Unleashed (18 page)

“Diane, I would like to introduce you to Ezra’s Katya.” Marcus clasps my hand and extends it towards his wife, as if he’s afraid I’ll bolt for the medieval doors.

“It’s a ple
asure to meet you, Mrs. Zeitler,” I politely say.

“Please
, call me Diane,” she says as she takes my hand from her husband. She pulls me into a light hug. “I know this is a difficult day for you, Katya. It’s bittersweet. I assume you feel similar on Ava’s birthday,” she whispers in my ear.

We pull away
, discretely wiping away stray tears. Diane is a woman who knows exactly how it feels to be a survivor, and the most important person in your life is a constant reminder of what you survived. We both look to our children and they look back with similar expressions of confusion.

I step back and rub my daughter’s back. I take a deep breath
, knowing that no one knows what Diane and I just bonded over, and hopefully never will.

“Ah- there she is,” Cort says. He half hugs me into his side, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. “
Kat, I want you to meet Divina.” He turns me to the side.

A fragile beauty in her late twenties
or early thirties is grinning at me. She isn’t much taller than me, even in heels. A swingy, short, midnight blue dress brings the blue out of her gray eyes. She runs her fingers through her shoulder length, chestnut hair in a nervous gesture. Knowing she is nervous helps me relax. I smile at Divina and shake her hand.

“It’s nice to finally meet you, Divina. Cort has been most anxious for
us to meet.” I smirk at him. Cort has pestered me for almost two months to meet Divina. He assumes that if I meet his wife, I will expand the borders of my boundaries. I’ve tried to tell him that it wasn’t necessary, but he really wanted me to meet her.

“
Me, too. Kat, I couldn’t wait to meet you. I’ve drove Cortez insane.” Divina pulls me into a hug. This family is very affectionate. Divina holds me to her, and I can feel her silently laughing. “You have no idea how crazy you’re making them, do you? I don’t mean to laugh, but this is entertaining as hell. I thought Adelaide was going to yank your hair out.”

Divina
holds me while laughing. She holds me while she tries to regain her composure, hoping no one sees her making fun of this impossible situation. It’s strange hugging someone who is almost the exact same size as me. I pull away when she calms.

“That’s a lovely perfume you’re wearing, Divina,” I compliment. And it really is a nice scent- lemony and fresh. I compliment her to change the subject. Plus
, we seem to have everyone’s attention- like the crowd is watching with bated breath.

“Stop teasing and put them out of their misery,”
she whispers at me and winks.

Cortez squeezes his wife’s shoulder in a strange
, brotherly manner. He leans down to me and whispers, “She likes you.” He softly kisses my cheek. I blush brilliant red. Everyone here knows exactly what our exchange meant.

“Dinner is serve
d,” Diane says, saving me from further embarrassment.

I follow everyone into
an elegant dining room. A large oblong table dominates the space with seating for twenty. The room is decorated in soft suede brown and light blue accents. I camp out near the entryway unsure where to sit.

“Katya,” Ezr
a softly commands. My feet move me to his destination without thought. He pulls a chair away from the table and I sit. He takes the seat to my left- Cortez on my right, so that I am flanked by the Ezes. Ava sits next to her father in the last seat, on her left at the end of the table sits Diane. Across from us are Marcus, Dexter, a woman I assume is Pearl, and Divina. Slowly the table fills with the rest of the party guests.

“Kat, I’d like to introduce my mother, Pearl,” Divina says as she gestures to the woman next to her. Pea
rl looks similar enough to Diane to be her identical twins. I don’t dare ask and offend the woman.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,
Mrs. Hastings,” I politely say.

“As I am you, Katya,” Pearl murmurs, highly
amused for some reason.

Pearl
may look like Diane, but her personality is mischievous like Divina. It reminds me of Ezra when he wants to play, or how Ava acts when she isn’t channeling her inner-grandmother. It must be a family trait- one that is comforting and welcoming.

I spend the dinner listening to conversation around me, studying everyone, learning their personalities, and who they interact with. I listen to my daughter connect to the other half of her family. I watch Ezra watch Ava
with a look of pride and adoration on his face. I watch Kayla and Aaron sit in a bubble of their own making, completely engrossed with each other. Cortez picks on the couple throughout dinner and banters with his wife and mother-in-law. I spend a lot of time trying to hide the smirk on my face.

The uncomfortable addition is sitting at the opposite end of the table,
Adelaide with several of her family members and associates. I find this strange and confusing.

I sneak glances at Marcus
, who continues to watch me throughout dinner as I watch everyone else. He scrutinizes me as an experiment that’s at the final stages- waiting for results. Earlier, I’d asked Ezra what his father did for an occupation and wasn’t shocked to learn he is a district attorney. I would hate to be a criminal in Marc’s court. He’s handsome with warm eyes and a kind voice. It’s his overpowering will that has me almost scrunching in my seat.

“Thank you for this,” Ezra says as he brushes a tendril of hair off my
bare shoulder. He leans forward and tenderly kisses me. I return the kiss, but keep it from turning into something more. It makes me uncomfortable and leaves me feeling awkward since Adelaide is at the table and we’re in public. It’s fine to show affection, but this feels obscenely disrespectful. It’s one thing in our home, but it’s entirely different to cheat out in public, in front of the fiancée. I sicken myself.

I try not to flinch as Ezra
touches me. Cortez places his hand over Ezra’s on my back and tightly squeezes. Cort gives Ezra a look that speaks volumes- one I have no comprehension for. Ezra reads it correctly, because the pair glance at Adelaide, and then back at each other. Something passes over Ezra’s face. I turn before I register its meaning, and I end up looking directly at Marcus. Marcus tips his head to the side, reading me. He gives a nod in my direction and turns away.

My mood twists from comfortable amusement to awkwardness. I spend the rest of dinner looking at my plate as I swirl my food around with a fork. The Ezes keep their hands on my back, touching each other w
hile trying to comfort me. I don’t understand it. Maybe they’re scared that I’ll jump from my seat and run from the room without their hands restraining me.

Drinks are served in a sitting room just off
from the foyer. Personally, I would rather tour the house instead of standing in a crowded room. Actually, I would rather cuddle up on my couch and watch a movie with Ava. I won’t leave, though. Ava is flourishing with the attention of her Father’s family. A newfound confidence blazes in her eyes. My family has always doted on her to compensate for lacking half a family. Now Ava’s family is complete and it agrees with her.

A few uncomfortable
hours are worth the look on Ava’s face and the look on Ezra’s. He’s fluttering around the room, chatting with all the guests, accepting well wishes and presenting his daughter with Cortez at their side. I feel like a voyeur peeking in the leaded-glass windows.

“H
ow ya doing, Kat,” Aaron says as he hands me a glass of wine. He leans against the wall next to me. I’m surprised his other half is absent. I haven’t seen them separated in almost three months. I locate Kayla laughing at something Divina had said.

“Surviving. How are you doing?” I drink half of the glass and grin
at my usual drinking partner.

“I want to apologize to you
for something. I’ve avoided this conversation since Ezra’s punishment and I need to say my piece. At the time, I didn’t understand. I just saw you as abusing Ezra, and I was angry, especially at you.”

“Forget it, Aaron. We obviously had a difference
of opinion. But that’s alright. We all can’t think the same. What fun would life be if everything was sunshine and rainbows?” I drink the other half of my wine. It didn’t escape my notice that Aaron didn’t really apologize for anything. I chuckle at the thought. Aaron flashes his baby boy dimples at me as he tries to figure out why I found him amusing.

“I’m sorry I blamed you when I didn’t understand. You were just giving Ezra what
he needed.” Aaron briefly hugs me, and then he’s pulled back to his other half like a magnet.

“I know you
’ve fucked Aaron, too,” Adelaide purrs in my ear. “If Ezra really cared for you, he wouldn’t share you with every dick and cunt. I know you’ve fucked Cortez and Kayla as well. I don’t have to call you a whore because it’s obvious that you already know.” Adelaide rushes off before I can respond. I take a step in her direction but a tall figure steps in my path.

“Ignore her. Adelaide
’s a resentful bitch. I’d watch my back if I were you, she may retaliate. Ezra and I have tried our best to calm her.” Marcus shrugs. “She’s irrational.”

“I deserve anything Adelaide throws my way,” I
honestly say.

“Why?”
Marcus asks softly. The lulling tone almost makes me answer him. I look to the ground to avoid eye contact. I don’t want to answer the question, and if I look at him, he will compel me to answer. “Why aren’t you with your family?” Marc tips my chin up with a fingertip, forcing his lie detector into view- my eyes.

“I thought it would be easier if I stayed over here while th
ey mingled,” I honestly answer while keeping so very much unsaid.

“Somethi
ng is going on in this head,” Marc says as he taps a finger to my temple. “But damned if I can figure out what it is. So, how about you save us a lot of energy and just tell me what it is.” Marc’s face screams trust, his eyes blaze honesty, and his touch offers comfort. I’m not afraid of Marcus because he’s scary and would hurt me. I’m afraid because I would do anything for him and I don’t know why.

“I belong over here.
Ezra and Cort are partners and this is their family. I make a lot of people feel ill at ease. And as nasty as Adelaide is to me, I deserve it. I’m respecting Adelaide by not flaunting myself in her face as Ezra presents Ava to their family.” I shrug. “Frankly, I don’t like the level of disrespect Ezra is giving Adelaide and me. It’s wrong,” I say with a shrug.

Marcus
drops his hand from my cheek and just stares at me. An expression crosses his face, as if he’s finally come to some conclusion about me. “My son and you need to have a talk. He’s so used to just telling people what to do that he doesn’t account for their emotions and how confusing conflicting commands can be. I see it’s twisting you up. Cort has learned this quickly, and he really isn’t very dominant. Ezra, however, is a very strong dominant, but he’s also hardheaded.”

“Ha! I should come to you for advice,” I say
, hoping Marcus will be truthful with me.

“That is my job
, and one I am very good at providing my people.” Marcus says with arrogance, but you can tell that he’s earned every ounce of it.

“Too bad I’m not one of your people,” I muse.

“Aren’t you?” Marcus holds my eyes, and I instantly know what he means. He affects me like no other. Ezra is dominant, but I don’t have to obey him. Something screams from my depths that if this man told me to do something, I’d be powerless to stop myself from doing it. 

“
This is the most important advice I will ever offer you, Katya. You’re their bridge. Ezra and Cortez love each other deeply, but neither is truly a lover of men. They could be content with just each other, but never truly happy. Do you know what I mean by a bridge?”

“Yes,” I
shyly say as I blush.

“Yes, sexually,” Marcus warmly
chuckles, a delicious sound for my ears. “But that’s not what I meant. A bridge is integral for connecting a chasm. Neither side can truly connect without their bridge. And the same goes for the bridge. If only two of the three are connected then it’s useless: the two sides never meet without the bridge or the bridge connects to one side and hovers into nothingness. The three of you are connected. You need each other to feel whole. Don’t fight it.”

Applause draws our attention
, breaking off our uncomfortable conversation. An intricate cake is wheeled out. My face lights up when I see the cake.

“Now
, that’s a look I’ve waited to see. But I doubt it’s for your love of cake. I bet it’s because it signals this evening is drawing to a close.” Marcus laughs at the delighted expression on my face. He’s right. I saw the cake and thought
thank God, this night is almost over
.

“What can I say?
I love cake like a fat kid.” I laugh with Marc. “Can I ask you a personal question?”

“I don’t see why not. I’ve analyzed you all night. Fair is fair.”
Marcus warmly smiles at me and rests his hand at the small of my back.