Chapter 6: Honeymoon Games

After Natalie’s wedding, Derek seemed restless, talking about marriage nonstop.

He paced the apartment, tossing ideas out like confetti. One day it was a courthouse wedding in Vegas, the next a big church ceremony with all the trimmings. I knew better than to take him seriously, but the pressure never let up. He hated being alone, hated the idea of losing control.

"Hey, where’s that ring I gave you last time? Put it on—let’s go get our marriage license."

He dangled the ring in front of me, a challenge in his eyes. I stared at it, unmoved. I’d thrown it in a drawer months ago, buried under receipts and old birthday cards. I wasn’t about to dig it out now.

"If you want to go crazy, find someone else. Turning a one-night stand into a girlfriend? How cliché."

I rolled my eyes, too tired to keep playing along.

I flopped onto the couch, kicking off my sneakers. I was done pretending, done giving him what he wanted. The TV played quietly in the background, some sitcom laugh track echoing my own exhaustion. He didn’t like being ignored, but I didn’t care.

Even more ridiculous, he arranged a four-person honeymoon trip.

He showed up with plane tickets and an itinerary, insisting we go away with Caleb and Natalie. I knew it was just an excuse to keep tabs on everyone, to prove he still mattered. I saw right through it, but went along anyway. Sometimes, it was easier to give in than to fight.

I saw right through it—what honeymoon? It was just an excuse to drag me along as a prop while he chased his old flame.

He spent the whole trip flirting with Natalie, making sure everyone saw. I tried to keep my distance, but he always found a way to pull me back in. The resort was beautiful—white sand beaches, palm trees swaying—but I felt like a ghost, invisible except when he needed me.

Seeing me unmoved, Derek didn’t get angry.

He smiled, slow and dangerous. He liked a challenge, liked it when I pushed back. It was all a game to him. I crossed my arms, refusing to budge.

He gently tucked my hair behind my ear, leaning down as if to whisper something sweet.

He brushed his fingers against my cheek, his voice dropping to a whisper. For a moment, I almost believed he cared. But I knew better. His affection was always conditional, always a means to an end.

"Your parents… are they still doing well these days?"

His favorite trick, and the one that always worked.

He knew my family was my weakness. He’d dangle them like bait, reminding me of everything I stood to lose. My parents lived in a small Indiana town, proud of their daughter even if they didn’t know the whole truth. I’d do anything to protect them, and Derek knew it.