There were always rumors swirling in the background–whispers that Justin had trouble when it came to having children.
Was that why Father Benedict and Sarah acted the way they did? It made sense. And maybe that was also why the Hawksley family had chosen her as Justin’s bride.
Two people unable to have children–at least that meant there’d be no arguments about it.
Edith assumed that after Justin dropped her off at the Hawksley estate, he’d go back out to meet his friends. Wasn’t it all the rage these days? The tradition of the “bachelor party“-the wild night out before a wedding. Hers had been derailed by an accident, but surely Justin would want his tonight.
She stepped inside the house, surprised to find Justin right behind her. She frowned in confusion. “Aren’t you going out?”
Justin looked equally taken aback. Sure, they were married now, and technically Edith was the lady of the house–but did the lady of the house really kick her husband out on the very first night?
He stood tall, his white shirt drawn across lean, toned muscles. Yet when he spoke, his voice was tinged with a kind of gentle hurt. “And where exactly would I go?”
Edith answered plainly, “I know you guys usually have bachelor parties. It’s fine, really.”
Bachelor party? Justin’s brow furrowed. What the hell kind of bachelor party? He’d hated every single day of being single. Hadn’t he spent enough time alone already? To him, ending that loneliness was worth celebrating–missing it was out of the question.
He took a steadying breath and said, “Edith, there’s nothing about being. single I want to celebrate. So, no, I’m not going out to party.”
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Edith nodded slowly, “Oh, I see. Well… do you want to go spend time with your friends, then?”
From her experience, even if a man didn’t ditch his family, he’d at least want to be with his friends on his wedding night. When Beckett married her, he’d stayed out drinking with his buddies till five in the morning–the sky was already light when he stumbled back to the Vance estate.
She’d been furious. But Beckett had acted innocent, telling her she shouldn’t be upset. After all, once you got married, you barely saw your friends anymore–so you might as well have one last big blowout.
Back then, Edith had actually wondered if she was just being immature.
After everything with Beckett, Edith had learned to be more generous. Only, her generosity now left Justin feeling oddly stung.
To him, it almost seemed like Edith was eager to send him away.
He leaned in, wrapping his arms around her waist. “Do you really want me gone that badly?”
His sudden closeness made Edith’s breath catch, her heart pounding in her chest. She tried to step back, but his hand held her firmly in place, pressing her against him.
Her mind, usually so clear, went fuzzy under his touch. Suddenly, she was flustered, stammering, “I–I don’t want to kick you out…”
She just didn’t want to seem petty or childish. She wanted to get along in the Hawksley family, to leave Justin with a good impression, to show she could be magnanimous.
Justin’s lips brushed her ear, and he gently nipped at her earlobe. His breath was warm, voice/low and tinged with hurt and stubbornness. “You definitely want me gone. But I’m not going anywhere. Tonight’s our wedding night.”
Our… wedding night?
Edith could sense danger in the air.
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.