Marriage of Convenience: The Raven Brothers - Book 1

by Kaylee, Katy

  “You are not,” my father said, fisting his hands at his sides.

  “I’m her husband. Who the fuck are you?”

  “They’re her parents,” Mr. Raven said. “I thought I was a bad dad, but this guy is worse. Keep that in mind boys.”

  “Sara isn’t married,” my mother said looking at me.

  “I have a marriage certificate that says otherwise,” Chase said.

  “I told you it was too late for her,” my father said. “She’s chosen a life of sin.”

  “What did you say?” Chase stalked toward my father. Hunter’s guard went up, but he didn’t move to stop Chase.

  “She’s full of sin, just as all of you are,” my father said with righteousness.

  “I won’t deny that I’m rotten to the core, but this woman, your daughter, is as good as they come. She’s smart and sweet, despite your fucked-up version of love. You need to leave and go home to read the chapters of the Bible that you’ve clearly missed. I’ll have you escorted out if needed.”

  Hunter stepped up behind my parents. Ash took a position by my mother and Kade by my father.

  My parents looked at the imposing men surrounding them.

  “We’re done Sara. We can’t abide by this kind of life,” my father said. He took my mother’s arm, but she resisted. There had been many times growing up when I wondered if my mom really believed the stuff my dad spewed or if she went along because she didn’t think she could fight it. She looked at me and for a moment I thought I saw sadness and regret at leaving me. But she didn’t fight it, and she let my father pull her from the room, and presumably out of my life.

  “Come on boys, let's give Chase and Sara a minute,” Mr. Raven said.

  “Thank you for coming,” I called.

  “Of course, honey. You’re family,” Mr. Raven said.

  When they were gone, I couldn’t look Chase in the face.

  “Sara, baby.” He took my hand, but the endearment made me weep.

  “Are you in pain?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Let me get a nurse.”

  “No. Nothing can fix me.” My heart was so broken, I couldn’t imagine it ever being put back together.

  “Oh baby.” He rested his head against mine. “What can I do?”

  “You should just go.”

  He straightened and looked down at me with his fierce gray eyes. “I won’t leave you, Sara. Not now. Not ever.”

  I closed my eyes. “I’m no good for you. You should find another woman who can give you what you want. You can keep the money.”

  He flinched. “You think this is about money?”

  I finally turned to him. “I’m bad for your family.”

  “No, honey, you’re not.”

  “I lost the baby. I don’t even know if I’ll be able to have more. I can’t give you what you want.”

  He gripped my hand and pulled it to his heart. “What I want, Sara is you. I love you.”

  What? The fact that he didn’t react to the news about the baby made me think he already knew.

  “God, I wished I’d told you that I loved you sooner. I’ve felt it for some time but have been too much a coward to tell you,” he said.

  “What about the baby?”

  “I’m sad about the baby, but I’m so happy you’re here. I want us to be real Sara. No more business deal.”

  “What if I can’t have another baby?”

  He wiped a tear from my cheek. “No more business deal, Sara. It’s not part of this. I love you and want to be with you. If we want babies—”

  “I do want babies.”

  “If we can’t make them anymore, we’ll adopt them.”

  “I think I must have died.” It was the only way to explain my wishes coming true again. Not all my wishes because I still had no baby. But Chase was here saying all the things I longed to hear.

  “Why would you say that? Don’t say that,” he said.

  “I thought you wouldn’t want me anymore.”

  “I want you, Sara.” He took a deep breath. “Do you want me?”

  I realized I hadn’t told him how I felt about him. “Yes. I love you. I’ve always loved you.”

  “Even when I was an asshole?”

  “You’re not always an asshole.”

  He smiled, but it was bittersweet. “We’ll be alright, sweetheart. As long as we have each other, we’ll be alright.”

  31

  Chase

  How was it possible to be elated and heartbroken at the same time?

  I came running like a maniac into the hospital looking for Sara. Hunter texted me that she was fine, but I had to see for myself. Before I could reach her, the doctor stopped me.

  “She’s going to be fine,” he said.

  Thank God, now get out of my way, I thought.

  But then he continued. “But she miscarried the baby.”

  Just a couple of weeks ago, if someone had told me I’d be in love and mourning the loss of my child, I’d have thought they were nuts. Yet here I was.

  “But Sara is fine?”

  “Yes.”

  I pushed my own grief aside. “I need to see my wife.” I had to be there and let her know she wasn’t alone.

  To discover her parents were nearly as nuts as Glen tore me in two. In some ways it proved to me there was a God, because how else could a woman raised by two people who didn’t know the first thing about love, become the sweet, giving, wonderful woman Sara was? They deserved her less than I did.

  My father was right. He might not have always been the most attentive father, but he loved us and I had no doubt that he’d have our backs. He certainly had mine when he sent his golf buddies, the police commissioner and Mayor, to the police station. And my brother had my back showing up to protect and support her until I could get there.

  Seeing her awake in the bed, I felt such relief. And then to have her tell me she thought I was done with her and that she wasn’t good for me, broke my heart even more. I vowed right then to live the rest of my life making sure she knew I loved and cherished her.

  “What did they mean by arrested,” she asked, looking up at me with her beautiful blue eyes.

  “I tried to kill Glen.”

  “Kill?”

  “I started beating on him and probably still would be if the cops hadn’t pulled me off.” I wanted to pull her into my arms, but was afraid to cause her pain from all the injuries she seemed to have. Instead, I held her hand over my heart. “To see you like that in that room… I died inside, Sara.” I kissed her hand.

  “You saved me.” She looked down. “But I couldn’t save our baby.” Her tears fell again, and mine joined them. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have gone out—”

  “Stop. Sara, this isn’t your fault. It’s Glen’s. He did this. I know you tried to do whatever you could to protect the baby.”

  “I couldn’t stop him.” She started to weep.

  “He was a monster.” I pulled her close, hoping against hope I wasn’t causing her more pain. “I’m so sorry.” I wish I knew what to say. I was a billionaire but money couldn’t fix this. “We’ll get through this together, okay?”

  I held her as we cried over our child, and eventually she fell asleep. I wasn’t going to leave her so I made myself comfortable in a chair.

  A little while later, my father and brothers returned, bringing some food for me.

  “How is she?” my father asked.

  I looked up at them. I started to talk, but all of a sudden the emotions welled, and I choked up. I waited for Kade to make some asshole comment about me blubbering, but fortunately, he seemed to grasp the situation.

  “Oh hi,” Sara’s weak voice greeted them. “All my heroes.”

  “How are you feeling, Sara,” my father asked.

  She pressed her lips together as she looked at me. By then I was by her side. “They don’t know,” I told her.

  “You tell them. I can’t.”

  I kissed her forehead and then turn
ed to my family. “While Sara and I were at the island, we learned that she was pregnant.”

  Initially, Ash started to smile, but then he seemed to sense the sad ending to this news. Hunter, who already knew she’d been pregnant, probably already guessed. Kade’s expression turned dark.

  “But… ah…” Jesus I couldn’t get the words out.

  “Ah fuck, man. Sara. I’m so sorry,” Kade came forward, giving me a hug while squeezing Sara’s hand. I was glad I didn’t have to say the words.

  “I should have let you kill him,” Hunter said.

  “What can we do for you?” Ash asked.

  “Yes, we’re here. Whatever you need,” my father said.

  “I don’t know,” I said honestly.

  I was glad none of them said Sara and I could try again and all that bullshit that would have meant to make us feel better, but wouldn’t have worked. Trying again wasn’t going to bring back the child we’d already started loving.

  Sara was released from the hospital two days later. I spent the next week at home, not even thinking about work. I’d arranged for a counselor to come by, mostly to help Sara but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t helping me too. The thing that struck me the most was discovering just how harsh and loveless Sara’s upbringing had been. I’d sensed it from her before, and certainly after meeting her parents, but to hear her talk about it with the counselor made me ache for the child she’d been. It also reaffirmed my vow to make sure she felt loved every day.

  The following week, I stayed home, but would check in with the company every morning from my home office. My father, who’d been planning to retire, picked up the slack for me, and told me not to worry about coming in anytime soon.

  By week three, Sara was getting tired of me hovering, and so she sent me to work, which I did for half days. Finally, the fourth week, I was back at the office during regular hours. Because it was difficult to be away from her, I asked my brothers and father to check in on her from time to time. I think it annoyed her, and yet, she put up with it.

  She’s also started getting out on her own, which scared the shit out of me, but I paid James extra to keep a close eye on her, even if she went for a walk and didn’t need a chauffeur.

  While we still felt sad, it did seem like as life went back to normal and with the help of counseling, we were having happy moments. Last week, Sara started making advances to me, and my dick so wanted to take her up on it. But the doctor had said to wait six weeks, and since it had only been five, no sex was happening. Whatever the doctor said, I was going to do. Sara was too important to not follow the rules.

  The fact that we were starting to move forward prompted me to make us official. I’d spent a lot, maybe too much, time away from work already, but only for a moment did I worry about leaving on a trip again. Sara was more important than the business. My father was thrilled to hear me say that and of course, encouraged me to whisk Sara away again.

  That Friday afternoon, I left the office at noon, and headed to the rec center where Sara had been volunteering a few days a week with two of the wives she met at our announcement party, working with preschool children. I stood in the doorway of the classroom watching as she colored and chatted with the kids. So was so beautiful and kind. She’d make a tremendous mother, and I hoped someday we’d be able to make that dream come true.

  She looked up when I entered. “Hey, what are you doing here?”

  “I’ve come to sweep you off your feet.”

  She grinned. “Now?”

  “When you’re done.”

  She looked at her watch. “How convenient. I finish in five minutes.”

  Six minutes later, we were in the car driving to the airport. I already had Mrs. Childs pack Sara’s clothes and toiletries, as well as the red bikini, just in case.

  “Where are we going?” she asked.

  “Away.” I kissed her. “Just you and me.”

  She smiled, and like always, it made me feel ten feet tall.

  We arrived at the island in the late afternoon, and by dinnertime, we walked hand in hand on the beach.

  “I love it here,” she said.

  “I love you.” I stopped her, pulling her into my arms. She grinned up at me. “It’s so good to see you smile, Sara.”

  “It feels good to smile again. Thank you for making me happy.”

  “Do I? Do I make you happy?”

  “If you have to ask, I’m not doing a good job showing my appreciation.” Then she frowned. “Although I’ve tried.”

  I laughed and my dick perked up. “I want us to start over. No business deals. Just me loving you and you loving me.”

  Her eyes watered and she sniffed. “Yes. I’d love that. I love you.”

  I pulled the contract from my pocket. “This is our deal.” I tore up. I dug a hole in the sand, put in the papers, and then used a lighter I’d brought and set them on fire. When they were sufficiently burned, I buried it in the sand.

  Her tears fell.

  “Tell me those are happy tears.”

  “Yes.” Her head bobbed up and down. “So happy. I never knew what it felt like to be loved, really loved, until you Chase.”

  “Me neither, honey.” I slipped my hand into my pocket and then dropped to one knee. “I know we’re already married, but I want to marry you again. This time for real. I want to vow to honor and love you forever.”

  “Yes, yes, yes!” She dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around me. “I love you so much Chase.” She kissed me all over my face. I was the fucking luckiest man in the world.

  I slipped the ring on her finger. I’d searched high and low for the ring I thought would best fit her. I hoped to hell she liked it.

  “It’s beautiful,” she said looking at it. Then her face turned sad. “Glen took the other ring.”

  “That ring wasn’t real anyway, Sara. This one is.”

  “I love you so much,” she said again. “I want to make love to you. Can we? Finally?”

  My lips twitched up. “You’re so demanding.”

  She started to strip off her clothes.

  I quirked a brow. “Here.”

  “Right here. Right now.”

  “Hold on a minute.” I ran up to the veranda, grabbed a large towel we kept there, and trotted back to the beach. “Sand isn’t conducive to sex.” I lay the towel out and stripped as she lay her sexy body down.

  “Shit,” I said realizing I forgot something else.

  “What?”

  “The condoms are in the house.”

  She rose up on her elbow. “Why do we need those?”

  I dropped next to her, laying so we were side-by-side facing each other. “We don’t need to try again now, honey.”

  “You don’t want a baby now?”

  “I want a baby when you do. But we have time. It’s no deal. We have our whole lives.”

  “I want a baby, Chase. I want your baby.”

  She looked at me with such love and trust, I couldn’t argue. I knew she took her counseling seriously, and if she was ready, then I was. Whatever she wanted; I’d give her. I’d find a way to give her the fucking moon if I could.

  I leaned forward, kissing her as I pulled her body flush against mine. She was so soft, so sweet, and so mine. After so long going without, my dick was eager to get to the main event, but I forced him to wait, wanting to touch and taste every inch of her.

  Since it had been some time, and I wasn’t sure how her body would respond, I moved down over her luscious curves, wanting to feast on her sweet pussy and make sure she’d be wet enough. I moaned as her sweet taste filled my mouth. I licked, lapped, and sucked until she was writhing beneath me and her fingers were gripping my scalp. Then she gave me the sexy sound of her coming, calling out my name as orgasm rocked through her body.

  I moved up, position my aching dick at her entrance. I pulled her knee up, hooking her leg around my thigh.

  “Look at me, Sara.”

  Her eyes fluttered open, and that’s wh
en I pushed in, filling her inch by slow inch. Our gazes held. My heart filled more and more, the deeper I sank, until I was deep inside her and my heart was ready to explode with emotion.

  My father had been right. There was nothing more important than this. Than love.

  “I love you,” she said, and I felt it deep in my core.

  “I love you.” I moved, taking my time to slide in and out, wanting this moment to last forever. But the passion built, need coiled tight. She arched, her body squeezing mine like a vise and rocketing me to the stratosphere. I pumped and pumped, filling her with my seed and the promise of a family.

  32

  Sara

  Sometimes I felt guilty for feeling happy, but then I’d think God would want me to savor the goodness in my life after such a loss. Not my parents’ God, but the one of love and mercy.

  The first few weeks after losing the baby were hard, but the counselor Chase arranged for us helped. She encouraged me to go back to journaling, which I’d stopped when I moved to Manhattan. She also gave me some books on grief. Through it all, I’d come to accept that it wasn’t my fault, and that there was nothing I did, or could do to stop it.

  I also learned more about Chase and how he’d never really grieved the loss of his mother, or dealt with his resentment, feeling abandoned by his father as a child. His father pushed the company as the most important thing in their lives, and Chase took on that mantel as a way to seek his father’s approval. It didn’t really describe the man I’d come to know, but Chase said his father had changed in recent months.

  The counselor helped us both grieve but then also begin to heal and look forward. I could now see the light and have gratitude for what I did have. I had a husband who loved me. I had a family that I knew would always be there for me. I finally got my wish that my past was gone. Glen would be going to jail. The professor had been fired and was mired in lawsuits from other female students. On occasion, I missed my parents, or more accurately, the dream of what parents should be. But Cam Raven filled that role, for which I would be eternally grateful.