Between Never and Forever

by Shain Rose

“You come to my casino, my resort, have your fuckboy of a boyfriend propose on my property. And you’re wearing his ring like it belongs on your finger. Tell me it’s a joke. Say. It.”

“Because I could only look at you all night.” He combed a hand through his thick hair. “I’ve been with her for two years, and it’s been damn near fifteen years without you,” he said, and his voice suddenly held all the pain I felt. “And yet I hear your voice on that stage, look at you singing, and I still only want you.”

“I won’t stop until I have you. You know that, Kee. I won’t stop till I get you out of my fucking system.”

Dex Hardy, in a three-piece suit and all grown up, stood in front of me, ready to take over my world. And then he leaned in close and whispered in my ear, “Because your ass knows. You’re not marrying anyone but me.”

“Bend over the counter and face the window. Look out at the city I rule and feel how I’m going to rule you too.”

“Now, want me to fuck you nice, like this means something, or fuck you rough, like I hate you for all you’ve done?”

Then he murmured, “You look pretty with my ring on your finger,” before he bent down to kiss me.

“You don’t provide my fiancée with anything. She’s the talent. She provided you with a job. So, she gets what she wants. You understand? For this Vegas residency, and honestly”—he looked at me pointedly—“it should be for the rest of the time you’re employed by her, you do as she says. No arguments. No pushback. If my fiancée wants to sing on stilts while elephants weave through her legs, you make it happen. You say yes and find a way. You don’t question her vision. I don’t give a fuck what your title is. Got it?”

“I guess I’m not exactly sane, either, because I want you watching me. Just you. Only you.”

“To show you’re mine even if you are the star that you are. You’re mine first, and I want a blinding display of that everywhere you go.”

“You fit what I say you fit, heartbreaker. I’m the one who knows this pussy. I’m the one who took its innocence and made it mine. Remember that when I ask you again. You want me to fuck you now, Kee? Stretch you to fit?”

THIS MAN OMFG

“That’s fucking right.” I grunted hard with each thrust. “You’re. Mine. My future wife. Fucking mine. You might perform for the world, Kee, but they’ll only ever get a sliver of a version of you. I’m going to take all of you from now on.”

He stared at me for a second before he took my hand and dragged it over his ribs. It took me a second to see what he was doing, letting my fingers feather over his tattoo there. It was lilacs and a key, but on the key, etched in the side of it was Kee. “Dex?” I whispered out his name. “What is this?” “You were always a part of me, even when I didn’t want you to be.” “But you… We… You left and moved on.” “I left, but I didn’t move on. I got you tattooed on me because you were already permanently with me. Might as well have had the tattoo of your memory there too.”

This man 😭😭😭😭

“You taste like mine, Kee. Like you were always mine and like you’ll be mine forever.”

“Don’t you see that I’m not marrying you for the contract, Kee? I’m marrying you because you’re mine. This pussy is mine. Your heart, your soul, this is all mine.” He stared at the cameras as he said it. “And no one fucks with what is mine.”

“I’m sorry. I—” I whispered, all the fight leaving my body as embarrassment replaced it instead. “You’ve got ten seconds to get the fuck out of this conference room.” I took a step back. He was right. God, he was so right. Of course he hadn’t thought I’d actually burst into the room. Although…Penelope had let me right through. She’d even waved me in like it wasn’t at all an inconvenience. “I understand,” I murmured, taking a step back in my bare feet. “Heartbreaker”—he pinched the bridge of his nose—“not you. Never you. Them.”

HE SAID EVERYONE GET THE FUCK OUT I GOTTA TALK TO MY FUTURE WIFE

“What for? You won the bet. I’m fucking hard as a rock. Want to come sit on my lap and find out?”

He cut me off. “You asked me once why I needed you in my home. Not just wanted. Needed. It’s because I was dying without you, Kee. Suffocating. Couldn’t fucking breathe without you. Is that answer enough? I didn’t commit. To anything. I haven’t loved a woman before you nor will I love another after you. I knew it then like I know it now. I have always loved you, and I hated you for that, Kee.” He dragged a hand over his face, and then he got down on one knee. “Only because I couldn’t be with you. So, you’re wearing my ring but I want you to say it too. Say you’ll marry me. Say we belong together. Say yes because I’m asking you now. Will you marry me?”