FEVERISH UnbRoken

by Vasser, LaShawn

  She wasn’t sure if he was serious or not. As excited as she’d been, something felt off. Imani hadn’t been given the choice of where they were going to live. Garrett had decided. Shouldn’t husbands and wives agree to a decision this big?

  The home was incredible, but he’d done it all on his own, and that didn’t sit well with her. There would come a time to have a conversation about what a marriage partnership should look like but now wasn’t it, especially when the look on his face said he was hopeful for her approval.

  Imani pushed the unsettling emotions to the back of her mind and smiled. “It’s beautiful.”

  He appeared to release a breath. “Good. I’m glad. Let’s go inside.”

  There were a couple of cars parked in the back of the big circle driveway. “It looks like we have company. Someone beat us home.”

  “No. That’s Felix and Anna. They both will live here full-time.”

  Garrett was about to open the front door when it opened for them. Felix was standing there smiling broadly. “Welcome home, Mr. and Mrs. Hadley.”

  Garrett stood back so that Imani could walk ahead of him. As she walked past, he spoke. “I would carry you over the threshold but . . . my hands are kind of full.”

  Annoyed Imani mumbled, “It’s okay.”

  He kept talking. “It’s not furnished yet. I figured you’d want to do that part, but I did have the movers bring over a few items. I’m going to put Garrett to bed. Take a look around while I’m gone.”

  Imani followed him up the stairs. Her voice was tight. “I’ll look around later. Right now, I’d like to know where Garrett Jr. will be sleeping.”

  Garrett heard the irritation in her voice but couldn’t figure out for the life of him what would cause it. Ten minutes later, they emerged from his son’s room. Garrett looked a little uncomfortable. He raked his hands through his hair. “I assumed we would share a room, but I didn’t know for sure, so I had them deliver a bedroom set for that one.” He pointed to the room across the hall from Garrett Jr.

  Imani folded her arms across her chest and squinted her eyes. She couldn’t keep the anger from her voice. “You picked out bedroom furniture too? Well, hell, what’s left for me to do?”

  “I thought I was being considerate.”

  “Considerate? Are you kidding me?” Imani took a deep, steadying breath. “Look, I know that you are used to making all the decisions for every facet of your life, and this may be a difficult concept for you to grasp, but me and you . . .” she pointed to herself then him, “we’re supposed to be a team. You can’t just go it alone and make the big decisions.” Her anger grew. “How did you know I didn’t want a little cottage style home? I now have live-in staff that you chose! What if I hate them? What kind of school district is this? I’m sure on paper it’s fantastic but will it be good for mixed babies! Because we’ll have little black boys or girls running around here at some point.” Her words kept tumbling from her mouth. “What if you picked out a hard mattress and I like soft! What. The. Hell! I know that our marriage is arranged, but I won’t be treated like a Stepford wife!”

  “Lower your voice. You’ll wake up Garrett.”

  Imani turned to look around at the half-closed door. The anger inside immediately left her body once she thought about him.

  Garrett’s voice was gruff, tight. “I’ve got to get to the office. If you need anything, ask Felix.” He turned and walked away, down the stairs, and out of the house.

  Imani stood dumbfounded.

  Not fifteen minutes of being in their new home as a married couple, they’d already had their first fight. She couldn’t help but think tonight was a terrible omen of things to come.

  *****

  It was after ten o’clock and Garrett still hadn’t come home.

  Imani lay in bed in the dark wanting to cry. Maybe she’d over-reacted earlier but hoped they could talk, and she’d finally be able to wear the negligee she’d purchased for their honeymoon.

  Finally, she heard footsteps that she could only hope belonged to him. Then, after a few minutes, the door opened.

  Imani sat up.

  He was surprised to see her. His voice was tired. “What are you doing in here?”

  She shrugged. “Where else am I supposed to be?”

  “I thought you would be in the other room.”

  Imani bit her bottom lip then threw the covers off her body and crawled to the edge of the bed. She whispered as she stood up on her knees. “You’re my husband my place is next to you.”

  Garrett moved close enough to touch her but didn’t. Everything about Imani was perfect. He’d already messed up once. He didn’t want to make the wrong move again. “I should have discussed where we were going to live with you. You’ve sacrificed so much to marry me, more than anyone ever has. In my mind, the least I could do was buy you a house.”

  Softly, Imani caressed his cheek. “This marriage may have started off unconventionally, but I really want us to work. I’m sorry for over-reacting.”

  He leaned his forehead against hers. “Me too.”

  Imani sighed, then ran her hands up his chest and over his shoulders. “Did everything go okay with your lawyers?”

  He nodded. “I think we’ve put together a good strategy.”

  Imani pulled back a little. “Good.” One by one she began to unbutton his shirt. When she reached the last button, Imani placed her hands inside and pushed it back off his shoulders until it slid to the floor. Her voice was low, husky. “Mr. Hadley, you still owe me a honeymoon night.”

  Garrett wrapped his hands around her waist before leaning in for a kiss that made the earth stop spinning on its axis. He pushed her backward onto the bed.

  Imani’s hair fanned out over the pillows when she landed. She spread her legs apart revealing herself to him.

  Garrett crawled in-between her thighs then lowered himself on top of her body before engaging Imani in another kiss. “That’s a problem we can fix right now.”

  Chapter 19

  The last six months had been more than grueling for Imani. Setting up her business, finding office space, hiring staff, and planning the décor for the Rusche Tower as well as her own home was overwhelming. Somehow, she managed it while still decorating her offices and searching for furniture, fabrics, and art for Garrett to approve.

  Once news got out about her marriage to him and that her company had officially taken on the job of decorating the Rusche, she was hounded by the press. Her phone was ringing off the hook with requests for interviews and potential clients. Even her former employer, DeCorInterior Designs had called to bid on a project. Imani had the great pleasure of stringing them along, specifically requesting her old boss, Tabitha, to be the point person, and finally telling them no, they wouldn’t get her business. It was petty, but she enjoyed every second of it.

  Imani’s schedule was ridiculous. Also, adjusting to being a wife and mother, and it was more than enough to tip the scale in favor of a nervous breakdown.

  In the midst of all the craziness, Garrett Jr. was one of the most rewarding parts of her day. He was a calming force in the middle of all the chaos, but to say he didn’t come with his own set of challenges would be a lie. The former Mrs. Hadley would make Jesus drink. Imani hadn’t met her yet but wanted to strangle the woman. She was making Garrett’s life hell.

  How any mother could exchange her child for money was unfathomable. She was working angles like Imani had never seen. It quickly became obvious; she was playing both sides. Shannon was playing Garrett and Raymond against each other using her son as the bargaining chip. The sticking point in every agreement was control of GHI.

  The custody hearing had been rescheduled twice already. Imani knew that Garrett would fight to the very end for his company, but if it came down to it, he would give it all away for his son. If she could only have five minutes with Shannon for causing this clusterfuck, it would be lights out.

  Imani might be spread way too thin, stressed all the way out, but at
the end of the day, she was happy. On her way into her favorite coffee shop, she caught herself smiling in a mirror as she walked up to the barista to place her order. There was no denying being able to snuggle close to Garrett and listen to his heartbeat every night before closing her eyes was more than worth it. If she wasn’t in love before the wedding, she was head over heels now.

  “Excuse me. Whatever this lovely woman ordered, I’ve got it.” A gentleman reached over her and handed the cashier his credit card.

  Imani smiled as she lifted her hand with the platinum wedding band and wiggled it. “Thanks, but I think I can buy my own coffee.”

  “Damn. That’s the best Garrett could do? I expected much more from him.”

  Her smile faltered. She cut her eyes away from him and back to the cashier. Her tone reflected the irritation she felt. “Like I said, I can pay for my own coffee.” Imani reached down into her purse and pulled out a credit card, handing it to the woman who looked confused. Imani responded firmly. “I’ve got it. Is there a problem?”

  “Um . . . no, ma’am. Sorry.” The young woman took her card and ran it. Imani stepped out of line to wait for her latte.

  Moments later, the man with piercing blue eyes and tailor made suit stood next to her. While looking forward, he leaned over in her direction. “My apologies. I didn’t mean to offend you. Let’s start over. I’m Raymond McNeal. It’s nice to meet the new Mrs. Garrett Hadley.” He held his hand out to her.

  She was thrown off balance for only a moment. Imani didn’t say a word. Instead, she looked at his hand as if he had a plague then returned her gaze to the employees making her drink.

  “I can see why Garrett chose you. Smart, independent, and sexy as hell. You’re the complete opposite of Shannon. My brother made an exceptional choice this time.”

  Imani’s mouth almost hit the floor. Her head jerked towards him. He’d just dropped a bombshell.

  “Ahh . . . surprised? Big brother didn’t tell you? Figures. He’s repeatedly tried to pretend I don’t exist. It won’t work.”

  The coffee shop called her number. She didn’t hear it.

  Raymond leaned over again. “They’re calling your number.”

  Imani couldn’t stop staring. In a matter of moments, she did her best to find the resemblances. Where Garrett was a darker blonde, Raymond was lighter. Both men were over six feet and well-built, but Garrett was more muscular where Raymond was leaner. There really was no resemblance between them. She blinked a few times and somehow managed to get it together.

  Speechless, Imani walked over to grab her coffee. When she turned to walk out of the coffee house, Raymond followed her outside. “I just want to talk. Maybe you’re the key to this entire thing.”

  Imani whipped around. “You disgusting piece of shit! Don’t think you can use me for anything. I don’t care what issues you have with Garrett, how you can use your son to steal your brother’s company makes you scum of the earth. I wouldn’t piss on you if you were on fire.”

  “Is that what he’s told you? There are always two sides to every story. That’s his side. What I want most is to be a family, and I have a right to be a father to my son.”

  Incredulous she responded. “You had an affair with your brother’s wife? No amount of money would keep me from my child.” Her face twisted in disgust. “You’re willing to trade yours for ownership of GHI.”

  Raymond reached out to touch her shoulder. His face softened. “If you could just give me time to explain my side of things. I want to do what’s best for everyone.”

  Imani thrust his hands off her. “Don’t you ever touch me! I would suggest the next time you’re within ten feet of my presence to steer very clear. Otherwise, I can guarantee that you’ll wish the fallout would only be me pressing charges.” Imani stormed away.

  Raymond licked his lips as he watched her walk away with an even deeper appreciation for the woman. Someone appeared out of nowhere and stood almost shoulder to shoulder with him. Raymond continued to watch Imani until she disappeared into the crowd. “Did you get the shot?”

  The man lifted his camera. “Got it. I’ll send you the headline before it goes live tomorrow.”

  *****

  Imani called her office to tell her team she would be late. After her run-in with Raymond, she headed straight to Garrett’s.

  His administrative assistant informed her that he was in a meeting. “Can you tell him that it’s important?”

  “Of course, Mrs. Hadley.”

  “Is it okay to wait for him in his office?”

  “Absolutely.”

  Imani went inside and paced the floor. She was too amped up to sit down. How could Garrett not tell her about Raymond? How could he leave that detail out?

  A few minutes later, he walked into his office. Concern was written all over his face. “Imani. Is everything okay?”

  “No. I’m . . .”

  “What?”

  “I met Raymond today.”

  The color drained from his face. His voice hardened. “How did that happen?”

  “He accidentally on purpose bumped into me at the little coffee shop I go to by my office.”

  Garrett was barely holding on to his calm. “You need to stay the hell away from him!”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Tell you what?”

  Her own voice started to rise. “Tell me what? Are you kidding? He’s your brother, Garrett. Your brother! You led me to believe Raymond was an old friend.” Imani continued to search for words. “A-A business associate.”

  “What was I supposed to do? Tell you my brother and wife are conspiring against me? My family isn’t like yours. I tell you what you need to know.”

  Her eyes widened in shock. “Is that how we handle things? You tell me what I need to know?”

  “That’s not what I meant.”

  “I’m not an employee, Garrett! I’m your wife. That means we should tell each other the import stuff even when it’s hard.”

  Garrett didn’t respond. He stared her down. When he did it was cold and unfeeling. “I’ve got a business to run. I don’t have time for this.”

  Angrily, he left, leaving Imani fuming.

  *****

  The remainder of Imani’s day didn’t get any better. She was a bear to work with and decided to cut out early before she didn’t have any employees come in to work tomorrow.

  When she arrived home, Anna was about to feed Garrett Jr. “Mrs. Hadley, you’re home early.”

  She smiled weakly. “Long day. Thought I’d cut my losses and spend some time with my favorite fella.”

  Garrett Jr. seemed excited to see her. He clapped and laughed at her presence. Imani couldn’t help but return his excitement. She bent low and kissed him on the forehead. “Hey, little guy.” She looked up at Anna. “If you don’t mind, I can feed him. Just give me a minute to wash my hands.”

  Imani put away her portfolio and washed up. Just as promised, she was back in a flash. She spent the next several hours hanging out with Garrett Jr. At the moment, he was the only thing in her life that made sense.

  It was late when Garrett finally arrived home from work. Imani had already bathed and fed the baby, and he was tucked in tight.

  She could handle the son but didn’t know what to do about the father. It seemed for every step forward, they took two backward. How were they supposed to have a real marriage if he wouldn’t allow her in? She thought about her conversation earlier with her mom.

  “Hey, Mom.”

  “Imani?”

  She sniffed trying to hide the tears in her voice. “Yeah. It’s me.”

  “What’s wrong sweetheart?”

  “Garrett and I had another fight.”

  Felicia was putting clothes away but sat down on the bed to give her daughter her full attention. “Not every day is going to be sunshine. What happened?”

  “I know that. It’s just . . . he’s having such a hard time trusting me.”

  “Ahhh . . .” Her
mother said knowingly. “Trust. Easy to say and hard to do. It doesn’t magically happen after you say your I’ do’s. In your case, it might take a little longer than what it should. You two have all the passion and fire, but trust takes a little longer to build.”

  Imani wiped a single tear away. “I get that. It’s just—he’s having a hard time with the basics. Like, he knows my entire family. I’ve never met his. You know the reason we got married.”

  “Mmmhmmm. I know.” Felicia crossed her arms. “I like Garrett a lot, and in some ways, I think he’s good for you, but telling us you were getting married after only knowing each other a few weeks blew my mind. Your father and I had our reservations, but since we married after dating for a month, we couldn’t say too much.” She giggled. “You’re not too impulsive, so I figured there was more behind it than just to help him out. You love him. I see it every time you look at him. I saw it on your wedding day.”

  “I do, and I don’t regret my decision to get married, but this situation is a mess. I met Raymond today. He’s Garrett’s brother!”

  Her mother screamed into the phone in a high-pitched voice. “Whaaaaaaat? His brother! Now, girl, that’s crazy. His own brother knocked up his wife?”

  “Yes. How could he leave a detail like that out from me? I come from a family where we share everything, the good, bad and the ugly—except for when Aaliyah got pregnant. She did kind of keep that a secret but mostly we share. Garrett keeps everything so hidden inside.”

  Felicia shook off her shock and attempted to give Imani some sound advice. “First, not every family is the same. Second, I can’t imagine living in a world where you can’t trust the people closest to you. His wife and brother, Imani? Think about that for a second. My original advice still stands, you chose each other to be married partners until death. That’s what you promised. Now, you’re just going to have to put your big girl panties on and be someone he can trust. Yes, there will be times where you’re going to want to hurt him bad but push those feelings to the side. With time and patience, he’ll see you. I mean, really see you, and you won’t have to force him to give away his secrets; he’ll do it all on his own.”