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Chapter 5

Sabrina plays with the children some more and then they're sent to wash up before bed.

Instantly She feels out of place and uncomfortable. She missed the room that she was trapped in.

Butterflies fumble around in her stomach on her way upstairs. She silently prays Nathan was in his office.

She clicks the room light on when she enters and finds the room empty. She lets out a sigh of relief. The office was probably exactly where he was.

She throws on pajamas, then rushes to the bathroom. She removes her jewelry, makeup, and brushes her teeth.

The second she closes the bathroom door on the way out, Nathan comes out of the closet. She freezes up and gapes at him. He wasn't wearing any shirt just some black sweats. His abs, every curve just glistened or something.

"Don't worry the bed is big enough. I won't touch you." He moves past her and into the bathroom.

Of course, he won't touch her. He didn't marry her by choice.

She shakes it off and gets into bed. Her eyes close right away. The next time she opens them, she sees his face looming above her.

"I take it you want to be near me. He states.

She gasps when he doesn’t wait for her to respond or move but instead slides in next to her. His rock hard body grazes against her and pushes her a foot over.

"This is my side." He lets it be known.

Such a brute. She wanted to say. "I'm sorry...I normally sleep on this side on my bed. I didn't think twice."

"It's ok...Go to sleep." He fluffs his pillow and turns his back toward her.

She sits up and moves over. Suddenly she felt like it was her that disturbed his sleep. It wasn't going to be easy to fall asleep. She was aware of his every breath and must have taken a shower at some point because she kept smelling cucumbers...

When she closes her eyes again, this time she sees herself climbing on top of him. She bursts open her eyes again. She shouldn't be thinking like this. She begins twisting and turning trying to get comfortable but ultimately she couldn't.

She gets up and looks over at him. He moved once. Turning himself onto his back. The sheets resting on his hips letting her see the outline of his six-pack.

Why the hell did he have to be so attractive? Couldn't she have a husband that maybe was a little sore on the eyes? Better yet maybe a husband that liked her.

She drops herself back down, closes her eyes, and tries to sleep again. But she kept adjusting constantly. She couldn't believe that it was this hard to sleep with him near.

"Would you like my help staying still?" He wasn't sleeping.

She froze. "No." She turns her back to him and no matter how hard she wants to, she didn’t move again.


It was the worst sleep of her life. She felt like she didn't fall asleep at all.  The sound of the bathroom door closing wakes her. Nathan approached his side of the bed and grabs his watch from the nightstand.

She could tell he didn't know she was looking at him. Then his eyes narrow to her for a moment. He puts his wallet in his pocket and looks distractedly at his phone.

She turns and picks her phone up on her nightstand and checks the time. 6:13 am

She was not used to waking up this early anymore.

She starts her day with a piece of toast and hugging three adorable kids. They were so cute making sure that she would come back, and making plans of games they would play together. Having them in the house would make her feel better. It would make life a little easier. It was like a refreshing breath of air.

Later at the shelter, a police car pulls into the parking lot around five. Two officers enter the building holding a black puppy.

Tony and Sabrina greet them. They tell them they came from two counties over about a forty-five-minute drive. The dog was hit by a car and luckily only had bruised ribs. No one will claim him or take him home. Tony's animal shelter is their last hope before he's euthanized.

They happily accept him. Sabrina makes him a comfy bed and gives him food, water, and some pain killers the cops left for him. Then she finishes repainting the front desk and goes to where she left the immobile dog. She didn't want to leave him. He looked confused and helpless. So, she sits with him on the floor and pets him until he falls asleep.

Ding! Text message. Nathan's cell.

"I'm assuming you're at the animal shelter. What time will you be home?"

It was almost seven. She wanted to ask him if it really mattered but she didn't. She hits reply.

"I'm not sure." Sent.

After a minute. Ding! Another text message "The kids and their mother are asking for you. I, as your husband, should know when you will be home. Don't you think?"

He was demanding an answer she knew. But she didn't want to go back. She felt like her windpipe was constricted in that place. She replied anyway. "I'm leaving in 10 minutes." Sent.

Immediately. Ding Nathan's cell. "Don't bother, I'm coming to get you."

It wasn't long before she was sitting on the passenger side if his black sports car. He drove effortlessly, keeping one hand on the gear. "You need to let me know if you're going to be late." He orders sternly.

She nods her head in agreement and looks away.

"Baylee surprised us today. She's staying for a while."

Her neck snaps back in his direction. "You know she suspects that this marriage is fake, right?" She panicked.

"It doesn't matter what Baylee thinks. She can think all she likes." He keeps his eyes on the road.

When they arrived home, they were bombarded by three little body's at the front door and of course, Alyssa spoke first. "We missed you!"

Dylan next. "Don't you live here?"

"I didn't know you left again. I see you went to get your wife." Clarissa smiles at Nathan.

"What a surprise Sabrina..." Baylee pops out from behind her sister. "This is the first time I'm seeing my big brother with the same woman twice. You must be something special."

"Nice to see you too, Baylee."

"Don’t piss me off, Baylee." He growls between his teeth.

Sabrina takes that moment of sibling rivalry to run upstairs for a shower.

She bends over with a towel while drying her hair and when she swings her hair back up she clashes with Nathan's eyes in the mirror.

"Why did you marry me?" His hands were in his pockets, and he was leaning on the closed room door.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't play stupid Sabrina. I'm mean exactly what I said."

She turns to face him. He was studying her intently and slowly began moving closer.

Wide-eyed and parted lips she takes a step back. Why is he acting like he didn't already know?

"You know why?" She voiced.

"I want to hear it from your mouth."

"My father asked me to." Maybe he would leave her alone if she just answered him.

"Why?" He scans her features.

"I don't know." She was frozen with eyes aimed at him like a deer caught in headlights.

"Don't hand me that bullshit. I want the truth from you, Sabrina."

Her name on his mouth made her heart skip a beat. "I don't understand. Why would you need me to answer that? You of all people should have the right information." She kept taking steps back.

"What did your father tell you?" He asks stepping closer.

She was beginning to understand now. He was worried about his secret. "Oh, I get it now. You're worried about the information my father has on you."

"Me?" He points to his chest.

Her brows inclined. "Who else?"

Nathan grabs her arms and pulls her closer. "What did your father tell you, Sabrina? His jaw clenched. "Don't, make me ask again?"

She bites her lips. "Does it matter?" Just then a loud thump and cry came from behind the door.

Her head whips in the direction of the sound. She tries to move, but Nathan's grip tightens.

"Let me go. That sounds like Emmie." She says wiggling in his hold.

He blinks backs and releases his grip.

When she opens the door she finds a crying Emmie on the floor. Clarissa, Vivian, and the kids surrounded her. Tears leaked out of bright green eyes.

Dylan started explaining to Sabrina what happened as Clarissa picks up her daughter.

"She ran so fast she hits her head on the wall."

Sabrina looks at the floor seeing an ABC book. She bends to pick it up.

"She was coming to show you her favorite book," Alyssa says.

Vivian sends shooting bullets at her as she follows her daughter downstairs.

Sabrina takes a step back and bumps into what felt like a brick wall. Her husband's chest. She quickly moves forward grabbing the hands of Alyssa and Dylan, who stayed with her. She didn't look back at him she wanted to run away from his questioning. He made her nervous and vulnerable.

She makes chit chat with Dylan and Alyssa until they reach the living room. Then she releases them.

Everyone sat around involved in a conversation until they notice her. Only little Emmie had her head in her mother's chest making little sniffing sounds. Clarissa sat on a three-seater couch beside Baylee, and Vivian sat near Jacob on another three-seater

She just wanted to comfort Emmie a little and give her back her book. So she sits in the empty spot near Clarissa. "Are you ok?" She asks

.

Emmie looks up but doesn't reply. So she just places the book in Clarissa's lap.

She then looks around. Everyone was watching them.

Nathan followed her. He took a seat across and fixated his eyes in her direction. When her eyes met his, he didn't look away.

She makes a move to leave when Emmie jumps in her hand. "Emmie seep wif you."

She melted. "Aww. If it's ok with your mommy and daddy." She then remembers she had a roommate. "Oh, and Uncle Nathan." She looks at him.

Vivian lets out a sign of dismissal and leaves.

"I don't have a problem with it." Jacob declares.

Baylee laughs. "We all know why too. Clarissa told me about your little problem getting her to sleep in her own bed."

Sabrina had to think about that for a minute. Jacob wanted to make love to his wife. It only made her think about Nathan making love to her. Which would never happen. She pushes the thought out of her brain.

"I'm sorry to wife block you. You'll understand when you have kids though." Jacob shifts his eyes toward Nathan before he gives his wife a wink.

He doesn't even glance at Jacob he keeps watching Sabrina.

"Can we sleep with Auntie Sabrina too? Please, Uncle Nathan." He looks at his niece and nephew in front of him and exhales a deep breath. "Fine."

Jacob thanked God and Sabrina can't help but giggle at his excitement.

Her laughter is short-lived when Baylee narrows her eyes on her. "So when are you going to make your own?"

Remembering her wedding day Sabrina answers. "I'm not sure. You should ask your brother."

Baylee smirked. "What happened to never wanting kids, big bro?"

Nathan drew his brows together. "You know better than to ask me about my business."

Up until then Sabrina only heard of Nathan's who are you to question me, attitude.

Baylee didn't back down. "Oh come on. Mom told me she's only here for one reason. Money. You don't want to answer because you know it's the truth."

"And you know what goes on behind my bedroom door?"  He doesn't back down either.

"No, but mom..."

He cuts her off. "But mom nothing!" His face gets cynical. "She doesn't know what goes on behind closed doors either."

"Ok, stop this! Clarissa interrupts before she could speak again. "Baylee you can just make someone else's marriage your business. Stop listening to mom. She will never be happy with any woman in Nathan's life. Just let her vent. Don't get involved."

"Oh please...You said it yourself the day of their wedding that something was off."

"Yes, I did. That was before I saw them together."

Baylee moves around in her seat trying to face her sister directly. "Don't you think it's funny that we only started hearing about her up until after the wedding date was set?"

Eyes travel from face to face. Sabrina inhales deeply expecting the worst. She really didn't care if the whole world knew their marriage was fake. Vivian seems to want to bring suspicion to it for some reason. Wouldn't that affect her precious secret? She would be happy if she didn't have to share a room with Nathan.

"What I want to know is how she did it? Baylee turns attention back to Sabrina and squints her eyes. "What did you do to get my brother to marry you? Huh?”

Sabrina was about to say. Why don't you ask your brother, but she was scared out of the question.

"Enough!" Nathan made everyone jump.

Clarissa puts her hand up telling Nathan to calm down. Pointing to the sleeping child in Sabrina's arms.

"Let's go.” He stands and orders his wife.

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