✿ Aileen's POV

A boom of thunder jolts my entire body upright in bed, Reid’s heavy arm dropping from around my shoulders down into the sheets. Within seconds, that muscular limb is curling around my thigh, hoarse, unintelligible murmurs coming from my... my very real fiancé.

Weʼre finally engaged to be married for real!

I bite back a smile and look at him. No doubt about it, the man was beautiful when he slept. A big, cozy brute with the obvious morning wood.

Well, I’d expect nothing less—

Another roll of thunder seems to shake the entire house and with a gasp, my gaze flies to the window. The storm sounds like itʼs coming from the bathroom. My distress must have finally woken Reid because he sits up beside me in bed, bare-chested, his brow chiseled with concern. Instantly on alert.

After a glance at the window, he studies my face.

“Are you okay, angel?”

“Yeah.”

“Bad storm. Welcome to Florida” he says, pushing a set of fingers through his bedhead. “We might be stuck in here all day.”

That same hand disappears beneath the comforter and I know exactly what heʼs doing under there. The flex of his forearm muscles gives him away.

“Can’t think of a single thing we might do to occupy ourselves. Can you?”

“I have a few ideas.”

How I simply turn wet baffles me. And Iʼm already starving for Reid’s weight on top of me. The friction our warm morning skin will make as he moves. Slow at first. Then hard. Then fast and ferocious.

“And youʼre sure it will be okay if I’m pregnant at our wedding?” I joke.

“Nice try, but youʼre not getting rid of me that easily. And who cares what anyone thinks? I wouldnʼt mind. In fact, I think youʼd make the sexiest pregnant bride.”

I chuckle and give his shoulder a playful shove.

“But is there a chance you are pregnant?” he asks.

“Well, we’ve gotten a little careless” I half-shrug. “But I’m not late. Iʼm just not sure how long it will take to get pregnant after you run out of birth control pills on a vacation. And your hot real fiancé has been unloading several whole trucks into you several nights in a row.”

Reid laughs.

“Well, this isnʼt going to count because itʼs already morning.”

“Really?” I chuckle.

“Really.”

Reid leans over, skating his mouth over mine. Urging me down into the sheets and coming down on top of me. He licks into a moaning kiss that shoots bullet holes through my worries.

“Woke up starved for that thing between your legs” He groans into my neck. “Not sure if you’re still a little sore from last night, so I’m asking very nicely if I can eat it.”

“Yes. Please,” I murmur immediately, letting my knees fall open while his mouth trails eagerly downward—

My phone rings on the bedside table.

“No,” Reid wails. Directly against my vagina. “Please God, no.”

Thereʼs no way to trap the giggle. Any other time, I would have ignored the alarm, but I happen to glance over and see Hernan’s name on the screen.

“Hernan,” I say, earning a frown from Reid.

“Hernan? What the heck is he calling you this early for?”

“Not a call. An alarm. We have a thing to do today.”

“Excuse me?”

“Relax. Nothing mischievous” I smile. “And I promised him Iʼd help. If I didnʼt this would be going very differently now.”

Reid groans.

“But I did and you know how I feel about promises.”

I catch him flexing his jaw.

“Sorry, my love,” I say, pushing my fingers through my soon-to-be husband’s hair.

When Reid admits defeat and rolls over, misery etched in every line of his face, I climb out of bed and pull my robe on.

“I promise Iʼll make it up to you tonight. Just us. No interruptions.”

He grunts, turning his back to me. Thereʼs a knock on the door as Iʼm finishing tying my robe.

“Must be him” I say. “Iʼll—”

“No, no. Iʼll get it” Reid cuts me off. “Heʼs not seeing my future wife in a robe, no way.”

I giggle and cross over to kiss him before hurrying into the bathroom.

✯✯✯✯✯✯

✿ Reid's POV

I throw the front door open just as Aileen shuts the bathroom door and frown at the person there.

“Good morning, Ben. Trust you slept well.”

“What are you doing here?”

He cranes his neck to look behind me through the cracked space in the doorway.

“Is the missus awake—?”

I close the door all the way, my hand on the doorknob, and glare at him.

“What do you want, Clayton?”

“Straight to business, I see” he chuckles.

“Havenʼt I warned you to stay away from Aileen and I?”

“Jeez couz, relax” he holds his palms up. “I come in peace.”

I flex my jaw.

“I just came to deliver a message,” he says, “Your father wants to see you. And donʼt worry, itʼs good news... well at least for me. I doubt itʼll be the same for you.”

His words are calculating.

“And why are you here telling me that?” I ask. “Why does my father need you to deliver a message to me?” I snap a finger, “Right, right. Thatʼs all you are and will be ever good for in his eyes.”

Claytonʼs smirk wears off and his jaw ticks. But he collects himself and shrugs casually.

“Well maybe. But I wasnʼt going to miss out on the front-row seat to the show.”

“What show?” I ask.

“Youʼll see” his smirk returns.

I sigh.

“Just get lost, okay Clayton? Leave my fiancée and I alone.”

Clayton laughs.

“Fiancé? Give it up already, Ben. But Iʼll admit, you two are very convincing. And I must say, itʼs been really entertaining to watch. But Iʼm afraid the showʼs over now and the final curtain is about to come crashing down on this little charade of yours.”

“Iʼll have you know that this is not an act, Clayton. Iʼve asked Aileen to marry me. And I will marry her.”

“Save the speech for your father, Ben. And just a hint, youʼre going to have to try much harder to sell that to him.”

I flex my jaw.

“Armani?” I hear Aileen call out.

Glaring daggers at Clayton, I turn back into the room and stand at the doorway; making sure she doesnʼt see whoʼs there.

“What are you doing? Is that Hernan?” she asks, running a brush through her hair.

“No, no, um... thereʼs something I need to take care of real quick, alright?”

She nods.

“Okay. Well, Iʼll be with Hernan in case you come back and Iʼm not here.”

I nod.

“Yes, yes, and stay with him. Iʼll come find you after.”

“Okay,” she smiles and turns to face the vanity, dropping her robe which makes me go hard instantly.

I wet my lower lip and linger in the doorway watching her till she turns to me again.

“Are you okay?” she drops the brush and furrows her brows at me.

“Yeah, yeah” I take a second to reply.

She leans against the vanity and juts out a hip, raising a brow at me. My throat goes dry as I take her in with lusty eyes from her large breasts to the gentle curve of her sides and the flare of her hips.

Unbelievably sexy.

Fuck this.

I move out of the doorway, shut the door completely, and lock it. Then make my way up to her to trap her lips between mine. I feel her smile through the kiss and when I pull away, she grabs my shirt and pulls it off. I help her. She reaches for my pants, and I gently push her hands away, doing it myself.

I have to ease out of them with the bulge I’ve got going on.

“Take me against the wall,” she says. “We’ve never done that.”

“Yeah?” I chuckle. “We can do whatever you want.”

“Well, I want you. Only you.”

The words snap my control. I close in on her, wrapping an arm around her waist and backing her into the wall. I’m suddenly ravenous for her. My pulse thrums through my veins.

I entwine my fingers with hers and pin her hands against the wall. Her breath comes harder; her eyes dilate. I want her more than I’ve ever wanted anyone in my life.

“Kiss me, Armani” she whispers.

I take her mouth in a passionate kiss, demanding and thorough, pressing my body against her softness. I shift, trailing open-mouthed kisses along the side of her neck, letting my teeth scrape against her. She shivers. I shift lower, kissing along her collarbone to the vulnerable dip by her throat, where her pulse beats rapidly.

“Armani,” she says breathlessly.

And I love the way the name comes out.

I release her hands, kneeling to cup her breast and suck. Her fingers slide into my hair, holding me to her. I switch to the other side, loving the feel of her, the scent; everything turns me on.

I slide a hand between her legs to find her hot, wet, and ready.

Slow, slow. Make it good for her.

She pulls at my shoulders when her panties come off.

“Now. Take me now.”

I rise to my feet, about to lift her and bury myself deep, when I belatedly remember the condom.

“Itʼs okay” she immediately says, as if reading my mind. “Weʼre okay.”

“Are you sure?”

She nods.

“I wouldn’t have you any other way.”

I lift her, and she wraps her arms and legs around me. She fits me perfectly. She grabs my head and kisses me feverishly. I get in position and push inside just a little.

“More,” she demands.

I thrust deep, intense pleasure floods me, and I almost lose it right there. She gasps. I lift her and thrust deep again.

“Yes,” she says. “Yes, yes.”

I lift her again, reaching between us to stroke her sweet spot. She shudders around me.

So good, so damn good.

I slow it down, stroking her and thrusting, her every cry and gasp driving me on.

Her nails dig into my shoulders. I can feel her trembling on the edge. I kiss her roughly, swallowing her sexy sounds as I drive into her over and over. She arches her hips, taking me at an angle that sets us both off. I groan into her neck, lost in pleasure.

A moment passes with nothing but the sound of our panting. I rest my forehead against hers, emotion sneaking in.

I want her to be mine forever. And I wonʼt let anyone come between that.

Aileen rests her head on my shoulder and sighs contentedly. I lift her chin and kiss her and she smiles dreamily.

“Thank you.”

I get her back on the floor and hold her by the hips.

“Let’s go out for dinner tonight. We havenʼt had the chance to celebrate our engagement properly.”

She giggles.

“Iʼd like that. And I canʼt wait to be your wife.”

“I canʼt wait either” I smile. “I love you.”

“And I love you,” she says and kisses my cheek. “Go on then.”

I nod and give her ass a little spank before heading back out where Clayton is frowning.

“After you” I smile and watch him walk off before following him to my fatherʼs office.

The door to his office is bare and just before I step in, I see Anika.

“Of course youʼre here” I sigh and then step into the office where almost every member of the family is seated. “Whatʼs going on?”

“Sit,” my father says coldly and I make a face.

“Dad whatʼs—”

“Sit down Reid.”

“Eros, easy,” my mother whispers, gently touching his shoulder.

My father was all about control and intimidation. But today? It wasnʼt so.

What could get him this mad?

I sit opposite my father in silence and wait for him to say something.

“Is there anything youʼd like to tell us?” he asks.

“No” Iʼm quick to reply.

“Reid” my mother goes with a frown.

“I have nothing to tell anyone, Mom” I repeat. “Now do you mind telling me what all this is about?”

My father fingers a file in front of him towards me.

“Whatʼs that?”

“Open it” his glare is hard.

“Whatʼs in it?”

“Proof that your relationship with that woman is nothing but a lie” Anika speaks up.

I turn my head toward her.

“Nikki—” Clayton pretends to stop her.

“No, Clay. This has to stop. He has to come clean because thereʼs proof” she says with a somber expression.

And I canʼt hold back my laugh.

“Iʼm sorry” I smile and move my finger between the two of them, “So this is your grand plan?”

“There is proof Reid. Just drop the act. Youʼre hurting your family, canʼt you see that?”

I look at her quietly and slowly shake my head.

I cannot believe I slept with her.

“Fine” I decide to indulge their little act, “Letʼs see the proof then” I chuckle and turn back to the file on the table.

But it doesnʼt take long before the smile gets wiped off my face.

How did they—?

I turn to the duo and Clayton smirks at me.

“You two must be delusional if you think anyoneʼs going to buy this” I frown.

“And the contract?” my father speaks up, throwing another file in front of me.

And I donʼt need to open it to know whatʼs inside because I immediately recognize the file.

How did they...

But I immediately catch myself and try to keep up my cool and cocky facade.

“What do you have to say for yourself”

I could see it was taking all of my fatherʼs energy and control not to launch across the table at me right now.

I straighten up, manage to get my mask in place and shrug nonchalantly.

“About what?” I ask defiantly crossing my arms in a casual pose that says, ‘Screw everyoneʼ.

“About what? About what, Reid?!”

This time all my fatherʼs control slips and he does launch across the table.

“Eros!” my mother cries.

He grabs me by the shirt and rips me out of my chair, standing me up and putting his face close to mine. I look into my father’s eyes and heʼs seething. He looks like heʼs about to kill me.

When I catch Clayton with a massive smile on his face, my facade begins to crack again.

“Let him go, Eros!”

But my father doesnʼt listen to his wife. He pushes me into the wall until my back is flush against it.

“You lied to me. You brought a common slut into this family and paid her to be your fiancée. You deceived your mother and me. Your grandmother, everyone! You came here and you made a fool out of all of us. You made a fool out of everything this family stands for and as a result, you have disgraced yourself and betrayed your entire family with your lies!” The words shoot out of my fatherʼs mouth like bullets along with the flecks of spit that land on my cheek.

“Eros please just—”

“No, Portia. No!” he snaps at her and then turns back to glare at me. “If it wasnʼt for Clayton here, you might have actually gotten away with this charade.”

And on cue, Clayton walks up to me.

“Iʼm sorry it had to happen this way, Ben. But everything about you two was off and I wasnʼt buying all that affectionate stuff between you two when Iʼve seen you with Anika. When weʼve all seen you with Anika and we know sheʼs truly the only one for you.”

God, I wanna punch him so bad,

But my fatherʼs hold on me is firmer than ever.

“Iʼm not sorry I had to violate privacies. But you have mocked us all by bringing a prostitute here to—”

The word reaches my ears and I immediately see red.

“She is not a prostitute!” my anger at that gives me an adrenalin surge strong enough to break free of my fatherʼs grip and grab Clayton by the scruff of his neck.

“Reid!” Ellen screams as I push her brother across the room and into the desk.

I swing my fist and when it connects with his jaw, I swing it again.

“Security!” I hear Anika cry.

“She. Is. Not. A. Prostitute!” I roar with each punch I give him.

Four men rush into the room and grab me, yanking me away from Clayton who was bleeding and groaning.

“What is wrong with you, Reid?!” Ellen asks, wide-eyed and furious.

Clayton groans and slowly sits up from the desk that now has its contents scattered across the room.

“Are you okay, Clay?” Ellen asks slowly approaching her brother.

He simply nods, groaning again as he tries to straighten his back.

“What is the matter with you, Reid?!” my mother frowns. “What has gotten into you?!”

“Let go of me!” I grunt and tug myself free from their grip.
Then holding a bloody knuckled hand up, I point a finger at him. “I will fucking kill you if you ever call my fiancée that again. I swear to you.”

“Stop it, Reid!” Ellen suddenly begins to sob.

“Well I swear to you that I will not sit still and watch you disgrace this family with that—”

I launch at him again but the guards are quick to grab me before I get to him with my fist.

“Thatʼs enough! Both of you!” my father barks, stepping in between us. “You are completely out of line, Reid!”

Clayton looks at me and smiles a smile that is pure evil. Heʼd wanted to provoke me into this. In fact, I was giving him exactly what he wanted right now.

“Get off him!” my father barks at the guards and dismisses them with a violent swish of his arm. Then he turns back to me. “But if you touch your cousin again, I will personally call them in and have you arrested.”

What?!

I scoff nastily.

“Arrested” I repeat.

“And you know I donʼt bluff” he adds, very determined.

“And for good measure, weʼll have that common slut arrested too” Clayton hisses.

I clench my fist and move forward again but stop myself and reel my anger in.

“I am saying this and saying it forever the last time. Aileen is not a prostitute.”

“Yet an exchange of money took place for services rendered” Anika cuts in and I flex my jaw.

“No, it did not—”

“Then explain this!” My father rushes across to the second file, takes out a handful of papers, and throws them in my face. “Enough with the lies!”

The papers hit me hard, bounce off me, and flutter to the floor. I look down at them, bend and pick them up, and when my eyes make out the contents of the contract in my hand, itʼs not ours.

Of course, theyʼd fake it.

I scoff nastily and rub my eyes.

“Still got nothing to say couz?” Clayton speaks and I lower my hand away from my eyes.

“Oh no, I have something to say now” I chuckle nastily.

“Letʼs hear it then.”

“Screw you. Screw all of you.”

And with the papers in my hand, I march out.

“Reid! Donʼt you dare walk out on us when weʼre speaking to you! Reid!”

But I ignore my father. I had to find Aileen. And we had to get the hell out of here now.

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~the_atticwriter