing in the background and a table set for dinner. The pool is also lit up and the water is covered in flowers.

“Thomas…” I say with teary eyes. He rests his hand on the small of my back and leads me over to the table.

“You deserve a decent celebration, Cecilia. You seem to love this place, so I thought it would be a good choice,” he says into my ear from behind. “I've watched you try so hard these months.

I turn to face him, looking into his face blankly. Thomas looks like a lost little boy and closes his eyes when I touch his face.

“Doesn't seem like much of you to do that,” I say quietly. - It is

beautiful and… romantic,” I say the last word almost in a whisper.

She takes the flowers I'm still holding out of my hand and pulls me hard by the waist.

— I've already given up understanding what you're doing to me, girl. Just have dinner with me, okay?

I nod and he pulls out a chair for me to sit down. Thomas pours wine from the bottle on ice and sits down next to me. I can't stop looking at him with a goofy smile on my face, and he keeps looking at me like he doesn't know what to do, until he looks away.

— I have something for you — he says and takes a small box from inside his jacket pocket. — Graduation present.

He hands me the box and looks at me carefully as I open it. I gasp when I see what's inside. I was expecting a gem or something, but there's only one card. I pick up the piece of paper with trembling fingers and my eyes water as I read it.

“Cecília Magalhães, accounting manager,” I read in a shaky voice from the business card with Thomas's company logo. —

But…

“You deserve this,” he says, eyeing me carefully. — I'm not going to stick you in the company as a director of anything, you just graduated and you still need to learn a lot, but if you work hard to...

He never finishes the sentence because I throw myself into his lap and Thomas has to catch me so I don't fall and knock him down with me.

“Thank you,” I say into her ear and tears start to fall down my face.

I sob, unable to hold back the tears, and he hugs me even tighter.

- What it was? he asks and strokes my hair. I try to grab onto his neck, but Thomas pulls away to look into my face. - Why are you crying?

“I…” I sniff and wipe the tears from my cheek. thomas me

looks confused and worried. “The arrangement was that I could stay until I finished college, but you said… You said I would never work for the company. I thought…” I shrug and look away, but he pulls my chin up and makes me look at him again. “That's what was in the contract.

Thomas doesn't take his eyes off mine. I see something in the darkened blue eyes staring at me this close, but I'm not sure what it is. He caresses my cheek and pulls me closer.

“We're not going to talk about the contract today, all right? he says, dragging his mouth to mine. I shift on his lap so I can fit in with my legs straddling his. His other hand squeezes my thigh underneath the dress. - Today we just celebrate.

"No contract tonight?" I ask into your mouth. Thomas hesitates, but takes a deep breath and shakes his head. I run my hands down his chest and start unbuttoning his shirt. I touch the warm skin and firm muscles, and my hand slides down to the button of his pants.

“What are you doing, crystal?” he asks, but he doesn't stop me. Thomas moans hoarsely into my mouth when I reach inside his boxers.

- Wanna make Love to You. No contract,” I say quietly. He squeezes my ass hard.

- Make love? he asks with a laugh, but it's not his usual smirk. I might be going crazy, but it sounds like I'm nervous.

I nod and pull his erect member out of his pants. Thomas pushes my panties to the side and I fit him.

“Today only,” I ask. - Please.

He grabs me around the waist and pulls me down. Moans along with me when I fit him. After all these months, I've learned how he likes it, so I start to move up and down fast, but he stops me and holds me in place. Put your mouth to my ear.

“You like it slow,” he says and kisses my neck. With both hands on my waist, he starts leading me up and down slowly. “Today only,” he repeats.

I nod.

- Just today.

**

Cecília

Kelly is about to hit me because she can't finish my makeup.

“I don't want to look like a clown,” I complain when she returns with the eyeshadow brush to my side.

- Will not! She yells at me and slaps me. "Be quiet and let me do your makeup in peace." You're just not used to wearing makeup.

- I don't like! - I complain, but she ignores me and continues to make me up.

“I don't care,” she replies and picks up a red lipstick. - Stay still. Thomas will like to see you like this.

I feel my neck on fire and the smile Kelly gives me proves that I really am blushing.

“He doesn't care,” I reply and shrug. Kelly rolls her eyes.

"Do you think I don't see the way he looks at you?" she implies. - He

all you need is to eat you in the middle of the street every time.

- Of course! — protest. She ignores me, covers her lipstick and smiles.

— You look beautiful, Cecilia.

Kelly helps me to my feet and I stare at myself in the mirror with my mouth hanging open. I'm really pretty.

The dress we bought a few days ago is beautiful on my body. Tight in all the right places, long and with a big braid on my thigh. I chose green to match the necklace Thomas gave me a few months ago.

Kelly also looks amazing in the dress she's chosen, but I don't have time to say that because there's a knock on the door and Thomas's head pops through the doorway a second later.

“Your parents are waiting for you, Cecí …

He stops mid-sentence and finishes opening the door. Lean against the doorway and cross your arms in front of your chest. I see him in the mirror's reflection and I can feel his eyes burning into me from here. He looks gorgeous in the black suit, all dressed up for the party too.

"Did you guys finish getting ready yet?" he asks hoarsely. I nod. “Kelly, can you give us a minute?

My friend opens a malicious smile and takes her purse that is on the bed. He kisses me on the cheek and whispers:

“Try not to mess up your hair too much.

—Kelly!

She laughs, winks at me, and heads for the door.

“The driver is already waiting downstairs,” Thomas tells her, then goes into the room and locks the door.

- Did you like it? I ask quietly. He comes towards me, walking very slowly and making my nervousness rise.

Thomas stops behind me and places his hand on my back where the dress doesn't cover it.

“You look delicious,” he says in my ear. I bite my lip and he moves his hand down to my ass. — I don't know if I want to let you out of this room like that, all hot like that.

I throw my head back and rest it on his shoulder. He kisses my neck and squeezes my breast through the dress.

“You're warned I'm going to rip that dress off of you later,” she warns. “Then you better not drink too much at this party, Cristal, because I need you wide awake when I arrive.

Thomas turns me to face him and grabs me around the waist. He kisses me without all the brutality it has been since that night. He said it was going to be “just today”, but we've been making love for almost a week now, slowly, lovingly. And that's how he kisses me now, and it leaves me completely breathless.

"Your parents are waiting for you downstairs." Let's go before I put you on all fours in this bed.

Thomas drags me by the hand out of the room and pulls me back into his arms once we're alone in the elevator.

“You just want to know how to get me into bed,” I complain. He tilts his head to the side and cups my chin.

"Are you complaining that I want to fuck you all the time?" he asks with his mouth on mine. “Because I really want to.

I wince at his dirty mouth and Thomas pulls me closer.

— But no, Cecilia, that's not all I want from you.

I blink in surprise and he kisses my neck sweetly.

"And what else do you…"

I can't finish the question because the elevator arrives at the ground floor and I see my parents waiting for me there. Dad has a frown on his face looking at me and Thomas this close, and I practically jump out of his arms. But Thomas won't let me and pulls me close again, loops my arm through his, and walks with me over to where they are. Mom kisses me on the cheek.

“You look beautiful, honey,” she says and I smile.

When Dad comes to hug me, I take a deep breath and he notices.

“I hope one day you can forgive me for everything, my love,” he says and puts his arms around me.

“It's okay, Daddy,” I say and force a smile. “I'm still sore, but it'll pass.

I know this, especially when I feel Thomas's hand on my waist again as he leads me to the car.