“I’d like that. I can’t go back there. Not now. Maybe not ever.” She inhaled carefully. “I’m not sure what to do with the place.”
“Rent it out.”
“Do you think?” He nodded. “I have all this stuff from my mother. I know it isn’t like the Bishops but…it’s more than she had when she was my age.”
“Would you like me to invest it for you? It’ll all remain in your name, accessible any time you want it.”
Turning in his arms, she crouched beside him. “The women in your family, did they do things of their own?” Shaking her head, she clarified, “Did they put their mark on the Bishop legacy?”
“An excellent question. My great-grandmother was my father’s closest advisor. Many of her ideas when they arrived in America grew into lucrative businesses.” He smiled. “Genny had a formidable mind. She directed many personal projects over the years that added to the holdings.”
“What about your mother?”
“Adelaide had progressive ideas about the environment, education, and equality. She guided my grandfather in the purchase of properties that could be returned to the tribes who lost them. One day, I’ll take you to see them.”
“I’d like that.” Tilting her head, she smiled. “I always assumed that the men of your family were the thinkers and the ones who built the empire you have. It makes me feel better to know the ladies were involved.”
“You’re not an extension of me, Shania. I don’t want a doll to play with but a wife. You have your own dreams and ideas as the women who came before you did. I’m here to support those in whatever way you need just as my ancestors did.”
“I want to create a trust for our children with the small inheritance my mother left me. I know it won’t be much but it would be a way to keep her with me.”
“That’s an excellent idea. I’ll pull some things together so you can decide how you want to structure it.”
“Do you have a foundation focused on cancer research?”
“A large one. It’s made incredible finds over the years since it was established. Would you like to be involved?”
“I’d like to help grow it if I can.”
Pulling her into his lap, he hugged her close. “You’re a strong and beautiful woman. Standing by your side during the endless charitable functions will make it bearable. I’ll have your assistant provide the full calendar.”
“Patti?”
“My assistant has been working with her over the last week. We need to bring her up to speed so she can help make the transition as painless as possible for you. You’re already comfortable with her and she’s bright. An excellent asset.”
“Do you think of everything?”
“Hardly. I surround myself with people who do. This,” he gestured to the space he used as an office, “requires the coordinated effort of many. The Bishop legacy doesn’t function without people we trust who have our back.”
“I love that.”
“At first, this may seem overwhelming. We need the right team in place to make it easier. I hope that, in time, you’ll love this life and all the good you can accomplish.”
“I love you so that’s a great start.”
“The best start.”
* * *
A few days later, Spencer led Shania through the house to the third floor. Pushing the heavy door at the end of the hall wide, he gestured for her to walk inside.
Skylights above them lit the space with bright autumn sunshine and turned her hair to flame.
Hands cupped over her mouth, she whispered through her tears, “You recreated it.”
Every item moved from her studio had been placed in the room to mimic where they’d spent so much time together.
Gerald suggested a long and narrow room away from the main part of the house. It hadn’t been used in decades. He supervised the cleaning and cosmetic changes.
Spencer guided the placement when her furniture and supplies were delivered.
“There’s sadness in your old home but it’s also where we began. I wanted to bring some of that here, to give you the familiarity of the space where you created such beauty.”
“Spencer.” She threw herself into his arms. “Thank you. I can’t tell you how much I needed this.”
“I know it’ll take time for you to be comfortable in my world. Anything I can do to make that easier for you, I’ll do.”
“It’s perfect.” Leaning back, she stared into his eyes. “Do you have time to sit for me?”
“When you need me, I make time. That hasn’t changed.”
She raked her fingers through his hair. “I feel as if I’ve never had the chance to capture your face.”
Cupping her cheeks, he asked, “When will you marry me?” He’d tried to avoid the topic but he needed to make her his wife and protect her with his name.
A small crinkle appeared between her eyes. “Don’t you want a long engagement and…stuff?”
“What’s your perfect wedding, Shania? If you had the choice at this moment, what would it be?”
“Just us and the staff. No fanfare, no stupid dances, no speeches. Just the people who’ve known you all your life, the family behind your family. A justice of the peace.”
“Do you mean that? I’ll give you an extravagant wedding.”
“Who would I invite? Wh-who would give me away? Who would help me pick a dress? I could name a handful of people for a guest list but a big wedding screams to be filled. A room of three hundred people and how many of them would even know me?” She shook her head. “I’ll do it if you need to keep up appearances but…”
“No.” He kissed her deeply until she moaned into his mouth. “We keep it simple and marry in a week.”
The brilliance of her smile struck him in the heart. “Really?” He nodded. “Is that enough time for your lawyers to prepare whatever you need?”
“Like what?”
“You have to guard your inheritance. A lot of people depend on you. Someone in your position needs contracts in place.”
He chuckled. “If you divorced me, you’d receive half of my personal assets. The Bishop Trust protects the rest. Those precautions were put in place decades ago to protect the assets that form the foundation of our wealth.”
“I want a contract assuring you I don’t want a single penny, Spencer. Nothing. If you ever change your mind, I’ll leave with what I had when I came here.”
“I’d never sign such a thing. I’ll never change my mind and money means little to you but it would be provided if we parted.”
“I don’t want it. Everyone is already going to label me a gold-digger who came out of nowhere to snag a paycheck.”
He kissed the tip of her nose. “My holdings represent one percent of the total wealth. If you run away screaming in the middle of the night because I snore or gain a hundred pounds in six months…you’re entitled to compensation.”
Smoothing her hair away from her face, he added, “In the event of my death…”
“Don’t fucking say it, Spencer.”
“Should the unthinkable occur, you inherit everything I own and majority shares in the umbrella company. I have two proxies in place – men I trust – to guide you. Our children inherit their own trust and shares when they come of age.”
“You’ve really thought this through.”
“Not at all. It’s a formula followed by each generation. Sort of a copy/paste thing.”
“So…we could honestly marry in a week?”
“Yes. Is that what you want?”
“More than anything on this earth.”
He hugged her and knew he gripped her too hard. “Thank god. I need you to be mine.”
She stepped back, picked up paper and charcoal, and whispered, “Take off your clothes. I need to sketch you.”
Bowing slightly, he stripped his shirt over his head. “As the lady desires.”
When he stood in front of her fully naked, she stared at him for almost a minute, her fingers tapping distracte
dly against her thigh.
“The lady desires to touch you first…then I’ll sketch.”
Spencer tackled her to the bed where he’d first claimed her innocence and took her apart with pleasure.
When he filled her with his seed, she sat back and stared at him stretched out beneath her. The vision of her naked body above him was magnificent.
Picking up the dropped pad and charcoal from the mattress, Shania followed through on her promise.
His cock seated inside her, her pencil scratching against the heavy paper of her book, he embraced the happiness she represented.
The conversation with his grandfather when he was twenty came back to him.
“Your soul mate will be in the last place you’d imagine and won’t be anything like women you meet before her. She’ll flip your entire world upside down and you’ll do anything, say anything, to gain her attention.”
“Shania.” Her eyes met his. “Do you like dogs?” Her smile lit his soul from the inside out.
Chapter Twenty
New Year’s Day 2010
They delayed their wedding until the first day of the new year. Considering they’d lost their closest relatives within months of one another, they wanted a fresh start.
It was cold outside but the sun was brilliant in the solarium where they chose to exchange their vows.
Only their personal staff attended the affair. From their assistants to their protection detail to those who maintained the house, grounds, and vehicles.
Fewer than forty people witnessed the moment Spencer Bishop III married Shania Murphy in the home that had been in his family for generations.
They were the ones who mattered most, the employees who cared for them and protected them daily.
Living on the estate, she’d gradually gotten to know most of the men and women from varied backgrounds.
Their presence was especially fitting.
Spencer placed her wedding band on her finger and it cupped the ring worn by three Bishop wives before her. Then he kissed her deeply as the room exploded in applause.
They catered in a meal for all of them as well as staff to clean up after so everyone could take the day off.
After they ate, she stood up with a glass of wine in her hand and got the attention of the room.
“In the past weeks, you’ve welcomed me, made me feel part of something, and given me a family of sorts. My mother was a nurse for more than thirty years. She took care of people she didn’t know, often at the expense of her own health and peace of mind.”
Looking around the room, she smiled. “It could be a thankless job but it was one she adored. I grew up respecting her hard work and dedication, her attention to details, and her genuine love of human beings.”
Spencer’s hand slipped into hers. “I’m unaccustomed to staff and unfamiliar with this world. I’ll make mistakes. If you feel unappreciated, out of place, or tired…come to me. I’ll make you a cup of cocoa and listen the way I did for Mama. She said it worked wonders.”
Raising her glass, she added, “To each of you, thanks.”
Standing, Spencer kissed her hair and soaked in the adoration these men and women already felt for their new mistress.
Barely an hour into their understated reception, Shania started to sketch. It was in that moment that he knew she was better. She would always miss her mother, would always grieve the loss, but her focus was on the future once again.
* * *
When Spencer and Shania appeared in public as husband and wife for the first time, the press lost their damn minds.
As they pulled to a stop in front of the hotel where they were attending a charity gala, he worried the crush of reporters and flashing lights would frighten her.
It was unheard of that a couple in high society married without fanfare and they were starved for information.
“Sir,” Sax murmured from the front seat. “I’ll send the second team ahead.”
“Please.” Turning to Shania beside him, he took in her elegant green silk gown and nervous expression. “No one will touch you. Stay by my side and ignore their questions.”
“Plaster a smile on my face and pretend I’m sketching. Got it.” She gave him a half-smile. “They’ll get bored with us.”
He winked. “Eventually.”
The driver opened their door and Sax took up a position just in front of them. Spencer handed Shania from the car and the moment she came into view, the night exploded in camera flashes.
He brought her snugly to his body and held her hand. “Steady, love. Look at me.”
She did and after a moment, her expression turned from nervous to filled with love. “I’m okay now.”
“A short walk and they’ll be behind us.”
Guiding her up the red carpet, she alternated between staring at the double glass doors which represented their goal to his face. “I need to draw you before you take off your tux.”
Laughing softly, he nodded. “Whatever you want.”
Sax reached for the door but turned at the last moment, throwing himself into Spencer and Shania forcefully and driving them to the ground.
The sound of shattering glass sounded like a movie.
Chaos reigned for several seconds as other members of their security crouched around them, shielding them from view.
Shania’s grip on Spencer’s hand beneath the pile of men in suits was almost painful. “Spencer…”
“I’m fine. I’m perfectly fine, Shania.”
Sax said gently, “It’s alright, ma’am. Breathe deeply, slowly. I’ll get the all-clear any second.”
“What was it?”
“Gunman. He was neutralized but I need to be certain he was alone before I let you stand. I apologize.”
“Don’t you dare apologize. Was anyone hurt?” she asked fearfully. “Is everyone okay?”
“I’ll report on the others when I know.”
“Clear, sir!” another man called.
Sax stood and pulled them to their feet. “Inside.” He jerked open the door that no longer held panes of glass and shoved them through it. “To me,” he told the other men who again surrounded them on all sides.
“Now.” Their head of security grinned. “How are you both? I hope I didn’t hurt you.”
“I’m fine. Spencer, are you alright?” He nodded and she exhaled roughly. “Are all your men safe?”
“No injuries.” Shania reached out and touched a tear in the arm of Sax’s suit jacket. “Grazed the fabric but didn’t even break skin, ma’am.”
Spencer held out his hand and they shook firmly. “Well done. Get the usual people on this. Let’s figure out who’s pissed at me now.”
Turning to Shania, he held her shoulders. “You don’t look like you just time on the ground. Are you sure you’re alright?”
“Shaken but…angry more than anything.”
“Good. Let’s get this evening started so we can see the end of it.” From his peripheral vision, he watched as Hudson Winters stormed across the lobby with Natalia in tow.
“Bishop!”
“We’re fine.” Bringing Shania to his side again, he said calmly, “I’d like to introduce you both to my wife, Shania. Darling, this is Hudson Winters and Natalia Roman.”
She blinked. “You’re my landlord.” She shook their hands in confusion. “So…we’re all going to just carry on? This is common I take it?”
Natalia smiled brightly. “Not common but they’re always expecting it.” She shrugged one shoulder. “When it happens, we’re angry but not entirely surprised.”
Folding her hands in front of her, she added, “You’re lovely. What a stunning couple you make. Like something out of a fairytale.”
Her stress under control, Shania grinned. “Thank you. I love the comparison for many reasons.” Glancing between the dark and elegant couple, she murmured, “The two of you look like villains who made good.” Eyes wide, she stammered, “That didn’t come out at all how I intended.”
Hud
son and Natalia laughed. “An apt description. You’re certainly perceptive. Let’s get you a glass of champagne and you can fascinate me further.”
Internally, Spencer fumed that his first night escorting his new bride in public began with attempted violence. He watched her chat with Natalia and tried to calm his mind.
“Bishop.” Hudson’s voice shook him from his introspection. “She’s safe.”
“It could have…”
“Useless thinking.” He handed him a glass of scotch. “Drink this. Make your inquiries and keep her as safe as you can. The world is brutal but it is less brutal with such a woman at your side.”
Inhaling deeply, he stared into intense black eyes and nodded. “You’re right.”
“I know.” A rare smile ghosted across his face. “I’ve heard whispers that your young wife will continue to run her business. I thought she would have given up her office.”
“She’s hiring another graphic artist. She loves your building too much to let it go. Her role will lessen over time as mine has with the courier service but she nurtures roots.”
“I like her. An excellent addition to your world.”
“Thank you. I agree.” Turning to face him, Spencer considered his words carefully. “Your father’s older brother contacted me recently.”
“I advise against any dealings with that man.”
“I thought you’d say that. Can you tell me why?”
For a moment, an expression of pure rage drifted over Hudson’s features and it stunned Spencer. The man was known to exert an iron will over his emotions.
“I have no solid evidence. Underground rumors paint the portrait of a man who despises women to a horrific degree.”
“Could they be wrong?”
“I’m not willing to take that risk.” His jaw tightened. “Keep him out of your life, Spencer.” He gestured at Shania and Natalia with his empty glass. “There’s too much to lose. Trust me in this.”
“Understood. Thank you, Hudson.”
The women rejoined them and Natalia slipped her arm through her escort’s, smiling at him warmly. “Darling, you look irritable.”
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