12

Bunny looked at him then. He wore a lopsided, lazy grin that made him look unbothered, yet annoyed. She looked back at his mother and answered. "At first, I thought he was very conceited and full of himself. Stubborn too." She could see his face. He did not look happy with her admission. She smoothed it over, "Once I got to know him, I would say he is one of the kindest people I have met in a long time."

His mother's smile said it all. Her words had won her over.

"Yes, he can be very kind. He gets that from me." She beamed with pride.

"And I'm not kind?" His father barked. Missing the irony in the situation.

His mother however, did not. She smiled and said, "Darling, of course you're kind, but not as kind as I am."

He chuckled at his wife's admission.

"You've been very quiet throughout dinner, Charlie. Everything ok?" She asked his younger brother.

"Everything is fine, mom." He smiled at her as he pushed his food around on his plate.

"Good. Let's all finish up. You boys can go have your cigars and scotch, or whatever it is you do and Ms. Van Dorn and I will go drink some tea."

They all got up from the dining room table. The men went in the opposite direction of her and his mother, Nyma. She chose to take her to a secluded porch built onto the sitting room. It was secluded. They both sat down on the wicker furniture.

"Thank you, for making me feel...welcome." Bunny told her. She smiled at his mother. This was unexpected. She was nervous.

"You're quite welcome." She smiled back.

There was a long pause as one of the servants brought a silver platter filled with tea and assortment of biscuits.

Once it was placed on the table in the center and the help left did she speak again. "I just can't believe you're here. He said..." She trailed off. "Never mind."

She seemed conflicted to speak on what exactly had been said to her regarding Bunny.

"What did he say?" Bunny asked, and why would Rome be speaking about her to his mother? She wondered.

"Well, I don't think he would like me to discuss that with you. So I hope you understand." She seemed embarrassed. Then she took a sip of her tea.

"I do." Bunny conceded.

"I knew you would. Coming from the family that you are from." She smiled and took another sip.

Bunny Looked at her. Surprised she knew her family. Something felt off. What was she trying to tell her? How did she know Bunny's family?

She took a step back away from the woman, dropping the teacup she held. It fell to the parquet floor and shattered. The warm liquid splashed her legs. She let out a cry more out of shock than pain.

"I-I'm sorry. Please, don't tell Rome. He will be so upset that I mentioned your family. He wanted this dinner to go perfectly." She seemed to be distressed now.

She fell to the floor and began cleaning up the mess. Bunny felt sorry for her. She knelt down and helped her. When they picked up all the big pieces of glass they wiped their hands. Bunny asked her then.

"Why?" She was confused.

She said nothing.

"I'm sorry...I-I can't. I must get one of the staff to come clean this up! " Was all she said and then left the room.

Bunny sat there alone. It didn't make sense. None of it did. It was all so strange. Him. This trip. Why?

Had his family known who she was this whole time and said nothing? What was going on? She had to get answers from someone. She walked out of the enclosed patio in search of the rest of the party.

She found them all outside on the porch closest to the beach, under the warm night sky. She could hear the ocean waves off in the distance. She noticed there was another person with them. It was Baxter. Why was he here?

He looked at her and smiled. She didn't smile back. She was beginning to get agitated. She needed something to take the edge off of this reality. It was a lot at the moment.

If they knew her family then they knew what happened, and if they knew what happened they knew what she and her family had been reduced to. It was humiliating. She was about to walk over to Baxter and demand he get her out of here when Rome grabbed her by the wrist, wrapped his arm around her and planted a kiss on her cheek. He smiled down at her as if they were boyfriend and girlfriend. His lips said nothing, but his eyes. His eyes told her if she caused a scene there would be hell to pay.

So she just stood there. Forty five minutes later, everyone left, with the exception of Baxter. He was sitting outside on the porch on a wicker chair across from the wicker lounge she was sitting on. The warm breeze felt good on her skin. He finally spoke to her.

"What do you think about Rome?" He asked her, finally breaking the silence.

She looked at him then. "What am I supposed to think? He held me hostage for your debt. He is great." She quipped sarcastically.

Baxter smirked at that.

"How the hell did I get caught up in your money problems?" She asked.

"You didn't." He stated.

"What!" She looked at him then.Had he gone mad? He wondered.

"You didn't." He re-stated.

"Yes, I did!" She was on the edge of her seat now.

"No you didn't."

"Explain. Now, Baxter."

"You got caught up in your father's money problems." Baxter stated. "Does the names Coffman, Langston and Phillips mean anything to you?"

"Yes. We learned about them in school. They are one of the leading technology companies. Melding science with technology." She explained.

"They were. Did you know your father helped a large international firm infiltrate the company and steal billions of dollars worth of tech secrets?" Baxter said.

"What..Why in the hell would I know that, Baxter!" She demanded.

"Your father was very fond of you, Bunny." Baxter leaned forward in his seat as he made the insinuation.

"Yes. Most fathers are fond of their daughters."She retorted. "Baxter." She was growing impatient.

"Rome's father's last name is Langston. My mother's fathers name was Phillips. Our father's all lost a great deal of money because of your father." Baxter accused.

"What does that have to do with me!" She stood up. Angry at what she was hearing.

"Don't act innocent, Bunny Van Dorn. You thought I was a creepy, rich loser and let's face it, you still think that. If you could have seen the look on your face when I asked you to be my mistress." He chuckled.

"You knew!" A mixture of shock and utter humiliation crossed her face.

"Oh, I knew." Baxter wore a smug grin on his pudgy face.

"There was never any money owed to Rome?" She asked. She already knew the answer.

"Nope." He answered.

"And let me guess, you two are using me to take revenge on dear old dad?" She wagered.

"Bingo." He said.

She felt nauseous. This whole time Baxter had been playing her for a fool. He had set her up. They sat in an uncomfortable silence. She knew he was giving her time to process things.

After a few heavy seconds passed Bunny spoke, "So what now? What will the ultimate revenge be for my father?"

"The ultimate revenge would be to kill you on a national news station and watch him break down." He said with a hard tone that scared her. She grew nervous by his remarks. "But I will have to settle with you marrying Rome."

"Marry! No! I would rather be killed on national television!" She balked. "Baxter! No!"

"You could do worse." He offered.

"How? Any man is better than that bully." She argued.

"Bunny, you're selling your body and living in a hotel on the east side of town with drug addicts. That isn't exactly doing alright, is it?"

"How dare you judge me!" She exclaimed, still reeling from his betrayal.

"I'm sorry it had to be like this." He apologized.

"No you're not! You couldn't wait to set me up. You fat f*ck!" She screamed, picked up her wine glass, and threw it at him as he left the Porch.

When she turned around she saw Rome leaning casually up against the doorframe. He had a lit cigarette in his right hand.

He brought it to his lips and took a drag, then he flicked it into the night.

"Baxter broke the news to you, I see." He said.

"That I'm to continue to be your prisoner? Yes. He did." She was angry.

"You're not a prisoner." He told her.

"Really? Then let me go home." She quipped.

He sauntered over to her and stood in front of her.

"We will be married tomorrow morning. Nothing will stop that." His tone held finality to it.

"I would rather die first." She confessed and walked past him angrily to go back inside.