All Chapters of A Marriage Deal To Remember : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

JENSYN Arthur reminded me of my father. Not in the way he looked, or even the way he dressed. Arthur carried himself with a kind of elegance money buys, while my father was always gruff and irritable. My father looked at people like they were meant to play roles assigned in his head long before they even spoke. Arthur looked at me like that. Dad was never around much. When he was, I did my best to stay invincible. He had his way of making me feel like I owed him for the air I breathe. I learned early how to measure my words, how to sink into a hole I created in my heart. Arthur made me feel that same old crawl under my skin. Yet, here I was, sitting across him in his house that smelled like threats. “Sit,” Arthur ordered, motioning toward the velvet armchair across from the one he sank into. I obeyed, legs stiff like they'd forgotten how to bend. A maid approached with a tray, and Arthur nodded. A glass of wine was placed on the table beside me. I didn’t reach for it. Arthur's ey

LINDENAndrea twirled her fork around the pasta without bringing it to her mouth. The clink of cutlery was the only sound that filled space between us. Our lunches had always been quiet, but this one was unusually uncomfortable.“When are you resuming school, Andrea?” I asked, slicing through my grilled turkey.Her eyes remained on her plate as she responded. “In two weeks time.”I nodded once. “Good. That means you'll be around for Willow's wedding.”She looked up now, eyes wide with anticipation. “Willow’s coming today?”“Yes.”She didn’t ask anything else. She pushed her food around like the plate was gold. Her demeanor changed completely. It was not a secret that Andrea's mood lightened up whenever my twin sister was around. And that was more of the reason I asked Willow to stay away.This was best for Andrea. I am a good father and every decision I made was for her benefit.I leaned back in my chair, resting the edge of the wine glass against my upper lip without drinking. My tho

JENSYN“They made me a monster at age seven.” That was what he said before flashing me an eerie smile that came from ear to ear. I turned out, not caring what he meant. The Rawlings family was done for me. A year from now, I'd be over their shenanigans. I would become the former Mrs Rawlings, but not as the former Jensyn Sawyer.The zipper of my old but neat suitcase hissed loudly as I sat haphazardly on the edge of the bed, folding one of the crepe tops Linden got for me. It's surreal how he got the tops, gowns, and jeans in all my sizes. I took a moment to admire my room. It smelt of the lavender from the candle I had lit after lunch—an attempt to soothe my ravaging soul. Linden had slipped in earlier, talking to me without looking at me, “the flight to Florida is by 8 pm. You think you can get ready before then?”I gave him a nod and he disappeared before I had the nerves to ask the next question. I wasn't even going to ask anything, but he didn't give me the chance to engage him

JENSYNMy flat shoes struck the tiled floor with urgency; the hem of my dress brushed my ankle as I turned the corner. My chest tightened, breath shallow from Linden's kiss. Amidst all that, I needed to get to Andrea before she misinterpreted everything she heard and saw. Whatever she was thinking, I had to correct it. My thoughts tangled, raw and hot behind my ribs, and then instantly, I collided with someone.Hard and fast. Warm hands encircled me before I hit the floor. My body jolted back; my fingers wrapped reflexively at the fabric of a black shirt. “Shit, are you okay?” I heard that voice before. Where was it?I stared up and saw a familiar face. It was Linden's friend, Lev. I had met him at Arthur's house, and it was a miracle I remembered his name. His voice was cool and kind then, but now it was measured, laced with surprise cut through his throat. He wasn't smiling.I nodded too quickly and straightened. “I—I am fine.”Lev reached for his phone that was face down. He had

JENSYN“Open up for me, Jensyn.”I did. His mouth crushed mine before I could reply. He was rough. His fingers splayed across my throat, tight enough to make me feel his need. His body caged mine, making me feel like a helpless chicken. And God help me, I let him own me. I arched into him, hands tangling in the roughness of his hair, dragging him closer like he was the answer to a question I hadn’t dared ask.“Linden.” I moaned, my throat hoarse from the kisses he planted on my neck. He groaned low in his throat. It vibrated against my skin as he trailed those killer kisses from my lips to my cheekbones, my jaw, my ear, my nose. “Linden—” I breathed, but it came out more like a plea. Yes, I wanted him, I wouldn't lie.He pulled back just far enough to take me in, his eyes wild, mouth parted. He looked vulnerable at that point. He was a man coming undone, weak, and fragile.“You drive me insane, Jensyn,” he muttered, voice low. “You… you tear things open and I hate you for that.”He