Wilson's Hard Lesson

by K. Anderson

  “Please calm down. I found out by chance and no my father doesn’t know and I won’t tell him because it’s not my secret, it’s yours.” Rachel visibly relaxed then and sighed in relief.

  “Thank you so much,” Rachel said and a small frown darkened her lovely features. “My father, unfortunately, passed away and he was the only family that I had. I didn’t work or anything and I don’t particularly have any impressive skills and even though I have a degree I wasn’t getting any job offers. So when a friend of mines told me that she had signed up with a mail order bride agency and that she was going to get married, I thought I’d try my hands at it. My father wasn’t a wealthy man and the money he left behind was quickly running out. I didn’t want to become homeless and I felt like this was my last resort.” Daniel listened to Rachel speak and he felt bad for initially thinking anyone who signed up to be a mail order bride was prostituting themselves. Rachel was a victim of circumstances. She was willing to become a companion for someone so that she could live in exchange for her hand in marriage.

  “I’m so sorry that happened to you,” Daniel said reaching over to place his hand on top of Rachel’s. She jumped at his touch, but Rachel didn’t pull away her hand. “I have another question for you if you do not mind?” Daniel paused when the waiter brought Rachel her food.

  “Please, don’t feel like your questions are a burden.” Rachel said and gave him her brilliant white smile again. Daniel took in a quick breath and then looked at his food; I can’t let a sweet woman like her get heartbroken.

  “How do you feel about my brother?” Daniel believed that he already knew the answer to that question because Rachel’s eyes lit up at the mere mention of David.

  “Daniel, your brother is definitely a breath of fresh air! I was skeptical about the whole thing when we first started emailing each other. When we finally met face to face those short few weeks ago, it was love at first sight! I couldn’t imagine ever meeting someone as charming and selfless as your brother.” What Rachel told Daniel wounded his heart. The man that Rachel described was definitely not Daniel’s real brother. The man she saw was an actor in a performance that cast him as the main character. The real David Marshalls was nothing like that.

  “I need to tell you something, Rachel. I must tell you this because you are too lovely of a lady to have to endure the pain that you’d eventually receive.” Daniel said and Rachel’s eyes widened and she placed her fork back down on the plate.

  “Daniel, what are you talking about?” Rachel asked and Daniel sighed. He hated that he was going to break such horrible news to Rachel and he hated the fact that he was going to cause her even more pain. But Daniel told her. Daniel told her of his father’s little competition that he’s hosting for Daniel and David. He told her what the requirements were for obtaining Jeffery’s company after he passes on. Daniel told Rachel that his brother never wanted to marry anyone that he enjoyed messing around with women but he never classified any of them as girlfriends. Daniel told Rachel who the real David Marshalls was.

  “I’m sorry. I know that all of this sounds unreal, but it’s the truth and I have no reason to lie to you.” Daniel thought Rachel was going to slap him from the way that she was looking. Daniel couldn’t tell if Rachel believed him or not. One moment she’d open her mouth like she was attempting to speak and the next moment she was closing it again. Does she hate me now? Daniel wondered to himself. Should Daniel have just minded his business and allowed Rachel to ultimately get hurt, or was it a good thing that he stepped up?

  “I knew it,” Rachel said looking down at her food. That was definitely not the response Daniel expected. He was starting to expect warm tea splattering in his face. “It was too good to be true. David was just too perfect that everything he said almost felt staged.” Rachel looked up at Daniel with tears fresh in her eyes. “Thank you! Thank you so much for not letting me experience this humiliation for another moment.” At hearing Rachel’s gratitude, Daniel felt an enormous weight lifted from his shoulders.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Rachel took Daniel’s arm in her hands as she led him through the corridors of the office building. Daniel was surprised by Rachel’s strength despite the pain that she was surely feeling at that moment. Daniel remained silent until they were outside of his father’s office.

  “Why are we here?” Daniel asked surprised. Daniel thought that Rachel was going to march to David’s office and confront him, so appearing at his father’s door instead was definitely shocking.

  “I can’t really confront David about this because he could easily lie,” Rachel said and hesitated before knocking on Jeffery’s door. It wasn’t that Rachel didn’t believe Daniel, she just wanted to get confirmation from the man who started this whole thing, Jeffery Marshalls. “I want to hear it from your father’s lips. I want to hear it from the man that has the two of you competing for his company.”

  “That is… a really good idea.” Daniel had to admit. He knew the girl was intelligent, but he didn’t know that she was this sharp.

  “Come in,” Rachel turned the doorknob at the sound of Jeffery’s voice. Jeffery’s eyes widen in delight when he saw Rachel walking in; however, he arched his brow when he saw Daniel, and not David, accompanying her. “Well it’s a surprise to see you two here. How can I help the both of you?” Jeffery asked and Rachel finally let go of Daniel’s arm.

  “I’m so sorry to disturb you at work, but I just had a quick question to ask you. Is it true that you told David and Daniel that whoever marries first and bares you a grandchild would inherit your company?” Rachel already knew the answer to that question before Jeffery confirmed it. The way his eyes widened in shock told on her. Jeffery’s eyes went towards Daniel’s before he answered that question.

  “Ah, so I see Daniel’s told you about that. Yes it’s true, and I guess since the two of you are in my office, you believe that David’s only dating you in attempts to get you to marry him. Am I correct?” Rachel blushed, but she nodded her head.

  “I have a confession,” Rachel began and lowered her eyes to the ground. “David and I haven’t really been dating. I met him through a mail order bride agency and up until a few weeks ago, I didn’t even know him. We were supposed to get married anyways, but as soon as I laid eyes on him, it was love at first sight for me. David ask me to tell you that we met in a park so that you wouldn’t disown him. I see now that was only a ploy so that he could win by default.” Jeffery was up to his feet instantly and slammed his fists onto his table.

  “Damn it! I knew he was full of it!” Jeffery yelled. He thought that David was trying to pull one over on him, but when he saw how he interacted with Rachel, he believed that his son had changed in his ways because he met someone who completed him. “Tsk, I don’t know why I thought a man who fooled around in his office and break a female’s heart so close to the time he was ‘supposedly’ with you would change his ways” Jeffery shook his head. The way that Rachel was looking at him told Jeffery that his ‘brotherly’ competition might have been too harsh on the boys. Jeffery wanted whoever placed in charge to make it a real family business, not a bought one.

  “I’m sorry,” Daniel said looking at his father, “But I needed to tell her. I didn’t want such a great woman to be led on the way that David was leading her on.” Jeffery nodded his head in agreement. He loved David, but Rachel was far too lovely to be taken advantage of like that.

  “So what will you do now?” Jeffery asked raising his eyebrow. Rachel appeared to have been at a loss for words.

  “Well, I definitely won’t be able to marry him like this. He doesn’t truly care for me and I hated the way he was going to trick you into giving him the company.” Rachel said. Daniel grabbed her hand in his and stared her straight in the eyes.

  “Whatever you do, I will definitely be here to support you.” Rachel’s eyes glistened with unshed tears because unlike David, she knew for a fact that Daniel’s words were true.

  “So will I,” Jeffery chime
d in. “I will help you with everything so don’t you worry about a thing,” Rachel smiled at this. She was happy that someone genuinely cared for her and was willing to come to her aid even though they were going against their very own kin.

  “Thank you,” Rachel said and her tears spilled from her eyes.

  *****

  “I love you,” Daniel moaned as his hips thrusted into Rachel nice and slow. The newlyweds writhed in pleasure on the warm beach of their private honeymoon spot in Hawaii. Rachel was embarrassed that they were making love in public, but this was private property and no one would be able to access this part of the beach anyway.

  “I love you… too,” Rachel moaned into Daniel’s hungry mouth. It’s been several months since everything went south with David. After Daniel and Jeffery told Rachel what David was plotting, she immediately ended their engagement and left David’s residence. David tried his hardest to convince Rachel that his brother and father were lying, but she was hearing none of that. Jeffery and Daniel intervened and put David on the spot and after losing the battle between his father and brother, David up and quit the company.

  “How dare you make it seem like I’m the bad guy here! Dad it’s your fault for putting us on the spot like this! But whatever, I don’t care. I don’t give a damn about you or this worthless company!” Like a five year old throwing a temper tantrum, David quit and moved out of the home bought for him by his father. Jeffery was hurt by this but so be it. He was growing tired of David’s deceitful ways and manipulate attitude. When David left, Jeffery gave Lydia David’s job because after years of watching David work, she knew how to do many of the same things that he did. So losing David wasn’t as bad as David tried to make them think it’ll be.

  “Get on top now. I want to watch you ride me.” Daniel said and positioned them so that Rachel was on top of him. Rachel blushed but she did what she was told and rode him slow and so passionately that she was driving them both mad.

  “I’m… I’m so happy that I’m here with you,” Rachel said as she increased the speed of her hips. Her walls clenched around Daniel’s aching length and he knew that he wouldn’t be able to last much longer.

  “Me too… You’re everything to me,” Daniel bit out and gripped Rachel’s hips and made her move faster. “Ah!” he groaned as his orgasm was rapidly approaching. After everything had happened, Daniel was there for Rachel. He helped her move out of David’s house and Jeffery purchased a condo for Rachel. Daniel and Rachel started spending a lot of time together and eventually Rachel started returning Daniel’s feelings. After dating for a while, Daniel popped the question and Rachel eagerly accepted his proposal. “I’m coming!” Daniel arched his back and squeezed harder on Rachel’s hips.

  “Ah!” Rachel’s moans were loud and pleasured filled as she fell apart on top of Daniel. After they both were spent, Rachel lied on top of Daniel and he wrapped his arms around her. Daniel was the happiest man in the world because not only was he with the women of his dreams, but he’d also inherit his father’s company after Jeffery is gone. The best part of it all was that he was inheriting it the right way, through true love.

  “I love you so much, Rachel Marshalls.” Daniel murmured as he held Rachel tight and picked her up into his arms once he stood.

  “I love you too, Daniel Marshalls.” Daniel smiled and carried his bride into their honeymoon beach house. Everything was amazing with them and he was glad that Rachel didn’t have to worry about being a mail order bride in order to live a comfortable life. Rachel was truly a strong woman and when she expressed her need to work, Daniel was one hundred percent behind her. If Rachel wanted to find herself, he’d stand behind her, plus it’ll be good for Rachel to put her degree to work. If Rachel could support Daniel, Daniel could certainly support the one that he loved because unlike David, he didn’t view Rachel as an object meant to be used. Daniel viewed Rachel as an important woman in his life, his wife by love, not a wife picked out for him because she was employed as a mail order bride.

  The Sacked Mail Order Bride

  By: Krista Sparks

  The Sacked Mail Order Bride

  © Krista Sparks, 2016 – All rights reserved

  Published by Steamy Reads4U

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, including electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events are purely coincidental. This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.

  This book may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please return it to the seller and purchase a copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.

  Warning

  This book contains explicit content intended for readers 18+ years old.

  If you are under 18 years old, or are not comfortable with adult content, please close this book now.

  Chapter One

  I thought the night I watched Father’s print shop burn to the ground would be worst of my life. We’d been abed when there was a thunderous boom. Going outdoors, we saw the conflagration, violently oversized from the very first moments. Towering orange tongues of flame curled heavenward, nearly reaching the stars, while plumes of foul-smelling oily smoke banked all around us.

  “Dear God in heaven!” Father said, clenching at his chest. “This is a catastrophe!”

  In that moment, I feared I would lose my darling Father. He’d already borne so much loss and tragedy – my Mother’s passing when I was but five years old, then losing my older brother Henry to a Union bullet. The war had taken everyone’s fortune, and rebuilding hadn’t been easy. The print shop was only just beginning to turn a profit, and now it was in flames.

  “It will be all right,” I tried to assure him. “Surely the fire brigade will save the shop!” And truly, those stalwart brave gentlemen did come rushing through the night, bells clanging and their spotted dog howling with a devilish glee. They worked feverishly at the pump, sending up a spray of water that proved to be wholly inadequate against the conflagration.

  “We’ve got to let it go, Mr. Calhoun,” the fire marshal said to Father before too long. “We might be able to save the house, but that fire there’s just too hot. It’ll have to burn itself out.”

  Father stood as if he were frozen in place. His mouth was open, but no sounds were coming out. He shook his head as if to say no, but neither the fire marshal nor I were inclined to pay attention to that.

  “Please!” I beseeched the good man. “Save the house. It’s all Papa and I have left in this world!”

  The fire marshal nodded, and I could see from the look in his eyes that my proclamation was not news to him. “We’ll do our best, ma’am.” He gently guided Father and I further away from the burning shop. “We’ve got to pull the wagon through this way. Take care you don’t get hurt!”

  The smoke thickened, all but obscuring our view as the fire brigade began to soak down the side of our home and the thin strip of lawn that separated our domicile from our livelihood. Abandoned, the flames consuming the shop redoubled their efforts. There was a mighty crack, as loud as a rifle’s report, and I had to fight to not cover my ears.

  “That’s the ridgepole going,” Father said. “The roof’s not long for this world.”

  I’d heard my father sorrowful before. But never to the extent of the heartbreak echoing through his voice right now; he was absolutely despondent.

  “We will rebuild, Papa.”

  Father shook his head. “No, Abigail. We won’t. This is the end of the road for me.” He hung his head and kicked at
the ground. “The good Lord’s decided I was never meant to be a happy man. And seeing as that’s the legacy I’ve left you, I’m truly sorry.”

  Chapter Two

  Father’s comments about an unhappy legacy puzzled me, but I put them down to the heat of the moment. While I always try to look for the hopeful path out of any situation, I know that not everyone can do that. So I held my peace and stood by Father, watching as the fire consumed itself.

  When the print shop had been reduced to no more than a forest of standing smoking timbers, and the smoke had died away to a low-profile fog that clung to our ankles, Father shook his head. “I’m going to bed. Perhaps when I wake up, this will all have been a bad dream. Or perhaps the Lord will be merciful, and I won’t wake up at all!”

  “Don’t say that, Papa!” I tried to embrace my Father, but he would have none of my affections. In fact he shoved me away gruffly; an action so shocking that I could not help but cry aloud.

  “Don’t mind him, miss,” the fire marshal said. He took his helmet off, revealing a white line across his forehead where the smoke had not yet reached his skin. “Your Father’s had a great upset and he’s not in his right mind.”

  “Well, I’m upset too!” I exclaimed.

  The fire marshal nodded. “But you’re a lady, and ladies are cut from a stronger cloth than gentlemen.”

  I raised an eyebrow. The messaging I’d heard from my youngest days was quite the contrary: women were the fair sex, gentle creatures who needed protection from the harsh world. Acting as if one were the least bit capable opened one’s self up to stern reproach and vicious gossip.

  “Disappointment is a ladies’ lot in life, more often than not,” the fire marshal said. “And she’s no choice but to bear it with what grace she can muster. That takes strength.”