Bella The surprise turned out exactly how I had expected— terrible. I lay down in bed, unable to let out the emotions I was feeling. I knew I didn't have any right to be upset. We had to stay away from each other's business…but did we? I'm his freaking wife and he's my husband. It was a contract marriage but we still had terms to uphold, right? “Where's that fucking contract?!” I jumped off my bed and scattered through the drawers looking for the document. “We’ll know who's incompetent now,” I said, rubbing my hands together as I grinned mischievously, cunning satisfaction dancing in my eyes as I found it. About three thousand words and a headache emitting from my eye strain later, I completed my task. Why the hell were the words so tiny? I didn't realize how many terms were in that thing. Although I didn't understand most of it, I did find what I was looking for. We weren't allowed to have sex or have other relationships outside of our marriage. The fact that we weren
XanderI couldn't hide the desire in my eyes as I looked into hers. I was tired of playing games. I wanted her to know how much she made my heart race but she'll leave eventually.I wanted her to trust me. I didn't lie when I said I didn't do women. I had sex a couple of times before meeting her at the wedding but it was only to let off steam when I needed it and I paid those women to go far, far away from me.I never forgot to use condoms but with her, I didn't.I remember thinking what a lucky bastard Hardin was as I stood behind the bushes, watching the ceremony, until, the rest they say is history.I'll say fate wanted her to be mine, even if it was just for two years.I never believed in love at first sight but I couldn't take my eyes off my brother's wife-to-be after seeing her for the first time.Why didn't I do women, you ask? There were no intense reasons attached. I just hated the drama that came with them. I needed to protect my estate and my life but this one…I wanted her
Bella I left his room with my head down, regretting what I had done. “Did I mess up?” An inner dialogue began in my mind as I found myself lost in deep contemplation. “Nothing,” I told him in response to his question without thinking. I did have other ways to thank him! Like… “Okay. You can go now. See you tomorrow then," was his stupid response. Couldn't he convince me? Try to make me stay? Seduce me? Xander had way too much self control for someone who fucked a total stranger on the first day they met. I don't know what I expected when he asked me to marry him but it wasn't this. Maybe he didn't want to touch me because of the baby. But a man of Xander's abilities should know that at the early stages, it could still happen. I think I'm just a crazy ass lunatic! All you need to know is, I messed up real big; an opportunity of probably forever. I couldn't do those things girls in Hollywood movies did— the usual, wear a bikini or those rope-like things that held your th
BellaI wasn't sure how long I slept for but it felt like ages. I was able to move a little and the pain didn't feel as bad as it used to be. It had been a few days of strict bed rest.“Don't get up from there, do you hear me?” Xander told me three days ago, after the sleeping dose wore off. I woke up to a few missed calls from Bernice. I don't know how she heard what happened but she called as soon as she did and promised to travel to Miami to come see me.“Hi, sleeping beauty.” My senses were awakened by the sound of the voice I knew too well and it stirred a deep surge of nostalgia.“Bern!” I shouted and leaped, forgetting all about the medical drip that was attached to the back of my hand.“Hey, hey. Relax, okay? I'm here now,” A flood of emotions washed over me with each word she spoke and it made me realize how much I had missed her.“Bern,” I said, gently, squeezing her hands tightly. I couldn't give her a hug because I couldn't sit or stand yet.The doctor said I had a few br
BellaJust when I thought we were finally getting somewhere. “What about the surprises? The protection and care? The obsession with me? He's just going to throw all that away? The light Nana claimed I brought into his life.” The voices in my head made everything worse.“I thought he loved me,” I almost screamed whereI stood behind the wall as I let my tears fall. I thought I had a chance with him. I guess I was wrong. I didn't know which one made my heart bleed even more; losing my baby or being thrown out after being bought as a freaking baby mama.He stood just outside the door, took a final drag of his cigar, looked left and right, heaved an exhausted sigh and walked to his bedroom.I wanted to shout but thankfully, there was a knot in my throat.I waited for Luke to leave the house before coming out of hiding. My crutches were not the usual. It didn't make crazy noises as I hopped. It had a cap underneath that augmented my stealth mode.I managed to get myself out of the house,
XanderAnother day to just stare at my meal like it was a dish of hot poop, beautifully presented in front of me. “Mary, come clear out the table,” I instructed.It had been two weeks— two fucking weeks since I last saw her. I called her phone, called her friend, tracked her phone, checked her parents’— she was nowhere to be found.“May I, sir?” Mary asked, trying to get me to move my hands out of the way so she could do her job.I took one look at her and veins appeared on my temples as I clenched my teeth in my closed mouth.I pushed everything off the table, growling deeply as I thought about the possibility of her being kidnapped or worse— dead.I watched Mary burst out of the room to bring something to clear out the broken pieces of ceramic dinnerware and I stood up immediately, walking up the stairs.I acted like I didn't care. I shouldn't after all. She only made it easy to get rid of her but I still couldn't breathe properly. I needed to be sure she was alright.“Sir, we coul
Bella“I bought you some new clothes,” Bruce declared as he opened the door, struggling to get the bags of clothes he was holding through it. “I would have sent the personal shopper to get them but she messes up sometimes and I have my favorite things to see on you.”“Bruce!” I felt my face grow hot and my skin tingle a little when he dropped the bags beside me on the bed and gave me a kiss on the lips. I folded my lips in, savoring his kiss before speaking. “You bought me an entire closet of clothes last week. Your closet is literally full of my own clothes.”“Just tell me that I'm sweet and quit nagging,” he planted another kiss on my forehead, taking off his shirt.I bit my lower lip as I watched him and I could never get enough of this view. My face lit up with a radiant smile when I was contemplating how best to tell him how good he looked.“Don't your other women tell you how sweet you are?” I let my intrusive thoughts win, again.“I’ve thrown all of them away, I want just one
Bella I couldn't stop myself from blinking numerous times in my bid to see clearly and still make sense of what I was seeing. He was standing right in front of me and I didn't know what to feel. Anger, frustration, sadness— all at once. I didn't say anything and was about to close the door to him when he held it open, as usual. Struggling to control my temper which was already attempting to go up the roof, I asked him through my gritted teeth, “What do you want, Xander?” “Why did you leave the house? I've been searching all over for you.” “Why? What else do you want from me? You wanted a baby and I've lost the baby— weren't those your words?” His hand flew to his head and he ran his fingers through his hair, trying to avoid my gaze. A shadow of regret passed over his features as I watched his face etch with pain and self reproach. “You heard?” He asked, sighing deeply, his eyes darker than I was used to. “What do you want from me?” “Why are you here? Couldn't you h