Page 11

Willow

M y entire body shook as I got out of the car. Whatever happened, I couldn’t mess tonight up. With how venomous James was when he hissed his threat to me earlier, I suspected my life could be in danger if tonight was disastrous.

Not to mention my back was already riddled with scars aftercountless whippings from Ms. Milligan over the years. I didn’t want or need James adding to them.

Since James left my room after telling me about our dinner plans,and blocking my airway as he snarled his rules, my brain had gone into overdrive, worrying how the heck I was going to get through the night.

During my time at Peartree House, I’d watched the girlslearn to act, mastering how to fool people into thinking they were someone they weren’t. Although I’d never taken part in any of the classes, I’d watched from the sidelines, learning tips and tricks.

Tonight, I was going to have to put what I’d learned to the test.

My biggest issue to overcome would be my confidence. I was soused to being quiet and meek, and not able to make decisions for myself that it felt like a huge mountain to climb to be someone I wasn’t.

But I had to try.

“Ready?”James said when our car had come to a stop outside a very exclusive restaurant.

“Yes, James,”I replied, earning a disapproving scowl from him.

Lesson one. I needed to not be so robotic.

My door was opened by our driver, who stepped aside to let me out.James got out on the other side but quickly joined me on the sidewalk. I was too busy gawking up at the beautiful entrance to notice James fishing something out of his jacket pocket. It was only when he grabbed my hand that I tore my gaze awayfrom the huge water fountain in time to watch him shove a gold wedding band on my ring finger.

“Can’t have you telling people your collar was my symbol ofownership. From now on, you don’t take this ring off.”

Like my collar, the ring felt like another weight tied to me, pulling medown into the darkest depths of the ocean, and I had no hopes of surviving.

“Come,”he said, lowering my hand, but not letting go. Instead, helaced his fingers through mine before leading me up the wooden stairs to the restaurant.

Nerves threatened to buckle my knees as the maitre’d led us throughthe restaurant. Eyes of diners watched us pass through, some of the women’s cheeks heating when they saw James. I understood why. The devil looked handsome in his light graythree-piece suit, freshly shaven, and with his hair swept back. It was a shame that underneath his looks beat a cruel heart.

If he had a heart at all.

When we reached a set of double doors, the maitre’d explained thatwe would be dining on a private terrace, and that the other guests had already arrived. He held the door open, allowing us to step through.

“Uncle James!”a little girl squealed before running up to James andthrowing her arms around his waist.

“Hey, squirt. I like your dress,”James said, gazing down fondly at thegirl, a look of adoration I’d never seen on him before.

“Me too! Mom bought it for me earlier,”she giggled before spinningaround to make the rainbow skirt flare out.

It took all of my effort to not let my jaw hit the wooden deck when Ilooked to James and saw an affectionate smile had taken over his face.

And, gosh. He was beautiful when he smiled.

The girl stopped twirling, facing us once again, her eyes darting tome.

“Squirt, this is my wife, Willow. Willow, this is my niece, Squirt,”James said, eliciting another high-pitched giggle from the girl.

“That’s not my real name, duh. I’m Billie,”she replied, her tone full ofsass.

She held out her small hand for me to shake, her gorgeous, big,brown eyes blinking at me expectantly, and a bright smile on her face. I took her hand and gave it a delicate shake.

“It’s so lovely to meet you, Billie. I’ve heard lots about you,”I said,using every ounce of courage I could find, and feeling terrible for lying to the little girl. I just hoped she’d understand if she ever found out the truth one day.“And your dress is very pretty.”

“Yours too,”she beamed, melting my heart. It was easy to see howshe’d managed to melt the monster’s heart.“Will you tell me all about the wedding?”

“Let the poor woman sit down and have a drink first, Billie,”awoman with the same dark eyes and full lips as James said, appearing next to Billie.“Hi, I’m Kiera. I’m this bozo’s sister.”

She nudged James with her hip as she gave me a warm smile, soalien from the sneer I was used to receiving from her brother.

“Hi, I’m Willow,”I replied, taking her hand and shaking it like I’d done with Billie, aware that James was watching my every move, making sure my performance was nothing but perfection.

“I must admit, it was a bit of a shock when James announced he wasmarried, but it’s great to see him finally settle down. Welcome to the family,”Kiera said kindly, helping to relax me fractionally. I’d been expecting James’ family to follow his lead and hate me.“Oh, this is my fiancè, Alec.”

She waved her hand to a man who’d appeared next to her, hisgreen eyes raking over my body and stopping blatantly on my breasts, causing the small hairs on the back of my neck to stand up.

“Nice to meet you, Willow,”Alec said, offering me his hand.

Before I could take it, James stepped between Alec and me, knockinghis hand away, his customary scowl set on his face.“Let’s sit.”

Kiera gave me a knowing smirk before stepping aside so I couldfollow James. Proving that he was capable of being a gentleman, James pulled out the chair for me before taking the one next to it.

On the other side of the table, Billie, Kiera, and Alec took their seats, and when they were settled, three sets of eyes stared at me and James, ready to interrogate us.

I sucked in a shaky breath, preparing myself for the performance of alifetime.

James ordered a bottle of champagne before resting his hand on mybare thigh under the table.

I didn’t know why he’d done it, and I’d tensed my leg, prepared forhim to hurt me in some way. So I was more than surprised when he started rubbing his thumb in small, soft circles on my skin.

More surprising was the flutter of butterflies in my stomach from histender touch.

Conversation was dominated by Billie telling James all about herrecent term away at a private school. From the corner of my eye, I watched him, utterly bewildered by the way he interacted with his niece.

It was as plain as the nose on my face that he adored her, andevery time he spoke to her, his tone was full of warmth.It was like an entirely different man than the one I’d lived with for the past week had shown up to dinner. I couldn’t help but feel a little jealous that I would never get this version of him.

When dinner arrived, we made small talk about how pleasant theview was from the terrace overlooking the harbor, and how delicious the food was.James had ordered for me after I spent too long looking at themenu, unsure what half of the options were. He dug his fingertips into my thigh in warning when the waiter hovered, waiting for me to decide before James huffed and ordered me seafood paella.

I wondered how many lashes I’d get for that mistake.

Despite the worry of my ass getting a beating when we got home, Idevoured the dinner. As soon as James had finished his steak, his hand returned to my thigh.

“So, now we are fed and watered, are we going to talk about youtwo?”Kiera said, looking between us.

Beside me, James tensed, and a knot tightened in my stomach. Themoment I’d been dreading had finally arrived. Kiera grinned, her brow raised in expectation, and on either side of her, Billie and Alec also stared, waiting for an explanation.

“There’s not much to tell,”James said, the soft circles he wasdrawing on my thigh stopping, replaced with his palm gripping firmly.

A warning.

“Oh, come on. We didn’t even know you were dating, and nowyou’re married?”Alec said, an amused grin on his lips.“What gives?”

I didn’t like Alec. There was something about him that unsettled meevery time he glanced my way, and with how James tightened his hand on my thigh, I suspected he felt the same way about Alec too.

“Tell us how you met,”Kiera asked, noticing the sudden tensionbetween the two men.

“I’ll let Willow tell the story,”James said, picking up his champagneglass and taking a sip.“She tells it better.”

The knot in my stomach pulled tighter, and despite everythingJames had done to me so far, I hated him more in that moment. He was setting me up to fail.

Something I could not let happen.

Swallowing down the nausea churning in my stomach, I subtlysucked in a deep breath before putting a bright smile on my face, and hoping like hell no one noticed how fake it was.

“Well, it was a stroke of luck really. My car broke down one nightwhen I was driving home from an evening class,”I said, recalling a story I’d written in one of my journals as to how a love story started. I made sure to hold Kiera’s eye, having learned that a sign of lying was unable to keep eye contact.“It was late, and typically, my phone battery had died. I honestly thought I was going to be stranded on the side of the road for the rest of the night, but James was passing by, and he stopped to help me.”

I turned to gaze at him, giving him a soft smile. He met my eyes, hisdark orbs holding an unreadable emotion.

“That sounds so unlike you, James,”Kiera chuckled.“I didn’t thinkyou were that charitable.”

James scowled.“You and I both know that isn’t true.”

I raised a brow, wondering what he meant, but realizing I wouldnever know. It wasn’t like this dinner was going to change anything between us, and James would suddenly tell me all about his life.

“What happened next?”Billie said, her face lighting up in anticipation,and breaking the awkward tension that had fallen between James and his sister.

“Well, my car wouldn’t start, and recovery couldn’t come out until themorning, so your uncle kindly offered to give me a lift home,”I said, grinning at Billie, imagining that what I was telling her had truly happened to me instead of the rotten life I’d been given.“On the way home, my stomach rumbled, and I told James that I hadn’t eaten since breakfast.”

I beamed at him again, hoping that Kiera and Billie could see theaffection I was trying to portray on my face.“Being the gentleman he is, James insisted he fed me before driving me home, and we ended up sitting in an all-night diner for hours, just talking.”

“That’s so romantic,”Billie sighed, returning my smile. It seemed I’dconvinced her.

Her mom, on the other hand, didn’t look as convinced.

“And why the need to get married so fast?”Kiera asked, her eyesnarrowing in suspicion.

I needed to do better. If this didn’t convince Kiera that we werehappily married, nothing would.

Remembering a lesson where the girls were taught to cry ondemand, I dropped my head, looking at my lap as I bit down hard on the inside of my lip. Pain shot through my mouth, but it had the desired effect when tears welled in my eyes.

“My papa. He… was very ill,”I said, adding emotion to my voice as I met Kiera’s eyes across the table.“The only thing he wanted before he passed away was to know I’d be looked after.”By now, my eyes were filled with tears, and the suspicion on Kiera’s face had changed to one of sympathy.“I don’t think he meant marriage, he just wanted to know I had someone in my life. But after James met him for the first time, James promised him he’d take care of me.”I shrugged.“And then he proposed.”

I shifted closer to nuzzle into James’ side, once again surprised whenhe removed his hand from my leg to wrap it around my shoulders as he peered down at me with affection glittering in his orbs.

He was as good at faking it as I was.

“I guess I knew from the moment I met her, that Willow was it forme.”

Although I knew he was lying, he spoke with such conviction that Icould almost forget the truth. That I was nothing to him but a womb to grow his child.

Kiera’s features softened, and she pulled Billie in for a hug.“I’msorry about your dad, Willow. But I’m happy for you guys, I just wish we could have been there for the wedding.”

“What was your dress like?”Billie said, pulling out of her mom’sgrasp.

A lump of emotion clogged in my throat. James’ family were kind,and it hit me then that I’d never have what they had. I didn’t know what had happened to my own family, and if I were to spend the rest of my life as James’ wife, I would never have a proper family.

I’d never felt so lonely in all my life.

“It was beautiful,”I said, closing my eyes and imagining a weddingdress I would have chosen if I’d had the option, and knowing this was the only time I’d ever get to speak about my dream wedding.“It was covered in lace, with a really long train. Even the sleeves were made of delicate lace, and underneath was a dress made of the softest silk I’ve ever felt. And I had a beautiful bouquet of a dozen red roses.”I opened my eyes to find Billie grinning at me.“I felt like a princess as I walked down the aisle.”

Billie and Kiera’s grins had grown wider, and both sets of eyes hadglazed over as if they were imagining the dress I’d described.

“Did you kiss?”Billie blurted.

Her question made me freeze on the spot. I didn’t want to lie to heranymore, she deserved better. She was only a kid, and I hated that I was sucking her into a world of fabrication.

“Of course we did,”James said, answering for me, a hint of irritationin his voice.

“How?”she replied, almost bouncing in her seat.

“What do you mean how?”

“Was it a quick peck on the lips, or was it a proper smooch?”Billiesaid, pouting her lips and making Kiera laugh at her daughter.

“I don’t know, squirt. It was just a kiss,”James replied dismissively.

“Oh.”Her face fell in disappointment when a second later it lit upagain.“Hey, Uncle James! I’ve been practicing poker like you taught me.”

Just like that, the wedding interrogation was over. I breathed a sigh ofrelief, certain I’d passed the test.

“Yeah, can’t say I’m happy about you teaching her poker, James.Little shit keeps winning my money,”Alec grumbled.

James shot his customary scowl at him.“Maybe that’s becauseyou’re not very good at it.”He glared at Alec, before returning his attention to Billie.“Bet you still can’t beat me though, squirt.”

“I bet I can,”Billie mocked, smirking at James.

From under the table, she pulled up her backpack and rummagedthrough it, pulling a pack of cards out.“Can we play?”

“Sure, squirt. But if I win, you’ve got to promise me you’ll start goingback to that after-school math class. I heard you quit, and I don’t want you falling behind again.”

“Fine. But if I win, then you have to kiss Aunt Willow like you did onyour wedding day,”Billie retorted. Once again, both James and I tensed at the same time.

“Billie,” Kiera chuckled. “That’s not really appropriate-”

“Why not? They’re married, aren’t they? You kiss Alec, and you’renot even married.”

“But-”

“It’s fine,”James said, snapping out of his daze.“Squirt won’t win, I’mtoo good.”

Watching in horror as Billie dealt the cards, and the gamecommenced, nerves swirled around inside me. I didn’t want James to win, of course I didn’t. But I had to accept there was the tiniest part of me that did want him to lose.

I’d never been kissed before, and it was unlikely I’d ever be kissed.This could be my one and only opportunity to know what it felt like, even if it did mean kissing a monster.

I didn’t know how to play poker, so I had no idea who was winning,but I watched the game, conflict raging inside me as to who I wanted to win.

“Three of a kind,”James said, laying his cards down on the table,and showing three sevens, ten of clubs, and a jack of spades.

The biggest grin I’d ever seen spread over Billie’s face, and mystomach plummeted to the ground, my seafood paella threatening to come back up.

“Four of a kind, Uncle J!”Billie squealed.“I beat you!”She laid hercards down, revealing four nines in each of the suits.

James blinked down at the cards, confusion written on his face. Fora beat, no one spoke, until James cleared his throat.“You did good, squirt. I’ll have to watch you from now on, you’ll probably try and bankrupt me.”

Billie laughed.“You gotta kiss Aunt Willow now.”

“A deal’s a deal,” James sighed.

Heat instantly rushed to my cheeks. Was he serious?

He turned to face me, and without hesitation, he leaned forward andpressed his lips against mine. He pulled away less than a second later. I couldn’t stop myself from sucking in my bottom lip, wanting to know what he tasted like.

“That wasn’t a kiss!”Billie cried, her brows tugging into a frown.

“Of course it was.”

“No it wasn’t, Uncle James. That’s how mom kisses Alec when shepretends she isn’t mad at him, not how you kiss your wife on your wedding day! You’re going back on your word.”Hurt laced Billie’s voice, and a pang of sympathy shot through me.

He sighed in resignation.“Fine.”Once again, he turned to me, hiseyes dropping to my lips. The butterflies that had fallen dormant in my stomach started fluttering again when he placed a hand behind my head, lacing his fingers in my hair to hold me still.

I braced myself, expecting his kiss to be as rough as when he hadsex with me, but when his lips pressed softly against mine, and his scent wrapped around me, I couldn’t stop my eyes from closing, and my body relaxing.

I thought he’d pull away after a few seconds, but instead, his lipsagainst mine grew firmer. His mouth slowly opened, and his tongue swiped against my lips.Despite hating him, curiosity to know what it was like to experience aproper kiss won over. I opened my mouth, granting him access, and our tongues began swirling sensually together.

Deep in my belly, the butterflies fluttered wildly, and betweenmy legs, a throbbing began. James’ grip on my hair tightened as his soft kiss turned more demanding.

A guttural growl rumbled in his throat before he eventually pulledaway as if he had remembered who he was kissing, and that we had an audience. The flush on my cheeks spread to my neck at finding three sets of eyes watching us, Billie and Kiera wearing warm smiles, while Alec sneered.

But the butterflies in my belly died an instant death from the wayJames was glaring venomously at me, and although I wasn’t sure what I’d done wrong, or that I’d behaved all night, I knew I was undoubtedly going to be punished.