Regency Romance: The Rake's Fake Marriage (Historical Arranged Marriage Romance) (19th Century Victorian Romance)

by Sarah Thorn

  ''When I came out of rehab my dad kept me locked up like a prisoner. When he introduced me to Dan, I took the opportunity. I mean it was better than sitting at home, and I hadn't got a clue where you were. You know, Dan's not a bad guy, but he's gotta go.'' When she'd stopped laughing she looked at the tattoos on Jason's body and tried to figure out which one was new. ''I don't know why, but when I orgasm I always seem to need a line afterward,'' she added.

  Jason got out of bed and reached into a drawer in the cabinet next to the window. He pulled out a pack of cocaine and handed it to her.

  ''That's my boy. You always give me what I want.''

  *****

  Janice looked at her watch. Where was Keke? It was gone ten, and she was never this late. When she heard a car pull up outside, she was relieved. ''My God Keke, you look awful are you alright?''

  ''Yes, I'll be fine. I'm just feeling a bit under the weather; that's all. Be an angel and make me some tea.''

  Janice looked at her quizzically. ''But you never drink tea. How about a nice strong coffee to get you up and running.'' The mention of the word coffee sent Keke rushing to the toilet.

  ''You're not pregnant are you?'' Janice asked when Keke came back into the room holding a tissue. Keke looked at her. Twenty minutes later Janice was back at the office with a home pregnancy test. Keke went to the bathroom and shortly after Janice heard a scream.

  After she had stared at the picture of Madam Tinubu for over an hour and wiped away more tears that she wanted to remember, she picked up the phone.

  ''Hi Dan, it's Keke.'' Dan was sitting in his office reading an email from Johannesburg in which the union boss had apologized for the inconvenience and instructed his members to return to work forthwith. Just the sound of her voice made all those feelings reappear. But her rejection had been sudden and brutal, and it had hurt him deeply.

  ''Keke, how's the investigation going? It's only three weeks to the wedding, and I'm getting nervous? Have you found what she's up to yet?'' he blurted the questions out one after another as quickly as he could.

  ''Dan, I'm....pregnant.''

  ''Is it mine?'' Jesus Christ, what a horrible thing to say, Dan thought. ''Sorry. I'm just a bit upset after you know..... and I'm shocked.''

  ''Dan, it's yours, of course, it is.''

  There was a long silence. ''Well that's fantastic, really good news. Of course, I'll take care of your every need, and you'll never want for money, I'll make sure of that.'' What Dan wanted to say was: please let's be a family,' but he didn't want anymore hurt.

  ''Thank you, Dan. I'd hoped you would understand. Raising a child as a single mom won't be easy, so I'm grateful for you support.'' The words single mom made him feel lonely and excluded. ''Let's have a coffee sometime and we can finalize the details.'' Sounds like a bloody business deal, Dan thought. ''You asked me about Britney,'' Keke continued. ''I've been following her, but I've been sick quite a bit, so I've put Janice on the job. The only time Britney went anywhere unlikely, Janice lost her in the traffic somewhere near Shelborne Springs. Do you know anyone there?''

  ''No.'' Dan's mind was still thinking about the horrific prospect of Keke raising their child without him. ''It's got to be a secret.''

  ''What has?''

  ''Your pregnancy. If people find out, my future may be at risk.''

  ''Okay. I won't tell anyone. Dan? Dan?''

  Dan had hung up.

  *****

  Britney was driving towards Shelborne Springs when her cell rang. ''Hi babe, it's me.''

  ''Dan.'' How very inconvenient, he never calls me during the day, she thought. And why did he call me babe? ''What's up?''

  ''Can you meet me in town, I want to talk to you?''

  ''Sure when?''

  ''An hour.''

  A line of cocaine flashed across her mind. She gripped the steering wheel harder and tried to block the thought, but it was impossible. She needed it and the thought of having to turn back to Dallas and go without was overbearing. Only a few days, keep it together girl, she told herself.

  Dan liked Mary's tea room. It was a copy of one of those old fashioned bakers shops, with a tea room at the back. Britney arrived at the same time as the waitress. Dan ordered a pot of tea and scones with cream.

  Don't mess it up Britney, told herself as she approached the table. Give him a kiss, make sure he suspects nothing. She flashed a false smile and sat down opposite him.

  Dan looked at her. He was right, she really was behaving oddly, and she looked as thought she needed to sleep. Enough now, though, both your parents think she's a great girl, the fun you had when you first started dating will come back, and sure, she's nervous. After all, she's marrying into a dynasty.

  ''Are you okay?'' she asked. not really caring if the answer was yes or not.

  ''Fine. Listen I've been a bit aloof lately. I just wanted to tell you I'll help you finalize the wedding. I' haven't been much help so far. I thought it was time I did my bit.''

  Did you drag me away from a good screw and a line of cocaine to tell me that you mean son a bitch? she thought. ''Yes great. I'll brief you when we get home.''

  ''And one more thing. You mentioned the insurance papers. James Ridley will be here in a few minutes. Remember him? The broker from Allinson and Allinson. We'd better get all those boring little details sorted before the wedding. You never know, I might walk under a bus, and you'd be destitute otherwise.''

  Britney beamed back at him. Finally, she thought.

  *****

  Janice yawned as she pulled up, a couple of hundred meters away from Britney's car. Get yourself a new job, she thought. This is boring as hell. She'd spent day after day, sitting in her car, either outside Dan and Britney's house or following her on another shopping trip. The only time she'd left central Dallas was to go to some God forsaken town and then Janice had lost her. Today would be like all the other days, she thought.

  When Britney got out of the car, she headed into a clothes shop. Janice followed her at a discrete distance, her hand on the camera in her bag. Keke had told her to keep back and take photos' if Britney met anyone suspicious. Particularly men.

  Janice watched as Britney walked around the store. Britney picked up the odd garment and looked at it before replacing it. When Britney looked at her watch and suddenly made for the door, Janice was alert. She followed her outside and across the road to the park. Britney sat down on a park bench, and Janice hid behind a tree. After a couple of minutes, Janice reached for the camera. Britney was talking to a very tall, thin man.

  *****

  Keke was just about to throw up again when Janice arrived looking hot and sweaty. ''I thought they called it morning sickness because it's supposed to happen in the morning,'' Keke complained. ''I've been ill all day.'' She looked at Janice and noticed her familiar guilty look. ''What's the matter?''

  ''I've messed up.''

  Keke wasn't surprised. ''What?''

  ''She met a guy.'' Janice slumped into the armchair and looked at Keke, who'd take the secretary's place for the day.

  ''And?''

  ''And I tried to take a photo, but the camera.''

  ''The camera did what?''

  ''Well, that's the problem. It didn't do anything.''

  ''Why?''

  ''I forgot to charge the batteries last evening.''

  ''Janice, how many time are you going to......'' Keke got up and rushed to the bathroom. In the time she was away, she decided not to fire Janice. For now anyway. She'd give her one more chance. ''Do you, at least, have a description?'' she asked when she returned.

  ''Yes. Tall and quite thin with a full head of gray, black hair.''

  ''What was he wearing?''

  ''All black. Pants and shirt.''

  ''Shoes, boots, sandals?''

  ''Ah yes that's the interesting bit,'' Janice remembered. ''Cowboy boots. Very noticeable ones. Black with white flashes.''

  Keke opened the window. Janice's car didn't have air conditioning, and she was not goi
ng to let Janice drive her car. ''Drive slowly Janice please,'' Keke pleaded. ''I've got six stores on the list. Lets' begin at San Antonio Street and work our way around the downtown area.'' Janice nodded and put her foot down. Keke felt nauseous but managed to hang on.

  ''One more and we're done. It a very long shot but this is a game of coincidences. You never know what's around the next corner,'' Keke said as Janice pulled up outside Wild Bills. When they went inside Keke whistled to her self. There were more stetsons that she'd ever seen in one place and hundreds of pairs of cowboy boots. When Janice yelled, Keke jumped in shock.

  ''These. These here.'' Janice held up a pair of black cowboy boots with white flashes.

  ''Are you sure?''

  ''Yes. One hundred percent.''

  Keke took the boots off her and walked to the sales counter, where a young man was unpacking shirts. ''Are you okay?'' he asked her. ''You look very hot?'' His observation was confirmed when a trickle of sweat dropped from her forehead and landed on the counter. He disappeared and came back with a glass of ice water and a clean towel.

  ''My word, you are one considerate man. You'll make someone a great husband one day,'' Keke said, wiping her face in the soft towel.

  “'I'm already married,'' he said proudly. ''To Martha.''

  Doesn't look old enough, Keke thought. ''And what's it like being married?''

  ''Wonderful. I love her so much; everyday is a fantastic experience. When I get home and see her, it's....it's like having the best Christmas present you could ever wish for, everyday.''

  ''Do you remember if a tall, thin man, probably dressed in black, bought a pair of these boots from your store.''

  ''That sounds like Steve. He's a good customer here.''

  ''Do you know where he lives?'' Keke wasn't hopeful.

  ''No but I can tell him you want to speak to him if you like. He's got some boots here for repair. I'll give him your number when he comes to collect them.''

  ''No it's okay. Don't worry.''

  Keke sat in her office and thought about what the young man had said in Wild Bill's. He can't have been more than nineteen, yet he spoke with so much passion about the woman he loved. She looked at Madam Tinubu and felt racked with guilt and horror at what she had done. ''Okay, okay, I'm going to. Don't look at me like that,'' she said.

  ''Janice? Can you come here, please.'' When Janice appeared, she looked pleased with herself. Keke didn't know why. ''I want you to park yourself outside Wild Bill's everyday until you see that man appear. When you see him, I want you to follow him and find out where he lives. When you've done that I'll take over.''

  ''All day, everyday?'' Janice asked, horrified.

  ''Do you want to keep your job, Janice?'' Janice nodded. ''Well, in that case, do what I ask you. You know I've been very good to you, you should try to remember that.''

  *****

  I need to pee, Janice thought. She got out of the car and went into the alleyway next to Wild Bill's. She'd managed to pee there everyday for the last three days without being seen.

  Janice didn't see the man, but she felt the slap across her face. ''Why are you looking for me? Who are you? Tell me or by God I'll stick this piece of steel into you.''

  Janice stood with her jeans halfway down her thighs and whimpered. It was indeed the same man that she'd seen with Britney. ''Sorry, but I'm not following you,'' she said as she rubbed the place he had slapped her. ''I just came in here to pee. If it's......''

  ''Who are you? Last time I'm asking?''

  ''Janice.''

  ''You've been sitting in your car for three days and asking about me in Wild Bills. Why?''

  Keke had told Janice that the last thing you do is reveal you clients name. In fact, Keke had told her that you die before you do so. ''It's to do with Britney.''

  ''I don't know anybody called Britney.''

  Janice assumed he was having an affair with Britney. “Yes, you do. I saw you together. I'm a friend of hers,'' she lied.

  ''You're one step away from being murdered so tell me the truth. Why are you following me?''

  ''I told you. I'm a friend of hers, and she told me about you. She wasn't sure she could trust you, so she asked me to keep an eye on you.''

  He didn't want another victim on his hands, especially one that he would have to kill on the spur of the moment. She also looked like the kind of woman who would go away and keep quiet if he threatened her hard enough. ''Piss off and leave me alone. If I ever see you again, I will murder you in the most savage manner possible.'' He let go of her and walked away. Janice collapsed onto the ground and forgot she needed to pee.

  *****

  When Jessie saw Keke pull up outside the diner, she went to the table and took away the sugar. ''The usual Keke?''

  ''No, can you bring me a plate of ice cream and some chopped onions.''

  ''What?''

  ''Ice cream and a plate of chopped onions.'' I hope the father is the nice looking guy in the Ferrari, Jessie thought.

  When Dan arrived, he was wearing an Armani suit and open white shirt. As he walked towards her, Keke cleared her throat nervously. Without saying anything, he handed her an envelope. She opened it and gasped. ''No Dan, not like this.'' She handed the paper back to him.

  ''Then how?'' he asked. She looked at him and noticed how weary he looked. She took his hand, but he pulled it away.

  ''When I called you and asked you to come and see me, I wanted to talk to you about a couple of things. First, Britney.'' What does it matter now, he thought.

  ''We have witnessed Britney meeting a man in a park downtown. Janice was following him. He caught her and shook her up quite badly. He's up to no good.'' Dan looked confused when Jessie arrived with the strange mixture of foods. ''We can't say whether it's an affair or not, but she met a man. I need a bit more time to get to the bottom of it, but I think you, at least, have a case for postponing the wedding until we find out more.''

  ''I have decided to go ahead with the marriage.'' It could have been so different, he thought. When he sighed, Keke took hold of his hand again. Again he tried to pull back, but she held onto him desperately. ''What do you want, Keke?'' he said, almost angrily.

  ''I don't want a check for three million dollars, that's for sure. I understand when you came here, you came prepared to support me, but that's not the way I want it.''

  ''Jesus, how do you want it?'' he said no less angrily. ''It seems to me, you want it all your own way. You dumped me, now I'm offering you financial security for the rest of you life to look after you and the baby, and you throw it back at me. I don't understand.''

  ''Because I have made a terrible mistake,'' she said, tears in her eyes. ''I love you so much, and I am so sorry for what I did to you. I was hasty and didn't think it through properly. I just reacted on the spur of the moment to a problem that I've known before in my life. I have every faith in you, and I want you and me to bring our child up together, under the same roof, and in the same bed. ''Keke pulled him over the table and kissed him. ''What do you say?'' She looked at him as his expression changed. The tiredness in his face went, and the sparkle in his eyes returned.

  ''Do you know how hard it has been, thinking I would have to live my life without you. Without seeing my child every day? Of course, the answer is yes.''

  Jessie watched as Dan stood up, walked to Keke's side of the table and got onto one knee. When she saw Keke nod, she broke out into applause.

  *****

  Britney got out of the car outside Jason's house. In her bag was ten kilos of the best cocaine money could buy.

  ''I warned you, if you talked, you would die instead of your fiancee. Those are my rules,'' Steve said as Britney appeared in the middle of the cross hairs of his long-range assassins rifle.

  ****

  THE END

  The Sexy Billionaire Daddy – A BWWM Pregnancy Billionaire Romance

  1

  Viola Turner couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She was going to be late for work, but sh
e couldn’t move from the doorway to her bedroom. She was in her small one bedroom apartment, half dressed. She wore her black skirt that was a part of her uniform, but the white shirt hung over her shoulder. Her toothbrush was in her mouth, and white foam leaked from the corner of her lips, contrasting with her dark chocolate colored skin. She had been multitasking when her boyfriend, Jerome, had decided to break up with her.

  “Are you kidding me?” Viola asked.

  Jerome was tall, but he was slumped down, sitting on the edge of her bed, looking at the floor. “No,” he said. “I wouldn’t joke.”

  “You’re breaking up with me?”

  “I just don’t think it’s going anywhere, Vi.”

  “Don’t call me Vi. People who are breaking up with me don’t get to call me Vi. It’s Viola. Or Miss. Turner, for you. Yeah, Miss Turner is fine.”

  Jerome sighed and stood up. He still didn’t look at her, he stared at the back of his hands instead, which he held up under his chin, as if he had never noticed them before.

  “Look at me,” Viola said.

  Jerome did.

  “What happened?”

  “It just isn’t working.”

  “You aren’t working. I’ve been paying for everything while you keep screwing up job interviews.”

  “I knew you’d bring that up,” Jerome said, sighing.

  Viola rolled her eyes. “Just get out, I have to go to work.”

  “Get out?” Jerome asked. “Where am I supposed to go?”

  “You thought you would break up with me, and then stay here? Jerome, get real. Get your stuff packed up, be gone before I get off tonight.”

  “Fine,” Jerome said, and Viola didn’t waste another second on the man. She turned and headed for the bathroom, so she could finish brushing her teeth.

  Viola worked downtown, at a restaurant called Vine, which was very posh, and very expensive. Viola would have never been able to eat there if she didn’t work there. The clientele was some of the most powerful and richest men and women in New York, and it was a rare week that Viola didn’t serve a famous actor or musician.