Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 29807 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 149(@200wpm)___ 119(@250wpm)___ 99(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29807 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 149(@200wpm)___ 119(@250wpm)___ 99(@300wpm)
“It’s not secure unless you have heirs. Look at me. I had two sons and one turned out to be gay and had no children and the other turned out to be a faithless traitor with only one son. I know you don’t like me. You refuse to live in my home. You come only when I threaten you but like it or not, you are my blood and my only heir. I have to leave my empire to you. If you do not wish to turn out like me, then you must have many children and a large family so that you will have options. If you do not start now, it will be too late.”
I wrap my fingers around her frail digits and squeeze lightly before pulling out of her grip. “I told you three years ago that I would not marry. If you don’t like that, find a new heir.”
“Why?” she cries. “Why her? She’s gone and it’s time for you to move on.”
Three years ago, if she’d said the same things about Darby Harris, I would’ve upended the table—maybe thrown it through the windows. But time has dulled the pain. The loss of my fiancée is a daily ache that I’ve learned to live with, but that doesn’t mean I will ever replace her. “She has never been found and so there will be no moving on. And even if she was found and we had to bury her, I would still not move on. There is and always will be only one for me. If that’s a problem, then you should make other arrangements.”
There’s a tinkling sound of glass crashing against lacquer but I don’t turn around to see what she’s broken. Her temper tantrums are tiring. She should take her own advice and move on because I never will.
Chapter 2
Darby
I blow a raspberry on Jax’ cheek, making him giggle. “You’re getting too big for me to carry.” I sigh as I readjust him on my hip. He rests his little head on my shoulder. I know he’s sleepy. Time had gotten away from us at the park and I promised him a candy bar. At least it was our Friday. For most everyone else it is Tuesday. We’ll get to sleep in tomorrow and snuggle. I try to enjoy those days with him, knowing he won’t stay young forever.
“I a big boy,” Jax agrees but doesn't make a move to get down. I have to admit that I’m a sucker for when he lifts his hands, asking for me to pick him up. I’m basically the worst at telling him no. He is such a good little boy though. We are already over the two year benchmark but I don’t see the terrible twos anywhere in sight. I know every parent thinks their kid is an angel, but Jax truly is.
“Not too big.” I kiss the top of his head. The past two years have gone by in a flash. When I was pregnant, it felt as though time was in slow motion. Then Jax came into my world and nothing seems slow anymore. Everything is always busy and moving. I don’t know how I got so lucky to have gotten him. I don’t know where he came from, but he is my angel. I may not remember my life before him but it doesn’t matter. I can’t imagine anything being as special as him. As long as I have him, we’ll always be okay. He is my life. We are a team.
“You going to pick one?” I motion to the candy in the checkout line as we wait for our turn. His head pops up from my shoulder to investigate the selection. He wiggles for me to let him down. I put him on his feet as his little fingers dance around which candy to get. “Pick one for Mommy, too.” Jax nods, letting me know that he can indeed do that for me. He studies the candy bars as though it’s the most important decision in the world. I smile, knowing that to him it probably is.
“We share.” He grabs a plain Hershey bar first. My eyes drift up to the magazines that are next to the candy bars. I check out the headlines like I’ve done many times. My eyes pause on a specific one when I see the same face I’ve seen a couple times before. Jonas Willits. I don’t know why my attention always focuses on him whenever he pops up, but it does.
There is something about him that catches my eye and piques my curiosity. This time it’s his birthday. I pick up the magazine to see he’s on a yacht in Hong Kong. One that doesn’t look too shabby, to say the least. They are speculating about when he’s going to finally settle down and get married.