Page 68 of Vows In Corruption

Which isn’t really happening because every few minutes I’m getting distracted with thoughts of Ella. All morning, I’ve been trying to finish a proposal for our applied science department, but instead I’m thinking of ways to make Ella’s life a little easier. Both while we are married and after. After another fifteen minutes, I give up on the proposal and start working on things for Ella.

And that how I spend most of the afternoon. Thinking about all things Ella, including setting up an appointment for a jeweler to come to the house tomorrow morning before the wedding so that we can pick out our wedding rings.

I hesitated with that.

Marriage may not have been something that I planned on doing, but if I ever did, I always thought that I would propose with one of my mother’s rings. Her wedding ring would be perfect for Ella. Hell a lot of my mother’s jewelry would be perfect for Ella, but it’s too much. This is only for two years, I can’t risk loosing something that meaningful. For now, all of my mother’s pieces will go to the kids and hopefully they are able to appreciate them when the time comes.

“Mr. Lane,” Henry announces as he walks in to my home office, taking my concentration away from the look book of suits that was emailed to me by the personal shopper that I hired for the wedding.

“Yes?” I ask, looking up at the old man who is holding out a glass of water, which I take.

“Miss Samantha and Mr. Grayson just arrived and I will say that Miss Lane doesn’t not look all that happy.”

I chug down my water, trying to give me more before I have to deal with my teenage niece. In times like these, I think of my mother and wonder if I would be this scared of her if she were still here.

“Maybe Ella will become a good female role model for her and calm down some of the anger rolling through her.” I say, handing the glass back to Henry.

“One could hope, sir.”

A second later, the front door opens and I hear footsteps approaching the home office.

I let out a sigh. “Make sure that Drake is occupied and I’ll handle the teenagers.”

“Of course.”

As Henry leaves the room, Grayson and Samantha appear with Elliot right behind them. I watch as all three of them greet Henry in a way grandkids would greet their favorite grandfather.

Once the kids are in the room and Henry is gone, all the warm and fizzy greetings disappear and in their place are stares and stances that are defensive and full of questions.

“Before any questions come out, close the door.” I order Grayson, my fifteen year old nephew that desperately needs a haircut. His dirty bling hair looks like a damn mop.

I’ll have to call a barber to come in before the wedding tomorrow.

“Why are we closing the door?” Samantha asks, standing her ground as her brothers take a seat on the couch that I have in here.

“Because there are little ears around that can hear this conversation and we know for a fact that he can’t keep a secret.”

The fact that he came to me this morning and told me that Elliot took him to get ice cream at midnight after I’m sure his brother told him to keep a secret is telling enough.

“Drake doesn’t know that you’re getting married?” Sam asks, raising her eyebrows in the process.

“He knows, and he knows that we are going to have new people living here but I’m keeping the why of it all from him.”

“Do we get to know?” Grayson asks and I try to ignore the fact that he looks a lot like his dad right now.

“I’m surprised Elliot didn’t tell you already.”

Elliot shrugs. “I just thought that it would make more sense coming from you.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. Sometimes I wish I didn’t have to deal with this shit.

I take a second to collect myself and explain to the Sam and Gray as to why that I’m getting married. I don’t go into much detail, like how long tis marriage will last and what she will be gaining from this, but I do tell them that it was a clause and this had to happen for me to meet it. They both ask questions and in the end Grayson looks just as confused and he did when he walked in here earlier and Sam actually looks like she understands.

“What’s her name?” Gray asks, trying to get all the information that he can.

“Ella.”

He nods like he likes the sound of her name. “How old is she?”

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