The Wedding Deal (15 page)

“Oh I think you can afford this”

He had chuckled.

“I bought the lot today and my architect has already drawn up some rough sketches.

Tessa had looked at him in complete stunned silence, unable to speak, her eyes so wide as she had stared disbelievingly at him.

He had looked back, now a small look of concern creasing his brow.

“You did want another school?” he had asked slowly, seeing as her eyes had started to mist up, her voice finally returning.

“Oh my God, I can’t accept this…………this is too much”

He had smiled softly.

“No………..you are my wife now Tessa”

“Why did you do this?” she had managed her voice almost inaudible as she had looked around “I thought you……….”

At that he had moved forward, pulling her into his arms.

“For many reasons………Because Tessa, I promised to make you happy, and I nearly destroyed everything. Because you showed me how wrong I was and you did it so gracefully, but mostly because I know that you will be all the better a mother because you make your dreams come true and show our children how to do the same”

With that a small sob had escaped her as she had looked up at him, her eyes shining with happiness.

“Oh Alexis………….I don’t know what to say” she had whispered, while inside her heart yelled how much she adored him, how much she loved him. He had kissed her gently then looking down into her tear filled eyes, before laughing and pulling her over to a walled area where he had started to unfurl the papers he held in his arms, excitedly showing her the rough blueprints. Tessa had listened in awe, becoming so animated as he had pointed out features, her whole face glowing.

It had been a wonderful afternoon, and later they had eaten in a small restaurant, with the most amazing food, Tessa chuckling as he had declared it his biggest secret. They had laughed and joked with each other, both enjoying the others company so much.

Later in bed after they had made love, he had lain over her, his finger trailing down her cheek and along the long length of her throat.

“We will have a good life together Tessa, a very good life. I only hope that I can make you happy, I truly want to see you always happy”

Tessa had given one of her broad heart stopping smiles, looking back into his eyes, knowing that he spoke the truth.

“I never want you to regret your decision to be my wife”

She had lifted her head then, high enough to gently almost feather like kiss his mouth, before her head had once more fallen back onto the pillow.

“I have never regretted us marrying Alexis” she had spoken so softly.

“In fact……….I would say it is one of the best decisions I ever made” her smile shy this admission seeming so personal. He however, had groaned gently and dipping his head once more had kissed her, the fires quickly igniting between the two.

Once more the following morning she had awoken late, giving a wry smile at how lazy she was becoming. Her mind had returned to the previous day and the conversation after they had made love. Tessa had smiled, Alexis’s words filling her with a strange warmth. She had looked around the bedroom, with the light flooding into the large space, her fingers tracing the contour on the pillow where his head had lain. The memory of his lovemaking causing her to smile, her body wishing that he had not had to leave so early, wishing that he was there with her now, his arms once more wrapped around her. Closing her eyes once more she had allowed the scent of him still on the bed sheets to gently envelop her as she had smiled, feeling contentment to her very core. She loved him and more importantly, there was the hope that perhaps one day he would love her, his words once more giving her hope.

The ringing phone has pulled her from her reverie, and she had picked up the receiver, hoping to once more hear Alexis’s voice, her tone soft and sensual.

“Tessa?”

The harsh cold sound of John Jones voice had crashed down hard on Tessa, coldness and anxiety replacing the contentment within her stomach.

“Yes” she had replied shakily, caught off guard by her grandfather.

“We have a problem”

Was the only response, as she had sat up straight in bed.

“Your husband is proving difficult with regards to our deal; I need you to teach him a lesson”

Tessa had swallowed the groan which his words had raised within her.

“What do you mean?” she had asked in surprise.

“He is keeping his deal with you”

On the other end of the line she had heard the small snort.

“When we signed, he laid down certain restrictions……. something to do with locals, viability ……..doesn’t matter…. the point is that I need unlimited access……and you are going to get it for me”

Anger had swept over Tessa.

“No ………. you had an agreement with him John………stick to it” she had bit out, hearing as he had laughed no humour in his voice.

“Oh Tess, You ARE going to help me”

His voice had been sure and full of malevolence.

Raising her chin bravely, she had held the receiver tightly.

“No, your deal is with Alexis John….don’t pull me into this….I’m keeping up my end of the bargain”

“I think Tessa, you are forgetting that I hold all the cards with your little friend Andrew” he had replied, his tone soft, threatening.

Aghast, Tessa had felt her stomach churn.

“We had a deal, John”

She had heard him laugh again.

“Since when did I ever stick to deals Tessa? Without full access, he is slowing me down. You will do what I tell you or I will throw Andrew to the wolves. Do you understand?”

Tessa had bowed her head in submission.

“What do you want me to do” she had said her voice low and defeated.

That night Alexis had moved into his home, his eyes scanning the area for Tessa. In his hands he held the large bouquet of flowers, his mouth curved in a soft smile. He had remembered how she had kissed him the previous evening, how warmly her eyes had shone, how passionate she had been. Hearing her tell him how happy she was had filled him with certainty that she would be content in her role as wife and mother. Everything seemed to be going well.

Moving back upstairs to their room, he had opened the door, a broad smile on his face seeing her there, before the realisation of all not being right had come on him.

“Tessa?” his voice was questioning and soft.

Seeing as she had jumped slightly, looking up at him before dropping her eyes.

Beside her he could see a suitcase and he had frowned.

“What is going on?” he had asked more sharply, as she had stood, her hands shaking her expression nervous.

“John phoned” she had said, the words hardly audible.

Alexis had moved further into the bedroom, the flowers dropped onto the table carelessly, his voice colder.

“Oh, and what did he say?”

Tessa had wrapped her arms around herself, pain filling her with what she was being made to do.

“He said that unless you lift the restrictions, then our deal is off, and so is yours”

She had heard the gasp of disbelief from him, not able to meet his eyes.

“And you are going to go along with this?” the steel edge in his voice was unmistakable.

Tessa could only nod her head as she had felt him move closer, his hands grasping her shoulders.

“Tessa, whatever your grandfather has on you………you can tell me…………I can help………..we need him out of our lives”

Tessa had bit her lip, finally looking up at him as she had shaken her head.

“No, you can’t” she had managed, wishing with all her heart she could tell him.

She had felt his fingers digging deeper into her soft skin.

“Why won’t you trust me?”

Lowering her eyes once more she had shaken her head again.

“I’m sorry Alexis, I really am”

She had felt as he had quickly released her, felt the anger from him as he had moved over to the door stopping to look at her, his hands dug deep into his pocket, his eyes watching her with real anger deep within, an anger she had never seen before.

“Do you have any idea what you are asking?” he had finally said, seeing as she had only looked back at him, her eyes full of sadness.

“At the speed your grandfather wants to pull those minerals out of the ground, they will be depleted in just over five years. Then what are the people living there to do Tessa?” he had asked, his tone sharp, cutting, seeing as she had looked down unable to answer. After a taut second she had heard him take a sharp intake of breath.

“Fine, tell your grandfather I will arrange it in the morning” his said, his voice so cold.

“I guess Tessa, that you really are a company girl after all” he had bit out, seeing as she had flinched.

“Alexis……..” she had beseeched, as his eyes had racked her contemptuously.

“Save it Tess……..I don’t really think I have the stomach for you right now” and with that he had pulled open the door and left, the sound of the front door slamming and his car starting following soon after.

Tessa had felt cold, used. That morning she had been so happy, so in love and she could not blame him for hating her. She felt dirty. Closing her eyes in pain, she knew there was only one place he would be going, to Clara, to his mistress and bitterly she could not hate him for it. Moving over to the table, she had run her fingers over the beautiful flowers, their brightness mocking her, as she had lifted them dropping them in the bin not prepared to even read the message inside the card. Turning to once more unpack her belongings she had then made the phone call John Jones was waiting for, the bitterness filling her, as she had heard the satisfied gloating in his voice, heard as he had laughed. Finally she had lain down, hating herself, unable to sleep as thoughts of Alexis and Clara had filled her mind. That morning she had been filled with so much hope, now she knew she had destroyed any chance they might have had.

Alexis had not returned that evening, and Tessa had slept little, hoping to hear him return, not that she knew what to say when he did. In the morning she had risen early, having given up on any notion of sleep, looking tired, as Mrs Lowe had regarded her over tea.

“You coming down with something Tess?” she had asked, her voice concerned as the younger woman had smiled wanly.

“No…Just couldn’t sleep…all the plans for the studio getting to me I think” she had smiled softly, seeing as the other woman had regarded her thoughtfully.

“Well maybe you should take the day off” she had said kindly, seeing as Tessa had shaken her head.

“No, I’ll be fine honest” she smiled, the thought of having to just sit all day waiting to hear from Alexis torturous.

That evening on her return Mrs Lowe had met her.

“Alexis has called several times” she had chuckled.

“Seems he couldn’t reach you on your mobile”

Tessa had groaned softly, remembering leaving it on the bedside cabinet.

“Oh…….is everything OK?” she had asked warily, as Mrs Lowe had smiled.

“He has had to go out of town for a couple of days……some emergency, mineral rights or something”

Tessa had bitten her lip looking away, a look the older woman had taken to be upset at the fact he was not there, not the guilt that had coursed through her.

“You newlyweds” she had grinned “You do have the rest of your lives together” she had smiled, patting her arm comfortingly, before turning and moving back to the kitchen.

When he had finally phoned later than night, he had not commented on the previous evening, but his voice had been distant, polite even. Taking her cue from him, she had only talked briefly of what had happened that day, as had he.

“How…how long are you going to be?” she had finally mustered the courage to ask him, hearing a small pause on the other end.

“About a week” had been the response, as silence had filled the line.

“I see” she had finally said, her voice full of sadness.

“I understand”

On the other end she had heard a soft sigh from him.

“Things have to be rearranged, you have put me in a very bad situation Tessa” he had said, the steel once more in his voice.

“I’m sorry” she had said in almost a whisper, not sure what else to say, wishing that she could tell him everything, that he could hold her in his arms and tell her he could make everything right, but knowing that he couldn’t.

“I have to go” he had said more softly, “I’ll phone tomorrow”

For the next four days things seemed to go along the same routine. Tessa would work all day at the studio speaking with builders and organising the first semester for her students. She would return home late, tired enough to help her sleep, her conscience still bothering her. His call would come about nine and they would exchange news of their day. Tessa felt sore at the way the warmth seemed to have left his voice, but she could not really blame him. He had made a deal and she had been the weapon with which to force that deal to be changed against him. In his place she would feel angry and used too, so she had responded with pleasantries of her own, both of them saying nothing to each other avoiding the subject.

Alexis had slipped into the house. Looking at his watch he had noted how late it was, nearly 2 in the morning, the complete silence and darkness of the foyer echoing the lateness. Quietly placing his bag on the floor he had decided to leave it there for the following morning, choosing instead to move up the stairs quickly and quietly. It had been a long and tiring week, but with the promise of extensive reimbursement from himself, he had managed to secure a settlement even quicker than he had anticipated from the mining community. The anger at John Jones still burned deeply within him, and that of the way Tessa had been part of the plan by the older man. Now after a long flight he needed a shower. Moving to one of the main bathrooms, he had slipped into the small jets of warm water, feeling them slowly bring life back into his tired body. Drying off, he had wrapped a towel around his lean well toned stomach before moving back to his bedroom.

From the small shaft of moonlight he could see Tessa in bed, lying on her side, one hand level with her head the other resting gently over her stomach. He had watched her even breathing before pulling off the towel and sliding into bed beside her. The mere sight of her, wearing only a small strappy night dress had excited him. Lifting her hair from her shoulders he had moved against her, her bottom against his groin, his mouth gently kissing along her shoulder.