Even though the women in the room had said nothing, there was a collective sigh between them with the announcement.

“Then you married because of the will,” this came from the youngest cousin, Adam, who sat beside Howard, who said nothing.

Blake was on his feet, fists clenched.

Samantha scrambled to set her tea aside and grasped onto Blake’s hand. “Darling, we knew they’d question our motives.” Then, as if she was born to lying, she said, “How could they possibly know the energy that passed between us the first day we met, or the desire to be together and married without a long courtship?”

Linda finally spoke up, putting some ease in the room. “You make it sound so romantic, Samantha.”

Sam pulled Blake back into his chair and latched onto his hand to keep him from wringing the necks of the men in the room. “I’m sure you don’t want all the details, but your son is very romantic.”

“I want the details,” Gwen bit her lip as she spoke.

Blake’s eyes narrowed at his sister.

Samantha’s gaze skirted toward Howard. The man watched the entire scene without saying a word. His silence told her he didn’t approve. His cold stare reached toward Blake and Samantha couldn’t help but wonder how far Howard would go to get his hands on Blake’s inheritance.

****

The older Parker, of Parker and Parker sat opposite Blake in his office to discuss a few particulars of his father’s last will and testament. Blake remembered hearing his father insist, from the grave, that he marry in order to inherit the bulk of his wealth, but he had missed some of the details. Actually, Blake had cut the lawyer off at the time. Blake had just turned thirty when his father died; thirty-six seemed a long way off.

Wearing a suit, tie, and a stoic expression, Mark Parker opened his briefcase and removed a stack of papers two inches thick. “I see you wasted little time securing a wife,” the man said.

The last meeting between the two of them had been only two months ago. Mark reminded Blake of the deadline Edmund mapped out, but did so only because he was obligated to. Had Blake missed the deadline, Parker and Parker would stand to gain twenty-five percent of the estate, his sister and mother would be given a small stipend, but not enough for their lifestyle, and the rest would go to Howard and a few charities.

“Samantha and I are very happy,” Blake told the man, offering no apologies.

“Is that so?”

“I’m sure you’ll see for yourself this weekend. I haven’t looked forward to going home at the end of my day in some time.” Funny, the words didn’t feel like a lie as they left his tongue. He did in fact look forward to seeing Samantha every night and every morning since they started to share a bed.

Mark’s lips pinched together, the crows’ feet along his eyes became more defined. “Convincing the firm that your marriage isn’t one of convenience will fall on you… and your wife.”

“I’m well aware of the stipulations Edmund put in his will. We’re here today to outline exactly what your firm needs from me over the next twelve months.”

Mark scraped his fingers over his jaw. “Your father was determined to see to it that you do more than manipulate your way through his demands.”

His father was an ass. But there was no need to tell Mark his thoughts on the dead man now. “We already know that.”

“He spent a considerable amount of time in our offices writing up legal contingencies.”

Something in the way Mark was sitting up, how the man’s eyes had a certain spark, brought the hair on Blake’s arms to stand on end. “We’ve gone over those contingencies.”

Mark’s mouth opened into a silent “o” before he cocked his head to the side and said, “Most of them. We’ve discussed most of them.”

The floor under Blake started to drop. Instead of showing the sly lawyer his unease, Blake sat back in his chair and waited for the other man to elaborate.

“I’m sure at the time of the reading of Edmund’s will, you were too upset to listen to a few incidentals. Like the one where once you were married a codicil he had added was to be read and followed.” Mark was smiling now, like a fox staring down at a mouse.

“I’m intrigued,” Blake uttered. “What else could my father possible ask for?”

“Here is a sealed addendum that was to be opened after you married.” After removing a set of papers from the pile, he started to read. “Good show, Blake my boy, seems I didn’t raise a complete fool after all. By now, I’m sure to have made your list of the worst humans who’ve ever roamed this earth. I assure you, my intentions are only to prove to you once and for all how important your family should be to you. You mocked me most of your adult life, did everything in your power to put stress in mine. I suppose a better man would have died comfortable that he’d left his children and wife well provided for instead of forcing his heir to his will. We both know I wasn’t that man. So, my son, I leave you with one final demand before your inheritance is turned over to you. I trust that you’ve married just prior to your thirty-fifth birthday, which gives you one year to accomplish your next task.”

The blood in Blake’s veins started to boil, knowing damn well where his father was going yet not being able to stop the words from leaving Mark Parker’s mouth.

“If you’re truly settled down and ready to continue my family line, then the proof will come by way of an heir.”

Mark paused to assess Blake’s reaction.