Against The Law (Legally Bound Book 2) Read online

  “This ring was never for me,” she said in a small voice as she started to fidget with the ring on her finger. It was more of a statement and not a true question.

  “No, it wasn’t. I bought it years ago for someone I am still very much in love with. I’m sorry Julia. I never meant for you to find that ring and I didn’t mean for things to get as far as they did. You’re a very nice girl….”

  “I’m just not Rita,” Julia said bitterly. Her nose wrinkled as she pulled the ring from her finger.

  “Don’t,” Marcus sighed and Julia looked up with hope in her eyes. “You can keep it. It is the least I can do. It may help with some of your family’s issues.”

  Julia’s eyes went wide and her mouth flapped open and shut a few times. “Oh yes, I know about your father’s troubles. I’m still not sure how I feel about being trapped into a marriage under false pretenses.”

  “Marcus I truly do care about you. Yes, I did pursue you under Daddy’s orders but I did come to care for you,” Julia said sadly.

  “My father nor my grandfather would have ever moved a finger to help your father’s situation even if we had married. The firm is five generations old, built in Mairettie blood, sweat and dreams. Your father will never be half the man that the Mairettie men have come to be.

  “I would have probably tried to help if it was for you, but I have a feeling your father’s troubles are not for lack of his own doing. Leave now, we’ll forget this mess and I will never speak of it again,” Marcus said holding Julia’s gaze.

  “She’s beautiful Marcus and very lucky,” Julia said with pain in her voice as she rose to her feet. She placed the key on the coffee table and turned to leave.

  Julia knew when she been beaten and Rita had won this round without question. It wasn’t until she walked out the door and closed it behind her that she realized how much she really did care for Marcus Mairettie, the man.

  Chapter 20

  “Anton, how could I have been so stupid,” Rita huffed into her palms as tears welled in her eyes. She wouldn’t let them spill she had gotten herself into this mess.

  “These things happen, Cara. Maybe it is fates way of telling you it is time to come clean,” Anton replied softly. “You can’t hide here forever. Look at what you are doing to yourself and look at Marie. I think she would have been on that plane a month ago with Jasper if it were not for you. So many people are involved in this web you have weaved. It is time to make it all right?”

  “It’s been two months, if he wanted me he would have come for me,” Rita pouted. “He has her.”

  “Oh no Cara, we will not do this again. I am sure he has reasons for not following you. Everyone has told you that he does not care for this woman as he cares for you. I think this time you need to go to him,” Anton sighed. “You need him and he has a right to know what is going on.”

  Rita knew Anton was right. Jasper had returned to the States a week after they’d returned to pack up their apartment. He may have been finished with his assignment in Greece but he still had to return to duty in the States. Rita was annoyed that he was being secretive about his new assignment before he left.

  Rita and Marie still had a few bookings for photo shoots that they had to stay behind for. Then Rita started to randomly get dizzy and had fainted on set one day, only to find out she was a few weeks pregnant.

  That’s when she rushed to Anton and Marie, the great friend that she is followed her. Everyone had been expecting them to return to the States weeks ago but Rita couldn’t do it. She couldn’t face Marcus now, it would hurt too much. She didn’t want to be seen as the home wrecker.

  She’d been keeping in touch with Paige and Pamela but she hadn’t told either about the baby. Paige had been pushing her to come home. Nate was frustrated with the entire situation but was giving her space.

  “What if I go and he doesn’t want this? What if he doesn’t want me?”

  “Then he truly is a fool and I will be here with you every step of the way,” Anton said with a warm smile.

  “I’m not ready yet,” Rita says to her lap in a small voice.

  Chapter 21

  After Julia left his apartment Marcus had felt like a weight had been lifted from his chest and thought that the worst was over. How wrong he had been. Julia may have given in easily but Jeremy Pennywell was not the same case.

  He’d insisted that Marcus had to marry his daughter. The man was mad. He’d thrown more than a few useless threats. Marcus nor Nate, Thomas or James felt bringing Rita home in the middle of all of this was the greatest of ideas so another month went by before James was able to get the Jeremy situation under control. Jeremy thought he was on his way to ruins before. He had no idea what it meant to cross a Mairettie.

  However now there was nothing standing between Marcus and Rita but the biggest case of his life. He couldn’t just run off to her now. As hard as it was he had to push his personal life to the back burner for now. He couldn’t afford to blow this one. He needed to be focus and so passed another month then another two went by.

  It was almost unbearable because in his heart he could feel that Rita needed him. Marcus was surprised when Jasper had been assigned to his detail. He knew he had followed the girls to Europe after the wedding. A lot had changed after the Jeremy fiasco and now that Marcus was taking on high profile cases.

  Marcus was used to security it had been a staple in his life since he was a child. So he welcomed the change that brought Jasper to his side. What didn’t sit well with him was when Jasper was pulled from his detail and rushed to Italy. Everyone was tight lipped but Marcus knew it had something to do with Rita. He had to force himself not to ask or get involved because he knew he couldn’t do anything about it right now.

  It bugged him that Jasper had been gone for two months now. His mind should have been on his case but it was clouded with thoughts of what was going on with Rita. This case was a pain in the ass. Every time Marcus thought he would be able to wrap it up in a nice bow and get on a plane heading straight for his woman the prosecutor would pull another rabbit out of her damn hat.

  Marcus knew if he could get this sick feeling out of his stomach he would be able to focus more on work. It had always been this way between him and Rita. They were connected in a way he couldn’t explain and they always knew when one needed the other. She needed him now; he felt it in his soul.

  He sat in his office on the sofa staring at some documents on the coffee table blankly. If only he could just get this case to be done with, get this prosecutor to stop prolonging things with each of her twists and turns and pull a win at the same time. He blinked at the papers and shoved his hand through his hair.

  Marcus looked up at the sound of a knock on the door. Paige wobbled into his office with a hand on her growing belly and a smile on her face. She was a little over six months but she was huge. The site made Marcus smile. He and his brothers were all large men. He was sure his niece or nephew was going to be quite healthy in size. It made him long for Rita even more. He couldn’t wait until they could start a family.

  Marcus stood to meet Paige and placed a kiss on her cheek. “How are we feeling today, Princess?” Marcus asked in greeting.

  He placed a hand on her back and led her over to the sofa to have a seat and helped her lower herself to sit. Paige sat and puffed out a breath, teasing a strand of hair that was in her face. Paige laughed and rubbed her belly. “I think I swallowed a goat and forgot to chew but I’m not complaining,” Paige laughed.

  “So you guys find out the sex yet?” Marcus asked hopefully.

  “Nice try,” Paige chuckled. The entire family was trying to find out what Paige was carrying but she and Bobby were being tight lipped since they found out a few days ago. “We are not telling a thing until everyone is home and we can make the big announcement. That is actually why I am here.”

  Marcus lifted a questioning brow at his smiling sister in law. He knew that look, she was up to something and she wasn’t leaving until she got w
hat she wanted. Marcus chuckled. “Okay, how can I be of service,” Marcus smiled fondly at Paige.

  “It is me that will be of service. That woman you are in love with is so stubborn. If I can’t get her to come to you then I want to help you close this case so you can go after her. Maybe we can put our heads together and shutdown Prosecutor Stewart’s insistent stalling,” Paige said. Marcus watched her face as she spoke and he could tell there was something she wasn’t telling him.

  He’d known from Bobby that Paige and Rita had become pretty close since the wedding even if they were only talking on the phone. Marcus appreciated that Paige was trying to help. It meant a lot to him.

  “It seems my brothers and I love stubborn women,” Marcus laughed.

  “You have no idea,” Paige sighed and shook her head. Her face looked stressed for a moment and then her smile returned and she turned warm eyes onto Marcus. “We aren’t giving up. She is cracking. I can feel it but… I just want to help, the sooner you two are back together the better.”

  Marcus’s feelings of unease increased with every second. There was definitely something his family was keeping from him. His palms itched with the need to be with Rita.

  “Is she okay,” Marcus asked with concern.

  Paige’s brows furrowed as she paused in thought. “Under the circumstances she is doing her best. I don’t think it would hurt for you to call her. I know you told Bobby this is something you want to do in person but I think hearing your voice would help,” Paige said as she tilted her head to the side to examine how Marcus was taking in her words.

  Paige was always fond of the Mairetties but now that they were her family each of them had grown a large space in her heart. Each one with their own quirks and ways of enchanting others to them, Rita and Nathan were no different. They had both become like family to her in just a few short months.

  Marcus shook his head. “You know me well enough Princess, if I call I will need to go running to her. I have to get this wrapped up here and then she will be my number one priority. I need to see this through as much for her as for my own future,” Marcus gave a frustrated sigh and pushed a hand through his hair.

  “You do know that Bobby or I would finish this one out for you and still bill all the hours in your name,” Paige asked still searching his face.

  Marcus shook his head again, loving his sister in law for really wanting to have his back. “You and Bobby have tons of your own work already and Mr. Washington has entrusted me with this case. I plan to see it through with him. He could have requested anyone here at the firm, but he asked me to represent him. I can do this, I need to do this.”

  “Okay, then let’s see what I can do to help you get your win and go get your girl,” Paige said with a beaming smile.

  “Thanks Paige, this means so much to me,” Marcus said feeling for once like he was about to be in control again.

  For the next few hours Marcus and Paige put their heads together to get ahead of Prosecutor Stewart. Marcus beamed with pride for his brother. Paige knew how to offer her help without taking his case from his control. She made him question everything without answering or filling in the gaps.

  Bobby joined them after a while to give support and help and it was that support that finally got Marcus’s brain to open up to what he wasn’t seeing before. It was time to make this case an open and shut affair. He had somewhere to be.

  ~B~

  “Baby, my brother is a big boy and Rita is a big girl,” Bobby huffed at his wife as they sat in their bedroom, both with their backs to the headboard.

  Paige breathed in the sweet, calming scent of the candles she had lit to relax after a long day in the office. She intended to ignore her husband’s words. Marcus is an amazing lawyer but the prosecution was taking advantage of his personal distractions and this case would have gone on forever.

  Paige knew that if she could just get Marcus to focus he would pull out the win and that is what he had done. After hours between the three of them Marcus’s eyes lit up with the fire Paige had grown to know and understand over the years. It was the look Marcus got when he knew he was going in for the win without a doubt.

  “Paige,” Bobby growled.

  “What Bobby,” Paige snapped. She had her cell phone in her hand scrolling through her contacts for one of the stubborn women in her life that needed a kick in the pants.

  “Paige Mairettie,” Bobby bit out. “You have your own little family you need to be focused on. I need you to stop stressing about everyone else.”

  Paige turned to Bobby and gave him a sweet smile. Still clenching her phone in her hand she crawled over to straddle his lap as best she could with her growing belly. It was moments like this she was glad her husband was such a big man, even with her large tummy he cradled her with his large frame.

  Bobby placed a hand on her stomach and started to rub it soothingly. He was still in awe of having this amazing woman as his wife and watching her grow with his future. His heart ached for his brother. Marcus had so much more than he knew to be grateful for.

  “I am taking perfect care of my family,” Paige purred and placed a passionate kiss on Bobby’s lips.

  He groaned into her mouth as he felt his body tighten. Paige was always sexy but seeing her pregnant, with all her curves singing a song of primal seduction was the ultimate turn on. Bobby forgot what he had been fussing about as he wrapped his large hands around her shoulder blades pulling her into him. Paige wrapped her arms around Bobby’s neck and let him deepen the kiss and grinded her hips into his.

  “Oh,” Paige gasped.

  Bobby broke the kiss and chuckled. He bent his head to Paige’s stomach. “You do know this is how you two got in there,” he chuckled at her stomach as the babies moved around and kicked inside.

  “They are just letting you know that their uncle needs their mommy’s help and to stop distracting me from my mission,” Paige laughed as she wiggled out of Bobby’s lap and pressed the send button for her call.

  Bobby groaned and shook his head. Why did he think he could get her to forget what she was doing? Her heart was in the right place and she was right. Rita needed to bring her butt home.

  “Hey Paige,” Rita chirped into the phone.

  “Hey Rita,” Paige sang into the phone as her friend’s voice moved through the line.

  “How was the doctor’s visit?”

  “Ask me that when you see me in person,” Paige giggled.

  “Oh lord not you too. Did Nate put you up to calling me,” Rita sighed. Her brother had called three times today. She was sure that was because of Jasper. He’d gone with her to her appointment earlier, as did Anton and Marie.

  “No he did not. I just wanted to know if you want to stay here with us. This house is so big it gives me the creeps at night. Marie said she would stay here so I wanted to offer you the same,” Paige said happily.

  “But I haven’t said whether I am going to come home or not. I haven’t decided what to do,” Rita sighed through the phone. “Are you sure you two newlyweds want the extra company.”

  “Oh,” Paige cheered. “Does that mean you are coming?”

  “I don’t know yet, Paige,” Rita huffed. “I’m just asking because I don’t want to be a burden if I do decide to come.”

  “You’ve seen this place. You could live here for months and I wouldn’t have to know it. Of course I want you here. Or you could stay with my crazy sister. But between you and me I think she may have some company you don’t want to be witness to,” Paige chuckled. “Besides Rita, this is the right thing to do. Come to him this time.”

  Rita sighed. “I know but what if you guys are wrong,” Rita whined.

  “You’re whining… seriously,” Paige snorted then laughed.

  “Come on Paige. I’m serious,” Rita pouted.

  “If you are serious Rita you’d be here already,” Paige sighed. “That man is madly in love with you. The only reason he hasn’t come after you yet is because his work is keeping him too busy to l
eave. But he has been doing everything and I mean everything to try to get to you as soon as he can. He needs you as much as you need him right now.”

  “Okay,” Rita huffed. “Yes, I’ll stay with you guys. My dad will like having me close but I can still come and go as I please.”

  “Yay! We have a big surprise for you guys so stop making us wait.”

  Rita laughed. “I haven’t promised anything Paige. If I come I will stay with you guys. That is if,” Rita replied but even as she said the words her instincts went on high alert. “Paige, when was the last time you saw or talked to Marcus,” Rita asked.

  “Umm, I talked to him about an hour ago and I saw him in the office all day today. Why?”

  “I have to go,” Rita rushed.

  Rita hung up not waiting for a reply, and then pressed the speed dial on her phone. The line picked up on the first ring. “Are there eyes on M5,” Rita rushed into the phone.

  “Not at the moment. He dismissed his detail for the night,” Thomas answered. “What’s going on?”

  “I have a feeling something isn’t right. Please Daddy, just get eyes on the prize something is off.”

  Chapter 22

  Marcus stumbled around his apartment bare foot and shirtless. He may be able to taste the win but things were still off. He wasn’t even sure what made him come here to the apartment. It was empty save for the bed in the bedroom, and the new owners would be given the keys in two weeks. He just couldn’t bring himself to go to the big old empty house that he’d purchased for the love of his life that seemed a world away.

  So here he sat with a bottle of whiskey and his thoughts. Sliding down a bare wall he sat on the floor and put his head back squeezing his eyes close. “Rita,” he breathed out her name like a prayer.

  ~B~

  “Hey buddy,” Nate called as he shook Marcus’s shoulder.

  Marcus blinked his eyes open and squinted up at Nate’s hard face. “Come to put me out of my misery for hurting your sister,” Marcus joked dryly.