Scandalous Games (Arranged Games Book 1)

“You’re in Paris? Without us?”

“He took you to Paris?”

Rosa and Iris scream on the screen when I reveal where I am, making me wince, and I lean away from the phone until they calm down and stop cursing at me. As soon as I was alone in the bedroom, I video called them, not caring it was midnight back home. They picked up on the second ring, both wide awake.

Rosa glares at me for leaving her behind so I focus on Iris, whose eyes are comically wide like a cartoon character.

“Yeah. He wanted to surprise me,” I tell them, trying not to melt into a puddle before I remember his harsh words from earlier, “and buy me an engagement ring, even though I said no.”

“Does he not know we have stores here?” huffs Rosa sarcastically. “And did he forget it’s a fake engagement?”

“I think it’s romantic,” sighs Iris dreamily. “Just imagine the things he’d do if he were actually in love with you.”

These two are like an angel and devil perched on my shoulder.

I snort a laugh. “Do not romanticize him, Iris. He does these extravagant gestures for all the women he dates. Or should I say, sleep with. I’m just another girl in a long list.” 

“So that’s the reason for the sullen face?” queries Rosa suspiciously.

“We had an argument and he left without a word.”

“Did he hurt you?” Rosa demands. “I still have the tape from the club. Just say the word and I’ll teach him a lesson.”

“Whoa! Relax, Ro,” I answer until the murderous rage melts from her eyes. “First, delete that damn video. Second, we both said mean things to each other. And also, we don’t wanna give him a reason to leave me in a foreign country.”

My attempt at a joke fails when they continue to stare back at me with concern. Iris looks thoughtful, before asking softly, “What was the argument about?”

My mind replays the whole conversation and my stomach tightens with guilt for being harsh with him when he was only trying to understand my point of view. Dash has always been a blunt and direct person and never sugarcoats his thoughts. A fact I both hate and love.

“He said that I’m letting Niall’s betrayal affect my future,” I answer, settling back comfortably against the pillows on the huge fluffy bed. “That I’m scared to trust another man. You guys don’t think that’s true, do you?”

Their faces mirror matching sadness and hesitancy as they fall silent for several seconds. It’s Rosa who speaks first and with caution, as though she doesn’t want to hurt or offend me. Suddenly, it feels like an intervention.

“I’ve known you my whole life, Bee, and for as long as I can remember, you’ve always been the girl who believed in fairy tales, Prince Charming, and growing up to someday have your own family away from the fakeness of our world. I loved the fact that you were bold, open, and unafraid. Loved the fact that you still believed in love despite your family history. And then suddenly, that part of you died the night you broke up with Niall.”

She pauses to take a deep breath, like the memory is as hard on her as it was on me, and tears sting my eyes. Her own wet gaze meets mine as she continues, “It was so hard to watch you become a shell of your former self for months. I hate him so much for breaking your heart and your ability to trust another man. Every time I’ve seen you date someone, you slowly pull yourself away the second it starts to become something more. You’ve built these walls around your heart so high, that stops you from giving someone a real chance.”

People say no one forgets their first love, when the truth is it’s the heartbreak that no one forgets. And when the reason is your boyfriend cheating on you after promising you’re his entire world, the betrayal is bone-crushing and scarring. If you’re young and already believe the world is a cruel and pretentious place, then it’s simply impossible to get over.

Cheating doesn’t just wreck your relationship, it ruins all the future ones.

The feeling of not being good enough for someone, despite giving them every ounce of you is an ugly and twisted emotion.

The fear makes a permanent residence in your psyche, whispering and taunting. Once the trust is broken, it’s twice as hard to rebuild and no matter how hard I’ve tried, something always holds me back.

It’s easy for people to preach about being tough, to not let the past hold you back—but it’s easier said than done. Teenage heartbreak is toxic for a reason.

“None of them really fought hard to stay, Ro,” I finally whisper to her and Iris. “Maybe I want a man who’s strong enough to break those walls. Because I don’t have it in me to give my heart to just anyone.”

“At some point, you’ll need to ask yourself if those walls are actually protecting you or becoming the chains holding you back.”

I mull over her shockingly deep words that resonate inside me. I don’t know if I’m ready to face the truth, though, when it seems like my life’s becoming even more complicated lately.

“Would it be so bad if you fell in love, Bee?” Iris asks with a sad smile.

“Kitten.”

I look up into Dash’s face as he stands in the doorway, holding what appears to be a large bakery bag hanging from his hand. His expression, soft and pinched in apology.

Yes… My mind whispers. Yes, it would be bad.

“Is he back?” Rosa’s mad voice draws my attention. “Let me see him. I have a warning for that arrogant asshole for literally kidnapping you.”

My cheeks turn pink in embarrassment when her loud voice floats to Dash, whose lips tilt into an amused smirk. I peer down at my phone to see Iris rolling her eyes at Rosa and stifling a laugh. The depressing mood, now lifted from their faces.

“Gotta go. Love you both,” I whisper to them and cut the call before Rosa can say any more or threaten Dash with bodily harm.

I straighten up and sit with my hands in my lap while trying to appear outwardly calm, even though my insides are crumbling at how sexy he looks.

He looks like royalty with his broad shoulders encased in a crisp winter blazer that tapers into a lean waist and hair mused as though he ran his fingers through it too many times. Dashing, and did I mention sexy?

He could give French men a run for their money.

Mad, Bianca. You’re supposed to be mad at him.

However, I’m forgetting the reason why I should be mad as he stands there silently, waiting for me to speak.

“Well?” I arch my eyebrow.

His lips twitch slightly before he strides inside and once close, stares down at me.

“Do you know your nose scrunches when you get mad?” He taps the tip of said nose as he tells me this. “It’s cute.”

“Is that why you do it often?”

“Sometimes.”

“Asshole,” I retort, and he smiles.

The color of his eyes darkens when he becomes serious after a moment. “You were right.”

“What?” I whisper, stunned, my heart rate dropping.

“That our arrangement isn’t real and has an end date, where you and I go our separate paths,” he murmurs, his knuckle tracing over my jaw lightly. “It wasn’t my place to say those things and it won’t happen again. Let’s just enjoy the time we have here.”

My emotions are a mix of relief and disappointment, when it shouldn’t be the latter. The conversation with my friends is still laying heavy in my mind and now that he’s coming in with a truce, my thoughts are a jumbled mess. I’m so confused that I don’t even know what to say at first. He may regret saying it but he still means every word he said.

“Was that an apology?” I tease, burying my complicated feelings.

“No.” He says, dangling the bag in front of my face. “This is.”

I take it from him and hurry to uncover the contents, my mouth watering as soon as I lift the lid and see four different flavors of pastries, macarons, mousse, and cupcakes. Each more pretty, colorful, and delicious than the last, and even the aroma is dizzying.

Does he expect me to eat it all? This will easily serve more than a few people.

“I didn’t know which flavor you liked, so I got a little bit of everything,” he explains gruffly. I can feel his piercing eyes watching my face for every little reaction.

“Red velvet,” I answer, picking up one of the cupcakes. “That’s my favorite.”

A low moan slips past my lips the second I bite down on the creamy top before I can stop it. Never have I tasted a dessert so exquisite in my life.

“Oh my god! This is so good.” I sigh in pleasure.

His rough inhale steals my attention and our gazes lock. They are pinned on my mouth and I lick my bottom lip on instinct. I touch around my lips with my finger in case I have cream left on my face and become embarrassed when I feel some.

With a shrug, I go to lick it off but the next second, my wrist is captured by Dash and I stare, dumbstruck, when he brings it to his lips and sucks it into his mouth. It leaves an unbridled chain reaction over my body. My nipples tighten painfully and my pussy clenches, aching to feel his tongue when he licks my finger.

“It is good,” he rasps in a dark and rough voice. It’s as chocolaty as the cupcake in my hand.

Then, all too soon, he breaks the connection by dropping my hand and cloaking his sharp features into his famous broody mask. Like he didn’t just soak my panties a second ago.

Left my skin covered in goosebumps.

Made me breathless.

Needy.

Dripping.

“We leave in two hours,” he informs, backing away. “I’ll be in the living room working, if you need anything.”

Without another word, he turns his back to me and leaves.

I’m so in over my head.