Chapter 5
CHAPTER
FIVE
Rain
Sitting in my childhood living room, I stare blankly at the wall. The TV plays quietly, but I have no idea what’s on the screen. The sound of the clock ticking is like a countdown on a bomb, reminding me that at any minute, my life is going to implode.
I should have gone into work, but my boss insisted that I take time off to “settle affairs and grieve,” but what work doesn’t know is that there’s nothing to settle. Dad did it all. My grief? It’s currently being smothered by anger. Red hot anger.
I’m just so goddamn mad that he put me in this position.
Why?
I’ve thought it over a million times, and I still can’t see why he thought me marrying Ridge was a good idea.
A knock at the door pulls me out of my thoughts. Groaning, legs stiff from sitting cross-legged for so long, I get off the couch and head to the door.
“Hey, what are you doing here?” I ask as I open the door, stepping to the side.
Aspen steps inside and shoots me a smile. “Oh, you know, I figured I would come over and check on you.”
“I’m fine,” I say automatically.
Aspen rolls her eyes. “Sure you are.”
She pushes past me and makes herself comfortable on my couch.
“I’ve always loved this house,” she says as she looks around.
I look around the room, and nostalgia hits me.
When I was a little girl, my dad used to sit right where she is, with me between his legs on the floor as he would braid my hair before bed.
My eyes dart to the fireplace as I think about all the pictures he used to take before big milestones in front of it.
This place is filled with memories, ones that are being pulled away from me.
“Me too, but it looks like I’m going to be losing it,” I say bitterly.
“Have you contacted the lawyer and asked for more information? Figured out the fine print?” she asks casually as she takes in the room.
Aspen has her own memories here from when she would visit when Panther first joined. She spent a few summers with me. I’m going to miss her when I leave.
“Jumping right in, aren’t you?” I sigh as I sit down on the other end of the couch.
“I planned on easing into it. Ask you about your feelings, tell you about the thing Wolf did last night with his tongue and shit, but I saw my opening.” She shrugs, making me laugh.
If there’s one thing we all know, it’s that Aspen doesn’t have a subtle bone in her body. She’s like a bull in a china shop.
“So have you?” she asks again.
I shake my head. “No. I know I need to, but I’m just so fucking mad I can’t see straight. I feel like my anger is choking me. Anytime I think about it, it just grows like it’s a living, breathing thing.”
Aspen nods. “Hey, I get it. Our situations are completely different, yet I get it. But, Rain, you need to make that call. For all you know, there is a time limit on when you need to be married by that could be ticking away.”
“I have a month but I don’t care what happens. I’m not getting married. They can have this place. I don’t even want it.” The lie burns on my tongue.
“Oh, bullshit.” She calls me out.
I narrow my eyes. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. It’s bullshit. Are you really going to let this all go?”
I growl, “Yes! I have to! You don’t get it, Aspen.
Dad knew I didn’t want to ever get married.
Ever. And he did this. He cornered me and gave me two options.
Lose everything I love or marry a guy who I can’t stand.
Obviously, I’m going to walk away, and I’m so mad about it that I see red.
I can’t believe he did this to me. Why? Was I a bad daughter? Did he not love me? I don’t get it.”
“Please. Your dad loved you, and we all know it. The man thought you walked on water and could do no wrong. You couldn’t have been a bad daughter if you tried.
I have no idea why he set this up, but clearly he had his reasons.
Like maybe the fact that he couldn’t handle the idea of his daughter being out in the world all alone without anyone watching over her, so he entrusted one man with her safety,” she points out.
It’s not like the thought hadn’t entered my head, but I pushed it away. I’m not ready to come to terms with what he did. I want to be angry. It’s better than the soul-crushing sadness.
I sigh. “Did it have to be Ridge? Out of everyone, couldn’t he have picked someone else?”
“Sure, but he didn’t. He picked Ridge for a reason.”
I roll my eyes. “I don’t get it. I never understood why he liked Ridge so much anyway. He treated him like his son. I was jealous of their relationship at times, even though Dad always made sure I came first.”
She shrugs. “Maybe because he’s awesome?”
I shoot her a glare, making her raise her hands.
“Hey, you’re the only person I know who has a problem with him. He’s a good guy, and let’s be honest, you could do worse. Like, a lot worse.”
I scoff, not liking that she is defending the man I have declared my sworn enemy.
“I mean, hey, if you don’t want to wake up next to a guy with dark hair, brown eyes, abs, and arms that could be pillows, I’m sure someone else will gladly volunteer as tribute,” she says sarcastically.
“This isn’t funny,” I mutter, still glaring.
“No, it’s not, but burying your head in the sand and letting it all go without putting up a fight is worse. Honestly, I didn’t know you could be a coward. The Rain I know faces her problems head-on and does what needs to be done, and as far as I can see, she’s not in the room with us.”
Her words hit just like she intended them to.
Coward.
I am being a coward. Something I didn’t even know was possible.
“I see my words finally got through,” she says.
“You’re an insufferable bitch,” I mutter, making her laugh.
“If I am, then what are you?” she teases.
I raise my middle finger, making her laugh.
“So are you going to call? Find out what the fine print and all that shit is?” she asks once she gets herself under control.
“I mean, it’s not like I have much of a choice now, do I?”
Her eyes soften. “You always have a choice, Rain. It’s your life, but what kind of friend would I be if I didn’t try to make you see the bigger picture?”
“I’ll make the call…later.”
I look over at her and see that she’s got an eyebrow raised.
“Fine, I’ll do it now. Happy?” I snap as I lean forward, grabbing my phone.
“Very, and while you make the call, I’m going to find us some food,” she says as she jumps up off the couch, heading toward the kitchen.
I shake my head and dial.
Ridge
“He will see you now,” the receptionist tells me.
“Thank you,” I murmur as I make my way past her and down the hall.
Mr. Cohen’s door has his name on it in bright gold lettering, making me roll my eyes. Before I can knock, the door swings open.
“Ridge, thank you for joining me. Have a seat,” he says as he steps to the side.
“Thank you for fitting me into your schedule,” I tell him.
“It’s no problem. I’m glad you called, since we are on a tight timeframe.”
I make my way to the chair in front of his desk as he shuts the door.
“Sit, please. Give me one minute to pull up the file,” he says as he rounds his desk.
I drop into the chair and wince at the creaking sound it makes. The leather makes a sound again as I shift in the uncomfortable chair across from Mr. Cohen as he pulls up Mustang’s will.
“Okay, let’s see here. Per Mustang’s wishes, you are to marry Rain and take care of her as your own.
He also has in here that he gave you a specific task that he is trusting you to carry out, which he did not outline in the will.
If, in the event that Rain and you separate, you will still care for her.
In exchange, you will receive his antique motorcycle,” he reads off.
I run my hand over my face.
Damn. I was really hoping that when he said it before, it was a bad nightmare, but here he is, repeating Mustang’s will again.
It’s all right there. He really put his ideas on paper and signed them.
I want to be mad at him, but I’m not. I feel sad that he felt this was the best way to care for the thing he cared about most. Rain.
“There is a time limit, right? You mentioned to me before that it was urgent. What time frame did he give us?”
“Yes. You have to be married within a month, and during that time, you must submit an official marriage license to me for everything to be released. Mustang was very adamant about it being an official marriage. He said you two were clever enough that he couldn’t leave any loopholes or you two would take it,” he tells me.
He’s not wrong. Rain and I would find any way to get out of this if possible.
“Is there a failsafe anywhere in there?” I ask, desperation seeping into my voice.
Mr. Cohen shakes his head and looks at me sympathetically.
“Unfortunately, no, unless you plan to die anytime soon. Then she would be released from the stipulations and receive the full sum immediately. Mustang was very adamant about his wishes. To be completely frank, when he came to me with this, I thought he was joking. As far as I’m concerned, arranged marriages are archaic, but he refused to drop it. ”
“What happens if Rain won’t marry me?” I ask him point-blank.
Mr. Cohen leans back in his chair. “Then she loses everything. The money and the house will be given to charity.”
I sit on that for a moment and take it in.
The fact that he would give everything to charity isn’t a surprise. Despite his rough appearance, Mustang loved giving back. He said it made him happy to make the community he grew up in better, even in the smallest of ways.
“Would I be able to purchase the house from the charity?” I ask after a moment.
“I’m not sure. In some instances, yes, but sometimes charities decide to keep the home to assist people in need. Mustang’s chosen charity is tied to the children’s hospital. They might decide to keep it to home families during the stay,” he says, making my heart sink further.
“So if Rain says no, she loses everything?” I ask, even though I know the answer.
“Yes, which truly would be unfortunate.”
Before I can say anything else, his phone rings.
“Sorry, I have to answer this,” he murmurs before picking up the phone. “Yes?” he pauses. “Send her in,” he says before hanging up.
“Is everything okay?” I ask.
“Of course. It seems to be that the woman in question is here,” he tells me.
There is a knock on his door before it swings open. Rain steps in but stops when she sees me.
“What are you doing here?” she asks with suspicion in her voice.
“Same as you. Trying to figure out what I can save from your dad’s estate,” I tell her.
“I tried to call but was told he would only see me in person.” She glares at the lawyer.
“Please shut the door and join us,” Mr. Cohen says.
Rain does as he asks and comes to sit in the chair next to me, not once looking my way.
“I need to know the fine print,” she says, cutting to the chase.
Mr. Cohen launches back in, explaining everything to her that he just told me. I watch as she takes it all in, slowly realizing that her hands—our hands—are tied.
“How long do we need to remain married for?” she asks robotically.
“If you are to marry, you need to stay married for a period of two years. If after two years you are still unhappy, you may separate for a year, then divorce, but during the marriage, you must live at the same residence. If you agree to this, the entire estate will go to you, Rain, minus the antique motorcycle, which is to go to Ridge,” he tells us.
Rain huffs, shaking her head as she leans back in her chair.
“God, he was a dick,” she mutters, making me chuckle.
Mr. Cohen smiles. “He was one of my more eccentric clients, that’s for sure.”
“That’s one way to describe him,” I say.
Rain turns to me. “Be real with me. Is the bike worth it? Marrying me, I mean.”
I shake my head. “It’s not about the bike for me. It’s about honoring your dad and making sure you get what’s rightfully yours. If you don’t want to go through with this, that’s fine. No skin off my back.”
“You seriously don’t care about the bike?” she asks, bewilderment in her voice.
“I mean, the bike is awesome, and I would love to have it, but I don’t want it so bad I would force you into doing something you are clearly uncomfortable with.”
Rain studies me for a few moments, judging my sincerity.
“You would go through with this just to make sure I get everything? Marrying me, I mean. Three years is a long time. We aren’t exactly friends.”
“Yes,” I tell her plainly.
It’s not like it would be a hardship. Not for me, at least.
She mulls it over. “Can we go somewhere and talk about this?”
“Of course.”
“Remember, you only have three weeks to decide now,” the lawyer adds.
“Yeah, I got that part,” Rain sasses at him before leaving the office.
“I’ll let you know when she’s made a decision,” I tell him, following her out of the office.
This is my one shot. I need to convince her.
Otherwise, I will have failed Mustang altogether.