Deplorable Schemes (Immoral Starts #8)

Chapter 1

Natalie

“Good morning, Mrs. Dansworth,” Sarah’s soft voice says as she sets the silver tray on the small table to my side. “I brought you coffee and orange juice because I wasn’t sure which you preferred today.”

“Thanks,” I mutter, dismissing her with a wave of my hand. My eyes don’t stray from the bright green of the backyard garden.

I’m usually not so short with the staff, but I am exhausted.

All night Jeoffry’s alarms rang, alerting the nurse on call of his declining state.

I may not have the coziest of feelings for my husband, but something pangs inside me at the thought of becoming a widow.

I’m only twenty-five, and it’s not like Jeoffry is that old.

The man is barely pushing sixty. When I decided to basically become the epitome of the stereotypical “gold digger,” as people say, I expected to be set for life and for him to die when I was in my mid to late thirties.

We’d have a couple of kids, and it seemed more realistic to never marry again.

It would have just been me and my family with the Dansworth legacy.

With Jeoffry’s imminent death, I know my father will expect I remarry within the next few years, even if I inherit the Dansworth estate.

After all, what is my worth if not to pop out an heir for someone who has more money than they know what to do with?

It’s not what I had planned at all. Jeoffry is—was—an attractive man, and being married to him hasn’t been a hardship, but I gave up my life for him.

I abandoned any aspirations of finding a career with the degree I had earned, abandoned any type of reputation other than being the wife at his side.

It was supposed to be worth it because I’d be set up for life.

I stare down at the plate of food and coffee; the thought of taking a bite of it makes my stomach turn.

Bringing my knees up to rest on the edge of the seat, I slump into the chair and overlook the gardens again.

The morning is a bit cold, and dew gathers in heavy drops on the balcony’s railing while the sun glistens off the wet grass.

This is how I prefer to take my breakfast, and the days that Jeoffry was in town, he’d join me.

But when your company reaches a global level, there’s a lot of traveling to be done.

The first year it had been exciting, but then I realized it left very little time for me to actually explore the places we visited.

Instead I was cooped up in the hotel or house.

The shine quickly wore off, and I opted to stay home, convincing Jeoffry to take a weeklong vacation twice a year where it’s just the two of us.

It’s not like I dreaded spending time with my husband.

Most days were pleasant, and he let me do whatever I wanted, buy whatever I wanted.

Plus, it wasn’t like the sex was abysmal.

He was half-decent, and I got to come the majority of the time.

At the end of the day, I have enjoyed my cushy life, but the possibility of it all changing is as upsetting as his declining health.

When the doorbell rings, I frown. Who the hell would visit this early?

Jeoffry’s lawyer handles the company’s board with minimal explanation of what’s happening, so it can’t be a business associate.

Outside of my father, no one in our social circle is aware of what’s happening either.

A yell breaks out and the crash of something hitting the ground has me jumping up.

Tugging my silk robe tighter across me, I hurry out of the room toward the shouting in the foyer.

My fingers grip the stair railing as I make my way down and see a tall angry man towering over Sarah.

The light of the morning encases him in a glow that only enhances his beauty.

I’ve only met Jeoffry’s son once, and it was the day before our wedding when he disowned him.

His son hadn’t been pleased to find out his father was marrying someone younger than him, and with, by all accounts, a lousy prenup.

It left me everything unless otherwise specified by Jeoffry.

That was three years ago, and Henry has never called, visited, or made any hints he was looking to reconcile with his father.

“What are you doing here?” I ask, proud of how strong my voice is.

He turns to me, bright blue eyes burning with fury.

His black t-shirt is fitted to his muscular body, and his jeans are torn in a few spots that I can’t be sure are a design choice or not, but they look good on him.

Just like his dark, windswept hair all tousled above his glare.

His biceps flex as I pause on the last step with a raised eyebrow. “Well?”

He sneers, stepping toward me. His thick black boots thud against the marble floor. “This is my father’s house. I can come as I please.”

I cross my arms, a small thrill running through me when his eyes flicker to my breasts before returning to my face. “You were disowned. You are no longer welcome.”

Henry moves until he is within a hair’s breadth of brushing against my arms. The stair puts us near eye level, when I would probably come up to his chest. Tendrils of motor oil and leather circle around me, and I’m ashamed of how much I enjoy his scent.

“My father lies on his deathbed, and you are denying me the opportunity to see him? You fucking gold-digging cunt.”

I clench my jaw tightly and stare up at him. “All you have to do is ask nicely. Not charge in here like a bull.”

Henry’s eye twitches, and it makes me smile. He really hates being told what to do.

My tongue sweeps along the bottom of my teeth. “Ask nicely, Henry.”

“That’s not my name,” he growls out.

I scoff. “As if I’d ever call you that ridiculous nickname.

” I can’t even recall the name of those leather vest things they wear.

I just know that the men he hangs around all call themselves silly little names and sew them on their chests like an introductory name tag.

These are the reports his father has received over the years by the security team that checks in from time to time.

Henry grits his teeth. “It’s not a nickname, it’s a road name. And it’s an honor to have one.”

I move backwards and up a step, just to get some space from him, but he takes it as an invitation to follow me.

“May I see my father…please?” It’s like a curse he’s choking on.

It takes immense effort not to smile at him. It sounded nearly painful for him to get those words out. I nod, and wave up the stairs.

“He’s in his wing, just not his main bedroom. We had to make room for the medical equipment.”

Henry waits for me to lead him into the room after the staff leaves, not bothering to knock as he continues through the doorway past me. “What happened?” he asks, this time without as much aggression as earlier.

I have to stop the urge to roll my eyes again and walk over to the small table across from his bed that’s reserved for all the doctor’s information and grab the clipboard.

“Excuse my pronunciation, but they determined it’s primary amoebic meningoencephalitis.

A parasite is eating his brain tissue, basically. ”

Goosebumps erupt on my skin. Every time I’m reminded of it, I realize how close to death I’d been, too. We’d been swimming in the same water, but only Jeoffry contracted the bacteria.

Henry crosses his arms. “And how did he get that?”

“Swimming.” Did he not know we were on vacation? That we had to have him medevaced to the closest hospital. It was probably the costliest trip of both our lives.

His eyes flash with barely concealed disgust. “And if you were swimming with him, why aren’t you laid up beside him?”

I narrow my stare. “By sheer fucking luck.”

“You’ve sure lucked out a lot in this life, haven’t you?”

Before I can respond, one of Jeoffry’s alarms starts to blare, and the medical staff I had asked to give us privacy rush in. Henry’s eyes widen as he takes in the situation's severity.

I push him out of the room, letting the two nurses respond to whatever alarm has been triggered. Henry storms through the door, moving to stand at the railing of the floor with his head bent. Guilt worms its way into my heart, even if I’ve done nothing wrong. This is his father, after all.

He turns to me, a disgusted sneer on his face as his gaze drags down my body. “What the fuck are you wearing? Trying to seduce me since your ATM is dying?”

My mouth drops open before I snap it shut with a glare. “You barged in here, unannounced. I was enjoying breakfast on the balcony. If anything, it seems you were trying to catch a glimpse of me.”

Henry laughs, a condescending boom echoing around us. “As if I’d ever be interested in my father’s seconds.”

I roll my eyes. “You deny it a lot for someone who is seemingly uninterested.”

His jaw tics. “I’m just looking out for my best interest. Wouldn’t want to be the next Dansworth buried.”

The accusation is horrendous, fueling my own anger. “How dare you! Get out! Get out of my house!”

I shove at his chest, but he pushes me against the wall, wrapping his hand around my throat. He leans forward, pressing against me harder as his nose skims my cheek.

“I swear to god if you had anything to do with his death, I’ll kill you myself,” he whispers into my ear.

A bitter smile stretches across my lips, not afraid of him in the slightest. My hand snakes between us, rubbing the bulge that I feel pressed against me; it grows larger in my hold.

“Would you fuck me first? Take your dear ole mommy for a spin before you kill her. Because I thought you weren’t interested? ”

He lets go of my neck as if he’s been burned, but glares down at me. “You think you have so much power, you conniving little bitch. I bet you’re wet at the thought of my cock in you.”

He steps back, ripping my robe open to expose my sheer, lacy negligee.

I gasp. “How dare you!”

Henry shoves his knee between my legs, grabbing my arms as I try to drag my robe closed again.

He transfers my wrists to one hand. I’m panting from the quick exchange, half from astonishment at his action and half from the thrill of it.

My breasts strain against the thin material, my hard nipples scraping against it with every rise and fall of my chest.

His gaze drops down to watch before he palms one of my breasts entirely, kneading at the mound.

It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him to stop, but it never falls from my lips.

As if remembering what he is doing, he drops his hand with a sneer and shoves it between my legs, tracing along my pussy before I can blink.

He pulls his hand back, showing off the faint smears on his fingers. “Well, would you look at that?”

His tone flares my temper, and I laugh, mockingly. “That’s natural, dumbass. I’m sorry you’ve never experienced giving a woman an orgasm to know the difference between natural discharge and when a pussy is wet. Maybe one day.”

His nostrils flare, and a flush blooms over his neck.

I realize I should have just let him win whatever victory he was looking for instead of taunting him.

He spits on his fingers and then shifts his knee to open me farther before leaning down.

His lips brush against mine, as if to feel my gasp when he shoves his fingers inside me.

“You think I can’t make my woman come, huh? You wouldn’t know how to handle my kind of fucking.”

I laugh. “On a dirty sheet with a sweaty leather vest, I’m sure the two minutes isn’t hard for any of your women to handle. That’s why so many hang around.”

The grin that stretches across his face isn’t nice. Henry presses closer, his forehead against mine as his fingers pump in and out with a slight curl. I hate the way my pussy starts gushing with pleasure from his actions.

“Look at you, already clutching onto my fingers for more,” he taunts.

“You’re just as desperate, honey. I bet you can’t take it either, and I’d have you coming in my hand just as fast.”

He sneers, pulling his hand away to undo his jeans. Henry picks me up, turning me to rest against the balcony railing just as he shoves his cock into my cunt. It’s like I was made to fit him inside me, a match that instantly engulfs us in flames. He grunts, his eyes squeezing shut briefly.

I cry out, gripping his forearms as he pushes deeper into my tight channel.

My chest arches, my head bowing back over the landing below.

Henry’s hold on me tightens, pulling me back toward him with each thrust forward.

My hair sways with each rock of our bodies, and I’ve never felt so good.

It’s like we are two missing pieces that slot together perfectly.

His thumb slides down, pressing down on my clit, and I jerk in his hold, clamping down on his cock.

“Oh god, yes,” I hiss out as he starts pumping himself in and out of me faster.

I raise my leg to hitch it higher on his waist, and his next thrust hits a spot that has me seeing spots.

Henry pulls me closer to him as he leans over, sucking my nipple into his mouth before biting it lightly.

A shiver runs over my body, heat burning within as my legs start to tremble with my impending release.

Henry switches to my other breast, and I’m done for.

“Oh, fuck,” I moan breathily.

He grunts, thrusting a few more times as my pussy contracts around him.

Then his cock swells and jerks as he spills inside me.

My eyes flutter as we both fall into our release, wave after wave until his cum leaves a hot, wet trail between my cheeks.

It drips down the railing and onto the floor before he pulls out and sets me on my feet.

His face is ashen with flushed cheeks, his eyes wide as his chest rapidly rises and falls.

I watch as he tucks his cock back into his pants with clumsy hands before he turns and storms down the stairs with heavy footsteps.

When he slams the front door closed, I flinch and then bend down, using the corners of my dress to wipe up the spilled cum before running to my bathroom.