Vi was the one standing by the window now, the sheet wrapped tightly around her, arms crossed in front of her. Her breathing was fast, chest rising and falling like she was preparing to run. Like she wanted to bolt.
But Ren wouldn't let her if she even tried.
Not tonight.
Not before she'd served her purpose.
Never before then.
He watched her for a full minute, silent. The tension between them had festered into something thicker, seemingly irreparable. But then he moved. One step. Then another.
He hugged her from behind. "Babe, come on, you really don't have to feel threatened by my friendship with Rhea. Like I said, she's nothing more than a friend."
She didn't answer.
"Vi," he said, voice low, "you're the only person in this world who makes me feel alive, like I matter. You make me feel seen. I'm the happiest when I'm with you. So, please trust me when I say I'd never jeopardize that. I'd never jeopardize what we have."
Still nothing.
He unwrapped his arms around her, straightened.
"You're pissed at me?" His voice became more stern. "Then act like it. Look at me and fight me. Don't just go cold and run."
Still no reply from Vi.
Ren snapped.
In one sharp movement, he yanked the sheet away from her body and spun her around to face him — bare, exposed, vulnerable.
She gasped, but he caught her wrists mid-motion, pinning them against the nearest wall above her head. His body pressed close, his mouth a breath away from hers.
He growled, "You think I'd ever look at Rhea the way I look at you? Huh? Like I'm one second away from losing my damn mind if I don't have you?"
Her lips parted, chest heaving.
"You're mine, Vi," he whispered. "You always have been. You always will be."
"I'm not some property you own—"
"I don't give a fuck what you are or aren't," he hissed, cutting her off. "But you should know that I belong to you, Vi. Only you. And I'm getting sick of you forgetting that."
She tried to move, but he didn't let her. His thigh slid between hers, pinning her in place.
Then, softer, almost a plea, he said, "I'd burn the whole damn world if it meant you'd finally believe you're the only one I love so deeply."
That was Jeff's favorite line. He used to say it to Ren whenever Ren was feeling insecure. And now, Ren was using it on his daughter.
Vi mashed their bodies together even more, and kissed him hard and angry and desperate. Her body melting into his. Becoming one.
But this time, she grabbed his wrists and shoved him against the wall. Ren laughed softly, thinking back to when Jeff did the same with him. This girl is so much like her father in the bedroom... it must run in their blood.
She jumped and wrapped her hips around Ren's torso, and he took her back to the bed. They made out as they shred off each other's last pieces of clothing.
"Ren!" Vi exclaimed, moaning. "Fuck me. Please."
"Since you ask so nicely," he taunted, just as he eased himself inside her. Slowly. Inch by inch.
Vi's moans of pleasure turned louder as they found a pace together. She pushed her perfect hips back up into Ren as he shifted his grip to her hips.
She climaxed with a scream that clipped short as she stopped breathing, her tiny fists balled up into the sheets as she shuddered.
Three more thrusts and Ren came inside her with a grunt. Breathless.
Later, the fan above them spun in lazy circles, doing little to move the warm air, but neither of them seemed to mind. Vi lay curled against Ren's bare chest, her fingers tracing lazy circles over his skin. The sheets were tangled around their legs, the smell of sweat, shampoo, and something else clinging to the air in the room.
"Ren?" she murmured, her voice muffled against his collarbone.
"Mm?" He was stroking her back in slow, absentminded sweeps. Comfortable. Calm. Possibly a little too calm.
She propped her chin on his chest and looked up at him. "So… uhm, my family's doing a little reunion thing this weekend. Kind of like, a get-together. It's at my uncle's farm in East Bay. Big pool, barbecue, all the drama you could ask for and regret it later." She hesitated, then bit her bottom lip. "And, uh, I want you to come."
His hand paused. Just for a second. Blink, and you'd miss it. But Vi felt it.
Ren let out a low breath, eyes flicking to the ceiling, pretending to think of an excuse. "Your family?" he said carefully, as though testing the weight of the words. "That's… a pretty big deal, babe."
"Well, yeah," Vi let out a small smile. "We've been dating for four months now. That's a long time. And technically you've already met my mom — remember when she caught you sneaking out of my room at 7 a.m. with no undies?"
Ren chuckled, pulling a pillow over his face for dramatic effect. "Don't remind me. I still have PTSD from the way she looked at me."
"Then maybe this is your chance to redeem yourself," she teased, nudging him. "Huh?
He peeked out from under the pillow. "You sure you want me there? With your whole clan watching? I'm not exactly… uncle-approved material."
Vi softened. "I want you there, Ren. You're important to me. They should meet you."
Finally!
For a beat, he just looked at her. And she looked back, like she was trying to read something in his eyes. And maybe she was, but she wouldn't find it. Not yet. Not until he chose to show it to her.
He smiled, slow and careful. "Then I'll come."
Relief spread across her face. She leaned in to kiss him, light and warm. "Good. You'll love my grandma. She's like me, except she swears more and bakes good muffins."
Ren laughed, but his eyes drifted away as she nestled back into his side. She didn't see the way his smile just vanished when she wasn't looking. Didn't catch the shadow that flitted behind his eyes.
Meeting Vi's family was exactly what he'd been hoping for. Waiting for. He'd just needed it to be natural, not forced. Exactly like how it had just been.
Vi's invite brought him one step closer to his goal.
And Vi, sweet, trusting Vi, had no idea that not everything Ren felt was real. Or that this whole thing had started as something else entirely.
He slowly stroked her hair.
She sighed into his chest.
He stared at the ceiling, calculating. Anticipating the look on Jeff's face when they finally meet again. At last!