16. Hurting you is my biggest mistake

                                    

                                          
I gave her an hour to calm down before I phoned her. Her eyes were red and puff as were mine but me seeing Candice like that broke me. We sat in silence as we waited for the kettle.
                          
“He was married, Candice.” I broke the silence. “I know it shouldn’t be an excuse but you know how I grew up and I know you would always be there which is probably why I didn’t consider you.” 
                          
I stood up as soon as I heard the kettle go off. I entered the kitchen to make the coffee. “I heard my brother contacted you.” was all she said as I entered the room.
                          
I handed her, her cup and took a seat. “Yes…” I sigh. “I didn’t take his calls nor replied on his texts. Candice, I was hurt and afraid of the loneliness.” And then I started telling her everything. Every last detail.
                          
Three cups later and she finally has a clue with what’s happening in my brain. Candice knows almost everything about me but certain things should remain in the past. A past so buried that no one, not even I should go digging in.
                          
“I am still angry, Rose,” Candice said. “I understand what you went through but I am the one person you should be able to trust because God knows, you’ll be my sister-in-law soon.” And Candice smirked. And when Candice smirks, it's never good. She started telling about everything I missed at the office. I loved this, us catching up and gossiping like everything in the world is alright.
                          
“Don’t lie.” I covered my hand over my mouth.
                          
“He slipped up, Princess.” Candice broke out laughing. “God, going to work was a relief since I moved in with Lucifer but then he started coming to work and when you took leave…god knows it was horrible at work and home.”
                          
“Why move in with him? You had your personal space.”
                          
“Because Rosie, my brother had developments done on his house and god knows, any normal person would prefer Lucifer’s house than an apartment.”
                          
“Guess I am not normal, because I love my house which happened to be an apartment.”
                          
“Guess not.”
                          
We continuing talking. If there is something in my life that I didn’t regret, it would be meeting Candice and making her my best friend. She is everything I could ask for because I mean, she is super sexy, super rude and super amazing.
                          
“Candy, Hurting you was my biggest mistake and it is a mistake I am willing to pay for,” I said and hugged her.
                          
“Come on, Rosie.” she squeezed me. “I missed that striking blue eyes as much as your striking personality, crazy.” she wiped my tears. “You coming to work on Monday, right?” I nodded. “My brothers are out of town so I have the house to myself, how about us and the twins, have a movie night at my crib? We can even get freaky.” she wiggled her eyebrows up and down.
                          
“Stop it.” I pushed her from me. “I don’t know, Candy. Your brother literally controls me when his around. I don’t know but it's like a calling and I am willing but when he leaves I realize my mistake but yet I long for him.”
                          
“Too much info, friend.” she shook her head. “So today is Friday, we have tonight, tomorrow and we can all go to work from my place?” she thought out loud. “What do you think?”
                          
“It's fine. You said your brothers are out of town? So why not? I missed you guys.” I smiled. “What about Alison?”
                          
“You don’t know?” I shook my head. “She and your brother eloped to Vegas to get married and they on their honeymoon at this current moment.” 
                          
I smiled. “I have a new sister.” I was beyond happy for the two idiots. “Come, we have reason to celebrate and I brought you something from the UK.”
                          
“Ooo, free stuff.”
                          
*
                          
Candice helped me pack and Snowy was just angry. He even scratched my pillow to prove his anger. The twins were angry and even drove in their car to prove it. Candice and I traveled in her car. She was going to take me to work and back home so it wasn’t a big deal and I haven’t been in my car since I left for Canada.
                          
“Baby, why not give in to my brother? It would take the tension off me.” Candice said out of the blue.
                          
“Because I just lost the man I thought would be my forever.” I smiled at her. “And besides I don’t think Ben would like it if I moved on with his Boss, our Boss.”
                          
“Please…” Candice said with as much attitude as possible.
                          
“Look, Are you not suppose to be against this?” I asked. “I mean, it’s normally stared upon, the best friend and the brother?”
                          
“God, Rosie, My brother wouldn’t give two shits if you were our adoptive sister.” she laughed. “I love my brothers but if they want something, they’ll get it…” She looked at me. “Eventually.” and smirked.
                          
“Not happening, Love.” I gave her a winning smile. “I don’t give in to temptation.”
                          
“So you desire him?” she laughed. “Relax, Rosie. Eve couldn’t say no to the devil, what makes you think you can?”
                          
*
                          
Candice said wise words. What makes me think I can say no to Mr. Black? That man is temptation at its finest and god knows it hard to say no when the devil has the face of an angel.
                          
“Oh, my living God.” Zephanie’s voice broke my thoughts. “This house is fucking gorgeous.” 
                          
“Tell me about it.” Stephanie agreed. “Much better than the old house.” Stephanie blurted out.
                          
I raised an eyebrow at her. “Old house?”
                          
“Uhmm…” She looked from me to Candice to her sister.
                          
Candice sigh. “The house, you and Maggie came too.”
                          
I just nodded. They were hiding something. Something I plan to find out but the house was gorgeous. “Let gets this tour over with.”
                          
And so we entered the house of the devil. His house was beautiful it was much like him. Beautiful from without but many hidden secrets within. Who can one be so beautiful and so rotten at the same time? 
                          
The house was a modern style. You entered the mansion and you were greeted with a beautiful stairway. There was a billiard room, a library, a reading room, the bedrooms, downstairs bathrooms, a conservatory, a study, the devil’s office and a lot of other rooms.
                          
The manor was big, no doubt. It had multiple bedrooms., bathrooms. and corridors. It had game rooms., TV rooms., it had indoor swimming, underground parking and what we all loved was the trampoline room. Floor to ceiling covered in trampolines. We loved it. The library and reading room was my personal favorite.
                          
The house was divided into four wings, east, west, south, and north. East wing was for all the men that lived in the house. Their quarters were lovely. Not like anything you would normally find in a servant quarters. South and North were your entrance, your garage, and all other rooms.
                          
It was the West wing that captured my attention. Not only did I notice that the wing, is the exact wing that is off-limits on Beauty and Beast but I notice, it’s not the beast we should fear but the devil that roams the wing. Mr. Black had an entire wing to himself, no one could enter, not even the staff. Candice says that on his moody days, not even she can enter without being scarred.
                          
I believe in fairy tales. I believe every girl wants to meet her Prince Charming but I also believe that fairy tales are just fairy tales. Its reality we should believe in but who could believe and dream of a world, of a reality so cold and loveless. Who could believe in the horrors, the violence, and the disappointment?
                          
We need to ask ourselves these questions… we need to know what we want to fight for it. No one is going to save us. I believe in God as much as I believe in the devil but what I believe in most is self-control, self-help. Because if you can’t help and control yourself, who will?
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