Chapter fourteen
The next couple of days passed by far too quickly for Piper's liking. Her father had telephoned her and it seemed he now knew all about her supposed 'happy' forthcoming wedding. Mark must have told him, she guessed, and wondered just what it was her father really did know. He certainly wouldn't have been told that she was basically selling herself to save his business, Mark wouldn't have risked that. So he must have woven some story about them falling suddenly and madly in love....or something. She snorted at that thought. It would be just like that man to do something like that anyway, he had a knack of turning things around to suit himself. Her eyebrows rose when she thought how much she had learnt about him in only two days. Not that she had had much choice. After their little 'conversation' he had gone about telling her things about himself at any given opportunity and getting information out of her about her life...even though she had been very reluctant to talk. But he had methods of loosening her tongue...she blushed as she thought about that. Why on earth was he bothering to actually marry her? He was getting his conjugal rights already, no matter how much she tried to protest. A sigh made itself heard as she shook her head. Not that she had been able to protest very much, she had been too weak. Her body just gave up the fight almost the moment he touched her. Deciding she would have to strengthen her resolve, she stood up and smoothed down her clothes, walking out of the room and making her way downstairs.
Her stomach gave an all too familiar lurch when she saw Mark pouring coffee in the kitchen. Damn him! she thought, frowning. He was a horribly arrogant, conceited pig...but he could look so damn sexy doing just about anything. And right now he was wearing a tight black T-shirt and equally tight jeans, the material moulding itself nicely to his backside. Her fingers twitched as she thought about touching it and she had to forcibly stop herself from moving towards him. It was even worse when he suddenly turned around, because her eyes were still down there and she saw the way the denim lovingly cupped him in front, her cheeks burning as she quickly jerked her eyes away. The fact that he gave a deep chuckle only made her more embarrassed and she turned to leave the room.
"No, you don't," Mark said, moving with incredible speed and pulling her back. "I've made you some coffee."
"I don't want...I..er...I don't want any coffee," she muttered, refusing to look at him as he pulled her over to the table and made her sit down before sitting opposite her.
"Nevertheless, you've got some. No need to be embarrassed because you appreciate my body, Piper, I feel just the same when I look at yours."
Her eyes jerked up to his briefly and just as quickly darted away, not in the least bit comfortable with the way he spoke. "I do not appreciate your body," she said through her teeth, grabbing the mug of coffee and warming her hands on it.
"Sure you do, you couldn't keep your eyes off my ass. That's okay, I like knowing I'm sexy in your eyes," he said, flashing her a smug grin when she stared at him in irritation.
"You're not sexy," she told him, raising her chin as anger overcame her embarrassment.
He put a hand over his chest and gave a groan, his grin still firmly in place. "You wound me," he said, raising one eyebrow.
"I'd like to wound you," she muttered, not in the best mood as she thought about marrying him. Thinking about that made her change the subject. "How long am I supposed to be your wife for?"
"How long? Well, honey, the same amount of time as most happy marriages," he said, sipping from his own coffee before continuing, "until death us do part."
"But this isn't going to be a happy marriage," she said, hoping he was just joking.
"Yes it is. I've already been very happy over the last couple of days," he said, his eyes roaming up and down her body with interest. "I don't see any reason why that shouldn't continue. Plus I want children, and you couldn't very well have them and just leave, now could you?"
"Children?" she said, shocked because that hadn't even occurred to her.
"Yeah, you know, little versions of us?" he asked, obviously enjoying himself at her expense judging by the gleam in his eyes. "Anyway, enough about that for now, you need to go shopping."
"Shopping?"
"Yes, you need to get a wedding dress, unless I'm very much mistaken," he pointed out.
"Wedding dress?"
"Enough of the parrot act, sweetheart. Here's some money," he said, throwing a rolled up wad of bills across the table. "Get whatever you need. But make sure it's nice. I want you to look good when we say our vows."
"Look good...? Why should I....I don't even want...you...God, you make me so..." she sputtered, hating his attitude and wishing she was strong enough to punch his lights out.
"I make you speechless, quite obviously. And you're not the only one with things to do," he said, looking at his watch. "I have to go and pick my suit up, and I have some other things to arrange. Oh, and your father will be here later today, so behave yourself."
Piper stood up and gaped at him, feeling control over her life slipping away inch by inch. "I'll behave how I please," she said heatedly. She just about managed to stop herself from backing up when Mark slowly stood up, leaning across the table menacingly, his big fists planted in front of him.
"You'll behave as I tell you to, or I'll put you over my knee in front of your family. Don't think I won't do it Piper, I don't make empty threats, as you should already know," he said, his eyes glinting as he stared her down.
Not really knowing what to say, she looked away and sat back down, knowing she wasn't going to win in this no matter how she tried. And there was really nothing she could do to change any of it. Sure, she could run off, but then she would have the awful knowledge that she had been responsible for her fathers downfall, and she couldn't do that. She didn't look up again until she heard him leave the room, and she let out a breath she hadn't even been aware she was holding in. Her eyes fell on the wad of money and she grimaced. Well, at least she'd have something to do to occupy her time today, she thought, a gleam of mischief entering her eyes. She would buy a nice dress, for herself if nothing else. But if he thought she was going to buy something sexy to wear underneath it, then he was sadly mistaken. When he peeled her out of her dress tomorrow night, he'd be in for a nasty surprise.
Several hours later Piper let herself back into the house, frowning when she heard loud voices coming from somewhere. She put her bags down and had just straightened up when Mark walked out of his den.
"Ah, there you are," he said, sounding almost pleased to see her. She looked at him in confusion for a second until another large figure emerged from the room behind him, making her jaw drop. The man was absolutely enormous, even more so than Mark, she thought. And he looked as scary as hell! His head was shaved and, by the looks of it, so were his eyebrows. She was so busy staring at him that she barely heard Mark speaking.
"This is a good friend of mine, Glenn Jacobs. Glenn, this is Piper Williams, my future wife," he said, watching Piper shrink back slightly as Glenn moved forward and grasped her nerveless fingers in his.
"Pleased to meet you," he said, shaking her hand and giving her a pleasant smile. He couldn't help being amused at the way she was looking at him. Mark had told him everything about their 'relationship' so far, so it was no wonder she looked a bit nervous. She probably thought he was here to help subdue her.
Before she could say anything to him, Mark started speaking again. "There's someone else here to see you as well," he told her, motioning behind him.
Piper felt her eyes fill with tears when her father walked out of the den, and she rushed to him, so happy to have someone she loved here that she almost wailed. But she wasn't going to act weak like that in front of Mark and his friend, so she bit all her feelings back and enjoyed the cuddle. It felt like she hadn't seen him in years and yet it had only been a few days.
"Is everything okay, honey?" her father asked, frowning down at her with concern.
Piper pulled back and darted a glance at Mark, not needing to see the faint warning in his eyes to know that he was expecting her to be good. "Everything's fine, I'm just a little nervous," she said, shrugging.
"Well, that's only natural, I guess," her father said, relieved that that was all it was. "Come on then, show me your new home. Mark said he'd let you do the grand tour, although I think he's planning on joining us, aren't you Mark?" he asked his future son-in-law, smiling obliviously.
"Yes, I am. There are still some places that Piper hasn't seen, herself, so it would be easier if I came along.," he said, chatting easily.
Piper knew the truth was that he didn't trust her not to blab about everything, and he was merely playing bodyguard.
"I'll just put my bags upstairs," she mumbled, going over and picking up her things.
"Fine, we'll start up there," Mark said, putting one big arm around her shoulders and guiding her up the staircase. As surreal as the situation had felt before, now, with her father here, it felt even more so and she had to carefully mask the sudden misery that engulfed her. She wished she was marrying for love.
***Ah another one written and on we go!***