Chapter Six
Three months later
Ellis couldn’t believe she’d been married for close to five months now. Five months since she first met Rafe, and the same amount of time since she’d married him. It was crazy really. Her life had taken a drastic turn, but rather than be afraid, she was actually happy. He made her happy, and the life they’d begun to build was just amazing.
Christmas was only a month or so away, and she found that she was excited to spend it with him. They had plans to make a Christmas meal all by themselves, and they even had plans to go out to his country home and decorate a tree. He’d promised to take some much-needed time away from the office to spend with her.
While he was busy with a phone call to some investor or something, she excused herself, smiling at his secretary before making her way toward the bathroom.
She’d just flushed the toilet and was coming out of the stall when she saw his mother standing there, arms folded, resting against the sink. This woman didn’t like her. Whenever she and Rafe went to social events, they both stayed clear of her.
“Hello,” Ellis said, offering a smile.
It wasn’t in her to be mean or vindictive.
“What will it take for me to get you to end this bullshit of a marriage?”
Rafe had already warned her that his mother was losing control of the company, and with each day their relationship grew stronger, her power weakened.
“Nothing. It’s not bullshit.”
His mother snorted. “Yeah, right.”
“You wouldn’t understand.”
“I know my son. I know he’s drawn in by a willing pussy and a pretty face. You’re not his type, Ellis. In fact, you’re far from his type. He usually likes them slim, blonde, and you know, gorgeous.”
She remembered how he’d held her last night after they made love. “Tastes change.”
“You know, you’re going to get your heart broken. This is what men in power do.”
Ellis finished washing her hands, and grabbed a few towels before giving this woman her attention. “What about you? Rafe can’t even stand to call you his mother. Your reputation is awful.”
“I did what I had to in order to survive.”
“And you didn’t fall for the man you married?”
“No. You see, I know everything there is to know about this company. I know about the conditions his father had in place. He needed a wife and a baby in order to—”
“What?”
“Excuse me?”
“You said something about a baby. What the hell are you talking about?”
“I knew that my son would be a huge disappointment. Even at a young age he was always interested in taking the easy way out. So I got my husband to put some clause into his will. You know, to make sure his company didn’t fall into the wrong hands. Within a few years, Rafe needed to marry, but that marriage had to last a minimum of five years, and also produce an heir, boy or girl.”
Ellis couldn’t believe what she was hearing right now.
She and Rafe hadn’t been using any condoms. He’d been the one to initiate sex. Had it all been part of his master plan to get her pregnant? Was she even pregnant?
“All you’ve got to say is the truth that you and Rafe are not real. This marriage is not real. I’ll make sure you want for nothing, and everything else goes away.”
Even as she was still reeling from the latest exposed secret, she wasn’t without sense. Rafe may have lied to her, but that didn’t mean she wanted him to lose everything he ever wanted.
“Our marriage is a real one. You can believe what you like.” Pushing past the woman, she left the bathroom in a bit of a daze.
She smiled and nodded at everyone who spoke to her, and when she got to the doorway of Rafe’s office, she watched him. He was no longer on the phone, but going through one of the many reports on his desk.
He was always a busy man.
Entering the office, she closed the door and leaned against it.
Finally, he looked up. “Hey, baby. I’m so sorry about that. Everyone seems to want my attention today.”
“Tell me about the clauses,” she said.
He froze in place. “Excuse me?”
“You know what I mean. The clauses that said you needed to be married. What about the other little detail, Rafe?”
“Ellis?”
“I’ve seen your mother. You should have known she had something to do with this. She’s the reason your inheritance has those clauses attached. She convinced your father that you weren’t the perfect son to take over. Even before either of you realized it, she was fighting to take that company.”
He stood up, and she stayed by the door, watching him. “It’s not what you think.”
“Is that why you had sex with me?”
“No. I didn’t even think about the baby until some time ago.”
“Not once did you wear a condom.” She rubbed at her temple. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I needed a wife, and you already seemed sheepish with the five years. I didn’t want to push you away. I didn’t have sex with you, Ellis, to have a child. You have to believe me.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was going to, but I was worried something like this would happen, and I don’t want to lose you.”
“I need to think. I need to … I need some time right now.” She reached out grabbing her bag. She made to leave, but his hold on her arm stopped her.
Rafe pulled her close and slammed his lips down on hers. “I don’t want to lose you. I love you, Ellis.”
It broke her heart to pull away, but she needed time.
****
Watching her leave was the hardest thing Rafe had ever done. He called down to his driver to make sure he’d take care of her. Leaving her alone was the last thing he wanted to do, but she needed time, and he had to find a way to fix this. Pressing his hand against the window, he cursed.
He knew he should have told her, but each time, they’d been so happy he didn’t want to put a cloud over it. The last thing he’d wanted was for her to think that the only reason he’d fucked her was because of a damn baby.
It wasn’t.
He’d slept with her, fucked her, made love to her, because he couldn’t help himself. She’d fired his blood, awakened him, and he couldn’t let her go. Feeling her pussy around him at night before he went to sleep was the best experience in the entire world. Watching her come around his cock, each ripple, each sensation, it drove him to fuck her harder, to go deeper.
Rafe wanted her to fall in love with him, not run from him.
“Trouble in paradise,” his mother said, alerting him to her presence.
He turned and saw her in the doorway. She looked really happy with herself, as if she’d won some great battle. “I have to say, Rafe, I thought you’d have told your little bought bride what she was getting herself into.” She tutted. “You didn’t tell her everything.”
Staring at the woman he despised more than anything, he waited for her to say something else. “Is that it? Is that all you’ve got to say to me?”
He saw her smile slip just a little.
“This company is mine, Rafe.”
“Wrong.” He lifted up the file. “I have controlling shares. I’ve been able to uncover your schemes, dear Mother. You see, Dad was aware of you stealing money from the company. He just never had enough evidence to prove it, and I doubt he even wanted to have proof, so he never looked hard enough. Not only were you trading company secrets, but you were stealing. I have all the evidence in this file. While you were busy seeing if my marriage was really real, I had several PIs on your case, finding everything I need to know. I’ve already spoken to the board, and I do believe the police are on their way. You’ve broken several laws, Mother.”
He saw her frosty exterior shatter. When she made to turn to leave his office, security was already there, and they placed cuffs around her wrists. He moved up close to her.
“She’ll never forgive you.”
“Probably not, but you see, I love her, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to find her, and to prove to her that I love her more than anything.”
She shook her head. “No, your marriage was a sham.”
This time, he shook his head. “No, it wasn’t, but it gave me enough time to find what I needed from you with you panicking about what it all meant.”
He watched as they took his mother away.
Putting a call through to his driver, he found that his wife had gone to a local park. She sat on one of the benches watching families play around. Rafe got the location from his driver, grabbed his jacket, and left the office.
His work for that day was more than done.
The board was already aware of what he’d intended to do today. What he’d not been prepared for was his mother cornering his wife.
Leaving the office, the crisp air cut through his clothing, making him wince.
He walked the distance to the park, and saw his driver leaning against the car, smoking a cigarette. The moment he approached, the man threw it down and stubbed it out.
“Sorry, sir.”
“Did she go anywhere else?”
“She went to a pharmacy, sir.”
“Thank you.” He entered the park and saw her sitting at one of the benches. With each exhale, he saw the puff of smoke in the air. Making his way across the park, he took a seat beside her.
She looked at him, and he saw the tears in her eyes.
He took hold of her hand, locking their fingers together. Hers were so cold.
“Is that clause in the will?” she asked.
“It is, yes.”
When she made to pull away from him, he held her hand even tighter. He refused to let her go.
“Rafe.”
“No, I’m not letting you go. You don’t know all the facts, and I’m begging you not to take my mother’s word as everything you’re thinking right now.”
“How can I not? We were only supposed to be married, but I now know that you needed a child as well. Then we had … sex.” He smiled as she glanced around, lowering her voice so only he heard her say it. “And now I don’t know if it was because you wanted to, or if it was your way of getting what you wanted.”
“I want you to have dinner with me,” he said.
“Rafe?”
“I can’t talk to you about everything here. I know you’re hating me right now, and have probably thought of a million ways to hurt me, but I have something I need to say.” He watched as a mother and father held a little girl’s hand as she slid down the slide. Yearning hit him square in the chest. He wanted to be a father, but he wanted Ellis more than anything else. “Will you at least give me that chance?”
For several moments she didn’t speak. She didn’t do anything, but finally she nodded.
Standing up, he kept hold of her hand as they made their way back to his car.
This was the first time that he’d ever felt nervous about anything. Having a dinner with Ellis, the rest of his life with her depended on it.