House Rules

by Rebecca Brooke

  The door opened and the last person I expected came through the door. Hatred poured through me.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” I was surprised at how strong my voice came out given how weak I felt.

  “Theresa, is that anyway to speak to your mother?” Her lip curled the same way it had when she accused me of coming on to Rex.

  “What mother? You cared more about Rex who was fucking around on you.”

  The bastard slithered into the room like the snake that he was. “Now, now, why would you say such things?”

  I ignored his question, wanting them gone sooner rather than later. “How did you find me?”

  “Oh, sweetheart,” the endearment slid off her tongue like a bitter fruit, “the police contacted us to say you were hurt. And we figured since we lost the business and apparently you’re doing very well for yourself”—she gestured around the room—“we’d come and collect on all of the things you owe us for.”

  “I don’t owe—”

  “What the fuck is this?”

  Miller’s voice warmed me from the chill of my ‘parents’. He stepped over to the bed, setting the bag on the tray. He bent down to press a brief kiss to my lips. “Okay?”

  “No, but now that you’re hear things are a little better.”

  “Let me handle this?”

  I nodded, more than happy to not have to deal with the two people who’d gone out of their way to make my life hell.

  Miller turned and faced my parents, feet braced, arms crossed over his chest. It might have been the most inopportune time, but it was hard to miss the way his jeans hugged his ass as he stood there.

  “I have a pretty good idea who you are and I think it’s time for you to turn the fuck around and leave.” His voice was calm, controlled.

  Rex took a step toward Miller. “And who the hell are you?”

  “Miller, not that matters. Tess obviously doesn’t want you here.”

  “We’re her parents, she owes it to us to help take care of us while we rebuild our business.”

  “Oh, she owes you nothing.”

  My mom stepped up next to Rex. “This has nothing to do with you. She owes us for raising her and for almost ruining our marriage.”

  “From what I understand, she didn’t ruin shit. Your husband, and I use that term loosely, has a difficult time keeping his dick in his pants when it comes to innocent young girls.”

  Rex’s face grew red, his hands clenched at his side. Bad move. He had no idea who he was dealing with. “She stripped and begged me to take her.”

  In a flash, Miller wrapped his hand around Rex’s neck and shoved him against the wall.

  “I’ve had enough of your fucking mouth. I’m going to say this once and only once. I’m the man who put you out of business. It wasn’t hard. I have both the money and the resources. I am not a man to tangle with. Tess is mine, and anything you do or say to her you do or say to me. If you don’t want your own bed in this very hospital, you are going to silently walk through the door, go back to Ohio, and stay there. Don’t think I won’t know if you don’t. I know exactly where to find you. If I hear that you’ve contacted Tess in any way, I will pay a personal visit to you and I can guarantee it will not be a pleasant experience. Do I make myself clear?”

  About halfway through Miller’s speech, Rex’s eyes bulged, his face taking on a purple hue. He nodded emphatically. Miller let him go and Rex’s hand immediately went to his throat, rubbing it.

  My mom opened her mouth to argue, when Rex glanced at Miller, he saw something that had him grabbing her hand and pulling her from the room.

  “What did you . . . How did you . . .”

  The bed dipped as he sat down next to me and, taking my hand in his, he spent the next ten minutes explaining the whole thing to me. My eyes welled with each beautiful word that left his mouth. Some women might have been repelled by what he’d done, but I knew Miller well enough to know that this was him taking care of me. Him getting revenge on my parents was his way of making sure I never had to go through anything like that ever again. And if it made me a bad person for feeling elated about that, then color my soul black because I wouldn’t have it any other way.

  “Miller, I’m so sorr—”

  He turned and silenced me with his lips. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

  It amazed me how quickly Miller could change gears. One minute he looked like he could kill someone, literally, the next he was the sweet man who wormed his way past my defenses.

  “I love you,” I said.

  “I love you, too. Now eat, while I see what I can do about getting you out of here. I can’t wait to take you home.”

  That had to be the best thing I’d heard since I woke up that morning.

  CHAPTER 29

  Theresa

  After getting home, Miller set out to wait on me hand and foot. He insisted on doing everything for me, including sending someone to the school to pick up my missing work. Thankfully, he didn’t try to cook, instead asking Ashton to make something. He and Elena brought dinner over, and stayed to see how I was feeling.

  It was a little overwhelming seeing my things in Miller’s house. The fact that he’d incorporated my things throughout the house meant the world to me. The car may have been my first purchase, but everything I owned had been something I’d worked hard for.

  He truly did understand what it meant to me.

  My car was a completely different story. There was nothing they could do to salvage it. After a lot of persuasion, I got Miller to agree to let me buy the car from the dealership. It was my way of making up for him paying off my loan. With those and my rent payments gone, I could actually afford a new car. Although, I had a feeling the price Miller would give me wasn’t anywhere near the actual price of the car.

  I knew staying with Miller meant that he was going to buy me things, I had to learn to push those reservations aside and learn to enjoy the things he gave me.

  From the conversation I’d overheard between Miller and Dean, Ray had a few bones he’d had to have surgically repaired, which would leave him in the hospital for a while. Broken bones didn’t seem enough to warrant that length of stay, but I was guessing that there was a lot about his altercation with Ray that Miller was leaving out, and being the good girlfriend I was, I decided to let him have that play and kept my nose out.

  A few days after the hospital released me, Miller’s mom and dad ended up on our doorstep, bringing with them enough food to see us through the next two months.

  I couldn’t control the nerves that plagued me the moment they walked into the room. I didn’t want a repeat of the first time we met.

  “Mrs. and Mr. Hawes,” I said, attempting to straighten my hair that had no chance of looking nice under the circumstances.

  His mom smiled. “Faith and Malcolm, please. You’re family now.”

  I wasn’t really. Not yet, but the words still felt really good.

  Malcolm took a seat on the couch across from Miller and I. “I want to apologize for my behavior the first time we met. I was used to Miller breaking his mother’s heart with all of the different women she’s seen him with. We had no idea how serious your relationship had become.”

  “Dad.” Miller groaned, wrapping an arm around me, pulling me in tight.

  Malcolm shrugged. “Like she doesn’t know your history.”

  “A history that won’t be repeated,” Miller argued emphatically.

  “Enough you two.” Faith turned to me. “How are you feeling?”

  “Better, thank you. I would like to go back to class in a few days.”

  Miller turned to me, worry lines creasing his brow. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

  “I feel much better than I did a few days ago, and I can’t wait until the cast comes off before going back to school. Besides, I agreed to let Dean or Charlie go with me anytime you can’t.”

  Miller’s dad had arranged guards for me, Elena, and Miller’s mom. It felt weird to
be in a situation where I needed someone to keep me safe. Never had I imagined a world where that would be necessary.

  “Don’t you dare try and stop her, Miller.” Faith’s stern tone drew my attention. He shut his mouth. It was good to know I wasn’t the only one to put Miller in his place. “Now, Miller says you want to be a nurse. Tell me all about it.”

  I told her all about wanting to help people and my goals. It was a nice feeling to a have a parental figure listen and be proud of all you’d accomplished. His parents stayed for dinner, which gave me the opportunity to get to know them better. Watching them interact with each other, reminded me a lot of Miller and myself. No matter how hard and intimidating his father could be to everyone else, he never showed that side to Faith.

  I hadn’t seen Miller’s dad in any other scenario so I couldn’t comment on any change in his demeanor, but the man who sat opposite me discussing ziti recipes was definitely not what I’d imagined he would be based on Miller’s stories. Then again, I’d seen firsthand how Miller could change in an instant. Maybe it was a family trait.

  I looked at his mom fussing over everyone and wondered if that might be me some day; running around after our children, while Miller held court at the head of the table. In truth, I wasn’t sure if this life was for me. The secrets, the uncertainty . . . the illicitness of it all—it was a lot to take in. But if being with Miller meant accepting all that came with it, then I would give it a damn good try.

  A small smile played at the edges of my lips as I took in the Hawes family as no one else would ever see them, and felt a pair of lips at my ear.

  “What are you grinning about,” Miller asked, running his tongue over the shell of my ear and causing me to shiver visibly. I flushed, wondering what his parents might think if they saw me. To my horror, I caught them both staring. I was about to push Miller away when I saw the look they shared. It didn’t say disgusted—it said happiness. I bit my lips and shrugged.

  “Nothing,” I said softly. “Fine.” Miller sat back in his seat but left his arm dangling across the back of my chair. “Keep your secrets . . . for now. But you know I have ways of making you talk.”

  “Good heavens, Miller,” his mom snapped. “Could you sound any more cliché? Or perhaps you’d like to put on an Italian accent, make us seem even more like something out of the Godfather?”

  The table erupted into laughter and I found myself joining in. For someone who had spent their whole childhood on the periphery of a family, this was beautiful.

  It was sweet.

  It was mine.

  ***

  After two weeks of being treated as an invalid, waited on hand and foot, assisted bathroom visits, constant monitoring, the only thing that was still a problem was my broken wrist—and I still had four more weeks in the cast. I’d finally returned to school and it felt good to have a somewhat normal routine. Miller still hadn’t let me go back to the bar, but school was a start.

  He was being weirdly cautious around me, not wanting to do anything that might prolong my recovery, but I didn’t want to wait four weeks to be in his arms again. If anything, spending this much time in such proximity had only made me want him more.

  I searched the house until I found him working in the study. He’d been staying home a lot, taking care of me, but he often shut himself away, trying to keep on top of the ever mounting pile of paperwork.

  Right then, I needed him. Work could wait.

  “Hey,” I said, stepping fully into the room.

  He put down what he was doing and turned to face me. “How was your doctor’s appointment?”

  “All clear. I’m in perfect health.” I straddled his lap.

  “Oh really? Then why do I still see a cast around your wrist? I said one hundred percent.”

  “That will take another four weeks to heal.” I flicked my hips forward, letting the friction of our jeans do the work until I could get him naked.

  “Not until you’re better.” His voice was raspy and I knew I had him. I pushed my hips forward again, letting him feel all of me.

  He groaned but still made no move to touch me.

  “Please, Miller. I love you, and I want to celebrate that.”

  His eyes widened on the word love and his mouth swooped down on mine.

  Possessive.

  Controlling.

  Mine.

  He broke the kiss and stood with me in his arms. “I love you, too.”

  “Where are we going?” I asked, playing dumb.

  He smirked. “To celebrate.”

  I could have protested. Told him to put me down.

  But it sounded like his best idea all day.

  We reached the bedroom in no time. I noticed the gentleness with which Miller placed me on the bed. It had been so long, I really needed him to lose control. His words and his actions didn’t line up.

  I pushed him back, undoing the button of his jeans and freeing his long, erect cock. From his broad, muscular shoulders to his chiseled abdomen and down, Miller was the definition of sexy. He made need pound through me. Before he could stop me, I dropped to my knees taking him into my mouth.

  “Fuck, Tess. You’re going to hurt yourself.”

  He tried to pull out, but I dug my nails into his ass cheeks and held him to me. Using my hand, I stroked up and down his length in the same rhythm as my mouth. One of his hands sunk into my hair as there was an increase at the speed which each breath past his lips.

  “No more.” He took my shoulders and pulled me to standing. “If I’m going to come, it’s going to be buried deep inside you.”

  Our clothing was shed in seconds. Just like our first night together, he spun me around and directed me face down on the bed. My legs quivered in anticipation.

  “Miller, please.”

  “Damn, I love it when you beg.” He slid himself through my folds and suddenly slammed home.

  Deep driving thrusts pulled at me. Tightening my muscles. I reached for the release that teased me with it’s ability to steal my breath. Each stroke pushed me closer and closer until I couldn’t hold on anymore and exploded. His fingers dug into my hips, his pace increasing until his thrust into me one last time.

  He dragged himself onto the bed, reaching a hand down to pull me up with him. I curled into the crook of his arm and let the beat of his heart slow my own. My eyes started to close.

  “Marry me?”

  My eyes snapped open and I looked up at him. I couldn’t have heard him right. “What?”

  “I said, marry me.” Nope definitely heard him right.

  “Are you crazy, we haven’t been together that long.”

  “Long enough for me.” Maybe he was so sex deprived he’d lost his mind.

  “How do you know I’m the right woman?”

  “Just like my mom and dad, I know you’re it for me.” I’d heard the story of his parents’ first meeting a few weeks ago. I thought they’d exaggerated. Maybe I was wrong. That didn’t change the fact that I wasn’t ready to marry Miller. Although I could see myself spending the rest of my life with him, I needed more time to know I was ready.

  “I can’t marry you. Not yet, anyway.”

  A smirk crosses his features. “I got you to agree to move in with me, let me pay off your loans and get a new car. Don’t worry, I’ll find a way to change your mind.”

  EPILOGUE

  Miller

  Eight months later.

  “Your parents are going to kill us if we do this.”

  “No, they won’t. They’ll think it’s a great idea,” I said, while we waited our turn. “Besides, you thought it was a great idea earlier.”

  “That was before we got here.”

  “Mr. Hawes and Miss Carner.” The woman at the front of the room called us forward and I shot Tess a wink.

  “Too late for second thoughts now.” I gave her a brief kiss, then took her hand and led her forward.

  “Looks like we have everything here. Ah, wait. We missed one box. Long or short?”


  We gazed at each other. “Short.”

  “Perfect. Give me thirty seconds to turn on the camera.”

  The woman nodded to the man standing at the front of the room waiting for us to come forward. He looked back and forth between us. “Miller Hawes, do you take Theresa Carner to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, as long as you both should live?”

  I smiled down at the woman who had given me everything I’d tried to avoid my whole life. She’d brought both peace and chaos into my world and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

  Brock still hadn’t finished the job with Nathan Marcello, so Tess kept a lower profile than before, unless she was with me. She didn’t like the extra security—I even had Charlie or Dean go to campus with her—but until the bastard was dead, she would never be out of sight. There were very few people I trusted nowadays.

  Standing in front of Elvis and the other couples waiting to get married, I pledged my life to the one woman who knew how to control the asshole in me. She loved me even when I was being a dick, and I could admit that it probably wasn’t an easy feat. But she did it, for me. She was my everything. And I was hers.

  “I do.”

  He turned to Tess. “Theresa Carner, do you take Miller Hawes to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, as long as you both should live?”

  “I do,” she answered, the biggest smile on her face.

  “By the power vested in me by the state of Las Vegas, and by being the King of Rock ‘n Roll”—Elvis paused and gyrated his hips a few times before continuing. Tess’s attempt not to laugh forever ingrained in my memory—“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

  “I love you,” I said, right before my lips caught hers.

  She pulled away at the first sign of catcalls.

  “I love you, too, but calm yourself down.” My face fell slightly until she added, “There’ll be time for more of that later—with no interruptions.”