The Billionaire's Secret Marriage (The Limitless Clean Billionaire Romance Series Book 1)

by Tamie Dearen

  “And Ms. Parker?” Fordham inquired, in the same impassive tone.

  “Carina? What about her?”

  “She’s here, waiting for you.”

  “What?” Bran choked, gasping to catch his breath as his mind spun. Why is Carina here?

  “She’s in the parlor, asking where she can put her things. Shall I have her trunks moved to your master suite?” This time, Bran noted the edge of a laugh in Fordham’s voice.

  “She can’t move in here.”

  “Evidently, she’s unaware of that restriction. She was quite perturbed to be kept waiting. I believe my ears are still burning.”

  What a disaster. We haven’t even drawn up the pre-nuptial agreement. “No. I’ll deal with her. You can go, Fordham.”

  “With all my heart, I thank you.” As Fordham fled the room, Bran’s traitorous friends howled their laughter.

  “I’m guessing you weren’t quite prepared to live together,” Finn remarked, the direction of his voice rising as he stood. “That’s what you get when you sleep with a woman. Of course she expects to move in once you’re engaged.”

  “We aren’t sleeping together.”

  “Sure, you aren’t,” Finn said, with unwelcome sarcasm.

  “We aren’t. At least, not anymore.” Bran’s head throbbed, as he tried to explain the complicated relationship. “Not for a long time.”

  Bran flinched as a hand clasped his shoulder.

  “Good luck, Bran,” said Finn. “We’ll see you at lunch, if you’re still alive.”

  “Where’re you going?” Bran demanded. “You can’t leave me at a time like this.”

  He heard the other chairs creaking and scraping and retreating footsteps. Cole’s voice answered from the kitchen door, “I’m off to your workout room. Gotta burn some calories after scarfing all those cinnamon rolls. Later, bro.”

  The door clicked shut, muffling the laughter and leaving him alone with his scrambled thoughts. With hardened resolve, he pushed away from the table and strode out, down the hallway to face his formidable fiancée.

  What have I gotten myself into?

  Chapter 3

  This place looks like a country club. Or maybe a resort.” Laurie’s eyes bugged out of her head. “I can’t believe we’re actually going to live here.”

  Stephanie glanced around with fresh eyes, taking in the polished marble floors of the entrance pavilion, with an ornate carved ceiling and rich furnishings. She remembered her own awe at her initial visit, the day she came for her interview. When she received the phone call to set up the meeting, she’d almost accused the caller of making a mistake. She’d only applied out of desperation, thinking she had nothing to lose. In her wildest dreams, she hadn’t thought she would actually get an interview, much less a job offer, especially since the position called for a master’s degree, and she lacked six hours of completing hers.

  Steph had never heard of Branson Knight, though practically everyone on the planet knew about Phantom Enterprises. No one had warned her that her potential boss was blind. For the first part of the interview, he seemed to look right at her with those intense blue eyes, and she’d had no idea he couldn’t see. What she did know was he was the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. The moment he strolled into the room, the temperature rose about ten degrees, and she found herself fingering her top button, wishing she could pull her blouse out and back to fan herself.

  With her attraction pushed to the back burner in light of how much she needed this job, she’d swallowed hard and concentrated on presenting herself in the best possible light. She still remembered how her heart had pounded with confusion and anger as he’d explained her duties would include arriving early to lay out his wardrobe for the day. She should’ve kept her mouth shut, but she barked her disapproval at the assumed insult to women, knowing she could never work with a chauvinist, no matter what the pay.

  “I thought you were interested in my brain, Mr. Knight. But I suppose, because I’m female, you think I should perform these menial tasks.”

  She sprang to her feet, ready to march out, but he rose with her, unperturbed by her outburst.

  “Your gender has nothing to do with this. I need a personal assistant to help me with all the chores I find difficult to complete on my own. They aren’t menial to me. Since I’m fully blind, choosing my wardrobe is one of those tasks. But if it’s above your station—”

  “You’re blind?” She stared at him in disbelief. The lighting was dim, but there was no way this man was totally sightless. She would’ve seen it in his mannerisms. She barked her accusation. “You walked straight to your desk and sat down. And you’ve been looking right at me this whole time.”

  “That may be so, but it doesn’t change the fact I’m blind.” One corner of his mouth twitched, as if he might be on the verge of a smile.

  “Prove it.”

  His supposedly-sightless eyes opened wide. “I… uhhh…. Ms. Caldwell, you’ve actually shocked me beyond speech. I’ve never been asked to prove I can’t see, and I’m not sure how to go about it. I don’t suppose owning a white cane would do it for you.”

  He popped up, moved unerringly to the open door and pushed it closed, revealing two white canes propped behind it.

  “Anyone could own a white cane.” She left her chair and stomped over to stand directly in front of him, her hands on her hips. “You could have low vision or something. You can’t be totally blind.”

  Still confident, she lifted her right hand and wriggled her fingers silently in the air, her stomach knotting when his eyes didn’t follow the movement. She repeated it with her left hand, but his gaze never wavered.

  “There’s one sure way I can prove it,” Branson said, “though most people can’t stomach it if I remove my prosthetic eyes.”

  “No, that won’t be necessary.” Heat rushed to her face as she realized what a fool she’d been. And a rude one, at that. What kind of person makes a blind man prove he’s blind? She choked out, “I’m so sorry, Mr. Knight. I’m not usually so insensitive. Thank you for your time.”

  She scurried back to her chair, intending to snatch her purse and escape before her cheeks burst into flames.

  “What are you doing?” he asked, his gaze somehow following her as he stepped in front of the door, barring her exit.

  “I can’t apologize enough. I’m really sorry.” She scrambled, trying to squeeze past him, but his well-muscled, six-foot-two form wouldn’t budge. Stepping back she put her hands on her hips and scowled, only to remember her expressions had no effect on the man. His piercing blue eyes, though apparently artificial, somehow penetrated into the depths of her soul, leaving her vulnerable. Every flaw, every thought, every insecurity was laid bare for his leisurely inspection.

  His lips curved upward. “Why are you leaving? Do my prosthetic eyes make you that uncomfortable?”

  “No, but it’s not too comfy having my foot in my mouth.”

  “And that’s the only thing bothering you?” His arms folded over his chest, muscles rippling under the fabric.

  “Yes.” It was a small lie. She couldn’t tell him how her throat went dry imagining how it would feel if his arms were wrapped around her instead of wastefully crossed over his chest.

  And then it happened. His hand touched her bare elbow and sent a chilled ripple in every direction. When she jerked her arm away, his hand found the small of her back, a gentle pressure guiding her back to the interview chair. She sat stiff, like a rod was planted in her spine, while he leaned against the desk in front of her. She kept her gaze down, using a critical inspection of what must be her first close-up sighting of designer leather shoes to distract her from his magnetism.

  “When could you start, Ms. Caldwell?”

  “What?” With all her breath suddenly gone, the word came out as a whisper.

  He bent toward her, matching her whisper in return. “I said, when could you start? I was wondering if you’re available right away.”

  “I’m availabl
e.” She felt hope blooming. Even after her blunder, she might still get the job. She couldn’t stop her enthusiasm. “I’m available any time, if you want me.”

  His eyebrows arched and his lips jerked at the corners, as if he were stifling laughter. Only then did she realize the implications of her answer.

  Mortified, she sputtered, “I didn’t mean available, like available. I meant I can start work any time. Today, if you want.”

  When he threw his head back and laughed, unguarded mirth melted years from his face. She realized he was probably in his early thirties, rather than forty-plus, as she’d originally thought. An intense desire overwhelmed her. She wasn’t fantasizing about his arms around her, like she was before. This time she only wanted to keep him laughing, to smooth away the worry lines on his forehead. Though she barely knew him, she could spend the rest of her life making him happy.

  “Earth to Stephanie…” Laurie’s voice jolted her back to the present.

  “Sorry. What did you say?”

  “The movers are outside, asking where to take our things.” Laurie rubbed her hands together briskly. “I can’t wait to see our rooms.”

  “Fordham said we’ll be in the east wing, but I have no idea where that is. I’ve never been in this part of the mansion.”

  A shrill, harsh voice interrupted. “You won’t be staying in the east wing. That’s for family and guests. You’ll be in the west wing with the other employees.”

  Startled, Stephanie turned to face the intruder. “Carina? What are you doing here?”

  She released a grating cackle. “What am I doing here? I’m soon to be Branson’s wife. I live here. The question is what are you doing here?”

  “I’m here because Mr. Knight needs me.” She jutted out her chin, hoping it wasn’t shaking.

  “He won’t need you for long, so I wouldn’t get too comfortable, if I were you.”

  Even though the same thought had occurred to Stephanie when Bran announced his engagement, hearing the idea from Carina made the blood pound in Stephanie’s ears. This woman would never be able to take care of Bran the way he deserved.

  Spying Laurie’s clenched fists from the corner of her eye, Stephanie put a hand on her rambunctious friend’s arm, lest she punch Carina’s lights out. “It’s okay, Laurie. I’ve got this.”

  Stephanie squared her shoulders and faced Carina. “I have a signed contract promising room and board at the Knight estates for my daughter, our nanny, and me, along with my wages for a full year.”

  Carina’s eyes widened, but she retorted, “Don’t be surprised if that changes. Contracts are made to be broken.”

  “I’m afraid Branson Knight’s contracts are clad in iron, as you would know if you’d signed your prenuptial agreement. You might be surprised, instead of me.”

  Carina bared her teeth in something no one would mistake for a smile. “We’ll see.”

  “Ah, Stephanie. You’ve arrived.”

  Stephanie turned a grateful, though weak, smile to her rescuer. “Hi, Fordham. Carina was just explaining that our housing assignment has changed from the east wing to the west.”

  “Really? Branson didn’t mention the change to me.” Fordham’s hand slipped inside his coat pocket and retrieved his cell phone. “Let me check with him.”

  Carina pushed his phone down. “That won’t be necessary, Fordham. You see, Branson gave me permission to choose my suite of rooms, and I’ve already moved into the east wing.”

  “The entire east wing?” His chin dipped low, and he gazed at her through bushy gray eyebrows.

  “Not the entire wing, of course, but I don’t want some noisy kid around.”

  Fordham went rigid, but Stephanie didn’t want Carina’s ire aimed at him. “That’s okay, Fordham. We’ll be perfectly happy in the west wing. To be honest, I’m pretty protective of Ellie. I don’t want her around people who don’t like children.”

  “Good choice.” Carina didn’t object to the intended slight. “You probably know Branson detests children as much as I do. He and I are alike in so many ways.”

  I can’t think of one.

  “That woman is a witch.”

  It was probably the nicest thing Laurie had said about Carina in the past two hours since their encounter. She didn’t normally employ the colorful language she’d been using to describe Bran’s fiancée, and Steph was glad Ellie wasn’t around to hear it. She could always count on Laurie to come to her defense, kind of like a protective bull dog. That was one of the reasons she loved her so much. That, and the fact that she’d adopted the two of them as her pet project.

  “Yes, I know,” she explained for the umpteenth time. “But my boss has chosen to marry her for whatever reason. My job is to support him, no matter what. I don’t get to judge him, and I sure don’t get to give him advice.”

  “But what could he possibly see in her?” Laurie asked as she shoved a cardboard box into the closet. “I could understand if he wasn’t blind. She’s got flawless skin and blond hair.”

  “And perfect boobs,” Stephanie added, wistfully.

  “You’ve got decent boobs.” Laurie unloaded books onto the bookshelves in random fashion. “At least they’re perky.”

  “Ha! Perky is another word for tiny. Hers are big, even though she’s skinny.” Stephanie pulled a pile of books back off the shelf to sort them by genre and size.

  “Probably fake.”

  “Come to think of it, they’re bigger than when I first met her, so she must’ve had some work done.” The thought brought a smile to Steph’s face. Carina wasn’t naturally perfect.

  “But appearance shouldn’t be important to Bran, since he’s blind. Right? So what’s the attraction?” Laurie ripped the tape off another box.

  “She’s from a wealthy, well-respected family. She has lots of influence in important social circles.”

  “Seems like an awful reason to choose a wife.”

  “She hates children. She said Bran hates children, too.” Steph paused to open a book and flip through the pages. “This is yours, I think. Murder mystery. May I borrow it?”

  “Sure.” Laurie pushed another haphazard group of books onto a shelf. “We’re never gonna finish if you stop to sort and read the books, you know.”

  “I know.” Steph pushed the books back onto the shelves and grabbed a pair of scissors. “I need a different job. I’ll break down the boxes.”

  “How can Bran hate children? He gives away half his money to help disabled kids. Does that sound like a child-hater?”

  “Not really. But he’s never asked to meet Ellie, even though I talk about her all the time.”

  “Oh.” Laurie made a weird upside-down smile that showed her teeth.

  “Oh? What does that mean?”

  “It means oh, maybe he might like kids in principle, but not in person.”

  Steph’s heart sank into her stomach. “Oh my gosh. You’re right. No wonder he was so awkward when I asked if he and Carina were going to have children. And he gives his money all the time, but he never delivers it in person or has anything to do with the kids.” She collapsed onto the leather sofa and dropped her head into her hands. Another reason Bran and I could never be together. Why can’t I get it through my thick skull?

  The cushion dipped beside her, and an arm slid around her shoulder. “I shouldn’t have said anything, Steph. It doesn’t matter. He knows you have Ellie, and that didn’t stop him from insisting you move in here. You have an iron-clad contract, so it’s not like you’re gonna lose your job.”

  “I may have exaggerated that iron thing. It’s more like a thin, soft metal sheeting.”

  “Like aluminum foil?” Laurie suggested.

  Steph nodded, dread welling deep in her belly. “Truth is, Carina has all the power. She hasn’t even signed her pre-nup. If she convinced him to fire me, we’d be gone so fast our heads would spin, contract or not.”

  “We can’t let that happen,” Laurie declared, her mop of tight dark curls bobbing. “We al
ready let our apartment go.”

  “At least Fordham likes me.” Stephanie stood up and started pacing, her boots thudding on the polished wood floor. “All I have to do is get on Carina’s good side and keep Ellie away from her and Bran.”

  “How’re you going to get on Carina’s good side?” asked Laurie, as she drummed her fingers on the arm of the couch. “I hate to tell you, but I think she hates you.”

  “For starters, I can’t confront her or criticize her. I’ll have to talk her up to Bran, whenever I get the chance.” She wouldn’t let petty jealousy jeopardize her job, her only means of providing Ellie the care she needed. “And I’ll swallow my pride and apologize to Carina as soon as I get the chance.”

  “Ugh. I don’t know how you’re going to stomach it.”

  She stopped pacing and turned to face the door, gathering her nerve before leaving to face her boss, who would undoubtedly be grumpy since she missed most of the morning during the move. “I’ll do whatever I have to do… for Ellie.”

  Chapter 4

  Bran attempted to control his impatience. After all, he was the one who insisted Stephanie move into the estate on Tuesday, rather than wait until the next weekend. He’d been awake since four a.m. Exercise, a shower, and breakfast had only passed two hours of time. He managed to reply to about fifty emails without Stephanie’s aid, though he saved them for her to proof. He checked the time… ten o’clock. How long could it possibly take to get settled? He’d sent a team of professional packers to do the work. Most of her things were going into storage, since all the rooms in the estate were furnished. He’d secretly hoped she would report in as usual and let the movers take care of everything without her supervision.

  Fordham had already reported Carina’s antics, forcing Stephanie out of the preferred rooms. And Branson had blasted her for it, though it barely fazed her. Her behavior served as a warning for what might come, and he was already reconsidering his decision to marry her. If only he could find another way to procure the stocks he needed.