Secret Romance With My Step Father

What The Hell?

Jem

"Who agreed to marry your Stepmom?" Aspen asked for the hundredth time since I had relayed the story of my day to her.

I shrugged as I tossed my shoes into my suitcase, "No idea. She didn't give me more information than that, and honestly, I didn't care to ask. I'll just go for this goddamn wedding and leave as soon as they're declared husband and bitch."

"I'm coming with you."

"No way. I'm not subjecting you to Maeve."

She snorted, "I've heard so many stories about her, I'm dying to meet her. Would you deny your bestie this chance to meet the real life cruella de vil?"

I rolled my eyes, but secretly, I was glad she wanted to come along. It would be a relief to have someone to be a buffer between Maeve and I.

"Fine, go pack."

She wiggled her eyebrows at me, "It's like you don't even know me. I'm packed already."

It took about three hours for the bus to get us from New Jersey to New York. It was usually a two hour drive, but we had gotten caught in unexpected traffic.

I hadn't moved far away mostly because I was scared to be unaccessible in case of an emergency, and partly because I was deadly afraid of planes.

As soon as we got off the bus, we stretched our legs and waited for our luggage.

"Excuse me, could you help me hold this leash?" A grey haired woman asked. She was struggling to hold her three dogs with her hands full of grocery bags.

"Sure," I smiled and accepted the leash. The dogs were three cute golden retrievers who were wagging their tails excitedly.

"Awn they are so adorable," my bestfriend immediately bent down to pet the dogs and they immediately began to lick and jump at her, much to her amusement.

I was grinning at how cute they were with her when suddenly a car door slammed. I raised my head at the noise and my gaze fell on a familiar tall figure.

It all happened like something from a horror movie. A gust of wind suddenly whipped against the bustling street, causing Aspen's beanie to fly off her head.

Stormy blue eyes met mine and narrowed with recognition, and shock made my hand go slack. The leash dropped from my hand, and the now free dogs took off after Aspen's bright pink hat.

"Oh no!" The grey haired woman cried in dismay.

But it was nothing compared to my own dismay as the hat hovered in front of Mr. Montgomery, and the excited labradors leaped after it.

I didn't stay to watch my ex boss go down under the dogs. I spied our suitcases, grabbed my best friend's hand and raced for our luggage and the cab that had just pulled up at the curb.

"What's going on?" She screamed at me.

"Get in the cab," I pushed her in, tossed the bags in after her and jumped in, "Get us out of here."

"To where?" The confused cab driver asked.

"Just drive!" Aspen and I barked.

As the car screeched away from the curb, my bestfriend turned to me and said excitedly, "Did you see that snack of a man?"

My horror stricken eyes met hers, "Yeah. That's my ex boss, Mr. Montgomery."

Silence filled the cab for one breathless second and then the worst bestfriend in the world burst into laughter.

Aspen was still laughing when we stepped out of the cab and stood in front of the church where my stepmother was going to get married. The delay in the journey meant that we were already late, so we had come straight to the church.

Aspen went into the church hall, while I went to store our luggage somewhere safe, and find Maeve.

She was in a lacy white dress that looked like it cost an arm and leg, and disgust clouded her features as soon as I walked into the dressing room.

"You're late."

"We got caught in traffic."

"You should have planned for that eventuality and made the journey earlier," she turned to me, sea green eyes hard like gems.

My stepmother was still a striking woman. She looked a decade younger than her thirty six years, with honey blonde hair, high cheekbones and a slender, tall body.

"I'm sorry," I said hurriedly, hoping that if I pleased her, she would let me visit Ginny.

Ignoring me, she made her way out of the dressing room and I followed after her, "You shouldn't have worn that shade of pink. Are you trying to upstage me?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am."

"You mustn't embarrass me today, Jemima," she said coldly, "You'll treat my husband with respect, and keep your sassy mouth locked shut. If you do anything to ruin today or this marriage for me, I will crush you. Do you understand?"

It wasn't an idle threat. I knew her well enough now to know that she would delight in destroying me. We both knew that she had me in the palm of her hand. One word from her, and I could lose the only thing of value I had left.

"Yes, ma'am," i replied, my head bowed.

We had arrived at the large, wooden double doors leading into the chapel, and she slanted me a chilling gaze, "You'll stay at the house until Sunday evening, you can sleep in the attic. Oh, and one more thing, Jemima."

There was a malicious glee in her voice that had my heart pounding in my chest, "Yes?"

"You're going to sign the company, houses and property over to me."

I snorted, "And why the hell would I do that?"

Her mouth curved into a smirk, "Because if you don't, you'll never see Ginny again."

Blood drained from my face, and I stared at her in horror, noting her implication loud and clear.

The sound of the bridal march began at that moment and the double doors flew open. My gaze trailed down the aisle and landed on my step mother's fiance, and my soon-to-be stepfather.

Oh God no.

Nero Montgomery stared back at me, and he didn't look happy to see me.