His Vengeful Tradwife

11. Tallulah

CHAPTER 11

Tallulah

L ater that day the cruise ship landed on a small private island and we all went out to have fun on the beach. Even though my casual, friendly dad and stepmom were very different than the aristocratic and dignified Pierre and Henrietta Laurent, they actually got along like a house on fire. At first they had bonded over everyone's mutual dislike of my very famous (infamous?) mother, but then their mutual respect just increased with each visit and now they were all the best of friends.

Maverick said nothing about what he had signed, his eyes lighting up hungrily when he saw me, and he took Emmylou from me, putting the baby on his shoulders as we all trooped down the deck, loaded down with beach chairs, toys, big hats, inflatable unicorns, sunscreen, and a packed lunch.

"BE BACK BY 6:30 PM SHARP OR RISK BEING LEFT ON THE ISLAND!" the loudspeaker blared.

We set up on the beach, and my father-in-law took Gabriel along the beach to look for shells.

"Thank you so much for letting us come with you," Dr. Laurent said, a smile transforming his haughty cultured face. "It's more appreciated than you will ever know."

"Of course," I said, tears suddenly prickling at the corners of my eyes. "You will always be my family."

"Thank you, ma chérie," he said.

Then he took hold of Gabriel's hand and they went off down the beach. You didn't often see a man in a three-piece suit on the beach, but Pierre was always dressed to the nines. And it was a perfect arrangement, since grandfather and grandson both were hyper fixated on everything to do with shells and rocks.

Dad began to blow up the inflatable unicorn for Seraphina, and my stepmom Becky and Henrietta each took one of Emmylou's hands and let her jump up and down in the shallow waves on the shore.

I felt movement beside me, and Maverick sat down, his half-naked body close to mine, his breath rustling the curls along my neck.

"I love this so much," Maverick said. "You and my family are everything to me. I was a goddamn fool to ever contemplate giving it up."

"Yes, you were," I said, starting to unpack the picnic basket. I didn't look at him, because I was afraid he'd be able to see the tears prickling in my eyes.

"Please," he said, brushing my hair gently aside and kissing my neck.

" Please ," he said again, spreading his legs and pulling me against his chest, one arm wrapped around my belly to hold me tightly against him.

"Tell me there's still a chance."

His lips moved up and down the sensitive skin of my throat, his tongue curling into that hollow under my jawline.

"I'm not telling you shit," I said. "Who’s to say you won't do the same fucking thing again with some other woman because you want attention and think you're too good for my channel?"

"I don't!" Maverick said harshly, his hands tightening on me, gripping my hair so tightly I felt shivers of pleasure down my spine. "I was wrong. I see that now. I've been doing all the worksheets my mother gave me. I was an arrogant fool, jealous of your success. Jealous that you didn't need me anymore. I am proud of your channel."

"Prove it," I said indifferently, knowing he couldn't do anything of the sort on this cruise ship.

"I'll prove anything you like," he growled in my ear, his hands halfway to undoing my bikini top when luckily Dad came over, ignoring Maverick entirely to ask if he could have a sandwich, and I was able to wiggle out of my husband's arms.

We spent a few happy hours at the beach, and I watched as Maverick played with the kids, throwing a football back and forth with Gabriel, building a sand castle with Seraphina, even though she insisted on doing it where waves constantly buried it, making Maverick have to build it over and over again. He even changed Emmylou's poopy diaper.

"A diaper bag," I said, "has many uses."

We finally headed back, flushed and happy, tromping up the gangplank with plenty of time to spare.

"My parents say they want to take the kids to a movie," Maverick said. "I'll go settle them in and you can take a shower or relax if you like."

I watched him go, his broad shoulders barely fitting in the narrow hallway, dark curls falling over the back of his neck. He had been stepping up with the kids, spending more time with them like I'd been suggesting. He hadn't mentioned work at all.

But that wasn't enough. How did I know any of these changes were lasting ones?

Just as I was about to head to my room, I saw Diego.

"Tallulah!" the handsome tennis instructor warbled happily, making a beeline for me. "I was just going down to meet Amanda, but if you're up for something, I'll cancel."

"Oh, what were you planning to do?" I asked sweetly.

"I don't know, maybe get drinks?" Diego asked, handing me his phone and scrolling to their text thread. "Want to come with?"

I didn't think the heart-eyes emojis and selfies she had sent him indicated she'd appreciate me coming along, but I had an even better idea.

"The cruise ship is about to leave," I said. "We better not go or we'll risk getting left behind."

"Good point," Diego said, going a bit green around the gills. "The only way back if the cruise has left is to charter a private plane. And that's damn expensive. See you soon for another lesson?"

"Maybe," I replied vaguely, glancing at my watch.

It would be cutting it close, but this was too good an opportunity to pass up.

Besides, I could always charter a jet if I had to. My latest brand deal had been very lucrative.

So I went down the gangplank and headed to where Diego had promised to meet Amanda.

As I walked up, I saw her in a very short miniskirt and high heels, waiting impatiently at a chair at an empty cabana bar.

When she heard me walk up, she whirled around, stumbling out of her chair and almost flat on her face in her haste to see Diego.

"Finally!" she moaned in a sultry tone.

Then she stopped short.

"Oh. . .it's you," Amanda said in disappointment. "What are you doing here?" she added unpleasantly.

"Looking for Diego?" I asked, walking closer to her so I could see how her tiny nostrils flared, her thin lips tightened.

She was desperate for a win.

"Yeah," she said. "I'm over Maverick now. Diego's even more handsome."

"No, he's not," I said scornfully. "And I've got some bad news for you. Diego's not coming. I ran into him just now and all it took was one look at me and he forgot all about your little date. I left him slobbering over the idea of another tennis lesson. He doesn't care about you. Let it go."

Amanda's eyes looked wild with chagrin and rage, and she suddenly lunged at me with her fingers outstretched.

I let her get close to me, let her almost taste the thrill of slapping me, then I side-stepped her easily and tripped her so she landed face-first in the sand.

"Honey, I've shown pigs at a country fair," I said. "Don't test me."

She scrambled to her feet, spitting sand from her mouth. “What else are you going to take from me?” she shrieked wildly.

I crossed my arms as I looked at her red-faced anger.

“What else do you have? I’ve already taken Maverick, your retirement account, your promotion, and Diego.”

"At least you can't pull any more shit with my retirement money. I went all in with the stock of your main sponsor. Even you wouldn't fuck with them just to get back at me."

"Natural Girl Beauty?" I asked. "Funny how sponsors can change. As of today, Organic Girl Beauty is my sponsor. And I've got a TikTok scheduled with that announcement right about now."

I pulled up my phone and scrolled to my page. The numbers were climbing, 2.5 million views, 2.7 million views, 3 million views.

"I'm afraid Organic Girl Beauty is going to soon outpace Natural Girl Beauty," I said. "Too bad you put all your money in the wrong company."

Her jaw dropped open and I could see her little rodent brain working to try to find some angle to beat me with, some way to come out on top.

"Maverick will come back to me!" she shrieked. "I know he will!"

I only laughed derisively. "Honey, that man is begging to get in my pussy every day. He's not going back to you."

"I see the cruise is about to leave," Amanda said unpleasantly as the ship made a last warning blare. "At least you'll be left behind, too. The cruise ship won't wait for anyone. Even celebrities ."

Just then I heard the sound of a motorboat, and I turned around to see Maverick bouncing over the choppy waves, heading toward in the beach in a tiny, beat-up looking boat.

"Tallulah Laurent!" he shouted angrily, his dark hair whipping across his face with the force of the wind. "Get your ass in here right now !"

He held out his hand to me.

"Take my hand right now or I swear to God you are going over my knee. I am not leaving you behind."

"Not mad I tricked you into changing our prenup?" I asked coolly.

Maverick shook his head sharply. "Mad? Not at all. In fact, I went back and wrote out a new clause that says if you ever catch me cheating again you can beat me with a stick and take every last fucking dollar I own. Now move ."

Amanda was vibrating with fury beside me. "You said I was your soulmate!" she snapped.

Maverick barely looked at her, stretching his hand out impatiently for me to grab it. "That was bullshit. I'm a bastard, but I'm a bastard who's obsessed with his wife."

I turned to Amanda one last time and smiled. "What's that you told me earlier? I guess. . . I'm not anyone's sweet little wife either. I just go for what I want. I'm a ruthless bitch like that. Bye honey."

Then I took Maverick's hand and let him pull me into the boat.

On the way over, I made a few calls. Too bad for Amanda there wouldn’t be any helicopters able to come rescue her for at least two weeks. And with the way work was going, that meant she could kiss her job goodbye.