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Moments
Last Updated:
2025-01-10 00:00:18
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A Marriage of Convenience Something is up(James POV)
Confusion swims in my gut.Marina smells intoxicating, her scent swirling around me as fresh as the day I’d turned eighteen. I’m fighting the war inside my mind to keep my distance, but I’m weak, and Onyx feels trapped.Rosalind is watching our interaction, and the combination is making my head throb.“I don’t get it,” Marina whispers, shaking her head. Her pale blue eyes shimmer, and I know she’s hurting. The urge to wrap my arms around her is compelling, but I fight that too.“Rosalind is my mate. I have no doubt in my mind. Neither of you are willing to share, so I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place.”The engine to my Audi roars to life, and before I can fully process what’s happening, my eyes widen on Rosa’s tear-filled gaze in the driver’s seat.Gravel flies in every direction, some hitting my shin, but I don’t give a fuck. I’m chasing the car, “Rosa, wait!”“James!” Marina shouts at my back, her voice laced with fear, when Rosalind almost hits me putting the car in drive.I
Last Updated : 2025-01-10A Marriage of Convenience Why did you stay?
“Are you sure about this?” Shawn pinned me with a look that said he’d lock his doors and leave James standing in the elevator if I asked.“You probably think I’m stupid,” I shook my head, a dull throbbing beginning against my temple.Shawn looked as if I’d smacked him, “Rosie,” he stepped closer to me, and like a gravitational pull, my face lifted to look into his eyes. “You are a hopeless romantic and the most stubborn person I’ve ever met. Possibly the most stubborn person in the world,” we shared a collective laugh, “But that doesn’t make you stupid.”“I feel pathetic,” I shook my head, the damp strands of my hair clumping together, “I don’t want to be anyone’s second choice, and yet I find myself in this vicious cycle with James.”“You should never be a second choice, and if that’s how you feel with James,” Shawn looked up at the ceiling, calculating his words, “Then he’s not right for you Rosie.”The elevator pinged, alerting us that James was here, and a trickle of fear slithere
Last Updated : 2025-01-12A Marriage of Convenience Baby
“Aren’t you meant to be at work?” I stretch, losing my balance, but Shawn is already at my side.“I called off,” he shrugged, helping me to the couch, “I made some coffee.”“Yes, please.”Shawn quickly deposits a perfectly made cup of coffee, and I feel tears sting my eyes at the sight.My life is a mess.I’ve spent years wishing that James could be the man I’ve always dreamed he could be, and I keep getting glimpses, and yet as I sit here staring at this cup of coffee, I realize that I don’t even know if he knows how I take my coffee.It’s such a simple thing, but does he know how Marina takes her coffee? Or is it tea… She gives me the vibe that she’d be a tea drinker, and not of the sweet iced Georgian variety.“Why does your face look like that?” Shawn has his lips pulled between his teeth, fighting a smile.“Like what?” I blink, cooling my expression.“Kind of looked like that time you got constipated for three weeks when you were ten,” his eyes widened as the memory of what happe
Last Updated : 2025-01-13A Marriage of Convenience Father-in-law(James POV)
Twenty-four fucking hours she’s been gone.And I’ve been watching her location, so I know she’s still at Shawn’s apartment, which makes my blood boil.‘Might I remind you of my offer,’ Onyx adds unhelpfully.‘No, you may fucking not,’ I snap, ‘While I’ve considered it more times that you might believe. It’s not an option.’He doesn’t understand.Rosalind would hate us if we hurt him, and the last thing I need right now is for her to have any more reason to push us away.I need her like I need oxygen. Every second that passes without knowing that she’s still mine makes my chest feel like it’s going to explode.My phone rings, and I snatched it up without looking at the caller ID, “Baby,” I whisper, but my relief is short lived, “Mr. Wood,” my assistant speaks nervously, “I have Jeremy Red in the lobby asking for a meeting with you. Do you want me to send him away?” there is a pause, “I see that you have your schedule blacked out for today.”The muscles in my jaw are set tight, and my t
Last Updated : 2025-01-14A Marriage of Convenience Timing is a cruel b*tch
My phone has so many notifications, it’s glitching out.The background photo of James and me on our wedding day is covered by a string of green phone and text notifications. Most are from James, a few from Chris, and one from my mother.“That thing hasn’t stopped going off all day,” Shawn’s leaned against his island countertop on his elbows, ordering food for us from his phone.“James doesn’t like to take no for an answer,” I sigh. Embarrassment quickly settles beneath my skin. I’d done a good job hiding the reality of my relationship for the last three years with everyone around me.I could win an award for my fake smile and loving body language. No one questioned us except for my father, and I think that boiled down to a general dislike of James, and not because he actually cared if I was happy or not.Shawn let out a low growl, his phone clattering to the granite, before banging his fist against the surface. It wasn’t angry, but more out of frustration. “Can we pretend for a moment
Last Updated : 2025-01-15A Marriage of Convenience Blocked
Shawn doesn’t mention the kiss, or my rejection.I’m still reeling from feeling his lips on mine. I have wanted that kiss for so many years. So many years I dreamt of how his lips would feel on mine, but now that it finally happened…. I feel dirty because of it.I’m married.The sound of Shawn’s phone startles me, and I drop mine to the floor.“Mr. Red,” Shawn starts, before letting out a soft laugh, “Jeremy. You know I’ll never get used to that.”I hear the booming sound of my father’s laughter on the other end of the receiver, and a fresh wave of hurt washes over me.My father and I have been close my entire life. Every time mom would put me down, dad would pick up the pieces, and yet I find his action unforgivable.He treated me as if I’d made up the pills in my head. And at the time, I’d thought maybe he was right. Maybe I had just taken too many ibuprofens, or mom was feeding me the newest diet fad pill.All of those theories came crashing down the moment I opened that safe, repl
Last Updated : 2025-01-16A Marriage of Convenience Sister
Shawn stands just outside of his bedroom doorway, tight black slacks stretching over his muscular legs, and a white button down... That is currently unbuttoned, showing off the killer body that he’s worked so hard for in the NFL.His hair is styled with just enough gel to smooth it, but not enough to look like he tried too hard.Adult Shawn is far better looking than teenager Rosalind ever conjured up in her immature mind.He arches a brow, beginning to button the shirt, and I clear my throat, “You are…. Dressed up.”“I can stop by your condo on the way. Your father wants to meet at that French bistro in the city.” Shawn’s eyes crinkle as if he knew where my thoughts had just gone, but he doesn’t comment, allowing me to remain flustered.“I’m going to need to,” I glance down at Chris’ clothing barely hanging onto my body, “On second thought, maybe I should go like this. My father deserves the embarrassment of being seen with me at my worst.”“You look amazing,” Shawn hesitates, and I
Last Updated : 2025-01-18A Marriage of Convenience Lies
Time stands eerily still as my vision tunnels on my father’s face.I feel the warmth of Shawn’s hand gripping mine beneath the table. I think he’s talking, but I can’t make out what he’s saying.Everything outside of my father’s face feels like a blur.“What did you say?”My voice sounds foreign, and I blink rapidly, hoping that I’m just in some dream where I’ll wake up, and this entire moment will have just been some horrifying nightmare.“I’m sorry, Rosa,” my father’s mouth moves, and I focus on reading his lips because sounds still aren’t registering properly, “Marina Norconia is your half-sister.”“I…” I turn my head towards Shawn, whose eyes shimmer with concern. “I don’t understand. She…” I swallow down what feels like thick sand in my throat, “Marina is my sister.”I want to run and vomit into the nearest trash can, but I’m not sure my legs would move if I tried.Everything that I’ve known my entire life truly was a lie.I thought finding out that I was a supernatural being was
Last Updated : 2025-01-19
Latest chapter
A Marriage of Convenience Prove that I'm not broken
I’ve been sitting on the large, four post bed that sits in one of two rooms for over an hour. Dante really wasn’t kidding when he said that Shawn… Shay and I would have to pretend to be married. I haven’t told him of our complicated past, but it’s clear that he’s intuitive enough to see that we’re comfortable with one another. That or he knows deep down that Shawn has always held a piece of my heart. Either way, this feels too soon, and my chest aches as I sit here, staring at the floorboards. A soft knock at the door startles me, “Come in.” My voice is barely above a whisper. Shawn peeks through the crack, “Can we talk?”I nodded, scooting over towards the headboard to give his large frame space to sit. The bed dipped as he took a seat beside me, close enough for our knees to brush. I feel his eyes on me, studying me before he sighs softly, “I don’t know what to say right now,” he whispers with a shrug, “How are you holding up?” “If I’m being honest, I don’t know what to tell y
A Marriage of Convenience You took everything from me
“I have to say,” Chris spins around, eye wide with excitement, “I could get used to this. Do you see that fucking view?”This place was like a miniature paradise. The air smelled fresh, like the scent of a frigid breeze during the first snowfall. A serene lake sat in front of a picturesque log cabin. Smoke billowed from the chimney, and mountains stretched across the entire horizon, painting a scene that was nothing short of extraordinary.“It’s a bit colder than I’m used to,” Shawn’s words left his lips on a puff of air. “But Dante has taste. This place feels like its own little paradise.”The three of us headed inside, and I gasped at the warmth in the cabin. The scent of pine and cedar swirled around with a hint of smoke. Everything was bathed in warmth. Stained wood decorated the walls, and deep colors accented the feel of the space.“It’s homey,” Chris glances around, his brows knitted, “Kind of expected something more modern.”“It’s a cabin in the middle of nowhere,” Shawn mutte
A Marriage of Convenience Blurred lines
“Chris,” I whisper, approaching him on the small aircraft carrying us to the unknown location. “Can we talk?”There is a long silence before he finally pushes his sunglasses to the top of his head, his bloodshot eyes boring into mine, “Sure.”His tone is short and unlike him, but I don’t blame him. Once the relief of finding us alive dissipated, he was left with anger, and despite his normal use of drugs or alcohol to make him forget, I imagine it’s not quite that easy when it comes to Shawn and me.“Before you start,” he whispers, “I want you to know that I’m not interested in excuses. I’m not interested in half truths. I’m on a fucking shoebox of an airplane headed to bumfuck nowhere, and I don’t even understand why.”“Of course,” my voice cracks, “There is no reason to hide anything from you anymore,” I shake my head, “There was never any reason to hide anything from you. I don’t have a good reason for keeping you out of the loop… I guess I just didn’t understand what was going on
A Marriage of Convenience Victim
“Why does this feel like we’re going into the witness protection program?” Chris groans, his sunglasses balancing on the tip of his nose. I know he’s only got them on to hide the fact that he was drunk last night, but I don’t comment on it.Part of me wishes I had been drunk last night instead of silently sobbing to myself curled in an armchair next to Shawn’s bed.“That’s precisely what this is,” Dante mutters, “It’s just a bit more under the radar than your typical witness protection. Instead of the government, you get me.”“Yay,” Chris mumbles, dropping his head back against the headrest.Guilt eats away at the remnants of my soul, and each day that passes leaves me feeling hollower than the one before it.The windows of the vehicle Dante drives have been blacked out to the point that you can’t see a thing inside of the car, and there is very little visibility from the inside.“Where in the hell are we going to go that no one is going to recognize two millionaires and a famous foot
A Marriage of Convenience How it was always supposed to be
“Still no word on where they’re at?”I’ve spent the last four days in the hospital, unwilling to leave Shawn’s side while he recovered. They tried to send me home, but I refused. Shawn is in this mess because of me, and I’ll be damned if James or Marina somehow finds their way back to him.Dante pinches the bridge of his nose. He comes by every day, and I see the guilt swimming in his eyes. “I told you he was smart. I’ve not been able to track him through his accounts. Money has been moved from investments, but they’ve got to be using an alias that I’m not aware of.”He frowns, “I’m sorry I don’t have more to go on. Like I said, James is smart. He planned this all out right under our noses and didn’t leave a crumb behind that he didn’t want left behind.”I mull over Dante’s words, my mind scattering in so many directions, my head begins to ache. Dante had said James intentionally bought that warehouse under his main bank account because he knew it was trackable, but why would he do th
A Marriage of Convenience Disappeared
My eyes widen as a gasp leaves my lips. The air around us feels instantly stale, and my heart jackhammers in my chest.Neither of us utter a word, unknowing if the voices we hear are there to help. Honestly, in my current state, I’m unconvinced that they’re even real.“Rosa,” Joanne voice breaks through the heavy shuffling of footsteps, and I find the strength to stand, untangling myself from Shawn’s arms.“Oh my goodness,” our eyes meet and hers widen when she takes in mine and Shawn’s appearance. “What has he done?”Her voice is barely above a whisper, but I see the horror reflecting in her normally warm eyes.“I found them,” she shouts, still standing rooted to her spot. Moments later, police and paramedics rush towards us and a few moments after that, Dante and Chris on an ATV.“Rosie,” Chris jumps out of his seat while the vehicle is still moving. He stumbles as he runs towards me. His eyes are a mixture of pain and relief, “Fucking hell, Rosie. You’re alive. You’re both alive.”
A Marriage of Convenience Everything hurts and I'm dying
Shawn and I ran as fast as our battered bodies could carry us. Pain sears through my body and my muscles scream in protest.I saw a workout shirt once that said ‘Everything hurts and I’m dying’. How fitting would that be to have on at this very moment?“Shawn,” I hiss through my teeth, feeling darkness shroud my vision. “I don’t know how much further I’ll make it.”“You don’t have another choice, Rosie,” he grits out, “We have to make it out of here.”My lungs ache with every breath. It feels as if I’ve inhaled tiny shards of glass, and each breath sends them further through the surface of the organs that aid my breathing.Is this how I’m going to go?Shawn falls back, scooping me into his arms.“Shawn,” I gasp, trying and failing to fight him, “You won’t make it anywhere carrying me.”“If you haven’t realized this yet,” he growls through his pain, “We’re getting out of here together. You should really stop making me say it.”The sound of paws slamming against the Earth sends my brain
A Marriage of Convenience Escape(Shawn POV)
I’ve never wanted to kill anyone. Not once in my life had the thought crossed my mind.Until now.I fucked up keeping my heart sealed away from Rosie. I thought I was doing her a favor by keeping my distance. I loved her with so much depth, that I let her go, and I’m going to regret that decision until the end of my life.Rosie was a Red. She was royalty to the world. An heiress. A billionaire. Her namesake was a given, and me? I was Shawn Pierce, son of two drug addicts that didn’t want him, and a hoard of mental issues that were never discussed.I lived with them through my childhood until Jeremy Red found me huddled in a closet one day with my hands over my ears, rocking back and forth. I was sobbing uncontrollably, and my heart felt like it was going to explode.Instead of dragging me out of there and telling me to man up as my father had done in the past, he rushed a doctor to the residence and had me diagnosed with anxiety. I was prescribed medication, that Mr. Red paid for, and
A Marriage of Convenience On fire
Searing pain rolls through my body. My back arches against the pole, and I feel myself ripping at the restraints.A scream echoes around the warehouse, but I’m not even sure if it’s mine.Everything hurts and I feel as if I have lava swimming through my veins.“Rosie!” Shawn’s voice shouts. “What’s happening?”“It…. IT HURTS,” I scream again, unable to contain it.I’ve experienced pain. In the last year I’ve not only been bitten by a shark, but also a werewolf. Both of which hurt more than I care to admit, but I’d get eaten alive by a shark slowly over this.“JUST KILL ME,” I scream at the flashing light bulb in the corner.“Rosie, what is happening?” I hear him grunt. Something keeps hitting my fingers, but I can’t tell if I’m doing it or if Shawn is.“Please,” I sob as the pain tears through my chest. “It’s too much.”My vision tunnels, and I feel weaker by the second, but the pain eases up, and I finally fill my lungs with a sharp inhale.“Everything hurts, Shawn,” I whimper, feeli
