AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That being true, I’m your husband now, and I’m kind of taking the position seriously. If I can’t be here to make sure you’re safe, there’s only one other person I trust completely.” He dropped his hand from his eyes and risked a look at me, gauging my reaction.
“Oh fuck.” There was only one person he could be referring to. “No, Julian. I won’t be your brother’s prisoner again.” My inner child emerged and I crossed my arms over my bare chest and pouted.
“Fine.” He conceded with a dip of his head. “If having Ryker here bothers you so much, I won’t push the issue.”
I grinned victoriously. “Thank you.”
“I’ll call Ryker and Ty andthey can both stay here while I’m gone. That should shut you up.”
Hell no. I’d take my chances wandering around fucking Griffith Park first. “You wouldn’t.”
“Are you willing to take that risk, Mrs. Bale?” Staring in unadulterated amusement, he smiled that damned ghost dimpled grin. My breath caught as he lifted a brow. “Are you done now?”
“Maybe.” My stubborn streak refused to give in so easily.
“I’m not fighting with you on this, Phoebe. I don’t want to leave any more than you want me to. We’re newlyweds for Christ’s sake. I’ll make it up to you.”
“Yeah, you will,” I said, finally cracking a smile.
“One more thing.”
“Julian, no more of the ‘one more things,’ I can’t take one more thing.”
“This is important.” He sat up and turned my palm over in his hand. With more concentration than required, he drew designs in the center of it with his index finger. “Let’s not tell anyone about getting married today.”
“What? Why?” The shock I felt had to register on my face.
“I don’t know. It just feels special. Everything I do is so public, Phoebe. I drive down the street and it’s in the tabloids the next day. I paid Russ Harper more than he makes in a year running that fruit farm to ban any workers or cameras from the property, and to keep his mouth shut.” He glanced up with pride. “I even made him sign a non-disclosure agreement. No one will know until we tell them. I can’t tell you how long it’s been since I’ve had that. I just want to hold off for a little longer. I’d like to tell my mom before fucking Access Live.”
Something about the lost look on his face got to me. Who was I to take his peace from him?
“It can be our secret for now. I mean, legally, I’m still a Ryan anyway. I can change it after the baby’s born.”
I’d barely gotten the words out when his face broke out into a huge grin. “God, it just hit me. We’re really married, aren’t we?”
“We’re really married. Oh my god, I have to call Faith.”
His eyes widened. “Call Faith for what?”
“Julian, she’s my best friend. You can’t expect me not to tell her we’re married.”
“You’re damn right I do!” He flung his legs off the side of the bed. “Look, I like Faith, but this is how shit leaks. The last thing we need is our family finding out through mail order gossip.”
“Come on, just her. I promise she won’t breathe a word. Please?”
“Stop giving me that look.”
I batted my eyes at him. “What look?”
“That look. It won’t work.” His resolve crumbled as the corners of my mouth dropped in a devastated frown. Running both hands over his face, he groaned in frustration. “Fine. Jesus. Only Faith, and you’d better swear her ass to secrecy, or I’ll take Zane to every strip bar in Seattle.”
Squealing, I grabbed my phone and pushed the speed dial number. Covering the mouthpiece, I flashed a brilliant smile. “First of all, you go to a strip bar and I’ll make a bracelet out of your balls. Second, Faith is married, at least in name. Besides, she and Zane aren’t together anymore.”
“Such violent threats to the family jewels today, wife.” Reaching for his pants, he pulled them on as he continued. “And as far as those two not being together? Yeah, okay. Whatever you say. I give it a few weeks. He won’t be able to stand it.”
“You’re probably right.”
“Of course I am.” After dressing and packing his overnight bag, he leaned against the doorframe looking every bit as dangerous as he did the moment I met him. Holding out his hand, he smiled as he slid his fingers through mine. “All right, Mrs. Bale, are you ready to face the world?”
I brushed his jawline with a light kiss as we walked down the hallway. “The question is, Mr. Bale, is the world ready to face us?”
