**Edited by krisgee**

“The Rented Husband”

2012 Copyright All Rights Reserved

Chapter 27

                “Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in.”

                Cane Murray turned around and shot his brother-in-law a shit-eating grin.  “Hello yourself,” he smirked.  Turning, he whispered some words to his wife and she playfully smacked him in the back of the head before leaving him for the other women.

                 “Oh, now I see,” Seth noted humorously, “Who really wears the pants in your family.”

                Cane glanced over his shoulder at the gorgeous woman that he had shared his bed with for the last ten years.  She held his heart and he wasn’t the least bit worried about who knew that either.  “Damn straight,” he agreed.  “I know who the boss is.”

                Seth grinned and slapped Cane on the shoulder, “Yup, I do too and she reminds me of that fact daily.”  The two men laughed out loud together, earning them a few curious stares from the women before quieting down. 

                Cane cleared his throat and composed himself.  “So,” he said turning more serious, “Who is this yahoo that I hear married my sister?”

                 “Well,” Seth said, looking a mite more uncomfortable, “I’m still trying to figure that one out.”

                Cane narrowed his stone grey eyes on his brother-in-law.  Just yesterday he received an earful from his father about this O’Connor guy and knowing Seth since his own college days, he would have thought that he would already know everything about the guy right down to the fact of whether or not he wore boxers or briefs.  Seth was just that good so his statement didn't make any sense.

                 “What do you mean you’re still trying to figure it out? Is something wrong?”

                Seth pursed his lips.  “Not necessarily with him.  His background has come back squeaky clean.  He was somewhat of a ladies’ man in the past but other than that…. he seems genuine enough.”

                 “So…,” Cane urged, “What’s the problem and don’t lie to me, I can see that something is bothering you - it’s written all over your face.”

                Seth let out a frustrated breath.  After putting two and two together the night before, he had not been able to stop thinking about it.  He didn‘t say anything to Ashley and was damn sure not going to say anything to Ted yet - at least until he knew for sure what was going on himself.  But Cane was easy-going and for a while there, he was the only one in the family that Olivia would confide in.  If anyone could understand her motives, it would be him.  “It’s more your sister than him I think.”

                Cane stared back at him with shocked eyes.  “You think?  What the hell is that supposed to mean?”  

                 “It's hard to explain and I don't think that this is the time or place for it.” 

                 “Alright,” he drawled out carefully while taking in the friends and family members scattered around the room.  Seeing that most everyone was occupied doing one thing or the other, he angled his head towards the door.  “Come on, we need to talk.”

                Seth nodded in agreement.  He glanced over at his wife who was talking animatedly with her sister and Cane’s wife.  “Let’s go.”

                Stopping just outside of the ballroom doors where the rehearsal was to take place and away from prying ears, Cane gave his brother-in-law his devoted attention.   With a deceptively easy demeanor he leaned his back up against the wall and folded his arms over his chest.  “Alright, lay it out for me brother; what the hell is going on?”

****************************************************

                 “That bitch!” she cursed under her breath.  Feeling her anger mount, she crumpled up a worn picture in her fist.  She wanted to kill her more than ever now.  Before, she only wanted to scare her off, take that haughty attitude of hers down a level or two.  She got on her nerves the way that she continually walked around like she was the best thing to walk the earth since the invention of sliced bread.

                But then, she had to push it.  She just had to go and do the unthinkable.  The whore dug her claws into her man and stole him right out from under her.  She was the one that was going to marry Brody, not that blond headed slut.  He was supposed to be hers, damnit!

                Sitting on the plane, she was careful to keep her gaze out the window.  She tended to wear her emotions on her face and she didn’t want anyone to see the rage that she was trying so hard to hide. 

                Originally, she had planned to wait until they got back from their trip to deal with her but the voices in her head wouldn’t shut up.  They only got louder and louder, demanding that she take care of her problem right now.  So here she was, on the plane, heading for Hawaii to deal with her once and for all.

                She focused on her breaths; keeping them short and controlled.  She reminded herself how crucial it was that she keep her maddening anger under control.  She had to if she was going to pull this off and take the prize in the end. 

                She couldn’t afford to make any mistakes right now.  Closing her eyes, she tried to think about how soft Brody’s lips would feel on hers once she got rid of that gold digging whore.  She couldn’t help the smile that came to her lips.  Would they be soft?  Would they be firm?  Was he a dominant kisser or more of a sweet kisser?  She bet he would be controlling; he was the type of guy that knew what he wanted and would do whatever he could to take what it was that he wanted.

                Opening her eyes, she forced out those thoughts.  She needed to focus on her plan, not Brody's kisses.  There would be plenty of time to enjoy them later, after she killed the bitch that dared to try and sink her paws into her man.

                He would likely be a little upset at first because of Olivia’s untimely demise, but she would be the one there to comfort him and when he cried on her shoulder, he would then realize just how perfect they would be together.

                It was fate; the two of them belonged together.  Not him and that stuck up, trampy, slutty, smutty ass whore.  It was always supposed to be him and her and it would be soon enough, she vowed to herself, just as soon as she eliminated the last obstacle first. 

                Olivia Murray was as good as dead.

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                Brody trailed in to the ballroom behind Olivia.  The moment they both stepped in, the whole room that was buzzing with chatter moments before went eerily silent.

                He didn’t miss the way that Olivia's blithe frame stiffened at the quick change in the room.  Not even thinking about it, he stepped up to her side and placed his arm over her shoulder.  “Smile,” he whispered out of the corner of his mouth.

                Smile, was he crazy?  She shook her head, already knowing the answer to that question.  If you looked up the word crazy in the dictionary, you would probably see a picture of Brody O’Connor and his name written out beside it.  Unable to say anything, she did just that; she smiled so big, her cheeks hurt.

                 “You’re late!”

                The smile she garnered faltered at the sound of her accusing father’s voice.  She turned to see him standing by her mother, glaring at Brody.  “Sorry,” she supplied.  “I overslept.”

                Ted grunted and turned away from them after giving Brody one of his infamous looks meant to intimidate more than anything.  Olivia let out a relieved breath when the eyes were off of her. 

                 “Are you okay?”  Brody squeezed her shoulder and bent down so that his mouth was at her ear.  His warm minty breath heated her cheeks, tilting the ground under her feet just a bit.  What was it about this man that made her feel so unbalanced?  One minute she wanted to hate him with everything that she had in her and the next, especially when he turned on that damnable charm of his, she wanted to tear his clothes off and ravage him. 

                 “I’m fine,” she said tensely, hating the fact that she couldn’t get a grip on herself.  She was a grown woman for crying out loud. 

                 “Are you sure?” he asked again, his hand sliding from her shoulder, down her arm and settling it on her waist, leaving a trail of sweet fire in it’s path before grabbing her hand and intertwining their fingers.

                She froze at the myriad of sensations attacking her senses.  It took her a minute to compose herself.  “Yes,” she snapped sharply, staring back at him with fury burning in her eyes.  It was so much easier to be mad at the man than to accept the other feelings he so easily incited in her.  When they were at each other‘s throats, she didn’t feel quite so adversely effected by him.  “I told you that I was fine and I meant it," she said, slowly pulling her hand away from his so as to not let anyone see.

                He held up his hands in surrender and took a step back, “Alright,” he gave her his acquiescence.  “No need to get your panties in a wad or anything.  I was only checking.”

                 “You don‘t have to check,” she bit out, still feeling the remnants of her headache in the back of her skull.  “I‘m perfectly fine,” she lied.  

                 “What’s up little sister?”

                Olivia turned around to see her older brother standing in front of her.  He was the spitting image of her father when he was younger, a mix of rogue and handsome with his too long hair and goatee on his chin.  But the smile on his face was a welcoming distraction.  “Cane,” she called out and leaned in to give him a healthy hug.  “When did you get in?”

                Cane hugged his baby sister and then set her back from him.  His appraising gaze flitted between the tall man standing beside his sister and then back to her.  “Around five this morning.” 

                She beamed.  She loved her brother more than anything, even though he knew exactly what buttons to push to get on her nerves.  In that sense he was more like Brody.  Ugh, she mentally groaned.  Isn't it fitting that the one man who had managed to shake her up was so much like her brother?  Needing to push that thought out of her mind, she smiled and quickly asked, “Is Lisa here?” referring to his exotically beautiful wife.   

                 “Yeah,” he gestured pointing to the corner where the group of women had gathered to gossip. 

                Seth walked over and joined them.  The confidence in his gait was almost overwhelming, Olivia noticed.  “Good morning Olivia.  How’s that head of yours doing this fine day?”

                 “It’s okay,” she told him, lowering her eyes in embarrassment.  She still wasn’t too sure what happened last night but one of her last memories was of him walking in the lounge with Brody at his side.

                She cocked her thumb over her shoulder.  “I am going to go say hi to her and the other ladies.”

                Cane nodded and smiled.  “You go ahead and do that; I wouldn’t mind getting to know this husband of yours that you failed to tell me about.”

                Flushing, she realized that she hadn’t even introduced them.   “Oh…Cane this is Brody O’Connor and Brody, this is my brother, Cane…Cane Murray.”

                Cane held out his hand, “It’s a pleasure to meet the man that has finally succeeding in roping my hellion of a sister.”

                Brody cautiously took his hand and shook it.  He glanced over at Olivia who was chewing on her bottom lip again, telling him that she was nervous.  Something inside his chest just seemed to melt at the site of that little action.  “I would say that it was more like she roped me in, hog tied me and captured my heart all at the same time.”

                 “Good answer.”  Cane glanced at his sister.  “I think I’m going to like this one.”

                She gave him an apprehensive laugh and started to slowly back away from the guys.  The testosterone level surrounding her seemed to go up several degrees and she was beginning to feel out numbered.  “You guys have your male bonding time, I’m going over there,” she pointed to the ladies.

                 “You do that,” Cane said easily enough. 

                She stopped and looked back and forth between her brother, Seth and then finally landing her eyes on Brody.  “You’ll be okay?”  It was more of a question than a statement.

                 “I’ll be fine,” he assured her.  “Just come find me before the rehearsal starts.”  She watched him a moment, then nodded and left, leaving him standing there with her brother and brother-in-law.  He decided last night that he liked the brother-in-law and his straight up ways…the jury was still out on her brother.

                 “So,” Cane drawled, bringing his attention back to him.  “You’re my sister’s husband.” 

                Brody inclined his head, “Yes…Yes I am.”

                Cane studied the man for a long minute, thinking about all that Seth had told him.  The impulsiveness of the marriage, the supposed pregnancy, the drunken night.  He was right, nothing here was adding up.  He knew his sister well and was certain that she wouldn‘t do anything without having some kind of reason behind it. 

                He met Brody's gaze, eye to eye, man to man.  “I think it’s about time that we have ourselves a little talk, don't you?”