The Deal

Two days later she was coming down the stairs when the doorbell rang. Stopping she opened the door and her heart dropped into her stomach as her eyes went wide with shock. "Daddy, mom," she said and moved back. "What are you doing here?" She was confused as to why they were here, but more so how did they know where to find her.

The couple walked in, shutting the door behind them, her father moved towards her. His eyes took in the state of her face and the bandage on her wrist. "We're just passing through town and wanted to see you. We were told you were here, resting from an attack." He cupped her face in his hands, his eyes teared up. "My poor baby, who did this to you? I'll kill him."

Austin heard the doorbell and went to see who it was. He saw a very elegant woman with dark hair and an older man with grey hair, he recognized them as her parents. "Mr. and Mrs. Sherwin, what a pleasure to see you again," he went to shake her father's hand and got a punch in the mouth instead, taking him by surprise he landed on the ground.

Seeing Austin walking towards them jumped to the conclusion that he was the one who beat his daughter. "Get up you bastard, I'll teach you to lay a hand on my baby."

Blair hurried over to Austin, getting down on her knees touching his lip that had a spot of blood on it. "Daddy stop, it wasn't him that did this to me," she said, looking up at her father who still had his hands balled up into fists.

"Then who is he?"

Austin and Blair got to their feet.

"I'm her husband," he answered for her.

"Husband," both parents shouted, looking at each other. Looking at Blair her father shakes his head, not believing what he was hearing. "Did I hear this man right, he's your husband?"

"Yes, we're married," she said, chewing on her bottom lip.

"Let's all go into the living room to talk. I'll have my housekeeper bring us some coffee." He motioned for them to follow him as he took hold of Blair's hand. He had Helen bring in the coffee and some biscuits.

"Now will someone tell me what the hell is going on here? Marcus, her father barked. "My wife and I came to visit our daughter and were told you were attacked and staying here. We weren't told you had gotten married."

"I was waiting to tell you when you got back," she said, telling them a lie. "It happened kind of quick."

"Kind of quick, you marry a stranger and you couldn't have called or text us. What the hell were you thinking sweetheart? Don't you know how foolish and reckless this is?"

"Now now dear, let them explain," her mother said, placing a hand on her husband's arm to calm him down.

"We aren't strangers sir, Blair and I have known each other since high school."

"Wait, I know you. Aren't you Austin Cooke?"

"Yes sir, I am. Your daughter and I are very much in love. I have been in love with her ever since high school and when we met at a school reunion I knew I wasn't going to let her get away again. I know her getting married was a shock to you both and I'm sure you would have wanted for her to have a big wedding but we wanted a quiet one, just us."

Her mother got up and going over to Blair gave her a big hug. "As long as you're happy dear that's all that matters."

"Thanks, mom."

"So who attacked her," Marcus asked, also hugging his daughter.

They all sat down and Blair and Austin explained everything about the attacker and how she was able to fight him off and escape.

Marcus, being a father was not happy she married Austin without talking to him first. But he figured what was done was done. Still, he was angry that she was attacked and almost raped under Austin's roof. "You're her husband, it's up to you to keep her safe and you failed." He turned to Blair. "Come with me and your mother on our trip, we can have this marriage annulled."

"I don't want it annulled. I'm happy with my life and my job. Speaking of my job Mr. Ritter is selling his company and I'm buying it."

Marcus raised an eyebrow, scratched his chin with his index finger. "I never understood why you wanted to work when you have enough money to last you several lifetimes. But now you want to own your own company. Have you got any clue how much work that involves, the hours you'll have to put in?"

"I like working and being an independent woman. It's always been my dream and when Mr. Ritter said he was selling I put in an offer. This is what I want more than anything. Please be happy for me."

"If you wanted a company you could have come to me and I would have bought one for you."

"Thanks, dad, but I didn't want your help, I wanted to do it on my own."

"Marcus looks over at Austin. "How do you feel about your wife owning and running her own company? Are you not worried about the hours she'll have to work or the toll it will take on your marriage?"

"I support Blair in whatever she wants to do. I'm sure our marriage will be alright, besides I'm busy with my own career so it's good she has something to do that she loves."

"What about when you have children, do you plan on them being raised by nannies?"

"The subject of children haven't come up, we may not even have any," Austin said, starting to get irritated.

"You don't want kids?" her father asked, looking at her.

"I don't know, maybe someday," she answered.

Mrs. Sherwin gripped her husband's arm. "Dear, leave them be, they just got married and have lots of time for such matters. Let's give her the birthday gift we got her."

"You remembered my birthday?" she asked, thinking they had forgotten all about it.

"Of course we hadn't forgotten. We were in an area where there were no phones or internet so we thought we'd just show up and give it to you in person." She reached into her purse and handed Blair the black velvet box.

She gasped, her eyes lit up when she saw the diamond earrings that sparkled brightly. "They're amazing. But you shouldn't have, they're way too expensive." If there was one thing she knew it was diamonds and these ones were worth at least a hundred thousand dollars.

"Don't be silly, you're our little girl and you are worth it," her mother said, smiling from ear to ear.

Marcus looked over at Austin. "I do hope you have a safe where she can keep them in."

The old man's snarky tone did not go unnoticed by Austin. "Yes sir, I do." No wonder Blair was spoiled he thought to himself, what with all the expensive gifts her parents were always giving her.

"Thanks, mom, dad, I love them. Can you stay for dinner? We could order some take out and you could tell us all about your trip."

"We're so sorry sweetheart but we have a very early flight in the morning and we need to get back to the hotel and get some sleep. When we get back we'll tell you all about it," her mother said, getting up wiped her tears away and hugged her.

"You didn't have to book into a hotel mom, you could have stayed here with us, there is plenty of room."

While she and her mother talked Marcus drew Austin over to the side. "I hope they find the man who hurt my Blair."

"They're working on it, sir."

"That's good, keep after them." He then stared into Austin's eyes. "I want to warn you, son, that if you hurt my daughter in any way I'll come after you and destroy you. That is my promise to you," he said, giving his cheek a slap.

Austin rubbed his cheek where the old man had slapped him as he watched the tearful goodbyes between the trio. Not that he was afraid of her father but he sensed that the old man meant what he said.

When they were gone she sat down, looking at the earrings. "They really are so beautiful and I do love them but I wish." She stopped talking, not wanting to say what was on her mind.

"What do you wish?" he asked, sitting next to her.

"They're good parents, loving and always showering me with expensive gifts. I just wish that sometimes they would forget about the gifts and spend time with me. Even growing up they were busy working or going on trips. I shouldn't complain, they never abused me and did always encourage me to do whatever I wanted to do. I was actually kind of lonely growing up."

"You were?" he asked, surprised. "But you seemed so happy, you had tons of friends. You were always laughing and going out. You had lots of dates, and never dated the same guy for long."

"Well I was lonely and I didn't go out as much as you think I did. Most guys were too afraid of asking me out, they always thought I was already with someone. As for not being with someone for long, that was because when I refused to have sex with them they would drop me."

"But I heard them bragging about how they got into your pants."

"They lied to make themselves look like a stud, I didn't lose my virginity until college. I thought I already mentioned that to you."

"No, I don't think you did, well maybe, I can't remember."

He sat back to think, did he have her all wrong? "Did you never tell your parents how you felt about not having them around?"

"No, I was afraid they'd get mad and I kind of thought that was how it was with every family. I know if I ever have kids they aren't going to be lonely like I was. But then again I don't plan on having kids."

"I'm sorry you grew up lonely but not wanting kids, I think you would make a good mother."

"You're probably the only one who thinks that. I'm going to take these cups into the kitchen," she said, getting up picked up the dirty dishes.

"Oh, I could have gotten those Miss," Helen said when she saw Blair walk in.

"That's OK, I don't mind doing it."

"Are you alright Miss?"

"Yes, just a little tired. I think I'll go lay down for a while. You don't have to bother starting dinner. Austin mentioned ordering Chinese tonight."

"OK, then if there's nothing else I'll be on my way."

She went and laid down, feeling drained. As much as she loved her parents it was always sad when they left her and then them finding out she was married took too much out of her. They were never supposed to know, which was ridiculous. They were bound to at some point hear about it, either from a friend or the media.

When Helen told Austin that Blair went to lay down he decided to leave her alone to get some rest as she looked drained. He put her earrings in his safe when she asked him too, thinking he should give her the combination to it in case she wanted them when he wasn't around. He didn't have anything in there that he didn't want her to see, and what he did have in there would be of no good to her. He also felt he could trust her not to look at his stuff or take anything.

When she came down three hours later, still looking tired he ordered the Chinese food and then opened a bottle of wine.