Against The Law (Legally Bound Book 2) Read online

  Marcus felt numb as he entered his father’s study and closed the door behind him. He began pacing the length of the office as his father sat behind his desk. This couldn’t be happening it didn’t make sense.

  “I thought Harris was keeping an eye on her. How could this have happened?” Marcus growled. “You said that I should wait, give her time. I listened to you dad and now I’ve lost her. I should have gone after her. I shouldn’t have ever let her leave.”

  “Keep your voice down Marcus. I know you’re upset, I have no idea what is going on. Nathaniel seems to be as surprised as we are. Harris informed me she was spending time with an old schoolmate Anton but he didn’t think he was a threat,” James sighed.

  “Well it looks like Harris was very wrong, doesn’t it,” Marcus bit out and cursed under his breath. “This doesn’t make sense. Rita wouldn’t do this. I know in my heart she wouldn’t do this.”

  “Maybe it is time you go and find out for sure. Then you can get on with your life. You haven’t been focused for some time now.”

  “You think… my heart is three thousand and some miles away dad. I should have gone after her way before this. Get on with my life,” Marcus snorted. “I don’t have a life without her.”

  James hid his smirk. He knew Marcus was unfocused because of Rita but he and Minnie also thought it was best for Rita and Marcus to spend this time apart. Rita has some growing up to do, even more so if she was indeed doing what he thought. He and his wife had been right all along.

  James knew baiting Marcus would send him running to Rita and this would settle things between them and get Marcus back into the game. All of his sons were head strong and could be stubborn. Marcus needed to learn to handle Rita and not baby her if he wanted to spend his life with her happily.

  If Marcus continued to treat her like a baby or the girl he once knew she would keep up these stunts that were driving him crazy now. James understood Marcus’s care for Rita’s age but she was a grown woman now and Marcus needed to see that.

  “So I guess this means you are going to Europe, yes?” James said coolly. He had already planned the transportation for his son when Thomas called in a huff about his daughter’s engagement.

  “Yeah dad, I need to see her. I need to know this is real,” Marcus sighed and dropped into one of the chairs in front of his father’s desk. He placed his head in his hands and rubbed his temples.

  Chapter 8

  “Cara, I’ll get you for that,” Anton laughed as he shook sand from his hair and started to run after Rita.

  “You have to catch me first,” Rita squealed. “Marie, watch out.”

  Marie laughed as Anton scooped her up and tossed her in the water. They’d been at the beach all morning horsing around and enjoying the sun. Rita was falling in love with Italy. Aside from being there to fool Anton’s family into thinking she was his new fiancée she was having a great time.

  “I’m so going to torture you later,” Marie growled playfully at Anton as he headed for Rita next.

  Rita dashed away cutting to the side each time he got too close. With his long legs he was right on her heels. Anton is a handsome guy, with his light brown, almost blonde hair and hazel eyes. Women are always after his attention.

  “Rita you’re mine,” Anton growled as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her down on top of him as he fell to the sand.

  Marcus stood with his jaw clenched and his fists tight. He felt the pain rocket through his heart when Anton’s arms wrapped around Rita’s waist. It seared his soul to hear another man call her his as she laughed in his arms and squealed.

  Before his brain could render common sense he was moving forward. He had no idea what he planned to do or say. He wanted to rip this guy’s arms off.

  “Anton, please no more,” Rita laughed and squealed as Anton tickled her.

  “Tell me you love me and I am your favorite person in the world,” Anton teased in her ear.

  “Okay, okay, I love you….” Rita’s words cutoff in her throat as she gasped in disbelief.

  First it hit her what this must have looked like to him, her in another man’s arms. Next, it registered with her that he was really here. He had come for her. Then she realized two critical things.

  Marcus had stopped cold in his tracks. His face was twisted with anger and hurt. His anger was palpable; it was like it was rolling off of him. Rita swallowed hard. Why wouldn’t he be angry? He just heard her tell another man she loved him while wrapped in his arms. Not to mention she was wearing this man’s engagement ring. Suddenly her great plan didn’t seem so great.

  He had come for her but from the look on his face she wasn’t sure he wanted her anymore. Rita felt the tears prick the backs of her eyes. For months she had envisioned this day when he would come for her and she would run into his arms.

  He looked amazing. His shoulders looked broader than the last time she saw him and his hair was longer, spilling into his eyes, unlike the neat short cuts he used to wear. His grey eyes looked furious.

  “Marcus,” she gasped and his face softened slightly at the sound of his name on her lips.

  Then something flashed in his eyes and he shook his head and backed away. Anton rose to his feet and helped Rita to hers. Anton stood beside her defensively as he assessed Marcus.

  It was all Marcus needed to know. She was in love with this guy. He looked to be her age maybe a year or two older. He would have to let his girl go, she was in love and all he wanted was for her to be happy. It was the right thing for him to leave. She deserved someone her age that would make her happy.

  “Marcus,” she called again and started for him. He flinched at the sound of her voice calling his name and turned quickly to get away from them before he did something he would regret. He was barely holding himself together. He felt hollow and lost. “Marcus.”

  He heard her calling him but he couldn’t face her. He couldn’t turn back, it was over and he had to keep moving or his heart would give out.

  Rita fell to her knees sobbing as she watched Marcus walk away. He wouldn’t even answer her. She felt in her heart that she had just lost him. Anton fell to her side and wrapped his arms around her.

  “Oh Cara, I’m so sorry. This is not what we wanted. We can fix it, yes? We’ll find where he is staying and explain,” Anton tried to soothe her.

  “Explain what, that I lied to get him to come for me,” Rita sobbed. “Did you see his face? I lost him. Oh my God Anton, what have I done?”

  “Guys, is everything okay? What’s going on?” Marie asked as she came over to them. “Was that Marcus?”

  “Marie, I’m sorry,” Rita sobbed uncontrollably. “I’m so sorry. I love him so much. I’m sorry.”

  “Oh my God, Rita what is it? What are you talking about Baby love? What’s the matter?”

  “I…I …Marcus was the guy I was seeing. I couldn’t tell you before, he wanted to wait until my twenty first birthday. I thought I could get him to tell everyone sooner by coming here and forcing him to,” Rita broke down sobbing some more. “But he never came for me. I thought that…that if I told everyone that I was engaged it would force him to come for me. And it did but he …he. What have I done?”

  “Oh Rita,” Marie gasped. “I can’t believe I didn’t see this. Prom night, the way he was with you. I totally get it now. Wow, but we can fix this Rita I know we can.”

  Rita shook her head fervently. “I’ve lost him. I saw it in his eyes. It’s been a year why didn’t he come sooner. I was just being a stupid girl he never wanted this. He’s just too good to hurt my feelings.”

  “Now Rita, I don’t think that is true. No man looks the way he just did if he is not in love,” Anton reasoned.

  “It doesn’t matter now. This was a stupid plan and if he did really love me I ruined everything,” Rita sobbed.

  “I’ll call him. We can have him come to the hotel and we’ll talk to him,” Marie said brightly to reassure her friend.

  “I can’t see that loo
k in his eyes again,” Rita cried. “I…I have to let him go. He’ll never be happy with me, it’s too complicated now.”

  “But Rita…” Marie whined.

  “No, I just want to go back home to our apartment. I need some time alone,” Rita sniffled.

  Chapter 9

  Three Years Later ….

  How do you get over the love of your life? Marcus asked himself that question every morning upon waking and every night before going to bed. He tried, he really did.

  He’d joined club Desire and spent time there trying to lose himself in the women there, but none of them got his blood pumping the way a simple look from Rita did. None of them smiled as sweetly as she did and they didn’t fit in his arms perfectly like she did.

  Three years did nothing to make the pain go away. His heart still called for her. Marcus had stupidly sent her a drunken text a few months ago only to find out a month later she was finally starting to plan her wedding.

  To say he was gutted is an understatement. He had held out hope that she would come back to him when she hadn’t planned her wedding after three years. The last time he saw her was at Sam’s wedding.

  Her fiancé hadn’t come with her but she wouldn’t get anywhere near Marcus. It had only been a few months since going to Italy to see her. He was not ready to talk to her even if she would have wanted to be in his presence.

  He could still hear her words to the tall super model looking race car driver she is engage to. He hated that he was jealous of some guy that was almost half his age. But the thought of any man with his hands on Rita made him insanely jealous.

  Every day was just another day of hurt. He was drowning in it. He just wanted the pain to go away. She moved on why couldn’t he?

  “Hello,” a silky voice purred beside him pulling him from his reverie.

  He was at one of the firm’s charity functions that his mother and father insisted he attend. He brought his brandy to his lips and sipped from it before turning to the owner of the silky voice.

  “Hello,” Marcus replied. To his surprise he was met with a pair of sparkling blue eyes and a pretty porcelain face. This woman was stunning, with long brown hair and a lithe figure. She was the total opposite of Rita.

  No green eyes, no blonde hair and no flawless brown skin. She was nothing like his Rita and for once that was a welcomed sight. Her perky breasts straining against the fabric of her gown caused a stirring in his groin he thought would never return.

  “I have wanted to meet the handsome and talented Marcus Mairettie for some time now. I am Julia Pennywell,” she purred and held out her hand.

  Marcus wrapped his large hand around hers. All he could think of was getting this beautiful woman beneath him before the night was over. It had been way too long since he had a reaction to a woman that wasn’t her. It had even become hard to hear her name these last few years.

  “Well now that you have met me, what do you plan to do with me?” Marcus crooned still holding her hand.

  “That depends on you,” Julia replied, beaming up at him.

  Tall but not too tall, Marcus thought to himself. Her long gown hid her legs beneath it but he was sure she had a great pair of long legs for him to wrap around his waist. He was stunned by his thoughts and reaction to this woman.

  “Well I think we should start with a dance and then I may let you have your way with me,” Marcus teased, with a sexy grin.

  Julia threw her head back and laughed. Marcus noted it was a nice laugh and her throat was sexy when it became exposed. It was in that moment he knew he would be balls deep in this stunning woman this evening, trying his best to fuck all thoughts of her out of his mind.

  ~B~

  “Your apartment is so nice,” Julia chirped as they entered. “Did you decorate it yourself?”

  Marcus felt the stab of pain and betrayal run through him. She had helped him really get settled here. Before they started dating it was a bare bachelor pad. She had made it a home.

  Marcus shrugged the feeling off and wrapped his arms around Julia’s waist. “My little sisters helped,” Marcus shrugged.

  “Oh, I thought you only had one sister,” Julia said and furrowed her brow.

  “Biologically yes, there is only Marie but her best friend is like family to us all. So it’s like having two sisters. She was the one that actually put the place together for me,” Marcus explained.

  “Oh, she did a wonderful job. What’s her name,” Julia asked brightly.

  Marcus groaned internally. The last thing he wanted to do was mention her when he was about to fuck this woman in the bed he promised to the love of his life. Julia was looking up at him expectantly.

  “Rita…her name is Rita,” Marcus said and released Julia.

  Just like that the night was over. He wasn’t going to get hard no matter what they did or no matter how turned on he had been all night by this woman. Just the mention of her name had that effect on him still.

  “Well she has great taste. I hope I get to meet them some time. Your sisters,” Julia said hopefully.

  Marcus was surprised he didn’t get irritated with her assumption. He figured it was because no matter the fact that she had killed the night with the mention of her name, he had still been able to feel something with her. A real physical release that didn’t come from his hand would be great, so this one did have potential to stick around.

  “Sure, they’re both overseas at the moment but maybe someday you can meet them,” Marcus shrugged.

  Julia’s satisfied grin split her face. Marcus paid it no mind at the time but years later the thought of that smile would taunt him. He went to the kitchen to get them glasses of wine.

  Returning to the living room, where Julia made herself at home, Marcus placed a glass in her hand. Julia lifted hers in a toast and gave Marcus a toothy smile. Marcus smiled back sexily.

  “To a new and promising relationship,” Julia sang.

  “I’ll drink to that,” Marcus said smoothly.

  Chapter 10

  “So how did last night go, Pumpkin?” Jeremy Pennywell asked.

  “Oh Daddy, Marcus is just so charming,” Julia gushed.

  “Julia darling, focus, do you think he is interested. Trevor is my first choice but he is being a bit difficult on settling down. Do you think you can get Mairettie to marry you?” Jeremy said dryly.

  “Yes daddy, I think I can. Don’t worry. I’ll have him eating out of the palm of my hand and then we will make sure that the family saves face. No one will know we were having troubles,” Julia reassured him.

  “I need you to act quickly here darling. I can hold this off for a year and a half most,” Jeremy sighed.

  “No worries daddy. I think Marcus and I are very compatible and we make a lovely couple. From what I hear family is important to all the Mairetties so this should be easy,” Julia chirped and wrapped her arms around her father’s neck. “I’m off to get some beauty sleep to be fresh for my date tonight.”

  “That’s my girl,” Jeremy chuckled and sighed. This was his last resort. If Julia married wealthy they still had a chance to recover.

  ~B~

  For four weeks Marcus had been seeing Julia, and for four weeks she managed to bring up the one person that could send his libido in the wrong direction. Always with the questions about Marie and her, between the two of them they called her name more times than he could stomach. Several times over the past four weeks he thought about just tossing Julia back with the others but the fact that he did actually react to her saved her more than once.

  Tonight he planned to solve this dilemma. He needed sex and it had to happen before he lost his mind and went to get it from the only woman he really wanted it from. He wondered a number of times if he went to London would she sleep with him just once.

  He didn’t know how he would give her up after but the thought of one night together kept him up all night wondering if he should at least try. He avoided Sam’s offers to go visit Marie just because of thoughts like tha
t. There would be no begging the woman that crushed his heart for a pity fuck. Besides she had her race car driver.

  Marcus snorted bitterly. He was going to nail Julia to his mattress no matter what it took tonight. She was more than willing and even looked disappointed when things never went further than some kissing and petting. Well he had a remedy for that.

  Right on time the doorbell rang and Marcus finished his brandy and headed for the door. He opened the door to find Julia with a huge smile, dressed in a tight red strapless dress that showed off her long legs. The matching fuck me heels she was wearing told him what he had in mind was definitely on the menu.

  Julia’s lips were painted a glossy red. Marcus had to force himself not to think about how perfect her lips would look with lipstick like that. His pants tightened as Julia leaned in to give him a hug.

  “Hey Baby,” she purred.

  “You look great,” Marcus said with a genuine smile.

  It didn’t fail Marcus’s notice that somehow he had entered a relationship with this woman. Julia wasn’t so bad. She was beautiful, easy going and she let him take the lead. At times she was a little too submissive for his taste.

  But tonight none of that mattered. He had a plan and before she had time to open her mouth to ruin the night he was going to set it in motion. Marcus closed the door behind her and crushed his lips to hers. He could feel her smile as he cupped her tight ass and lifted her onto his waist.

  Marcus squeezed his eyes shut and tried to push all his emotions to the back of his mind. He put all his focus into plundering her mouth with his tongue. Julia willingly let him devour her mouth as she clung to him.

  Her curves didn’t feel right but it was enough for him to want her. It was her hands that were grating on his nerves. The delicate fingers were jabbing into his shoulders not caressing him like his girl would know to do.

  He groaned into Julia’s mouth in frustration and she mistook it for his excitement. Marcus reached to pry her hands away and pinned them above her head to the door behind her. He knew this was a mistake the moment he did it. Memories of the last time Rita was in his arms assaulted him.