Hale to Pay (Arrangement Series Book 6)

by Francesca Penn

  His words alone have me wet and primed to be reunited with my husband. My pussy begs for the pleasure only he is allowed to give me. My breath hitches as his teeth sink around my nipple. I don’t know how he got that one out but a few expert flicks of his tongue has me damn near climbing the wall.

  “Do it. Claim me anyway you want and make me scream.”

  “Shit. I love your enthusiasm.”

  I’m naked by the time he drops me on our bed. I watch him as he slips off his bottoms. He’s so damn sexy. I get caught up in the sight of him and the knowledge that he’s mine every time he undresses for me.

  “For now,” a little asshole in my brain whispers.

  I shake the thought away to stay in the moment since my naked husband is the best thing my eyes know.

  “Fuck me, Wyn. We can catch up on foreplay later.”

  His smile promises me every naughty thing I want. Climbing on the bed, he pushes my legs apart and licks his lips as he stares at my pussy. Wyn grabs his dick then rubs it along my slit.

  “First, I’m seeing how wet you are for me. Your body knows when I’m home.”

  I cry out when he sinks into me. I know this doesn’t cure world hunger but one stroke has solved a lot of my problems. Damn, I’ve missed him. My back bows to meet his powerful thrusts. My nails graze his skin and make his eyes shine in challenge.

  “Don’t hold back, Caterpillar. Give it all to me.”

  Wyn’s mouth drops to lunch on my breasts.

  “Mmm. Our babies will never go hungry with these,” he muses between nibbles.

  I freeze. I know what he means but his thoughts break out the sad woman hiding inside.

  “I’m not pregnant yet,” I confess on a half-wail.

  I screw my eyes shut but the tears still find a way out. Wyn freezes and I turn my head to keep our gazes from locking.

  I’m a failure.

  “Imala, baby, look at me.” He moves his face into my line of vision and grips my jaw. “Focus on your husband.”

  His title causes more tears to spill because I don’t know if he’d want to be my husband much longer, but I blink away the tears and look into his eyes. He starts moving again, delivering measured and satisfying strokes. My body tingles but it doesn’t lift my fog of sadness. Still, I maintain eye contact, choosing to focus on his blue-green irises with the specks of gray floating around. He steals a quick kiss then is back to his intense gaze.

  “Fuck, I didn’t plan to say anything at this second but you need to hear it.” He moans from the pleasure he’s taking from my body. “I want to be a daddy but not at the expense of losing you. You’re my wife. I chose you. I want to keep you.”

  “Why?” I sniffle. “What’s my purpose if I can’t give you what you want?”

  His eyebrows drop to display his irritation. “Don’t ever ask me shit like that again. A baby has never been your only purpose in my life. I chose you because I want you. I stay because I love you.” My eyes go wide with shock but my heart dances. My words are stuck but it doesn’t matter since Caerwyn has more to say. “I don’t fuck you with the thought that it will be the time I get you pregnant.” His thumb traces my bottom lip as he thrusts into me hard. “I grab you and rip off your clothes because I’ve craved you all day. I love the way you feel, your sighs, moans, and how you look at me. It restores me after a fucked up day.”

  His words squeeze at my heart because I want his love and devotion. He made me believe in love at first sight because I’ve been stuck on him from the moment we’ve met. Any fear I had for our love being one sided is being obliterated; each word stabs another hole in my fearful theory.

  I wrap my legs around my husband's waist, giving more of myself to our love making.

  “Wyn…” my voice trails off when he shakes his head.

  “I’m not finished. You may as well tattoo my name all over your body. I’m permanent. Our souls are intertwined. If you can’t get pregnant, we’ll go another route. I’ll go with you if you want to get checked out. Just like the rest of our relationship, you can’t plan it. Let it go where it may. Get answers then work on solutions.” My hips buck when he squeezes one of my nipples hard. The intense contrast between pain and pleasure has me more alert than coffee. “But right now, I need you to fuck me like my dick is the only thing on your mind.”

  He rolls us over so I’m on top. Automatically, I began riding him the way he taught me. His beautiful eyes close as his head rolls back in a silent compliment to my skill. His hands fly to my hips, grabbing me until his nails sink to my flesh. I hiss from the divergence of sensations again. My walls clench and pull my confession out.

  “I love you, Wyn,” I whimper.

  He sits up, getting in my face as his hands continue to guide my hips. Wyn delivers a kiss meant to tease before he smiles.

  “I know, and you’ll show me that love later on your knees with your mouth stretched over my dick.”

  The visual gets me wetter and makes my pussy quiver. I love how he’s so nice in the streets yet filthy with me.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Caerwyn

  I fucked my stressed out wife to sleep and passed out just after. While our sex was amazing and I’m relieved to find she loves me as much as I love her, I still have a partial frown on my face the next day as I sit in my home office paying bills. We need to discuss her views to see if she’d come to the conclusion that I only wanted her for babies on her own or if I did anything to make her feel that way. Babies are part of the reason we got married but I don’t like how she seemed to be carrying an unnecessary burden on her own. As a lawyer, I should know better. My terms should have been explicit.

  Where in the hell did she think she was going?

  I grab my golden letter opener and rip open a bill Berke gave me. Imala appears before I can read it. She eyes me cautiously and murmurs a greeting. She’s wearing black tights and one of my dress shirts. The image makes me want to fuck her where she stands but we have important business to discuss.

  “Good morning. Come have a seat.” I wave my hand in the direction of my guest chair.

  “Why do I feel like I’m being called into the principal’s office?”

  “You kind of are, wife. We can look into corporal punishment if you’re feeling frisky.”

  Her aroused flush is motivating but I need to stay on subject. She runs her fingers through her hair then secures it in a bun at the back of her head. Her chocolate eyes roam over my face as she studies me.

  “Did I tell you how sexy you look with reading glasses?” She flirts with me to deflect.

  I rake my lower lip with my teeth. She’s wearing her glasses as well and I’ve always thought she was sexy with them. I’m not getting off subject and telling her that right now though.

  “Thank you. We can discuss how sexy you find me later. Why in the hell did you think I wouldn’t care about you beyond being an incubator? I know I told you I want to be a dad, but did I do anything to make you feel like you’re only good for childbearing?”

  She shakes her head. Imala keeps her eyes on me but her hands fidget with the buttons on my shirt.

  “No. You’re great which is why I want to give you the family you want. You’re fine with it now but I didn’t want you stuck with someone who cannot get you the family you crave.”

  I sit back in my chair. Her consideration is touching but with bullshit mixed in the layers.

  “First, I’m not stuck with you. I’ll never feel stuck with you. Second, look around. This is the longest Berke has been around without me wanting to crack his skull. You did that. You’re twenty-six and trying to finish law school. I would not put that kind of pressure on you and I sure as hell don’t want you assigning that burden to yourself. We’re newlyweds who are still learning about each other. Your only focus right now is finishing school and how hard I can make you cum, got it?”

  Imala sits up straight like a cadet. Relief and amusement are present in her eyes. “Yes, sir,” she quips.

&
nbsp; I shake my head. “Only say sir when you’re on your knees.” I refrain from chuckling when she blushes. “Besides, it’s like you gave me a child. That big bastard just handed me a stack of bills to pay.”

  Imala giggles quietly with her hand covering her mouth. She’s so damn cute.

  “I think he’s behaved enough for me to release half to him. I’ll set it up tomorrow so he can pay his own bills next month.”

  I rub my chin considering what she’s saying. “I know Sienna can’t talk to you about specifics, but does she feel he’s making progress?”

  Imala shrugs. “I’ve been preoccupied. I just trusted Berke to be an adult.”

  “And what does he need to satisfy to be released from house arrest?”

  Imala gets up and walks around my desk. I scoot back to allow her space. She straddles me in my chair, instantly giving me office sex fantasies, but the look on her face tells me that isn’t her purpose. Dropping my head back on the headrest, I cup her hips and look her in the eyes so she knows she has my undivided attention.

  “The better question is what do you need, Wyn? If you want, I can set him free today. If you fear he’s going to run off and never come back like he did before, I can give you more time. For me, the main thing I wanted was for him to recognize he has a family and doesn’t have to do these things alone. I would love for him to see you as I do.”

  “I can’t really see him as you do. I’m not meant to take his dick,” Berke says from the door.

  I would threaten to punch him but he’s still himself after being knocked out cold so that’s pointless. Imala rolls her eyes and looks over her shoulder at Berke.

  “I may need to make you wear bells as a condition of your house arrest.”

  Berke raises his dark brows. “And who’s gonna put them on me, sweet cheeks?” Yup. Still the same. “Anyway, fifty points for office sex. I’m okay with talk of me being foreplay.”

  Imala climbs out of my lap and nudges Berke with her elbow on the way out. He smiles as he watches her disappear.

  “She’s quite the little spitfire. There’s some gumption behind those glasses,” he muses with a hint of admiration in his tone. “She’s perfect for you.” He looks at me with a seriousness in his brown eyes. “I’ll kill you if you tell that little hellion I said so.”

  I grin but am thrown off by his chattiness. We are much more relaxed around each other and although he doesn’t make it his mission to insult me anymore, he’s still not the type to seek me out just because. I go to what I know just in case he is following up.

  “I’m starting your stack. Did you find another bill or something?”

  He shakes his head. Leaning on the door jamb, he rubs his beard and looks off in the distance like he does when he’s trying to work something out in his head.

  “Actually, I popped over to see if you wanted to grab a bit of lunch.”

  The confusion must be written on my face because Berke stiffens then stands up straighter. I didn’t mean to make him uncomfortable but I don’t recall ever being invited anywhere by him. Ever.

  “You don’t have to look at me like that arsehole. I’m not asking you to pay.”

  His defensiveness knocks me out of my stupor. Quickly, I stand and grab my wallet.

  “No, Berke. It’s not anything like that. I just realized that was the first time you’ve invited me anywhere.”

  “That’s not true. What about when…” his voice trails off when he fails to produce an instance to prove me wrong. “Well, damn. I’m inviting you now.”

  “Is Bowie coming? Do Oran and Jagger know you two are trying to be the next Hanlon-Hale power couple?”

  Berke’s expression displays his lack of amusement. “I’m single. We are two grown men who love a good party. The dude has so many groupies, I don’t even have to work for pussy.”

  Outside, we climb into my vehicle and I pick up our previous conversation.

  “Or you can find a pussy you really, really like.”

  Berke scoffed as he secured his seatbelt. “Marriage isn’t for me and if you and Imala even think about trying to force me into marriage, I’ll blow up the mansion and we’ll all be homeless.”

  I chortle but he’s dead ass serious.

  We pop into one of our favorite lunch spots that is exclusive enough for a Founder’s kid to eat without being harassed. Mireya León loves preying on Berke’s unpredictability so he’s far more of a tabloid magnet than I am.

  Settling in, we order appetizers and beers. Berke drinks half of his beer before his face is serious again.

  “How are things going with Sienna?” I ask him.

  His eyes roll heavenward. “Fuck her. She’s nosy.”

  “You said that last time,” I point out.

  He shrugs. “Because it’s still true.” Another beat of silence passes before he speaks again. “Okay, I had an agenda for asking you to lunch.”

  I study him over the rim of my glass as I take a sip. We have a tumultuous relationship but I choose to give him the benefit of a doubt until he speaks his mind.

  He stares off again as he drags his thumb ring across the table then taps it on the table a few times.

  “Your agenda must require a lot of thought.”

  He glances at me because he’s not sure what I mean. “Why do you say that?”

  “Your thinking face is engaged.”

  “Thinking face?”

  “Yeah. Whenever you’re in deep thought, your face crinkles and you stare off into the distance.”

  “Damn. How in the hell do you know that? Are you some kind of stalker?”

  “No. Your brother.”

  Berke flinches then takes another drink. “Right. Let’s try this again. In the hospital, I was awake most of your conversation with Imala.” The server places some calamari between us and he picks up the conversation the moment she disappears. “I don’t hate you. I’ve never hated you. Sienna calls it envy. Not all childhoods are rainbows and sunshine, ya know? You got to stay on the island with parents who loved you. My mom is a piece of work who’d constantly tell me that my dad’s only interest in me was writing a check.”

  I stop chewing because that’s the farthest from the truth. My dad would be so hurt when Berke didn’t want to see or speak to him. Now, I’m not sure if that was the case. Berke shakes his head at the memory.

  “I used to tell her it wasn’t true. I would fight with her about it but she’d just point out that my dad was rich and powerful and he didn’t use any of his influence to fight for me. When I’d visit the three of you would look damn happy and you were merely a reminder of everything I didn’t have. I’d felt like a meal ticket for my mom and an obligation for my dad and you had all the love. I was just the bastard child he had to see to not look like an asshole. My mom reminded me every summer to remember my place. ‘Don’t befriend that little shit. He’s not your brother,’ she’d say repeatedly until it was ingrained in my brain. Any mean thing I’ve said to you came from her. I was just a child trapped in adult problems.”

  He shakes his head and drinks more beer as if he’s having a battle with maintaining his emotions. I keep quiet because although my heart hurts for him, I know this is something he needs to get out.

  “Then Oran showed up and he stopped sending for me. My mom said he didn’t care to see me now that I was not the one inheriting the seat at the Founder’s Table.” He smirks like the memories don’t hurt but I know they do. “I’ve been called some form of worthless ever since. I cut her off when I was old enough to get my money directly and she never fails to remind me that my dad didn’t care about me. In short, I’m nothing like that sick fuck uncle of ours. I feel every fucking thing but have learned it’s better not to feel at all.”

  Berke finishes his beer and signals for another while I attempt to digest everything he’s told me.

  “I told you all of that to say, I’m sorry. I know I could have made better decisions as an adult but conditioning is a bitch. I was too busy in my own shit
to ever consider that my actions hurt you as well. Everyone loves you so much I’m surprised that there isn’t a statue of you somewhere. I didn’t stop to think that you might have needed me.”

  Nodding, I clear my throat to try to keep my emotions in check. His mom fed him so much bullshit I want to choke her.

  “Excuse my bluntness but your mom is a fucking liar.” His snort tells me I’m preaching to the choir. “She hurt all of us. Dad threatened to take you from her more than I can count but she’d give him these sob stories or threaten to kill herself. I’m sure there’s much more but you’d have to talk with him for the details. As for me, all I wanted was a brother who didn’t hate to see me coming. It was my Christmas wish every year until I stopped believing in Santa. Then it became a hope and a prayer.”

  “Well, it was answered when that bat shit crazy wife of yours ran me out of my home and back to the island.” We pause to look at the menu then order our entrees. Berke picked up where we left off. “That took some guts and if you love her for nothing else, love her for that. I have dinner plans with Dad next month and we’ll iron out the rest. I just want you to know that even if Imala reinstated everything today, I’m not running off again. If that grumpy ass cousin of yours can embrace a surprise brother then I’m willing to give this brother thing a try if you are. If you tell anyone I said this we’re going to fight, but Caerwyn Hale, will you be my brother?”

  I laugh then fan my eyes like a girl who has just received a proposal. “Should I answer now or are you getting on one knee?”

  Berke raises his eyebrow. “Only reason I'd get on my knees is to punch you in the dick.”

  I chuckle and he joins in, I try not to dwell on the knowledge that this very well may be the first time just the two of us laughed together.

  “Let’s not upset Imala. If you punch me in the dick I can’t help you with whatever she’d cook up as revenge.” I sober and move back to the original subject. “You didn’t have to ask, Berke. I’ve never considered you anything other than my brother. I’m just happy you’re now willing to participate.”