by Jenika Snow
The cruelty and greed was clear to see in their eyes, and he wasn’t going to allow himself to be brought down to their level anymore.
Lucy made him a better man, and he was going to be better for her, always for her.
12
Lucy stared out the window, her nervousness and anxiety rising to anger. The things his family had said about her, the way they’d looked at her … She clenched her jaw in annoyance, in rage. Their expressions as they gazed her up and down had been like she was a piece of gum stuck to the bottom of their shoe. They couldn’t wait for her to go, couldn’t wait for Ian to agree with them.
She glanced over her shoulder at where he stood by the bar. He poured himself a scotch, and she could see how tense he was. But he hadn’t left her, hadn’t agreed with them. He’d told them how things would be and that was that. He’d held her hand, kept her close. Ian had told his family that he didn’t care what they thought, that she was his wife.
His.
She’d had to excuse herself so she didn’t hear any more, so she could get her bearings. And so she’d walked out, assuming Ian would stay with his family, maybe try and work it out with them. But he hadn’t. Ian had followed her. He’d taken her into this room, closed the door, and for the last ten minutes they hadn’t said anything.
Maybe he was worried about how this would all play out?
Surely he’d seen this coming. Lucy didn’t come from money; she wasn’t thin, svelte. She had no family, was a foster care child. To his family she was the worst of the worst.
But still he stayed by me. Still he told them how it would be.
She faced the window again and stared out at the perfectly manicured gardens. She saw Ian’s reflection in the glass as he moved up behind her, a square cut glass in his hand. He didn’t touch her as he stood right next to her, looking out the window as well, the tension surrounding him tangible. For long moments they stood like that, neither speaking, but the air starting to become thick and hot, uncomfortable.
“I can’t say enough how sorry I am,” he finally said but didn’t look at her. He brought his glass up and took a long drink from it.
“It’s not your fault,” she responded and turned to face him. He did the same seconds later, this wounded look on his face.
“It is my fault.” He closed his eyes for a second and exhaled roughly. When he opened his eyes again she saw how raw and bared his emotions were.
“It’s not your fault.”
“But it is. It’s my fault because I knew the kind of people my family were. And I hate them for it. I loathe the fact that they made you feel that way, that I should have said more, put them in their place. Hell, I should have said fuck them and left.”
She shook her head. “It’s not your fault,” she whispered this time. “But I don’t want to be here anymore. And I don’t want to ever see your family again. At least not until they can accept this.” Maybe someone would say she was being dramatic or intense over the situation, but Lucy didn’t have to surround herself with this negativity. She didn’t have to be verbally abused by people who didn’t know her, judged for the way she looked or what she did or did not have. She didn’t need any of that in her life. She’d grown up with enough judgmental assholes in the foster system, in her workplace, hell, just in life in general. She refused to be someone they trashed on.
He leaned in and kissed her softly, and she closed her eyes and just absorbed the feeling.
“I don’t want them in my life, not if they can’t accept you and treat you with the respect you deserve,” he murmured against her mouth. When he pulled back she knew she probably had a shocked expression on her face.
“Let’s get out of here. I don’t need them. We don’t need this shit.” He took her hand and started leading her out of the room, but she pulled back until he stopped.
“What do you mean you don’t need them in your life?” His statement genuinely confused Lucy. This was his family. He’d walk away, just like that? “I can’t have you stop having them in your life just because they’re assholes to me.”
He chuckled deeply and shook his head slowly, still staring into her eyes. Taking a step closer, he put his hands on her waist, his fingers lightly digging into her flash. “You are my life now. And if they can’t accept and understand that, then fuck them.” He said that with so much conviction so much passion, she knew he spoke the truth. “You changed me for the better, and in this short time I know that I never want to go back to the man I once was. I never want to be that person again.” He leaned in and kissed her again, murmuring against her lips, “Now let’s go home.”
Home.
What was this man doing to her? He was turning her upside down, inside out. He was making all her reservations vanish.
He was making her fall in love with him.
Maybe his family would come around one day, but until then they had each other. They had a lot to learn about one another, but they had all the time in the world.
13
Ian hadn’t seen his family for several weeks but that didn’t meant he’d not heard from them. When it came to his work, he didn’t have much of a choice about ignoring them. They moved within the same circles and of course he had business associates who were close with his family.
He recognized a rat when he saw one.
Staring outside of his office window, he overlooked the city below. Just thinking of the words his parents had thrown at her made him sick to his stomach.
All of this had been about him and what he’d wanted.
The mail order bride had been purely for himself to rub it in their face, show them that he could do whatever the hell he wanted.
Even though his parents were not part of their lives, that didn’t for a second change the tension between him and Lucy. He felt it. Each night when he held her in his arms, he sensed a pain inside her.
She wouldn’t always look him in the eye and he hated his parents for that. While they’d been away together, he’d felt the difference. He’d felt how close she’d grown toward him. The woman he’d married wasn’t the same woman that had been on the honeymoon with him, nor was she the same woman now.
His parents had created that fucking divide and he didn’t know what to do to close it.
Rubbing the back of his head, he turned from the window, finding no solace in the busy chaotic streets below him.
Sitting at his desk, he stared at the endless reports and contracts that meant nothing to him.
Slamming his hands down on the table, he stood up.
There was no way he could focus on work. He’d left Lucy back at home. She didn’t have to work anymore, and he knew it had pissed her off even though she didn’t say anything to him. She’d gritted her teeth and her cheeks had gone a bright shade of red.
He loved seeing her blush, but only when it was because of his dirty talk.
Ian didn’t like her being angry at him.
Grabbing his briefcase, he pulled away from the desk.
There was no point staying in his office when he couldn’t think. Work held no interest for him. The woman waiting for him at home meant more to him than work.
Just as he got to his office door, he paused.
For the first time in his life, a woman meant more to him than work.
Lucy meant more to him that making a couple of extra million.
In the past couple of weeks, Lucy had come to mean a great deal to him, and he didn’t want to let her go, nor did he want to see her hurt.
“Fuck!”
Shaking his head, he left his office, shouting out orders to his PA to cancel the rest of his meetings.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw people staring at him as he walked into the elevator. This had to be the first time in his life that he’d left work early.
He wondered what Lucy was doing.
She’d been standing in the hallway as he left that morning. Her hands clenched, she looked as nervous as if he was leaving her in hell.
The penthouse apartment was the best money could buy.
Climbing into his car, he made his way straight toward his apartment. As he got close to home, he felt an excitement that he wasn’t used to feeling. Going home never appealed to him. His place was normally a lonely place to be. He only went home when the office became too dead to stay in the building.
Parking his car, he made his way to the top floor. He didn’t encounter anyone as he got to his door.
Flicking the lock open, he entered his apartment and came face to face with Lucy on her hands and knees. She jerked up. Her hair was pulled back, and she had some kind of cloth binding it up, which reminded him of some kind of Stepford wife.
“Ian,” she said. “I didn’t expect you here.”
Since they’d gone to his parents, she no longer called this place home either. He’d noticed it. It was one of the little things that she’d tried to hide but he’d seen it.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“I’m cleaning the floors.” She dropped the cloth. “I’ve already given both bathrooms a deep clean, and the kitchen, and now I’m onto the floors.” She rubbed her hands down her thighs. “Are you back for lunch?”
“I didn’t come home for food.” He shook his head. “We have a cleaner, Lucy. You don’t need to be on your hands and knees scrubbing the floors.”
“I like doing it.”
“But you don’t have to. Don’t you want to go shopping? Have a spa day? Do your nails? Something … I don’t know … fun?”
This had taken him by surprise.
“Is that what your other women did?” Lucy asked.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” He heard the tone in her voice.
“A magazine was delivered to your place today. You’re quite the stud.”
“I don’t have a clue about what you’re talking about,” he said.
She got to her feet, and he saw the stiffness in her shoulders as she made her way toward the dining room table.
It was one of those magazines that dealt more in gossip and rumor than actual news.
“I never thought I’d be compared to the likes of actresses or models.”
He saw the tears in her eyes, and he gritted his teeth.
Picking up the magazine, he saw an entire exposé of all of his past relationships. There were a lot of women, most not even women he’d actually dated, just ones that had been seen with him and that people had assumed he’d been in a relationship with. But since marrying Lucy, she’d been it for him. He didn’t want anyone else, didn’t even think about any other women.
He took his vows very fucking seriously.
He had no intention of ever being unfaithful to her.
Flicking through the pages, he just knew his parents had done this.
They were trying to ruin his marriage every single way they could. This was just another area they could attack.
Dropping the magazine onto the table, he pulled Lucy into his arms. He wouldn’t let them do this. He’d fight every single step of the way no matter what.
He couldn’t leave Lucy, nor could he lose her.
14
Lucy didn’t know why she was letting her emotions get the best of her, but ever since leaving his parents’ house, it felt like a stone was lodged in her belly, this ugly, heavy, life-sucking stone that was ruining everything. She told herself she wasn’t going to let what his family said upset her, but it was hard not to, especially when it was taking root deep in her body, stealing the happiness from her.
She felt like she was being overly sensitive, that she was picking on every little thing because her emotions were on a tightrope, her feelings still hurt. Lucy hated that she’d let his family get to her like this. Cleaning wasn’t something she especially liked to do, but it helped keep her mind off of things, allowing her to focus on something mundane.
Ian held her, his hand moving up and down her back, stroking her in a soothing manner. She was tense at first, but allowed herself to relax against him. “I’m sorry,” she finally said, closing her eyes and trying to calm her racing heart. “I’m not even upset about the magazine, not particularly.” And she wasn’t. She was just annoyed in general, and she was taking it out on him when it wasn’t his fault. He’d stuck by her side through all of this, stood up for her, and here she was trying to start a fight. Is that what I’m doing? It sure felt like it.
Ian pulled back and looked at her. He didn’t speak, but she felt his emotions as if they were her own.
“I’m sorry,” she said again. “I’m not upset with you. I guess I’m just letting everything consume me. I’m letting everything wear me down.” She pulled away from him and ran a hand over her face, exhaling loudly. “For so long this wall had been around me, guarding my emotions so I wouldn’t get hurt.” She looked him in the eyes. “I promised myself I wouldn’t let anybody treat me like shit, and I think the reason I’m letting your family get under my skin is because I care about you. I cared about what they thought.” Lucy was going to be honest. She wanted him to know exactly how she felt. They might not have been married that long, hardly even knew each other in the grand scheme of things, but she wanted to be truthful. But the words lodged in her mouth, her throat tightened, and fear took hold.
“Talk to me,” he said softly, and she could hear the genuine sincerity in his voice. Gone was the man she’d first married, the arrogant asshole that was just using her to get at his family. The man standing before her now was trying to be understanding, changing because of her. For her.
“I care about you, Ian.” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I’m falling for you. Hard and fast.”
For long seconds they didn’t speak, and she wondered if she’d read things wrong with him, thought he wanted more with her than she did. But the way he looked at her, touched her, spoke to her, told her he did want them to have a future.
“Those women in the magazine are nothing more than acquaintances, people I was seen at social events with. I didn’t do anything with them, didn’t have relationships with them. This is a dirty, underhanded move by my parents, and all the more reason for me to distance myself from them.”
“I…” she whispered. “I don’t know what else to say.” But before she could try and think of something else, salvage this, he had her back in his arms, his hand cradling the back of her head to his chest. And then he just held her.
“Before you I had you in my life I saw the world in one color, one dimension. I worked my ass off, didn’t connect with people, and didn’t form relationships. I didn’t care about anything or anyone aside from myself. I was a selfish bastard, and looking back, I hate myself for it.” He pulled back and looked into her eyes. “I don’t care if this is fast, cliché even. You’re so genuine, so real.” He smiled. “I want to be a better person because of you.”
Her breath caught.
“I want to make you happy, make sure you’re safe, protected. I want to make sure you’re happy being by my side, that you want this life with me.” He leaned in and kissed her softly. “And if that means getting rid of the negativity in my life, which would also mean my family, then so be it.” His words cut deep into her. “Because I can’t see a future without you in it, Lucy. I don’t want a future without you in it.”
She was the one to lean in and kiss him this time, and as the seconds passed and the heat intensified between them, she knew this was where she wanted to be. This was where she belonged. “Take me to bed. Make love to me.”
And he did just that.
15
A couple weeks later
The sound of Lucy’s giggle echoed around his office and it was the best sound he’d ever heard there. Pulling her into his arms, Ian breathed her in, and couldn’t believe that it was lunchtime and he was tickling his wife. He loved having her around him. No matter how cliché it sounded, she did in fact make him a better man.
He was so fucking happy that he’d donated some money to the mail order website for the fantastic job
they did. They took care of their clients on both sides, and he couldn’t have asked for anything better.
“Stop. You’re supposed to be eating to keep your strength up.”
“I’ve already got something else that is up, and believe me, baby, it wants you,” he said, rubbing his aching cock against her back. She released a groan, and he knew it wouldn’t be long until she caved. She always did, but then he’d always make it worth her while.
She moaned, and he felt the change within her body.
His sweet little ex-virgin. Every single part of her belonged to him, and he fucking relished it, every single second of it. Running his hands up her body, he cupped her large tits. Her nipples were already rock hard, pressing against his palm.
She ceased struggling and began to arch against his touch. Her ass danced across his dick, begging for him to take her.
“You want me, don’t you?”
“You know I do, but this wasn’t supposed to happen.” She cried out as he pinched her nipple. The thin shirt she wore wasn’t enough to hide from him.
Flicking open the buttons of her shirt, he pulled them off, and within seconds had her bra on the floor along with her shirt. Pressing her down, he grabbed her hands, pinning them above her head.
“Now I’ve got you exactly where I want you.”
“And where is that?” she asked.
“Underneath me, and I love seeing your tits naked like this. I don’t think you should wear clothes, but that’s me.”
She giggled. “I’m naked right now.”
“Yes, and no one else can see you.” He growled at the thought. “You’re mine. All fucking mine.”
He bent down, taking possession of her mouth, and she kissed him back with a passion that turned him on. She wriggled beneath him, and he knew exactly what she wanted. Kissing down to her ear, he flicked her ear lobe. “You want my dick deep in your cunt?” “Yes.”
“Yes what?” he asked.