"I haven't eaten yet." His baby brilliantly played along.
"I'll buy you something on the way," he said short then reluctantly turned back to John. "Lunch will be on me since I'm rudely interrupting."
Already sliding out of the booth, Court grabbed her purse while Darren held out his hand.
"I'm sorry, John. Maybe next time," Courtney said.
"Sure," John replied sourly.
Darren tossed a couple Jacksons on the table, placed a protective hand on the small of Courtney's back, and led her from the restaurant. When they cleared the front doors, she visibly relaxed. "Darren, thank goodness you called. He started to ask very personal questions that made me uncomfortable."
"Like what?" Darren asked through gritted teeth. Man he wished his brother had been able to find out anything on this guy. But no, nothing. Not one damn parking ticket, traffic violation, dog license fine. Nadda.
He helped her into the passenger's seat of her car then climbed into the driver's seat. Jack drove the SUV Darren had arrived in.
"He asked if we were going to have children soon after the wedding," Courtney answered.
"He what?" Darren spat.
"I know. But it was the way he asked. It was too...too," she searched for the right word, "intimate," she said, shaking her head.
"Courtney, I don't like that man. I didn't say anything before because he was a client. But there's something about him that I don't like. I can't put my finger on it, but I think you should stay clear of him," he said firmly. If she tried to argue there was going to be hell to pay.
"I agree."
"You do?" he asked shocked.
"Darren, when I get the heebee-jeebees from someone, then you know something is wrong, because I don't see the bad in anyone," she said.
"Heebee-jeebee?" Darren snorted. "Have you been watching Hee Haw?"
She tossed her head back and laughed. The sound was music to his ears. "Yes, at night after you fall asleep. I turn on the country station and watch old reruns."
"I knew it!" he exclaimed. His strain washed away. Leave it to his Courtney's sense of humor to relax him. He grasped her hand and kissed the back of it. His love for her was unrivaled. He would do whatever it took to protect her.
***
Fifteen minutes Darren had spent listening intently to the woman explain the workings of the placebos.
"Since she's been on birth control for a few years, it might take some time for her body to readjust. Probably won't get pregnant right away, Mr. Murphy. More like months," the nurse explained.
He nodded. "I understand, but it could still happen, correct?"
"Yes, it could, but doubtful," she answered.
He handed the women an envelope filled with two grand in cash. Worth every dollar.
"Thank you. If I need more I'll be in touch," he assured her.
"Very well, Mr. Murphy, and good luck."
He slid her his patented devilish grin, nodded, and then left the suburban home.
Luckily when Darren arrived home the house was empty. Yes, Courtney may have voiced at great lengths about delaying the creation of a family, but he refused to wait years for her to come around. He was a man on a serious mission.
He rushed upstairs, found her birth control pills in the medicine cabinet, and replaced the unopened packages with the placebos. He discarded the appropriate amount from the opened package. Yep, the path he decided on might backfire if she ever found out but he was willing to take that chance. There wasn't a real possibility she would find out. No one, including Derrick, Jack, or Carl knew his game. It was six weeks before the wedding and if it took her a few months to get pregnant then not big deal. He took the real birth control pills and placed them into a bag he'd toss somewhere. His plan now in place, it was only a matter of time before Courtney would be bound to him in a manner she'd never be able to walk away from.
Chapter 4
Darren
Two weeks before the wedding of the decade, the entire Murphy family and clan buzzed in full wedding mode. All the plans were complete and now it was Friday evening and Darren and Courtney were about to leave for their bachelor and bachelorette parties. Rumor was both parties were going to be an enormous blow out.
Darren and Derrick stood in the kitchen with Jack and Carl discussing events when Courtney sauntered into the room. She wore a gorgeous little black dress Darren had never seen before.
"Courtney," he breathed.
She provocatively stuck out a hip to model her new outfit. "You like?"
He reached out, grabbed her waist, and yanked her into his body. She steadied herself by placing her delicate hands on his hard chest. Growling his approval, he kissed her hard.
He pulled back, took her hands into his and squeezed. "I haven't seen this dress before." He raised a questionable eyebrow. "Did you buy it just for tonight?"
"Yes," she answered.
"Hmmm." He stared into her eyes for a few moments. "Don't know if I like that."
"Oh stop it. You know for a fact the only one who will be peeling me out of this dress is you," she scolded.
"And don't you forget it," he warned.
She rolled her eyes then noticed his brother stood off to the side engrossed in their interaction. She surveyed him and waggled her eyebrows. "Aren't you ever so yummy this evening?" she purred to Derrick.
He was dressed in a black designer suit with a crisp white button down oxford shirt minus the tie. He looked menacing. The women would be all over him this evening.
Derrick chuckled and Darren pinched her arm.
"Ouch,” she yelped. She jumped back and found her way into Derrick's protective arms. He engulfed her with a guarded stance. She gazed up at him and stuck out her bottom lip. "He hurt me."
"Do you want me to kiss it and make it better?" he teased.
"Yes," she returned.
Derrick growled in hunger, his eyes focused on her soft, full lips.
"If you kiss her, I'll kill you," Darren snapped. He recognized that look in his brother's eyes.
"I'll take my chances," Derrick said, not breaking from Courtney's smoldering stare.
She turned in Derrick's arms and stuck out her tongue.
"Very mature, my bride." He laughed.
"I thought brothers shared," she teased.
Derrick squeezed her in approval.
"Not this one. You're all mine," Darren said. He took a drag from his beer, his eyes focused on his brother and future wife. His tone suggested he did not like where the conversation was headed and wasn’t amused with the horseplay. She was walking on thin ice. Time to stop.
Derrick kissed the side of her neck then released her.
She sashayed into his arms. He took her by the chin to look him directly in the eyes.
"If you ever cheat on me, Courtney, the repercussions would be worse than you could ever imagine," he said intensely serious. He never thought he needed to warn her, but the scene that just played out did not sit well.
"Oh, stop it. We were just teasing," Courtney said and yanked her chin out of his grasp. "I've got to go. I was supposed to be at Diane's fifteen minutes ago."
When she turned to leave, Darren smacked her flawlessly round ass. "Behave."
"You, too," she warned. "Because if you cheat on me, the repercussions will be emasculating." She sauntered away with a toss of her hair aside and stuck her nose in the air.
The group of men laughed.
"She's a character," Derrick admired.
Darren eyed his brother. "You were hitting on her?"
His brother didn't respond. Instead, he casually took a sip of his beer. Carl and Jack noticeably slid out of sight.
"I love her," Derrick admitted.
"Because she's mine or because you're in love with her?" he asked.
Derrick sighed. "Do you really want to get into this?"
He stiffened. "I do now."
Derrick set his beer down. "Both."
The room grew silent. Tension filled th
e air between the two brothers.
"Darren, you told me it was all right to love her. Well I do. We've talked this. Have you changed your mind? What if something goes wrong? That's what your concern has been. Isn't it safer for her to love me and vice versa?" he said. "Isn't that fair to her since she is marrying you? You've said it yourself‒we'll only ever have unconventional relationships."
His brother was right. He needed Courtney and Derrick to love each other. That would keep their inner circle small but extraordinarily tight. And if something should happen to him, Darren wanted Courtney taken care of. He trusted Derrick to handle that task. Since she was clueless as to what she was marrying into, he needed Derrick to love her. His brother was sacrificing too much of his own life by agreeing to honor his request.
"You're right," he relented.
Derrick breathed a sigh of relief. "Good, I don't want to argue. We both love her and would do anything for her. She's marrying you and she'll be my sister-in-law. You couldn't have picked a more perfect woman for either of us."
He grinned. "True."
"Let's go party," Derrick demanded.
They needed to live with the fact Courtney was marrying Darren but both men were wildly in love with her.
Murphy's bar closed for the private bachelor party that hosted around seventy-five men. Non-stop drinks were served all night to Darren. Finally he started to feel the alcohol kick in. Derrick stuck by his side the entire night. Everything went well until their immensely shitfaced brother-in-law strolled up to them. Amused at his condition, Derrick chuckled and took a small drink of his whiskey on the rocks.
"So," Max slurred, "what are you going to do while Courtney's gone all weekend?" He raised his eyebrows suggestively. "Taking home a stripper or two?"
Darren rolled his eyes. Despite his demand that Courtney not have strippers and his fiancée calling his bluff with her own demand, Jack and Carl insisted on naked women. Seventy-five drunk, horny men expected female nudity. To be honest, Darren was relieved. He couldn't imagine telling the men no women tonight. That might not have gone over well and his bar might have ended up brunt to the ground.
The far more sober one, Derrick picked up on Max's words. "What do you mean for the weekend? It's Friday. The party is tonight so everyone has the weekend to recover."
Max snorted. "Riiiiight. The girls are going to come home from Vegas tonight."
"What!" Darren and Derrick yelped in unison.
"They went to Vegas!" Darren screamed.
The few men nearby scatted away.
"Why the hell didn't you tell us?" Derrick barked. He picked up his cell phone and dialed Courtney's cell but it went straight to voicemail. "Damn it!"
"I should fucking punch you, Max," Darren sneered. His relationship with his brother-in-law was tolerant at best.
"I just found out a few hours ago. You know your sister's damn good at keeping a secret. Apparently they didn't even tell Courtney," Max said defensively.
"Of course she didn't know," Darren huffed. "Courtney would never willingly go if she knew Diane was taking her to Vegas. She wouldn't want to upset me."
Derrick tried Courtney's phone again. Still no answer. Obviously someone shut it off.
"We need to fly to Vegas," Darren demanded.
Derrick nodded. "I'll call Gary."
Within fifteen minutes, a charter plane had been booked and would be ready for take off in forty-five minutes. They couldn't risk Courtney alone in Vegas without security. Swooping in and carting her ass straight away was priority number one. She was about to become Darren's wife, which made her a target. A target that if something happened to her would destroy Darren.
***
Courtney, Darren, and Derrick sat at Darren's dining room table after taking the red-eye home from retrieving the girls in Vegas. Exhausted and hung over, they sipped on coffee and tea. Though, of the three, Derrick seemed in the best condition.
"So, how many strippers were at the party?" Courtney asked, sipping her green tea.
Derrick chuckled.
Darren should have realized she wouldn't be fooled by his “no strippers” demand.
"Enough to keep the guys entertained, sweetheart. I kept to the bar with Derrick by my side the entire night," he assured her. "How about you?" he asked, bracing for an honest answer.
She huffed. "We went to more strip clubs than I could count."
Darren growled and Derrick lost his good humor.
"I told Diane no strippers. I don't like my fiancée bounced around like some floozy," Darren snarled.
"I'll talk to her," Derrick said, placating his brother. His brother wouldn't like the idea of her in strip clubs either. He also held her in a higher esteem. She was about to become the boss's wife. There was a certain code of conduct she'd be held to. Of course, she wasn’t quite aware of that part of her position.
She shook her head. "You misunderstand. The bars were meant more for the other girls."
Darren and Derrick furrowed their brows in confusion. Exasperated, she sighed.
"I don't want to get into it," she said. "You know...what happens in Vegas."
"Oh no!" Darren snapped. "Now you will tell us what the hell happened."
"I can't betray your sister, Darren. Don't ask me to," she whined.
"Diane?" Derrick asked.
Her head fell to the table. "Damn hangover brain, not quick on the thinking process."
"Now, Court," Darren demanded.
"Diane sort of...disappeared at a couple of the bars," she said, clearly trying to remain vague. But when she glanced up at him, she balked.
"What do you mean disappeared?" Derrick asked.
"Well, when I couldn't find Diane, the girls said she was busy or indisposed and would join us later. I managed to sneak off to try and find her and boy did I find her," she explained. "I found her having sex with a stripper in a back room. She didn't see me, so I left the area, went back to join the rest of the girls, and waited for her to finish."
"What!" Darren screamed. He jumped up from his chair but grabbed his head from the sudden onslaught of dizziness that overtook him. "Ugh, hangover."
"Sit down, Darren," his brother scolded.
He slumped down in the chair but glared at his brother. "She has no right putting Courtney in that position."
"I agree and we'll talk to her about it," Derrick said firmly.
"You can't!" Courtney yelped. "You're not supposed to know. I can't be the one who betrayed her and told what I saw."
Darren looked from Courtney to Derrick. "I had a feeling she's been cheating on him again."
Derrick held up his hands. "None of our business."
"It is when she involves my future wife into her affairs," Darren spat.
"Does she do this often?" she asked, shocked.
Both brothers glanced at each other then to Courtney. Derrick readjusted in his chair while Darren suddenly grew interested in his coffee cup.
"And you both know about it?" Courtney asked even more upset.
"Honey, Diane has always been a bit of a free spirit." Darren grabbed her hand and squeezed.
"Free spirit is being kind, brother," Derrick murmured.
When he shot Derrick a warning glance, his brother shrugged and took a sip of his coffee.
"Diane has a hard time reigning herself in, sweetheart. Our parents had trouble with her when she was a teenager. Unfortunately she hasn't matured. We all hoped she would when she got older. She gets hyperactive, almost as if she's crawling out of her skin at times, and we never know what she will get herself into. We’re all thankful she has never done drugs or anything else that could be completely self destructive," he explained. "We've learned to let her go. If we don't she tends to rebel and takes off running. She has kids now and can't disappear. If she has an affair here and there, well, that's her way of dealing with her issues. Derrick, myself, and our parents won't get involved as long as the kids aren't harmed."
"Does Max know?" Courtney asked stu
nned. The topic had never been discussed in all the years she'd been a part of the family. No one had said a word to her.
"He does but turns a blind-eye," Derrick answered. "Because of us. He doesn't want to upset her brothers and get on our bad side. To be honest, we don’t like him. He doesn't treat Diane very well but that could be because of what she puts him through."
Darren nodded in agreement. "We can’t blame him for his bitterness towards Diane, but he might help the situation if he treated her better."
She snorted. "Would you if I cheated on you?"
Darren went rigid and pulled away from her. Slumping back in the chair, he studied her. Well, that made him think, now didn't it?
"Courtney," Darren warned.
She groaned, "Darren, get real. I'm not saying I would cheat on you. I'm saying you're getting on Max for not being kind to Diane because of her infidelity, but when push comes to shove and if that were you and me, I would be out on the street quicker than I could blink. Right?"
"It would be worse than that, darling. I promise you," he growled.
"Okay, I think that's enough for one hangover morning/afternoon." Derrick smacked the table putting stop to the potentially dangerous conversation. "We'll talk to Diane about not involving Courtney again in her shenanigans, and Courtney promises to never have an affair. So...what are we doing for rest of the day?"
***
"If you involve Courtney in any of your little trysts again, Diane, I will personally wring your neck," Darren yelled.
They stood on their parents' back porch in warm evening breeze with the sun setting in the background. It had been one week since the parties. Darren took advantage of the first opportunity and confronted his sister. He glowered menacingly while he laid down the law.
Diane waved dismissively and rolled her dark brown eyes. "Please, she wasn't involved in anything."
The Boss's Love Page 4
