Page 69 of The Marriage Auction 2: Part 4

“So I’m no longer the only man in the house. Everywhere I go, I’m outnumbered and outranked by the females in my life.”

That had her cackling. “It’s cute you think you’d have a boy. I doubt the universe would be that kind,” she teased. “I know we’ve sort of talked about it…but, you still want kids? After all of this?”

I started shuffling forward again, lifted her hand, and kissed her fingers. “I want everything there is to have with you, Jules.”

“Okay,” she whispered. “And, uh, when were you thinking about us trying for a family?”

I shrugged one shoulder and then gasped at the sudden burst of explosive pain. It made me sway on my feet while starspopped all around the edges of my vision, threatening to take me down.

“You’re not looking good, Giovanni.” Maggie appeared with a muscle relaxer in one hand and a syringe in the other. The doctor had prescribed some of the heavier pain killers that Maggie doled out sparingly as I’d requested. I wanted to get better and off the drugs as soon as possible, but it would take a lot more time.

Maggie and Jules helped me back into bed where I took the pill, and Maggie administered the pain killer. In what felt like an eternity but was only a few minutes, the woozy floaty feeling from the pain medicine coated the worst of it.

Jules got into her side of the bed, put her hand over mine, and smiled. “Sleep, Gio. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

I tried to say I love you, but it came out garbled to which she laughed.

Her response was, “I wub oooh too.”

I fell asleep to the sound of her laughter and the memory of her forgiveness. I couldn’t ask for better.

Episode 108

Redemption

NAOMI

My hands shook as I ran my fingers along the pristine white satin of my wedding gown hanging in front of the standing floor mirror. I was alone in my soon-to-be husband’s apartment. His sister, Sydney, had just dropped me off from the rehearsal dinner. According to tradition, Memphis and I weren’t supposed to see each other until I walked down the aisle. I found it an odd tradition, but who was I to balk at the Taylor’s customs? They had been nothing but warm, inviting, and unbelievably understanding, given the situation with my father and him buying their house out from under them. Even though I bought it back and gifted it to them free and clear, it was embarrassing to say the least. Yet they handled the entire fiasco with grace and aplomb. I wished my family were as kind and considerate.

A knock on the door broke me out of my thoughts.

I grinned as I walked down the short hall and through the small living room to the front door. My man was a cheeky bad boy, coming to see me the night before the wedding. I fluffed my hair, pinched my cheeks, and bit my lips to give them some color. Next, I undid the robe I was wearing, leaving it open to the cute short nightie I was wearing underneath.

“He’ll never see it coming…” I breathed as I set my pose, unlocked the door, and opened it wide. “Hey baaaabyyyyyy…”I cooed and then croaked, dropping my hands to my robe, and closing it as quickly as possible.

“I can see you were expecting different company,” Abraham Shaw grunted. My mother stood behind him, her eyes wide in surprise, mouth open, looking like a fish out of water. The only fish out of water was me in that dreadful moment.

“What on Earth are you doing here? How did you even find me?” I clung to the lapels of my robe then quickly tied it tight.

The man—I would not allow myself to think of him as my father or dad—tilted his head. “Mrs. Taylor not only gave us this address, she actually encouraged us to come tonight while you were alone, after the rehearsal dinner.”

I clenched my teeth, a sudden wave of anger pushing against my chest. I didn’t want to believe Robin would do me so dirty. It wasn’t in her nature. However, what was in her nature was healing family wounds, and I knew she was deeply hurt when she learned my family and I were not only at odds, but that I’d disowned this man completely.

“Can we come in?” His tone was gentler than his usual booming voice.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Shaw,” I crossed my arms over my chest protectively. “I don’t invite my bosses over to my house. Especially at this late hour.”

His nostrils flared while my mother, who’d finally gotten herself together, practically whimpered, “Please, Naomi.”

I thought about slamming the door in their faces for all of five full seconds. Abraham stood stoic, chin raised, gaze on me, unflinching. He had always been an immovable force. Something I’d once admired about him, until he stopped using that power for good and, instead, became a controlling monster. Planning my life and future out piece by piece as if it were a business plan that had big checkboxes next to each line item.

“We’d like to talk to you.” he started. “May we please come in and have a civilized discussion in private and not out in this breezeway where three other neighbors can listen in?”

I snarled. He made a good point. If Memphis and I were going to stay here on and off for the foreseeable future, we definitely didn’t want our neighbors gossiping about us.

“Fine. You have fifteen minutes, but then I need to get my beauty sleep. I’m getting married tomorrow.” I held the door open wide.

They entered, both stopping to take in the small apartment. I’m sure he found it lacking because it was simple, and homey, compared to his preferred palatial, opulent lifestyle.

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