Bunny & Rome
Bunny was still sitting on the bench in the infirmary. Rome sat down next to her.
"How is your head? Does it hurt?" He asked.
He was trying to be concerned for her. She wondered if it was genuine or if he was worried she was on the brink of mentally breaking. She couldn't be sure. He didn't look at her. Bunny wondered why but said nothing about it.
She answered his questions then "I-I didn't realize I was bleeding until your mother said something. It doesn't hurt. I feel fine." She tried to reassure him, but it didn't work.
"Do me a favor and stop acting so f*cking tough. I just saw you fly across the room like a rag doll."
She couldn't deny that. There was a long silence between them.
"What did my mother ask you?"
She had hoped he wouldn't ask her this very question and prove her instincts about him wrong, but it was no use. She knew lying to him would do nothing for her. "She wanted to know if I was safe with you."
He laughed. When he didn't see Bunny's facial expression change, he knew she was serious. His amusement grew into anger. "What the hell! "
"She also wanted to know if I was being forced into this marriage."
He looked at her. His gaze felt like it was pinning her.
"And are you?" He asked, already knowing her answer.
"No," she told him quietly.
"Good girl. You've earned these." He told her, and reached into his right pants pocket and pulled out two pills.
She stared at them, then back up at him after a few seconds. "I-I'm fine," she said. Shame washed over her. The way he looked at her made her feel low about her addiction.
"No, you're not. Don't lie to me. Take them," Rome demanded.
Bunny became annoyed at his incessant tone.
"No!" she said. She saw Rome's facial expression grow cold.
Rome stood up from the bench and took her with him. He held on to both of her upper arms, then he squeezed. "What did I tell you about that word?"
She had forgotten she had made him so angry. "I-I'm sorry." She whimpered. Her head suddenly throbbed from the sudden rush of emotions.
He put the two pills inside her hand. "We aren't leaving this place until you take them, and then my mother will wonder what happened to us and why you won't take pain medication. Take them." He demanded.
Bunny knew he was pressuring her. She gave in to it to avoid another lecture or worse. She popped the pills in her swallowing them immediately. He pulled her to him in a rough embrace. The show of affection felt awkward to her.
A few minutes later, he escorted her out of the infirmary to a large sitting area on the boat. 15 minutes after that, they arrived at their destination. It was still raining. They docked. A black jeep wrangler awaited them.
They made no time quickly descending from the yacht and getting inside the vehicle. It was a short drive to the house. Which was more like a small luxury resort. She couldn't make everything out in the low-lit lamps lit up the road. She was impressed with what she saw.
She would never admit it to him. The jeep came to halt. His parents got out and headed towards their cabana. The jeep kept driving until they came upon the main house. There were no lights on. She was about to get out of the jeep when Rome walked around, opened her door, and picked up right out of her seat. She let out a gasp of surprise. He carried her up the porch stairs, and over the threshold.
Bunny, however, was not. She had enough excitement to last her a lifetime. She had a deep-seated fear of the dark ever since she was a little girl. She waited at the threshold of the room. She watched Rome stand the flashlight on its end, turning it into a lantern that illuminated the room, sitting on the nightstand table on the opposite side.
It was much smaller than what Bunny had anticipated. It had a queen size bed, two standard nightstand tables, and one wicker chair with faded cushions.
"Are you going to come in or just stand there looking disgusted," he quipped.
Bunny was unaware she had any expression on her face until she saw his dark grimace and heard his words. Without saying a word Bunny closed the door and walked over to the bed. Bunny placed her luggage on the floor. Bunny undressed down to her underwear, pulled back the covers, and got into bed with her back turned toward him. She pulled the covers over her.
Within seconds she felt the covers pulled off of her. She was pulled hard up against Rome's muscular frame. She tried to wiggle free.
He ground the words out, "Be still, or I'm going to fuck you."
She stopped wiggling. Rome let out a gruff laugh. Within minutes he was fast asleep. Bunny tried to stay awake, but with the combination of low adrenaline and the pills wearing off, she could no longer keep her eyes open, and she welcomed sleep...
THE NEXT MORNING
Rome woke up early the next day. He rarely slept. Bunny was still asleep. He knew if he stayed in bed with her any longer, he wouldn't be able to control himself. She had no idea how much she turned him on.
She probably didn't care, he thought as he dressed for the day, choosing to wear black swim trunks, sandals, and a white tank top. Memories of him watching a teenage Bunny from afar at school all those years ago flooded his mind. She never really noticed him then. She still had no idea he was the nerdy kid bullied by her and her friends in high school. This was supposed to be their honeymoon.
A time when they got to know one another. Rome knew everything about her. His plan had been relatively simple which was to have Baxter hire her and get as much intel on her and her family as he could, then marry her and have her speak with her father in prison to locate the missing money. In theory, it seemed easy and very cut and dry.
But when he saw her, all those boyish feelings bubbled up to the surface. Rome was no longer a lovesick boy. He was an alpha male that despised feeling any emotions for any woman, other than lust. He couldn't control himself around her, and it scared him. Rome walked up to the steps and into the main house on the island.
He saw his parents sitting at the breakfast nook, basking in the morning sun, laughing, and having a great time. They were talking to someone else he knew. He just didn't know who. Rome rounded the corner and saw it was Baxter. Rome's blood instantly boiled with anger.
What the hell was he doing here? He really didn't have to ask himself. He already knew the answer to that question. Even though he and Baxter were childhood friends, he knew his friend was infatuated with his new wife. Rome knew Bunny was disgusted by Baxter, but her breeding had taught her to be polite, especially when large sums of money were on the table.
Baxter, however, didn't seem to care. His mother's face lit up when she saw him enter the room.
"Good morning, darling. You are up early. I thought you and your bride would be spending the day in your cabana."
Rome was instantly embarrassed by his mother's words. "Mother, I am not some wide-eyed young lover. I still have a company to run."
"You are right. Of course, darling. Look who got shipwrecked during the storm last night," she said, referring to Baxter.
Rome didn't believe the excuse for one second. He turned and looked directly at Baxter, his gaze unwavering, "Shipwrecked? What were you doing out here anyway?"
Baxter tried to sound cordial when he answered. "You know this is the best place to go night fishing. I was late going back to the mainland, and the storm carried my boat here."
Rome thought his story sounded suspicious.
"Darling, sit. Please, join us." His mother offered.
Rome picked up a coffee cup along with a piece of toast.
"I can't. I have a few calls to make, then I am taking Bunny out after."
"Darling, are you sure that's a good idea?" His mother asked him in front of both his father and Baxter. Both men looked at him.
"Why do you ask?"
"It's just that she took quite a hit last night during the storm. Maybe you should let her rest this one day."
Knowing her son was a very private man, she decided to escort him out of the breakfast nook and down the hallway toward his office.
"Mother, there's something you aren't telling me about Bunny." He stopped walking and looked directly at her while asking the question.
His mother seemed anxious. Why. He was not sure. She answered him. "I-I No. I just... She isn't very healthy. I worry about the stress she may be feeling."
"What stress?"