Chapter 12
Diamond glared at his back as he made his way upstairs; he'd left without putting on anything on his feet. No doubt to change and then come back down so he could work on his business.
Tonight, she had planned to leave her new husband because she didn’t marry him to just be ignored. Even though the marriage had come about because of him blackmailing her. If she was going to be trapped in this marriage, she wanted it to be more than just a name on a piece of paper, and even though their first time had shown her they were very compatible in bed, she also wanted much more. She wanted his time, and for them to be husband and wife, there was something between them that had been ignited, and she was becoming enamored with her husband to the point that it was surprising her. The two days that he was busy, her thoughts had been consumed with images of him, how he smelled, his touch, and his voice. She felt she was on the cusp of having a love like her parents, Carter and Zahara, and now her sister Ambra and Michael. She’d read about meeting your soul mate, and Ben was turning out to be the one.
There was a side of her that was a bit dark, and she had kept it hidden, but she was turned on by the fact that Ben was inflicting pain on himself and that he got a rush from her hurting him too. The pain and pleasure from the first time he took her, she’d enjoyed it and wanted more; tonight was the same. Ben had been a beast in the bed, and she’d had multiple orgasms from the rough sex and the piercing on his cock and had wondered what it would feel like if he had more on his shaft.
Her thoughts were making her hot and bothered again, and she muttered out loud, “You’d better finish what you started.” Forgetting her sister was there for a moment when she heard her gasp.
She pasted a smile on her face and turned to hug Ambra and felt her stiffen in shock, because even though they were close, Diamond was not much of a hugger.
But she was happy to see her sister and was in a good mood from the fucking she’d just received from Ben.
It was her turn to stiffen when Ambra said., “Come on, Diamond, we can talk in the car. I will take you home and we can fix—”
“No, you can’t. You can’t get involved; I don’t want you anywhere near this. You just go home; I will be okay, and we can talk tomorrow.” She pasted a reassuring smile on her lips. “I want to hear everything that happened with you and Michael.”
Her sister looked angry and puzzled at the same time. “Diamond, I can’t leave you like this.”
“It’s okay; I am not in any danger. Just in trouble right now, and Ben is helping me out.”
“By forcing you to marry him. Diamond. Come on.” Her sister scowled.
“Yes, that is the price for me getting out of this mess,” Diamond said bitterly before pasting on another false smile. “But you know me. I will make this situation work and come out with the upper hand.”
Ambra’s chest rose and fell in agitation, and then she swayed slightly. Diamond could imagine how tired she was, and she loved the fact that her sister rushed over to protect her, but she was the oldest and could take care of herself.
She then eyed Ambra with concern. “Go home before you fall down and get some rest. Everything is okay for now, and hopefully we will have all of this resolved soon.”
“Yeah, I will see what I can find.”
She clucked her tongue in irritation at her stubborn sibling. “No, stay out of this, please. I can’t be worried about this having an impact on you too,” Diamond said, suddenly feeling very tired. Damn him, he was right; she needed to get some rest. She’d not been sleeping properly, being left alone in their big bed, and she’d tried getting up early when she did fall asleep to catch him, but unless he didn’t sleep at all, he was always gone before she got up in the morning.
She watched as Ambra stilled, knowing that her sister was going to bide her time now and revisit this; she’d probably ambush her when Ben was not around. “Okay sis, I will back off for now, but not for very long. We can’t let whoever did this get away with it.”
“Yes, thank you.” Diamond just nodded, feeling flustered as her mind raced with thoughts, and she snapped back when Ambra cleared her throat, adding, “And then we can get this sham of a marriage annulled.”
She stiffened and nibbled her lower lip as image after image flooded her thoughts, now with how it was going to be impossible to get it annulled with what she and Ben had done. She knew her sister wouldn’t understand because she’d just been happily engaged to Bryce and now was having sex with Ben.
She could feel her sister’s eyes on her, and she turned to see her wearing a surprised and reflective look and recalled what Ben had looked like when she’d come down the stairs. His hair had looked as if someone had messed it up, and he was sporting the scratches from her on his chest...
Busted.
“Sis, did—”
Diamond interrupted her. “We agreed to stay married for at least a year after everything is all cleared up. For appearances’ sake and all.” She waved her hand around, not looking her sister in the eye as she lied. Ben had said forever, and she didn’t want her sister marching into the house with fresh rage over this. Time would only tell if they were meant to stay together. She had the physical with Ben; she just needed the emotional connection, if there was one on his part.
Diamond should have shut her eyes as Ambra’s mouth opened and closed. She didn’t want her sister to realize that she had folded like a deck of cards when Ben had put his hands on her. Not yet anyway, as everything was so new to them, and she was trying to figure out what their relationship was. Or what she hoped it was.
She needed time with Ben without anyone’s interference or judgment. Ambra and Michael had been given time to figure themselves out, and she needed the same.
Diamond leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek before turning her around towards the door.
“Call me when you are back home so that I know you are safe. I really wanted you to not have to come over tonight because I knew you and Michael had just gotten back, but I am glad you did. I missed you.”
“Ummm, me too. Love you,” she whispered, and Diamond could see her sister’s mind whirling as she tried to process this new chain of events.
“Love you too. And don’t be too hard on Michael. I told him to wait until you came back to New York because I didn’t want what is happening to me to get in the way of you both finally admitting you love each other. Now go home, rest, and then call him to come back so you can work it out. You were always meant to be together, and I need you both to finally be happy and stop getting on my last nerve with this friendship business.”
Michael had gone behind his brother’s back and had reached out to her before the wedding, telling her not to give in to his brother’s demands and that they were on their way back.
She recalled the conversation. “Did you tell her already?” She questioned, a sudden sinking feeling in her stomach that she’d never experienced before.
“No, not yet, but when I tell her, she is going to want to leave immediately.”
“Don’t Michael. If you are in love with my sister, like I know you are, don’t get her involved in my mess. Let me work this out the best way I can, and if that means marrying Ben so that I can protect her and my family, then I will do it.”
Michael suddenly sounded hoarse and angry. “Don’t ask me to do that to Ambra; she will never forgive me if I didn’t tell her the truth.”
“Michael, listen to me: the less people that get involved, the less chances of this going south. You are putting me and your brother in jeopardy along with Ambra if you tell her. She will find out soon enough, but hopefully after we have solved all of this before you come back from Barbados. At least give us till then.” Diamond implored.
“I can’t lose Ambra now that I have admitted to myself what she means to me, Diamond.”
“You won’t; she loves you too. Has she said it yet?”
“No,” he said huffily.
She smiled. He had it bad.
“Well then, see, give it more time. Talk to you when you both are back.”
“Diamond, this better not go sideways.”
“I promise it won’t. Who better than to solve all of this than your brother?”
“Your sister.”
She grinned. “Yes, her too, but for now I will settle for your brother.”
“Why are you letting him blackmail you into marriage?” Michael suddenly sounded suspicious to her.
“Because I want him.” And then she hung up.
She focused on her sister, who was blinking at her sleepily; the adrenaline that had gotten her over here was wearing off, and she didn’t want her sister to fall asleep at the wheel. Time for her to go home.
She kissed her on the cheek again and then shut the door in her face.
She jumped when she turned and saw Ben hiding in the shadows. His face closed off to her again.
“One year it is then.” He said softly.
“What?” She was confused for a minute, then she recalled what she’d said to her sister.
Shit.