Chapter 5
Garrett
Five Years Ago
“Nice mask,” I commented, wishing it wasn't there. The half mask was porcelain with an accented tiara and peacock feathers shooting up from one side; it reminded me of something from the Italian Baroque period, but with bright and complementing colors. Among a room full of masks, hers stood out as more intricate and unique; it was easy to tell that love went into its creation.
I'd noticed her when I walked in, but intentionally kept my distance.
I pulled her closer than I should have as we danced through a hole in the crowd. She was tall and had some curves about her. I liked that. I led her to a quieter section of the dance floor so we wouldn't have to shout at one another.
That and, if I got any closer to Lucas King I was going to take his fucking head off. It was a good thing we had these masks on, or else both of us would wind up in the news again. I wasn't about to make a scene right now, not with his pregnant wife around.
Besides, after that blow out with Heidi a few minutes ago, the last thing I wanted was to draw more attention.
I needed a distraction.
“Thanks,” my blond haired partner smiled proudly. The look was enough to make me miss my next step. I hadn't seen genuine warmth like that in a long time. “I made it.”
So she was beautiful inside and out...
Who was this woman?
“What happened over there?” She asked bluntly. “That woman looked pissed. Was that your wife?”
“Yes,” I was a little surprised by her forwardness. “We're in a rough spot right now. I was hoping coming to this event with her would smooth things over, but it’s only made things worse.”
Heidi and I have been in a perpetual argument for months now. The smallest things set us off these days. I was on my way to becoming a billionaire, and still nothing I did was enough for her. It drove me crazy. I doubted she'd even come home tonight. Not like it would’ve been the first time.
I hated to think of where she might go, or who she might go to.
“Did you forget an anniversary?” She guessed. Her voice was light and bubbly. If champagne could talk, it would sound like her. “Or a birthday? You didn't run over the dog did you?”
I wished it was that easy. Not the dog part though, that shit would be horrible. I wasn't about to tell a complete stranger that my wife just told me she didn't love me and was only staying because of our daughter.
“You don't have much of a filter do you?”
“I— shit. I'm sorry,” she said. “My curiosity tends to get me in trouble. I can't help it. Aside from the King brothers, you're the only one here who looks larger than life. In the good way I mean. I'm obviously not calling you fat!”
“I'd ask your name, but I guess that would defeat the purpose.”
“Yes! I'm glad you get that” She glanced to the side searching out someone; probably the person who didn't get that.
“Where's your date? You can't be here alone.” I glanced around this time, partly looking for some guy who was standing off to the side fuming that I was dancing with his girlfriend, and partly looking for my wife who might be doing the same.
I knew I wouldn't find Heidi. She'd left in our limo, gone to who knows where. I was doing what I could to hold things together for our daughter, but Heidi made it clear that she didn’t love me anymore. I wish it hadn't come to this; Jaclyn deserved a chance at a whole family...
“That is a great question,” my partner said sullenly. Then she chuckled, her hand slid across my back. “Doesn't look like it's our night, huh?”
“Who knows,” I spun her to the end of my arm, then rolled her back in. Her long blond hair cascaded over my neck and chest, inundating me with her silky texture and flowery-smelling conditioner.
I greedily breathed in as much of her as I could. “Maybe it is our night.”
She tittered nervously, thoroughly at a loss for words. I could feel her pulse race through her white gown. Her plunging neckline shifted when her spine went rod straight, as if noticing my touch for the first time.
She looked stunning.
I envied the poor, dumb bastard who this outfit was meant for; obviously the man was a fool for not noticing her enough.
Song after song, we danced in wordless closeness for a long while. It was perfect. For an hour or so I could be a completely different person who was just dancing with a stranger.
“I feel like I should call you something,” She said at last, once we drifted far enough from the rest of the crowd. The ambient lighting was strong enough where we were for me to finally see the emerald hue in her bright eyes. Not even the porcelain mask could hide her sparkling gems from me. “Not your real name of course, but something. Y'know?”
I didn't think she could get any prettier. I was wrong.
“Like a superhero name?” I let the absurd fantasy of it all part my lips in a grin. “Sure. Call me Grim. What do I call you?”
For bringing the naming concept up, she struggled with thinking of one. She had to know that I'd ask her for one as well, right?
“Rocket,” she sighed, her cheerfulness tarnishing a bit. It made my heart ache with sympathy pangs.
“Fuck names,” I said dismissively. I wasn't going to call her something that wounded her. “We don't need them. Just for tonight we'll be a man and a woman. To hell with everything else.”
“I like that.” She smiled again, pulling herself a little closer to me.
We chased the night away one dance step at a time, and for a while I was able to let go of all the other crap on my mind. Football was so fucking all-encompassing these days, I felt like it was smothering me. Coach Miller was such an incredible prick about not allowing me any time to get my personal life together. I didn’t know how much more of his shit I’d be able to take.
Far too soon all the dancing was done. I held the mystery woman in my arms not wanting to let her go. We'd slowly marched to the gallows of a decision. Part ways forever as strangers, or leave our broken worlds together.
It was so insanely tempting to do the latter… and just leave it all behind.
“Thank you.” she looked up at me hopefully. “It was a bad night until you came along.”
My pleasure.” I softly kissed her hand. A tiny birthmark above her thumbnail caught my eye; it was in the shape of a crescent moon. I whispered into her ear. “You still owe me one.”
My perfect dancer swayed lightly with anticipation. She wanted me to decide for both of us. The small portion of her face that I could see was eager, but also hesitant. I could only imagine what battles she fought in her head right now.
Thoughts of my newborn daughter washed through me and I knew that I never really had a choice at all. There was no way I could ever leave her, or be the reason she didn't have a full family.
My life was different now. My sacrifices were just beginning.
“Perhaps,” I said, heavily discarding something truly unique and special. I dove desperately once more into her emerald eyes. “In another life we'd have gotten one more dance. Good night.”
Then I left her forever.