Page 60 of The Marriage Auction 2: Part 4

And finally, we kissed as we made gentle, slow, unhurried love to one another.

After we’d satisfied our need a few more times, my wife was sleeping soundly by my side, her face on my chest right over the heart I’d handed her on a silver platter. I finally closed my eyes, at peace knowing I had achieved it all.

I was one lucky man, and I’d never take her or this new life for granted.

Episode 105

Man to Man

RHODES

“You sure you’re okay, Em?” Maia spoke into her cell phone as I led us out of the hotel room in Colorado. We’d touched down late Friday night, and were now headed to breakfast. I needed to give her the rundown of what Bruno’s team had provided about her family. And it wasn’t pretty.

“I know you’re thirteen and very capable. Still, your uh, Dad and I wanted to check in.” Her gaze flicked to me, and I smiled and shook my head at her tactic of adding my concern into the mix when in reality, Maia was devastated to leave Emily in California.

Of course, I, too, was concerned about Emily being with Portia for the weekend while we were in Colorado. However, I had a long talk with Marisol, the woman I technically left in charge. And Marisol was a Mexican American grandma who would take absolutely none of Portia’s bullshit. She’d make sure Emily was safe physically and emotionally. Besides, she’d call at the slightest provocation. The woman hated my ex and would find every reason to rat on her in the hopes I’d kick Portia out of all of our lives forever.

“Okay, okay, I’ll stop worrying. Keep your phone and Apple watch on you at all times. Text me, I meanuswhen you get backfrom the spa.” Maia closed her eyes and sighed. “I love you, too, Emily. We’ll be home soon.” She frowned and then hung up.

“You realize that was the third time you’ve checked on her since we left yesterday?” I grinned and looped my arm around her shoulders, keeping her close as we took the elevator down to the lobby. Colorado was beautiful. I could absolutely see why so many people made the state their home.

Maia pressed her lips together and shrugged.

“Hey, I’m not going to be mad about your concern over Em. She loves it andyouas much as I do,” I rubbed her arm.

“I don’t trust Portia, and after everything Emily endured…”

I nuzzled her temple and placed a light kiss there. “I know. I agree. Under different circumstances, we’d have stayed home, but I made you a promise. And after reading the file Bruno’s team gave me on your family, I knew we had to make our move now.”

Her shoulders slumped as she leaned closer to me. “That bad, huh?”

I inhaled through my nose and let it out. “Baby, it’s the worst.”

“Fuck,” she breathed and closed her eyes briefly, giving herself a moment. Then, as I was used to seeing from my little sprite of a fiancée, she steeled her spine and stood up straighter.

We walked to the restaurant and followed the host to the private balcony I’d reserved for a few hours. Once we’d finished eating, I asked the staff not to bother us further.

“Okay, Rhodes, lay it on me,” Maia said as she sat back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest protectively.

I flipped open the file.

“Let’s start with your stepfather, Damon.” I glanced up to see Maia nod, her eyes going glassy as she looked out at the landscape. “He’s been the Chief Marshal of this county for over a decade. A decorated officer for fifteen years prior to that. Thereare reports of complaints from a variety of citizens over the years. Unnecessary roughness, assault and battery, things like that. Each charge never making it to court. However, there were a couple women who came forward and stated they’d had a one-night stand that ended in sex and them getting beaten. Again, those charges were dropped. Jonah, the tech guy on Bruno’s team, pulled those women’s bank records and found a couple hefty deposits right around the time the charges were dropped.”

“Not surprised. He’d make sure to cover his criminal activity. My mother called the authorities for help a couple different times when I was younger and got zero assistance seeing as his father was the Chief back then.”

I gritted my teeth.

“What about my mom? Do you have anything about her?”

“Yeah,” I reached across the table for her hand. She put it in mine, and I held on. “Don’t let go, okay?”

Her face paled, but she dipped her head curtly.

“Lena Burke has been admitted to the local hospital over a dozen times for a variety of medical concerns including but not limited to a shattered cheek bone, broken nose, ribs, arms, wrist, and more. The last emergency was supposedly for falling down a flight of stairs. She was in a neck brace and had to have surgery for that one.”

“The house doesn’t have a second story unless they moved.” Maia’s nostrils flared as her eyes filled with unshed tears.

“They’ve been in the same house for over fifteen years,” I whispered.

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