Chapter 685: Tested
𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝟏𝟖+
Mills looked at herself in the full-length mirror in complete satisfaction. She had been afraid to ask, but Olivia had somehow gotten Cylus Rue to agree to design her wedding dress less than a month to the date of her wedding, and the result was perfect. The dress had a corset top and fluffy bottom that was longer in the back than in the front. He had even designed white lace heeled combat boots, which made her look and feel more comfortable. She could not wait to see Drax's reaction, but there was still something missing.
It was something everyone tried to ignore, but could not, and that was the presence of Mina. The woman had worked her way into the hearts of so many people that it was hard to rid themselves of her memory, and even Drax, who saw her as a 'threat,' would sometimes get the melancholy look in his eyes as reminders of the woman would occur. It was the simplest things at times, like the strawberry jam that almost brought her to tears as she recalled her first moments with Mina.
"Don't start crying now," Ash said, and Mills turned around to hug the disguised woman.
"Has anyone ever seen you without makeup?" She asked, and the sadness in Ashlyn's eyes told her that the person was the same one she had been thinking about. "Will the pain ever go away?" Mills questioned in a somber tone, and Ash sighed deeply.
"I don't know, but I do know that Mina would want you to enjoy this moment. A wedding only happens once," Ash replied, taking those words straight from Mina who was at the time, smitten with her crush. For her, it was not about lavish decor or anything else, it was about making memories with someone special, and since then, Ash had only been able to see weddings in that light.
"I wish she was here."
"We all do," Ash said. "Now, stop making yourself sad before Willow kills you. Do you know how worried she was about doing your makeup today?" Ash pulled Mills into an outer room, where Cylus and a photographer were waiting.
"Thank you," Mills said to the man, giving him a hug as he adjusted the dress for her. "It's exactly what I wanted."
"Don't thank me," Cylus replied. "Thank Ollie's cute little face for softening my heart."
----
Ian smiled at the giant Drax who looked like he was about to cry watching Mills slowly approach him. She was being given away by her brother, which was the only family she had left, and while Drax and Milo were not exactly on speaking terms, they had put their anger aside for the woman they both loved. Ian found himself chuckling at Mills' dress, not because it was ugly; it was both beautiful and unique, and it suited her personality fully. He started to wonder if Cylus Rue would have been the one to design Mina's wedding dress, and what she would have wanted, and his heart started to burn with the memories of the woman.
Ian thought that by now, the pain would have subsided, but it only grew worse as the lives of the people around him continued to move forward while he was stuck in a world of what ifs. He had not realized how much helping Natalie was filling that void, and while they were still friends, he wanted to keep her honest, so he no longer spent as much time with her. It only made his heart ache, not for her, but for Mina who he would never see again.
At the end of the ceremony, Ian's eyes caught sight of a figure that made his heart flutter, but because he did not want to ruin Mills' wedding, he stayed put until after the formalities were done, and guests were being ushered toward the exit. Running as fast as he could between the crowd of people, Ian's heart throbbed in his chest. It was Mina, he knew it was her, it had to be.
"Ian what the hell?" Zane questioned. "What's wrong?" Ian's eyes were still searching the area, and by the time he caught sight of the woman again, she was climbing into a car without a rear plate and the vehicle sped away.
"It was Mina, I saw her." Zane frowned with his friend's words, and he patted his shoulder affectionately. "No, Zane, this isn't like the other times. I actually saw her."
"What's going on?" Drax questioned, pulling his new bride behind him, and Ian felt guilty for distracting the couple from their happy moment.
"Ian says he saw Mina… again."
"Come on Zane, please don't say it that way. We can check the cameras, I saw her." Ian looked at the face of his two friends and felt like he was losing his mind all over again. When he first found out Mina was dead, he felt as though he saw her everywhere, but this time was not like those. "You have to believe me," Ian whispered.
"I believe," Mills added.
"Sweety, don't," Drax replied.
"I do; wouldn't you know if you saw me from a distance? What if Mina is just hiding from us because she doesn't know the truth?" Ian felt a wave of relief and nausea overtake him as he realized that Mills was right.
"Help me check the security footage," he said, and Mills nodded while running toward the security booth. They started to pour over the film, and when Ian spotted the purple dress, he shouted.
"There!" Zane and Drax leaned deeply into the monitor, and both men looked at one another in confusion.
"Ian, that woman is at least fifty. That isn't-"
"She's wearing makeup, but look at the shape of her shoulders and the color of her hair; it's Mina. She's alive."
"I'll figure out who she came with," Mills offered, and Drax frowned at his new wife who he knew wanted Mina to be alive just as badly as Ian.
----
Zane was asleep when Ellie crawled into his bed for the third night in a row. He did not know how many times he had told her no, but she was persistent, and his resolve was beginning to wear thin. The last time she had snuck in, she wore nothing but a chemise which was practically see through.
"I already told you; I'm not sleeping with my best friend's little sister. It doesn't matter if you are his blood relative or not. Ian's been so high strung after Mills' wedding that he will kill me," Zane said, trying his best to convince the woman that there was no room for negotiation.
"He doesn't have to know," she replied, and Zane turned to face her. She was using his past words against him, and although he was only trying to scare her back then, it was still a fact.
"Ellie, you are eight years my junior. Please stop torturing me like this."
"Just give in," Ellie said. "I've already made up my mind. You are the only man for me."
"I have no interest in you." Ellie slid her hands into Zane's pants and chuckled triumphantly.
"That feels like a lie."
"What you are 'feeling' is just a biological reaction. I wake up like that at least every other day."
"Good to know," Ellie said, pushing Zane onto his back as she straddled him. Her outfit was worse this time; it was lace lingerie that covered nothing, it fit perfectly and he found himself staring.
"I don't want to do this," he groaned, rubbing his face, and Ellie chuckled as she placed kisses down his abdomen, taking him into her mouth as he hissed in pleasure. "Please stop."
"You taste sweet," Ellie replied, and Zane lost it. He flipped her over, pulling their clothes off as he hungrily pressed his lips against hers.
"Ian can't find out," he said, pressing his forehead against Ellie's. He wanted her, he had been wanting her, and she was off limits, but she was making herself available in the most painful way, and he was just a man.
"I won't tell him if you don't." Zane sheathed himself, not wanting to take any chances, but Ellie looked disappointed.
"I want to feel all of you," she said. "I'm already on the pill, so it's okay." Zane was conflicted. He did not want to end up like Ian or Drax who had both lost children with the women they were with. Ellie lived a dangerous life, and it put her in the same risk category as Mills.
"If we are going to do this, you retire. No more running around and putting yourself in harm's way." Ellie looked taken aback by Zane's words, but she nodded in submission. "It might hurt in the beginning, but just breathe through it." He pushed against the woman's core, and she went rigid before pushing him away.
"I- I changed my mind."
"Are you sure?" Zane questioned, a little disappointed with her sudden change of heart. He was very much in the mood to have her. As Ellie was thinking about whether she was sure or not, Zane pushed a finger into her, making her wince. "It will feel like that," he said, removing his finger and putting it in his mouth before sliding it back into her center. "Does that hurt?" She shook her head as she panted, and before long, she was grinding her lower body against his hand.
"Please," she begged, looking up at Zane who knew exactly what she was asking for. He had not been completely honest with his demonstration, but Ellie did not have to know that. Without giving her time to backtrack, Zane pushed inside of her, stilling as the woman clawed his back in shock.
"It does not feel like your finger at all," she said in a pained tone, and Zane chuckled at her reaction.
"Once you relax, I will show you how much better it is."
----
Mina laid staring up at the ceiling of her room when Nael came in. She patted the space beside her, and he joined her, staring up at the charts she had plastered on the ceiling. She was trying to figure out the best route for their new fishing boat to take. Because it was a company only meant to help launder money, she did not want the men operating the vessel to risk their lives doing so, but at the same time, she knew it could not be helped. They had all experienced storms, and they were always scary, especially since she knew capsizing meant death.
"Where is your head?" Nael asked, and Mina pointed to her skull, making the man chuckle. "You know what I mean."
"I'm actually thinking about weddings." Nael knew that Ami had snuck off on Mills' wedding day, and he had some indication that she had gone to the ceremony, but he was not sure. Everyone of Majha's men claimed that she was with them, and he had no reason to suspect her of lying.
"Do you want to get married?" Nael asked, staring at the side of the woman's face that was without scars. He could see that she was once a beautiful woman, and he hated whoever it was that pushed her to such an extreme that she ended up permanently disfigured.
"I want to find someone who will love me and all of my scars." Nael stood up and shut Ami's room door, making the woman sit up before he rejoined her on the bed.
"Do I not fill that void?" He whispered. Mina reached out and stroked Nael's cheek, feeling for the man who would not know love if it stared him in the face, and she suddenly became curious.
"What happened between you and Mills?" Nael knew Ami was testing him, and he badly wanted to pass, so instead of lying in shame, he told the truth.