Chapter 30

30

Knox

Yes, I invited her friend Zoey, and then her mother and her siblings, because I knew she'd appreciate the emotional support. I want her to feel comfortable at her own wedding. Besides, I feel guilty about hustling her into this agreement. It's only partially true that I didn't want Arthur getting all up in my business and deciding to throw a spanner in the works. And maybe, I wanted to ensure I have her hitched to me so no one else can get their dirty paws anywhere near her.

Any doubts I did the right thing are put to rest when she walks up the aisle on the arm of her mother, with a small smile on her face. There's gratitude in her eyes when she mouths, thank you . I nod, unable to take my gaze off of her. The blush pink dress she's wearing, while demure, clings to her curves. Tendrils of hair frame her features, and my fingers itch to tuck them behind her ears. Her cheeks are pink, her brown eyes shining, and when she comes to a stop in front of me,

I'm barely able to acknowledge her mother before I take June's hand in mine. Sensations zip up my arm. I sense her shiver in response to my touch, and once more, it strikes me how responsive she is. And when she lowers her gaze, my heart insists she's the perfect subservient for me. My cock thickens, and I glance away, not wanting to sport a chub during my wedding ceremony.

My brother, Edward, who's a former priest and who agreed to marry us, smiles at both of us. The ceremony is short, as I requested. When she says, "I do," it's in a soft yet firm voice. And when I hear my own voice echo the words, I'm struck by how confident I feel about it… How right it feels to take her as my wife. I slide the ring I picked out onto her finger and am rewarded by her eyes growing wide. She looks up at me, surprise and pleasure on her face, and a rush of satisfaction fills my chest.

She slides the simple ring I picked out for myself on my finger.

When Edward announces that I can kiss the bride, she draws in a sharp breath. Apprehension laces her features. She swallows hard, then focuses her gaze on my chest, which is where she reaches. Nervousness thrums off of her. I could insist on kissing her on the lips, but her uncertainty strikes a chord.

It can't be easy, jumping off the deep end and marrying a man she's only known as her boss. Of course, she knows me better than anyone else, given how closely we've worked over the past few weeks. And I know enough about her to know I'm doing the right thing in marrying her. And that I'll do my best to protect her and keep her safe. And that includes making sure I prioritize what she wants. After all, she's my wife.

A thrum of possessiveness grips me. I notch my knuckles under her chin, then bend and kiss her forehead. I shift to move away, but she leans up on her tiptoes which only brings her up to my chin. She lifts her head and peers into my face, and I feel like I'm drowning in her warm brown gaze. A shudder grips me.

Something knotted in my chest releases. I lower my head and press my lips to hers. She stills. Then, like water breaking through a dam, she melts into me. I release my hold on her chin, only to grip her hip. Then, I deepen the kiss, and when she parts her lips, I sweep my tongue inside and over hers. Lust zips down to my groin. My thighs tighten. I pull her closer. A moan spills from her lips, and I swallow it down. I continue kissing her and drinking in her sweet taste. And when she sways against me, I tighten my hold on her. I'm never letting her go. Never. The thought brings a cold sweat to my forehead. I release her and step back, making sure to hold her until she finds her balance.

She has a dazed look in her eyes. Her lips are swollen from my kiss, and the flush on her cheeks has deepened. The sound of clapping reaches me. I look up to find her mother wiping tears from her eyes. I visited Irene last night and told her I was marrying her daughter. And when I explained to her that I wanted her presence to be a surprise for my wife, a pleased look came into her eyes. Now, she walks over to us and takes my wife's hand in hers.

"You make a beautiful bride."

"Irene"—my wife swallows—"I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier."

"I won't say that I've forgiven you for that, but your husband told me it was his idea to get married so quickly. I'm grateful you two decided to get married here, instead of eloping."

"Eloping?" My wife darts a confused look in my direction.

The thought had occurred to me, but I decided it'd be best to confront Arthur with the news right after the wedding, rather than risk him finding out about it. Hence, I decided to use the conservatory at my penthouse as the venue.

"He was insistent that I not call and tell you I was coming. Seems he wanted it to be a surprise for you."

This time, when my wife shoots me a glance, there's a question on her face.

I shrug. "Thought it would make a good wedding gift."

She frowns but doesn't comment.

Then Irene turns to me. "Mind if we talk alone for a moment? Everything happened so quickly last night, I didn't have a chance to form my thoughts. But if you have a few seconds…"

I nod. "Of course."

My wife narrows her gaze on her mother, "Irene," she begins in a warning voice, but Irene waves her away.

"I merely want to talk to my son-in-law; I'm sure, he won't mind."

"I'd be more than happy to spend time with you," I say politely, and gesture for her to lead the way.

She walks over to stand by one of the glass walls of the conservatory that looks out over the city. I reach her, and both of us peruse the view for a few seconds.

"When June came to me, she'd already been through ten foster homes, in eleven years. That's a lot of displacement for a young girl," she says in a contemplative voice.

The investigator I employed to look into my assistant's background when I hired her shared this information with me. I gave him a big enough budget that he was able to pay off people and dig out details about her background in the system. I don't comment, realizing Irene has something she wants to get off her chest.

"I was initially her foster carer, you know? But I fell in love with that stubborn, mixed-up, misunderstood, crying-out-for-attention, eleven-year-old. Perhaps I saw something of myself in her. I, too, had been there."

"You were adopted?" I venture.

"I wasn't, unfortunately. I was a problem child. Prospective adopters avoided me. I had a reputation similar to June's by the time I reached her age. It's probably why I decided to adopt her." Her smile is a little sad. "I wanted to give her the benefit of the stability, I never found as a child. A chance at a future I never had. And yes, I was probably being selfish."

"How's that?"

She folds her arms across her chest. "No-one adopted me. But by adopting June, I was trying to heal some of the wounds from my past. At least, I realized that in retrospect. But no matter what my reasons were, adopting that girl was the best thing that happened to me. She filled my life with hope and joy; and challenges." She laughs, this time in delight. "Oh, she challenged my authority at every turn, but I made it clear to her it wasn't up for debate. I told her when she was done rebelling and ready to give herself a chance, I'd be there for her."

I look at Irene with fresh respect. "And she took the opportunity you offered her."

"She did." Irene nods with satisfaction. "The day she came home and told me she'd gotten an A in class was the most incredible feeling of my life. And when she called me Mom—" She swallows. "It's a memory I'll never forget. Of course, I didn't stop there. Seeing her thrive was so satisfying I went onto adopt Jillian and Ethan. I finally had a family. A unit of my own, which I'd stopped believing was ever going to happen. "

We stand silently for a few more seconds. Then, she turns to me. "You love her?"

Her direct question takes me by surprise. This woman's smart. Providing that insight into her and my wife's relationship, she's demonstrated just how much she loves her. How much they care for each other. And how important my answer to her question is.

I cast around in my head for the right words, then realize there's only one answer.

I find myself nodding before the words even form. "I do," I say, and I mean it.

I'm not sure when that happened. Perhaps the first time I saw June in my office. The first time she touched my scar. Or when I chased her from the gym… Or perhaps, it was seeing the disappointment on her features when she realized I was going to marry someone else. Or when I saw her with another man on the dance floor, and the rage and jealousy ripping apart my guts made me realize the connection between us went beyond mere chemistry. There's something more between us. Something that makes me want to take care of her. I'm determined to never hurt her.

Irene scans my features, and whatever she sees there makes her nod. "My June is a stubborn girl. And knows her mind. I'm sure it took a lot to convince her to marry you."

"It did," I nod.

"And I'm sure, she loves you, too."

I frown, but I'm not sure how to reply to that. Does she love me? I don't think so. Especially not, after how I used her weaknesses to convince her to marry me. But I don't need to reveal that to her mother.

"Don't look so doubtful." Irene laughs. "I know my daughter well. And regardless of what she may have convinced you to believe, I know for a fact, she wouldn't have agreed to this marriage unless she felt connected to you."

I incline my head.

"She may not be my daughter by birth, but she knows what she wants. She takes after me, in that respect. She's the most genuine person I know, and I don't say that because she's my daughter. She's an incredibly strong person, and you're lucky to have her in her life. "

I nod. "I'll be the first to agree to that." I half smile. "I am lucky she agreed to be my wife."

"Hmph." Irene's expression is noncommittal. "One more thing you should know. I love my daughter, and I'll do anything to protect her. If you hurt her in any way, you'll have me to contend with."