Page 28 of Ma Belle Marguerite (Hidden Secrets #1)

Isabella

O nce Rex leaves the room, I feel myself let out a breath.

This is all so much so fast. I’ve wondered over the years what it would’ve been like if things had been different.

Seeing the things he’s done for me shows me some of what I missed out on; not that I would change my years with the twins for anything.

I quickly get undressed and into the tub. Once I’m in, I see a remote for the tub’s settings sitting on the ledge. Looking at the different options, I turn on the jets all around me, and wow. This feels amazing! Why am I just learning about this now?

Where has this been all my life? A girl could get used to this! I need to remember that this is only temporary. I’ll need to look into getting one of these installed back at my place. I don’t want to give this luxury up even though I have only been in here a few minutes.

I play with a few more settings before I think I hear the door between the bedrooms close. I knew he would be back. He never could stay away long, even when we were younger.

“Knock, knock. Ready or hopefully not I’m coming in,” I hear him say as he slowly opens the door and peeks around. Although it’s hard to hear with the jets running.

Considering he left to get this letter he claims I sent him, I have a feeling from the serious look on his face that he’s here to talk about it. But I don’t know if I have the ability to deal with him tonight. I just want to sleep. Can’t this wait until tomorrow?

“Hey, what’s up, Rex?” I ask him as I turn the jets down. It’s now or never, I guess.

His left hand is hidden behind his back as he comes through the door.

“I wanted to show you the letter I got from you after you left for college. I just compared it to the letters you gave me at the hospital.” He stops close to the side of the bathtub.

“Surprise, the writing doesn’t match. I don’t know how I didn’t see that it was different when I first received it. ”

I can see in his face that he honestly believes he should have known the difference.

His eyes don’t hold their usual spark, and he can’t seem to maintain eye contact with me.

He holds out two papers to me, along with a hand towel he grabs from the counter beside him.

I consider telling him we can talk tomorrow because this is a lot, but my curiosity gets the best of me.

Plus, I have a feeling this stubborn man won’t take no for an answer.

I take the towel and dry my hands so I don’t ruin the papers.

Once I have the pages, Rex pulls a stool up beside me so he can lean back against the cupboard and looks up at the ceiling—apparently, this is all the privacy I will be getting.

Looking at the letters in my hand, I see that the page on top is one of the ones I had sent him but came back to me as undelivered. I switch to the next page and slowly read through it. This is the one he claims I sent to him. I can see how the writing is very close to mine, but not quite the same.

I re-read one section of the letter.

Please let me explore what life outside of our hometown can give me. Alone. I don’t want your father’s shadow following me around. My own father is bad enough. I want to see what it is like to be free, with no obligations. If you love me, you will let me have this. Do not come looking for me.

I can’t fathom how he must have felt reading this, thinking I didn’t want him, when all I wanted was him. I feel tears threatening to fall. Reaching up to place the papers on the counter, Rex continues to stare at the ceiling as if in a daze.

I place my hand on top of his, resting on his knee and he jolts as if I’ve startled him.

“Rex, I’m so sorry that you thought I didn’t want you all these years.

I don’t know how you could stand to look at me, let alone want me back.

” Even though I know I didn’t write these careless words, I can’t help but to feel ashamed.

I move to take my hand away, but he quickly places his other hand on top of mine to hold me there. Without looking at me, he says, “I always hoped that you would change your mind. We were young. How would you know that I was the one for you if you had only been with me?”

I wait for him to continue. I don’t know what to say. What did I do to deserve this kind of love and undying devotion?

“I wanted nothing more than to go after you, but I loved—no—I love you and only want you to be happy, even if that isn’t with me.

” He looks at me for a moment and all I can see is sadness in his eyes before he looks back at the ceiling.

“Do I want to kill every man that has even looked at you the wrong way? Yes, I do but I would hold back if that’s what you needed.

” It sounds like he is talking with sand in his mouth and it physically pains him to say the words.

This should be a red flag, but all I see is a green flag waving around. Hearing him talk like this is flipping a switch in me that I didn't think would happen so soon. I wouldn’t mind if he joined me in this bathtub and we did a lot less talking right now.

“Rex,” my voice comes out raspy. His head turns, and his eyes snap to mine. It’s clear he knows what I am wanting.

“ Ma Belle , be careful what you say right now. I don’t know how much control I have,” he tells me, but the look on his face says he wants me to do the opposite. His eyes are pleading with me to ask him to join me.

“I still owe you, Rexy. Remember that car ride? You kissed me, got me all worked up, then left me in my driveway.” I see the realization of what I’m saying dawn in his eyes.

“You may have helped me get off when you called me later, but I still suffered until then, waiting to see if you’d do what you promised. ”

“You’re playing with fire,” he groans while adjusting himself on the stool.

Feeling powerful, I sit up just enough that my breasts come out of the water. I watch as he tries to resist looking down, but he ultimately fails. “Like what you see?” I ask smugly, throwing his words back at him from earlier.

Clearing his throat, he says, “We need to talk. Don’t try to distract me now, Bella.” He looks back at the ceiling.

Trying to fake innocence, I place a hand to my chest and gasp,“What? Me? I would never do such a thing.” It’s hard to stay serious while saying this.

“I’m innocent. I just wanted to get closer to you.

” I sit up higher and lean closer. He never could resist my breasts when we were younger, and they’ve only gotten bigger since I had the twins—time to use this to my advantage.

“Mmmhhmmm,” he mumbles.

I guess this calls for drastic measures. I turn off the jets completely. “Rexy, can you pass me a towel, please? I think I'm done for tonight.” I sigh trying to sound tired and not at all mischievous.

Without looking at me, he gets up, walks to the closet, and grabs a towel. It looks so fluffy and soft. Too bad I won’t be wrapped in it for long if I have things my way. That can wait for another day.

As he holds the towel out to me while trying not to look, I stand up, step out of the tub carefully, and take the towel. I get an idea and ask, “Oh, did you say there were toothbrushes somewhere?”

“Right here in this drawer.” He reaches out and opens a drawer beside him. He turns and holds out a toothbrush and paste to me while maintaining eye contact.

I try to do a quick but sexy rub down so I’m not soaking wet, then drop my towel. I catch a twitch in Rex’s jaw as he fights the urge to look anywhere but my eyes. I see that he has gotten a bit better at resisting, but I’m sure I can fix that.

I take the brush from him and turn to the sink, trying not to smile. I take my time to brush my teeth, while bending over the sink and making sure my butt is pointed in his direction. I wiggle my hips to the song Caramel by Sleep Token in my head, moving slow and seductive.

I feel his eyes on me. I just want him to crack and take me right now. Bent over this sink, his hand over my mouth to keep me quiet. Not hold back, pound me, and show no mercy.

Rinsing my mouth I straighten and turn to him, “I guess it’s time for bed. We can talk tomorrow since you’re so quiet now. You must be tired.”

All I get is a grunt as I walk to the bedroom with a little stretch on my way.

“Oh, where did I put my purse? I think I have one of my B.O.B’s in there.

” I see it over by the door, while the other bags we brought up are by the closet.

“Would you be a dear and get it for me while I find something suitable to wear to bed?” This will be the real test of his patience, and if he manages to hold out, I’ll still at least get off. Win-win for me either way.

He looks confused. “What’s a B.O.B?” He asks me as he brings my purse to the bed.

“Oh, you’ll see.” Looking through my purchases from earlier, I find the lacey negligee I picked out at the mall.

Taking it from the bag, I grab my purse and place both on the bed, then look through it for my lipstick in disguise.

You never know when you might need a helping hand. Right now is one of those moments.

Holding my lipstick up, I turn to Rex. “This is my mini B.O.B. He comes with me everywhere.”

Rex looks confused, “What the fuck do you need lipstick for right now?”

With a wink, lying down on the bed, I say, “Let me show you. Only, you can look, but you can’t touch either of us, or I’ll stop.” I can see I’ve piqued his interest by the look in his eyes and the growing bulge in his pants.

Feeling brave, I tell Rex, “Kneel down at the end of the bed, place your hands in front of you so I can see where they are at all times.” Surprisingly, he does as I ask without any argument.

I wait for him to get settled before relaxing my legs to the side. He licks his lips while watching me and his eyes go wide. “ Touche pas .” I remind him he can’t touch in French, trying to sound more seductive.