11. Nazai
CHAPTER 11
NAZAI
“ S he’s fine, from what I can tell,” Lucas commented, pulling his stethoscope from Cashlynn’s chest. She was hunched over, breathing heavily while rubbing her bruised wrists.
Once I figured she got the point, I ended her suffering and freed her. She broke out in a fit of coughs instantly, gasping for air. Her skin was flushed and her breathing staggered.
“You’re lucky no fluid got trapped in her lungs.” He glared at me before standing up. I waved him off, leveling my eyes on Cashlynn.
Her head drooped forward and slowly lifted. Her tired, red eyes met mine.
A lopsided grin suddenly split my face. I stepped closer and reached for her collar, running my hand over it. “You’re gonna pay off however much it’s gonna cost to get my car fixed. That was a custom job.”
“I’m not doing shit.” She slapped my hand away, wheezing slightly.
I reached for her nipple, pinching it, causing her eyes to flutter.
“Don’t fucking touch me! You almost drowned me.”
“If I wanted to drown you, you would be dead.” I hooked a finger under the collar and yanked her forward. “Just remember that next time. I’ll let you know how you can pay for the damages.” I ran my eyes over her body. My dick took notice of her naked form and stiffened.
“Kiss my ass,” she spat through clenched teeth.
A lopsided smile formed on my face. “In due time, Cashlynn, I will. I plan on tasting every inch of you in fact.”
“On that note, I’m out. I’ll see you at the party.” Lucas headed for the door.
Cashlynn blinked a few times. Creases formed in her forehead. “You’re insane. You just tried to drown me and now you’re acting normal.” Smirking, I released her and stepped back.
“You’re lucky I don’t force you to your knees and fuck that pretty little mouth, show you what this ‘limp dick’ can do.” Her eyes flashed and her cheeks reddened more. “Get dressed. It’s almost time for the party and we can’t be late. You’ll ride with me,” I let her know. Maybe my actions were confusing, but I couldn’t help it. One moment I wanted to wring Cashlynn’s neck, the next I wanted her under me moaning while I fucked her mercilessly. Either way, playing with her was becoming the most entertainment I’d had in a while.
____
“As you know, me and my beautiful wife just celebrated our twenty-fifth anniversary.” Mom blushed as Dad lovingly gazed into her eyes. “While I’m enjoying my retirement, I’m happy to announce my son has finally found someone to settle down and start his future with. I pray you two have a fruitful marriage as me and your mother have. I see nothing but more success in your future, my son.” Dad turned and looked at me while everyone around us started clapping. Mom had insisted on throwing an engagement party, and how she’d gotten everything together so quickly I did not know, but I’d learned not to question her madness. The event was filled with many people, a few close associates and business partners, and a few press members. I had been trained for the press since I was a kid because of the spotlight Dad always had on him. It only got worse once he published his case studies, using his psychology minor to his advantage.
My brothers stood at my side, along with Cashlynn, Carson, and River. Cashlynn protested coming up here with me at first, not wanting to be in the spotlight, but I didn’t give her much choice. After what happened back at the house yesterday, she had stayed out my way. It was a fight to get her to even agree to come tonight. So far she had refused to let me touch her. I ignored that too, of course.
Grabbing Cashlynn’s hand, I pulled her up to the podium. Reporters threw questions and took pictures as I shook hands with my dad then took the mic.
“Growing up I always watched my dad and admired the kind of husband and father he was. I saw how strong my mom was and how she held my dad down even when things got tough. The two of them were a power couple that I always knew I wanted to be like when my time came.” My words weren’t a complete lie. My smile broadened. “He was always a fair man and hardworking, making me want to be just like him when I grew up. When I first started my nightclub, The District, it was to honor my padre and the legacy he’s been building.” I turned to my dad and he stared at me with pride in his eyes. Sometimes things got rocky with us but I knew, no matter what, he always had my back. “I won’t let you down, Pops. You built this family on your back with hard work, blood, and sacrifices and I plan on doing the same with my own family.”
“I’m proud of you, hijo.” He stepped forward, pulling me into a fatherly hug and patting my back. More claps exploded around us.
“Mr. Tavarez, rumor is you’re retiring from law soon. Is that correct?” a reporter asked.
I stepped to the side so Dad could take the mic. Better him than me.
“Yes, that’s true. I’ve served my time in the justice field and now I’m handing my reins over.”
“Nazai, are you taking over?”
My dad’s eyes flashed momentarily when he turned to look at me before facing the crowd again.
“No, as you all know, my son Ezra has been working at my firm for some time now. He will take over once I officially step down.” I know it still upset my dad that I refused to step up and follow his lead with a law degree, but being in a courtroom all day was never something I saw for myself. We fought about it often when I first graduated high school. Ezra, although he didn’t seem like it from the outside looking in, always admired that part of my dad’s life. So it only made sense he was the one who took over.
“That’s not why we’re here. Tonight is about my oldest and his celebration in union.”
“Nazai, what’s your fiancée’s name?” one of the members of the press called out.
“Ms., what’s your name?” another one shouted.
Releasing my dad, I turned to face Cashlynn who had a blank face but her body screamed that she was uncomfortable.
I wrapped an arm around her shoulder and tucked her into my side. “I would like to announce my engagement. This is my lovely fiancée, Cashlynn Cavana!”
Murmurs spread and more pictures went off. “Is she related to the same Cavanas that were murdered in their homes recently?”
“Wasn’t she seen as the primary suspect?”
“Is it true her parents were murderers for hire?”
Again, Cashlynn stilled briefly in my arms. My face fell and my mouth thinned. “My soon-to-be daughter in law had nothing to do with the murder of her parents. It was an unfortunate, traumatic event that she and her brother are still grieving and trying to get over. If anyone is seen harassing or printing false information, legal actions will be taken,” Dad said, cutting in.
Part of me expected the questions regarding her family. It was no secret about the murders. The Cavanas weren’t exactly the people to stay off the radar with things. While my family was always in the limelight, our business was mere secondhand rumors among the public. The Cavanas had no code, so the speculation with them was frequent if someone knew what to ask and what to look for.
“When’s the wedding?” someone asked, breaking the silence.
“In two weeks.”
“Why so soon?”
“Are you two marrying in order to combine the illegal activities your families have been rumored to be involved with?”
I narrowed my eyes at the reporter. She had on sunglasses and a hat low over her eyes. She was the main one spitting things out about Cashlynn’s parents.
“I have no clue what illegal dealings you speak of, but I can’t wait to make her my wife. Now, if you all will excuse me, I have other business to handle.” I turned to Cashlynn. She was staring at me with a mixed expression on her face, somewhere between perplexed and amused. It was different from her normal scowl when she looked at me.
My dad stepped up again and spoke. “We are excited to welcome Cashlynn and her brother into the family. She will be a great addition to the family.” His words shocked me. It made me wonder if he was starting to accept my proposal. I could never tell with my dad. He was the master of putting on for the public.
To pull them in more, I reached up, grabbing her by the chin and tilting her head upward. Suddenly, she looked like a deer caught in headlights. I lowered my mouth, ignoring how her body froze, and placed my lips on top of hers. A small gasp fell from her mouth, giving me an in. I wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her body closer, pushing my tongue inside her mouth and exploring.
“Kiss me back,” I muttered against her lips.
She grabbed my suit jacket and gripped it tightly, then suddenly a metallic taste filled my mouth as she bit down on my tongue, causing it to bleed. It caught me off guard but turned me on at the same time.
My mom’s voice broke in. “Okay, that’s enough, that’s enough. God, son, save it for home.”
“Yeah, hijo. Not too much in public,” my dad said with a hint of warning in his voice.
I pulled away from Cashlynn whose eyes were a bit bewildered, the lip gloss on her mouth slightly smeared. I licked my lips, tasting the blood from my tongue and smirked. That scowl returned to Cashlynn’s face.
Chuckling, I turned back to the mic. “As y’all can see, my fiancée causes me to lose my composure sometimes. You folks enjoy the rest of the party.” I grabbed Cashlynn’s hand and turned to leave.
When we passed her brother, she made sure to grab his hand and pulled him off the stage into a hallway. Once we were in the hall, Cashlynn snatched out of my hold.
“What was that?” she hissed. Her cheeks were still flushed.
With a crooked grin, I scanned her. “Is it a crime to show my fiancée some love?” I cocked my head to the side.
She pressed her lips together tightly and narrowed her eyes. “Don’t do that again.” She turned to her brother. “Are you okay? Was that too much?”
He shook his head. “I’m fine.”
Cashlynn was usually cold and guarded, except with her brother. I didn’t know what made her so protective and soft with him, but I was curious if she would be the same way with our child. I dropped my attention to her flat stomach, trying to picture her round with my seed.
I blinked a couple times, snapping myself out of the thought. I still wasn’t happy about the marriage and pregnancy ultimatum I was given, but Cashlynn was keeping things interesting.
“That went well.” My dad’s voice broke me out of thought.
I turned to him and he along with my siblings and River were standing around us. He stared at Cashlynn for a long minute without speaking then glanced down at her brother.
“Attention is gonna be on you a lot more now. While I hoped people wouldn’t put it together, your parents weren’t the most upstanding people in the public eye so they are probably waiting for you to show those characteristics too.” He cleared his throat and rolled his shoulders back then turned to me. “Make sure the publicist is on standby just in case. I’m still not crazy about this union but I’ve spoken my piece.”
“Yeah, it’s official now. Welcome to the family, sis. I never wanted a sister, but something tells me you’ll fit right in.” Ezra walked to her and put his arm around her shoulders.
She cut her eyes at him and nudged him off her, making him laugh.
“Can me and Carson go back home now?” she asked with impatience.
“Yeah, Devin will drive you today.”
“Cashlynn, tomorrow I’ll be by to get you. We must get you fitted for your dress,” Mom piped up.
Cashlynn looked caught off guard. “A dress? Isn’t this just gonna be a courthouse wedding?”
Mom laughed. “Oh heavens no, honey. You’re having a real wedding. It’ll cost a little extra since it was short notice but my planner is the best in the business and always on call for me. She’s getting things in order now. I’ll show you what she came up with tomorrow.”
Cashlynn looked between me and my mom. “Right,” she mumbled, shifting on her feet.
Eventually everyone scattered. Before he could leave, I called Emmet over. “That reporter, the woman throwing out things about Cashlynn, find out who she is for me then let me know what you can find on her.”
He nodded. “Gotchu, bro.”
Now that it was out in the public, the engagement just became that much realer.
____
My hand moved back and forth across the sketchpad, shading in the section of Cashlynn’s face I was working on currently with my charcoal pencil. I paused, eyeing my phone, looking at the picture of reference. It was one from the party tonight that one reporter had captured. It was a picture of her side profile and I also found one of her from the front with a blank expression on her face I planned to draw next.
As I sat out on my private balcony, I stared at the small ruffles in the pool’s water and admired how the moon reflected off it. The weather was comfortable, and I always enjoy sitting out here and taking the peace it brought me.
Dropping my eyes back to my pad, I studied it carefully. Drawing had always been something I was into, but recently I’d been into more lifelike pictures, with Cashlynn being my current muse.
Halting from my shading, I flipped back a couple pages and admired the drawing I’d finished recently. It was her hanging from the ceiling in my basement in nothing. Since then I’d drawn her three other times before this.
Going back to my current page, I stared at the drawing. Since proposing the marriage idea to Cashlynn, she’d consumed my thoughts more than she should. Drawing her was a way to help release her from my mind, but it seemed to only make things worse. Whenever I tried to draw my next inspirations, it was her face that popped up.
My hand brushed over the paper. With any hope I would move past this. This marriage wasn’t something I wanted, but had to do. The issue was I was becoming infatuated with my wife.