✿ Aileen's POV

Iʼm standing outside at exactly 8:30, my stomach rumbling shamelessly. Iʼm starving and secretly hoping that breakfastʼs part of this morningʼs equation.

“Ready to hit the town?”

I turn and see the elegant Asha walking toward me.

“Morning” I smile her way.

“Ouu, you look super pretty” she grins.

“Says she who would still look fire if she wore a trash bag.”

“Flattery will get you everywhere” she giggles. “Now cʼmon” She loops her arm through mine as she leads me outside.

Once more the early morning heat assaults me and I immediately fan myself with her hand, trying to get some cool air into my lungs.

“You never get used to the heat at the heat. Sorry love” Asha looks over at me with a sympathetic look.

“I bet.”

A black limo is waiting for us on the driveway and a man jumps out and opens the door for us.

“Do you always travel in such style?” I canʼt help but ask as I slide into the back of the limo.

Asha smiled.

“That you do get used to!”

I shake my head, “Iʼm not sure I could.”

Ashaʼs smile grows.

“Well, youʼre going to have to when you marry Reid. You know heʼll only want you traveling in the best. He loves like that.”

My heart plummets. This was still part of the deception. No matter what our true feelings were.

I look over at Asha. She was so kind and generous, and I hated lying to her.

“I thought we could have something to eat,” she says, pulling open a bar fridge that was disguised into the interior of the car.

Asha then pours orange juice into two champagne flutes and holds hers up for a toast.

“To the first of many sisterly adventures!”

Our glasses clink together and I force a smile, the inside of my heart breaking.

These people were so welcoming and I was deceiving them in the worst way possible. And to make it worse, they seemed to genuinely like me.

Except for Reidʼs parents, Maeve, Anika, and Clayton, that is.

“Oh I canʼt wait to help you plan the wedding,” Asha says but quickly pauses, “If thatʼs okay I mean. I wouldnʼt want to impose or anything.”

I force an even bigger smile.

“Iʼd love that, Ash. Nothing would make me happier.”

“Yay!” she giggles.

The rest of the drive is a quiet one. We eat in silence and I look out the window, taking in the scenery. 

The car stops suddenly and Asha opens the door. I climb out and the heat immediately slaps me on the face like an angry lover. I look around and see a helicopter waiting.

I immediately shake my head.

“Oh, Iʼm not getting into that.”

“Oh, but you are,” Asha says in a sing-song voice and takes my hand in hers. “And donʼt worry, thereʼs a medical team on board in case of... anything. I wouldnʼt want Reid to kill me because I put his Lee in danger.”

Youʼve got to be kidding me.

“No, but—”

“Ah, ah” she stops me, “Cʼmon” she drags me behind her as a pilot quickly ushers us inside.

“Where are we going?” I ask as she straps me in beside her, not letting go of my hand.

“The mainland. Thatʼs where the shops are.”

“Weʼre ready for take-off, maʼam” the pilot announces, getting Asha to squeeze my hand.

“Here we go.”

The propellers quickly spring and I try to remain calm by closing my eyes and taking deep breaths. The medical people try to offer me stress balls to squeeze and the occasional paper bag, but I refuse.

Once Iʼve gotten over my initial nerves, itʼs all very beautiful to see the place like this.

We flew over the large white cliffs that surrounded the island and then across the azure-blue ocean. I could see the shapes of coral reefs where small waves broke against them. And then I saw the mainland coming into sight.

Not at all what Iʼd expected.

Massive colorful skyscrapers shaped the horizon. Tall and modern and strangely shaped. One looks like it had been inspired by the shape of a sailing boat, and another one has a massive bronze ball floating on the top of it, almost as if by magic.

I can see us heading towards the largest building, and as I get closer, I can make out a landing pad on the roof. The helicopter touches down effortlessly, and Asha leads us out and towards the roof door, our hair blowing in the wind of the propellers.

“Welcome to the mainland!” she says while pressing the buttons to a lift.

The lift is impossibly fast, and before I know it, weʼre climbing out and walking into a giant reception area.

“This doesnʼt look like the mall, Ash,” I say, looking around.

A large portrait on the wall catches my attention. Itʼs a portrait of Eros Dalton.

God, heʼs so intimidating, even when on canvas.

“Yeah, my uncle kinda owns it,” Asha says, striding through the reception.

Of course.

She pushes her way through the massive glass doors and steps onto the street. I turn when I notice two huge men in black suits following us.

“Um... Ash?”

“Oh, donʼt mind them. Bodyguards” Asha says casually. “I hate it too but thereʼs not much I can do. Just pretend they donʼt exist.”

I just nod, although Iʼm not quite sure how itʼs possible to ignore the six foot seven muscle-bound men that are trotting behind me and talking into their sleeves.

I try to look around instead. And the distractions work.

Now this is crazy.

Pedestrians walk up and down in clothes to combat the heat. Black limousines are stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic, and now and then Iʼd see a pop of color in the traffic like a red Ferrari or a yellow Lamborghini pushing their way through.

“Boy, Natalie would die if she were here” I chuckle to myself and take out my phone to record a short video.

Directly across the street, I see a Chanel store, then on closer inspection, I notice that every shop on the street is a famous fashion house. Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Victoriaʼs Secret... damn.

I follow Asha as she walks through the bumper-to-bumper traffic, stopping to wave back at the people who recognize her.

Never getting used to this.

Once across the road, Asha ducks into a coffee shop, which couldnʼt have come at a better moment, as the heat on the street under all the towering buildings nearly murders me. The coffee shop is cool and I feel the instant relief of the cold air rushing over my body.

“I know right?” Asha chuckles my way. “But we canʼt start shopping without a good strong cup.”

She smiles and looks towards the bodyguards who simply nod and jump the queue to order her two coffees.

Looks like they do this a lot.

I chuckle and glance out of the massive windows.

“So exotic” I mutter, getting a smile from Asha.

Her phone rings and she moves aside to answer it. I pull out my phone and take a few more pictures.

“I wish everyone could be here” I smile quietly to myself.

Palm trees dot the side of the roads and glittering shop fronts are the perfect backdrop to all the beautiful people walking around with expensive handbags.

“The number of things Sophie would get from here” I giggle, putting my phone away.

As I look around, something familiar catches my eye.

Someone familiar.

✯✯✯✯✯✯

I only see the back of him, to begin with, but I can tell.

The broad shoulders, the hair, and the way he walks, I just know itʼs Reid.

And the two bodyguards failing to follow him incognito are a dead giveaway.

I could also feel itʼs him. Every cell in my body told me so. Every fiber and every nerve was screaming out for him. And as if sensing this, Reid suddenly turns.  His piercing green eyes find mine immediately and they lock onto me.

Then he smiles—a smile that makes my knees weak and my body aches for him. He strides towards me with wide fast strides and I brace myself for the collision.

When he reaches me, he doesnʼt say a word, instead, he walks right up to me and plants a kiss on my forehead.

“And my morning just got a thousand times better” he finally says, “Good morning.” Then he pulls away and stands opposite me, grinning from ear to ear.

I look down and eye the Victoriaʼs Secret shopping bag heʼs carrying.

“Whatcha' got there?”

“Whatcha' going to be wearing very soon,” he says with a smug look.

“Haha,” I make a face and meet him halfway for a kiss.

“Ugh! You guys are so cute, I canʼt stand it!” Asha returns and teases playfully.

Her eyes drift to the other shopping bags Reidʼs holding,

“Going on a shopping spree Riri Weenie?”

“Something like that,” Reid says and winks at me, a gesture that doesnʼt go unseen by Asha who smiles at us.

“You guys!” She says again in a sweet sing-song voice.

I chuckle.

“And you two? Also shopping I see.”

“What can I say, itʼs what we women do best” Asha smiles.  

“Oh I can think of a lot more other things this woman does best” Reid mutters so only I can hear, making me giggle and playfully swat his arm away.

“Besides, I need a new dress for someoneʼs second engagement party” Asha continues.

“So does my fiancée over here” Reid quickly adds, sliding an arm around me and pulling me close.

“No, no, itʼs okay. I have plenty to wear. Iʼm all good” I say.

“Itʼs our engagement party,” Reid leans forward and kisses me on the neck.

“I know but—”

“Nothing” Asha cuts me off.

“Ash—”

“Donʼt worry Reid. Weʼre not leaving this place with clothes only for me” she cuts me off again, assuring her cousin.

“I trust you.”

“No, no. You know how I feel about buying...” I try to protest, but before I can, Reid slides a shiny credit card into Ashaʼs hand.

“Just in case you ran out.”

“Armani!” I whisper—yell and smack his arm.

“What?” he asks, “And ow.”

I frown.

“I said I canʼt. So donʼt have to—”

“Oh yes you can, and you will.”

I frown harder.

“I have to get going, I have other plans for this morning,” he says and pulls me even closer to plant a quick kiss on my lips.

I pout a little and he taps my nose.

“Behave,” he says lowly. “See you at home Ash” he gives his cousin a quick hug, and then heʼs off.

I turn to watch him disappear across the street and back into the building that heʼd just come from.

“Gosh, I still canʼt believe this sight. Itʼs just so strange to see him this way. But itʼs good. Real good” Asha says.

“What way?”

“So in love, Lee” She smiles at me now. “Youʼve completely changed our Ben. Heʼs a changed man, I can see it. And I cannot thank you enough, Lee.”

I just smile at Asha as she moves in for a hug.

God.

“Okay, cʼmon now. No sappy stuff allowed until weʼre trying on dresses” she giggles.

Finding no words to say at the moment, I simply smile and follow Asha back out of the coffee shop and into the heat once more. My guilt and thoughts are cut short when we step into a boutique.

And before I can get my bearings, Iʼm surrounded by store assistants who start thrusting dresses at me—as if they know exactly what weʼre here for... and as if their lives depend on it.

I glance around at the chaos. Asha stands in the center of the room now pointing furiously at things as shop attendants jump in all directions.

Like conducting an orchestra of people.

Shoes here, a scarf there, more shoes, dresses, handbags, shoes again. And it looks like this is something she does every day.

Oh, who am I kidding? Of course, she does.

“Ohh that one!” she points at a long pale pink dress. “Youʼd look absolutely gorgeous in that. And Reid will love it for sure!”

“Wait what?” I open my mouth to protest once more about the— in my opinion— very unnecessary purchase, but Iʼm shut up as Asha Dalton pushes me into a changing room and hands it to me.

“Asha I—”

“No, no. Not hearing it, honey.”

I feel completely overwhelmed once more and I hardly notice when two assistants start unzipping me to help me into the dress. When theyʼre done, I turn to look at myself and stop. I gasp at the sight of myself in the dress.

Holy...

It was absolutely beautiful and boy it did look good against my Portia Dalton unapproved skin tone.

Itʼs just the right amount of tight, hugging my curves most subtly. The neckline is low, but not too low that itʼs revealing. And the slit...

Reid is going to die.

I smile proudly at myself.

Maybe this shopping thing isnʼt such a bad thing after all.

I step out of the changing room and Asha smiles.

“Lee! Oh my goodness, you look amazing.”

“Thank you, Ash. I feel amazing” I grin.

Something pricks me under the arm and I reached for it. I pull it off and my mouth falls open in absolute shock when I look at the thing in my hand.

And the amazing feeling is gone.

Because the price is insane. The dress cost more than everything Iʼve owned in the entire world and more.

“I canʼt buy this” I whisper to myself under my breath.

Asha immediately jumps up, tugs the label out of my grip and the dress, and tosses it away.

“No, no. Iʼm not having any of that, Lee.”

“Asha, Iʼm sorry but Iʼm not having any of this either. This dress—”

“Looks like it was made purposely for you to wear to your second engagement party, Lee. And itʼll be worth the look on my cousinʼs face when he sees you in it, trust me.”

“Still doesnʼt mean you have to spend an entire fortune on it... literally” I fold my arms.

“Well sorry to sound like a bitch but technically itʼs not your fortune to worry about... till you marry Reid and you get the Dalton family name,” she says matter-of-factly, “So, Aileen Wilmore... itʼs, not your concern.”

“But Iʼm going to be wearing it, Asha” I protest, “And sorry to sound like a bitch too but... shouldnʼt I get to have a say in what I will be wearing... at my second engagement party?”

She gives me a look, an eye roll, then a long and loud groan.

“Ugh, fine” she sighs. “Alright. Weʼll get you something else then.”

“Thank you. And I hope youʼre not mad at me.”

Asha chuckles and smiles.

“No, of course not. Iʼm not mad at you for not wanting to buy a fifteen thousand-dollar engagement dress, Lee. Now why donʼt you pick out something you like, hm?”

I smile with relief.

“Okay. Thank you. Iʼll go change then” I tell her and she blows me a kiss before I walk away.

✯✯✯✯✯✯

✿ Reid's POV

Iʼd woken up with a spring in my step that morning. I hadnʼt felt this good and energized in a long time before my fiancée.

Before Aileen, Iʼd crawl out of bed with a hangover from the night before with some strange naked woman lying in my bed and the debris of the party scattered at my feet.

But with Aileen, everything feels right.
And I feel like a new man.

I turn and sheʼs fast asleep next to me.

The perfect fit.

Her hair is spread out across the pillow and sheʼs curled up in a ball on her side. I smile as I watch her sleep for a while. Just listening to her breathing. And I canʼt help but run my hand over her back.

An almost inaudible moan flies from her lips and she rolls over to face the other side, in a movement that exposes her breasts.

I press a fist to my mouth and hold myself back from getting under the covers and between her thighs.

“Cʼmon Dalton. Youʼve got work to do” I mutter to myself and give her a quick kiss that gets her to smile, making me smile.

I was excited to buy her lingerie– her engagement gift to me.

The sooner I finish shopping, the sooner I can spend time with her.

I was dying to show her my favorite place in the world. I had the desire to take her places, show her things, and spend as much time getting to know her better as I could.

The old me wouldʼve never wanted this.

Heʼd get rid of the woman sleeping in his bed as soon as possible. And thatʼs the old me Anika was with. I dreaded it when she suggested movies or dinner or even a cup of coffee in the morning after spending the night together.

The same went for the one-night standers. They were all boring and so predictable. Plus, theyʼd gladly get pregnant if it meant theyʼd carry the Dalton last name.

But Aileen?

God.

“Sheʼs nothing like them,” I say to myself, loving how it sounds.

She was exciting, smart, funny, and beautiful.

No, exquisite.

And I wanted more of her every day.

“So much more” I mutter to myself as I look at her once more before climbing out of bed.

I give her bare shoulder one last kiss and then spring out of bed and get going as fast as possible.

✯✯✯✯✯✯

Once I finish shopping and return to the house with the major bonus of having bumped into my fiancée, I go down to the kitchen and ask Mrs. Docherty to prepare a picnic basket for lunch.

“Oouu a picnic” Chelsea drags with a smile. “Nice. Does she know?”

“No, she doesnʼt. Itʼs a surprise.”

“Well, can I come? Thatʼll definitely make sure sheʼs surprised.”

“No, you may not” I chuckle. “And Iʼd really appreciate it if you kept this to yourself Chels. Please and thank you.”

She makes a face and waves her hand at me in dismissal.

“Donʼt you worry, my boy. Iʼll make sure she says nothing” Mrs. Docherty assures.

“Thank you” I smile and kiss her cheek.

Then I throw a washcloth at Chelsea before walking out.

I get a blanket and grab a bottle of champagne from my fatherʼs collection and Iʼm ready almost two hours before lunchtime. I donʼt know what to do with myself... feeling like a caged animal at the zoo. So I begin to walk up and down the palace, waiting for her to come back.

But I regret that immediately because soon, Iʼm face to face with Clayton.

“Well, well. Fancy seeing you at home, Ben. Why the pacing? Nervous?” Clayton asks with a sly and dangerous tone, topping it off with a cold, icy smile.

“No. And why wouldnʼt I be at home? This is my grandmotherʼs house after all.”

“Oh but of course, of course. One of the many houses included in your inheritance, if Iʼm not mistaken.”

I scoff.

“Itʼs just that youʼre barely here nowadays. Too busy with your... Lee.”

I ignore him.

“And are you sure youʼre not nervous, Benjamin?”

“Why would I be nervous, Clayton?”

“Oh you know... maybe because a certain plan of yours is at risk of exposure.”

I donʼt show any signs of panic. I just smile cooly at my cousin.

“Well, unfortunately, Clay, Iʼve got no secrets.”

“Oh, right, right. Of course” he smirks.

That gets me annoyed.

“Iʼm just waiting for my Lee to come back from the mainland with Asha” My tone comes out harshly and I hope it would send him a message; that I have no desire to talk with him, ever.

“How sweet” Claytonʼs icy grin falters.

“That sounds condescending” I narrow my eyes in response to him.

“Oh but not at all. Young love is a beautiful thing.” Clayton looks like a lion circling his prey. “I must say, as much as I donʼt buy this crap, Iʼm impressed.”

“By what?” I watch him as he circles me.

“Well, the Reid Dalton I know, is always indisposed with, how many women is it... two, three, maybe four? You met Anika and of course youʼre faithful. But emotionless, you know? Sacred of commitment and affection. And now suddenly, you seem to be a changed man. Like magic” Claytonʼs tone is dangerous.

“I donʼt know what youʼre talking about, Clayton. And I think we all agree that those women, and Anika, we not the right ones for me. Aileen is. So I will commit and show her affection. Is that a problem?”

“You may be able to fool the others, Armani. But Iʼm watching you.” Clayton is smirking now as his thin lips and face contort into something hideous.

“And what exactly are you looking for by watching me?” I clench my fists until they hurt.

Itʼs all I can do to stop myself from hitting him.

“Oh, Iʼm going to expose you, dear cousin. I wonʼt let you make a fool out of everyone like this. I know this whole thing is a farce. I just canʼt prove it... yet. Oh, but I will” Clayton says, studying me closely to see if my face would betray the secret. “You obviously scooped that little baker up off the street and paid her a hell of a lot of money to pretend to be your fiancée. But for what, huh? We all know a leopard doesnʼt change its spots.”

“Thatʼs not true. Aileen is not that kind of a woman.”

Indignation flames in me now.

How dare he mention my fiancée and talk about her like that? How dare he even utter her name?

“Youʼre right. I can see sheʼs not a common working girl from a street corner. Perhaps something a little more high-class? Because that body... oh. So maybe you have an account at one of those exclusive escort agencies Iʼve heard all about.”

“Stop it, Clayton. Thatʼs enough! You are way out of line, talking about the woman I love that way. I love Aileen!” I spit the words out without thinking about it.

Because I love her.
I love Aileen.

Rage boils inside me at the thought of Clayton having the guts to disrespect my woman. And then, without fully realizing what Iʼm doing, I grab Clayton by the collar and shove him against the wall.

I glare at him as I speak.

“My fiancée is not a prostitute. And if I ever hear you say that again, if I catch you taking one look at her in that manner, I swear to you, I will kill you. Because Lee is mine, and no one elseʼs. You understand, dear cousin?”

I wasnʼt going to let him ruin my date with Aileen. And when Clayton starts to gasp for air and clutch my hands in the pathetic attempt to pry me off him, I manage to force myself to let home go and get away before I actually kill him.

He slumps against the wall and grabs a nearby pillar for support as he coughs and gasps for air.

“Stay away from us” I warn and then walk off.

I hate Clayton.

Whatever Aileen sensed on the first day she met him must have been spot on. He was nothing but trouble.

And now I hated him even more for suggesting that my girl... my sweet, innocent girl, could be a prostitute. It sickened me. Clayton sickened me.

But he was also onto us, and I needed to keep that in mind.

Thank you for reading!
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Ciao
~the_atticwriter