I know my father would, but am I really still considering his wishes?
Of course I am.
“I don’t know. I hadn’t thought about it,” I mutter.
“Well, if you decide to, I can help you with that. Or Meek can. He is really good at all that legal stuff,” Maggie offers.
“Thank you. I will consider it. I’m not even worried about that. I don’t know how I am going to live with him. He says he has room for me at his place, and I will have my own space, but how am I supposed to live with him? I’ve never lived with a man before. It would be different if we liked one another, but we don’t. All we do is argue. I don’t think I have ever had a pleasant conversation with the man until my dad died. You saw him before. He is bossy and arrogant. He is possessive as hell. Do you know that he really told me that if I wanted to mess around that I was free to, but that any man I touch would no longer breathe? Like this isn’t a real marriage. What the fuck?” I grumble, downing my wine.
Maggie holds out the bottle, refilling the glass as Aspen tries not to laugh.
“Go ahead. Say whatever is on your mind.” I sigh.
“He is a Mountain River man. Of course he is possessive. This might not be a real marriage to you, but this is Ridge we are talking about. You’re right. He is everything you listed. You know what else he is? Loyal to the fucking bone. Of course thatman wouldn’t want you with anyone else. He has told the state and everyone around that you are his. He wouldn’t want anyone to touch what is his. You can bet your ass he won’t touch anyone else either. That’s the type of man he is.”
I hate that Aspen’s words resonate in me. She’s right. I don’t know much about Ridge. I have spent years pretending he didn’t exist as much as I could. Still, he is a loyal man. He has already said he would be faithful. I can see how he would want me to be the same, even if this isn’t real.
“I’m not his old lady,” I remind them.
“No, but you are his wife, and in this world, those words mean the same thing. The only difference is that an old lady is for life while marriage can end,” Aspen points out.
I let my head fall back and groan, “This is going to be a painful two years, isn’t it?”
“Only if you make it painful. It could also be good if you let it. It’s all about how you proceed. With hate in your heart or with your heart wide open and ready for anything,” Maggie says softly.
“I won’t fall in love with him,” I tell her. “It’s not a movie. This is real life.”
“Of course not,” she says quickly. “I only meant that maybe you could be friends. Two years is a long time to hold on to hate for your husband.”
She’s not wrong, but I’m not sure I’m ready to give up our former combative relationship. If I do, will I lose myself completely?
I feel like it’s all I have left.
Ridge
“Where were you last night? You missed a sick fight down at the rings. Wolf got in there with Talon. Both came out looking a little worse for wear.” Yak starts his jabbering as soon as I walk into the clubhouse. “You should have seen the way Wolf bobbed and weaved, missing Talon’s punches only to get him right in the chin. Oh, Talon didn’t like that, though. He came back even harder, getting Wolf to the ground. It was brutal.”
I knew the guys were all heading down to the rings, a place for us to let off steam in a positive way. Usually, I would have been the first to go. I enjoy getting some licks in every now and again.
I didn’t want to, though. Instead, I waited until enough time had passed and went to Rain’s place. She wasn’t there, though. I searched the roads for her, worried she might have crashed. I was on my way to the clubhouse to talk with Meek about it when I saw her car, sitting there outside the place like it belonged.
When I snuck inside, I found her sleeping in Mustang’s room. She was so exhausted that she didn’t even hear me pick the lock.
I left her alone but stayed at the clubhouse the whole night in case she needed me.
That’s my job now. To protect her.
My wife.
“I need a drink to deal with you,” I growl at him.
He laughs, heading over to where we keep the bottles of beer. He grabs one for me and himself before sitting on a barstool as he continues to talk about last night.
Wolf, Eagle, and Panther walk in moments later.
“It’s like two in the afternoon. Why are you two drinking?” Panther asks.
“It’s the only way I can take his incessant chatter. I swear he is worse than one of those teen girl movies.” I take another swig of beer.
