The Wedding: Dark Romance Read online

  “More,” she pleads.

  “Then give me your cherry. I’ve earned it,” I tell her.

  She shot up on her arms and looks back at me. I sit up behind her.

  “I’m not ready. When I am, I will…. I want it to be you,” she says.

  I smile. “Good enough.”

  I come up behind her and ease the head of my cock into her. My stroke drives me deeper and pushes her forward, filling her hot wet channel with every inch of me. Beyond protesting now, she whimpers.

  “I’ll take this cheery, this sweet ass of yours, someday.”

  “Mmhmm,” she groans.

  On sensory overload I’m fucking her nice and slow but it’s mounting as my emotions take over control. When I quicken my movements it feels as if her pussy cinches tighter and tighter around me. It’s making me crazy. My fucking her drops us both on the bed. She’s pinned beneath me and I can’t stop. I rise and fall on top of her, I stroke in and out of her with pelvic thrusts that go harder and faster. Pleasure bursts in through my groin and Coco squeals. Searing jets of come bathe her inner walls. I’m jerking and wheezing, losing my rhythm but still tunneling deep.

  I can’t catch my breath. I may have even over taxed my lungs. First the saxophone and now this. I’m burnt out. I roll off her and put a hand to my chest.

  “You okay?”

  “Yeah,” I gasp.

  She moves over and on top of me.

  “Whoa babe, I’m not near ready.”

  She puts a finger to my mouth. She’s looking down at me with those eyes of hers and a pretty smile. She’s glowing and it’s not the post-coital glow. It’s her.

  “I want to say something,” she says.

  I listen.

  “Tonight felt special. The carriage ride, the flowers, the club, dinner all of it so sweet. I’ve never felt like this with anyone, Brick. Ever.”

  I listen.

  “I have to go… home, tomorrow, and then school, so we won’t see each other. It’s like I I told you this was for fun, temporary. But…”

  She lifts her finger from my mouth and struggles with the rest. I pull her face down to mine. I kiss her.

  “But you’re mine,” I tell her.

  “Brick…”

  “I’m not going anywhere and neither are you.”

  “You don’t understand my family.”

  “I don’t have too. You understand them. And you understand me. That sonnet, you wrote. That’s us.”

  She relaxes on in my arms and stretches out across my body. I hold her to my chest. This makes sense. And no matter what she thinks, she’s not marrying any other man in August. The wedding is off.

  Chapter Eleven

  One Month Later

  Félicitations à vous

  “Collette Larue!”

  I step up and then walk across the platform. There’s a roar of applause from my family even though the University has explicitly warned everyone from doing so. The Dean of Liberal Arts smiles at me and gives me a leather binder with my name engraved in gold on the outside.

  I’m a graduate.

  I can still hear my family cheering as the next student’s name is called. I pause for the picture and look out at the audience. We have close to fifty members and decedents of the Larue family in attendance. Doesn’t matter. As I walk down the steps with my diploma and head to my seat I can only think one thought. Did Brick come?

  Coco’s next. I watch her walk across the stage and take her picture. She secured my invitation. I’m seated not far from her celebrating family. They don’t know who I am. It takes a minute for them to settle down to realize this isn’t the Collette Larue show. Her brothers are the proudest. They make a ruckus. They’re tall strapping men. Like my own brothers. Among them is one man who isn’t loud and proud. He’s in a pinstripe suit with a bowtie. He wears glasses that are rectangle lens no frames. I can only see the side of his face and then the back of his head, but I know who he is. Xavier Lacroix.

  I’ve seen all I need too. I get up from my seat and walk out of the aisle. Again her family doesn’t know me. None glance my way. It’s best I let Princess have her moment. For the next hour I sit in my convertible smoking weed and thinking of the past month with her. Picking her up after class and taking her straight to my place because I can’t get enough of her. The weekends when she comes to the club and and listens to me play. I haven’t been able to coax her back up to the stage to sing. I wish she would, she has the voice of an angel.

  The doors open and people start to leave. I have a close enough parking spot to see the families and the graduates. I glance over to the flowers next to me. I can’t approach her with them. She’s asked me not to approach her at all.

  “Fuck it.” I put out my smoke, grab the flowers and get out of the car. I’m side-stepping laughing graduates, crying family members, picture takers, kids running and playing. It’s chaos for a while. I even stop to speak to a few people who I happen to know. I don’t lie to them. I’m there to see someone special. And I say so.

  When the search turns up nothing I’m almost ready to give up and then I hear someone say her name. Through the crowd I see her family first. I recognize her brothers, and the stiff in the bowtie. Coco is dwarfed by the men in her family on either side of her taking a picture. Once that snap is done the family forces her into the arms of Mr. Bowtie. Coco puts on a thin lipped smile. Interesting enough he has the same kind of constipated look on his face. The moment the picture is done he walks off. And then Georgie appears. I forgot she too is graduating. The girls pose together and the laughter and happiness returns to Coco’s face.

  Coco has on her cap and gown and her hair is long with big curls underneath. She sees me. Our eyes meet and her smile fades. I hold up the flowers for her to see. The smile she gives me is brighter than any I’ve seen on her face yet. I’m spotted by another person who is watching from the sidelines, unable to break the seal and approach. I see him from my peripheral.

  “Don’t even think about it, ya heard me?” Marcel warns when he steps to my side.

  “I won’t.” I assure him.

  “Then what are you doin’ with them flowers?” Marcel asks.

  I realize the yellow roses are tight in my hand and dripping petals I’ve had them so long. I glance to my Manager and my friend and I can’t tell a lie. “Looking for my opportunity. Aren’t you?”

  Marcel glances over to the girls. Now both of them have seen us and they are trying hard to pretend not too. They pose with family members and keep glancing our way.

  “That’s my bae-bee,” Marcel says. “Georgie is going to tell her parents tonight about me.”

  “Oh yea? Drama,” I say.

  “No shit,” Marcel mumbles.

  We stare at the girls together. It sure is a lot of them. “Maybe they’ll accept you and Georgie,” I say.

  Marcel shrugs. “I doubt it.”

  I’ve known Marcel for years. His nose is wide open and so is his heart when it comes to Georgie. She’s the only babe I’ve seen him so attached too.

  “So you here to support her?”

  “I’m here to stop her,” Marcel mumbles. The girls walk off with their families intermingled. Coco’s grandmother is being pushed in a wheelchair. I glance to Marcel for an explanation.

  “Stop? Why?”

  “I’m not ready. She’s not ready. We just got signed. That means Paris, then Los Angeles. We got plans, Georgie can’t fit into them. Not yet. Shit, things are easy for you and Coco. You both know it’s not going anywhere. Georgie pisses off her family then she’s going to turn to me to make a hard commitment to her.”

  “Bullshit.”

  Anger flashes in Marcel’s eyes. I can read past it. He’s not mad at me. He’s mad at his cowardice. What is there to fear? The girls are both braver and bolder than he and I on this score. It’s pathetic.

  “Fuck you,” Marcel says and walks off.

  I don’t stop him. I watch him walk away and turn my gaze back to the directio
n Coco and her family went. Marcel is wrong. I’m not ready to walk away. Not from her. And I’m not sure if I can let her do the same. And that’s a problem for us both.

  My family has chosen Houma House Plantation and Gardens to celebrate my graduation. The Larue and Chastain families, mine and Georgie’s, spared no expense for a joint affair. We changed into our designer dresses and even had a glam team to do our makeup and hair. Our friends, their friends, and the people in Houma who have known us since we were born are all here. In total close to three hundred invited guests. Including Xavier’s people. The Lacroix. Oh, and he’s having a grand time parading around like my accomplishment is his. People stopping him to congratulate him. It’s nauseating.

  I used to think that it was just me that found our relationship pretentious and stifling. But the way he avoids spending ten minutes alone with me proves he does too. So why are we even bothering?

  “Coco? Where’s Georgie?” Ms. Claudette asks me. She approaches in an evening gown fit for Diana Ross. It’s all sequin and slimming to her Goddess figure. Mrs. Chastain is Georgie’s mother and her twin. She has her smile, eyes, nose, even her petite figure. I thought me and my mom looked alike but Ms. Claudette has found the fountain of youth. I often get her and Georgie confused when the two are in the same room.

  “Ah? Not sure? I thought she was already down here.”

  Ms. Claudette looks up to the stairs. “That girl. She makes everything difficult. Can you go upstairs and tell her to get her narra-ass down here, sweetheart? People are asking for you both. It’s time for dinner soon and her father’s toast.”

  “Yes, ma’am,”

  The guests are in the ballroom but the dinner is out in the gardens. Two bands have been commissioned to play for us one inside and one in the gardens. I hurry upstairs in my heels. The Plantation house has rooms that could be rented out for the three-day celebration. And we have secured all of them.

  As soon as I arrive on the floor I can see Georgie’s makeup team and stylist in the hall. They are all looking pensive. It’s weird. When I approach, Debbie who specializes in hair extensions, spots me first.

  “What’s going…”

  My voice falters. I hear Georgie scream and curse. I rush to the door but Malik grabs my arm. “She’s on the phone with her boyfriend. She doesn’t want us to go in. She asked me to keep everyone out.”

  “Let me go. I’m not everyone.” I toss the door open to see my best friend in hysteria. She’s smeared her make up and paces in her dress with no shoes on. She is talking so fast and yelling and crying. I don’t know what has her distressed. She doesn’t even know I’m in the room. If Georgie’s mother and aunts found her in this state it would be major drama. But nothing and no one could calm Georgie when she was worked up. Not even me. All I can do is watch and learn what I can from the one sided conversation I’m privy too.

  “What do you mean you’re done! You aren’t telling me why!”

  “But why Marcel? Why are you doing this?”

  “You said you loved me!”

  “I can’t believe you!”

  “Shut up! Shut up with your damn excuses! You were supposed to be here. I was supposed to introduce you to my family. We talked about this.”

  “That’s a lie! You’re a fucking liar! You promised me. I love you, baby! What? Go to hell! I hope you go to hell!”

  “No. No. I didn’t mean it. Marcel. Okay. Wait. If you want more time I’ll give it to you.”

  “I don’t understand? Please Marcel.”

  “What did I do wrong?”

  “Nooooooo!”

  “Marcel!”

  “Marcel! Marcel! MARCEL!!!!!!”

  Georgie throws the phone at the wall and screams until her voice goes hoarse. I’m certain this scream could be heard through the entire house. I rush to her side and take her into my arms and she breaks down crying.

  “Georgie calm down before someone hears you!”

  “He broke up with me. He ended it. He ended it!”

  “No. You had a fight. It’s not over.”

  “It is!” she shouts. Georgie shoves me off. She turns from me with her hands in her hair. She’s crying so hard and so bad I’m scared for her. I grab her and take her to the bathroom. It’s the only thing I can think to do. Georgie dropped down on the closed toilet lid and sat like a spoiled child.

  “Do you want your mother to see you like this? Do you?”

  “I don’t care,” she weeps.

  “Georgie. C’mon. It’s Marcel. You two break up every other week. Why is this different?”

  She wipes her tears and shakes her head. “He knew what today was. What this meant to me. To us.”

  “Your graduation?”

  She nodded. The tears had stopped. I’m thankful. Seeing Georgie distressed always upsets me.

  “We were going to tell Mama and Daddy today. Tell every one of those tight ass friends of theirs the truth. Tell them that we are in love and want to get married. He was going to propose to me right in front of them. I even picked out the fucking ring!”

  “Georgie? Here? Why now?”

  My best friend looks up at me with anger. “Why not now? This is it, Coco. We aren’t little girls anymore. This is it. We can go and do whatever the hell we want. And they can’t stop us.”

  “That’s our family you’re talking about. They deserve respect.”

  “Oh shut up!” Georgie stood. “You telling me that you’re going to marry pencil dick Xavier? That you’re going to be your mother. Pathetic, afraid of her own shadow. Some uptight breed mare for her husband instead of a person of your own!”

  I slap her. I hit her hard across the face. Georgie doubles back in shock.

  “You know what? You’re just like those people out there you hate. Only thinking about yourself, ignoring everyone else.”

  “I’m sorry Coco. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

  I let go of my anger and hug my friend. I hold her until her tears dry up. And then we refresh each other makeup. We talk about it, and agree to put it aside. We put on our cotillion smiles and emerge from the room like the princesses our families expect. And I know that it’s the hardest performance we both can make. With futures decided for us.

  “There she is!” I hear my father yell. My mother is standing at his side with a wide smile. My anxiety lessens at the pride and joy on my parents face. I walk over. My dad kisses me. “Everyone, I have something to say.”

  “Save the toast until dinner!” My brother Bobby heckles him from the crowd.

  My father chuckles. “This isn’t a toast. It’s a gift. Let me have my say and then I’ll pass it to you, Robert,” My father chuckles. Robert Chastain, Georgie’s father toasts him. My dad then looks to me.

  “My baby girl. My last born. This night is for you, to celebrate you, I am so proud of who you’ve become. Who you will be. Your mother and I both want you to know that. I remember the day you took your first step. I’ll never forget the moment you walked across that stage today as a graduate. Xavier! Come over here!”

  My heart sinks. Xavier gets out of his seat and approaches. I glance back at him and feel my anger swell in my gut. Can’t I have a single moment with my family that is all mine and not shared with him?

  “Xavier. You are part of this family. And soon you’ll be my son. As a graduation gift to the both of you, I’m buying you a plot of land in Baton Rouge to start building your home!”

  Everyone stood and clapped. My mouth fell open. Xavier hugged my father as if he was his own. I can’t believe it. My graduation gift is a house with a man I don’t want to marry. I look back and Georgie has a snide look on her face she raises her champagne flute in salute to me.

  I want to cry. Instead I turn and walk off.

  “Coco!” My mother says.

  I can’t help it. If I stay I’m liable to say the wrong thing.

  “Coco?”

  “Leave me alone, ma.”

  “Wait, honey, wait!”

 
My mother follows me up the stairs. I just need a minute alone to put back on my fake smile and pretend the rest of the night. Even on my graduation day I have to pretend for them. Nothing I do or say ever changes them or me.

  “Coco?”

  I throw open the doors to the upstairs terrace and walk out on the balcony. My mother has caught me. And she’s distressed by my anger as always. It’s as if she works to keep her kids from upsetting our father instead of protecting us from him and his insufferable need to control us.

  “Wait a minute Coco.”

  “Ma, please. I just want to be left alone.”

  My mother grabs my arm and turns me to face her. “What has gotten into you? Since we’ve been here you’ve been hiding away, and sulking. Today is your day. You just graduated college and you’re acting like you’re attending a funeral.”

  “It’s how I feel.”

  “Why would you say that?”

  “Ma? Did you hear daddy? He just congratulated Xavier for me finishing school. I might as well not even have been standing there. What has Xavier done for me?”

  “He’s happy for you both. Your father is proud of the woman you’ve become. We both are!”

  “That may be true. But still he can’t see me, he can only see me and Xavier. As if we’re one person now.”

  “He’s going to be your husband.”

  “Says who!” I throw my arms up. “Says who Ma? You? Some promise grand-mère made before I was born. It’s 2012. Why are my mother and father picking out husbands for me?”

  “So this tantrum is about marrying Xavier?”

  “When is it not about him? It’s all everyone talks about. I’m sick of it.”

  My mom hugs me. I hug her back and feel awful for yelling at her. I typically reserve my anger for my father or brothers. Never her. She’s always been the peacemaker between us both.

  She cups my face. “What do you want Coco?”

  “To go to New York. I want to enroll in NYU. I want to be a writer, maybe even a director. It’s all I ever wanted.”