Page 5 of Wicked Devotion

Faith nodded. “You’re right.”

Rafael smiled. He used his thumb to caress her cheek andstared into her eyes. “I think we’ll do well together.”

Faith exhaled.

“Dinner should be here soon. We read the instructions on the way here. We’re to keep you girls hidden until after the ceremonies.”

Faith nodded. “Yes, my father thought it best. My stepmother has people watching us all the time.”

“How did you get here?”

“There are three decoys that look like us in the beach house we were staying in. The women have wigs that match our hair, and they walk around the house and on the deck so they can be seen. We had to leave in the middle of the night, and we were brought here and told to stay in the room.”

“Do you think all this is necessary?”

Faith looked at her sisters. “I hope not, but my father has learned things about Eldora that make him fear for our safety.”

“There are safety deposit boxes in three different banks for us. It gives the information for your inheritance and everything your father found on his wife.”

“Yes. Where are we going to live?”

“I have a house on the outskirts of town in a gated community. I’ll hire a few extra men for security, but I also work from home a lot.”

“What will I do?”

“You’ll have my babies.”

Chapter Two

Faith swallowed the panic she felt building inside her when he said that. She had just met the man, and he was talking about their babies.

He was extremely handsome, with his black hair and caramel-colored eyes. He was a large man, much larger than her in height and width. She couldn’t remember ever sitting this close to a man before, much less one so huge, and it was a bit overwhelming.

She and her sisters were virgins and didn’t know anything about the physical part of a marriage, so to get so personal so soon shook her. Oh, they knew about the “birds and the bees” but not the mechanics. “Are we going to get to know each other first?”

He nodded. “In the next few days, we’ll get to know each other.”

“It’s just I … I’m nervous.”

He smoothed the hair from her face. “You don’t have to be. I’m going to take excellent care of you.”

“I know, but why do we have to go so fast?”

“Baby, we will consummate our marriage right away. We want to protect you any way we can, and we can’t get it annulled if we’ve had sex.”

She knew he was telling the truth. The letter their father had given them had said the same thing, but the thought of being naked with this man and letting him into her body had her rethinking her decision.

He cupped her cheek. “I know this is unorthodox, but we are going to have a good marriage. I guarantee it.”

She studied his face and then exhaled and relaxed. “Okay.”

“Good girl.”

“What do you expect of me? Do I clean the house, dishes, and laundry? Because I can. I like keeping busy.”

He smiled gently at her. “No, Baby. We have servants for all that. Do you have a hobby?”

“I like horses, cooking, and crochet.”

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