Chapter Five
Killian
I can’t explain why I had to walk her down the aisle. It wasn’t necessary. She had no reason to escape, but the moment I saw her, I wanted to walk her down. Magnolia looked radiant in her ball-gown-type wedding dress. I don’t know how they managed it in such a short time, but it looked as if it were made for her measurements. Everything about it was perfect. Her long, luscious locks were up in a fancy ‘do with some strands that framed her face, and thankfully the makeup artist was a true artist and hadn’t messed with Magnolia’s natural beauty.
She wasn’t wearing too much makeup, which is what I told the women when they entered. I wanted her to keep it simple, but elegant for the photos. Magnolia radiated beauty and didn’t need all that extra crap to appear natural. When Magnolia woke up this morning completely fresh faced, I wanted to pin her to the nearest surface and bury myself inside her.
Although I didn’t think she’d welcome it. This morning, she looked like she’d rather run for the hills than marry me. The regret was written on her face and all over her attitude last night and into the morning. When I came to check in, some of the ice seemed to melt—until the cameras’ flashing bulbs went crazy. She might have put on a faux smile, but it wasn’t the same as the happy woman I remembered earlier.
After the ceremony there was no added fanfare or celebration. We took a few more photos and then I escorted my sexy wife back up to our rooms. “We’re leaving today. I have business to attend to, and Christmas is coming. Things will be hectic.”
“Do you celebrate Christmas?” she asked, her curiosity piqued. I hadn’t celebrated it with family since my mother was alive.
“No, but I’m sure with a wife now, it’s something to consider.” There were probably several traditions she had, and I suppose I could honor some of them. “What were your plans?”
“I was planning on going home with the money.”
“Well, it’s a trip home. Where is your home?”
She pauses too long, giving more honesty in her silence than in her words. “I’m in college in New York City.” I want to take her over my knee right now. She’s being intentionally obtuse.
“I asked where your home is. Don’t play around with me. Where is your family at?”
“They live in Nebraska.”
“Are you planning to see them for Christmas?”
“No. I wasn’t going home for Christmas this year.”
“Why not?”
“I didn’t have it in my budget,” I lie.
“You are lying to me, my Magnolia. You just earned a fortune, and if another asshole had gotten his hands on you, you would have still gotten more than enough to go home. So, either there’s another reason why you don’t want to go home, or you don’t want to go home now that you have a husband. What is it, Wife?”
“The latter. What am I supposed to tell my parents? ‘Hey, Mom and Dad, I went to an auction to sell my virginity and snagged me a husband.’”
“Maybe you could just say we started dating and then it was in my father’s will, so you married me because of it. End of story. It’s the half-truth, and you don’t have to feel that damn guilty about it. Fuck, you could have given up your little cherry to some little two-pump chump who wouldn’t have appreciated it anyway. I’d say you won big time.”
Her brows raise, but then she considers my proposal. “I suppose it could work. My parents are very traditional, Killian.”
“Well, my family is all about arranged marriages, so if anyone is about traditional, I think mine were very old school.”
“Wow, that’s pretty ancient.”
“Yeah, well, it didn’t work for them, but it helps control power. Not that it mattered to me, but my father was a bastard even in death, and he felt he wanted me to suffer just like he did. At least I got to pick my bride.”
“At least your suffering will be temporary.”
“Enough. We have to prepare for our departure.”
We boarded a plane an hour later and as we settle in, I inform her about the plans for the next few days. “We’ll stop in New York for two days, and then fly out to Nebraska and stay for a couple of days. Will that please you?”
“Yes, I suppose that could work.” She doesn’t sound too pleased at first, but then her eyes widen when a thought comes to her. “I actually have money to buy Christmas presents.” I don’t like her spending money that I fucked her for on gifts for others. It’s stupid, because she’s my wife so I’ll be giving her money and fucking her all the time, but it’s different.
“Well, I have to head into the office and work most of the time, so I’ll send you with my driver and one of my security guards.” The thought of her unprotected when my enemies are lurking doesn’t sit well with me, especially because she’s not from my world. The poor girl has no damn idea what she’s got herself involved in by just being so sexy and innocent. I almost feel terrible about snatching her up. I should let her go, but that wasn’t going to happen even if my father’s property wasn’t up for grabs. Now that I’ve had her pussy there was no way I was giving it up so easily.
“I don’t need security,” she complains. It’s really cute that she actually believes it. Even if I wasn’t the city’s fucking Kingpin with a target on my back, I’m worth billions of dollars, which means so is her pretty ass.
“Look at me. You’re my wife now. That means you need security. That ring on your finger needs security. Trust me when I say you need protection.” I don’t tell her it’s because I have a laundry list of enemies that would love to use her as a fucking weapon against me because she doesn’t need to worry about it. Besides, she doesn’t trust me as it is.
“I’m sorry. I forget that I’m in a totally different world now.”
“Don’t be sorry. I should have explained my reasoning. Just know I want you to always be safe.”
“Until my contract is up.”
I roll my eyes. She really likes mentioning the end of our relationship, which makes me want to put her on birth control. “So tell me about you and Nebraska.”
“I grew up on a medium-sized dairy farm with my parents and three brothers. They’re all going to be part of the family business, but I wanted to get out of town. It didn’t make my parents happy, but they understood the reason I left.” I sense a story behind that meaning, but before I can ask, she continues. “My bestie lives there, and I miss her like crazy. I wish she could have come with me, but she had no interest in leaving our town, unlike me.”
I’m going to figure out why my wife ran from Nebraska. It just became a mission for me.