AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Since Maxim had mentioned the Murphys’ name, nothing had come of it. I hadn’t really thought about my lie until my last name fell off Maxim’s lips, but it weighed heavily on my mind ever since then. I wanted to tell him that I’d given him a fake name, but I was nervous about how he’d react. Would he be angry? Worried? Honestly, I didn’t know how to possibly gauge him, so I did the next best thing.
I ignored it, mostly because a tiny little part of me knew that I would get into really big trouble if he ever found out, the kind of trouble that would end with his belt and my very sore bare bottom coming to terms once again.
Murphy was a common enough name anyway. The chances that the Murphys he knew were my cousins were slim to none.
Right?
I shook my head nervously as the car drove through the streets of Boston and tried to focus on the fact that this was my first outing since Maxim had taken me under his wing and for some strange reason, he’d sent me off on my own.
Sure, I had three bodyguards, but it was an outing, nonetheless. No one had really told me where we were going, but the moment the vehicle pulled to a stop, the point of the field trip became obvious.
We had pulled up in front of a bridal shop. It was quaint, and elegantly named Belle Mariée. The name was etched in graceful, looping script on a chic, frosted glass sign that hung just above the door. The windows of the shop displayed a stunning array of wedding dresses, from classic lace gowns with long, flowing trains to more modern designs with sleek, clean lines and daring cuts.
The front of the shop was painted a soft, inviting cream color, and the window displays were adorned with delicate floral arrangements that added a touch of romance and whimsy. It was nestled between a florist and a high-end jewelry store, which almost seemed too perfect, like a bridal haven for those in need.
As the car door opened, my bodyguards—one tall and broad, the other two slightly shorter but equally stern-looking—stepped out first, scanning the area with practiced eyes. They were all dressed in smart, dark suits and looked the part of professionalism. Once they deemed the area secure, they motioned for me to follow.
I stepped out of the car, my heart pounding with a mix of excitement and nervousness. The bodyguards escorted me to the front door of the dress shop. As I entered, the door chimed softly behind me. Then they took up positions outside the door, standing like sentinels guarding a fortress.
“You must be Riley,” a female voice carried from the back of the shop. “I’m Irina.”
A woman around my age with sage green eyes and jet-black hair stepped out from amongst the dresses. She was really very pretty, with delicate but strong features and they were narrowed in on me like a laser on a target.
Instantly, my whole body was on alert.
“Nice to meet you,” I ventured carefully.
“I’m Maxim’s daughter,” Irina continued, and my breath stuck in my throat with a sharp gasp. “You’re about to marry my father,” she stated more than asked, her tone mingling with disbelief and a hint of challenge.
“I am,” I replied, my voice a bit steadier than I felt. I opened my mouth to say something more, but the chime of the shop door announced someone else’s arrival and I turned to see another striking woman step into the shop.
She carried herself with undeniable authority, her sharp green eyes scanning the room before settling on me. With dark burgundy hair pulled up into a bun and dressed in an impeccably tailored pantsuit, she was the epitome of power and elegance.
“Ah, you must be Riley. I’m Ada Murphy,” she said, as she approached with an extended hand. Her gaze briefly flickered to Irina, acknowledging her with a quick nod, before returning to me.
My gaze searched her face. I’d only met my cousins when I was little and I didn’t remember their faces, but there was something about Ada that seemed suspiciously familiar, yet I couldn’t put a finger on it.
I decided I was crazy. It was probably just my guilty conscience seeing things at this point.
I kept telling myself that until I believed it.
“Yes. That’s me. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Murphy,” I replied, taking her hand. Her handshake was firm, her entire demeanor exuding the self-assuredness of someone used to being in charge.
“Please, call me Ada,” she corrected lightly and immediately I felt a little more at ease. “And Irina, put your claws away. Today is about welcoming Riley into the family. Remember how you felt when your father met Aidan for the first time? You were nervous too, right?”
Irina scoffed but turned to her with a nod.
“Aidan’s quite a bit older than me too,” she offered with a soft knowing smile, and I blushed.
She had no idea.
I could hear Maxim calling me his little girl and spanking my bare bottom and making me call him Daddy and I shivered.
Fuck, what had I gotten myself into?
I smiled quickly, trying to cover up my wayward thoughts and lifted my chin.
“Maxim, Irina, and I thought it would be nice to surprise you with a day out trying on dresses. You’ll be safe here. We’re deep in my family’s territory and the Orlovs know better than to fuck with us,” Ada offered, and I relaxed a little bit more.
