Free Journey of the Bride by Mary Fox

Blackmailed? ” Brandon asked. He sat back in his chair and stared ahead of him.
     
    Paul went on to explain what Courtney had told him of her father ’ s admittance that they were broke, how she suspected it was the work of their accountant, Simon Talbert, who seemed to show more interest in her than necessary or proper, how her father didn ’ t suspect foul play, and how Courtney had agreed to the marriage to help her father out.
     
    “ So she really was only after money, ” Brandon scoffed.
     
    For the first time, Paul ’ s eyes narrowed in anger, and he slammed his fist down on the table before Brandon. “ Maybe at first, yes, ” he snapped, “ but I saw the way she looked at you. She would have done anything for you. She did do everything for you. You sent her away, and she went, because that ’ s what you wanted. She was going back to the same situation she ’ d been trying to escape all along — all because you were too proud to keep her around and try to make it work. ”
     
    He sat back once more, but the anger didn ’ t dissipate from his face. “ And I believe her theory was correct because yesterday she told me that her father ’ s given his permission to Talbert to wed her. ”
     
    “ Talbert? ” Brandon snarled. “ The accountant? ”
     
    Paul nodded. “ The accountant, ” he confirmed. A smirk crossed his face. “ And guess what. The money that was missing from the account has shown back up. ”
     
    A growl erupted from Brandon ’ s throat and his chair scrapped against the floor as it slid back when he found his feet. “ That bastard! ”
     
    Brandon had never met Simon Talbert, but he knew that if he ever did, he ’ d probably rip his silver-snake tongue out of his throat. Fury burned through him at the thought of the accountant, that sneaky backstabbing accountant, with his hands on her body. Brandon thought of him kissing her mouth, that warm delicious mouth that threatened to send Brandon to his knees; about him touching her skin, that soft skin no one had explored before Brandon had held her in his arms; about his —
     
    His whole body trembled as he shook his head in an attempt to clear it. There was no way he wanted to think about the accountant ’ s sex life. It didn ’ t matter who the woman was he was sticking his dick in. Knowing that in a couple of days it would be Courtney though bothered him. It made his skin itch, made his blood boil. He growled and clenched his fingers tight into a fist, ready to throw a punch at something or someone. Even better if that someone ’ s name was Simon Talbert, the yellow-bellied snake who was about to take Courtney away from him.
     
    Courtney. His Courtney. His wife.
     
    Ex-wife, he told himself in an effort to calm down. It didn ’ t matter. The thought remained. Courtney was his, dammit! No man, especially not one like Talbert, was going to lay his hands on her.
     
    “ Calm down, Brandon. I haven ’ t gotten to the best part. ” There was a twinkle in Paul ’ s eyes. Brandon knew that look well. He may have been a lawyer, but Brandon had grown up with him, and he knew the inner workings of his older brother ’ s mind better than anyone else suspected. He was up to something.
     
    “ What ’ s the best part? ” He was cautious. He knew he would have to be. He gripped the back of the chair in a vice grip, ignoring the splinters that sank deep into his palm as he slowly lowered himself back into his chair. It groaned under his weight. It sounded as if Paul had a plan of sorts, which was good. He couldn ’ t go through with this without a plan of sorts. “ Talk fast, Paul. What ’ s the best part? ”
     
    From his vantage point across the kitchen table, his brother ’ s face broke into a knowing grin, which sent a tremor of fear through Brandon.
     
    The next words that exited Paul ’ s mouth sent a tremor of fear through Brandon, and he was glad that Paul seemed to be on his side. His words held the hint of a