Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 24576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 123(@200wpm)___ 98(@250wpm)___ 82(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 123(@200wpm)___ 98(@250wpm)___ 82(@300wpm)
Of course, it’d been too late. I was already pregnant with Georgie when I’d left. But secretly, I’d been gloriously happy knowing that I’d have a reminder of my dark, handsome lover for the rest of my life.
And Georgie was the image of his father. So much so that when Liam had stumbled upon us two years later, he’d immediately recognized himself stamped in Georgie’s features, a paternity that could not be denied.
And so here we were. The three of us were going to be family now in the eyes of the law. I was overflowing with happiness, so much so that I felt light-headed standing before the minister, my smile a ray of light.
The issue of incest still bedeviled me though. Liam was a powerful man, and our father was an aspiring politician. Robert Woodson was gearing up for a run for Senate, and how would it look if it got out that his daughter and stepson were lovers? Not just lovers, but married with a son? It could destroy his campaign.
Plus, I wanted the best for Georgie, and still wasn’t sure how this was going to work out because living in New York was almost not an option. Everyone knew the Woodsons since they were a prominent family. I sighed, trying to clear my head. No matter what, I would always have Liam, and we would stick together through thick and thin.
The minister cleared his throat and began his sonorous rumblings.
“Does anyone here know why I should not join this man and woman in marriage today?” he declared.
Given that it was only Liam, myself, and the wedding photographer, there was blessed silence. The minister started moving onto the next portion of the ceremony when suddenly the door burst open and Sabrina stood at the entryway.
“Stop!” she shrieked, “She’s a slut!” she exclaimed, pointing at me, a piece of paper clutched in her hand. Both Liam and I turned, me trembling and him audibly growling at the interruption.
“What the fuck?” he roared. Sabrina was a woman he’d dated during our two years apart. Although I’d been celibate, Liam evidently had taken up with a string of women. He’d promised me that it was nothing but sex, and I believed him. After all, he was a man with needs and I could hardly deny his virility.
But Sabrina was hard to ignore. Gorgeous, five foot eleven, with emerald green eyes and a lithe figure, she’d somehow developed the impression that Liam was going to marry her. He’d assured me that this was delusional on her part. They’d gone out a few times, but there had certainly been no talk of marriage or even anything more serious than the next date.
I trembled like a leaf before a firestorm. Sabrina strode up to the platform with the piece of paper in her hand and presented it to the justice.
“See here?” she said. “Alison Johnson is the daughter of Robert Woodson and Lilly Johnson. She can’t get married to Liam because they’re siblings,” she declared.
The minister frowned. “Is this true?” he asked, scrutinizing the birth certificate.
I opened my mouth to answer, but my throat was dry and scratchy, unable to make out any words. Liam answered for us both.
“Yes,” he said darkly. “Technically it’s true …” he trailed off, glaring at Sabrina.
“Sir,” said the justice. “Then I can’t marry you. In New York, persons known to be related, whether through blood or marriage, cannot be legally married. I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to halt this ceremony.”
I felt dizzy. We’d come so close to legitimizing our union, and yet we’d lost everything … again. Liam and I were never going to be together. I bowed my head, tears pooling in my eyes before spilling down my cheeks. I knew that this was a lost cause, and gave up the fight then and there in my heart.
16
Liam
“Wildflower, listen to me,” I ground out. “It’s not over yet. I’m a powerful man. I can find some way to be together, there’s got to be a way. I just need to give my team some time to do more research.”
“Liam, stop,” she said softly. “It’s over. We’ve lost. Now we know that we can never be married, and there’s no point in fighting it. I don’t want to live in sin, so we’ve got to be apart, don’t you see? It’s just the way it has to be.”
I shook my head furiously, but had no reply. I was livid at the way things had gone. I’d actually hustled Wildflower all the way to the altar, only to be foiled by that bitch at the last minute. I rued the day my mother had introduced me to Sabrina. Somehow, the cunt had gotten her hands on a copy of Alison’s birth certificate and totally blown our chance at happiness. Now Wildflower and I could never be married in NYC.