Arranged

It was awkward as hell. Nessa, Rhone, Louis and Vanessa were all seated on one side of the massive dining table and though Vanessa and Louis were enjoying each other's company, Nessa and Rhone were quiet as ghosts. The air was nearly cloying, but Vanessa and Louis seemed immune. Nessa didn't like the seating arrangements, either. Louis was at the head of the table with Vanessa on his left and Rhone on his right. Nessa, unfortunately, was seated in the spot next to her mother and not enjoying it.
There had been no hug, no happy greeting. Hell, Vanessa had even been late, but that hadn't mattered. Nessa had felt out of place from the get-go. She'd been taught how to dine properly by her aunt since the woman hadn't wanted to be embarrassed when they had quests, so it wasn't as if she was lacking etiquette. She just didn't know what to say.
Louis chuckled. "Ah, but it is nice to see them getting along so well," he said suddenly, smiling at Rhone and Nessa as the third course was set in front of them. "Our deal worked out rather well."
Vanessa took a sip of wine. "Yes, it did. I'm rather pleased myself. Who knew your son would actually take an interest."
Nessa put her spoon down. Suddenly, she couldn't stomach anything anymore. He face was flaming and her heart hurt. But she couldn't say anything back.
"Well," Louis answered, watching Nessa lasciviously. "She is quite the knockout." He smiled at Vanessa, leaning back in his chair. "I'm glad you gave her to me."
Vanessa snorted out a laugh. "You paid handsomely for her, if I recall."
Louis shrugged. "What was a few thousand dollars? It was a good exchan--"
Rhone slammed his fists on the table, rattling the dishes, making Nessa jump and effectively cutting off his father. All eyes turned to him and, though Nessa was close to tears, she could tell that Rhone was pissed as hell.
"Shut the hell up!" Rhone shouted. He pointed at Nessa. "She's a human being! You can't sell her."
Louis seemed unaffected. He waved a finger at Rhone. "I'm afraid that in this world, you can."
Vanessa nodded, just as nonchalant. It broke Nessa's heart. "Everything has a price," she said callously. "It's just a matter of finding it."
Rhone was seething. "That's not the issue here! How could you sell you own daughter?"
Vanessa waved away his anger, twirling her wine in her other hand. "I don't see what the problem is. You're happy with the arrangements, so you should show a little gratitude. After all, if I hadn't made that deal with your father, you two would never have met." She took another sip of her wine, eying him over her glass. "You seem very attached."
Nessa was shocked, her anger and sadness unfathomable, but she had one question she had to ask. "Why did you make that deal?"
Vanessa didn't even pause. "For money, of course." Nessa's heart cracked. "I was struggling to keep myself in the lifestyle I wanted." She gave Nessa an accusing look and Nessa felt that crack spread wider. "You weren't making it easier on me." She sat back, letting out a sigh and gestured to Louis with her glass. "He promised to introduce me to a rich widower if I gave you to his son." She shrugged and Nessa's heart shattered. "It was easy enough to agree to."
Nessa was in shock, so she did the only thing she could do: she sat there and tried not to cry. Some small part of her had been hoping that the woman from Christmas had been an illusion. She had hoped that it had been a facade, but the callousness and nonchalance with which her mother had just owned up to everything proved that it was all a little too real. She hadn't cared--she had never cared, and now Nessa just wanted to crawl into a hole and die.
"Get out," Rhone gritted quietly. Once again, all eyes turned to him and he shouted, "Get out!"
Louis set his glass on the table and rose. "Rhone, I think you need to calm down before you embarrass yourself in front of your wife."
Rhone's hands clenched and he stood toe-to-toe with his dad. He'd never been so ashamed to know he was a Blossom in his life. "This is my house. You've told me that countless times. So I'm tell you to get the fuck out."
Louis was frowning. "Come on, Vanessa. It seems dinner is over."
Vanessa's chair scraped against the floor as she stood, she walked over and looped her arm through Louis's. "Give me a ride?"
"Sure," Louis smiled. He turned his smile on Nessa as Joshua helped Vanessa into her coat. "That offer still stands, Nessa. If you tire of an amateur, give me a call. I'll see that you're completely satisfied. It would be fun to see if you're as food as your mother."
Vanessa wrapped her arm around his again, smiling at her daughter. Nessa wanted to throw up. "It would be a good experience for you, Nessa." She trailed her finger down his chest. "He's a very decent lover."
Rhone moved, but Joshua's fist lashed out before he even had a chance, catching Louis right in the jaw. He stumbled as everyone froze, shocked, turning surprised eyes on Joshua.
"God damn it," he swore, shaking his hand and wincing. "That hurt." When Louis straightened, he grabbed his collar. "If you hit on Nessa again or even come within fifty feet of her, I'll make sure the next punch puts you in the hospital."
Louis pulled Joshua's hand off him, straightened his clothes and offered Vanessa his arm once again. "It's time we left." He laid a hand on Rhone's shoulder in passing. "We'll talk later."
"Fuck off," Rhone snapped.
Louis laughed and just like that, they were gone.



Rhone turned to Nessa, ticked. How could she have just sat there and taken all of that? He still wanted to knock his dad on his ass. Fortunately, Joshua had done the honor. If Rhone had gotten his hands on his father, he doubted he'd be finished with just a punch and a threat. But Nessa. . . She hadn't said anything. She'd just taken it all lying down without a word of protest or outrage.
And Rhone could see why now.
He rushed around the table and turned Nessa's chair out, bending down in front of her to take her hands. They were as cold as ice and her face was as white as her dress.
He pressed one of her hands to his chest and reached out with the other to touch her cheek. "Nessa? Sweetheart? Hey. . . "
Nessa turned her eyes to meet his and she started laughing. Almost as soon as she started, her eyes filled and overflowed and her laughter turned to sobs. Rhone let go of her hands and she covered her face with them. He scooped her into her arms and headed out of the dining hall.
"Joshua," Rhone called. "Make sure you guys eat, okay? I'll take care of Nessa. Stay on the lower floors. There's no point in humiliating her even more."
"I've got it," Joshua old him over Nessa's sobs. He put his hand on Rhone's shoulder much the same way Louis had, but Rhone actually liked Joshua, so it was a completely different feeling. "I'm proud of what you did in there tonight."
Rhone felt his chest swell with warmth and he gave a sad smile, glancing at the broken woman in his arms. "I would rather it didn't happen at all, but thanks. So am I."
Rhone climbed the stairs and didn't stop until he got into his room, shut his door and set Nessa on his bed. He wasn't good with tears. He didn't know how to stop them or what to say to comfort, so he did what he thought was best--he started a bath for her. After something like that, he would want to take a shower and let it wash all away. He figured Nessa ought to feel the same on some level.
He came back into the room and knelt before her to take off her shoes. She was still crying, her makeup messed, but at least she'd stopped sobbing. He picked her up again and brought her into the bathroom, setting her gently on her feet. "Take your time, okay?" he told her, brushing her cheek with his fingers. "I'm gonna take a shower and wait for you. I'll be right in the other room."
Rhone turned to leave, but Nessa stopped him. "Wait," she begged with pleading eyes, making his heart skip a beat. She turned and pulled her hair over her shoulder, exposing her back to him. "I can't undo the zipper."
Rhone's heart was beating so fast he thought it would pop out of his chest, and when he reached up to grab the tab, he found his hands were shaking. He shouldn't be nervous--hell, he shouldn't be thinking with his dick since Nessa was distraught--but watching the satin spread wide and expose the smooth skin of her back made it hard to focus. When he reached the end of the zipper near her waist and his knuckles brushed the small of her back, he turned abruptly and headed towards the door. If he hadn't, he would have done something to compromise everything he'd worked for with Nessa.
So, he grabbed his pajama bottoms and headed to his second bathroom. He couldn't remember what excuse he'd given to have that built, but he couldn't really care at the moment. He'd gotten her to accept the necklace, so that was a step in the right direction. He couldn't take advantage of her right now. She was emotionally weak, unstable. It would be wrong.
Wouldn't it?
As he let the hot water run over him, Rhone contemplated the consequences of hitting on Nessa or not. When he was done with his shower and completely frustrated, he'd decided to be the better man and do the opposite of what he'd normally do. He was going to be a good boy and behave himself. It was the least he could do.
He came out of the bathroom rubbing a towel through his soaked hair and froze, his jaw hitting the floor. There, on his bed, was Nessa. In nothing but one of his white t-shirts and damp hair. It was every guy's favorite fantasy and he wanted to beat his head against a pole for the decision he'd just forced himself to make.
She's distraught, he reminded himself. Don't do something stupid.
A little stiff in more ways than one, he walked over and sat on a side of his bed that Nessa wasn't on. "I thought you'd stay in there for longer," he ventured, wishing he had thicker pants.
"I didn't want to be alone for that long," she told him quietly, her head hanging.
Her hair was dripping still and it was soaking the tee. If the large black logo hadn't been scrawled all over the front, her breasts would have been completely visible. Avoiding temptation, he stood in front of her to dry her hair a little roughly.
"Hey!" she protested, pulling the towel down. "What's with you?"
"Your hair's wet."
"Duh," she frowned. "I just got out of the bath."
"Your soaking the shirt," Rhone told her with an obvious look.
Nessa looked down and blushed. "Oh." Embarrassed, she glanced up at him. "W-Well, where's your shirt?"
Rhone smirked, unable to help himself. "You're wearing it."
Nessa let out a breath, but smiled, relaxing a bit. Rhone sat next to her and leaned back on his elbows so he wouldn't d something stupid with his hands.
They were silent for a while before Rhone finally asked, "You okay?" Dumb, he thought. What a fucking dumb question. Of course she wasn't okay!
Nessa flopped back on his huge bed, covering her eyes with her arms and making the shirt ride extremely high on her thighs. Rhone swallowed. "It shouldn't be hitting me so hard," she told him. "I've been told my whole life that she was a materialistic bitch, but I didn't want to believe it. Even when she proved it during Christmas, I gave her the benefit of the doubt." She sighed, turning on her side to face him, her hands under her cheek. "But tonight was different. She completely shoved in my face that she never wanted me." A tear slipped out of her eye and she closed them. "It hurts."
Rhone turned to face her in order to free an arm so he could wipe away that tear. Her eyes opened and he gave her a soft smile. He never thought he would smile like that towards anyone. "Yeah. It hurts. My mom never wanted me, either. I was the reason she married my dad in the first place. She stays away because Dad won't allow her to get a divorce. Says it's bad for his image. She also won't think about it because she signed a prenup. Money is everything to these people."
Nessa covered his hand on her check with her own, snuggling with it before saying softly, "You're one of those people too."
"No," Rhone said seriously. "I'm not like them."
She kept her eyes on him. "Aren't you?"
"No."
"How?"
Rhone's heart was beating so fast it hurt. He was about to take a risk, but maybe she would believe him this time. Maybe it would go okay. He had to try to find out.
He grabbed her hand and flipped her gently on her back, leaning over her. He gave her ample room to escape if she wanted and he didn't lean in close enough to scare her, but when her eyes remained steady on his, he nearly lost his nerve. She hadn't even flinched, nor had she made any move to get away. She wasn't even saying anything. Rhone barely dared to hope. Did she want this as badly as he did? Fuck, he hoped so, otherwise he was going to be kicking himself in the ass in a few minutes.
"Because," he said, a little breathless from the sudden bout of nerves. "Unlike our parents and their friends, I care." He felt his face scrunch up in pain and knew he probably looked like a pathetic loser, but he wanted so much for things to go well that he just didn't give a damn. "I care so much, Nessa."
He watched her swallow, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Why?"
Rhone leaned closer to her, sliding the hand that gripped her wrist up her palm to entwine their fingers. "Does it matter? I'm going to care anyway." He let his nose brush hers, teasing her. "Will you let me? Please?"
Nessa's breath had hitched and Rhone got ready for rejection, steeling himself. "Okay," she breathed.
Rhone pulled back, shocked. "Huh?"
Nessa's eyes were serious. "I said 'okay', Rhone."
He sat up, stunned and full of disbelief. He rand his hands through his hair, trying to make sense of the situation. "You're upset. This isn't right. You don't know what you're saying. There's no way you would be saying this if you weren't vulnerable."
He was blabbing, his words and excuses falling out of his mouth like vomit. It was easier to accept. What would he do if he let the happiness bubbling inside him escape only to wake up the next morning and have Nessa say it was a fluke? He couldn't handle that. He would die. He knew he would. He never should have said anything. God, he was an idiot.
Nessa's hand landed on his shoulder and he jumped. "Rhone," she started.
He stood, plugging his ears like a child. "La, la, la-a-. I can't hear you. La, la, l--"
Nessa made a frustrated sound, grabbed his wrist and pulled him down. She grabbed the back of his neck and stopped a hair's breadth away from his mouth. Her smile was teasing. "You gonna kiss me, Blossom, or should I kiss you?"
Rhone was so surprised that he laughed. He grabbed her face between his hands and pulled her further up on her knees on his bed. "Don't regret it later."
Not caring if those words would come back later to bite him in the ass, Rhone kissed his wife and felt a happiness that couldn't be measured explode in his chest. He knew nothing would ever compare to this moment. Nothing.