“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.
Blake forced his jaw to remain loose, his hands folded in his lap. The image of Samantha swam in his head.
What was he going to do now?
“These things take time, but within a year you should be well on your way to becoming a father.”
Like before, Blake stopped listening when Mark went on about the sex of the child not making a difference, and the child need not be born before Blake’s thirty-sixth birthday. Mark finished speaking and cleared his throat. “Seems your father thought of everything.”
“And if my wife and I wanted to wait to start a family?”
Mark huffed. “Your father is giving you millions of reasons to push your plans forward. Of course, if you weren’t planning on a family, or planning on staying married to—”
Blake put his hand in the air, interrupting the lawyer’s words. “We’re newlyweds, Mark. Or perhaps that’s escaped your attention.”
“Nothing you’re doing escapes my attention. Bigger men than you have married to get their hands on large amounts of money with no intentions of staying married after their funds are in the bank.” Mark was angry now, his words short with his crisp accent.
“This addendum was sealed, but you knew about it all along, didn’t you?”
Mark sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. The slight lift of his lips gave Blake his answer.
Blake had an uncharacteristic desire to make Mark, and all his callousness, squirm in his chair. “I rather like the thought of being a father,” Blake said, letting a little of his childhood accent dip into his words.
Mark’s smile fell.
“Samantha will make a lovely mother.” Which Blake really did believe. He kept his poker face fully engaged.
“It’s going to take more than words to convince us.”
“Of that, I have no doubt.”
Mark gathered his papers and stood to leave. “I’ll be in touch.”
Blake stood and extended his hand. “We’ll see you this weekend at the reception.”
“Right.”
As the lawyer turned to leave, Blake stopped him. “Oh, Mark… be sure and have your secretary make me a copy of my father’s will.”
Mark nodded and left Blake’s office.