No one will find out about us if Vincent gets a say—and me honestly—because he still has a semi-crazy wife in his background waiting to pounce at any minute. Vincent hadn't been in a relationship with her long, but it didn't mean they hadn't been married for the last however many years. And the city rumor mill definitely won't care to hear his side of the story once the truth comes out."I don't care anymore, Mackenzie. We can't live our lives worried about what Tiffany is going to do. I won't risk losing you because she still wrongly believes she has a hold over my life."I snuggle closer and his hand moves up my thigh, settling between my legs. "You're not going to lose me over Tiffany." At least not now that he finally opened up and told me the truth."How many orgasms will it take to get you to agree to this whole living together thing without complaining or making me eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?"Any man who would put up with my horrible assistant skills and eat
I decided six orgasms were enough payment for the moving in together and first party thing, but as Vincent's sleek limo pulls up to the large Detroit mansion, I realize I should've held out for more. Lots more.The man beside me smirks at my scowl as if he knows what I'm thinking and doesn't care because he's gotten his way. Again. Only when my gaze falls to his neck and I get lost in the way his tux contrasts against his skin, making me want to lick his neck and bathe myself in his cologne, do I remember how good the orgasms were. The man has a way with his mouth… and tongue.The mansion is constructed from dark red brick with white trim around the windows and a wide staircase leading to the front door. Trees on each side have been manicured and fluffed. The grass remains a vibrant green even in Michigan's fall season, and pumpkins of various sizes and colors line the walkway while corn stalks wrap around the two light posts on each side of the steps."Are you sure about this?"
The man's eyes light up at the word girlfriend, which Vincent apparently wastes no time working into introductions now. He had dates before, but from the reaction of both people, I wonder exactly how those dates have been introduced. I'm guessing not as girlfriends.The older man with graying hair wears a suit that fits him perfectly. He must have been dashing in his day. He still maintains a silver fox aura to him as he latches on to Vincent's hand to shake. "Finally settling down. Are you?"Vincent looks to me and I swear his eyes twinkle. "She may be the one to do it.""I never saw you with a blonde," the older man shakes his head with a smile while his gaze lingers on me. "Don't listen to what they say. The good ones will kick your ass in the board and bedroom."Vincent laughs even as I cringe. It's not the first blonde joke I've heard, but I'd expect certain circles of society to know better."Stephen's wife is a blonde," Vincent explains, taking away some of the burn fr
With my mother not expecting me home until after six because of the hour-long trip from Lansing, I drive right to the doctor's office and park my car in the lot, making it there on time for the last appointment of the day. I begged for the 4:45 slot. Since I've been going to the same family doctor my entire life, they worked me in on short notice. Sometimes smaller towns were splendid for things. As long as the news of why I'm here doesn't seep out into the lobby, everything will be fine. I even made Vincent promise no more secret bodyguards.The doctor's office waiting room smells like someone just finished emptying a can of Lysol into the air. A mother and small child sit in one of the dark green padded chairs in the corner. The little girl rests her head on her mother's shoulder, her eyes slowly closing before they snap open again.An older man sits in the opposite corner, watching a show on one television hanging from the walls. My own spot puts me at an angle where I can see t
My parents' house looks the same as it always has growing up as I walk up to the front door. My mom opens it for me even though I have a key hanging from my ring, and I immediately hug her, squeezing tightly. I can't tell my mother about walking out of the doctor's office and I can only pray it doesn't make it out in the town gossip. Still, just being in her arms her love washes over me. Even though she's unaware of my issues, she's still trying to fix them and comfort me.I may argue and fight with my parents, but they're still mine and I know they have my best interests at heart."Thank fuck you finally made it so we can eat," my brother says, sprawled out on the couch in my parents' living room."Evan, watch your tongue," my mother scolds him, shaking her head in a silent warning."Glad to see you're here, sweetheart," my father adds, turning around from the small treadmill he walks on in front of the TV.It's an oddly comforting sight to see my father doing the exercises
Later, after the sky has grown dark and night has descended on the city, I park my car in my reserved space and take a deep breath. The overnight bag I packed because I planned to spend the weekend with my parents sits heavily in the passenger seat and I scoop it up before getting out of my car.Nerves tickle my stomach as I use the key card to access the elevator and select the penthouse. I texted Vincent when I got in the car in my parents' drive way, but for the entire hour drive back I haven't heard a reply. The elevator that never seems to travel a consistent pace inches up to the penthouse frustratingly slowly.I step off into the little hallway in front of Vincent's penthouse and take a few more deep breaths. I was determined in the car ride on the way here, but the closer I got to the city my nerves took over. Regardless of how I feel about the matter and my worry about how Vincent will respond, the time has come to tell him the truth. There's no wimping out now. No matter
He's picked someone to spend to life with? Who?I'm standing on the railroad track and there's a freight train full of bricks headed my way. Right as it's about to plow into me, the train derails and the bricks scatter the ground around my feet.Vincent picked me.The world doesn't stop while I come to terms with my life-altering realization. Vincent continues to hold me in his powerful arms, giving me the balance I need to stay on my feet even as I want to run to the bathroom and lose my dinner in the toilet.When he speaks again, his words are ice. "If you come near either of us again, I will cancel every single one of my deals with your family."Rachel gasps, seemingly surprised for the first time this evening. "You wouldn't. After something petty like this? You'd lose half your business value if you break the contract."With a firm sweep of his hand Vincent guides me behind his back once again. "You overestimate your family's importance, and I will do it if it means you
His eyes pop open and he looks at me as if seeing a complete stranger. "You're fucking kidding me?"Tears I worked hard to keep back even though I refused to cry make their way to the surface. "I'm sorry," I say around a choked sigh. "I'm not one hundred sure. There were no signs. I've not had any symptoms."Vincent tugs at his hair, and his expression is wild as he refuses to drop my eye contact. There's no look of sympathy in his eyes even as my tears grow faster. "Then why in the hell would you think you're pregnant?"I ring my hands together sniffling back the sobs. "I haven't had a period in a few months, so I took a test the other day…" My sentence trails off and it's met with nothing but silence, the air still between us.Why did I think this would be a good time to tell him? From the way the vein throbs in his forehead with each beat of his heart, Vincent is not taking the news well. Like I expected."And!"I jump back at his yell. "It was positive, but I haven't co
My enormous stomach stretches against the seatbelt in Vincent's expensive car. I'm no longer just showing a small bit as my due date creeps ever closer. The trees have budded along the highway as his car continues to travel north."Vincent, where are we going?"He smiles. "Our weekend place," he gives me what I suspect is the first semi-honest answer he has the entire trip.When we left this morning, I asked if I needed to pack a bag, but he said it was only a day trip. If I am being completely honest, my first thought was he bought the home in Okemos and planned to drive the fifteen miles to get away for the weekend. But we've been driving for over an hour at this point, passing my family home along the highway to continue north."I can't give you any more than that, Mackenzie. It's a surprise." He says turning off the highway.I hold back a sigh. They never do any good, anyway. "And you know how much I hate surprises.""Yes." His hand falls to my knee and squeezes, rubbin
"I promise you, Mr. Valiant, your wife and baby are perfectly fine. I don't even see signs of a concussion. She's one lucky woman." The doctor's smooth voice does nothing to lessen Vincent's irritation."Can't you check them both again?" he grinds out annoyed he has to ask.The steady beeping of the baby's heart monitor, a large device they've wrapped around my tiny stomach, beeps consistently. "Vincent, I am fine."He looks back at me in the hospital bed and squeezes my hand. "I know, baby. I just want them to check you again."The doctor sighs, smiling at me as if apologizing I have to put up with the man for the rest of my life, but I wouldn't have it any other way."They've looked me over three times. I'm perfectly fine," I run my fingers over his arm, but it doesn't lessen his scowl."Your wife is right, Mr. Valiant. We've run every test. She and the baby are healthy. I'm going to write up her release papers as soon as I leave the room. Go home and get rest. That's the
"I'm sorry we can't go on a honeymoon right away,""Vincent, I promise I understand. Really." He's an important CEO of a billion-dollar company. I don't expect him to take off whenever he wants. He can throw together a quick weekend wedding, but we can't drop everything and go on a three-week honeymoon like he's promised without notice. We have plans to make.I wrap the sheets around me tighter, the northern winds of November howling outside the window. We've been newlyweds for exactly twenty-four hours, and after I sneezed four times yesterday, Vincent decided I need to take Monday morning off to lie in bed and stay warm. He's obnoxiously worried about me catching a cold while pregnant. Any other time I would find it annoying, but the baby is involved so I'm listening to his heavy-handedness. This time."I'm sure I'll forgive you for not whisking me away on a honeymoon immediately during the three weeks we're on the boat in the Bahamas over Christmas." He thought of the best way
Another two weeks laterA gust of wind batters the outside of the car, but the frigid temperatures we're walking into aren't enough to sway Vincent. He allows Davis to open the black limos door and then reaches for my hand when he exits."Is your mom going to kill us?" I ask as I step out into the freezing temperatures of northern Michigan in the late fall and wrap the white fake fur shawl around my shoulders."Probably," Vincent says with a devilish smirk, meaning he doesn't care what his mother will say. I wish I had his self-confidence.At least we'll go down together. "Good because my mother is going to murder me in my sleep."The newest personal protection guard—I'd never get used to that name—steps up to my side. Nicki is tall and her body thin, but she's never once looked at Vincent inappropriately over the last two weeks she'd been protecting me.When Vincent introduced her and brought her into the team, I hadn't argued. Safety isn't something I can take for granted
Two Fridays laterMy eyes have just begun to close as I settle into the post-work catnap. The doctor said it wasn't a big deal I hadn't experienced any morning sickness or other complications during the pregnancy and I should consider myself lucky. But from the way I dozed off at my desk every couple hours the last few days at work, the exhaustion part of being pregnant is hitting me hard and making up for lost time of the first trimester.I still can't believe I'm pregnant. I've seen the evidence, we have the pictures to prove it, but besides being tired I don't feel different. Even though it is too early, I definitely haven't felt anyone moving around in there. Because I lack so much evidence, it is hard to picture me with a baby. It's even harder to picture my big rigid Vincent as a father. Not that I have any doubt he'll be a great one, I've just never seen him with kids. I rarely even babysat myself. Only once or twice in high school. I spent a couple of nights watching the Wa
Without thinking about, it I place my hand on my desk and the metal in the ring that sits so heavily on my finger hits against it with a clink. It draws my attention back to the fresh addition to my finger and I smile as I stare at the beautiful piece of jewelry.I tried not to wear out of the house this morning. It was Monday and even though Vincent's employees handled his email well, I couldn't imagine it would get the same response as the newspaper article outing his previous wife. I prepared for a full-on tizzy. To my relief the article didn't publish as expected. Vincent answers my text with only a smiley face—so unlike him. I figure it cost him a pretty penny, but he worked his magic.Me walking through one of the company floors wearing a big ass ring on my finger would only add to the clusterfuck I was sure our day would turn into at any moment. Therefore, in the name of less drama I tried to leave the item on my nightstand, but Vincent must have swiped it. He followed me on
Vincent moves my feet off the couch and sits in the space. I don't like him being so far away, so I reposition myself until I'm leaning next to his body and getting into his personal bubble.He leans back on the couch wrapping one of his muscular arms over my shoulders. "Today's been shit. Huh?"He'd spent most of Sunday on the phone with his legal team and public relations employees. Everyone in Valiant Industries had quite the weekend. Even though he said he didn't plan to take action against Tiffany, he wants to stop the book from being published. Vincent doesn't elaborate on how he plans to make that happen, but I have faith in him.His legal and PR teams worked for hours and now had a course of action moving forward. Tiffany might strike the first blow with the article about her book, but Vincent wouldn't take it lying down. Tomorrow morning his office would release a statement countering the article and hopefully combatting any speculation. There will still be rumors and ta
By the next morning we still haven't come to an agreement on the house. I want to continue living in the penthouse and Vincent wants to spend an exorbitant amount of money on a weekend place fifteen miles out of the city—a home we won't officially move into until the baby is school age.Something warns me if I don't put up a big fight, Vincent will buy the house and just not tell me about it right away, so I make him promise in the car on the way home he won't do anything without getting my permission first. It's his money, and I feel bad bossing him about his own bank account, but a house is a big damn deal. You can't just buy a house. I'm only half sure making him promise will work, but it's time for me to stretch the trust part of our relationship."You're hiring the chef who made the sandwich and the chocolate cake. Right? I ask biting off another piece of my breakfast bagel."We are hiring and yes."All the meals we tested were delicious, and my core heats remembering the
The early Saturday morning sun wakes me the rest of the way after Vincent's alarm starts the job by rattling on his bedside nightstand. Who sets an alarm for Saturday?Vincent rolls over and wraps his arm underneath mine cradling a breast in his hand. I snuggle my back to his chest and reposition my head on the pillow, hoping I can fall back to sleep and he can do whatever he incorrectly believes is important enough to wake up early on a weekend."I'm sorry last night was ruined." He kisses the back of my neck sucking lightly."You mean when your wife broke in here and tried to steal what I strongly suspect was an engagement ring?" We'd talked about many things the night before but never got around to that topic.I'd planned to ask him, but after finding out Tiffany's demands for his sperm and then the sex, the thought completely fled my mind. We lay in bed together for another hour as Vincent held me tightly, but eventually he slipped from under the covers.Hours later I fou