She nodded, her eyes suspiciously shiny. Ian rose and hugged her “I’ll see you at the engagement party sis, even if I have to pretend you’re someone else” he said laughingly.
The men stepped back, joining their bodyguards.
“It was a pleasure meeting you Mr Grayson” Maxwell said, his eyes softening as he gazed upon his daughter “treat my daughter well and we’ll have no problems. But if you so much as lay a single hand on her, or cause her to cry, then I’ll be seeing you again and it won’t be such an auspicious occasion” he warned me, his voice threatening.
I tried not to tremble as I shook his hand. Ian clasped mine and clapped me on the shoulder “Congratulations on your marriage old friend” he quipped, smiling widely at his sister “I couldn’t be happier for you both. I have a feeling that you will get along well and I want the first child named after me” he said jokingly.
Flair made a strangled sound. Ian laughed and then stepped back. Both men nodded and then turned, walking out the doorway, the sounds of their footsteps slowly fading as they made their way downstairs, leaving only silence and a pale looking Flair in their wake while I struggled to digest everything that had just happened.
When I spoke, it was with a grave voice and with a self restraint that I didn’t even know that I possessed.
“Wife” I said, as Flair slowly turned to look at me, “I think you owe me an explanation.”
Flair POV
My secret was out. I should have felt relieved, but the look on Grayson’s face almost broke me. He looked hurt. Like I had inflicted intentional pain on him. I could see Timothy get up and quietly leave the room, leaving Grayson and me alone, in order to grant us privacy, but at that moment I wished he had remained. I moved to sit down opposite my husband, trying to maintain my composure, even as part of me wanted to beg for his forgiveness.
“Grayson, I never intended to hurt you” I began, glancing at him pleadingly, “I was going to tell you about my identity.”
He was silent, his body so still that I wondered if he was even paying attention to what I was saying to him. “Why didn’t you just tell me from the outset?” he asked and I was relieved to note that there was no anger in his voice, merely curiosity.
I looked down at my hands, wringing and twisting them together. “I find it hard to trust people. With Johnathon, there was always this suspicion in the back of my mind that if he found out I was a Grant, he would use my name to his advantage. In hindsight, I’m glad I didn’t tell him. I know it’s different with you, you being a Deluca and all.”
“But you still needed to ascertain if I was trustworthy enough to tell me your secret” Grayson supplied raising a sardonic brow.
He gave a large exhale “Part of me is angry with you” he admitted in a low voice and shame swept through me, along with a sense of humiliation and regret “But another part of me understands the necessity” he confessed.
I sighed in relief. “I swear, Grayson as soon as I felt it was safe, I was going to tell you” I blurted out “It was starting to feel uncomfortable keeping it from you.”
He gave a chuckle “Well to be fair, part of it is my fault” he allowed “I could have looked more closely at the marriage certificate or used my listening ears during the ceremony” he added with a slight scowl that made me giggle despite the gravity of the situation.
He pushed his chair back slightly and regarded me with a thoughtful expression. “Come here,” he said finally, and awkwardly I got back to my feet and slowly paced towards him, my heels sinking into the soft carpet, his arm shooting out to wrap itself around my waist and draw me even closer to him.
“Have I told you how beautiful you look today?” he murmured “If I didn’t that was very bad of me” he added and I smiled at him.
“You did, but I never grow tired of hearing it,” I told him, playing lightly with his tie as he looked up at me with darkening eyes.
“Tell me one thing,” he said and I sensed it was important “Are you keeping anything, anything else from me?”
“In what sense?” I asked lightly and with a slight sense of foreboding “Because truth be told, I have numerous identities and businesses that I’m involved in as a designer, investor, partner, you name it” I said thoughtfully.
He groaned “Why do I have the feeling you own that yoga studio?” he said with amusement.
I blinked “I do, but Johnathon never thought to ask me about that.”
He smirked “Doesn’t surprise me. What does surprise me is that in three years of marriage, he never twigged on that you had another identity?” his voice was questioning.
I let go of his tie and smoothed it down. “Johnathon believed what he wanted to believe. As long as it didn’t affect him or get in the way of his firm, he didn’t care what I did or worry about what I got up to.”
My voice was slightly scornful. Grayson took hold of my hand and squeezed it.
“This changes some things, but not everything,” he told me lightly “Underneath everything, you are still the same old Flair that I married and have known for the last few weeks.”
He pulled me onto his lap, causing me to gasp and blush, his arms wrapping tightly around me so that I couldn’t wriggle free. “Flair Grant” he murmured wickedly “it’s a nice name but I much prefer Flair Oakes,” he said with satisfaction “It has a much nicer ring to it.”
I relaxed. It felt nice to be held like this. Grayson’s eyes were twinkling and there was no trace of resentment or anger left in his expression.
“Well,” I murmured, breathing into his ear, “I happen to prefer Flair Oakes as well. I plan to keep it for now” I teased, causing his arms to wrap tighter and even more protectively.
I leaned my head and snuggled into his shoulder. I sighed in contentment. For all his bluster, and his anger, Grayson had exhibited a maturity and a willingness to forgive that far outweighed Johnathon in his angriest moments.
“Are you sure you don’t want to take over your father’s company?” he muttered “Because if it’s something that you do desire, I won’t get in your way.”
I snorted “With all due respect husband, I have no desire to take over the family reigns. They belong to Ian and Knox. I have my own businesses. My own interests. Thank you, but my brothers deserve the title of CEO.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.