by Dawn Brower
"Possibly because they didn't know. This document has been in my father's keeping since I was fourteen years old. They decided to betroth us several years ago." Confidence intertwined with each word he spoke. "Good for business you know. We had no idea Gemma's father would die so tragically before he could tell her about it. It's sad, but well I think it's time we move on."
"I don't care." Alfie stomped his foot like a small child. "I don't approve and Gemma isn't going to marry you."
Gemma had to restrain herself from laughing at the ridiculous situation she found herself in. The only man she had ever loved demanded she marry him and her libertine cousin thought he had a chance of denying it. Not for a minute did she believe the contract had any validity to it. Lily had to have put Liam up to the scheme to help her escape. Gemma knew that Liam didn't want her. She’d learned it the hard way two years ago. It didn't matter though; he was here to save her. She knew Liam would do anything his twin sister asked him. They'd always been close. If she demanded he save her best friend he'd do it without blinking. Liam wouldn't be in her ancestral home stepping in between her and Alfie otherwise.
"Seems like you don't have any say in the matter, Alfie," Gemma said solemnly. "Papa signed the contract. That supersedes your wishes. I have no choice, but to marry Liam Marsden."
This was surely a dream. Marry him? A flutter of hope started to ignite within her. She squashed it before it could take root. Liam wasn't going to marry her. Gemma refused to give in to something surely destined to destroy her. Hope was an evil four letter word, designed to bring a person to their knees and wrap them up in despair.
"You could refuse him."
"I don't want to." Gemma laughed.
Alfie clenched his fists at his side. His hand flew up and stopped in midair as if he rethought the action he'd been about to take. He glanced over at Liam and Gemma did as well. He was in a position to strike. Alfie would never have gotten the slap across Gemma's cheek.
Gemma grinned with relief. Alfie would have to find some other heiress to get him out of debt. She had no intention of letting him touch her or her money.
"Good. Go pack a small bag, whatever you deem necessary to take today. We can send for your other belongings later," Liam instructed her. "Oh and Gemma, change your gown too. Something pretty, perhaps green to match your eyes."
"I'm to leave today? Isn't that sudden?"
Assuagement filled her at the idea of escaping Alfie. Her hand flew to her chest as she allowed herself to believe it was going to happen. Liam worked fast, not that she was complaining, but she thought it'd take more time for him to extract her from her cousin’s clutches.
"Yes. I have a special license. We're to be married today."
"Give me fifteen minutes. I don't have a lot that needs to be packed immediately. I will instruct the housekeeper to pack the rest of my trunks for delivery to Marsden House."
"I will wait for you here. I need to have a private word with Alfie on how a woman in his care should be treated."
Liam's mouth crunched up into a firm line. Displeasure filled his eyes as he turned to pin Alfie with his gaze. They darkened to a stormy blue, one Gemma had never seen before. She wanted to tell Liam not to hurt her cousin for altruistic reasons, but if she were honest she wanted him beaten.
He would have forced himself on her if Liam hadn't walked in. Her skin still crawled with revulsion from the places he'd put his hands. She shuddered at the memory, disgusted she'd had to endure his groping. Gemma loathed the man as much as she adored Liam. They were two different men and each invoked a different feeling in her. Sadly, she wasn't at all happy with either emotion.
Living with unrequited love was horrible—dealing with Alfie's nasty disposition, however, was a far worse ordeal.
"Liam, don't hurt him—much." Gemma paused and waved her hand dismissively. "I'd hate for this to come back to haunt us."
He looked at her with a devilish smile. That carefree smile so full of sin had always been her undoing. Her heart skipped a beat, and her stomach started to tingle.
"Darling, I promise you he'll be hurting far more than it will show on the outside. He'll feel a pain that will haunt him long after we are gone from his life. Now scoot so I can inflict all those deep seated wounds he fully deserves."
Gemma nodded and ran out of the room. She skipped the steps and walked into her bedroom. She grabbed a valise and put a change of clothes in it. Then she took her jewelry case and a stack of letters. She placed them inside and tied it closed. Gemma didn't need much and everything necessary had been enclosed in the satchel. She found a green gown in her armoire and changed as fast as she could. Thankfully she followed Lily's advice and had had gowns made she could put on herself. She picked up the bag and with much haste went back to the sitting room.
She paused inside the doorway. Her eyes flew to Liam as he lounged on a nearby chair. His legs were crossed in an easy manner as he tapped restlessly on the arm. Alfie sat stiffly on the settee and held his stomach in a tight embrace. Not a mark showed anywhere on him as Liam had promised.
"I'm ready to go."
Liam turned and looked at her. He nodded in her direction and started to walk over to her side.
"You're both going to regret you've crossed me," Alfie spat out.
Liam stopped and turned back to Alfie before they exited the room.
"Alfie, don't do anything stupid." His voice was hard and commanding as he issued the reminder. "As long as you leave us be we will leave you alone. Make one wrong move towards me or Gemma and you will regret it. That isn't a threat. It's a promise. I take care of what's mine."
Gemma snorted. Liam had claimed her. She didn't believe he meant it. Whatever his reasons for helping her, it had nothing to do with wanting her. Still, a part of her couldn't help wishing it were true. When she'd first heard the words, her whole body lit up with an uncontrollable longing.
Liam turned back to Gemma and placed her hand in the crook of his arm.
"Ready to go, love?" he asked, his tone softening just for her ears.
"Oh yes. Let's go and never look back."
She let him lead her out the door and to his awaiting carriage. Liam helped her as she entered the carriage and followed her inside. He took her bag and placed it under one of the seats and then sat across from her. The carriage started to move, and it jerked her forward causing her to collapse into his arms. She hadn't been prepared for it to depart.
"You always did fall into my arms." Liam laughed as he set her next to him on the seat.
"Don't go ruining a good rescue by turning into an arse," Gemma scolded him. "I know that was a farce. Did Lily put you up to it?"
"Not at all. Well, not entirely. She did ask for my father to help you out of the situation. He placed the particulars in my hands."
"And this is the solution you came up with?" Gemma paused with a sigh. "I'm sorry. I should be thanking you. Instead, I'm harping on how you did it." She stared at him. "I don't mind really. It worked to get Alfie to let me go without a fight—well not much of one anyway. I truly do appreciate your assistance. I don't want to think about what he'd have done if you hadn't arrived in time." Gemma shuddered at the memory of her cousin’s hands on her bosom. "I take it you are going to help me get to America so I can stay with your sister until I reach my majority?"
"No."
"What do you mean no?" she asked. "How am I going to escape from Alfie if I don't leave the country?"
"I thought that had already been settled. You're marrying me. Today. Nothing else is going to deter him."
"I don’t want to marry you. I'd much rather go to South Carolina."
"We will do that. It is probably best we leave for a short period anyway. On our wedding trip can go visit Lily," he said.
"Why are you being obstinate? I am not going to marry you."
"Yes, you are." Liam emphasized each word as he looked her directly in the eyes. Gemma’s lips pursed, disbelief filling her as he spoke. "Your father
gave his permission. You are stuck with me. You just told Alfie you didn't want to refuse me."
Were they actually getting married? The infernal flutter of hope sprung to life. Gemma didn't know if she could eradicate it again. Did her father truly want her to marry Liam? She bit her lip and once again wished he was still around to ask. He'd know what to do. But if the contract Liam had was legit, it was clear her father had wanted her to marry him. She already had her answer.
Warmth pooled in her cheeks. She clenched her fists in her lap.
Gemma wanted to scream with outrage. Damn her rotten luck. She knew Liam didn't love her, and she didn't want to find herself stuck in a loveless marriage. Worse yet he knew she loved him once; maybe he counted on her still having those feelings for him. No matter what she said, she was far from over him. A one-sided love—married to him for the rest of her life—would be hell. She had to make him see that it wouldn’t work.
"Can't we just pretend?" Gemma asked. "You don’t want to marry me, Liam. Don't make me hate you."
"You are not going to talk me out of this, Gemma. It's decided. I've accepted it, and now you need to as well."
"Like hell I do,"
Gemma pushed him back and scooted across to the other side of the carriage. She didn't need to sit next to him while he dictated to her.
"No need to make things interesting, love. I'm already willing. Now sit back and relax. The rector is expecting us to arrive shortly."
"What rector?"
"The one in the next town. I've made all the arrangements. I already told you I had a special license, didn't I," he said. "In less than an hour you will be my wife. Don't worry you'll get used to the idea.
If Gemma had something to throw at him, it would have already bounced off his head. Liam Marsden had to be the most stubborn male in existence.
"Bloody hell, you are irritating."
"Welcome to my world," he said with a droll smile. "It's all part of the plan, love. Makes life more… intriguing."
Gemma sat back in her seat and fumed. Winning an argument with Liam was akin to dreams becoming reality. No way would he allow her to get ahead. Just like the real world never compared to the bliss of dreams.
Neither one had a chance of happening for her right now. She gave up on her fantasies a long time ago; just as she now gave up on convincing Liam to forego marrying her. It would amount to wasted energy and useless hope.
Gemma knew when to sit back and lick her wounds to fight another day. If she had to be Liam's wife, she'd need a new plan of attack. She had learned from the best and Lily had taught her well. Her fiancé didn't know what he had in store for him.
Gemma didn't give up anything that belonged to her.
Liam would love her or at the very least desire her as much as she did him. With a plan forming in her head, she relaxed, and her lips lifted into a half smile.
Dawn Brower holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, a Master of Arts in Education, and is currently working on a Master of Arts in Liberal Arts with concentrations in Literature, History, and Sociology. She works as a substitute teacher and enjoys the flexibility it gives her to concentrate on her other endeavors.
Growing up she was the only girl out of six children. She is a single mother of two teenage boys; there is never a dull moment in her life. Reading books is her favorite hobby. There is nothing like a nice glass of wine and a good book to relax with at the end of the day.
For more information visit her website at: www.authordawnbrower.com
Books by Dawn Brower
Broken Pearl
Deadly Benevolence
Don’t Happen Twice
Marsden Romances
A Flawed Jewel
A Crystal Angel
A Treasured Lily
A Sanguine Gem
A Hidden Ruby
A Discarded Pearl
Novak Springs
Cowgirl Fever
Dirty Proof
Unbridled Pursuit
Sensual Games
Linked Across Time
Saved by My Blackguard
Searching for My Rogue
Seduction of My Rake
Heart’s Intent
One Heart to Give