Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 80919 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80919 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
CHAPTER 27
AMELIA
My mother was waiting on the other side of the door. He went right past her without even sparing her a look and only stopped in front of our fathers.
“Amelia isn’t safe in this house. She’s moving in with me, effective immediately.”
“No, that isn’t proper. You can’t! I won’t allow it,” Mother sputtered.
“I wasn’t asking. I was informing. Amelia needs to see a doctor about the wound on her hand. Then she will move into my penthouse. All wedding arrangements will be made by her from there.”
“I will not allow my daughter to live in sin!” Mother shrieked, and I ducked my head, burying it in Luc’s neck.
His arms tightened around me, and he made me feel safe.
“Then I’ll call a judge now, and we can be married tonight. Either way, she is not staying in this house with that drunk, abusive bitch another night. She is mine, and no one”—he turned to glare at my mother— “and I mean no one, touches what’s mine.”
“The wedding will go on as planned,” his father said. “If the young couple wants to cohabitate before the wedding, I think it’s a fine idea. This isn’t the 1800s. Let the kids play house for a while.”
“No!” my mother shrieked. “Why would he buy the cow if he is getting the milk for free?”
“Madam, the only cow in this house is you. I said I was going to marry her, and I will, either in the church in a few months, or tonight with a judge. I really don’t care which. All things considered, I don’t think you are the best person to opine on who does, or doesn’t, pay for milk.”
I had no idea what that meant, but it shut my mother up. She just glared, her face turning crimson as she glowered.
“Amelia, do you want to leave with Mr. Manwarring?” my father asked.
“Of course she doesn’t,” Mother started.
“Yes,” I answered my father, keeping my voice low but loud enough I know he heard.
“Okay, then. The wedding will proceed as scheduled. So, please try to keep this out of the papers, and I’ll have the staff get your things packed and delivered.”
I nodded as my fiancé carried me out of my childhood home.
The second the front door closed, I could hear Mother screaming again, but it was no longer my problem.
I looked up to see Rose in her window, gazing down at us. She raised her hand to wave, and I did the same, relieved she was safe in her studio.
“Where are we going?” I asked as we got into the car.
“First, I am taking you to my private doctor. I would have him just meet me at home, but I think your hand will need X-rays.”
I nodded and watched the place I used to call home disappear as we turned a corner.
Luc made a call to the doctor.
“Did you mean it?” I asked when he hung up the phone.
“Mean what?” He held my uninjured hand.
“When you said that I was moving in with you.”
“I did. In the Financial District. We will start by living there. If you like it, we can stay. It is convenient for work. If you don’t like it, we will start house shopping whenever you like.”
“What about the wedding?” I asked.
“What about it?”
“Did you just want to go to the courthouse and get it over with?”
“No. I would have if I needed to in order to keep you safe and get you away from your mother. But a large wedding is expected, and I am kind of looking forward to it. Standing in front of God and the entire world and telling them you are mine.”
He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me in to his side.
“If you want help planning, I’m sure we can get Rose to come over, and my sisters would love to help as well. I was waiting for your name to change to add you to what will be the joint accounts, but I’ll have Henry acquire a card for you to do that planning.”
I nodded, not sure what to say. He was giving me total control and offering the resources I’d need. That had to mean something, right?
The doctor was waiting for us when we arrived at a brownstone. He led us to the basement level, where he had his office and some basic equipment. If he thought the state I was in was unusual, he didn’t say anything about it. Just looked at my hand and took a few X-rays. There was some serious bruising, but no permanent damage.
The doctor even brought Luc out of the room while his nurse, a woman I was pretty sure was the doctor’s wife, wrapped my hand.
When the men were out of earshot, she looked at me with a comforting hand on my shoulder.
“Honey, are you okay? Do we need to call the police?”