Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 84635 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 423(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84635 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 423(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
“Play along,” I whispered in Madison’s ear before placing a kiss on her temple.
We entered the butler’s pantry.
I’d swept it myself earlier this morning—one camera, two audio devices.
The rest of the house was anyone’s guess.
“How can I be of assistance, sir?” Elijah asked in his usual cold professionalism. “Does the lady need clothes before she returns whence she came?”
Madison hunched her shoulders and shifted to stand slightly behind me.
I hated to admit it but at some point, I was going to have to give her access to clothes, as much as it suited my purposes to have her walking around in only my robe. At first, it was just to make sure she didn’t sneak away. Now it was for far more pleasurable reasons.
I pressed my hand against her lower back and drew her forward. I wouldn’t allow the future Mrs. Worthington to be cowed by a servant, especially this one.
Keeping my arm securely around her, I said, “Madison and I are getting married. The wedding needs to happen in two days.”
“Sir, that is not wise,” he said between clenched teeth.
“We also need to have an engagement party. That will have to be tomorrow night. It needs to be an elegant affair, even if it is rushed.”
I kept playing the part of an eager fiancé, grinning down at her, my arm around her waist, snaking down to grab her cute ass like I couldn’t get enough of her. That, I didn’t have to fake.
“And Madison will need a dress.”
“Oh, wait,” Madison said, gripping my arm and pressing onto her tiptoes. “What if we tell everyone they are coming to our engagement party and we surprise them with the wedding? We can do it all right here; this house is so big and lovely.”
“I can’t remember the last time we used the ballroom,” I agreed. “Elijah, I expect you to see to the details. My lovely bride will be…busy.”
I kissed Madison’s neck.
“But, sir, this is not proper.” His arms were stretched rigid at his sides as he closed his hands into fists.
“See that it is done,” I said, swinging Madison up and around like a fool in love. “I am going to marry this woman, and I want the whole town here as witnesses. What flowers do you want, love? What colors?”
Madison laughed and squealed in my arms like a woman excited to be getting married, and goddamn if I didn’t love that sound. Right at that moment, I became determined to make her laugh more often. I owed her that much and so much more.
“Whatever they have, we won’t have time to order anything else.”
“You underestimate Elijah.” I turned back to stare straight at him. “I’ve never underestimated him.”
He lowered his gaze.
Tilting my chin up, I continued. “Spare no expense; we will welcome her into the family with all the pomp and circumstance the next Mrs. Worthington deserves.”
Several times, he glanced at the phone on his desk. “Sir, what about giving time for the lawyers to draw up a prenuptial agreement.”
I waved him off. “We don’t need that.”
“Sir! I must protest. This is not the behavior of a Worthington. You dishonor your family’s legacy.” Elijah slammed his hands on the table.
I set Madison down, then after placing another kiss on her forehead, I turned to face the butler.
“You forget yourself, Elijah. Your place is to serve, not to judge. My parents are, as you stated, in their graves. As is my brother. Unless you know something I don’t?”
I watched his response carefully.
His lips thinned but he didn’t respond.
“Madison is beautiful, intelligent, and every bit as worthy as anyone else. You will do as I say, or you will find yourself unemployed.”
Elijah opened his mouth, then closed it, the wrinkles around his lips twisting with disappointment. “Right away, sir.”
He turned on his heel and left. He’d let Skylar roam the estate without raising so much as an eyebrow. That could be loyalty to the old order, or it could be something else entirely.
Madison was about to speak when I pressed my finger to her lips and gave her a subtle shake of my head.
I carried her back upstairs. It wasn’t until I set her down that I asked her if Elijah had said anything to her.
“He has made his distaste for me very clear, even before whatever that was.”
“Do you remember Jameson ever talking to him, or about him?”
She shook her head. “No, why?”
“Just a suspicion.”
Madison stumbled backward into a chair. “I screamed.”
“He has strict orders not to come up here, no matter what he hears.”
“No, you don’t understand.” Her hands shook.
“What don’t I understand?”
“Not in here, in your study, when I thought you were dead. I screamed for help. Tompkins, who always seems to be lurking nearby, took forever to come to our aid and when he did, he looked oddly surprised—as if he wasn’t expecting you to be alive.”