FOUR

The attendant's face went pale, then immediately she smiled. "There's no problem at all. I was just helping your... friend here find something suitable."

"My wife," Elijah corrected calmly. "She's My wife."

"Of course, of course. Your wife." She laughed nervously. "I was just saying how lovely she looks in everything."

Elijah was quiet for a long moment, just staring at her. Then he turned to me.

"Breanna, come here."

I stepped forward hesitantly, still wearing the black dress I'd just tried on.

His hand slid around my waist as he pulled me against him. Before I could process what was happening, his other hand cupped my face and he kissed me.

Actually kissed me.

His lips were soft as they moved against mine. I felt my knees go weak and I gasped against his mouth as he bit my lips slightly. I gripped his shirt, trying to steady myself.

When he finally pulled away, I was breathless.

"My wife," he said again, this time looking directly at the attendant who had gone completely white. His arm was still around me.

"Mr. Washington, I—"

"You're fired."

The woman's eyes went wide. "What? No, please, I didn't mean—"

"You disrespected my wife. In my presence." He said coldly. "I don't tolerate that. You're done here. I'll be speaking to the owner about your employment termination."

"Please, Mr. Washington. I need this job—"

"You should have thought about that before insulting Mrs. Washington." He turned to me. "We're leaving. I'll have everything sent to our home."

We go out of the dressing room, his hand still firm on my waist. I could hear the attendant's desperate pleas behind us, but Elijah didn't even glance back.

We were in the car before I finally found my voice.

"You didn't have to do that," I said quietly.

"You're my wife. It's my duty to protect you." He said it so matter-of-factly.

Wow. He was really taking this husband role seriously.

"So long as we're bound by that contract, I'll do everything within my power to follow the terms." He glanced at me. "As I said before, I'm very thorough."

"You didn't have to kiss me though," I mumbled, my face still hot from the memory of it.

I watched from the corner of my eye as he chuckled. The sound making me clench my thighs together involuntarily. God, he was so hot.

"Any woman would kill for a kiss from me," he said cockily.

I rolled my eyes. Again with that attitude. It was such a turnoff. Why did he think he was so special? Aside from his eyes, his physique, and okay fine, he did have really nice lips. My eyes trailed down his body, noticing the way his shirt hugged his frame perfectly. My gaze wandered lower—

Breanna. What are you doing?

I snapped my eyes back to the window.

"Get over yourself," I responded.

******

Twenty minutes later, I had to fight to keep my jaw from dropping as we approached what seemed to be his home.

The filthy rich really did live differently.

"Get down, princess," Elijah chuckled, watching my reaction with amusement.

I looked around uneasily as I stepped out of the car. There were security cameras everywhere. A massive fountain sat in the middle of a perfectly manicured garden. There were at least three cars parked in the driveway, each one probably worth more than my family's bakery.

No wonder he could offer such large amounts of money like it was nothing. It was definitely chump change to him.

Suddenly, the front door burst open and a woman came rushing out. She was moving so fast toward us that I jumped back.

She smelled heavily of expensive perfume.

She threw her arms around Elijah.

He appeared uncomfortable at first, his body going rigid, but then he hugged her back. I notice the way he softens, making him appear more human.

I stood there awkwardly, feeling like I was intruding on something private.

"Elijah, darling," the woman said, pulling back but keeping her hands on his arms. "I've missed you so much."

"What a surprise, Mom. I didn't know you were going to be here." There was a slight edge to his voice that the woman either didn't notice or chose to ignore.

"Well, you told me I could come by anytime." She smiled up at him.

"Yes, but you could have called before you came."

She laughed. "Not like you were going to deny me entrance anyway."

She must have finally noticed my presence because she turned to me, one perfectly shaped eyebrow raising slightly as she looked me up and down curiously.

"Who are you?" she asked. Elijah really favored his moyher. She had the same deep set of interesting green eyes. She was very beautiful.

The way she said it made me feel small and so out of place.

"She's my wife," Elijah said simply.

"Wife?" Her eyebrows scrunched up in confusion. She looked at him, then back at me, then at him again. "When did this happen? When did you even meet?"

"We got married in a private ceremony," He replied so easily. "We met a few months ago on a business trip."

"A few months?" His mother's voice rose slightly. "But what about Victoria? The family has been planning—"

"What about her?" Elijah's tone was flat.

His mother stared at him for a long moment, her expression shifting between confusion and concern. "I haven't seen you in three months since what happened and when I finally come to see you, you show up with this strange woman—" she looked at me when she said that, and I felt my face burn with embarrassment, "—and claim you're married. Why weren't your family invited? Why did you keep this from us?"

"First of all," Elijah said irritatedly. "please be respectful to my wife."

His mother pressed her lips together but nodded.

"Second, Grandfather said I needed to be married. He didn't specify who to or when or how public it needed to be." He slipped his arm around my waist. "I'm not interested in Victoria. Breanna and I fell in love, and I didn't want to wait. So we got married. It's that simple."

I didn't think she believed our story. "Elijah, you know your grandfather is going to have questions. And Victoria's family—"

"Can deal with it." He looked like he wanted nothing more than to get away from here. "This is done, Mom. I'm married and I'd appreciate it if you could respect that." He gave her a pleading look.

His mother looked like she wanted to argue, but instead, she turned to me, her face softening.

"Well then," she said."I suppose congratulations are in order. I'm Eleanor, Elijah's mother."

"I'm Breanna.”

"This must all be very overwhelming for you." She said, giving me a sympathetic look.

"You have no idea," I muttered before I could stop myself.

Eleanor laughed, and this time it sounded genuine. "Oh, I like her already. She's honest, at least."

"Mom—" Elijah started, but she waved him off.

"Actually, this works out perfectly. I came by to remind you about the family dinner tonight."

Elijah went very still beside me. "What family dinner?"

"The one I told you about three weeks ago? The one where the whole family is gathering?" She glared at him. "Don't tell me you forgot."

"You never told me about a dinner."

"I most certainly did. Maybe if you actually answered my calls or returned my messages, you'd be more up to date on family matters." She looked at him accusingly.

Elijah's jaw tightened. "What time?"

"Seven o'clock. At your grandfather's estate." She looked at me. "And of course, Breanna, you must come. The family will be so excited to meet Elijah's new wife."

The way she said "new wife" made it sound like she didn't quite believe I was real.

I didn't blame her. Imagine your son just showed up one day with a strange woman claiming her to be his wife. She must think I'm some kind of scammer.

"We'll be there."

"Wonderful!" Eleanor clapped her hands together. "I should go and let you two settle in." She leaned in and kissed Elijah's cheek, then surprised me by doing the same to me. "Welcome to the family, dear. I have a feeling things are about to get very interesting."

She swept out of the driveway as dramatically as she'd arrived, getting into a sleek silver car and driving away.

"Fuck," Elijah muttered under his breath.

"I take it you didn't want your mother to know about me yet?" I asked.

"I wanted to tell my grandfather first. He's the main reason I'm doing all this." He ran a hand through his hair.

"Can you handle meeting my entire family tonight?"

I thought about everything that had happened today and meeting his family didn't seem that much worse in comparison.

"I guess I don't have a choice, do I?"

"No," Elijah said. "You don't."