“Don’t worry, Brynne. I had a word with Mr. Thompson and his senior attorney, Mr. Wright. They’re on their way to the police station. I’m reaching there. Why don’t you take care of the children? Our guards are stationed outside. I think you’ll be safe here. Don’t venture out. I promise I’ll bring Luke back to you.” Brynne nodded at Grandpa Benson. His words gave her the strength to go through this ordeal. She went inside to see the children trembling with fear in the living room. The twins rushed to cling to her. “Why did the cops take Dad away, Brynne?” asked Lucas in a hoarse whisper. “Why didn’t you tell them my dad is good?” asked Liliana, looking agitated. “I told them, but they didn’t listen to me. Your Great Gran has gone to the police station with two lawyers to save your dad. I’m sure he’ll be back.” They released her and gave her a hopeful look. “Do you mean that Brynne?” asked Lucas. “Yes. Now go to your room and play. I’ll call your teachers and cancel today’s classe
Brynne trudged towards the kitchen to make breakfast. It was the worst day of her life. After Luke’s shocking announcement, she didn’t get any rest. Her mind was in turmoil while Luke slept like a log. He had even pinned her under him with a thick leg sprawled all over her. How could he sleep so peacefully when she was going crazy, thinking about her impromptu wedding? It was 6 o’clock, and she finally gave up. If they were to marry, maybe the children would skip school. With Luke still sleeping, the decision was hers now. Maybe her brain would clear up after a cup of steaming coffee. Brynne started the coffeemaker and went to check on the children. Leonardo was already up and smiled at her as he arranged his bed. “Dad came home, Brynne. I’m so happy.” Brynne helped him and smiled back. “Yes, how do you know?” “Great Gran told me. We aren’t going to school today. He said you and Dad are getting married today!” He had a wide grin on his face. “Was Great Gran playing a prank on me
The car sped through the scenic highway until the majestic Ramapo Mountains came into view. It might not be a secluded island venue, but it definitely took Brynne’s breath away. “We’ve reached!” Lucas couldn’t contain his excitement as he pointed at the pristine 18-hole golf course nestled in the heart of Hudson Valley, far ahead. “Yeah, you remember, buddy.” Luke was surprised at Lucas’s sharp memory. “Yes, you brought us here last year, Dad. I love it.” His eyes twinkled as he described what he remembered of his last trip. “I like it too. But only the flower garden and the video gaming room,” said Liliana. While they discussed their likes and dislikes, Brynne gazed at the majestic clubhouse building that would host their wedding. She had expected nothing this grand. Why was Luke making so much effort when he wanted just a fake wedding with her? His earlier admission echoed in her mind. Yes, he had framed no legal, binding agreement for her to sign. What did that mean? No, she
Brynne’s heart skipped a beat when he locked the door after the makeup artists left. “What is it, Luke?”He smiled and walked towards his luggage. “I wanted to give you something.”All the excitement left her heart. She knew what he was looking for.The legal documents which were the prenuptial and the deal agreement. She was uselessly hoping for a happily ever after with him.Her throat felt choked with emotions as she sat on the bed to support her trembling legs. She didn’t want to sign a contract with him. She wanted to beg him to give her a chance to prove her love. Would he change his mind if she confessed her love for him?Brynne couldn’t look in his direction as she picked up her veil and inspected it absent-mindedly.“Brynne.” She turned slowly to hold his gaze. Strangely, he looked beyond excited; his mood having improved a lot. She wondered what brought about the change. “These are for you.”Her gaze dropped to his hands. She frowned at the velvet box he held out to her. Did
“Oh my gosh, Brynne! Is it really you?” gasped Daniella melodramatically, swooning at the sight of Brynne, ready in her bridal attire.Brynne blushed at her friend’s reaction. Slowly, she turned to see her reflection in the floor-length mirror.“I’m feeling so jealous, Brynne. I could do anything to wear that wedding gown. It’s so romantic!” Julia gasped while the friends chuckled at their friend’s state.“I swear Cupid has targeted you today. No wonder you’re looking for romance everywhere, Julia,” chuckled Daniella.Brynne listened to their mindless banter absent-mindedly, focusing more on her reflection now. The lace and tulle dress with a sweetheart neckline and a full illusion button-down back was perfect. It looked more beautiful now than when she had tried it on.“I love the jewelry more. I don’t remember you had this set,” said Daniella, inspecting her bracelet, earrings, and pendant.“No, they belong to Luke’s mom. He gave them to me.”Julia gasped and clasped her hands togeth
The sun had already set and the entire property was lighted up to celebrate the wedding reception at the magnificent ballroom. Holding hands, they strolled towards the venue, lost in their magical bubble. There was excitement in the air, or was it in their hearts? With the children, under Vera Sylvester’s care, Brynne could relax and enjoy her wedding party.“Did you mean what you said?” Luke couldn’t stop himself. Her vows echoed in his head, already engraved in his heart. He had to know if she had just picked the lines up from somewhere.“About what?” Brynne feigned ignorance, unable to confess her true feelings for him. What if he considered her stupid? He had offered her a simple deal. Definitely, falling in love wasn’t a part of it. Yet she had.“You know. Your vows.” Brynne glanced in his direction to see his discomfort. The faint flush on his cheeks was an unbelievable feat. Was the Devil blushing?“Yes. I just said what came to my mind.” She wanted to say more, but shyness gri
The moment Brynne entered the ballroom, she gasped with surprise. There were guests everywhere. Some were Luke’s relatives, while the others were Grandpa’s friends and staff from their office. It seemed there were a lot more guests than they expected. Even Carla and her gang were there, enjoying themselves at the bar. Strangely, they steered clear of her this time. The office crowd, Eric, Daniella, Julia, and Adrian, whisked her away for a moment and Luke smiled, releasing her and joining his grandpa. “Brynne, congratulations,” said Ted.“Thanks.” She felt awkward to receive so much attention. “Will you stop working now that you’re the boss’s wife?” asked Eric.Brynne considered the question for a second. She hadn’t thought about it at all. “No, I’ll continue working.” She smiled, but deep in her heart, she wasn’t so sure. What if Luke stopped her from going to work? She would have to clarify it soon. She watched Luke scowling as he talked to his grandpa. Was he upset about somethi
Everything happened like a dream, the toasts, the exotic dinner, and the cake-cutting ceremony. Afterward, Brynne posed for a selfie with her friends before the party ended. Luke appeared from nowhere and stood before her with a furious scowl on his face. Now what had she done? “Brynne, come here.” Adrian released her, and she smiled at her friends. “I’ll see you in the office on Monday.” “Sure. Thank you, sir, for having us here. Congratulations on your wedding. It was a grand party,” said Ted, the only one with the guts to speak to Lucien Sylvester. “Yes, thank you, sir,” Eric followed.“Thank you.” Luke gripped Brynne’s hand and led her away from her friends. Brynne could feel his fury resonating in his actions. What was wrong with him? He was fine all evening. He pulled her along, away from the ballroom, towards the elevator. Brynne knew what was cooking in his mind. But why did he need to follow caveman tactics? She would willingly oblige. “What’s wrong with you, Luke? You’
Daniella He smiled, moving his delicious lips over mine while his hands roamed through my hair slowly. But the gentleness was momentary. The moment I relaxed into his touch and relished his minty taste, he took over. His mouth ravished me with so much passion, it robbed me of my senses. I was so adrift in my ocean of ecstasy that I had no idea when he lowered me onto the sofa with his lips still fused with mine. “I want to burn with you!” he hissed, releasing my lips momentarily for breath before smashing them back again to mine. I kissed him back, giving vent to the heated lust that ravished every cell in my body. The need was so intense, it took control of my senses. His lips were warm, and so was his skin. I could do this all night and yet not get enough of him! He groaned against my mouth, his free hand finding my exposed skin at my waist where the top hitched. A gasp escaped my lips as I felt his rough hands stroking the skin on my waist and abdomen. Heat pooled between my l
Daniella “Let’s make the most of our situation. The date continues!” Drake announced, rising and pulling me up with him.There was a tap on the door, and I frowned. “Are you expecting someone?” He shook his head, frowning deeply. Then he smiled, remembering something. “It should be our dinner. I opted for room service.” I released the breath I was holding. After his mom’s call, I seriously thought for once she was waiting outside to grab me by my neck! Drake accepted the food tray and locked the door. The sight of food made my mouth water. After a hectic day, I had no energy left to go out to eat. “Come on, help yourself. Or do you expect me to feed you?” He winked as he carried the food to the table. “I would love that!” I winked back, surprising him. “I see!” He sat at the table and patted his lap. “Sit and I’ll feed you!” His eyes sparkled as he challenged me, waiting for me to rise to the bait.My heart pounded in my chest. I wanted to accept his offer, but strangely, shyne
DrakeI commiserated with Daniella on the dreadful situation we were in. Although it gave me a strange thrill, I couldn’t express it in front of her. “Who’s Jake? I saw you reacting to the name!” Ever since I had heard the name, I had been dying of curiosity. I wondered if he was her ex. From Daniella’s conversation with her mom, I could gauge her nature well. She had the same notorious reputation as I did. It didn’t deter me from wanting her. Who wanted an inexperienced virgin? It made me want to know her better. I couldn’t imagine how Daniella would be in bed. But I had to gain her trust first. She wasn’t one I could easily lure into having se* with me. “Do you have to remind me of him?” She groaned instead of giving me a straight answer. ‘Well, what did you expect, Drake?’ taunted my inner mind. But I wasn’t giving up. “Still, I need to know if I’m going to be a part of your future. Is he your ex?” “Hell, no. Jake’s my thirty-five-year-old neighbor who’s dying to marry me. He
DaniellaBefore my body could react to his announcement, my phone buzzed with an incoming call from my mom. Startled, I almost jumped! Couldn’t Mom find another time to call? I was about to satisfy my urges and get kissed by the hot creature eyeing me like a piece of candy!“Your mom,” he reminded me, eyeing my phone as if I didn’t know that already. “Aren’t you taking her call?”I panicked. “No, she’ll know I’m with a guy! Her sixth sense is too strong! I can’t risk it.” The phone stopped buzzing, and I heaved a sigh of relief. But the magical moment was broken, and we just quietly cleared our lunch. Yet I couldn’t relax. I knew Mom’s nature. If she called once, she would do so repeatedly until she spoke to me.“So, what do you want to do now? Play twenty questions or rest?” We flopped onto the bed when my phone buzzed again.“Mom won’t let this go. I need to take this call. So shh, not a sound! You aren’t here. Get it?” I glared at him to force him to agree. What if he gave himself
Daniella I tried to block my ears to his silly banter with Mrs. Griffin. If we were to act as a married couple, these shouldn’t affect me, right? Yet it did. Coz this was uncharted territory, and all we shared was a kiss and a horse ride. “Okay, let’s start, everyone!” said Mrs. Griffin, walking away. Drake leaned in towards me, his eyes dancing with excitement. I wondered what he was so excited about! Me cooking or him watching me cook! “Make it finger-lickin' good! I’ll be watching you!” He turned to go, but I grabbed his hand. “Where do you think you’re going? Stay and help.” I released his hand and shoved the whole chicken towards him. “Massage the oil all over.” He gave me a lost look. “Are you sure?” I nodded and set about preparing the vegetables and ranch dressing. We were making grilled chicken in Wild West Sauce to start with. Although it was a very basic recipe, I was making the sauce for the first time. Mrs. Griffin yelled out her instructions while we struggled to
Daniella Toby’s saddle was perfect for double riding, but I couldn’t relax. It wasn’t because of the trauma I had just been through. It was because of the hottest male creature on earth perched behind me. With his body plastered to my back, I could feel every muscle ripple against me. I had seen him. And it worsened the situation. Even now, I could visualize him naked. He was a solid bulk of muscle with pure power emanating from every fibre of his body. I could feel his face inches from mine, and the temperature soared around us. Drake’s hot breath fanned my heated nape while his arms brushed against my sides as they handled the reins. He reached forward, his arms further encasing me inside his muscular body. I realized it was stupidity to mount in front of him. I should have known. “Are you okay, Daniella?” With his lips millimeters from my right ear, I could feel their movement as he spoke. “Yes,” I said, my voice a breathless whisper. My mind screamed in desperation, urging him
Daniella I tried to focus on my food instead of reacting to his admission. It was a difficult task indeed. “Must you flirt with every female you meet? You’re so pathetic, Drake Ashford!” “No, only you. All my efforts are now focused on you.” His face lost its goofiness as he spoke. If I didn’t know his true nature, I would have believed his shit and fallen for him already. “Why? Don’t tell me you’re short on offers. I’m sure there are others, easier to charm and easy to conquer.” Unconsciously, I held my breath, waiting for his reply.“I don’t want the others. I want you. Don’t worry, I love a clash before a conquest.” He grinned at my jaw-dropped look. I hadn’t expected that. “Overconfidence? You can’t conquer me. I’ll disappear from your life after the trip.” It wasn’t a future threat. I intended to do it. Staying around Drake challenged my emotional and mental well-being. I didn’t want to fall for the devil. This constant battle to resist him was taking a toll on me. If one kis
Daniella“Oh, thank you so much. We’re on a day trip from our honeymoon cruise. The cruise ship will leave Port Canaveral at 10 pm. So we should check out from here after dinner.” Drake winked at me before I could correct the cowgirl.What the fuck is he up to? Why was he pretending we were a honeymoon couple? Was he crazy? I glared at him, watching him chat with the receptionist. He completed the check-in formalities, totally ignoring my reaction.“Is there anything else you may need? We have a fifty percent discount on everything for honeymoon couples today. You’re our first couple! The rest are all families here for the rodeo.”My jaw dropped with surprise. “Oh! Why?”“It’s our owner, Mr. and Mrs. Griffin’s golden anniversary today!” she gasped, handing us our key card. “Your glamping tent is that way, sir, ma’am. Have an enjoyable stay.”“Thanks. That would be all for now. We’ll freshen up and bother you again.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me along. “Let’s go, baby! I can’t wait
Daniella Drake drove the rental car down the Florida Ramp towards Orlando Hwy, and a strange thrill coursed up my body. Knowing his reputation, I didn’t understand why I felt so excited to spend the day with Drake. Why was he killing me with his charm? Did he want to get into my pants? Definitely, yes. Yet my heart thumped wildly in my chest. My reaction to his attention surprised me. Why was I behaving like a hormonal teenager around her first crush? I was a twenty-five-year-old woman, having slept around with plenty of players like him. But there was something about Drake Ashford that pulled me towards him like a magnet. Somehow, I craved his attention. “Have you been to a dude ranch before?” His raspy bedroom voice brought me out of my thoughts. “No. My twin brothers prefer those. I’m more into the star-rated swanky hotels.” I hated the rustic, dirty camps and cabins in the countryside, with insects bothering me. The twins preferred glamping in those. “Oh, you’re lucky to have