Buying Love (Forever Safe Romance Series Book 3)

by C. M. Steele

  “Bastard. I’ll meet you at the airport. Let me know when your flight gets in,” she says. “I love you, girl. I’m so sorry.”

  “Thanks. I message you as soon as I have more info.” I hang up and do my best to look for a flight through my tears. Unable to get an affordable flight, I close my phone and figure out my next move.

  I get up to start walking away from the building just in case Jake shows up. I don’t want to hear what he has to say. A beautiful, sleek, black SUV pulls up alongside me, and the passenger lowers her window. “Dear, do you need a ride?” I can see an older couple in their forties or so.

  “No, I’m okay.”

  “Are you sure? It’s starting to rain.” I had had been crying so much, I didn’t notice that it began raining. “We’re on our way back home from a quick trip to Vegas, but look I swear I’m a car service owner. Driving people around is what I do for a living,” the man says.

  She gives me his identification. Something about her face is familiar as she smiles at me. “Whoever he is, he doesn’t deserve you. Some men are bastards, and some are great.” She pats the thigh of the driver. His name is Daniel Bennington. Owner and Operator of Bennington Car Service.

  “Where are you headed?” she asks.

  “Back to Vegas,” I answer with a disbelieving chuckle.

  “Hop in, and we’ll take you to the airport,” she offers.

  “I really shouldn’t.”

  “Do you have anyone to message?”

  “Yes.”

  “Call or message them, so they know who you’re with.” I nod and do it. the man gets out of the car and helps me with my things. He then holds the door open for me to jump in the back. I shouldn’t be doing this, but I’m desperate, but at least I sent Angie his information.

  Just as he starts driving, his phone goes off through the car speakers.

  “Excuse me. It’s one of my more important clients. He can be a little impatient.” He presses the green call symbol, and the voice comes over the speakers, and I gasp. It’s Jake.

  “Hey, Danny. Did you just drive away from the condo?”

  “Yes, I did,” he answers unassuming.

  “Okay, Jack and I are coming up on you right now. Pull over for a second. I need your help.” I reach for the handle, anxious to get away.

  “Sure.” He ends the call.

  “I should just get a taxi,” I say, sliding my purse onto my lap, so I can get out before Jake reaches the truck.

  “No, no. Sorry, he spotted me. It’ll only be a minute. I promise,” he says.

  I go to reach for the door handle to run when Jake opens my door, startling me. “You. Think. You. Can. Just. Run. Out. On. Me.” He looks pissed until he sees the tear stains on my face. And that’s when I see his own tracks of tears. He’d been crying? “We need to talk. Excuse us.” He pushes his way in. “Mom, Danny, can you give us some privacy?” They both hop out of the truck, and Danny clicks the locks.

  He moves closer to me, trapping me against the back of the seat. “Get away from me you philandering piece of shit,” I holler, pushing at his chest.

  “What the hell did that bitch say to you?” he asks, refusing to budge.

  “What are you worried she had to say to me?”

  “I wasn’t worried until I found out you fled the condo. I haven’t cheated on you which I’m guessing is what she’d use to get you to leave me. I’d never do something so fucking vile. Tell me what she said to make you run from me.” His voice cracks as if he’s genuinely heartbroken.

  “Well…” I repeat our brief interaction and watch his face grow angrier and angrier with every word.

  He runs his hands through his hair, calming himself down before he speaks, “First, that’s all a fucking lie. Every damn word. I never touched her—ever. I fired her Tuesday after she fucking sabotaged the inspection on the addition we had built for the company. And my mother is practically a fucking saint. Damn it, I don’t want to do this in the back of the car.” He opens the door and flips me over his shoulder, covering my ass with his hand.

  “Let go of me. Put me down,” I scream.

  “Never. And I’ll put you down once I’m sure you can’t run away.”

  “Ah, Mr. Harrison, you’re back. Hello Mrs. Harrison.” I flip her off because she must have called Jake the second she saw me leave.

  “That’s not nice, Mrs. Harrison,” he whispers, swatting my ass. I squirm in his arms as the elevator doors close. He doesn’t let me go; instead, he holds on tighter. Once we’re in the condo, he marches straight into the bedroom, locking the door, then tosses me onto the bed.

  “Look at me, Jenna. I’m a fucking wreck at the thought of you leaving me.”

  “Well, that’s probably because you want your baby,” I toss out.

  “Damn right, I want my baby, but I want you even more. This was never about a fucking contract for me. Yes, I wanted you bred to me. I hoped to fill you up with every drop of my cum so that you’d be knocked up, and you couldn’t leave. I’m fucking obsessed with you. Like fucking really obsessed.” He paces the length of the room repeatedly as he loses his suit jacket and rolls up his sleeves.

  He stops and sits on the bench at the foot of the bed, staring at me pleadingly. He finally continues, “I only used it as an excuse to get you tied to me before I left Vegas. I didn’t want you to find out how insane I was about you and scare you away, so I rushed the contract out. It was all a ploy to make you mine forever. I don’t have anyone else. I don’t want anyone else. You’re it for me, Jenna.”

  “If that’s true, then why don’t you call me all day, and why don’t you kiss me before you leave for work.?”

  He kicks off his shoes, slides onto the bed, pinning me under him. His tie is loosened, but still around his neck. “Do you know how hard it is for me to walk out the damn door every morning? I know that if I taste your lips one time, even just a peck, I’ll never leave. I’ll have you under me in seconds. I love you, Jenna. I knew it the second I saw you on the bus that I had to find you and make you mine.”

  “You love me? There’s no one else?”

  “She lied to you. I swear it on everything I have. I worship you. I don’t exist without you,” he explains.

  “I love you. I wanted the contract not because of the money even though I needed it. I couldn’t stop thinking about you, and then there you were. I didn’t like the offer, but it meant I got to be in your strong arms.” His mouth takes mine in a deep, passionate kiss as a teardrop slides down my cheek.

  “Don’t cry, my love. There’s something I still have to confess.”

  “Oh, no.” I try to push away, but he grabs my hands and raises them above my head, holding them at the wrist with one of his powerful hands.

  He lifts up my blouse with the other and bites my breast gently through my bra. “Mrs. Harrison. When I took this innocent little cherry…” He reaches between us and slides his hands down my shorts, thrusting two fingers into my pussy. “I gave you my innocence.”

  My head is fuzzy with lust, but I swear he said he was innocent when we married. “Huh?”

  “You’re going to make me repeat myself, Jenna. I was a virgin. I waited until I had you under me to give it up. My father was the reason, but I don’t want to talk about anyone else but us. In fact, I don’t want to talk at all,” he grunts out, pulling his fingers from my pussy. He releases his hold on me and yanks my shorts off with my underwear. I’m embarrassed because I was spotting this morning, but I don’t want him to stop. He doesn’t seem to care because he pulls out his thick, long shaft and slams it deep inside me.

  I feel like he’s stretching more than before. With every thrust, I’m closer to coming. I’m already on the edge when his mouth meets mine again. Then I splinter in two, and he follows me, emptying himself into me.

  “I’m sorry if I hurt you, but I had to be inside of you,” he says, slipping out of me and rolling to the side. He looks down at his cock then back up at me. “I thought you said you had yo
ur period.”

  “I didn’t lie. I was spotting this morning, but it just stopped.”

  “I’m not going to complain,” he growls, lifting me, so I’m on top of him. His arms wrap tightly around me, holding me close with my head on his chest as his heart races. “Please don’t ever leave me, Jenna.”

  “Never again,” I whisper, falling asleep on top of him.

  Chapter Nine

  Jake

  A few hours later, Jenna and I shower and make ourselves presentable before my family comes over for the family dinner. Initially we canceled it because they weren’t prepared for a fancy dinner, but I wanted my mom to formally meet my wife.

  “Mom, I’d love for you to meet Jenna. Jenna, this lovely woman is my mother.” My mom wraps her arms around Jenna, and she whispers something into Jenna’s ear that makes my wife smile.

  “Jake, Jack, your mother and I have something to announce.”

  “We got married,” my mother squeals, showing us a super flashy diamond ring that’s bigger than the elegant one I selected for Jenna.

  “Damn, like who goes to Vegas and just gets married?” Jack blurts out, laughing as he opens a beer from my fridge.

  “It’s your turn next.”

  “Nope. Not going to happen, but thanks for trying. Are we going to order some food or what?” he grumbles.

  “Pizza?” Danny suggests.

  “It works for me,” I add, and then ask Jenna. “How about you, baby?”

  “Pizza’s perfect.” I steal a kiss because I need it. I want to cling to her as much as possible and keep her away from the door like she’s going to run again.

  The rest of the night passes in a blur as we eat, talk, and laugh.

  The women get along so well together, which I love because Jenna needs someone to talk to when I’m at work. My mom pulls Jenna into the bedroom, and they spend thirty minutes having a girl talk that is pushing my buttons. I hate having her attention taken away from me when I’m around. It’s fine if they get together while I’m at work, but not when I want to have her to myself. It’s insane how much I need her at my side.

  I step in between them and sit down on the bed. “We were talking, young man,” my mother scolds me with a smile on her face. Today has turned out so much better now. It could have been the worst day of my life. I love my mom, but she’s stolen my wife long enough and has to go.

  “Yes, you were monopolizing my wife on my day off. That’s just unacceptable behavior, Mrs. Bennington.”

  “Oh heavens, that’s so wonderful to hear out loud. That’s good to hear. Treat her right. Wow! Mrs. Bennington. That’s very good to hear.” She gets up, kisses my cheek, and then leaves the bedroom.

  “Your mother is amazing. I can’t believe that I fell for Melissa’s lies.”

  “Well, you’re not the only one. She wasn’t like that when I hired her. I’ve already filed a lawsuit on top of the charges that I pressed. Apparently, one of my big competitors sent her my way for the specific intention of spying on me.”

  “Oh no, that’s terrible.”

  “But it’s in the past. Luckily they only got information that was public knowledge or at least company-wide knowledge except about our contract.” I feel so damn guilty that she found a way to hurt Jenna. Melissa was hired by Greg Stevens. He’s going down once they gather the rest of the information on their connection.

  “I love you, Jacob Harrison. I love the man who you are and the man you strive to be.”

  “Uh oh. What did my mom tell you?”

  “Only that you didn’t want to be like your dad, and he was everything that Melissa made you out to be. I’m sorry I thought the worst of you.”

  “I’m sorry that I gave you a reason to think that. If I’d let you know even just a fraction of what I felt, you wouldn’t have believed her. Now, how about we push these people out, so we can be alone, and I can show you how I truly feel.”

  “I like that.”

  We step out into the hallway just as my mom is cleaning up, and Jack is putting on his light zip-up hoodie. “We’re calling it a night because I want grandbabies.”

  “She’s lying, bro. They’re trying to make siblings for us. I saved your couch right now. I’m kicking them out. Have fun,” he jokes, leading them out the door and tossing Jenna a wink.

  “Get your own woman,” I warn him.

  “I’m working on it,” he says, closing the door behind him. There were several questions I had for him, and I wonder if they have to do with a particular clumsy assistant he brought in. However, that will have to wait.

  I have one thing on my mind, and that’s reminding Jenna that she’s mine.

  Chapter Ten

  Jenna

  Three weeks later…

  I groaned, heading back to the bathroom for the third time this morning. My stomach has been upset all day. I open the fridge and look for something to help with it, but there’s nothing. Jake had left an hour ago, and his mom is on her way so we can do some house browsing online, so I don’t have much time before she gets here.

  So I slip on some gym shoes and head out to the nearby CVS. I wave to the receptionist on my way out. “Be right back,” I tease. I really owe her for calling Jake. If she didn’t, I would be sleeping on Angie’s couch completely miserable.

  The second I’m in the CVS, I get a message. What are you wearing?

  I take a selfie and send it to my husband. He replies seconds later. I’m going to fuck you so hard the second I get home.

  I hope your mom doesn’t stay long.

  I pick up what I need and head back to the condo. Just as I get inside the lobby, my mother-in-law stands up, looking a little worse for wear. “Crackers. I could use some. It’s been a long time since I’ve needed them for this,” she groans, stealing the box out of the bag and opening it while we walk to the elevator.

  “You’re feeling sick, too? Do you think it’s the restaurant we ate at two days ago?” I ask as I hit the button for our floor.

  She shakes her head, closing her eyes as the elevator starts to move. That inertia gets me as well. “No, I know what’s wrong with me. At my age, I thought it was impossible.”

  “What’s wrong with you?” Shit, I hope it’s nothing serious.

  “You’re going have a new sibling,” she confesses between crackers.

  I slap my hand to my mouth to stop myself from squealing. “Oh, my goodness. Does Danny know yet?”

  “No, I’m going to tell him today. I went to see my doctor, and she told me that I’m pregnant. At forty-one, I’m starting all over again. Danny’s going to be so happy.”

  “So have you taken a pregnancy test?”

  “No, I haven’t. I haven’t missed my period yet.”

  “Maybe you should take one just in case.”

  “Give me a minute. We have some in stock since it was supposed to be a part of the contract thing.” I roll my eyes because my husband loves me beyond belief, and if it wasn’t for the contract, I would have seen it. I saw bits and pieces, but I attributed it to his need to have a legitimate heir.

  “I love how much Jake loves you. He’s always been so worried that he’d be like his father because they resemble each other so much. Now, he’s like a man obsessed.”

  “Can you tell me about his father? We’ve never finished our conversation on it. And I’ve been afraid to ask.”

  “Of course. I’ll explain it. It’s a painful memory of a life gone awry, but if it wasn’t for that, I wouldn’t have my two amazing boys that led me to Danny.” I take a seat on the bed, and she starts explaining, “I met their father when I was sixteen. He was in his early twenties and worked with for my father, but my parents thought he was great. At one of their parties, he raped me, but my parents didn’t believe me. I was married to him a few days later, and we found out I was pregnant from that night.”

  “Does Jake know that?”

  “Yes, he does. Over the years, I ended up having Jake and thankfully had taken precautions to stop
from getting pregnant. He lost his job because he had a drinking, drug, and woman problem, so I worked twelve-hour days at a factory at night. When Jake was eight, his father used to bring his mistresses home and screw them on our bed. I stopped sleeping in there the first time Jake said something, but that got him beaten. I was in the process of a divorce when he had a heart attack with a prostitute he brought in the house after shooting up.”

  “Wow,” I gasp, feeling the pain for the young Jake.

  “With no one watching the boys, I had to figure things out. We struggled until the boys were old enough to work, and then they never stopped. Everything wonderful I have is because of them. They are the men their father couldn’t ever be.”

  “It only makes me love him more. Gosh, I want him home so bad, but I can’t ask him to come home.”

  “He totally would if you ask.”

  “Just like Danny. I bet he’s outside waiting in the car, right?”

  “Yes, he is.” She giggles and shows me her phone. It’s a text that says, I’m out in the car if you ladies need anything.

  “Just tell him to come up here. You know he wants to be by your side. Besides, I could use all the help I can get to pick the house. Aha! I found the boxes. Out in one minute.” I close the bathroom door and pee on the stick.

  “Oh shit,” I gasp. Washing my hands, I open the bathroom door and say, “I’m pregnant.”

  “You’re pregnant,” Jake exclaims from the doorway.

  “You’re home,” I gasp. That isn’t how I imagined sharing the news with him.

  “I missed you,” he admits, giving me a shrug. I’m betting it has to do with the pic I sent him. The man wants to be in me every single hour of every single day. Although I have to confess that I love it.

  “I always miss you.”

  “Same here, baby. Come here and kiss me, my wife.” I rush into his arms and kiss him wildly.