We walk to the forest to reach the gazebo. Our hands stay latched together like glue. He doesn't let go. Jace is so precious. Thanking me for choosing him for love, not money, was the most satisfying thing I've ever heard. I wonder where that came from. Why did he thank me? I swing our hands back and forth like a schoolgirl. "What made you want to thank me?" 

"Just the greedy women from my past trying to make a come-up."

"What happened?" He pulls out a new phone to show me what's trending on Twitter. I read the headlines:

WOMAN BEATER

(Trending with Jace Harrison)

ABUSIVE BILLIONAIRE

(Trending with Jace Harrison)

RAPIST

(Trending with Jace Harrison)

BABY KILLER

(Trending with Jace Harrison)

PRO ABORTION

(Trending with Jace Harrison)

It's all lies. I know Jace is none of this. My baby doesn't give off an abusive vibe. I know what that looks like because of Brad. Same with the rapist rumor. Jace told me about it being roleplay with sick women. But roleplay is consensual. Also, my sis paid for a background check on him. Lil said he's clean. I dismiss the first two tags. The last two baffle me. Jace had a vasectomy....how is he a baby killer??? How is he pro-abortion???  

Jace shakes his head. "Of course, this drops right before our wedding. The perfect timing to vilify my name. I'm sure it was plotted to drop the wedding viewership. The live stream is predicted to break the internet. So far the estimate is 4 billion."

"Who do you think set this up?" I gaze up at him.

"There's so many. Broadcast journalists. Business competitors. Trolls. Vengeful exes. Incels."

I let out a long huff. "Just ignore it."

"I can't ignore it. I had to respond for damage control and to clear my name."

"Those women are just out for the spotlight."

"Honestly, that's what it is."

"Let's unplug from technology." I power off both phones. "It's not worth the stress." I kiss his hand. "We can talk about what you said earlier," I smirk.

"Hmmm...I'm not sure what you mean." He taunts me.

"You are sure."

"I'm not." He plays dumb.

I roll my eyes. "How many dicks have been inside you?"

"I think you have the wrong guy." He toys with me.

"Have you and Alonso ever fucked?"

Jace stares ahead. "No."

I playfully squint at him. "Are you being honest?"

"Yes." He eyes me seriously.

"Why haven't you? You got a thing for him."

"Well...firstly, he's painfully straight." Jace chuckles. "Secondly, I've left men in the past."

I frown, sad to hear this. "How come?"

"It's...complicated."

"We got time." I smile. "The gazebo is miles away."

Jace collects his thoughts. I see the wheels turning in his head. Is it that complicated?? So much that he doesn't interact with men anymore? I wonder what caused him to leave the same sex behind. There's silence for a while. We stroll the paved path of the forest. I hear the wheels of the drones behind us. How long have they been patrolling? I didn't hear them join our joy walk. But I know they're needed in case of wildlife marking us as prey. My lovebug takes his time before speaking. I don't mind. I enjoy the smell of nature, the greenhouse effect. The floral scents of the flowers. The wood of trees baking in the sun. The heavy soil odor. The salty sea. I'm patient. I calmly wait for Jace to speak.  

"I couldn't risk losing my family...so I made the hard choice. My father funded my business and would have taken it away if he knew his son wasn't straight. All of them would have disowned me. I would've been less of a man to them....and to the world. My father trained me to be an alpha. To be a solid man without any weaknesses. Growing up, strength was considered a superpower according to my father. He drilled this into all of his sons. We could never be weak. We always had to be solid men with powerful bodies and right-wing values. I knew this would destroy my world, so I had to let go." His voice is haunted by the past.  

My heart breaks. I can't help my sad puppy dog expression. "So, you hide this side of you?"

"Yes...from everyone. Well, except you. I never told anyone this. I knew I'd be judged. Even all the women before had no clue. I couldn't trust them. As I said before, all of them were established, meaning they had fame. Knowing that I've been with men would have been seen as a gain for their careers. Those women got with me to boost their names. I couldn't trust them. Knowing I was bisexual would've tripled their exposure. I would've been outed." 

"Not even one of them?"

"No....our relationships were contracts, not genuine love."

"I'm the only one who knows??" I blink in amazement.

"Yes." We step forward in silence. The sound of snapping twigs on the ground fills the air. I look ahead, moved that I'm the only one he's told. 

I love that Jace trusts me with this. I can tell it's a part of the past he struggles with. I wish he didn't have to hide his sexuality from everyone...especially his family. I don't blame him....they would judge him. They already judge him for being with me. Imagine if they knew this truth. I don't think Jace will ever be able to admit he's bi. He'll lose his family.  

"Your secret is safe with me." I stop walking to tread my fingers through his hair. "I won't ever hurt you or let you be hurt by anyone, I promise."

He smiles to one side. "I'm supposed to protect you, not the other way around."

I shake my head. "We're in this together as a team. Plus, I can fight. Lil taught me how."

"She looks like she can fight. It's always the tiny ones."

I giggle. "Punch combos, body slams..."

"Oh, body slams?" Jace sexualizes the words.

"You're such a guy."

"I take offense to how you're mislabeling me. I'm half gay." Jace scoffs, much like an entitled Karen. The voice impersonation is spot on.

I laugh. "Sorry, ma'am, I'll do better next time."

Jace takes my hand, guiding it from his hair all the way down to his chest. "You better."

I cheese at him. "It's hot that you're into guys."

"Not hotter than you and Lil wrestling." He raises a brow. "Was it half naked or fully clothed?"

"Really?" I snort. "We had on clothes."

"Skimpy ones?"

"No, gym outfits...shorts and tanks."

"I'm sure she has fun messing with you."

"We're just friends."

He squints in disbelief. "Sure just "friends."

"Although...Jess might be into me." I spot his pupils dilating from arousal.

"Have fun at the bachelorette party. I wish I could watch."

I roll my eyes and walk forward. "It won't be like that. We'll have strippers." I joke.

Jace follows after me with a hand on my back. "Send me pics so I can rate their hotness."

I grin ear to ear. "Only if you do the same."

He tugs me to his side. "Now you're just fucking with me."

I glance up at him. "I'm serious. I don't mind complimenting women."

"Are you sure you're not bi?"

"I'll say what you told me when I asked about fisting. Keep guessing." I tiptoe to bite his nose.

"Okay, fair. You can keep guessing how many dicks I've taken." My pussy deploys a glob of jello. My mouth drowns. I wipe the corners so no drool escapes. "I love that." He eyes my wet thumb.

I stare down at it with a malicious smirk. "If you only knew what my other lips were doing."

"I'll check them after the live stream." Jace lifts me by my waist and throws me over his shoulder.

I hackle like a witch. "What are you doing?! Jace, put me down!"

He doesn't listen, instead; he jogs ahead, bouncing me up and down as he does. I yelp and giggle all the way to the Gazebo. The pure white structure is just as remarkable as the first time I saw it. The sunlight beaming past its pillars. The glowing wood. The isolation within the forest. It's living art. Jace hustles up the stairs with me. "Let's get this done quick." He sets me down. 

I fix my hair. "Where's the script?" 

"Velma sent it." He gives me his phone.

"We need a good angle." I search the gazebo, looking for a spot with less sunlight so we don't have to squint or block the sun with our hands. I find one on the north-facing corner. "There." We get in position.

Jace goes to the text message. We read through the mini-script three times before filming. The camera view is perfect. His jade eyes sparkle in the dim sunlight. Mines are dark yet reflective. We look magical. Unreal. An impeccable couple. He presses the live button on an app that connects all social platforms. As soon as it is on the air, a swarm of comments streaks the screen. There's no end to them. Every second there's a new comment. I'm glad that I can't read them because of how fast each one scrolls.  

We have to speak our lines one after another like a cringy tv show. I begin with much enthusiasm. "Hello HartStoppers! Thank you for joining the live. We hope you all have your digital tickets." 

"Which will be free of cost. Don't worry about getting a bad view, the ceremony will be filmed by professional cinematographers." Jace says.

"The stream will begin at 5 pm, Pacific time."

"There will also be a post-party live stream starting at noon."

"Please RSVP for both streams and help us have the best day of our lives." I clasp my hands at my waist, as stated in the script.

"Thank you for tuning in and supporting us. We appreciate the true fans out there who mean well. Stay amazing."

"Goodbye for now." I wave at the camera.

Jace gives a cool nod as a farewell. I end the live stream, then hop onto a banister and spread my legs. My fiancé moves to stand between them. His hand goes up my dress to touch my ruined underwear. "The answer is 3." He says while pressing against my mouth. I sigh at what his hand is doing down there. His thumb pushes my cherry inward. "Two were just for fun....the other one I ended up falling for." He taps his thumb while thrusting it further in. I gasp. Once again Jace flirts with breaking in.  

"How hot was he?"

"Extremely...I haven't found a guy that beats him. His name was Jasper...he was a pianist. Fast hands on the keys and the body." I close my eyes and huff wildly. I lean into his thumb. The painful pleasure is thrilling. I shiver all over and cream out glob after glob.

JACE

Helen is in the foyer, bearing gifts from the mansion. "Hello, lovebirds." I beam.

"Hi, Hel." I greet.

"I bought more presents. The expensive ones that came by special delivery."

Madi eyes the five boxes. "Thank you, I can't wait to open them."

"I'll put them on the dining room table, then bring dinner."

"Perfect, thank you." My bunny makes a heart shape with her hands. Helen returns it with jolliness before leaving to the kitchen.

"I'm happy she's here. She's probably sick of the beach house."

"Probably."

We locate our family. They're in the living room. I'm overjoyed that both our sides are conversing. Tom singles me out. "Tell them how long we've been doing trick shots."

All eyes are on me, even my baby's. "Ten years."

"See." He boasts to Lil.

"That's so long."

"No, it usually takes longer."

Paul eyes Tom with complete impressiveness. "Bravo to that...I tried and almost decapitated my head."

Lucy cracks up. "He thought he was a ninja."

"You have to start small," I say.

Sam agrees with a nod. "Very small, like balls or erasers. A knife is pro level."

Kim scoffs. "You guys aren't pros."

"We're close to it," Sam argues.

"I doubt it." She's such a negative Nancy.

"We can prove it after dinner." I look to my side for Madi, but she's at the table. I go to her. She's sorting through the gifts. Madi selects Cartier. A brand of prestige. Mostly known for jewelry. Her lovely hands unbox it. Golden earrings in a droplet shape. Beads of gold hang from it like a tiny Christmas tree.   

She happy dances. "These are incredible!!" She gawks at the fine jewelry.

Alonso strides into the room. "Evening, sir."

"Evening." I focus on him. "Any developments?"

"No. All is well." He views the jewelry. There's suspicion in his brown eyes.

"Something wrong?"

He sizes up the earrings. I see his earlobes adjust backward. Something has him unsettled. "Get everyone out of here." He orders with trepidation.

"What?"

Madi examines him and then the earrings. Alonso shares a demanding gaze with her. "Step away from the box!" He raises his voice. "Everyone out, now!"

The chatting from the living room disperses. The vibe is skittish. Madi stumbles backward. My brothers take charge by leading everyone out. Lucy is spooked. She peers back at her daughter, petrified. I grab my baby and speed walk as fast as possible. "What's going on??!" I hear Paul's hysteria over everyone else's hectic murmurs.  

Alonso doesn't leave. He nears the box with no fear. Why? Why would he risk it? It could go off at any moment. He needs to take cover too. Not just us. I know what's up. The earrings are detonators. His ears gave this away. His advanced hearing is a blessing. Thank God Madi didn't touch them. The jewelry may be skin activated. The Bacia Family must still has access to bio-codes. How could I not notice the noise??! I swear there was no sound from the earrings. The bomb ticking had to be extremely minimized.  

"Jace...what...?"

"The earrings are detonators."

"They're what??!!" Madi shrieks.

"Alonso will handle it."

"He'll get himself killed!" She hurries out the front door with me. The others quickly tread after us.

"Not possible," Tom replies. "The guy has nine lives. You didn't tell her, Jace?"

"Tell me what?" Her breathing is uneven.

"The bodyguard is hard to kill." My father answers. "48 bullet wounds. 80 assassinations. Zero failed missions."

"And top hand combatant in the world," Tom adds.

"A renowned bomb technician as well." My father says soothingly to the women, who are anxious and pale. "Rest your minds."

"How can we???" Lucy bickers. "I'm sorry...but we're not used to running away from bombs!"

"Think of this as practice for the future."

"We shouldn't have to." Lucy quarrels on.

"That was too close!!" Paul shouts.

My father huffs. "That was a good outcome."

"Good outcome???!" Lucy contends, flustered.

"Yes...your daughter didn't get her face blasted...mine did! This is a good outcome!"

This ends the spat. I know the news of Kim facing off with a bomb is unknown to Madi's family. I only told her. I don't get why Dad brought it up. He's aware that it's a sad topic for Kim. I can tell by her body language. Her shoulders tense forward in a jerk. My mother crosses an arm around Kim to try and relax her. 

There's an eerie silence. The situation is still seeking in. We pace far from the house and down a paved pathway. There's a bricked-in clearing, that's where we stop. My baby is quiet. I keep my hold on her hip. I want to ask if she's okay. But that's a silly question...of course, she's not.

My fiancé is rigid and blank-faced. "Don't shut me out," I speak softly into her ear. I hope she doesn't go mute on me. When life is tough, she isolates herself. "Talk to me."

"I don't know what to say." Her voice is jumpy.

"You can be pissed at me if you want. I slipped up."

"No...it's not your fault."

"I'll talk with Helen."

"Please don't fire her for this." She pleads.

"I have to ask why she brought the gift here."

Madi huffs air from her nose. "Do you think she knew?"

"That's to be determined. I'll need Alonso to evaluate her to know for sure." My cell rings. It's him. "Is it handled?"

"Yes."

"Skin activated?"

"Yes."

"The detonators had to be altered."

"Correct. The sound was almost inaudible. Low frequency. 2.5 hertz. I suspected another threat. The wedding isn't a good idea, sir. You'd have to have every drone airborne...the guest will be suspicious. On top of that, the world will be watching. This is a red alert...it won't be pretty." 

I unpack his concerns. The wedding is too close to cancel. My drones can camouflage...guests won't see the bots. But he's right...the guests will be in range of a possible shoot-out. Or bombing. Or missile strike. I don't know what to do. My temples pop from strain. Pressure weighs on my brain. 

"Sir?"

"I'll get back to you. Give me time to assess." I hang up.

"Assess what?" My fiancé frets.

"Just security protocols." I make it seem nonchalant. "It's under control. We're in the clear. The house is safe. Let's head back and get ready for dinner."

"That's a good idea." My mother supports me. She tries to speak as if she has nerves of steel, but I hear the tension.

The first thing I do is summon Helen to my office. I didn't have to explain why. Alonso was already ahead of me. We wait for her. So far, Hel is a suspect. Although I've known her for 15 years, the earrings were delivered by her. The mafia has ways of planting actors, as seen at the homeless shelter. But then again, she was employed years before the rival with the Bacia family. I can't picture her being part of an evil empire. She's too down-to-earth and sweet. Too jolly. But could this be a persona?? A character she's playing?? Helen could have been bribed by my rival.  

Alonso and I stand before the sofa to intimidate her. Helen is a deer caught in headlights. She seems completely oblivious to why she's been summoned. I spot her jittery hands and tense back. My maid sits straight as a board on the sofa.  

"We have a few questions. Alonso will begin with his, then I'll end with mine."

She anxiously glances between us. "Alright."

"You stated that the gifts came by special delivery. Who delivered them?"

"An expedited company named Umbrella."

"Can you describe the deliverer?"

"I'm afraid I can't. They showed up weeks ago."

"Provide a date."

"Umm..." The wheels in her head turn. "I can't recall the date. Sometime in middle August? Maybe?"

"I'll check the security cameras for that month," Alonso informs me.

"Did something happen? Why are you asking me about the presents?" She stresses out. The fright in her voice is persuading. But I'm not sure if it's true.

"You left a present on the table for Ms. Hart. A set of earrings that were programmed to her bio-code. The jewelry were detonators. If Madison touched them, she would've been blown to bits."

"No!!" Helen gasps, covering her mouth. "Is she okay??!"

"Yes. I deactivated it before there were any casualties."

"I'm so sorry!"

"Were you aware of the threat?"

"No, I swear I had no clue!" Her words sputter out in haste, "Cartier is designer. I placed it upfront because it was the most expensive out of the lot. Jace, please believe me! I would never do anything to hurt Madison!" She pleads with all her soul.  

I glance at Alonso. He's unmoved by her desperation. I should be too. This could've all been staged by Helen. I can't let sentimental attachment blind me. I have to be harsh. "Who was the deliverer?" 

"I don't know, sir! I remember the name on the truck. I can't recall the guy. Please believe me!"

"Why should I?"

"We've known each other for 15 years!" She sobs, holding her chest: pained by my question.

"You traveled here with two bombs. How can I trust you?"

"I didn't know! Please, Jace. Trust what I say!!" Helen breaks down into uncontrollable wails.

Alonso leans to whisper in my ear. "The best precaution is to have her escorted from the Island. We can't take any chances."

"You're right...we can't."

MADISON

The chef drones prepare dinner tonight. I thought Helen would. Her disappearance from the kitchen proves my worst nightmare. Jace and Alonso have her. I know I've known her only for a few months, but I trust my gut. She's innocent. I know it. We're all at the table, trying our best to have a normal dinner. I catch my mom and my girls observing me from the corner of my eye.  

Dad broods in silence. Jace's family cater to Kim, who's morbidly quiet. I've never seen someone's trauma through their eyes. Today woke up a bad memory for her. I hope she's okay. I want to ask this...but I know it's dumb. I stay mute. Just the same as everyone else. No one speaks.  

The drones lay plates of food on the table. Caviar, creme fraiche, lemon wedges, hard-cooked, mini potatoes, minced onions, and garlic toast coated in butter. The sound of clattering silverware fills the room. I stab the potatoes; I don't intend on eating. I was nearly blown up today!! I zone out. Once again, I replay the tragic scene, same as I did the homeless shelter ordeal. My mind tortures me. The moment Alonso yelled. The moment Jace grabbed me. My mind adds a loud ticking noise to the memory. The earrings blink red. My ears buzz. I drop my fork and immediately stand from the table.   

Mom jumps up...her concern squeezes at my heart. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah...I'm okay. I'm just tired. I'll see you all in the morning." I rush a smile before leaving to the hallway. When I'm far enough, I hyperventilate. The earrings blink red on repeat. I huff and puff as if drowning. My heart drums. I close my eyes. A burst of flames flash within the darkness of my lids. I lose my balance. I brace myself on the wall.  

"Stay still until it passes..." Mrs. Harrison says from my side. I feel her hand on my back. "Kim went through this too. It's just your mind playing tricks." I'm shocked by her gentleness. "Deep breaths." I hold my chest and inhale roughly. "The faster you admit that you can't do this, the easier your life will become." I stare over at her with glossy eyes. I have no comeback. No retort. My face is blank. There's no heat to my cheeks...all I feel is coldness. The goosebumps on my skin are frightening. I drop my teary eyes to the floor.   

I don't know what to say....because I've thought the same thing once before. That I can't do this.