Bride Wanted Read online

  “I’m being ridiculous. Maybe my period’s coming or something.”

  I climbed out of the car and slogged to the front door. I opened it and went into the living room. Hell, his house had multiple living rooms. And it always had this hint of lemon cleaner to it. The air was always kept crisp and cool, and the marble was never cold.

  I sunk down into one of his Italian leather couches and found the remote to turn the TV on.

  I clicked through channels, when something caught my eye. Daniel Burton. My ex was splashed all over the news.

  I jumped to my feet and got close to the screen.

  “Today on E.N News, local man Daniel Burton is wanted for shooting his girlfriend to death. Sources say he’s armed and dangerous. Anyone with knowledge of his whereabouts should call the police immediately.”

  The news cut to a clip of his slain girlfriend’s parents sobbing their eyes out.

  Armed.

  And dangerous.

  Shit. If he had shot his current girlfriend and was on the run… that meant he probably had me on his list next.

  The house felt too big now. And my nerves were on razored edges. My skin was battered with raised goosebumps and I temporarily forgot how to breathe.

  Oh shit.

  I backed up from the T.V reeling in shock, and the couch took me by surprised. I tripped and landed back onto it, whipping my head around to see if anyone else was around.

  “I’m alone and Daniel’s out there running around!”

  I peered out into the hallway, looking down both sides of the hall.

  Knock knock.

  I jumped. That wasn’t Sam. He had a key, he didn’t need to knock!

  The knocking persisted and I inched over to the door, grabbing an umbrella that sat by the entrance. It was expensive and sturdy. Not much against a gun, but anything would do to put up a fight.

  Carefully, without taking so much as a breath of air, I looked through the peep hole.

  “Oh god,” I exhaled. “It’s Benson. That was quick.”

  I opened the door and beamed a bright smile. “Hello, Benson, are you looking for Sam?”

  His bruises were covered with gauze and his arm was in a sling. Sheesh, he was lucky he even had limbs left.

  “Yeah. Is he home? I called his phone but he didn’t answer.”

  Benson entered inside, without my permission. The way he pushed past me was unnerving. I pursed my lips.

  Now that he was up and walking, there was something off about this guy.

  “He’s not home. He might return later.” I placed my hands on my hips.

  He rolled back on his heels and approached me. A glimmer in his eye.

  “Say, you’re a beautiful woman. When you’re done with Sam. Can I take you as my wife too?”

  He began to get a little too close and I stepped back.

  He got offended.

  “Look, I’m not up for sale like that—”

  “Really?” That tone of sarcasm almost had him with another bruise.

  “Get out,” I growled.

  “Fine. There are many more like you where you came from.” Benson strode out the door and I slammed it right on his ass.

  What the fuck? Was Sam seriously friends with an asshole like this? Or did he even know his friend was a disrespectful creep?

  Fuming, I stomped into the kitchen and decided that I needed better protection than an umbrella. I pulled out a large blade and sat it down on the marble countertop.

  I scrounged his refrigerator for some food and took the blade and a half piece of sandwich to our bedroom.

  “Men. What’s up with them lately?”

  I took out my phone and dialed Holly, but she didn’t answer. I hoped that she wasn’t mad at me, I needed a friend right now.

  I ate my sandwich and stared at the reflection of the ceiling on the knife I had next to me on the bed.

  How was this all going to end?

  Was Daniel after me too know?

  Drowsiness pulled at my eyelids, and soon, I was out asleep.

  Chapter 15

  Sam

  I waited on the curbside in front of the court when my company’s Maybach pulled up and got me. I jumped into the back and allowed my legs to stretch out. The weather must’ve been changing because almost every join in my body had a small ache that warmly radiated into my bones.

  “Rain,” I mumbled to myself.

  “Hello, Mr. Reign,” the driver said.

  This voice was different. This was a female, not the usual man that drove me at my request.

  “Ms. Keller? What are you doing driving today?” I asked. She was usually the secretary who’d greet people in and called me if there were appointments.

  She never drove. Never.

  I didn’t even know she had her driver’s license.

  “Well, your driver is sick today. And I couldn’t leave you out there for long.”

  Ms. Keller’s outfit of choice was a tight white silk shirt. And judging from what I could see, she wore a tight black pencil skirt.

  “I see. Very well then,” I said, taking my phone out. I had an impulse to call Wendy and see how she was doing. Then I remembered she was driving and if anything, I wasn’t going to be the one who took her attention off the road.

  “Mr. Reign?” Ms. Keller interrupted my thoughts, her voice low and sultry. I didn’t like the mood she was setting.

  “Yes?”

  “How about lunch after this?” she asked, glancing back at me in the rear view mirror.

  “No, I’m fine. I have to hurry back home to my wife.”

  Her face was hell frozen over. “You’re married?!”

  “Ms. Keller, the road!” I ordered, catching her before she rear ended another vehicle ahead of us.

  “I’m so sorry!” she blathered. She sniffled and kept her eyes on the road.

  My eyes fell on her hands. They gripped the steering wheel so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

  “Are you happy?” she asked me.

  “Very. Why are you asking?” My voice begins to sound curt.

  “Do you want more women. You don’t have to stop at one…”

  I cleared my throat, shoved my phone in my pocket, and folded my arms.

  “First of all, Ms. Keller. I’d like you to stop right here. Now,” I barked. She pulled the car over against the sidewalk. Good thing the dress wasn’t too far from here.

  “Second of all, you’re fired. Return this car and leave my premesis immediately.”

  She spun around in her seat, her eyes pleading.

  “No, you’re supposed to be mine!” she shouted. I got out the car, taking my cane with me. But before I closed the door… “If you even so much as go near me or my wife, or even speak to us, I’ll have you in jail. For life. Be gone.”

  I slammed the car door shut and walked down the street, swallowing the growing pains in my joints.

  The Ella Bridal store was on my right, and I pushed in the golden framed door to the loud screeches of an argument.

  At first I thought it was just a bride and her family in a major disagreement.

  But one of the voices was familiar. Looking over, I confirmed who I thought it was.

  “Look at this! This isn’t done, the bust is strictly off by almost an inch!”

  “The person wearing it has to come in for a—”

  “Not if you’re given the direct sizing. Do you know who this is for?”

  “Of course I do—”

  “You must not care then!”

  I dragged my aching limbs over to the two squabbling ladies and butted in.

  “Ms. Bell, what on earth is going on here? I need you two to calm down.”

  The two women, both glared at each other. One was the designer to Wendy’s dream wedding dress, and the other one was my personal assistant, Ms. Bell.

  The designer’s name was Ella, the same as her store. She dropped down in one of the chairs surrounding the dress and sighed, rubbing her head.

&nb
sp; “Ms. Bell, calmly tell me what’s going on. It’s not the end of the earth now, is it?”

  “The dress isn’t completed yet, Boss,” Ms. Bell explained, holding a death stare on the designer who was shrinking in her heels. Ms. Bell may’ve been a shorter lady, but her strong voice and crisp accent made a lot of people feel inferior. That was one of the main reason’s I hired her. I didn’t want the front line of my company to be looked upon as weak and docile. That wasn’t good for business at all.

  “Not done? It looks done to me. What’s wrong?” I circled the dress that sat on a golden wired mannequin. It was made of a rare white silk that had an opalescent shine. The bust was littered with diamonds and opals, and the train was ten feet long. I didn’t know how Wendy would take the long train, but I had a gut feeling that there should be one. However there was something else that was still missing and that was of no fault of Ella’s. Ella sat still and looked at Ms. Bell who only stayed silent. That was the designer’s cue to speak.

  “Well, as your assistant noted, the bust is off by a few centimeters. I’ll be able to fix it and it’ll be done in about three days—”

  “Three days? Madness! This is a two thousand dollar dress. Isn’t there any way you could—”

  I lifted my hand up to stop Ms. Bell from haggling the poor designer. She stopped mid sentence and turned away so she could cool down. There were almost visible fumes coming off of Ms. Bell. She took her job seriously, and I knew every request I made of her would be done to the tee. When I told her about Wendy and getting married, it made her sense of perfection bump up to level twenty. If only Benson could act like her.

  “That’s fine,” I told the designer who was breaking out in a sweat from stress. “I’ll be back in three days then.”

  “Surely I’ll honor a discount, Mr. Reign,” the designer began.

  “No such thing. Mistakes happen. I’m glad you and this dress are here.”

  When I looked for Ms. Bell, I had noticed she was at the door, waiting for me to finish my business. I had left the designer to her work and began to stride towards Ms. Bell until something caught my attention.

  There was a section in the store called ‘Honey Moon Lace’ and it featured a Swarovski crystal garter with matching thong, fishnets, and bra.

  Needless to say the twenty thousand dollar price tag didn’t deter me one bit.

  My cock already began to grow against my tight boxers with the image of Wendy’s body in such an elegant and erotic set of threads.

  **

  “I’m so sorry that happened,” Ms. Bell said, raking up a piece of hair back into her updo. She had an irritated look on her face. She was more upset than I was. “I can’t believe they wasted your time like this.”

  “Calm down, Ms. Brown. You’re more upset than I should be. It’ll be okay. I’m glad you spotted out that imperfection before I took it to my wife. That would’ve been a hell of a lot worser. Don’t you think?”

  I was hoping that I made her feel better. She frowned and sighed.

  “Plus, my time wasn’t wasted. I got my wife a few presents from the store. Presents that I wouldn’t have seen anywhere else.”

  Ms. Brown peered up at me and smiled quaintly. I could tell she was holding back a laughter.

  “Well, when you mention it like that, Boss, I suppose you’re right. Would you like me to drive you back to the office?” she asked me, her car keys ready in hand.

  “Actually, I’d appreciate that very much. I gave my wife the car.”

  “Bet she’s enjoying it.”

  “As long as she isn’t speeding,” I added.

  Ms. Bell and I walked to her car and she unlocked it with her remote. She was a responsible driver, and got me all the way home without touching the freeway.

  When we pulled up to my front door, I got out and collected my bags.

  A slip of fishnet stockings peeked out and a rash of heat skipped across my face.

  Ms. Bell blushed as well and smiled. “Hope she likes the gifts, Boss. Have a nice day!”

  “You too!”

  I closed her door and hobbled up to the front door.

  Sometimes it would escape me. But this home was mine. And everytime I looked at these custom made one hundred thousand dollar gold and iron doors, I was reminded of the success I reached, and the other future success right beyond this door…

  I unlocked the doors and entered inside. I expected to see Wendy bounce up to me with a kiss.

  “Hm? Wendy?” I called out, looking into the living room closest to the entrance.

  I looked around the house some more, and didn’t find Wendy in the places I thought she’d be. There was one place left that I could check, and after that, I could start worrying. She wasn’t the type to be this quiet. I was suprised I didn’t even get a call from her when I left her in the garage fot eh courthouse.

  My bedroom’s double doors were shut. Something that I rearely did. I loved walking up to my room, seeing the grand entrance and the means of my success staring me in the face.

  Wendy had to be in there. She better me.

  Without ramping up any further worry in my chest, I pushed open the doors and saw Wendy spiraled out on the bed asleep. Sound asleep. Her snoring was light, but something had caught my eye.

  On the bed next to her glinted the shiny metal of a knife. Not a small one either. This was a butcher knife.

  Why was it on the bed with her? She had it tucked close to her shoulder where she could grab it easily.

  It probably isn’t safe to wake her up with that so close to her. I should take it.

  So I inched over quietly without using my cane. Carefully I leaned over and gently grabbed the knife. Once it was safely in my grasp, I backed up and went to the farthest side of the room and placed it in a drawer.

  Now it was safe to wake her up.

  I limped back over and shook her shoulder. “Wendy?”

  She stirred awake. “Mmmn,” she grunted.

  I shook her another time, determined to get some answers out of her.

  “Wendy, wake up—”

  Wendy’s eyes shot open into a widened panicked expression as if she had seen hell knock on her door.

  **

  “Ahhh! Stop! Help, someone help, he’s trying to kill me!” Wendy cried, flailing her fists around and kicking her legs. Good thing I was at a good distance, she had some powerful kicks and punches there.

  “Wendy, calm down, no one’s going to hurt you!” I shouted, grabbing her arms and wrapping her in a tight embrace. Wendy’s body shook against mine as she realized she was safe. She took a breath of relief and relaxed into my chest.

  “Sam! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to act like a total nut case.” Wendy closed her eyes and shook her head, her body trembling.

  “What was that for? Why did you think someone was going to harm you?”

  Wendy fluttered her eyes open and scooted off the bed. She paced the room, picking her nails.

  “I… I don’t even know if I should even get you involved in this. He’s probably not thinking about me anyways,” she mumbled still pacing.

  “Who? Who’s not thinking about you?”

  Wendy still kept pacing. I got off the bed without my cane and marched up to her. Holding my arms out, I caught her by the shoulders and made her look me in the eyes.

  “Wendy, I need you to tell me right now what’s bothering you!”

  Chapter 16

  Wendy

  ‘Should I tell Sam? Would it really be wise to bring him into this when he’s got so much going on in his professional life?’

  I kept thinking about if this Gallock person found out that Sam’s wife had an ex boyfriend that killed someone that he’d leave and the whole deal was off. Not only I had something to lose, but Sam did too.

  And I didn’t want to get in the way of that.

  “Wendy? Did you hear me?” Sam asked, coming up on me and placing his hands on my shoulders. I gave him a blank stare, searching my heart for the wis
est thing to do.

  My mouth opened. And for a second there, nothing came out.

  I closed it and tried again. “Sam…”

  “Yes?”

  “Um,” I left his small embrace and paced the room again, picking at my nails. “Remember when you asked if I had a boyfriend?”

  “Yes. And you do?”

  “No, I did. He used to be a boyfriend of mine. But we broke up about seven months ago. He was… abusive.”

  Sam limped over to me with his cane and stopped me with his big body from pacing around. “Abusive? How?”

  “Well, like any other person would be. Verbal—”

  Sam cut in, “And physical?”

  “Yes. But that’s not the point. You see,” I walked over to the bed and sat down, “I came home and turned on the T.V. I happened to land on this news station and his face was plastered all over the news for shooting his current girlfriend.”

  Sam decided to keep standing and kept his focus dead set on me. He clenched his jaw and a vein popped on his forehead. Seeing Sam angry like this was rare.

  “He hurt you, and he killed another person. That’s unforgiveable,” he growled.

  “I know. I’m just worried that—”

  “That he’d find you. That’s why you were sleeping with that big butcher knife, wasn’t it?” Sam asked, limping over to a dresser drawer. He opened it and dug out the knife I had brought from the kitchen into the bedroom.

  Light glinted off of it as he held it up for me to look at.

  “Yes,” I confirmed, holding my head down.

  Sam dropped it back into the drawer and threw down his cane.

  “Sam, why’d you drop your cane?”

  I got up and me him halfway to the bed. I cupped his face and he cupped mine.

  “I love you. You know that? I’m never going to have anyone hurt you. So I’ll up all my security and have someone sitting on the front and back from now on.”

  Tears burned my eyelids and I blinked them away. Crying in front of anyone was forbidden, at least in my opinion. People took it as a weakness. But Sam wasn’t that type of man.