Page 16 of Better Left Unsaid

“No, we’re not. We’re husband and wife.”

Plenty of married couples were friends, right? I couldn’t be the only one who knew that to be true. It wasn’t some silly fantasy, like he made it out to be, it was a reality. Not that I’d bother arguing with him on it. There was no use, and it would’ve been more wasted breath.

Standing, I walked to the bar and poured myself a stiff drink, bringing the cool glass to my lips. “Good for you,” I mumbled as I set it down again and paced the room.

My father leaned back just like I’d done only moments before, placing his hands in his lap. “This isn’t about me. This is about you. You’ve always had power, but never mobility. You’ve boxed yourself into this silly notion of friendship with this woman. You need to make a move before it’s too late.”

Raking a hand through my hair, I stopped pacing and looked at the chessboard. The pieces were each strategically placed, but it didn’t matter that I could’ve easily won this round. No, this round wasn’t about winning or losing. It was about bringing me around to his way of thinking—that this board was representative of life.

“Do you see what I’m saying, son?” he pushed. “If you continue to sit on your hands, it doesn’t matter if you’re out of moves or not, because you will lose.”

If we were going by his way of thinking, and life was a chessboard, then I was stuck in one corner with Maria standing in the opposite corner from me.

And the mind boggle? I hadn’t the slightest clue how to reach my queen without breaking every other rule in the damn book.

* * *

Maria

Maria:Are you up?

Dominic:Yes.

Maria:I can’t sleep.

Dominic:I figured that one out when you texted me. Unless you sleep text, and I didn’t know about it.

Maria:Is that a thing?

Dominic:No damn idea.

Maria:What are you doing?

Dominic:What’s the right answer to that?

Maria:The honest one.

Dominic:Watching porn.

Maria:Wow, okay. Maybe a lie would’ve been better.

Dominic:Would you believe me if I said I’m watching it for you?

Maria:Don’t see how that adds up.

Dominic:It’s been three years, and you still haven’t orgasmed.

Maria:And you watching porn is the answer?

Dominic:Follow my logic on this one. I watch porn, something stands out as an idea to try to make you orgasm, andbam!I’m a god.

Maria:That’s one way of looking at it.

Dominic:My mind is a beautiful place.

Maria:Scary.

Dominic:Beautiful.

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