Gordon's Dawn (7 page)

Smiling Dawn rested her forehead against his. “Love you, too.”

Gordon brushed his lips over hers. “Let’s go continue this in our room.”

“Mmm, sounds good.”

Gordon chuckled, and she snuggled against him, not ready to move. But after a good fifteen minutes, he sighed. “The limo stopped about five minutes ago.”

Backing off and falling on the floor, she stared up at a laughing Gordon. “What!” She fixed her dress and searched for her underwear then slipping them on. Taking her hair out of the up-do, she attempted to tame it.

“You look fine.” He opened the door as she got back on the seat and followed him out of the limo glaring at his back.

****

The presidential suite
was very different to the small room they had before. It was like the most extravagant place she’d ever seen. High ceilings with marble and valuables everywhere and a frigging waterfall greeted you when you walked in. There was more than one big bedroom, serval bathrooms, a huge Jacuzzi tub took up one room with a massive window that had the best view of Vegas. The lounge room was huge. There was a bar area room, a gym, and a theater room. She wandered through, speechless, as she came across a dining room with a beautiful table and chairs. There was so much, it was ridiculous.

Pausing at the master suite, Dawn knew something wasn’t right. She couldn’t deny it or miss the signs anymore. This place would cost a fortune a night. Gordon’s friends may be rich, but surely, they wouldn’t pay for this. Nothing was adding up and things didn’t seem right. Memories flooded her, and a picture of the guy she saw on Facebook at Ambers place flashed before her. She realized what a fool she was. The explanations Gordon gave her at home and on the plane should have told her sooner, but she really hadn’t wanted to see until this amazingly expensive palace-like suite.

Placing her hands on her hips, she glared at Gordon. “Who the hell are you?”

“I’m Gordon Wilks, I—”

“No. That’s not what I mean. This…” She circled the room and pointed out of it. “This isn’t a bartender’s suite. This isn’t even a businessman’s suite. This is a million, billion whatever you frigging are rooms. Just stop with your lies and tell me what’s going on.”

Gordon went and sat on the massive four poster bed. “They say your life flashes before your eyes when you die. Well, when I crashed my car, mine did, and I didn’t like what I saw. So I made a list of what I wanted, and what I could change. I changed my life, and that’s how I came to Australia.” Dawn blinked and inched closer to the bed. Gordon scrubbed his hand over his face. “I am Gordon Wilks. I have never lied to you.”

“Bullshit!” He stood and came toward Dawn, but she backed away.

“It’s true. I haven’t lied. I just never told you who was in America.”

“Don’t you mean who you are?”

“Sprite, Y—”

“Don’t. Don’t call me that. Fuck, I should have listened to Amber. God, I’m an idiot.” She turned to leave. Dawn felt as if she needed to get away. She wanted to go home. She couldn’t believe it had taken her so long to figure it out. She finally let herself be carefree, be the sister and friend who had fun and let loose, did something crazy, and this is what happens to her. She marries a liar, a man she knows nothing about, a man she thought she loved. But could she be in love if he weren’t who he said he was?

Gordon’s arms circled her, and she fought to get out of his hold. “No, don’t go. Hear me out. Please. Dawn, please. Please, I love you.”

She froze in his embrace. “Ha, you don’t love me. I’m just some rich man’s game.” She wiped her eyes and turned to stare up at him. “What? Did you fuck everyone in your circle and decide to come down under and try something different? Did you lose a bet? Did mummy and daddy cut you off? Did you not do as your nanny said? Oh, I know—you wanted to see how young and different you could hook a gir—”

“That’s enough,” he roared. “You will be quiet and listen to me, or so help me God, I will tie you down and tape your damn mouth shut.”

Blinking, Dawn gazed at him, and what she saw wasn’t her Gordon, the one she thought she loved, but the Gordon from the Facebook profile. He was cold, calculating, and power flowed through him, so much so, Dawn knew she wouldn’t defy him. Slowly, she nodded.

Gordon gently carried her to the bed, got on and then picked her up and placed her so she straddled him. She couldn’t help flinching when his hands came up and cupped her face. “I did it all wrong. I know. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that I am Gordon Wilks, CEO of Wilks and Co financial services. The son of Dallas’s richest dynasty family. But you need to see this from my side. All my life, people have always wanted something from me. It’s hard to tell if friends are really friends, or if they are just being your friend because they want something from you. I learned from a young age that women would do anything to trap me into marrying them. I avoided being in any relationships. The only close ones I had was my father, who has only become close since he retired and has time for me. Then my nannies and my closest friends like David, who grew up just like me. I was in a car crash, and as I said, when I came to from it, I didn’t like what I’d seen or my future. I made a list of what I wanted, what I had heard from employees that we had. I wanted what I saw of others, what I’ve never had. I knew I wouldn’t find it here in America where everyone knows me. It would be easy for my competition to find me and cause trouble, so I moved to Australia. And you know the rest. I didn’t, haven’t lied, I just didn’t tell you any of that.”

Tears slid down her face, and Dawn’s heart felt like it was being crushed. “Why me?”

“Who else would I choose? You’re perfect.” His lips brushed hers, but she kept still. Gordon sighed, “Dawn, give us try. I love you. You’re my wife. I married you because I wanted you and no one else.” He rested his forehead against hers. “I have never told another woman I love her.” He wiped her tears. “Please forgive me. I meant my vows to you. I want you as my wife. I want to be your husband.”

Dawn could feel her resistance fading. She had never loved another man except her father. She didn’t know if she would ever love someone how she loved Gordon. She wanted to move off him so badly, but as she thought everything over, his fingers stroked the back of her hands in a soothing circle, and she fought her body not to relax against him. She was so angry. Then she thought about what she overheard. “What did you put a rush on? Who were those men?”

The circles on her hand never stopped. “I need you to keep an open mind. I put a rush on getting you a Visa. You can do your internet job from anywhere. I need to be here at least for a little while.”

She shook her head. “No. I’m not packing up and leaving my home. I can’t move away from Destiny and Dilan. She needs me. I need her. I promised myself I wouldn’t move to another town or place ever again. I don’t just have my internet business. I work at Razors tattoo shop, too. Not to mention, I can’t just move to America. I need permission. There is a process.”

“I’m American, you’re my wife. You don’t need permission. I’ve filed the paperwork. I’m sure your sister and Dilan can come and live here, too. We have plenty of room at one of our houses.”

Holy crap, he just said houses with an s. She looked around the room and groaned. Why she was surprised he had said that, she didn’t know. “I can’t just pack up my sister and nephew and move them to live here. I don’t have that kind of money, and I’m not spending yours.”

He growled and rolled so she lay on the bed beneath him. “I have more money than I’ll ever be able to spend, more than my children and grandchildren can spend. You’re my wife. The money I have is now yours. I know you didn’t marry me for my money. You didn’t sign a prenuptial agreement, and I don’t plan on you signing one, either. I won’t divorce you. I love you.”

Dawn felt as if her brain was going a million miles an hour. Pushing at him, she rolled away and got up. “I need time. Let me just think.” Going to her bag, she grabbed it and hooked her laptop bag over her. “I’m tired. I need to talk to my sister. Give me time.” Dawn didn’t wait for his response. She left the master suite and went down the extravagant hall to a bedroom as far from Gordon as she could get. Dumping her suitcase, she jumped on the bed and opened her laptop bag. She groaned once the computer came on, and she saw what time it was in Australia. She had at least three or four hours before she could call Amber or Destiny.

Falling back on the bed, she closed her eyes. “Fuck it. Destiny is my sister. I would take her phone call at any time so she can take mine.”

Sitting back up again, she logged into Skype and called her sister. It rang out the first time, but the second time, she answered, groggily. “What? You do realize what crazy time it is?”

The dam broke. Dawn crashed, crying her heart out. “He’s not who I thought he was. Destiny, I did something really stupid and just found out something huge. I’m such an idiot.”

Destiny came instantly awake, and the tiredness left her voice. “Dawn, you need to calm down. Sis, I can’t understand anything with you crying. Come on, I’m sure it’s nowhere near as bad as you’re making it out. Take deep breaths.” Destiny repeated herself and spoke for a good while just calming her down.

When Dawn had calmed enough, she babbled everything to the Destiny. She even told her about the presidential suite they were now staying in. She finished up with him wanting her to live here in America and offering for her and Dilan to join them. Destiny was quiet for a while after Dawn got everything out.

“Dawn, I love you, you know that, right?” Dawn nodded. Destiny sighed dramatically. “I might say something you don’t like, but hear me out. It needs to be said.” Destiny cleared her throat loudly. “You, we, are not our parents. You, Dawn, are not me. We don’t, nor have we ever had the same taste in men. You don’t have to be my savior. There is nothing here in Australia to tie you here.” She put her hand up to the screen. “Yes, I live here, but it sounds like Gordon would happily pay for mine and Dilan’s airfare to visit, or if we choose to move there. I believe him, Dawn. I wouldn’t want to tell people who I was if I were him, either. Look, I know you’re angry. That’s okay, be angry, but… Well, give it a chance. Be with him. Even before your relationship turned into more, you were so happy just spending time with him, and the last couple of weeks, I haven’t seen you smile so much. I mean, come on, Dawn. You bought a bunch of dresses, and you’ve been wearing them. You frigging giggle. You’ve never giggled before. You’ve come out of your shell. He’s also right that you can do your work from anywhere as long as there is internet.”

Destiny smiled, and then she continued, “I wish I could hug you right now. But I need you to promise me you’ll give him a chance. That man loves you. All you have to do is look down at that ring. I couldn’t have picked a better one for you, and I’m your twin. Don’t be hard on yourself. Love is blind, and you love that man. That’s why you didn’t see who he really was. Be angry with him, but you’re married now—don’t throw it away.” Destiny grinned. “I want you to have fun the next couple of days in Vegas and wherever he takes you next. I don’t want to hear from you unless it’s super important like you’re hurt, dying, or the world is ending. Go be a newlywed. Have fun. I love you, and I promise I’ll be here whenever you need me. Now go.”

Destiny disconnected before Dawn could even think to reply to anything her sister had said. Groaning, she closed the laptop and got up. She was in Vegas. She was going to go explore. Maybe getting out and thinking everything over would help.

****

Gordon hardly slept.
He was tired and cranky. So far, it wasn’t the best start to his fortieth birthday. Brad had called him yesterday to say Dawn had gone out exploring. She’d walked up and down the strip. He debated about going to join her but knew she needed to cool off and to think.

So he’d spent the day of his wedding, and into the night, looking over work he’d missed and needed to catch up on. He was informed when Dawn came back, and after a couple of hours, he went to check on her finding her asleep in bed. He’d come back to the master suite and went to bed himself. He just didn’t sleep. He couldn’t when he knew Dawn was down the hall and not with him. Closing his eyes, he prayed he hadn’t screwed it all up.

“I’m so angry with you, but… I’m giving you a boon.” His eyes snapped open and nearly bugged out of his head. Dawn was next to him, and she was in a little black fifties style halter neck dress with red edges and a red strap across her waist. Her beautiful hair was down falling in waves to her ass. She had on red high heels that matched the lipstick on her lips. She looked stunning.

He shot up off the bed. “You look amazing.” Her smile had his heart beating to a faster rhythm.

“As I said, I’m furious with you, but because it’s your birthday, I’m giving you a break.” She wrapped her arms around him. “Happy Birthday.” Tumbling onto the bed, she squealed. “Hey, it took me a while to look like this. Don’t mess it up.”

He didn’t care. Damn, she looked good enough to eat, and it
was
his birthday. “I don’t care. I want my birthday present now.” Nibbling on her neck, she moaned. He grinned against her when she tilted her head so he had better accesses.

“You better let go so I can go get your present,” she panted out as he sucked on her skin.

“Aha, I got the present I want to unwrap right here.” Reaching up, he undid the bow of her halter and felt his way down her back to her dress zipper.