Til Debt Do Us Part (Married At Midnight #4)

Chapter 21

Twenty-One

Dare

“H oly shit,” Talia breathes as she looks up at the sleek white hull of the megayacht that I’ve brought her to. “This yacht is huge. It’s gotta be six or seven decks and have multiple bedrooms too.”

I walk her over to the ship's stairs, guiding her with a hand to her lower back. “We should’ve just stayed on the yacht instead of trying to have our honeymoon in St. Bart’s. If I had put a minute’s worth of thought into the plan, I would’ve realized that we were vulnerable to my brother and Daisy showing up.”

Talia glances up at me and purses her hand over my arm. “There’s no way you could’ve known.”

“I should’ve prepared for an interruption. Instead, I just got wrapped up in the excitement of the wedding. I swear to you, it will not happen again.”

Her lips thin and she glances away. I’m not sure how to interpret her expression so I straighten and hurry her forward. When I reach the steps, Captain Weathers is waiting there for me. He greets us with a slight bow.

“Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Morgan. Welcome to our ship, The Evangeline.”

Talia smiles at the captain. “It’s good to see you again. I must say, I didn’t expect to find you waiting for us.”

“Captain Weathers has been sailing with me for years. He works for the family full time. Any time that I have to sail somewhere and do not want to sail myself, Weathers is there for me.”

I clap Weathers on the shoulder. He merely inclines his head again and gives me a cool little smile. “We have everything ready for you.” He gestures to the stairs and I help Talia climb up, making sure that she doesn’t somehow lose her footing.

“Weathers, we will show ourselves to the library. Let us know if you need our input at all.”

“Yes, sir.” Weathers inclines his head again and spots a uniformed steward walking across the deck. He hurries over to talk to the man, his movements brisk and efficient.

“Is this boat staffed, then?”

My lips twitch. “Yes. There are over twenty people working to make the trip as smooth as possible. I have a rule that staff should not interact with me unless it’s an important issue. But feel free to talk to anyone that you see. They will be more than happy to help you with absolutely any request.”

She wrinkles her nose. “To be totally honest with you, all I want right now is to sit down and relax.”

“Well, you came to the right yacht. This yacht is all about relaxation.”

The gentle, rolling waves rock the megayacht, luring me into a peaceful and soothing refuge. It’s away from all the chaos that seemed to swirl around us.

The sparkling white exterior of the yacht glistens in the midday sun, its luxurious curves shimmering in the water. The scent of the sea is a constant in the air. It was easy to forget at this moment that we aren't on a romantic holiday, but rather in the middle of a tumultuous and complicated situation involving my twin brother, Burn.

The thought turns my stomach sour and makes me want to physically punish someone.

I take a deep breath and savor the warmth and beauty of the yacht. Being here is like being in a second home. I have always loved sailing and yachting since I was a child, something about the open sea, with the horizon stretching out before me, that gives me an exhilaration like no other.

I stride around the deck with Talia's arm tucked in mine, determined to give her a tour. Cautiously I glance at her, my emotions swelling with a gruff protectiveness. "You don't have to worry," I say through tight lips. "Nobody will touch you while I'm here."

Even though I can admit to myself that Talia is indeed a capable and independent woman who can look after herself, something inside tells me I need to watch over her. A feeling at the pit of my stomach. I have no idea what it is, but whatever it is, it won't go away.

We arrive at the back of the yacht and I swing open the heavy door. A huge, opulent library awaits us. Everything is made from oak; a long table and matching chairs dominate the space, while its mahogany bookcases are filled with books and odd-looking trinkets. It's twice as big as the one I have back in Harwicke, and I'm forever in awe of its grandeur no matter how many times I see it.

"Oh my god!" Talia gasps with astonishment as we enter the room. The scent of books instantly fills our noses and I gesture for her to take a seat. She looks around in amazement, absorbing every detail of the vast selection of books on the shelves before her.

"This place is incredible," she breathes out in awe, eyes wide. I smirk and recline into the chair opposite her, studying her expression and silently laughing at how overwhelmed she seems.

"I'm glad you like it. This is one of my favorite spots onboard the yacht," I reply calmly, leaning forward again.

I walk up to one shelf and run my fingers across the spines of some of my favorite books, a wave of nostalgia washing over me. Talia quietly watches me, her expression soft and understanding as she realizes what this place means to me. "Do you want to talk about it?” she asks gently, her voice barely above a whisper.

I shake my head, not wanting to break the peaceful atmosphere we've created within this room by bringing up painful memories. Instead I gesture for us to have a seat at the large table in the center, away from all the reminders of my past life on board this yacht.

We settle into two chairs opposite each other and I take a moment to just breathe in all the happiness that is radiating from Talia's face. She looks so beautiful here in her natural surroundings; it's like watching someone come alive after years of suffocation by society's norms and expectations.

"I'm thinking about the future," Talia answers, her expression becoming thoughtful. “Just daydreaming, really. Nothing for you to worry about, Dare.”

Talia smiles and leans into me, our hands touching as we sit in companionable silence for a few moments. It's nice to just be able to sit together without speaking—to simply enjoy each other's presence without having to say anything at all.

Suddenly she pulls away from me and looks up into my eyes with an impish grin on her face. "What are you thinking?" she asks teasingly.

I laugh softly and shake my head before answering honestly, “Just that it feels really nice being here with you."

Talia looks up at me, her face glowing with a radiant beauty that I'm finding hard to resist. Her eyes are like two deep pools of molten brown, her skin smooth and creamy like skimmed milk, and her hair is a glossy copper lion's mane that frames her delicate features perfectly. She's breathtaking, especially now that she is pregnant. I can't help but feel a swelling of pride in my chest at the thought of being the father of her baby.

I reach out and brush my thumb lightly over her cheek, the contact sending a forbidden jolt of electricity through me. The feelings pulse between us like an unspoken promise. One that is getting harder to ignore with each passing day.

We look into each other's eyes for what feels like an eternity before finally breaking away, as if remembering why it isn't wise to get too close. We're in a complicated marriage where emotion should take a back seat; I have to remind myself constantly that I'm in control.

Talia gives me a shy smile. I watch her silently from across the room, marveling at how such an angelic creature could be mine.

The atmosphere between us shifts suddenly as our gaze once more meets across the space. This time there is something different in the air. Something that neither one of us dare voice aloud.

Talia shifts uncomfortably in her seat, her gaze sliding away from mine as I sit across the room. I can tell she's nervous.

"What happened?" I ask softly, hoping to understand why she would make such an announcement without my permission or consent.

“It’s just what Daisy said about you on the beach.” Talia takes another deep breath before explaining nervously, "She was saying all these horrible things about you. How you were too controlling, how you didn't care about my feelings. I just wanted to defend you. I wanted to tell her that what she was saying wasn't true." She pauses for a moment before adding softly, "Telling her that I was pregnant just popped out of my mouth."

I nod slowly in understanding as tears well up in Talia's eyes. I know she must be feeling scared and embarrassed by her lapse in judgment, but I'm also proud that she was willing to stand up for me. Even if it was done impulsively, I’m still blown away by her defense of me.

Reaching out my hand to hers, I give her fingers a gentle squeeze and utter the words earnestly.

"Thank you for being so brave. You don't need to apologize; you only did what any loyal wife would do."

She blushes and demurs. "I think any decent person would do the same thing."

"I don't think so, darling girl." I give her a long look. "Talia, I know I've been hard on you. I didn't expect to be married so suddenly and under these circumstances. But I want you to know that I'm trying. I'm trying to be an adequate husband.” I can’t help but look away, sliding my gaze to the horizon in the distance. It’s uncomfortable being so exposed, even with a woman that I’ve spent nearly every waking hour near.

"I understand, Dare. I really do. You don’t have to explain if you don’t want to.”

God, Talia is killing me right now. I catch her hand and kiss her palm. Then I nod, feeling my heart aching at her words. I can't believe I'm starting to depend on Talia so much, but I can't deny the feeling of connection that seems to grow every fucking day I spend with her.

I constantly question whether it's a good idea to be so deeply emotionally involved with this woman. And yet, I can't seem to help myself.

We sit in silence for a few moments, both lost in our own thoughts. Finally, I break the silence by asking hesitantly, "Talia... Why did you tell Daisy about the baby?"

She looks up at me with a guilty expression on her face, and I can almost see her thinking of all the reasons why she shouldn't have blurted out such sensitive information. Taking a deep breath, she answers slowly, "I guess it was just... the pressure of knowing that everyone would find out eventually. And what if... what if something were to happen to the baby?"

Her voice cracks as she says the last word. My heart swells with an overwhelming feeling of protectiveness. It's like something inside of me is pushing me to cocoon Talia from the world. I need to make sure no one takes advantage of her vulnerable state. With great effort, I suppress this instinct and instead reach out and lay my hand gently on hers.

"It's okay," I murmur softly. "Nothing is going to happen to him."

She blots at her eyes discreetly.

"What if it does, though? What... what will happen to our marriage then?"

I touch her knee and look deep into her eyes. "You're asking for answers that I don't have. I can't predict the future. But instead of worrying about all of the worst case scenarios, let's cross that bridge if we come to it. Can we agree on that?"

She blows out a breath and rolls her eyes at herself, shaking her head. "Of course. I just can't seem to help catastrophizing everything."

"We're quite a pair. You're busy looking back at the past, worried about how everything will turn out in the future. And I'm only able to look at the future, never dwelling on the past. I'm forever on the lookout for the next gamble that I can make that will lead to vast fortunes."

"Hah!" Talia gives a small snort of laughter and shrugs a shoulder. "Well, so far as the baby goes, I'm afraid the cat is out of the bag now. I blurted the truth out when I was fighting with Daisy. So now I just have to prepare myself for everyone else to freak out about it."

Talia's admission hangs heavy in the air between us, as if it were a physical presence that neither of us want to acknowledge. The only sound is the ticking of a nearby clock and the distant rumble of traffic outside.

Finally, I speak up, "Well, there's no going back now. We just have to prepare ourselves for everyone else to freak out about it."

Talia nods her head in agreement and takes a deep breath. "Yeah... I know. We should probably let Remy and your father know first before anyone else finds out."

I nod in agreement, though I'm feeling apprehensive about how my family will react to the news. Talia must sense my unease because she gives me an encouraging smile.

"It's going to be okay," she assures me.

We spend the next few minutes discussing who we'll tell first and when would be the best time for that conversation. Soon enough we come up with a plan and I feel a bit more confident that we can make it through this announcement unscathed.

But once word gets out that Talia is pregnant, there's no telling how people will react or what kind of gossip will start circulating around town. People are notoriously nosy when it comes to other people's business and something like this is sure to set tongues wagging . The gossip could lead to serious consequences for our relationship and our unborn child if handled improperly.

Talia smiles gratefully, squeezing my hand in response before leaning into my shoulder and burying her face into it. I wrap an arm around her comfortingly and pull her closer, letting her draw strength from me as needed. We sit like this for a while longer until Talia finally pulls away and stands up abruptly.

"I'm dying of hunger all of a sudden," she announces.

I readily agree, my stomach grumbling at the thought of food. We make our way to the top deck, where a table is set with a gourmet meal prepared by the yacht's chef.

We sit down and as I tuck into my salmon and grilled vegetables, Talia watches me with amusement. She seems content just to enjoy the moment and not push me further on the topic of her pregnancy.

As conversation flows between us - ranging from topics such as books to music - I casually mention my mother, who loved the sea and often took me sailing when I was young.

"That sounds like it must have been really special," she says softly with a small smile.

I nod in agreement, feeling suddenly nostalgic for those trips that seemed so far away now.

"It was," I reply. "We'd take the boat out for days at a time and just enjoy being on the water together. It was the only place where I felt completely relaxed."

I can sense a newfound respect and understanding towards me from her as she listens intently while I regale her with tales of my childhood days spent sailing with my mother.

By the time dessert comes around, a rich cheesecake with cream topping, I'm looking at Talia like she is going to be my nightcap. She looks beautiful in the soft light of the setting sun; her eyes sparkling and her lips curved into a gentle smile. Her smell is sweet and natural, her perfume light and airy. Her body smells of the sea, and fresh flowers. Her hair smells like vanilla, her skin is soft and warm.

As the night wears on, I request for a white-uniformed yacht steward to set up a classic movie in the yacht's home theater. The steward has almost every movie available, but I already know just what I want to watch.

"North By Northwest," I tell the young man. Turning to Talia, I arch a brow. "Have you seen it?"

She frowns, thinking. "Isn't it an old movie?"

"It was made by Alfred Hitchcock in the nineteen fifties. It stars Cary Grant as an ad exec who is mistaken for a spy and hunted by foreign operatives. You'll love it."

Her lips twitch. "I'm sure I will. I don't really watch many movies."

I smirk. "I'll introduce you to all the classics. You'll have plenty of downtime to catch up on movies before the baby comes."

She doesn't reply to that but her eyebrows arch ever so slightly, as if asking me silently, "will I?"

The young steward sets up the projector and dims the lights. I settle into my seat with a bowl of popcorn. Talia sits next to me, her gaze fixed on the screen as the opening credits roll. As the movie plays, Talia leans her head against my arm and I instinctively wrap mine around her. She softly relaxes against my chest, our hands entwined in one another. A moment of bliss washes over us, one I am desperate to hold onto for a little longer.

We watch in comfortable silence, only speaking up when we find something particularly amusing or captivating. It's so effortless to talk to her like this; no tension or hostilities between us.

Talia grins from ear to ear as the credits roll, her eyes dancing with delight. "That was amazing!" she exclaims, still snuggled up against my chest.

I chuckle at her enthusiasm. "I'm glad you liked it."

She looks up at me with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Now I want to see more movies like this one! What other classics do you recommend?"

"I'll make you a list," I promise.

The movie leaves us both in a musing, dreamy state. As the credits roll, I absentmindedly stroke Talia's hair and say nothing. She is still snuggled up against my chest like a contented cat and I don't want to disturb her.

But then she begins to speak, her voice soft and reflective. "When I was little, my Aunt Minnie used to take me out on special days every month," she says with a hint of nostalgia in her voice. "We go out for lunch or dinner at some of the best spots around town—she always knows where the best food is."

I smile softly at Talia, glad that she is willing to share such personal memories with me.

"Aunt Minnie has an impeccable taste for culture and literature," Talia continues. "When I was younger, we would spend hours in bookstores or art galleries. We would talk about life and explore whatever new pieces of art piqued our interest. It was lovely."

My heart warmed at this image of Talia's childhood spent in such blissful pursuits. Her aunt clearly had done a good job in trying to make up for what Talia lacked from her parents' absence. It explained why she had an appreciation for helping the less fortunate, too.

I squeeze her hand gently as if to show my understanding and support of what she is recounting to me. We sit together in peaceful silence until Talia finally pulls away from me with a yawn, ready for bed.

After the movie, we stumble into the yacht's bedroom, its plush silk sheets cool against our skin. As we make love, I can’t help but feel that we’re both doing a lot more than going through the motions.

But does Talia feel the same way? Or is it still fake to her?

When she rides my cock, it seems so fucking real. The way she leans back, arching her back, looking like a fucking goddess. Her hand touches her clit while I thrust up into her tight heat again and again, eventually making her come so hard that she screams my name.

I roar as I thrust my cock into her pussy a final time, filling every last fucking inch of the slit between her thighs with my hot, sticky cum. Marking her, making her mine.

All fucking mine.

I won't allow myself to feel anything more for Talia, even though she carries my child. It's all a sham, a game I'm playing to win approval from my family. I remind myself not to get attached to her, not to let my guard down.

Laying beside her, I watch her breathe in and out. The tug on my heartstrings can't be denied; a connection that could deepen over time. I know it's not what she hoped for, but maybe there is a hint of affection growing between us. I know that I don't love her the way she always dreamed of being loved, but...

Maybe.

Maybe something can live here, some small buds can begin to bloom.

But is it insane to think that I could cultivate a real intimacy with Talia?

I can feel the warmth radiating off of Talia as she drifts off to sleep in my arms. I know that if this arrangement were real, I could easily fall in love with her. But there is no point in getting my hopes up; this is a sham. This entire thing was forced upon us, and we both have our own agendas to fulfill.

But something inside me still wonders what it would be like if we did let ourselves feel something for each other. Before I can think about it any further, Talia's small voice speaks up from the darkness.

"Do you ever think we will fall in love?" she whispers softly, her voice heavy with exhaustion and emotion.

My heart flutters in my chest and I force myself to hide it from her, not wanting to give her any false hope.

"Let's keep our expectations low," I murmur into her hair, squeezing her gently against me. I'm bluffing, opening my mouth and letting a lie float out. "But that doesn't mean I'll ever let you go, darling girl. You're mine now."

"Hmm," she murmurs, too tired to open her eyes. She manages a barely there, "I guess so."

We settle into each other's embrace, tangled in a complex web of suspicion and attraction, our unknown fate looming heavily over us like a storm cloud on the horizon. I wonder if this strange connection between us will survive the night or fade away once morning light returns to our lives again.