Unwanted Fate (25 page)

“I do. So no, please, no.”

I hear Emily say and I run in the room, wanting to get to Emily as soon as I can. When enter the room, I see Emily’s back against a shelving unit with Victor trapping her in, not letting her move.

“I think she said no, Victor,” I shout as I push him out of the way, pulling Emily into me. She is visibly shaken and I can feel her body trembling.

“Hey, man. What’s your problem?”

“You’re my problem. I think my girlfriend said no and no definitely means no,” I say as I clinch my fist at my side as he smirks at me.

Emily knows I’m seeing red and I’m about to beat the shit out of this punk. “Patrick, he isn’t worth it.”

“Are you going to file sexual harassment against him?”

“No, it’s all a misunderstanding…”

“Emily?”

“It’s not worth it. Victor, as you can see now, I do have a boyfriend.”

“Yeah, I see that. Whatever, man.” He turns from us and walks out of the room, punching the cinderblock wall.
Idiot.

“Gorgeous, you really should file a complaint.”

“I might be guilty in leading him on.”

“I doubt that.”

“I don’t know. I’ve never come out and told anyone about our relationship.”

“I think we just did.”

“True.”

“And I think that a lot of people take your compassion and caring as more than that. So please watch yourself with him. I don’t trust him.”

“I will.”

“Good, let me help you get this finished and get out of here. I have a hot date with my girlfriend tonight.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, and it’s a surprise.”

She sticks her tongue out and I go after her, pulling her into a kiss, leaving her breathless. I hope she watches herself around that jackass. There is something about him that is off and I don’t like it one bit.

Helping Emily reminds me of my days at the grocery store and she’s impressed with my stocking abilities. I try to joke with her, hoping the tension caused from Victor will disappear. We’re finished stocking the shelves an hour after I arrive, and I’m able to whisk my gorgeous girlfriend away from the center and to her apartment to get prepared for our date.

I grabbed one of my suits and the bag of clothes I haven’t had to use for a while from my closet in my office and brought it with me so I wouldn’t have to go to my house to change before dinner. I get dressed after leaving Emily in the bathroom to finish her routine.

Even though she looks like she needs fucked, I don’t tease her because I don’t want her to think I’m horny twenty-four hours a day, but honestly, she makes me that way. Just thinking about her makes my cock throb…I need to get my mind off her and on dinner.

We are going to a little bistro on the Westside of the city. I made reservations before I left work because I know it’s popular and fills up quickly. The menu is of their choosing, and you have to eat what they fix because they use seasonal, local foods. They might have filet one night and salmon the next, which I like because it’s offers variety and you never know what you’re going to eat. Although I cheated and talked to the owner since he is one of my golfing buddies. Tonight’s dinner is filet and I know it’s excellent.

“Gorgeous, are you almost ready? Our reservations are in forty-five minutes, and I don’t know what traffic is going to be like.”

“Yes, can you zip me, please?” she asks as she walks out in a black fitted, knee length dress that shows off every curve of her body and I don’t know if I want her to go out in this. I don’t want others to look at her body. She’s mine. For me only.

“Um, are you wearing a jacket over this?”

“No, it’s 80 degrees out.”

“Oh.”

“Why? Does it not look good?”

“No, you look amazing. It’s other people I’m worried about.”

“Mr. Matheson, are you jealous?”

“Not at all.”

“Yeah… What was that when you caught me? Oh, that’s right. You don’t lie very well, babe.”

“I might not be able to control myself with you wearing this.”

“Like my choice of clothing will change that. You said something similar when I had a T-shirt and boy shorts on.”

“What can I say? I find you enchanting and stunning and I want you all to myself.”

“You have me all to yourself. Now take me to dinner or I’ll have to go alone.”

“Never.”

“Good, let’s go,” she says as she kisses me on the nose and walks to the front door, waiting on me to catch up.

She can be so feisty, keeping me on my toes and I love it… I…I’m falling in love with her.

I
don’t know how long it’s going to take to get used to the fact that I have a father…who happens to be a Hollywood actor. Since the month he’s been in my life, I’ve learned so much about him, about my family that I had no idea about, and I’ve learned about how life will probably be like once the public finds me. So far we’ve been under the media’s radar and that suits me just fine.

“Emily, I want you to know that your mom and you are my number one concern. When the media gets wind of this, I’ll have my publicist release a statement and sugarcoat it. I don’t want your mom to look bad.”

“That’s works for me. I don’t want either of you to look bad. We are here together now. Things can’t be changed.”

“I agree, but I don’t want you to think I’m making up for the past either.”

“How can you make up for something you didn’t know about. Just live for the now.” I smile at him.

“That I can do,” he says before he goes silent. “I can’t wait for you to meet your grandmother and aunts.”

“That would be amazing. What are they all like?”

“Well, your grandmother looks similar to you, dark hair and brown eyes, and tall. We’re not American, you know that right?”

“No…” I’m not?

He laughs. “No, we are Lebanese. I was born in Beirut, but we moved to Canada when I was a small boy. That’s where I grew up and started acting. I started traveling, trying to get small parts and that’s when I met your mother…”

His eyes light up as he talks about meeting my mom. He continues to tell me about my family and I’m in awe about how much I don’t know about myself.

We briefly talked about Nate, and I’m glad because I’ve been thinking about him like crazy lately. Maybe because it’s getting close to our birthday? I’ve written him over thirty notes so far. The latest one this morning, telling him about my relationship with Patrick and about our mind-blowing dinner at a bistro.

The filet was to die for, it nearly melted in my mouth because it was so tender and cooked to perfection. The appetizer was cheeses and crostini and Patrick was feeding me with his fingers—it was seductive foreplay that lasted all five courses of our meal, and we didn’t even attempt to make it to his house. We went to my apartment and made love until the early hours of the morning.

The letter I wrote Nate didn’t include that part, but I did tell him about getting to know Kenneth and how I was glad that at least he got to meet him. I just wish that Nate would have known that he was our dad.

I’ve stayed in my office most of the day because I’m afraid that I will run into Victor. I don’t know what to say to him because I am afraid of him. If Patrick hadn’t showed up, I don’t know what would have happened—I don’t even want to think about it.

Work will be slowing down a bit since I’m at a standstill since I still haven’t heard about the grant yet. Patrick said not to give up hope; they are probably waiting on second quarter numbers to come out before they make a decision since the market has been so crazy.

I look out my window, thinking of ways I could raise money instead of using my own for the center and my phone chimes with a new text. Patrick is probably texting me. I pick up the phone from my desk and look at the screen to see it’s actually from Kenneth.

K
ENNETH:
Em, would you and Patrick like to come to Montana for a few days and then to LA for a film premiere?

M
E:
Are we ready to go public?

K
ENNETH:
It’s better we act first, then them hunt you down I believe.

M
E:
True. What does Mom think?

K
ENNETH:
She’ll back you in whatever you decide.

M
E:
Let me talk to Patrick, okay?

K
ENNETH:
Of course. Chat later.

M
E:
Okay.

This isn’t a texting conversation because I have to talk out each part of this. I hope Patrick is available so I text him to ask.

M
E:
Hey, babe. Free to talk? I need your opinion.

I hit send and a few minutes later, my phone is ringing.

“Hey, you.”

“I was just thinking about you.”

“Oh?”

“Last night was pretty hot. I really liked that position. We might have to try that again, tonight.”

“Mmm. We’ll see.”

“So what’s going on?”

“Kenneth wants to go public with our relationship?”

“How public?”

“He’s invited us to his ranch in Montana and then to LA for a film premiere.”

“Shit. Are you’re prepared for that?”

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready.” I bit my lip thinking. “I just don’t want it to change us.”

“Emily, nothing will change the way I feel about you.”

“I feel that same way about you.”

“Good, so stop worrying.”

“I think I just want to get it over with so I don’t have to keep it a secret from the people I work with anymore. I don’t know how many times I’ve almost let it slip.”

“Then let’s go and have a good time.”

“Can you get off work?”

“Yes, I haven’t used many vacation days since I’ve been here.”

“It shouldn’t be a problem for me either.”

“Sounds like we’re going to Montana and LA, gorgeous.”

“I guess so. I can’t wait to see you in a fancy tux.”

“I can’t wait to see you in expensive lingerie.”

“You’re an animal.”

“Only for you, gorgeous.”

“I lo—need to go. I’ll see you when you pick me up in a few hours.”

“Okay, have a good rest of your day.”

“You too, bye.”

“Bye.”