Chapter 2
Hayes
Twenty Years Ago
“Inow pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your lovely bride,” the judge declares from his bench where he sits overlooking the nearly barren courtroom.
Raegan gives my hands a gentle squeeze, drawing my attention back to her… my wife.
Fuck, she’s beautiful.
Despite there being zero natural light in the room, her fair skin looks sun-kissed and a warm glow emanates from all around her. Those emerald eyes I love so much lock with mine and I’m hypnotized… forever lost in her.
“Are you just gonna stand there, handsome? Or are you gonna kiss your wife?” she chirps quietly.
Oh, I’m going to do a lot more than kiss her.
I don’t say that last part.
Instead, I encase her face with my hands and pull her to me, just enough so I can lean down and lay my lips on hers, claiming her as my own.
She quietly hums a moan against my mouth and I seize the opportunity to slip my tongue between her soft, pillowy lips and dance it with her own until we hear a throat clear behind us.
Right.
We’re not alone.
Damnit.
We pull apart and between her chest heaving with breathlessness and the flush creeping up her neck, I can tell she’s just as affected as I am. If only we were alone. I’d lay her out in the middle of this courtroom and consummate this union in a very explicit way.
My dick twitches in my pants at that thought and I silently curse him, willing him to stand down before I embarrass myself even more in front of her parents.
“Honey,” Raegan’s mother sniffles, grabbing her hand to pull her away. “Are you sure about this? You just met him… what? Six weeks ago? What do you even know about this boy?”
I raise a brow. She does know I can hear her, right?
“Jesus, Mother,” her sister Sutton interrupts. I’ve only met her once before today, but I like her already. “Leave her alone. She’s a grown woman and can make her own mistakes.”
My brows raise at her passive aggressive slight. I’d like to take my previous statement back, please.
“I know all I need to know, Mom. I promise you, I know what I’m doing. I love Hayes and he loves me. I don’t know how I know, but I know he’s going to take care of me and treasure me. He won’t hurt me.”
“What about school?” her father cuts in, his tone sharp and unyielding. “You’re too young to get married. You should be focusing on your classes and your career.”
It’s a little late for the warnings, considering we’re already married.
“It’s a little late for all of this, don’t you think?” she stresses and I can’t help but let out a quiet chuckle at our identical thought process. “Hayes is my husband now. Get used to it. I can go to school and have a career and husband at the same time.”
She steps backward until her back meets my chest and I protectively slide my arm around her middle, pulling her tighter into me so she knows I’ve got her.
“I know this all seems rushed,” I cut in, determined to assure them that I do indeed have her. “But you can rest assured that I have no intention of keeping your daughter from her schooling or her career.”
“Where are his parents? Do you even know his last name?” her mother inquires rapid-fire, ignoring me and proving my words mean nothing to her.
Raegan scoffs. “Where his parents are is none of your business… and of course, I know his last name!”
Her response is about as indignant as can be and I find myself biting my lip, working hard to school my face.
I know she doesn’t know the answer to the first question because I rarely talk about my parents.
I also don’t think she actually knows my last name even though it’s written–plain as day–on the marriage certificate and the judge said it–out loud–less than ten minutes ago.
Her parents had to have heard it as well, but there’s clearly a lot of emotions swirling around right now, so I guess they get a pass.
Her parents aren’t completely off base in their concern, either.
We don’t know everything about each other, but we know about as much as one can learn in thirty-seven days.
I’m suddenly regretting not making sure she at least knew something as simple as my last fucking name before today.
Because, of course her parents would ask.
To say our romance has been a whirlwind would be an understatement.
I came to Kansas City two months ago. I was accepted into a business management class at the state university that was being taught by one of the country’s most successful entrepreneurs and basically a savant in the field.
When the opportunity knocked on my door, I couldn’t turn it down.
I need all the expert information I can get if I’m going to make something of myself.
I got here a couple weeks early to get settled and on the first day of class, I collided with a girl–well, she collided with me–and every nerve ending in my body woke up. She took my breath away and I think I’d be fine if I never got it back.
Her red hair was a mess but her eyes shimmered in sunlight. I couldn’t even stop myself from staring. She was definitely in a hurry, but I wasn’t as I picked up her books and asked her out.
We’ve spent every free moment with each other since. And now I’m kicking my own ass for not telling her my fucking last name. Stupid.
“Well?” her father asks impatiently. “What is it?”
Jesus. I can’t bear to watch this torture any longer.
“I can assure you Mr. and Mrs. Ashford,” I cut in, redirecting the attention off of my wife. “I told Raegan weeks ago that my last name is Adler. We were just talking last night about how well Raegan goes with Adler. Raegan Adler. Don’t you think so?”
Okay, maybe I laid it on a tad thick with that last part. I just need them to stop fucking with her already. We’re going to be fine.
Her mother raises a rather suspicious brow. “Since she won’t tell me about your parents, I’ll ask you. Why aren’t they here?”
The truth is… complicated, to say the least. My parents are a sensitive subject for me and one I should have already talked to Raegan about.
I just can’t find the time or space I need to do it.
And it’s not like it would change anything.
So, I do the only thing I can think of and I lie. “My parents are dead.”
They both suck in a slow breath of air and hold it, refusing to acknowledge the awkward little bomb I just dropped and glaring at me with frustration, like I’m stealing away their precious baby.
She is precious. But she’s my baby now.
Releasing their air, they both regard her for a long moment before saying, in unison, “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
Then they turn and walk out the courtroom door.
Sutton pulls her sister in a tight embrace before murmuring, “Don’t worry about it. They’ll get over it.”
Raegan frowns before nodding and watching her sister follow their parents out the door.
Finally.
My eyes are glued to her while she stares at the door for a few moments after they leave.
“You okay, Mrs. Adler?” I mutter quietly, breaking the thick silence that surrounds us.
Her head turns and her lips curve into the saddest smile I’ve ever fucking seen. “You didn’t tell me your parents were dead.”
“It’s a long story. Let’s talk about it on a day that isn’t our wedding day?” I ask cautiously, because I really don’t want to talk about it at all.
Her brows knit with a hint of concern, like she’s not sure she wants to drop it.
“Alright,” she finally relents, allowing her concern to shift into joy. “Then, I’m amazing, Mr. Adler. Please take me anywhere else but here.”
I lean down, placing an arm against her back and the other under her knees, scooping her up in one swift motion.
The half squeal, half giggle she lets out as I carry her out of the courthouse has my heart melting and my dick stirring.
“Time to take my wife to bed.”
One Month Later
“Oh, Mr. Adlerrrr…” Raegan’s angelic voice singsongs from the other side of the apartment.
My eyes drift upward to glance over the laptop currently displaying the world’s most exciting market strategy research until they catch on the single sexiest black lace covered leg I’ve ever seen.
She’s wearing my favorite cherry red heels–at least I’m assuming the other leg matches–and while I’m not all that into feet, the come hither motion her leg is making has me damn near ready to get on my hands and knees to crawl and worship every inch of her, starting with those fucking fuck-me heels.
It should be noted, I’m not the one that likes to crawl in this relationship, but I don’t think there’s anything I wouldn’t do for this woman.
My lips curve into a smirk. This is my favorite game we play. I work on stuff for class and she distracts me from that work, then we end up fucking through the night until I’m damn near late for class the next day.
But that’s the effect she has on me and I'm sure she knows it.
I’d drop everything to give this perfect woman whatever she desires. Except I’m pretty sure she’s not supposed to be here right now.
“Aren’t you supposed to be in class?” I ask with a slight quirk of my brow that she can’t see but I know she can hear it in my tone.
She steps into the open doorway and my breath is knocked from my lungs. With the exception of her thigh-highs and heels, she’s completely naked.
Fuck. My. Life.
So. Fucking. Beautiful.
How can one girl be the literal embodiment of an angel and the devil all at once? When I look at her, time slows and I could swear she’s actually radiating a heavenly glow. The expression on her face, however, tells me she’s in the mood for trouble.