Ezra
I watch her fall asleep in my arms. Everything about her feels right even though I just met her. She is beautiful and intelligent. Everything that I have ever wanted in a woman. But I have to marry Olympia, a woman I could never love. I lie there for another hour before kissing Amelia’s shoulder and slowly unwinding myself from her. I roll out of bed and use my phone flashlight to find my clothes and throw them on. I then hover over Amelia. She has a soft smile as she sleeps, so I take a couple of pictures with my phone before kissing her cheek and walking out of the room.
I feel guilty as I walk down the hall to the elevator. I fumble with my phone as I dial Willow’s number then I remember I drove here. Once down in the lobby, I rouse the night auditor.
“Can I help you, sir?” The half-awake man slurs.
“Sorry to bother you,” I say to him. “There is a young woman in my room.”
The auditor blinks at me but says nothing.
“Let her stay as long as she would like,” I tell him.
He sighs, “If she stays past eleven am, she’d have to pay for another night.”
“Fine, add it to the bill then,” I tell him. “I have to leave now, though,” I say, pulling out my credit card and handing it to him.
He looks at the card, and recognition flashes in his eyes, “Can I see your ID?”
I nod and hand it to him with a slight smirk.
“Ezra Keaton,” He mutters. “Wait- “
I nod, “Yeah, that Ezra Keaton. I could buy this entire block if I wanted.”
The auditor sniffles, “Why were you staying in this dump?” I raise an eyebrow, and he nods and mouths right.
“Thank,” I look at his name badge, “Tony. Can also see to it that my lady friend has ride wherever she would like to go?”
“Yes, I will let the morning shift know,” Tony responds.
“Thank you,” I say, place a couple of hundred-dollar bills on the counter, and walk out of the hotel. My car is waiting for me with another man holding the keys. “Thank you,” I say to him and hand him a fifty while taking the keys.
I start the car, put the radio on some rock station, and speed off. The sun is beginning to rise, and the sky is turning purple. It takes me about twenty minutes to reach my building. I park my car and head up.
I slink into the penthouse and head straight for the kitchen. Not feeling like waking Abilene, the cook, I open the fridge to scrounge around. I dig out some cheese and head for my room. On the way there, the light comes on in Olympia’s room. She prefers not to share a bedroom with me.
“Are you just now getting home?” She pokes her half-awake face out. She is wearing her pink silk robe that cost five thousand dollars because it was imported.
“Yep,” I mutter, take a bite of the cheese, and move past her room.
“Do I smell perfume?” Olympia follows me.
I shrug, “Probably. You and Chanel wear a ton of that crap, so the smell lingers.”
“Scent, Ezra, it’s a scent,” Olympia huffs as we walk into my room. She sits on the bed and folds her arms.
I finish the cheese, “I went out. I told you,” I tell her.
“What was her name?” She sneers.
Amelia isn’t the first girl I have slept with since I have been engaged to Olympia. I shrug again, “Does it matter?”
“I would like to have a name for whatever disease you catch,” Olympia grumbles.
“Like we ever do anything,” I snort.
“You know why we don’t,” She flips her blonde hair out of her face.
I say nothing to her, and we fume silently for a minute before she rises from the bed.
“I am going dress shopping with our mothers and your sister today,” she tells me. “Can we have dinner later?”
I shrug, “Sure.”
She leans over and touches my cheek. There is no spark, nothing from her. She kisses my lips, and it’s like being kissed by my sister. “Goodnight, Ezra.”
I nod at her, “Night.”
Olympia sashays out of the room, and I head into the bathroom. I strip out of my clothes and take a quick shower. After the shower, I flop onto my bed and close my eyes. I dream about Amelia.
I am woken up by Willow flopping into bed and slapping my bare butt.
“What the f**k?” I look at my best friend.
She is lying on her side with her head propped on her face, “Morning, slut.”
I roll my eyes, “What are you doing here so early?”
“Just checking that you made it home alright,” Willow laughs.
“I made it,” I snort.
Willow laughs and rolls out of bed. “Well, you better hurry and get dressed. You don’t want to be late for sitting on your father’s yacht, do you?”
“I don’t want to see Hugh,” I groan, mentioning Olympia’s father. I am scheduled to hang out on the family yacht with Olympia’s father and brother while the women go dress shopping.
“Why? Because you keep f*****g everyone but his daughter?” Willow snarks.
“Shut up,” I smack her and slink to my closet. I begrudgingly pick out a pair of white jeans, a white polo shirt, and a blue yacht jacket. My father finds it amusing that I don’t have people who dress me daily like he does. I don’t feel the need to have people do everything for me even though I can afford it. I throw on my clothes and check myself out in the mirror before walking out of the room with Willow following me.
“Morning,” Tiffany Kramer says as I enter the large kitchen. She is sitting at the counter beside my sister.
“Hi,” I wink at Tiffany. She is a cute little blonde that I have slept with once or twice. I don’t know if my sister knows it or not. “It smells good in here,” I remark to Abilene.
“I am making omelets, Mr. Keaton,” Abilene, an older woman with gray hair, says. “What would you like on yours?”
“The usual,” I respond to her with a grin, head over to the coffee pot, and pour two mugs for Willow and me.
“Are you going out with Daddy and Uncle Hugh?” Chanel speaks up.
I nod, “Yeah,” I reply. “And he’s not our uncle. I am marrying his daughter.”
“Yeah, and?” Chanel chuckles. “We have known them our whole lives.”
“Right,” I mutter and sit at the end of the counter. Willow sits beside me.
Olympia slinks into the kitchen wearing khaki pants and a silky floral blouse. She has her hair done up in a bun. She says nothing as she walks past me to sit beside Chanel. She wrinkles her nose and sneers at Abilene, “What are you making?” She asks the cook.
Abilene sets a couple of plates in front of Chanel and Tiffany. “Omelets.”
“Ugh,” Olympia scoffs.
“What would you like me to make you?” Abilene asks in a kindly tone.
“Something other than that,” Olympia replies.
I roll my eyes and glance at Willow while sipping my coffee. “I appreciate your food, Abilene,” I say to the cook, who smiles at me.
Olympia scoffs, “Why don’t you sleep with her too, Ezra? I’ll just have some fruit,” Olympia speaks to Abilene.
Abilene nods and scurries towards the stove.
“Do you have nothing to say, Ezra?” Olympia grumbles.
I hold up my mug, “I’m drinking coffee.”
Abilene sets a plate in front of me with a delicious-looking omelet. She then places a bowl of cut-up fruit in front of Olympia. I slowly eat while ignoring the daggers Olympia is shooting at me. She finishes her fruit and stomps out of the kitchen.
“You could at least pretend you like her,” My sister says.
“I can’t even pretend anymore, Chanel,” I tell her. I finish my food and walk out of the kitchen. I pass Olympia’s room and see her sitting on her bed. She appears to be crying, and I feel bad, so I step inside. “Olympia.”
“You hate me. I know you do. But I actually care about you, Ezra,” she sniffles. “You are a good, kind man. So many men in our circle are so- “She trails off.
“I’m sorry, Olympia. I truly am,” I apologize.
She stands up, “You are always sorry, Ezra. But you don’t even look at me. Am I not pretty enough?”
“You are beautiful,” I say as I wrap my arms around her.
She sniffles and leans into me. “I am going to look terrible at my appointment.”
I wipe the tears from her face. “You will look fine.”
“Thanks,” She sniffles again.
I peck her on the lips.
“I have to get going,” she pulls out of my arms and grabs her latest Coach purse.
“Have a good day with our dads and Aiden.”
“Bye,” I say and go to kiss her, but she pushes me away.
“I don’t want to mess up my makeup,” she says, touching my arm before rushing out.
I linger in her room for a moment after she leaves before slinking down the hall to mine and preparing to leave for the day. Willow is sitting in the living room watching TV with Abilene and Wanda, the maid.
“Let’s get going,” I say to Willow.
She jumps up with a squeal. “Will Leslie be there today?” She asks about someone that works on the yacht.
“I hope so,” I say. “Unless my mother fired her.”
Willow sulks slightly, “Why does your mother have to fire everyone I want to hump?”
“I don’t know,” I sigh and smile at Wanda and Abilene. “Have a good day, ladies.”
“Thank you, Mr. Keaton,” Abilene waves.
Willow drives us to the harbor, where The Queen Sabrina dwarfs all the other yachts around it. My father named it after my mother as an anniversary present. I see my father standing on the dock with Hugh and Aidan Carrington. He glares at me as I walk toward him with Willow.
“You didn’t have to bring your driver, son,” Dad snorts.
“Willow is my friend, Dad,” I counter.
“My son,” Dad laughs and looks at Hugh.
“He’s always been funny like that, Clarence,” Hugh laughs.
“Ezra,” Aidan acknowledges me.
“Aidan,” I shake his hand. Aidan is another good friend of mine. “How is Chelsea?” I ask of his wife.
“About to pop any day,” Aidan says proudly. “I can’t wait to meet my son.”
I smile back. I glance and see our fathers already getting onto the yacht.
“Shall we?” I gesture to the boat, and Aidan nods.