Forbidden Contract (The Birmingham Brothers Series) (20 page)

As she stood there watching Beckett fly across the field on Zeus back she couldn’t help but admire the beauty as rider and horse molded into one. Like Beckett she had been up all night tossing and turning as the memories of the night before played out in her head. When Beckett had rejected her she had cried till there were no more tears. Then slowly she built the wall around her heart, encasing it in ice to prevent it from shattering. She had thrown herself at him and at first he had responded. His desire for her was evident as it pressed against her thigh. When he had dipped his fingers inside her she felt the way his body reacted and despite her virtue she knew he desired her. When he had pulled away she saw him fight that desire. At first she thought his concerns were for her until she offered herself to him and he had rejected her. Suddenly she realized that while he may desire her, the contract was what he valued most. Had they continued on and had sex his family would have lost everything.

His rejection put their relationship in perspective. He may be attracted to her, may desire her, but in the end it was all about the contract. No matter how much she hoped or fantasized when the year was up he would be gone. She had been a fool last night but vowed never again. She would protect her heart and even though she realized she had fallen in love with him she would never let him know the depth of her feelings. That would destroy her in the end when he walked away.
She watched him ride as if running from his own demons while she prepared herself for the day ahead. From now on in private she would remain cool towards him. When possible she would avoid him. Only during public appearances would she pretend she cared. It was a role she would play as she had done so many times in high school receiving critical claim about her abilities to bring a character to life. Only she would know the true depth of the deceit as she hid her feelings from him.

Returning to her room she carefully made the bed then
showered and dressed. Bailey headed to the kids room to check on them first before going down for coffee. When she entered the kitchen she ran into Trent who was grabbing a cup for himself. He looked up at her smiling but the concern was written on his face. She noticed the fresh bruise under one eye and the cut along his forehead. Guilt washed over her knowing she was to blame.

“Trent…I’m so sorry for yesterday…I never meant for you and your brother to fight.”

He grinned and she felt the warmth of his sincerity. “Don’t fret about that….he and I kissed and made up….how are you doing?”

“I’m ok.” She said as she avoided his eyes pretended to be more interested in the amount of cream she added to her coffee. When she looked back up she saw the frown on his face as if he was trying to read what was truly going on inside her.
She quickly masked her face and took on her role. “Truly Trent…I’m fine…..thank you again for your concern.”

Her coolness only sharpened his frown as he now narrowed his gaze realizing she wasn’t being honest with him. He had seen Beckett ride out of
there like a bat out of hell and his surly attitude was definitely behind Bailey’s cool response. Something had happened between them and he was going to find once his brother returned. He decided it was best though to keep things light where Bailey was concerned.

“So…when do you want to start working for me?” He asked trying to throw her off
guard.

Bailey looked at him and considered her schedule. The idea of going into the office and working would help keep her mind off Beckett but then again it may put her in constant contact with him. She wondered would she be able to keep up the façade with him around. She realized she needed the practice if she was going to survive the next two weeks, the next year actually.

“How bout today….my grandmother had plans to take my brother and sister out shopping for some school supplies so I would be free most of the morning.”

“Good….we dress casual so why not after breakfast I’ll drive you in and give you the tour before we get you settled in your office.”

“I’ll have an office….I just thought I would have a desk somewhere?”

“No….you
’re too important and it will help establish your role in the company if we start out right. Ethan is already organizing your duties and my father should be able to bring you back once you’re done, I think he has orders to take you house shopping this afternoon with my mother.”

“Oh…alright.” She said suddenly feeling self
-conscious again.

“Bailey.” He said taking her hands in his. “This is something we all want to do for you, you took on more than you should have when you were young…in two weeks you will be part of our family….
this is what we do for family.”

Bailey wanted to cry at his words. She bit her lip to prevent the tears as she met his eyes. “Trent…we both know none of this is real…in a year it will end.”

“Not for us.” He vowed. “If my brother is stupid enough to let you go it’s his loss and we’ve all told him so….the rest of us don’t intend on letting you or the kids just walk away from us.” That was her undoing and the tears began to fall. “Ah hell.” He moaned pulling her into his arms. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

At that moment Beckett entered the kitchen to find Bailey in Trent’s arms. She looked up and seeing the scowl on his face she pulled away from Trent.

“Do you mind telling me what the hell is going on?” He demanded looking from Bailey to Trent.

Bailey could feel the blush spread across her face but Trent just grinned as if there was more to the situation than what had transpired.

“Bailey and I are just enjoying some coffee before we head off to work….what are your plans?”

Beckett looked from Trent back to Bailey who refused to meet his eyes. He gritted his teeth as he tried gain control of the jealous anger that now spread through him. Trent seemed to pick up on that and casually placed his arm over Baileys shoulder.

“Why don’t you go get your things and meet me at my car….Beckett and I have a few things to discuss.” He said grazing her forehead with a kiss.

Bailey looked at Beckett and seeing his anger she quickly took Trent’s advice and slipped past Beckett without a word. She could hear the anger in Beckett’s voice before the door closed behind her.

“Just what the hell are you doing?” Beckett demanded.

Bailey didn’t wait around to hear his response. She ran up to her room closing the door behind her and leaning against it she tried to control her breathing. Trent’s words had touched her and when he comforted her there had been only concern for her. She thought about Beckett’s reaction and she grew angry now. How dare he think there was something more going on. Trent was his brother.
Beckett had made it clear last night he didn’t want her. His actions made it easier now for her to go through with her plans. In the end she would lose Beckett but Trent had said they would still be there for her. She had grown fond of his parents desperately missing her own parents she turned to them. It had felt good to lean on his mother over the last few days and she knew the kids were thriving by the attention. In control of her emotions now she grabbed her purse and headed to the kids room to check in on them before she left. Alexis was still sleeping but Tristan was sitting up on his bed playing with his toys.

“Hey kiddo, how are you doing?” She asked sitting on the bed next to him.

“I feel better….can I see the horses today?” He asked hopefully.

“When I get home and only if you nap.” She smiled moving the hair off his forehead. “You need a
haircut.”

“No I don’t.” He smiled. “Where are you going?”

“I’m going to see my office with Trent then I’m going to go with Beckett’s mom to find us our new home.”

“Why can’t we stay here?”

“Because after Beckett and I get married we need to have our own house….but this will always be your room and Nana would let you come stay whenever you want.”

“Bailey….why are you going to marry Beckett?” He asked looking at her. “Matt said he wanted to marry you but you told him no.”

Bailey looked at his surprised. “Matt never asked me to marry him.”

“He had the ring, I saw it.” Tristan said.

“He never asked me.” She said “When did he talk to you?”

Tristan frowned as he tried to remember. When he crunched his forehead like that he reminded her of her father. “The day he took us to the carnival….he said he was going to ask you when he took you out for your birthday.”

Bailey thought back and remembered Matt had seemed nervous that night. He had taken her to a fancy restaurant and kept looking at the waiter for some strange reason. That’s when they started taking about the future and she had told him her life was committed to the kids and she never saw herself married. When he kept broaching the subject of the possibility she might change her mind she had been insistent. She frowned when she realized that was the night their relationship changed and Matt always seemed hurt but wouldn’t tell her why. Now she understood.

“Tristan….maybe Matt realized I couldn’t marry him.” She said looking now at one of his toy soldiers.

“Why couldn’t you marry him but you can marry Beckett?”

“Uh…it’s kind of a grown up thing.” She said looking at him. “Don’t you like Beckett?”

“Beckett’s cool.” He grinned. “He treats me like I’m a big kid….like I’m not sick…..Matt wouldn’t let me do things sometimes because I was sick all the time.”

“Matt just loved you and was afraid for you….I’m glad you like Beckett.”

“Don’t you?” He asked cocking his head sideways. “Don’t you love him?”

Bailey looked at him with a sad look. She had never lied to him. “It’s complicated.” She said as her voice cracked.

“But if you don’t love him why are you going to marry him?”

“Oh Tristan.” She sighed. “Sometimes people marry for other reasons.”

“You’re marrying him because of me….because I’m always sick.”

“No babe.” She said
bending down till her face was at his level. “I’m marrying Beckett because I want to.”

Tristan thought about that for a moment then looked at her again. “Will he make you happy?”

Tears came to her eyes at his question. “Yes Tristan….I think he will make me happy.”

“Good.” He said. “Because you should be happy….you make us happy.”

Bailey leaned over and kissed his forehead as she tried to control her emotion. She didn’t see the figure that had been standing at the hallway listening to their conversation. When she sat up she gave Tristan a smile then grabbing her purse she stood and left the room. Trent’s car was parked out front and he was leaning against the hood. When she came out he moved to her door opening it for her and as she slid in he gave her a wicked grin.

“What’s that for?”

“We’re going to have fun.” He said as he shut the door.

She cocked her eyebrow as he slid in behind the wheel but he refused to explain
instead he gunned his engine and pulled out of the drive.

Beckett had released all of his tension as he and Zeus raced across the fields. By the time he returned to the stable both he and Zeus were in need of a rub down. As he entered the house he headed for the kitchen hoping to grab a cup of coffee before hitting the showers. When he walked in and saw Bailey in Trent’s arms he was consumed with jealousy. Trent’s casual attitude and the way Bailey avoided him let his imagination run wild. He fought the urge to grab her with one arm and slug Trent’s smug face with his fist. When she refused to acknowledge his presence and fled the room he turned his anger on Trent.

“Just what the hell are you doing?” Beckett demanded.

“Comforting my future sister in law.” Trent had said studying him. “She seems upset this morning and I have the impression it has more to do with you than what happened with Jasper yesterday.”

“Why…did she say something?” Beckett asked.

“No…she didn’t have too….it was just the way she responded when I told her mom and dad are taking her house shopping this afternoon.”

“Why would that upset her?” Beckett asked pouring himself a cup of coffee. “And why would it have to do with me?”

“I don’t know brother…what happened between you two?”

“Nothing.” Beckett said trying to escape the conversation.

“Not good enough.” Trent said blocking his path to the coffee machine. “Bailey tries to hide it but she’s frightened. In two weeks the two of you will be married….along with you comes the rest of the family….she’s been on her own so long taking care of everything she doesn’t know how to react to that…worse she’s afraid in a year it will all be snatched away and she will alone again.”

“That’s not going to happen….I’ve already told her we would be there for her and the kids.”

“Great….but what about you two….it obvious there’s something going on between you two.”

“Nothing’s going on between us.”

“Really?” Trent asked as he leaned against the counter. “Then why the attitude with me when you walked in on us?”

“How would it look if someone else had walked in on you….I’m the one she’s getting married to remember.”

“I know you better than that remember….I saw the anger in your face when you heard about Jasper…no there’s more to it than you’re letting on…she’s getting to you and it scares the hell out of you why?”

“We don’t need the complication.” Beckett said running his hand through his hair. “I don’t need the complication…..things are the way I want them with Macy….no ties.”

“And with Bailey what?” Trent asked exasperated now at his brother. “With her you might have a chance at a real relationship, have someone to share your life with?”

“I don’t want that!” Beckett argued.

Trent studied him for a moment before he shook his head. “You’re stupid for throwing her away.”

“It’s my life.” Beckett countered.

“Yeah….just don’t hurt her or those kids….if you do not even dad will be able to pull me off you.” Trent said as he walked out of the kitchen.

Beckett had
stood there staring out the window as he thought about Trent’s comments. Damn it things were getting too complicated. It was bad enough he was fighting his attraction to Bailey. Now Trent was involved and he knew behind him his brothers and parents would follow. They were all falling for Bailey and he knew eventually the pressure would be on him. He wasn’t going to be forced into any commitments, not by his family and certainly not by his own body. He needed to get away. Leaving his cup on the counter he headed to his room. When he reached the top of the stairs instead of turning towards his room he headed in the opposite direction. He was going to let Bailey know he wouldn’t be able to make the next few engagements because he was flying out of town. Her door was closed but he heard voices coming from Tristan’s room. Beckett stopped outside the doorway as he listened to Tristan and Bailey talk about the upcoming marriage. He heard Tristan tell her about some guy named Matt and how he wanted to marry her. Did he hear regret in her voice when she told Tristan Matt hadn’t asked her. Obviously he had been important enough in their lives to want to marry her. Beckett remembered Bailey had also worked for him and he had gotten her extra hours when she lost her job. He had brought them food and taken care of the kids. She had told him he was only a friend but obviously it had been something more. When Tristan had asked why she was marrying Beckett he held his breath waiting. When she told Tristan it was complicated why did that hurt. When she told him people marry for reasons other than love why did it bother him. Despite what almost happened last night she seemed nonchalant about their arrangement. Why did that make him angry now when that was what he had just told Trent he wanted down in the kitchen? No commitments, the freedom he had with Macy. Wasn’t that where he was planning on going when he got on the plane? Was it to show Bailey he didn’t care or was it to show himself?

When he heard Bailey get up to leave he hid around the corner. He didn’t want to be caught eves dropping on her conversation. He waited till he heard her go down the stairs and out the door before he walked into Tristan
’s room. Tristan looked up and his face lit up when he saw Beckett. There was no denying the fact the boy had made his way into Beckett’s heart. Smiling he approached the bed.

“Hi Beckett….did you come to play?”

“Yeah” He said smiling. “I thought maybe we could finish our game of aggravation.”

The boys smile faded. “The maid put the game away.”

“Well then we will just have to start a new game.” He said and couldn’t resist smiling as Tristan’s face lit up. “Let me go shower while you set it up.”

“OK!” He said jumping out of bed. “Beckett!” Tristan said stopping him at the door.

Beckett turned and saw the frown on his face. Walking back to Tristan he knelt down to his level.

“What is it Tristan?”

“If Bailey marries you….do you promise to make her happy?”

Beckett studied his expression for a moment before he replied. “I’m going to try.”

He watched the way Tristan studied him as if weighing out the value of his words and trying to decide if he could trust him.

“Matt tried too…..but he couldn’t.” Tristan said solemnly. “Sometimes…when she thought I was sleeping she would cry….I know it was because of me.”

“No Tristan.” Beckett said putting his hands on Tristan’s shoulders. “Bailey loves you….it’s just sometimes things get to be too much for just one person to handle….now your sister has me….and my parents…and my brothers…and your Nana to help.”

Tristan sighed as he looked at Beckett.
“I think you are better than Matt.”

“Thank you.” He grinned. “Was Matt her boyfriend back home?”

“Yep….he wanted to marry her….to take care of her…..and us....but I think Bailey was afraid.”

“Why would you say that?”

“What if like mommy and daddy he left her alone too….you won’t leave her alone will you?”

Beckett felt the strings to his heart being pulled. This five year old child was worried about his sister and wanted to make sure Beckett didn’t leave her or hurt her. As he looked at those trusting eyes he wondered how
he would answer. Finally he shook his head.

“I promise Tristan…I won’t leave her alone and if you will agree to let me marry her I promise I will do everything I can to make her happy.”

Beckett waited. He knew Tristan was thinking about Beckett’s commitment and he was considering how important it was to make the right choice. He cocked his head and looked at Beckett.

“What if I told you no
?”

“Then I would have to listen to you and honor your wishes….you are the man of the house….but I hope you don’t?”

“Alright….you can marry her…..I believe you.”

Beckett didn’t know why but he let out a sigh of relief. He wondered if Tristan had told him no would he have really walked away from Bailey and the contract. As he studied the boy he began to wonder what
the most important thing to him was really; was it the contract or was it Bailey? He showered and returned to Tristan’s room the same time Alexis appeared from her bedroom. She was still in her pajamas, her hair was in serious need of brushing and her eyes were only half open.

“Hey sleepyhead rough night?” He joked as he lifted her up and gave her a kiss.

“She had bad dreams again.” Tristan said recognizing that look.

Christian looked at Alexis and she was giving Tristan a warning expression He frowned as he looked at her and when she
averted her gaze he let it drop. He would ask Bailey about it later. He saw the relief in Alexis face that he didn’t pursue Tristan revelation.

“Do you want to play with us?” He asked as he set her down.

“Can I be pink?” She asked pulling the marbles out of the bag.

“Those aren’t pink.” Tristan said as she pulled the peach clear marbles out of the bag.

“They are if I say they are.” She said as she stuck her tongue out at him.

Beckett tried to hide his smile as he placed his blue marbles in their spots on the board. He looked at Tristan who held the marble in his hand and just rolled his eyes in agreement. Tristan enjoyed this bond they shared and let his sister have her way. Over the next hour he played with them watching as Alexis carefully tried not to kill Tristan while she took great pleasure in killing Beckett. Tristan
played by his own strategy which in the end won him the game. They finished just as Serena came up to prepare the two for their outing with their grandmother. After promising to play another round before dinner Beckett decided he had avoided the situation long enough and headed for the office. He had hoped to find some way to speak to Bailey but when he arrived she was buried under a mound of files with two assistants in her office taking notes. He stood back and watched the way she quickly browsed through a file and dictated different directions to each woman. He noticed the way Alicia seemed impressed but Tessa only glowered with each word.

“She’s a quick learner.” His father said coming up behind him. “
Trent basically showed her how to read the files and what to look for. One girl couldn’t keep up with her so he gave her two.”

“What’s she working on?” Beckett asked as he looked at his father.

“Trent’s files.” He laughed. “He figured since he was smart enough to hire her he gets to use her services first.”

Beckett frowned just as Bailey looked up at him and instantly she looked away.
Roark noticed the exchange then studied Beckett. He noticed the way the muscle on his jaw was now flexing as he looked at Trent.

“What’s going on between you two?” He asked.

“Nothing.” Beckett said heading to his office. He didn’t have to turn his head to know his father had followed him. Roark watched his son sit behind the desk and instinctively closed the door.

“
You might as well spill it; I’m not leaving till I find out what’s happening.”

Beckett sighed as he stared at his father. He knew he had to tell someone and maybe his father might be able to give him some advice.

“Last night….after I came back from dealing with Jasper I went up to Baileys room.” He said running his hand through his hair. “Let’s just say things got a little heated.”

“How heated?” His father frowned.

“I didn’t sleep with her if that’s what you mean….not that I didn’t want to…..not that she didn’t want to.” He said in his own defense. “I stopped it before we went too far.”

“I’m proud of you.” Addison said then frowned. “So what are you leaving out?”

“It started yesterday afternoon…..we kissed….it was pretty intense on both sides…..and then Regina interrupted us.”

“Did she see?”

“No…but Riley was a little confused so I made some bull shit excuse and took her to the garden to apologize….but it didn’t exactly come out how I meant it and she put up this wall, tried to convince me that the kiss didn’t mean anything…..it kind of pissed me off so I kissed her again….till she had no resistance…..then I was a real jerk and just left her there.”

“Ok….so tell me….what did the kiss mean to you?”

“That I find her very attractive….that we have this undeniable chemistry…..if there wasn’t a contract between us I would probably do everything I could to get her into my bed.”

“And then what?” Addison asked probing where his son didn’t want to go.

Beckett looked up at him and knew his next answer would disappoint his father. “When the attraction faded…I’d probably go back to Macy.”

“So if that’s the case….last night…why didn’t you follow through with it?”

“The contract….it would have voided the whole deal.” Beckett said as if it was obvious.

“And is that what you told her when you stopped.”

“No….I just said we can’t….then I left.”

“So you left her to believe
you wanted her sexually; desired her but the contract was the most important thing for you.” His father said pointing out the obvious which left Beckett on the defensive.

“No….she was emotional….after the Jasper incident she needed comfort….not me trying to seduce her….I was taking advantage of her.”