The Unbroken Series Book 1: Gelasia Unbroken

Tomatoes are like bad relationships. Vibrant red, shiny, and full of promise. The first bite delivers the sweetness you were hoping for, but once you get past the surface, the acid creeps in, and you realize the one you picked is bitter to the core.

Chet inspected his tacos with a disapproving scowl before signaling the server to come back.

“Is there a problem, sir?”

“Yes,” he snapped, “there are tomatoes on my tacos. I specifically said, ‘Hold the tomatoes.’ Is your job too hard for you?”

“I’m sorry, sir. Let me get you another plate.”

“How long will that take?”

“About ten minutes.”

“Ten minutes?!” he yelled, attracting the attention of nearby diners. “In ten minutes, my girlfriend will be finished with her stupid fucking salad, and I will have to eat by myself!”

I stared across the table at my boyfriend, a knot forming in my stomach. The sweet, kind guy who swept me off my feet and treated me like a queen was not present that evening.

“I can just wait to eat my salad until your food arrives,” I offered, setting my fork down.

“No. Let’s just get out of here. I’m not hungry anymore.”

A man in a suit approached our table. “Excuse me, sir,” he said politely. “Is there a problem?”

“Are you the manager?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I specifically said to hold the tomatoes. And guess what? There are tomatoes on my tacos. I can’t pick them off. They’ve already left disgusting tomato snot all over everything!”

“I’m very sorry, sir. We will gladly bring you another plate and cover your bill for the inconvenience.”

“Don’t bother. We’re leaving.” He stood, grabbing his coat from the back of the chair before storming out.

I pulled on my jacket, heat burning up my cheeks as I exited the restaurant with my head down.

Chet was already in the car with the engine running. “What took you so long?!” he barked.

I buckled my seatbelt and stared straight ahead.

He reached over and rubbed my thigh. “What’s wrong?”

I brushed an imaginary piece of lint off my skirt while I debated whether to say anything about his behavior at the restaurant.

“Lacey?”

“Yes?”

“Are you mad at me?”

“No. I just think you overreacted a little bit back there at the restaurant.”

“I think you’re the one who is overreacting, babe.”

“Where are we going?” I asked when he went in the opposite direction of my dorm.

“I thought you were spending the night at my place.” He reached over and slid his hand under my skirt. “I’m horny. I wanna fuck you.”

I swatted his hand away. “I don’t want to spend the night at your apartment.”

I didn’t like staying over at Chet’s place. His nerdy roommates always stared at me like I was a piece of meat. I wouldn’t be surprised if they stood outside Chet’s bedroom door and listened to us having sex.

But Chet didn’t like staying in my dorm room. I had a single bed, and it got pretty crowded in there.

“Well, it’s too late now. We’re almost there. You should have said something earlier.”

“I’ll just get a cab back to my dorm.”

“Lacey, you’re acting ridiculous. Do you have your period or something? You can just suck my cock if that’s the problem.”

I gritted my teeth as he pulled into his parking space. “I don’t have my period. I just don’t want to spend the night here. I’m upset with you.”

Chet’s neighborhood wasn’t one of the better ones in Cambridge. A couple of sketchy characters were loitering in the parking lot, so I got out of the car and followed him inside to his apartment.

He slid my coat off and pulled me into his arms, nuzzling my neck as he ran his hand up my thigh and inside my panties. “Oh, babe. It’s like the Mojave Desert down there. Don’t worry. I’ve got lots of lube.”

I tried to pull away, but he had a firm grip on me. “Don’t resist, babe. Relax, and you might actually enjoy it.”

One of the roommates emerged from the bathroom, clad only in some superhero boxer shorts, his man boobs covered in a thick matting of black hair. “Hi, Lacey,” he said. “Are you spending the night?”

“Apparently,” I grumbled, scowling at Chet.

“Cool,” he laughed as he wandered into the kitchen.

“C’mon, babe.” Chet grabbed my arm, dragging me into his bedroom and slamming the door behind us. He pushed me onto the bed and climbed on top of me.

“Chet, I’m not in the mood tonight.” I squirmed, trying to get out from underneath him. “Get off me.”

He rolled over onto his back with a frustrated sigh. “What’s the problem, Lacey?”

“Nothing. I just don’t feel like having sex.”

“Are you seeing someone else?”

“No, Chet.”

“Good. You belong to me. I don’t know what type of relationships you had in the past, but when you agree to be a guy’s girlfriend, you have sex with him. It’s an expectation, babe.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to have sex with you,” I explained. “I just wish you would make love to me, like you did the first night we were together. I’m not really into all that rough stuff, and sometimes it would be nice if you’d ask me what I like.”

“Lacey, you need to grow up and stop reading romance novels. That’s not how sex is in the real world. I’m tired, and I don’t want to be bothered with foreplay. I just want to fuck you and go to sleep.”

When he climbed back on top of me, I didn’t resist. Maybe he was right. My experience with men didn’t amount to much.

I’d had a boyfriend during my senior year of high school. Daniel was a nice guy who treated me well, and we lost our virginity to each other.

When high school ended, we decided to part ways. He was heading to California to attend UCLA, and I was staying on the East Coast. We both agreed that a long-distance relationship wasn’t in the cards.

During my first two years at MIT, I dated a few guys. But I never slept with any of them, or met anyone I could envision having a relationship with.

Chet was so charming and sweet when we first met. He was older and more experienced, and I thought that was something I needed. Maybe I was overreacting to the incident at the restaurant. Everyone was allowed to get angry sometimes.

I wanted to have a relationship with Chet. We had a lot in common, with similar life goals and plans. I liked having a boyfriend instead of being alone. Most of the time, he was okay. I had to find a way to try to enjoy sex with him.

He pushed up my skirt, yanking my panties down. After he squirted some lube on his fingers, he shoved them inside me. He nudged my thighs apart, lining up his cock before he entered me with one hard thrust.

I closed my eyes, praying he would be done quickly. My legs were tired, and I wanted to put them down, but he held them firmly by the thighs while he slammed in and out of me, grunting before he finally came and let me go.

I didn’t have any pajamas with me, and I didn’t feel comfortable sleeping naked. So, I curled up in my clothes and eventually fell asleep.

The smell of bacon drifted up my nose. I opened my eyes, momentarily disoriented.

How could I forget I stayed over at Chet’s?

The discomfort between my legs was an unpleasant reminder of the rough sex that took place the night before.

The door opened and Chet entered, carrying a tray. He kicked the door closed behind him, smiling brightly.

“Good morning, babe. I thought you might be hungry.” He set the tray on the bed in front of me before climbing in beside me.

I stared at the plate. He’d prepared scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast, with some fruit on the side. The steaming cup of coffee smelled heavenly.

“Thank you. It looks delicious.”

“You’re welcome. And I’m sorry about last night. I don’t know what got into me. It won’t happen again. I promise.”

I wasn’t sure if he was referring to the incident at the restaurant or the sex.

What was the point of asking? He would probably get angry. I’d have to let it go.

He leaned in, kissing me softly on the lips. “Eat up, babe.”

“Tell Leon I said thanks.”

“What makes you think he cooked it?”

“Because you’re vegan, and you wouldn’t enjoy making bacon and eggs.”

He nodded, a guilty grin spreading across his face. “Busted.”

That was the Chet I fell for. Sweet, kind, and fun.

I finished my breakfast, ignoring the little voice in my head that was desperately trying to plant seeds of doubt about him.

“So, babe, I need to discuss something important with you before I take you home.” He grabbed the empty tray and placed it on the floor before taking my hand and kissing my knuckles.

“What is it?”

“I would like you to come home with me for Thanksgiving.”

“To your parents’ house in Rhode Island?”

“Yes.”

He wanted to take me home to meet his parents. Our relationship was getting serious.

I was twenty-one years old. It was time to grow up. My best friends were in longterm relationships. Whitney and Mitch had been going out for six years, and my other friend, Carla, was engaged to be married.

“Okay. I’ll come.”

“You will? Awesome. My mom will be thrilled.” He pressed his lips against mine briefly. “We better get up. I’ve got class at nine, and I have to drive you home.”

He stripped off his boxers, wrapping a towel around his waist before heading to the shower.

I stared at myself in the mirror while I brushed my hair. I had a serious boyfriend who wanted to take me home to meet his parents. I should’ve been elated. But I couldn’t turn off the warning light flashing in my brain.