"I don't think you know what you’re getting yourself into." Being a captain's wife was hard. She would have to put up with crazy hours, teammates always being around. Deal with the fact my focus would be on the club and not her.
"Do you know who I am?" She put down her fork and knife.
"I know you're a model." That was all I knew about her.
"Yes. The Emerald Asher."
"That's Emerald Sullivan now." I smirked.
The corners of her lips tilted up. "True, but I built my reputation from nothing. If I can build a good reputation in a dirty industry, we’ll be able to repair yours. How bad could it be?"
I laughed. "Considering the fact that it made me get married, I’d say it was pretty bad
She shrugged as if it would be a piece of cake. This princess had no idea what she was getting into. "We’ll work on it. Where do we start?" She got up and walked around the kitchen island, grabbing a glass off the shelf. I liked that. That she felt like she could do that. I stepped away from the sink as she filled up her glass.
“The boys wouldn't shut up about you. They all knew a hell lot more about you than I did." It bothered me that my teammates knew more about her than I did.
"Please tell me they didn't mention the word December." She looked at me with regret and when I nodded my head she cursed.
"What's wrong with that?"
"One shoot. I take my clothes off for one calendar and I swear it’s all they know. It wasn't even a full naked pose! I did it for charity, and needless to say it has been just one major headache." She gulped down her water. "Trust mem they know nothing about me. They may have just seen my picture or that stupid calendar."
"What about facts like you love animals?" I remembered Scott mentioning that.
"I do love animals." Her face melted. "I did that calendar for an animal shelter." She pointed her glass at me. "But everyone knows that. I'm sucker for anything furry."
"See, they knew more about you than I did."
"They don't know why I married you."
I scoffed. "No they think we’re madly in love. Swear they didn't leave me alone once they heard I was dating someone."
"I know what you mean. My friends wouldn't shut up about it either because I have a strict, don't date rule."
"At least you didn't have headlines and gossip columns trying to guess who it was. I swear every interview I did, came back to you."
She raised a brow. "Were your parents on your back, going on and on about how you were letting the family down by marrying?"
I couldn't help the smile on my face as I looked at her. Then what she said about her parents went through my head again. "Wait…they don't like marriage?"
She shook her head and rolled her eyes. "My parents don't believe anyone should be in a relationship, let alone get married because they don't believe in being faithful."
“Are they alternatives?"
"Something like that." She sipped her water. "Your parents know the truth."
"How do you know that?"
"Amy and I had a conversation."
Mum and her spoke? "When?"
Emerald smiled. "She approached me at the wedding. Your dad is really lovely too. Plus we spoke last night on the phone."
"On the phone?" Why the hell was mum calling her?
"I kind of called her." Emerald looked at the ground and then back up, looking guilty. "I needed to know if you were on any other medication or had any allergies."
"Why?"
"Cause I kind of gave you a maxalon. So you didn't feel like a train-wreck this morning. I also forced fed you electrolytes." Emerald was looking extremely guilty now. "Sorry if I crossed a line."
I’d never had anyone look after me like that before. It was an odd feeling to know that.
"Did I say thank you enough?" I smiled at her, and her expression changed from tense to relaxed. Good, I didn't want her stressed. "Really Emerald, thank you." I reached out linking my hand with hers. "I really owe you one."
Her eyes were on our linked hands. Did she feel the spark too? Or was it just me?
"You should call me Em, all my friends do." Her voice wavered at the end. Maybe I wasn’t the only one affected.
"I'm not your friend." I was her husband. From one look at her I knew. I wanted to be more to her than a friend.
"You're right." She pulled her hand away. "You're not a friend." She looked at me as if I insulted her. "I need to go." Had I hurt her feelings? I wanted to be more than a friend to her. She turned away so quickly that I didn’t get the chance to see her expression fully. I’d never been much of a reader when it came to women. I knew what lust looked like on their face and when they wanted something, but when it came to other emotions. I was shit.
I quickly followed her into the lounge. "Where too?"
"My house."
"I thought it was part of the deal you moved in here." I followed her to the couch where she was pulling something out.
"I never gave a date on when I'd move in."
"Nah, don't you dare back track. We had an agreement. How will it look if my wife doesn't even live with me?" Surely, she wasn't going to pull back on the agreement?
"Maybe it’ll look like we haven't arranged it yet." She shrugged.
"Bullshit. This is our first day together and you’re already backing out!"
"I'm not backing out. I have things to do." She pulled out her wallet and house keys. "It's not a big deal."
"I don't know if you realize this, but we’re supposed to be having our honeymoon right now.”
"Megan said we weren't having one."
Fuck it. She was right. "Yeah because my season starts this week." Now I wished I’d made the wedding earlier, so I could take her away. Spend one-on-one time with her. Why the hell was I thinking that? I haven't even known her for a day!
"Why are you so mad?" She narrowed her eyes.
"Because you made a commitment to moving in here. In fact, why isn't your stuff here? We have an interview this week and it's going to look weird if the house has zero of your belongings in it." Was this our first fight?
This is why I didn't do relationships.
She pursed her lips, looking up at me. "I was never keen on the idea of moving in."
I scoffed. "And you tell me this now?"
"Why do I have to move in? We both have careers. I'm going to be busy with school and work. You'll be busy with football. So what if we don't share a house?"
I usually didn't do mad. I was calm, controlled, relaxed. One word to sum me up, it would be controlled. But I wasn't feeling controlled right now.
"You made a promise. Do I have to pull out the contracts and get our lawyer involved?" I said through gritted teeth. I was losing my patience.
"You know what," she took a step closer to me, "Do that. Because that will string things out for weeks."
"The end result will you be living here." I was fuming. Was she really going to make me do that? Make me go through her lawyer? If the press even got wind of this, our little game would be over. "Please don't make this any harder than it already is."
I could see the debate in her eyes. "I still need to go out."
"Where? I can take you." I wasn't ready to let her go. If she was seen without me, one day after our wedding, it would make the headlines.
"I'm fine, but thanks." She brushed past me.
"You haven't got a car."
"But I have a phone that can call a taxi." She waved the phone over her shoulder.
I wasn't letting her get away from me that easy so I followed her. When she was about to open the door, my arm shot out in front of her and closed it. Trapping her between me and the door.
"Emerald, please let me take you. If you get seen without me today, one day after our wedding. It won't look good." Don’t make me beg.
I watched her frozen body.
"Please, Emerald."
She turned and looked up at me. "You have to stay in the car."
"You sure I can't
help you move?"
"I'm not moving today. I have to check on or see if...." She stopped talking. "Just say you'll stay in the car and you can come."
I picked the keys to my Lamborghini off the floor. "Promise I'll stay in the car."
Chapter 4
Emerald
I left Dane in the car, but when I noticed my front door ajar, I knew I had my answer. I should’ve known something was wrong when he didn't show up at the wedding. He’d been avoiding my calls for at least a week and I’d been staying at Megan's apartment. I should’ve guessed he would be here.
I pushed the door open.
"Jeremy?" I called out. All the curtains were pulled. I walked into the lounge room, dropping to my knees as soon as I saw him. "Bloody Hell Jeremy!" I shook him. Looking at the coffee table, I saw the drugs, my credit card, and empty bottles of alcohol. How many times had I paid for him to go to rehab? The first time I was only thirteen.
Dad refused to pay for it. He’d washed his hands of Jeremy when he was twenty. Jeremy was ten years older than me.
I shook him again. Alcohol poisoning or overdose? I looked at the table. Maybe both. I ran a hand through my hair. Chad. I needed Chad. I left Jeremy where he was and bolted out the front door, bumping into Dane's car. I quickly ran around it and down the driveway. Tears running down my cheeks.
"Emerald where are you going?!"
I heard Dane yelling at me. But panic was filling. My brother was out of it. Again. Possibly dead. I ran up Chad's driveway. Reaching his front door, I started banging and ringing the doorbell.
Come on Chad please be home.
This wasn't the first time I was relying on my neighbour, who was also a paramedic.
The front door opened.
"Thank god you’re home!" I basically blasted him. "It's Jeremy, he’s out of it again. I think he could be dead."
Chad grabbed his kit and started quickly walking beside me. "How long?"
"I don't know I just got here." We started running down my driveway. Past a confused Dane.
"Emerald what's going on?" Dane questioned me as we ran past him.
"I haven't been home for a week. I knew something was wrong when he didn't show to the wedding yesterday." I said as ran through the front door. "I knew he was in a bad state. I should’ve checked on him earlier."
"He’s an alcoholic and a junkie, Em. You didn’t know." Chad dropped to his knees and started checking Jeremy's pulse.
"Please tell me he’s still breathing." My heart was tight, my blood vessels pulsing. I couldn't breathe. I was struggling right now. This was all my fault! I shouldn't have had alcohol in the house! I knew he had a key. Still didn’t know how he got hold of my credit card.
"What the hell is going on in here?" Dane said behind me.
"Just tell me he is breathing, Chad. Please.” I said in a defeated tone.
"Call an ambulance. I got a pulse but its weak. Do you have any idea what he has taken?" Chad was checking him out. Looking at his track marks.
"I don't know." Jeremy's drug use wasn't something we talked about. But I knew the truth. "He takes whatever he can get his hands on. For Christ’s sake he was only in rehab last month! This time it was the most expensive one I could find. He showed improvement. I thought.... I thought he was better." I mumbled with my phone. Right, I had to call an ambulance.
Dane's hand was on my shoulder. "I'm calling the ambulance."
I turned to look up at him. Tears running down my cheeks. "Thanks." I wiped my tears away.
Taking the bottle out of Jeremy's hand and putting my hand in his. Should I call mom and dad? I rolled my eyes. Dad would be pleased to hear this. He already thought Jeremy was a dead weight.
"You should start getting rid of the drug evidence, Em." Chad said.
I shook my head. Clean up. I was used to this. I stumbled to my feet. Barely hearing what Dane was saying on the phone and went into the kitchen. That's when I saw the blood and razors. Spinning back around I bolted back into the loungeroom.
"Check his other arm!" I yelled. Not caring that Dane was on the phone to the ambulance. And not caring that Chad was looking at me like I was mad. He pulled up Jeremy's other arm. And I saw the blood.
I clenched my eyes shut.
This wasn't an accident.
It was a suicide attempt.
Chad reached out for Dane's phone and took over.
I grabbed a towel off the washing basket and handed it Chad, who applied it to Jeremy's arm.
I went back to the kitchen grabbing a bag and headed for the lounge, starting to wipe it off the drugs and bottles. I was more cautious when I reached the needles.
If Jeremy was that sick, why didn't he tell me? How could he use my house, my money to pay for this shit and kill himself? How did he expect me to live with that? How could he expect me to find him like this?
Why would he do this to me?
But what really bothered me, why the hell hadn't I fucking noticed?
Jeremy was taken to the hospital in a serious, but stable condition. He wasn't going to die. As much as he wanted too. They said if he was left any longer he wouldn't have made it. Which made me feel even worse. Because if I had come here anytime last week, instead of staying at Megan's I would’ve known he was sick. Hell, if I hadn't been so focused on dreading my wedding, and throwing myself into work, I would’ve known.
"You okay?"
I looked up from the bag I was stuffing clothes in and met his gaze.
"Fine."
"You nearly lost your brother, I know you're not fine."
"Can we not talk about it?" I walked into my wardrobe grabbing more clothes. And then back to the bed. Stuffing them in the bag.
I could sense him behind me, but I was still surprised when his hands took mine.
"Emerald, talk to me." He pleaded with his eyes.
I was breathing sharply. The last thing I wanted to do was talk. "It doesn't matter anymore. He decided he wanted to kill himself in my house. He wanted to leave me. Fine. I'm done with him." The words were harsh, but deep down, I didn't mean it. Even as upset as I was. I didn't mean that. I was hurting, and the fact that my brother decided he wanted to leave me, well it fucking hurt. If he was finding life that hard why wouldn't he talk to me? Didn't he know I only had him?
"Emerald, I know I don't know you very well, but I know you don't mean that." His hands took my shaking ones. "I know you’re upset. I know you're mad. But maybe you should go to the hospital."
"I'm not going there." I couldn't see him again. I couldn't see what he had done to himself.
Dane sighed "What can I do to help?"
I zipped up my bag. "Just help me get out of here. Take my mind off it."
I’d been so set on not moving in with Dane. Now I couldn't think of spending one more minute in this house. I knew I would be selling it before the year was out. I did not want to come back here. Dane gripped a bag lifting it up.
"Anything else you want?"
"A sculpture in the lounge and that's it." I’d bought that sculpture with my very first pay check. I didn't really care for material things, but I cared for that.
I went to grab the other bag, but Dane was quicker.
"How about you get the sculpture?" He was speaking to me gently, like he was expecting me to crack.
I nodded. The sooner I grabbed it, the sooner I was out of here.
I was on my phone responding to emails. Megan had my schedule tight. Like I wouldn't even have a half an hour break, between school and a shoot. Which meant I was in for late nights and long days. I did notice that every weekend was free.
I was confirming a shoot for the next week when I heard Dane curse.
Looking up, I saw the paparazzi.
"You were right about us sticking together today." I looked at Dane. "Sorry for fighting you on it."
I glanced at his front gates and noticed the paparazzi swarming them.
"Sorry about this. I guess this is the last thing you wanted to deal wi
th." Dane looked at me with pity. I didn't pity.
"It's fine." I locked my phone. "Might as well give them a show and start repairing that reputation of yours."
"I don't expect you to do that. Not today, anyway." Dane was looking at me with pity again. I wanted to wipe it away. I could handle my family, my commitments and my fake relationship with him.
The car came to a stop at the gates and the cameras were pressed against the window. I reached across the car and took his hand. Linking my finger with his, smiling.
"I'm fine." I reassured him. "Now, let's give them a show. After all, we just got married."
"So you want to be newlyweds?" He looked at our locked hands. Did he feel what I felt? That spark? I bit my bottom lip and looked him in the eye.
"Let's just make sure they don't doubt it." I let go of his hand and got out of the car. I’d been in front of numerous cameras. I shouldn't be nervous, but I was. This wasn't a shoot. I didn't fill gossip pages or headlines. I just modelled. I gave the cameras a wave and they started flashing and filming nonstop.
The reporters were throwing questions at us. I stood at the boot of Dane's car and he popped it.
Just get my stuff and head inside, but I knew we’d have to give them something. I just didn't know what. I picked up a bag but Dane was quick to take it off me.
I frowned I didn't see why I couldn't carry a bag. It was my stuff. But when I looked at him, I saw that charming smile on his face that I’d seen at the reception when he was talking with his friends. Like he had no worries in the world and was the luckiest guy on the planet. His hand went to my hip and he took a noticeable step closer to me.
Just don't panic. Just don't panic.
I was a model, not an actress!
I wished I’d paid more attention to drama and less time with my head in romance novels.
His hand went around to my lower back and he gently pushed me into his chest. I knew it was coming. Still, I didn't high tail it out of there like I should have.
I ran my hand up his chest and while the crowd was chanting kiss. I knew that was exactly what he was going to do.
"I've been wanting to redo our first kiss. The one at the altar, it should’ve been like this." His eyes flashed to my lips. Then before I could take a second breath, his lips were on mine. So perfect. So warm. So sweet. And delicious. He tasted of toothpaste, mints and the perfect blend of sex. When he nipped my bottom lip wanting me to open my mouth I did, willingly.
Mr and Mrs Sullivan: Standalone Arranged Marriage Romance Page 3