Crowne of Lies: A Marriage of Convenience Romance by CD Reiss

Author:CD Reiss [Reiss, CD]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-02-27T18:30:00+00:00

Part II

SIX MONTHS LATER

19

ELLA

I’d gotten my husband a pair of slippers for his birthday. It was a joke only Logan and his mother laughed at, and when I’d set them at the door the first time, we laughed again before he went to a dinner meeting.

Byron was still in the picture. Logan had fulfilled his part of the deal by getting married, so he was in charge. Finally at the head of the table with Ted in an advisory role. But his wedding had happened so quickly and unconvincingly, his brother hung around so that Logan was able to “enjoy his marriage.”

Logan was doing his job. My job was to spend a year being perfect.

I filled six months’ worth of days with Logan’s life, his plans, his demands. He doled out his companionship in teaspoons, still working every hour, and I was the perfect wife for a guy who was never around. My art was a “hobby,” and my friends were available for lunch. Papillion survived without me, as did Bianca, who called on holidays.

Life was perfect and fine, and I was bored to tears, unfulfilled, uncomfortable, and invisible.

I was a landmine he brought closer to detonation every time we were in public. He brushed my skin with the backs of his fingers, kissed me for show, held my hand, and gently stroked the back of my neck. Sometimes, even when we were alone, he moved a lock of hair out of my eyes or put his arm around me.

At Doreen’s birthday dinner, he’d kissed my neck and I’d shuddered so hard I had to close my eyes.

I thought it would get easier. I’d get bored of his touch, his little affections, but it had gotten worse by the halfway mark. Without a job outside our marriage, I could barely distract myself from the thought of him and the memory of the way he’d moved when he was inside me. My body was basted together and the stitches were slipping. I was going to explode before this was over.

Every morning, we met in the kitchen. As usual, Logan was already showered, shaved, and wearing his work clothes when I came down. I didn’t know when he actually slept. If he snored, I never heard it through the door, but then again, I slept like a dead thing.

“You’re up early,” he said. “Coffee?”

My morning drink changed from day to day. He knew to wait before pouring mine, and I knew he wanted to get it right.

“Black, two sugars.”

He handed me my cup, properly sweetened and lava hot. “Sleep well?”

“Yeah, what time did you get in?” The Wall Street Journal was open to the stock ticker. I scanned down to the PPON.

“Late.”

“Papillion’s down,” I said.

“Not enough.”

That was his excuse every time. He was going to wait until Bianca drove it into the ground with her shitty T-shirts.

“What are you doing today?” he asked as if it was ever anything interesting.

“Lunch with Mandy at Scopes.”

“Say hi for me.” He stood at the island, hands circling his cup as if he could crush it.

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