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You will be the father of my grandchildren. Show them what real love is in the way you treat their mother every day. Have a love story all your own and lead them by example. Respect each other always. Be proud of Ellison and have true pride in the human being she is.
It won’t always be easy. Ellison can be downright difficult at times, so it’s important you learn how to argue AND how to make up. Get it out of your system. Address the problem. Never, never, never go to bed angry with each other. From one man to another, learn to give an excellent apology.
Love her. Protect her. Cherish her. Honor her. Always.
Harry
“Damn. I never expected my deceased father-in-law to reach out to me.” It’s unsettling to think about him writing this letter to me—a stranger to Ellison two years ago—while he lay on his deathbed.
Sin chuckles. “That’s Harry. Always taking care of his family. Even looking out for his daughters from the grave.”
Ellison often talks about how much her father loved her mother and how well he treated her. She has big expectations. “Ellison’s parents’ marriage is the standard by which she measures what ours should be like.”
“Bleu is the same way. Trust me when I say that Harry set a high bar. It’s pretty hard to live up to his legacy but when I looked at Harry, I saw the kind of man I wanted to be for Bleu. The kind of husband. The kind of father for our children. It was an honor to meet him and know him, if only for a short time.”
Sin grew up like me. His parents hated each other. They didn’t lead by example except in how to twist the knife the hardest. “Is it ever a problem between you and Bleu? Not living up to Harry’s caliber?”
“I thought it would be but it’s not. I don’t have to work at loving and cherishing Bleu. It comes naturally. And I’m certain it will with you and Ellison as well.”
“I’m ready for the challenge.” I’m ready to love your daughter, Harry. I’m ready to protect her. Cherish her. Honor her. Always.
Ellison is fire. I didn’t know how dark and cold my life was until she gave me her warmth and light. Her flame lit a spark inside my heart and her inferno engulfs me daily. I will always burn for her and be consumed by her love. Although endurance was the most painful experience of my life, it was as necessary as breathing. My sacrifice brought her into my life forever. She is my life. She is my future. She is my one. My family. I will always remember how lucky I am that Harry’s princess, my Elli, chose me, and I’ll never forget that she’s my prize.
“Let’s do this.”
Today I stand before these Fellowship and Order members in a long flowing dress with a bouquet in hand as a bridesmaid. A week from now I’ll be the bride. The one wearing white, walking down an aisle toward her husband-to-be, joining herself to a man forever.
A man who stole me.
A man who held me captive.
A man who brought me to ecstasy.
I’ve always known I’d marry for duty over love. How could I not when my father pounded it into my head almost daily? But I’m still disheartened. Sad I won’t see adoration in Kieran’s eyes as I walk down the aisle. Sad his face won’t alight with pure love and reverence as he makes me his wife.
Ellison isn’t the only one wearing a veil today. Hers is white and sheer. Perfectly placed just below the crown of her head. Flowing down her back.
My veil is a smile. A straight spine with shoulders pushed back. Chin a little higher than usual.
Despite the joy of today, and I am truly thankful for this marriage between these two amazing people, my heart breaks. But there will be no tears, only a mask of happiness. It’s my job to hide my heart, and forever keep it locked away.
When Elli says her vows to Jamie, and I see peace and radiant delight in her face, the mask is not hard to maintain. She is stunningly beautiful inside and out, and my heart is full because she’s found her home. Her forever alongside her husband and best friend. My brother.
For that I can rejoice.
For that I can smile.
For that I can be the treaty bride who marries Kieran Hendry.
Kieran and Westlyn’s story coming 2017.
EXCERPT: INDULGE
A steamy standalone novel from Georgia Cates
From New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Best-selling author, Georgia Cates, comes a steamy new standalone novel.
Beau Emerson is no gentleman.
Those hazel eyes.
That filthy mouth.
That greedy, hard body.
It all equates to one thing. Irresistible.
One look and I know he’ll bruise my lips and scar my knees. He’ll give me the best nine days of my life while ruining me in the most beautiful way imaginable. And I’ll let him because he has the power to talk me into anything.
Except one thing.
Staying.
I have no choice. The things I desire from him will destroy me in the end. I want more than he’s capable of giving––something true and beautiful.
He can never know how much of me belongs to him. Too much is at stake.
Shh … don’t tell him he’s my everything.
My name is Anna James Bennett. And this is our story.
PROLOGUE
ANNA JAMES BENNETT
I sigh as I toss the thick legal envelope across the island in Meredith’s gourmet kitchen. The proof of my marriage’s dissolution barely comes to a stop before plummeting over the edge. “It’s final, as of today.”
My best friend, Meredith, squeals. “Yes. This calls for a celebratory drink.”
The word celebratory implies happiness or joy. That isn’t the case for me. My husband of twelve months left me for a nineteen-year-old. A kid. His former student.
Fucker.
He swears nothing happened while she was his pupil.
Liar.
He claims it’s true love.
Dumbass.
Drake’s relationship with Caitlyn is fleeting. She’s an immature teen who wants to play house. The paint won’t dry on the walls of their new apartment before she’s ready to bail.
“I’ve been saving this one for a special occasion.” Ahh. A bottle of Wittmann Westhofener Morstein Riesling. Always rich in body and texture. My favorite.
Gulp. Gulp. The bottle gurgles as Meredith pours far more than three ounces. My glass is three-quarters full when she presses two fingers against the base and glides it across the sleek Carrara marble toward me. I instantly salivate when the essence of honey, peach, mango, and flowers invades my nostrils.
Meredith lifts her glass, cueing me to the toast she’s about to make. “Here’s to the end of an error––your misconception that Drake Langston was a knight in shining armor rather than what he really is—a turd in tinfoil.”
“I know that’s the truth.” I tap my glass against hers before taking the first sip of dry, fruity goodness. Damn, that’s good stuff.
“Capone made sure you got everything you wanted?”
Alec Capone is the most successful divorce attorney in Georgia. He should be with a name like that. “I got more than I wanted, including custody of Little Bastard, since Drake relinquished ownership of him. Caitlyn’s allergic.” I’m epically pissed off about him dumping his cat on me.
“Are you keeping the lil’ guy?”
“I haven’t decided.” Kermit, aka Little Bastard, has no love for me. Doesn’t matter that I’ve been the one who has fed him his every bite, changed his litter box every time, taken him to the vet for every visit, even the time he was deathly ill from eating part of my foam flip-flop.
“You won’t have a problem if you decide to rehome him. He’s beautiful. Plenty of cat lovers would take him just because he’s a Bengal.”
Kermit was Drake’s trophy cat. Pretty to look at and that’s about it. Much like Caitlyn.
I have no emotional connection to Little Bastard. I’ve tried to bond, but he’s resistant. That’s why I’m so surprised by the way I feel when I think of giving him away
. He’s resistant to loving me. Just like Drake.
“I got my name back.” That’s what I wanted most. Bennett. My daddy’s name.
The wrinkle in Meredith’s brow serves as a warning. It’s always a prelude to something serious. “I understand those papers feel like a painful ending, but that’s because they’re disguising what today is. A new beginning. Grayson and I think it’s important for you to treat this as a fresh start.”
Meredith disappears into the dining room and returns with a gift bag covered in curly ribbon and filled with tissue paper.
“Your divorce gift. Read the card first.”
