26. Emzee

EMZEE

CHAPTER 26

I opened my eyes just as the sun was beginning to appear on the horizon. The Malone family summer home was truly gorgeous, and the view of the ocean beyond Ford’s balcony was breathtaking. Part of me wanted to rustle him out of bed so we could watch the sunrise together, but when I looked over at him, sleeping soundly, he seemed so peaceful that I didn’t want to wake him up.

Instead, I got up and stretched, my body feeling deliciously sore. Last night on the beach, and then again after our little room service meal, had been…well. Every part of me felt alive. As the room began to lighten, I realized that nothing would make me happier than to see the morning coming on, all by myself, before anyone else in the house was up. So I dug my sneakers out of my suitcase, threw on leggings and a Lululemon top, and headed out. As I snuck through the still-quiet house, down to the beach, I relished the peace and calm.

It was cool out, but the ocean breeze felt good against my skin, and I knew I’d warm up soon enough. I jogged along the shoreline, going at an easy pace, taking deep breaths of salty sea air and feeling the blood pumping through my veins. Who knew I’d be so into exercise in the right environment? It was the perfect opportunity to sort through all my thoughts and feelings before the wedding.

I still couldn’t believe that the big day was almost here. By this time tomorrow, I would be Mrs. Ford Malone. It would be official.

But what would it mean?

I had resisted fully acknowledging the bond developing between me and my fake fiancé over the past few months, worried that my hopeful heart was making me see things that weren’t there, that I was letting myself fall victim to wishful thinking.

But I couldn’t deny it anymore. I wasn’t making up our connection. I wasn’t making up the way he’d hold me close after sex, the way he took the time to make my eggs exactly right in the morning—over medium, with just a little bit of runny yolk to dip my toast in—or the way he turned to me first when he got stressed about work or had some good news to share. We genuinely enjoyed our time together, and we relied on each other. I wasn’t the sidekick anymore.

We’d always had our friendship, and now we had an intense physical connection as well. Yet I was sure our relationship was more than just the combination of those two things. And wasn’t that what romantic relationships were all about, after all? Friendship and sexual attraction, plus mutual support and respect, and the desire to be with each other, in all the ways?

It seemed like ever since I gave my virginity to Ford, which was something I continued to keep a secret from him, our dynamic had shifted. At first I had assumed that the intimacy of our bodies was creating a false sense of emotional intimacy as well, but I didn’t think that was the case anymore. I felt safe with him. I trusted him. It felt like we were truly growing closer—that we were becoming more and more like a real couple, day by day.

Ford and I really were kind of perfect together. I knew I wasn’t wrong.

I stopped to catch my breath after a mile or so, panting as sweat rolled down my back.

The sun had risen fully, casting soft golden light all across the beach. It felt like a message, almost, an omen that I was embarking on something completely new. Something honest. Something true. I was so convinced of it that I decided I had to talk to Ford right away, before we both got swept up in the all-day festivities for the wedding. We’d probably barely see each other until I walked down the aisle toward him on my brother’s arm.

I would tell him exactly how I felt. See if he felt the same. If he was willing to pledge to make this marriage a real one.

Even though I’d already built up quite a sweat coming down the beach one way, I broke that record on my return to the house. I couldn’t run back to my fiancé fast enough.

The Malone family’s staff was just starting to begin their morning routine when I burst through the door. I’d passed landscapers outside, trimming the plants and bushes, tending to the leaves that had fallen into the pools, preparing for the arrival of the guests. Huge box trucks full of tables and chairs for the wedding had pulled into the driveway as well, and workers were milling around, unloading tablecloths and heating lamps and dozens of other things whose purpose I didn’t quite know.

Once again, I was beyond grateful that my sisters-in-law had taken charge. The last thing I needed was to worry about the wedding and all the little details required today.

I squeezed by the staff and headed for the stairs, my attention totally focused on getting to Ford. This conversation couldn’t wait. I’d just put my foot on the bottom step when a voice stopped me.

“Oh, Mara, there you are,” Mrs. Malone’s voice called out from behind me. “How opportune. We need to speak with you for a moment.”

Slowly, I turned around to find Ford’s mother standing in the doorway of the summer house’s library, her lips pressed together in a hard line. Behind her, I could see Ford’s father sitting at his desk, his expression unreadable to me. Nothing about this was comforting.

“A moment,” she repeated, beckoning me into the library.

“I, um, was just going to take a shower,” I said, gesturing toward my sweaty appearance.

I knew Mrs. Malone hated any display of imperfection and I was the poster child for that right now. But she seemed far more concerned with us having this little chat.

“The shower can wait,” she said, standing aside.

Nodding, I headed into the room, feeling like I had no choice in the matter. My pulse was pounding. But it wasn’t from the run anymore.

My nervousness only increased when Mrs. Malone closed the library doors behind me, closing me in with her and her husband.

I’d barely spoken to Ford’s parents since he’d dropped the engagement bomb on them. We’d seen each other socially, of course, and both of them had been polite—taking care not to snub me in any overt way that might draw attention—but even at the surprise engagement party and since Ford and I had arrived on the Vineyard, his parents and I had been keeping our distance, as if we’d made some silent agreement.

Ford had repeatedly reassured me that it was just how his parents were, with everyone, but I knew it was me personally that they didn’t approve of. They’d always been warm toward Claudia, and I knew they would prefer that Ford break off our engagement and get back together with his ex. She certainly seemed like a more appropriate choice on paper.

Still, I’d hoped that maybe they’d warmed up to me, had accepted that Ford and I were going through with the wedding. His mother, at least, had stopped fighting with him about it and had redirected her energy to helping my sisters-in-law with the wedding plans. And now this.

Standing there in the library, anticipating their possible disappointment, I understood why Ford would rather fake an engagement than confront them about what he really wanted.

They were certainly formidable, and they hadn’t even said a word yet.

“Please sit,” Ford’s father said. It was a command, not a request, and I obeyed.

Mrs. Malone moved to stand beside her husband, and they both looked at me as she said, “We wanted to inform you that we are still very much opposed to this union.”

Any last, lingering hope I’d had about their acceptance crumbled into dust.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” I said, glad that my voice didn’t shake. “But we are still getting married. Were you…expecting us to break it off?”

Ford’s mother smirked at me. “Don’t be ridiculous,” she said. “Calling off the wedding now would be too loud, too much fodder for the gossip columnists.”

I relaxed a little. Even if they didn’t approve of me now, surely after Ford and I were married, they’d see how happy we were together. How much we truly cared for one another. Maybe after some time had passed, they might be able to consider me part of the family.

But that hope quickly died when Ford’s mother went on.

“That being said, of course we can’t allow this to go on forever,” she said. “It’s an utterly unacceptable match. So. You have one year to get this reckless, foolhardy ‘love’ out of your system, and then you and Ford will be done.”

I stared at her. Her plan sounded suspiciously close to the one that Ford and I had agreed upon, but I knew his parents had no idea that this whole arrangement had been strictly that—an arrangement. It just sounded so distasteful and sordid coming from her mouth. As if it was preposterous to think the two of us could possibly have real, enduring feelings for each other.

“What if we don’t want to be done?” I asked, managing to find my tongue.

“Please,” Mrs. Malone said with a sneer. “Your shine will have worn off by then. Besides, we can spin this any way we like when reports of your affair start getting leaked to the press.”

My jaw dropped, my stomach clenching at the implication. “My affair?!”

I would never cheat on Ford. That was absolutely insane.

Ford’s mother crossed her skinny arms over her surgically enhanced chest. “Believe us,” she said, “if you aren’t willing to walk away, we’ll make sure that your name is tarnished forever. Can your family really afford another scandal, after everything your father did?”

“This is really…really…” I trailed off, at a loss for words. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. My eyes darted over to Ford’s father, hoping that he was just as shocked by his wife’s words as I was, but he barely seemed to care that a conversation was happening in the first place. He had his nose buried in the Wall Street Journal . Clearly, he was going to let his wife do whatever she wanted.

I felt sick. Was my whole life going to just be one humiliation after another?

Ford’s mother seemed to be enjoying my speechlessness, and even came over to give me a little condescending pat on the arm. I was so stunned that I couldn’t even move.

“Now, now,” she cooed with faux sympathy. “We realize this won’t be easy for you, so we’ll be sure to take good care of you when you go.”

I stared at her, feeling numb. But she wasn’t done.

“A little Russian bird tells us that your family left a few unsettled debts unpaid when the agency changed hands. We can take care of that for you. And just like that, all your problems are solved. Of course, if you should screw this up in any way…”

How had Ford’s family found out about the Bratva and the debt they were holding over our heads? Stefan and Luka had said they had the situation under control, but if the Malones knew about it, maybe it was more precarious than we had originally thought.

I swallowed hard.

I wanted to argue. To fight for what I knew I had with Ford.

But I fully understood the threat Mrs. Malone had just laid out. The offer she’d made to help my family get rid of the Russians. My brothers said they’d handle it, but how could they? They simply didn’t have access to the kinds of funds that the Bratva was after. And even if they did, there was no guarantee that the Bratva wouldn’t just come back six months or a year after they’d received their payment to demand more.

On the other hand, Ford’s parents were obviously in tight with the mob. That was the only way they could have known about the Bratva’s threats. They also had more money than I could wrap my head around. Could they really fix this? Make it all go away for good?

I glanced over at Ford’s dad. He had lowered his newspaper and was looking at me with a searching expression. I didn’t see judgment there, I saw…assessment. As if he was waiting to see if I’d make the smart move.

There was no denying what was at stake. It wasn’t just about me—it was about my whole family. Their safety and security, their ability to continue forward with the business and their livelihoods. Stefan and Luka had wives to care for, babies on the way…

If I agreed to let the Malones clear this debt, the sins of my father could finally be washed away.

“Once the debt is paid, we’ll be done with them forever?” I asked.

“Forever,” Ford’s mother promised. “But only if you walk away after a year.”

I could feel my heart shattering, knowing that I was going to have to choose between my family and Ford. But it was no choice at all.

“Fine,” I said. “You have a deal.”

I’d stick to the original plan. A year of marriage with Ford, and then I’d say goodbye.

I’d never seen my mother-in-law look so happy. If she smiled any more broadly, she’d probably ruin her Botox.

“You’ve made the right decision,” she said. Then she waved her hand, indicating that I was dismissed.

Beyond devastated, I left the library.

Less than fifteen minutes ago, I’d felt like I was on top of the world. Like a new chapter in my life was about to begin—a chapter I’d be sharing with Ford.

Now, I knew that my happiness had an expiration date. One year from today.

Instead of going to find Ford, I went to another room in the house to hide. I didn’t want anyone to see what a wreck I was. A bride shouldn’t be so sad right before her wedding, after all.