Forced: A Bad Boy Billionaire Romance (The Blackthorn Brothers Book 1) (19 page)

I had every right to worry, given the sort of people our families had associated with up until now. But at least my father was no longer a threat, since Ash and I had finally gotten married, just like my father had wanted.

“We’ll be okay, Wren. I don’t want you worrying anymore.” He kissed the top of my head as he maneuvered us down the quiet roads. “This is a new chapter in our lives, and it’s the perfect opportunity to leave our pasts behind and start fresh. You deserve that, at the very least.”

“I want that more than anything.” And I knew that Ash would do all he could to make it happen.

Before long, he was pulling down the long driveway to his home, and coming around to get my door, offering me his hand as he pulled me to my feet and then scooped me up into his arms as I squealed with laughter and kissed him. “I love you, Ash.”

“And I love you, Mrs. Blackthorn.”

My heart hitched to hear him call me by my new name, the perception of my reality shifting as it truly sunk in that Ash was now my husband.

It felt silly that Ash wanted to carry me over the threshold, and yet at the same time it was incredibly romantic. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he carried me into what would be our home, still unable to believe that less than a week ago I’d hated him for leaving me. And now, we were married and I loved him.

“You can put me down, you know.” I couldn’t help but smile, nipping at his neck as he groaned in response.

“I’m not putting you down until our bed is in sight, little bird. And as soon as I get you out of this dress, I’m going to fuck you.”

Of that I had no doubt.

The truth was that being married felt different, and I wasn’t sure that I’d expected it to feel this way.

For the first time in a very long time, I felt like someone actually had my back, and I was no longer alone. But that only stoked my guilt, even though I knew I needed to push it aside before Ash figured out something was truly wrong. ’Cause I could deny the matter all I wanted, but he’d see right through that, and I didn’t want to be forced into telling him more lies, beyond saying that everything was fine.

Because there
was
something
very
wrong—and he’d hate me if he ever found out.

Ash slowly lowered my feet to the ground, my arms still wrapped around his neck as I caught his mouth in a passionate kiss, desperate to let him know how much he meant to me. He broke our kiss to trail his lips down my neck to my shoulder, brushing away the strap of my gown with a gentle hand, before turning me around to undress me.

“They don’t make it easy to get out of these things, do they? I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many buttons—and they’re so tiny.” Yet his deft fingers were making quick work of the task, and before long, he was taking my hand and helping me to step out of my gown, the delicate lace pooling at my feet, so I was left standing there in a white satin corset and panties. “Fucking hell, Wren… You’re stunning.”

“And you looked so handsome in your tux—damn sexy too.” So much so, that he’d taken my breath away when I’d first laid eyes on him, as he stood there at the altar waiting for me.

Reaching down, he grabbed my gown and carefully draped it over a chair before turning his attention back to me, already undoing his tie and shrugging out of his jacket as I started to unbutton his shirt. He then carefully pulled the adornments and pins out of my hair, running his fingers through it, to free it of any constraints, and then, with his hands still knotted in my hair, he pulled me to him for a ravaging kiss that sent my heart hammering.

With his lips still on mine, his shirt got tossed aside, so his warm skin was pressed against mine. He finished stripping himself down to nothing while I shimmied out of my panties. But he stopped me there, his words spoken between kisses. “The corset stays on—for now.”

Wrapping a strong arm around my waist, he lifted me up and wrapped my legs around his hips as he lowered me onto his hard cock, impaling me fully on his length and stretching my body tightly around him. Without missing a beat, he grasped my ass and started to fuck me, moving me along his shaft as he thrust into me and I clung to him, my arms tightening around his neck.

As my clit rubbed against him with each thrust, I deepened our kiss, urging him on, as he backed me into a wall, the plaster hard and cold against my back, in stark contrast to his burning skin. “I’m going to come, Ash.”

My skin rippled with goose bumps as I tried to prolong the build-up of my orgasm, and yet, my admission only added fuel to his fire, so he now pounded each thrust into me, with deliberate punctuation, as our lips met once again in a brutal kiss, leaving him to swallow my cries as I came. With my body quivering in his arms, he continued to fuck me, his pace only increasing, until he, too, was coming with a grunt, his cock pulsing deep inside me as he filled me with his cum, his thrusts only slowing once he was done.

“I love you, Wren. You’re my everything…”

“And I love you.” Yet the tears that sprung to my eyes were uncontrollable, even as he kissed them away. “I’m sorry…I don’t know why I’m crying.”

“Hush, love…it’s okay.” He carried me to our bed and lay me down, before snuggling up next to me and pulling me into his arms. “It’s been a long day, and it’s been an emotional one. But there’s nothing more to worry about, little bird. You’re home now—and you’re safe.”

For now at least. Because once Ash found out what my father had done, I had no doubt he’d want nothing to do with me.

I hung up the phone, relieved that Turner had finally come through for me, and Holton, the man who’d murdered my father, was now no longer a threat. I didn’t get the details—and I didn’t want them. That said, there was something niggling at the back of my head. My brothers and I had looked at Holton as a suspect, and though there was some circumstantial evidence that had pointed in his direction, there was other evidence that hadn’t supported that conclusion.

Not that it mattered. It was done—and if anything, agreeing to Turner’s terms meant I now had Wren back in my life, and for that I was ecstatic.

I returned to our table at the diner my family had always gone to. Conor would soon be leaving to fly back to Donegal and his family, so Wren and I had met up with him for breakfast. “Sorry about that. Turner just wanted to let me know that things are taken care of.”

“Thank fuck. Paige will be relieved to hear it.” The tension in Conor’s shoulders eased, and I knew just how worried he’d been, especially since Paige had nearly not married him in an attempt to keep their child from becoming a target—and I couldn’t blame her for it, when she’d nearly died in a fire meant to send my family a message. “So, you guys heading away on a honeymoon?”

“Yeah…we will, once we figure out where we’d like to go.” I didn’t elaborate further, not wanting to upset Wren.

“I’ve got news. Paige…she’s pregnant again.” Conor gave me a crooked smile, and I swore, I’d never seen him look so happy.

I pulled him into a hug. “I’m so happy for you guys. But fucking hell…you didn’t give the poor girl a break.” She’d only just had her baby a few months ago.

“I swear, we didn’t plan it that way. But…I think this one will be our last. And at least this way, we’ll get all the sleepless nights out of the way.” Conor’s gaze shifted between me and Wren, as if in question, though he didn’t say anything, even if it got me thinking about the matter.

I hadn’t given kids much thought because there had been no one in my life. But now that Wren and I were married, and things were good between us, I’d love to start a family.

We saw Conor off after breakfast, though as I drove us home, I couldn’t keep my mind from wandering back to the thought of starting a family. After all Wren had gone through, I wasn’t sure how she’d feel about it, but it might be just the thing to help her leave her past behind, and give her a future she could focus on.

“We never had the chance to talk about whether or not you might want to start a family.” I reached over and grabbed her hand, bringing it to my lips. “What do you think, love?”

“I hadn’t given it much thought, Ash. Up until a week ago, I wasn’t exactly living the sort of life that screamed ‘baby.’ I get that things are different now…but it’s just a whole lot of change in a very short time, and I’m still adjusting. That said, I think it’d be nice, once we decide we’re both ready.”

I guess I couldn’t really ask for more of her right now, especially after all she’d been through. And yet, I was hopeful that we’d be able to start a family soon. “Whenever you’re ready, little bird. We have plenty of time.”

Time may have been on our side, but it wasn’t on Turner’s. Just a few weeks later, the call came in early in the morning after Evan found Turner had passed away during the night. “I’m so sorry, Wren.”

I pulled her into my arms as she wept, knowing how hard this must be for her, the loss of my own father still all too raw. “I wish I could take your pain from you, but I know there’s nothing that can do that.”

“Stupid fucking cancer.” She looked up at me as her tears streamed down her cheeks. “At least now, he won’t have to suffer anymore.”

Turner’s health hadn’t seemed so dire, but then again, there was a good chance he’d done a good job of masking just how sick he was when others were around. “I’m sure the doctors did all they could for him, little bird.”

“I hated him for so long…for not protecting me…for bringing Steven into my life.” She let out a ragged breath, swiping at her tears. “But it was pointless to blame him when he knew none of what had happened to me.”

“At least he got to see you happy, Wren. And he died knowing that you’d be taken care of. Because you have my word, love…I’ll always be by your side.”