Chapter 24
Blaze
She’s glowing. I can’t take my eyes off her. I settled her in the breakfast nook with the other women, and I’m standing at the island, one hip against it, sipping coffee while I watch her.
I’ve eaten. She’s been chatting, so she’s just now about to dive in.
After placing my mug on the island, I approach the gaggle. “Do you want hot tea, baby?” I ask, leaning over her shoulder and kissing her cheek.
“Yes, please. Thank you.”
“You’re switching to herbal. Do you have a flavor preference?”
Her brow furrows.
The rest of the women chuckle. Emilia groans and glares at me. “Did Haden get hold of you?”
I laugh. “Nope. I’m just observant.”
Victoria looks around at everyone and back to me. “What am I missing?”
Emilia answers for me, “He’s cutting you off from caffeine.”
I smirk and head for the box of assorted herbal teas, returning with it a moment later to hold it open in front of Victoria.
She peruses it for a few seconds and picks one. “Why am I cut off from caffeine exactly?”
I love that she doesn’t defy me or argue; she simply questions my motives. Reaching for the hot water in the middle of the table, I pour it into her teacup. “Pregnant women shouldn’t have caffeine.”
She flinches. “I’m not pregnant. I’m so far from pregnant, it’s not even funny.”
More giggles.
Claire grins. “He’s pulling the usual Wilde denial trick to get you to marry him, isn’t he?”
I actually haven’t mentioned marriage a single time for the last two days. I’m just planting seeds. I kiss my girl’s cheek. “I’ll be in Ryder’s office. Text me when you’re done. I’ll come get you.”
“Or I could, you know…walk there myself,” she says in a cheery voice.
I respond just as jovially, “You can do that, baby, if you want me to spank your bottom so hard you can’t sit on it at dinner.” I chuckle to myself as I walk away.
All the women are snickering.
As soon as I’m in the hallway where none of them can see me, I lean against the wall. Mostly, I just need to catch my breath after that interaction, but I can’t deny wanting to hear what is said next.
“Fuck, he’s intense,” Emilia says.
“Does Haden let you cuss?” Claire asks.
“Fuck no,” the little imp retorts.
“Uhhh…” This comes from Victoria. “Is he more intense than any of your husbands?”
“No.” It’s just one syllable. One word. But all five women say it in unison.
I cover my mouth to avoid being detected. I’m not exactly spying. Those women know better than to misbehave even when they’re alone. And I don’t mind their banter a bit. I want Victoria to fit in. I want her to have friends. Family. It’s clear she’s never had much of either.
“Are you going to marry him?” Reagan asks.
“He hasn’t actually asked me to marry him,” Victoria responds.
I plant my palm on my forehead. She’s got a point.
To be fair, I thought she needed a bit of time to get used to the idea before I got down on one knee.
It’s been four days. I’m sure my cousins had things nearly wrapped up with their wives after five days, but they weren’t also dealing with an injury.
Or am I just making excuses?
I should ask her.
If I’m honest with myself, I’m slightly worried about rejection. If I don’t ask, she can’t turn me down. Instead, I’ve chosen to make her realize how we belong together first.
Oh, and deny her sex while sucking her clit as often as possible.
It worked for my cousins.
“Aren’t any of you scared about giving birth?” Victoria asks.
“God, yes,” Arianna says. “Scared to death. But it’s a natural thing, and Dallas is so involved in every single detail. It eases my fears. I know I won’t be alone ever.”
“Same with Brody,” Melody agrees.
“All of them,” Claire adds. “It’s in their blood. They’re overprotective, but hands-on at the same time. And there are so many of us living here. We’ll never be alone.”
“I’m so young…” Victoria continues. “I didn’t see marriage on my radar, let alone babies.”
“None of us did, honey.” This is from Reagan.
I’m grinning like a loon when Ryder finds me standing here. My girl is pondering everything I want. It warms my heart. I nod at him and quietly move away from the kitchen door to join him.
When Victoria texts me to let me know she’s done with breakfast, I return to get her with a heavy heart. She’s not going to like what I’ve learned from the PI and the lawyer.
“Is everything okay?” she asks as I carry her to the room I’ve chosen to be my own office. It’s a work in progress, but I bet she’s going to like it.
“It’s… No. Not really.”
She sits tall when I deposit her on a loveseat and lower myself next to her. I lift her injured leg onto my thighs even though I know it’s not entirely necessary. Nor is it mandatory that I carry her around. But I like doing so.
“Tell me.”
I sigh. “Thomas McAndrews got a copy of your father’s will.”
“I honestly wasn’t sure one even existed.”
“Of course you weren’t. Your greedy stepmother wouldn’t have told you.” There is snark in my voice, but it’s impossible to control my emotions.
Victoria’s eyes widen. “And?”
“Your grandparents had a sizable estate, which they left to your father and then any of his heirs. Their will did not mention anyone your father would have married, which is common. Parents often leave spouses out of wills. It can get too messy in the event of a divorce. And they certainly didn’t know anything about Sheila. ”
“Okay…”
“Your father had his own will, which is a miracle in and of itself. He was rather young. I suppose, after your mother died, he felt less invincible and wanted you to be taken care of. Which was good, but he left your stepmother as executor of the will until you turned twenty-one.”
Victoria blinks. “I turned twenty-one several months ago.”
“Yeah. Side problem. No one really keeps close tabs on executors. Eventually, the probate court might have caught up with her, but it’s not weird that it hasn’t happened yet.
In the meantime, she took a hefty chunk for herself every month for all these years under the guise of it being for your upbringing. ”
Victoria’s jaw drops. “My upbringing?”
I sigh. “Yeah.”
“How are her country club fees and fancy lifestyle part of my upbringing?”
I run a hand over my head. “Well, it’s a gray area. She got away with it. But now that you’re twenty-one, the money in the estate is yours. Not hers. She’s spending your inheritance.”
“And fucking the pool guy?” she shouts.
I wince. I’m not going to call her out on cussing. She deserves this one. I take her hand and bring it to my lips to kiss her knuckles. “It gets worse.”
“It can’t get any worse,” she yells.
“Oh, it can. She’s on her way here.”
Victoria nearly jumps off the couch. “What the fuck?”
I nod. “I assume she tracked your car to this location and then lost you when we destroyed the tracker. I had people following her. She took a flight this morning. Someone will pick up her trail when she lands.”
Victoria’s chest rises and falls. “I don’t want to see that bitch.”
“Then you don’t have to. I’ll handle her.”
She slumps back against the armrest and tips her head to the ceiling. “Unbelievable. What’s her aim?”
“I’m speculating here, but I think she probably made a deal with David that if he married you, she would share the money with him. Or rather, in that case, he would share it with her.”
Victoria lifts her head to stare at me. “Wouldn’t I have eventually known the money was mine?”
“Yes. Eventually. I’m not sure how long that would have taken. But in theory, yes.”
“Why would David have control over my money even if he did marry me, and why would I let him give it to my stepmother?”
I smile. “I didn’t say she was the brightest tack in the box.
Nor is David. And I don’t even know for sure whether that was her plan, but it’s the only logical explanation I have for her setting you up with her fuckboy and encouraging him to marry you.
She thought she could continue to live her lavish lifestyle if she had a way to still get her monthly paycheck. ”
“Do you know how much money we’re talking about?”
“Not yet. I’d say it’s substantial. Thomas is still looking into that.” I lean forward. “What I can tell you is that she’s been cut off as of an hour ago. The account is frozen. She can’t touch another dime of your money. If she uses her credit cards, she won’t be able to pay the balance.”
Victoria gives me a slow grin. “I’d love to see the look on her face when she finds that out.”
“Me, too, baby.”
“Can I sue her?”
I shrug. “Maybe, but that would be a tough road. I’m not sure you would win. She would say that her monthly withdrawal was necessary to keep you living in the manner you were accustomed before your father died. The fact that she didn’t use the money for you would be hard to prove.”
“Gawd. When I think of all the clothes in her closet and how she told me I couldn’t go to college unless I got a scholarship…” Victoria’s voice rises to a new pitch.
“I’m sorry, baby.”
“Fancy nails… Her fucking tennis lessons… That damn pool guy…” Her head pops up. “David must be new. I never met him before that date.”
I let her continue to recall everything. She needs to process this madness in her own way.
“She bought a new car every few years. Did she ever buy me a car? No.”
I wince.
“I feel like Cinderella.”
“Without the stepsisters,” I point out.
“Exactly. And Prince Charming.”
“Hey, now. You eventually got the Prince Charming.” I grin.
“I certainly did.” She stares at me, smiling. “You love me?”
“With my entire heart.”
She narrows her gaze. “Did you say that before you found out I have a lot of money?”
I chuckle. “Yes, baby. And I don’t care about your money. No matter how much you have. For one thing, I have my own savings. After all, I was playing in the rat race in Chicago for twenty years before I came here. For another thing, I have my own inheritance.”
“Which you don’t get for ten years.”
“True, but just like your father’s will, Amos Wilde assigned an executor.
That man is Thomas, our lawyer. He has the authority to sign off on anything he thinks is necessary for the good of the mansion, its occupants, or the town.
And he hasn’t turned down a single request yet.
He wants to see this town thriving again as much as anyone else who lives here.
He has a vested interest in making sure those of us who arrive are happy and keep helping revamp the town and the estate. ”
Victoria nods. “I should meet him.”
“You should. I’ll set up an appointment. Plus, you might want to use him to make sure your ducks are in a row with your own estate. He knows people who can help you invest it wisely. Save it for your grandkids.”
“Sounds like my grandkids are going to be loaded. Lucky bastards,” she jokes.
I chuckle. “They might be loaded, but they won’t be bastards.” I lift her leg off my lap, reach for her, and turn her so she’s sitting on my thighs instead. I need to be closer. I need my arms around my girl. “I meant what I said earlier. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“Will you marry me and have ten kids with me and live happily ever after in this weird mansion?”
“Probably. Someday.” There’s a teasing lilt to her voice.
“What if I get a ring, some flowers, some chocolates, and get down on one knee? Would you say yes?” This is a legitimate concern of mine.
“I guess you won’t know until you try it.”
I twist her around, grab the back of her head, tip her into my arm, and kiss her for so long that she’s panting when I let up. “I’m going to try it, baby. Soon. Are you ready for that?”
“Yes, Sir.”