Living With The Player

CAMILLA RENEE

LINCOLN MEMORIAL.

It’s three pm and there’s hardly anyone around. I can’t see Harper or Dylan. I’m inside the memorial.

My phone began ringing again.

“You listened. Now keep walking. You’ll get your reward soon.”

“What do you want?”

“You. Forever.”

He answers in the same computerized voice. Me? I thought his obsession was Dylan. After seven years, he’s still psychotic.

“W-What are you talking about? Why won’t you leave me the fuck alone?”

I step forward, checking around.

“I can’t, even if I tried,”

I furrow my brows.

“Where is Dylan?”

“Closer.”

I shiver

“Why did you take him? What do you want?”

“I told you, Darlin, you and I. Forever.”

I search the entire place. It’s no longer scanty. It’s empty now. Completely empty. I walk out and try trailing the surrounding. Even security has vanished.

Wait, a minute. Dylan calls me Darlin. Did Harper take that up now? Has he gotten even more crazy?Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“Have you figured it out yet?”

“Dylan.”

I whisper.

“Darlin.”

He answers, but it’s no longer over the phone. He’s behind me, I’m sure.

I spin around and he’s at the bottom of the stairs. But he’s not standing. He’s kneeling on one knee.

“Dylan…”

“Where’s Harper? I…”

“Marry me.”

He cuts me off with a smug grin, showing off a box with a diamond-encrusted in the middle of a ring.

I gulp.

“W-What? I don’t…”

“Marry me, Darlin. Then I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.”

“Blackmail into marrying you? Really?”

A chuckle slips out.

“Yes. Repeat after me. Yes.”

I cross my arms and move closer.

“You know, it’s easy to write a love note to come here and sign it D, like a normal person. Or you know give me flowers or place the ring at the bottom of a glass, so many options. These theatrics weren’t needed. I would’ve said yes either way.”

His face lifts up as I reach him.

“Yes, I’ll marry you.”

Slipping the ring on my left finger, he pulls up and reaches my face.

“You made a man kneel for over two minutes.”

He hums, licking his bottom lip.

“As he should.”

I answer back, smirking.

“Yes, the theatrics weren’t needed, but it was epic and a total turn-on seeing you scared for me like that. You were typically shaking when you called Ethan to ask where I was…”

He circles my skin, leaving goosebumps as he passed by.

“I was not scared. You asshole. How dare..”

He’s back in my face and cutting me off so swiftly that I take a step back. His right arm takes my back, steadies me and finally, I give in and kiss him back.

“I’m confused. I’m sure I heard Harper the second time. How did you?”

“You can come out now. She said yes. Obviously.”

Slowly, a few faces are revealed. One of them is pungent. It’s Harper. He’s smiling. Not the vicious kind, but the type that makes you love guys with an open tooth.

“I’m confused. Explain!”

“I kept in touch over the years. I visited. I suggested psychology help. Seven years is a long time to get through issues, and we got through them.”

“He tried to kill me.”

“And I assure you, you’ll get your revenge. You and Claire can take turns to hit him while I tie him to a pole.”

He smirks and I shake my head.

“So both of you did this entire thing?”

“Well he’s the bodyguard for the woman whose husband was murdered, so we returned together once the case ended.”

He shrugs. I put the pieces together in my head them elbow him.

“You sick fool!”

Claire laughs and then comes with Miranda and Athena. All three of them encircle me in a hug.

“You knew?”

“Seeing you pace was fun.”

Athena answers.

“And over the phone? I recorded your tone and played it. Priceless.”

Claire adds and all three of them laugh out.

“It’s not funny!”

I pout.

“Hey!”

Miranda coos, tightening her grip on me.

“It’s epic.”

Dylan answers beside me. Maybe it was a little fun, I peak at the ring over my finger. I’ll be Mrs Emerton soon.

“Mrs Emerton.”

I mouth softly.

“Okay! The gang is here now so we can get drunk!!”

Kyle yells.

“I’ll give James a call. Maybe he can come.”

Athena muses, I pull away and return to Dylan’s side.

“You like it don’t you?”

“I like it a lot. I love you a lot.”

I giggle then kiss him again.

“This seems like the end of our story.”

“Quite the contrary Darlin. You should’ve thought about it before saying yes. Now we’re stuck forever, you’re never getting rid of me again.”

He kisses the side of my forehead. I don’t stop playing with my finger, watching everything unfold before me. He’s right, this is the start of another adventure.

“Wait until you have my kids which we should start working on the moment I have you alone.”

He twirls his index nail over my exposed shoulder.

“Oh yeah, definitely a big adventure.”

I chuckle.

****

FIVE YEARS LATER.

“You can’t pregnant again if you’re already pregnant.”

Dylan reasons, unclipping my bra.

He just got the results from the pregnancy test and decided we should celebrate it by having sex.

“You’re crazy. We’re not harming the baby.”

“Come on! You know it’s barely a foetus. We can call Athena now to confirm.”

“Dylan!”

I hall yell when he grabs his phone.

“You know she’s on vacation with James. They couldn’t have their honeymoon last year, so we are not interrupting them. Drop the phone.”

I command, pointing to the desk.

“But…”

“No buts. Do it now.”

“You’ll bend over then?”

“Dylan!”

I yell, more like laughing.

“What? Soon it’ll be like last time with those stupid mood swings and funny cravings, I plan on enjoying as much as I can.”

“Really?”

I arch a brow.

“Pretty please.”

He pouts.

“Don’t you have a missing girl to work on?”

“Don’t you have a man to convince that Magic isn’t real?”

He counters with a smirk.

“Oh Jesus, I can’t do this now. I’m going to bed.”

“Oh come on! Please Cam I’ll go slow I promise.”

“Oh my God, Dylan!”

I scream, laughing uncontrollably.

“Mommy is everything alright. Why are you yelling?”

Freya whispers, knocking over the door.

“Go away!”

Dylan whines then lay on the bed.

“Shut up!”

I chuckle and move to the door. Freya walks in and reaches the bed, moving to Dylan and laying on top of him.

They’re the same person. And she’s only three years old.

“Now I’m not going to..”

“Don’t even say it.”

I warn, biting my lips to not laugh.

“Fine.”

He lifts her, placing her beside him.

Chuckling, I slip into the bed so she’s in the middle.

“Give her five minutes. Once she falls asleep, take her back to her room, make sure you tuck her in, leave the lights on as she’d like, and then come back. Maybe I’ll bend over then.”

I speak quietly, ensuring he’s the only one who hears. Once I’m done, I wink and then turn over.

He’ll take her back in two minutes I’m sure.

Five years ago, I made the best decision by marrying him. We bicker. More than normal. He sometimes sleeps in the guest room. When I got pregnant with Freya, it was scary, but we got through that phase.

I clutch my tummy with a smile. Baby number two. Yet another adventure with him.

A smile creeps my cheeks when I feel Freya being lifted over the bed.

I’m enjoying every bit of this. And as Dylan would say, till whenever, but God I want him forever.

“Back like I never left Darlin.”

He retorts, over my ear.

“God that’s terrible.”

Laughing, I flip around and kiss him.

THE END.

****

Author’s Note: Again, I would like to thank everyone for following me through this journey. Don’t forget to check out my new book: A VOW TO HATE. Also, leave a review after reading. Let me know what you think of the book so far! Thank you. Lots of love. Now and forever, C.