After a miserable night of insomnia and crying, Ella stayed quiet and to herself as much as she could the whole day at work. She even skipped lunch, avoiding her friends. As soon as she got home, she was nabbed by three sets of arms and pulled into a massive hug.
"Guys... Thanks..." Ella sighed, a bit of her tension releasing, as she was glad she had friends she could rely on.
"Guess what tonight is," Alice said.
"Um... No idea."
"Friday night!" Charlie cheered.
"And officially your last night here, from what we hear," Kyra said. "Even though you never gave us a solid answer as to what was happening."
Can't believe the transfer went so fast... and that a text was enough to set it in motion "Sorry..." Ella shrank back.
"We're not here to make you feel bad—"
"We're here to drag you out drinking at a bar near our new workplace!" Alice blurted out.
"Hey! I was supposed to tell her that part; we decided it before." Charlie grabbed her in a headlock.
"Ah! Kyra, help me!"
"Quit it, you two." Kyra smacked them both lightly on the top of their heads. "Tonight is about Ella's... and Alice's promotions, so let's go celebrate."
"I sounded like an afterthought." Alice pouted.
"Of course not, honey." Kyra patted her and then whispered. "But this is also to help Ella with her heartbreak, remember?"
Alice nodded. "Sorry..."
"It's okay." Kyra patted her again and then clapped. "The driver is waiting outside, so let's get going!"
"Wait, the driver?" Ella frowned.
"Yes, we splurged, since we'll all be drinking tonight."
"Kyra, you always think of everything, don't you?"
"I have to, since no one else will."
They all laughed and hugged again.
---
Dressed and ready for a night out with the girls, they all piled into the back of the limo they rented.
"You guys got a limo for tonight?" Ella freaked out.
"I said I got us a driver."
"This isn't what I was expecting. You probably spent too much."
"Ella, honey, remember who you're talking to? I got this for way cheaper than you think, so enjoy the ride."
"There's a mini-bar!" Alice squealed and opened the fridge. "Tiny bottles! Do these cost extra?" she asked, not wanting to get into trouble with Kyra.
"All expenses included, but do you really want to be drunk before we even get to the bar?"
Alice pouted. "You have a point... But look at this one! It's so tiny and cute." Alice wiggled a pink bottle around.
"Fine, but please don't overdo it."
"Yes!" Charlie stole the bottle Alice was hanging onto.
"Hey!" Alice grabbed at it again.
"No fighting!" Kyra snapped at them, and they both went silent.
Alice let go of the bottle and grabbed another one.
"You might as well adopt them; they're both practically your kids, anyway." Ella laughed and nudge Kyra, sitting next to her.
Kyra sighed. "I know, but I don't want more kids – I have enough of my own – I want my girl friends..." She hugged Ella. "I'm so glad I have you. Make sure you still keep some time open for us."
"Always."
They arrived at the new bar near the new hotel, and Alice stumbled out of the limo.
"What happened to one drink?" Kyra followed her out.
"Charlie egged me on!" She pointed at Charlie and wobbled to the side. Charlie smirked and wiggled her fingers, waving at her. "She did it on purpose!"
"I guess your first drink will have to be water." Kyra sighed. She patted Alice on the back and led her into the bar. "Come on, ladies, let's have a good time."
---
They sat in their booth drinking for an hour as they chatted in the busy bar filled with people drinking and dancing on the dance floor.
"I say we hit the dance floor and catch us some men to hang out with," Alice cheered.
"I'm married..." Kyra sighed.
"We can dance with men and talk to them while we're married." Charlie nodded as she searched through the crowd. "Just no touching any naughty parts."
"Charlie!"
"What? It's been a while since I've danced with anyone."
"Then why don't we dance together?"
"We can do that anytime. Let's find us some hunks to dance with!" Charlie rushed off into the rowdy crowd.
"I second that." Alice ran off after her.
Kyra turned to Ella, who was sitting quietly as she drank. "Don't you want to find someone, too?"
"Not really... In case you've forgotten; I just broke up with my long-term boyfriend..." She sipped on her drink and sighed.
Kyra sat down beside her. "I'm pretty sure those two think the quickest way for you to recover is to find someone new, even if they aren't a long-term prospect."
"What about you? What do you think I should do?"
"I think... everyone has their own way of dealing with pain and sadness, and you should focus on taking care of yourself right now. Maybe even focus on your new job."
"Kyra, how did you get to be so wise?"
"I think I always have been, but I think life experiences have made me wiser. And raising three hooligans has made me strong both mentally and physically."
"I think you should raise that number." Ella nudged her head towards Alice and Charlie, dancing on the dance floor with a couple of men they'd never met before.
"If you want to include those two, you might as well add my husband to the bunch." Kyra sighed.
"Really? Harry always seems so mature..."
"He is when other people are around, but when it's just the two of us, or even when the kids are around, he's... well... a big kid."
"You have a hard life, Kyra. I don't know how you manage it all."
"By making time to relax with my girl friends, that's how." They looked over at Alice and Charlie and couldn't help but smile. They were both dancing right beside each other and having fun. "Kinda hard to believe Charlie's married with how she acts."
"To be fair, her husband is gone most of the time, so she's probably lonely."
"True..."
"Hey, Kyra, I think someone's eyeing you." Ella nudged her head to someone sitting at the bar. "Why don't you take Charlie's advice and have a dance?"
"You know I can't do that..." Kyra trailed off as she looked at him. "Oh my gosh, is that Harry?" She turned back to Ella, still wide-eyed. "What's he doing here? What about the kids?"
Ella shrugged. "I'm guessing one of those two planned this, and your sister is probably babysitting, that poor girl..."
"Do you mind if I...?" Kyra nudged her head towards her husband.
"Go for it; that's why he's here."
"Are you going to be okay on your own?" Kyra frowned, wishing one of the other two would come back over first.
"I'm a big girl, Kyra; I'll be fine."
"Okay, but call me over if you need anything."
Ella nodded, and Kyra rushed over to Harry. At least the drinks are good. Ella kept sipping on her drink.
A blonde-haired man approached her. "What's a gorgeous lady like you doing drinking over here all alone?"
"I'm trying to relax while my friends have fun."
"Why don't you just join me and I'll help you relax." He winked at her and held his hand out. "You know you want to."
"Uh, thanks, but no thanks. I'm fine right here."
"Come on, you came to a place like this, so you must be looking for company." He grabbed her wrist.
"Hey, what are you doing? Let go of me!" She tried to pull out of his grasp, but it was too tight.
"What do you think you're doing?" a deep voice came from behind the man.
He glanced back at the dark-haired, blue-eyed man and scoffed. "None of your business, so piss off."
"What if it is my business?"
The man's face contorted. "Who the hell do you think you are?"
He grabbed the man's wrist and twisted it, forcing him to release her. "I'm her boyfriend," he said and slipped in front of the guy to slide in beside Ella in the booth.
What the hell is going on? Am I that drunk already? Why can't people leave me alone?
"You have a boyfriend? Why didn't you say so?"
"Would you have believed her even if she said she had one?" he asked. "I'm sorry I left you alone to use the bathroom, but everything's okay now." He gently squeezed her shoulder.
"Tch... Whatever." The blonde-haired man left.
"Uh... Thanks..." Ella glanced at him and kept drinking. Whoa, where'd this handsome one come from?
"Sure thing. It's dangerous to be here alone, especially if you're a beautiful woman." He smiled as he gazed at her.
"I really came with my friends, though." She pointed at them on the dance floor.
"Then why are you at this table alone?"
"I don't feel like dancing."
"What do you feel like doing?"
She glanced at him again. He looks vaguely familiar and pretty young. Probably barely twenty. "I want to drink my sorrows away." She held up her drink.
"Must suck to be interrupted like that. How about I drink with you? You can even spill your grievances; sometimes it helps to rant about it all."
"Why would you do that? You understand I'm not interested in 'going home' with anyone other than my friends, right?"
He chuckled. "I'm not one to sleep around, anyway."
"Sure..."
"You look like you don't believe me."
What do you expect? Especially when you look like that... Head out of the gutter, Ella!
He smiled and held his hand over his heart. "I promise I don't sleep around with random people. I do flirt a lot, though. As long as that doesn't bother you, would you like to drink together?"
She glanced at her friends having fun. It might be nice to talk about everything with someone who doesn't know me... She nodded. "Okay then."
Never in her life had she ever been as talkative with a stranger as she was then. She told him about the recent events with Nathan and then proceeded to tell him about all her failed, past relationships. In the meantime, she downed a few fresh glasses of beer and fruity cocktails.
Even when her words started to slur, his attention stayed on her.
"You've been through a lot." He nodded and stared at his drink. "What would make you want to marry someone? You seem to think you'll never be ready for it, but what if it's just the right person or circumstances you're waiting for?"
"How would I even know when it's the right person? Even if I like someone... it never feels quite right... Nathan was good to me, but I didn't feel like I could really talk to him. And it felt like... he might leave me someday."
"Fear of abandonment?"
"Maybe... I don't know..."
"What would you do if you were guaranteed someone wouldn't leave you, and you were already... pretty open with them?"
"What are you talking about?" She eyed him.
"It's easy to talk to me, right?"
She nodded.
"And you find me physically attractive."
She nodded again without thinking.
"Would you marry me if I guaranteed you I'd stay with you?"
"I don't know how you can guarantee that..." She stared at her empty glass.
"If I put it in writing that you'd own everything that's mine if I tried to leave or cheat, I think that's a pretty good guarantee."
Her brows furrowed. I'm either completely wasted and hallucinating, or I've already passed out and this is a dream. "Who in their right mind would do something like that?"
He sighed and combed his fingers through his hair. "A man who's taken a liking to you, who is required to get married to get their inheritance... and who's not even allowed to be intimate with a woman unless we're married or at least to be married, or I lose everything..."
"I must be dreaming, because that sounds ludicrous."
"I agree, but you have to be the head of the family in order to change requirements like that..."
"Wait, are you saying you haven't...?"
"Much to my dismay, no..."
"But how would they even know? There's no way to tell something like that."
The man looked around and nudged his head at his bodyguard. "I'm under constant surveillance, and on that note, they'll even hack into the cameras to check on me..."
"That sounds... unreal..." And creepy.
"And yet that's my life." He trailed a finger down her arm to her hand, and she shivered. "So, what do you say? Are you interested?"
"An interesting situation, to say the least..."
He pulled a diamond ring out of his pocket. "All you have to do is say yes, and I'm yours for life." He smiled at her and leaned in close. "Think about it. The marriage you secretly want. A man who will have every means to take care of you, and will treasure you his whole life. And you'll never need to worry or be alone anymore."
She glanced at her friends still on the dance floor. Not being alone anymore? That sounds good... She nodded without thinking it through.
"In that case..." He slipped the ring onto her finger and leaned in even closer. "You're mine now." He gently cupped a cheek and kissed her.
"Hmm?!" At first, she was surprised, and then melted into it, her body tingling. When he finally pulled away, she touched her lips. Holy...
"Not sure I've ever had this good of chemistry with someone." He smirked and bit his lip.
Well said...
"How about we go somewhere private and solidify our newfound engagement?" He stood and held his hand out to her.
In her drunken stupor, she took his hand. He tugged her out the door and into the backseat of his car. "Go to the hotel." He told his driver before rising the divider and turning his complete attention to Ella. "Don't worry; the hotel isn't far." He pulled her onto his lap and caressed her as he trailed kisses down her neck.
Between the alcohol in her system and his blissful touch, Ella enjoyed her daze. Once they stopped in front of the hotel, he carried her all the way up to the penthouse suite, his bodyguards following behind. "Welcome to our home." He headed straight for the bedroom.
After a miserable night of insomnia and crying, Ella stayed quiet and to herself as much as she could the whole day at work. She even skipped lunch, avoiding her friends. As soon as she got home, she was nabbed by three sets of arms and pulled into a massive hug.
"Guys... Thanks..." Ella sighed, a bit of her tension releasing, as she was glad she had friends she could rely on.
"Guess what tonight is," Alice said.
"Um... No idea."
"Friday night!" Charlie cheered.
"And officially your last night here, from what we hear," Kyra said. "Even though you never gave us a solid answer as to what was happening."
Can't believe the transfer went so fast... and that a text was enough to set it in motion "Sorry..." Ella shrank back.
"We're not here to make you feel bad—"
"We're here to drag you out drinking at a bar near our new workplace!" Alice blurted out.
"Hey! I was supposed to tell her that part; we decided it before." Charlie grabbed her in a headlock.
"Ah! Kyra, help me!"
"Quit it, you two." Kyra smacked them both lightly on the top of their heads. "Tonight is about Ella's... and Alice's promotions, so let's go celebrate."
"I sounded like an afterthought." Alice pouted.
"Of course not, honey." Kyra patted her and then whispered. "But this is also to help Ella with her heartbreak, remember?"
Alice nodded. "Sorry..."
"It's okay." Kyra patted her again and then clapped. "The driver is waiting outside, so let's get going!"
"Wait, the driver?" Ella frowned.
"Yes, we splurged, since we'll all be drinking tonight."
"Kyra, you always think of everything, don't you?"
"I have to, since no one else will."
They all laughed and hugged again.
---
Dressed and ready for a night out with the girls, they all piled into the back of the limo they rented.
"You guys got a limo for tonight?" Ella freaked out.
"I said I got us a driver."
"This isn't what I was expecting. You probably spent too much."
"Ella, honey, remember who you're talking to? I got this for way cheaper than you think, so enjoy the ride."
"There's a mini-bar!" Alice squealed and opened the fridge. "Tiny bottles! Do these cost extra?" she asked, not wanting to get into trouble with Kyra.
"All expenses included, but do you really want to be drunk before we even get to the bar?"
Alice pouted. "You have a point... But look at this one! It's so tiny and cute." Alice wiggled a pink bottle around.
"Fine, but please don't overdo it."
"Yes!" Charlie stole the bottle Alice was hanging onto.
"Hey!" Alice grabbed at it again.
"No fighting!" Kyra snapped at them, and they both went silent.
Alice let go of the bottle and grabbed another one.
"You might as well adopt them; they're both practically your kids, anyway." Ella laughed and nudge Kyra, sitting next to her.
Kyra sighed. "I know, but I don't want more kids – I have enough of my own – I want my girl friends..." She hugged Ella. "I'm so glad I have you. Make sure you still keep some time open for us."
"Always."
They arrived at the new bar near the new hotel, and Alice stumbled out of the limo.
"What happened to one drink?" Kyra followed her out.
"Charlie egged me on!" She pointed at Charlie and wobbled to the side. Charlie smirked and wiggled her fingers, waving at her. "She did it on purpose!"
"I guess your first drink will have to be water." Kyra sighed. She patted Alice on the back and led her into the bar. "Come on, ladies, let's have a good time."
---
They sat in their booth drinking for an hour as they chatted in the busy bar filled with people drinking and dancing on the dance floor.
"I say we hit the dance floor and catch us some men to hang out with," Alice cheered.
"I'm married..." Kyra sighed.
"We can dance with men and talk to them while we're married." Charlie nodded as she searched through the crowd. "Just no touching any naughty parts."
"Charlie!"
"What? It's been a while since I've danced with anyone."
"Then why don't we dance together?"
"We can do that anytime. Let's find us some hunks to dance with!" Charlie rushed off into the rowdy crowd.
"I second that." Alice ran off after her.
Kyra turned to Ella, who was sitting quietly as she drank. "Don't you want to find someone, too?"
"Not really... In case you've forgotten; I just broke up with my long-term boyfriend..." She sipped on her drink and sighed.
Kyra sat down beside her. "I'm pretty sure those two think the quickest way for you to recover is to find someone new, even if they aren't a long-term prospect."
"What about you? What do you think I should do?"
"I think... everyone has their own way of dealing with pain and sadness, and you should focus on taking care of yourself right now. Maybe even focus on your new job."
"Kyra, how did you get to be so wise?"
"I think I always have been, but I think life experiences have made me wiser. And raising three hooligans has made me strong both mentally and physically."
"I think you should raise that number." Ella nudged her head towards Alice and Charlie, dancing on the dance floor with a couple of men they'd never met before.
"If you want to include those two, you might as well add my husband to the bunch." Kyra sighed.
"Really? Harry always seems so mature..."
"He is when other people are around, but when it's just the two of us, or even when the kids are around, he's... well... a big kid."
"You have a hard life, Kyra. I don't know how you manage it all."
"By making time to relax with my girl friends, that's how." They looked over at Alice and Charlie and couldn't help but smile. They were both dancing right beside each other and having fun. "Kinda hard to believe Charlie's married with how she acts."
"To be fair, her husband is gone most of the time, so she's probably lonely."
"True..."
"Hey, Kyra, I think someone's eyeing you." Ella nudged her head to someone sitting at the bar. "Why don't you take Charlie's advice and have a dance?"
"You know I can't do that..." Kyra trailed off as she looked at him. "Oh my gosh, is that Harry?" She turned back to Ella, still wide-eyed. "What's he doing here? What about the kids?"
Ella shrugged. "I'm guessing one of those two planned this, and your sister is probably babysitting, that poor girl..."
"Do you mind if I...?" Kyra nudged her head towards her husband.
"Go for it; that's why he's here."
"Are you going to be okay on your own?" Kyra frowned, wishing one of the other two would come back over first.
"I'm a big girl, Kyra; I'll be fine."
"Okay, but call me over if you need anything."
Ella nodded, and Kyra rushed over to Harry. At least the drinks are good. Ella kept sipping on her drink.
A blonde-haired man approached her. "What's a gorgeous lady like you doing drinking over here all alone?"
"I'm trying to relax while my friends have fun."
"Why don't you just join me and I'll help you relax." He winked at her and held his hand out. "You know you want to."
"Uh, thanks, but no thanks. I'm fine right here."
"Come on, you came to a place like this, so you must be looking for company." He grabbed her wrist.
"Hey, what are you doing? Let go of me!" She tried to pull out of his grasp, but it was too tight.
"What do you think you're doing?" a deep voice came from behind the man.
He glanced back at the dark-haired, blue-eyed man and scoffed. "None of your business, so piss off."
"What if it is my business?"
The man's face contorted. "Who the hell do you think you are?"
He grabbed the man's wrist and twisted it, forcing him to release her. "I'm her boyfriend," he said and slipped in front of the guy to slide in beside Ella in the booth.
What the hell is going on? Am I that drunk already? Why can't people leave me alone?
"You have a boyfriend? Why didn't you say so?"
"Would you have believed her even if she said she had one?" he asked. "I'm sorry I left you alone to use the bathroom, but everything's okay now." He gently squeezed her shoulder.
"Tch... Whatever." The blonde-haired man left.
"Uh... Thanks..." Ella glanced at him and kept drinking. Whoa, where'd this handsome one come from?
"Sure thing. It's dangerous to be here alone, especially if you're a beautiful woman." He smiled as he gazed at her.
"I really came with my friends, though." She pointed at them on the dance floor.
"Then why are you at this table alone?"
"I don't feel like dancing."
"What do you feel like doing?"
She glanced at him again. He looks vaguely familiar and pretty young. Probably barely twenty. "I want to drink my sorrows away." She held up her drink.
"Must suck to be interrupted like that. How about I drink with you? You can even spill your grievances; sometimes it helps to rant about it all."
"Why would you do that? You understand I'm not interested in 'going home' with anyone other than my friends, right?"
He chuckled. "I'm not one to sleep around, anyway."
"Sure..."
"You look like you don't believe me."
What do you expect? Especially when you look like that... Head out of the gutter, Ella!
He smiled and held his hand over his heart. "I promise I don't sleep around with random people. I do flirt a lot, though. As long as that doesn't bother you, would you like to drink together?"
She glanced at her friends having fun. It might be nice to talk about everything with someone who doesn't know me... She nodded. "Okay then."
Never in her life had she ever been as talkative with a stranger as she was then. She told him about the recent events with Nathan and then proceeded to tell him about all her failed, past relationships. In the meantime, she downed a few fresh glasses of beer and fruity cocktails.
Even when her words started to slur, his attention stayed on her.
"You've been through a lot." He nodded and stared at his drink. "What would make you want to marry someone? You seem to think you'll never be ready for it, but what if it's just the right person or circumstances you're waiting for?"
"How would I even know when it's the right person? Even if I like someone... it never feels quite right... Nathan was good to me, but I didn't feel like I could really talk to him. And it felt like... he might leave me someday."
"Fear of abandonment?"
"Maybe... I don't know..."
"What would you do if you were guaranteed someone wouldn't leave you, and you were already... pretty open with them?"
"What are you talking about?" She eyed him.
"It's easy to talk to me, right?"
She nodded.
"And you find me physically attractive."
She nodded again without thinking.
"Would you marry me if I guaranteed you I'd stay with you?"
"I don't know how you can guarantee that..." She stared at her empty glass.
"If I put it in writing that you'd own everything that's mine if I tried to leave or cheat, I think that's a pretty good guarantee."
Her brows furrowed. I'm either completely wasted and hallucinating, or I've already passed out and this is a dream. "Who in their right mind would do something like that?"
He sighed and combed his fingers through his hair. "A man who's taken a liking to you, who is required to get married to get their inheritance... and who's not even allowed to be intimate with a woman unless we're married or at least to be married, or I lose everything..."
"I must be dreaming, because that sounds ludicrous."
"I agree, but you have to be the head of the family in order to change requirements like that..."
"Wait, are you saying you haven't...?"
"Much to my dismay, no..."
"But how would they even know? There's no way to tell something like that."
The man looked around and nudged his head at his bodyguard. "I'm under constant surveillance, and on that note, they'll even hack into the cameras to check on me..."
"That sounds... unreal..." And creepy.
"And yet that's my life." He trailed a finger down her arm to her hand, and she shivered. "So, what do you say? Are you interested?"
"An interesting situation, to say the least..."
He pulled a diamond ring out of his pocket. "All you have to do is say yes, and I'm yours for life." He smiled at her and leaned in close. "Think about it. The marriage you secretly want. A man who will have every means to take care of you, and will treasure you his whole life. And you'll never need to worry or be alone anymore."
She glanced at her friends still on the dance floor. Not being alone anymore? That sounds good... She nodded without thinking it through.
"In that case..." He slipped the ring onto her finger and leaned in even closer. "You're mine now." He gently cupped a cheek and kissed her.
"Hmm?!" At first, she was surprised, and then melted into it, her body tingling. When he finally pulled away, she touched her lips. Holy...
"Not sure I've ever had this good of chemistry with someone." He smirked and bit his lip.
Well said...
"How about we go somewhere private and solidify our newfound engagement?" He stood and held his hand out to her.
In her drunken stupor, she took his hand. He tugged her out the door and into the backseat of his car. "Go to the hotel." He told his driver before rising the divider and turning his complete attention to Ella. "Don't worry; the hotel isn't far." He pulled her onto his lap and caressed her as he trailed kisses down her neck.
Between the alcohol in her system and his blissful touch, Ella enjoyed her daze. Once they stopped in front of the hotel, he carried her all the way up to the penthouse suite, his bodyguards following behind. "Welcome to our home." He headed straight for the bedroom.
