Bound To The Reckless Heir

The first night I moved into the Garrison estate, I woke up in a daze, my vision blurred by sleep, only to find myself staring directly into a pair of smoldering eyes. A man was looming over me, his chest bare, his expression lethal.

He grabbed my wrist, his grip like iron. Who the hell are you? And what are you doing in my bed?

My heart hammered against my ribs. I could barely get the words out. "I... Im your wife."

The man stared at me, dead silent. "..."

He let out a sharp, cold laugh, as if Id just told the most ridiculous joke hed ever heard. His dark eyes narrowed, scouring my face like he was dissecting a specimen. Even in the shadows of the room, the intensity of his gaze was suffocating.

He reached over and slammed his hand onto the light switch. The sudden overhead glare blinded me, and I winced, shielding my eyes.

When I finally managed to look up, he was smirking, but his eyes were fixed on my collarbone. It was then I realized the top buttons of my silk pajamas had slipped loose. I gasped, crossing my arms over my chest in a panicked reflex.

He let out a derisive snort. "Oh, give me a break. Don't play the innocent now. Tell me, what kind of hustle are you running to get inside this house?"

I looked at him properly for the first time. I knew who he was. This was Evelyns sonNate Garrison.

He was exactly as the tabloids described him: rugged, reckless, and devastatingly handsome. Dark hair fell over a sharp brow; his nose was straight, his lips thin and cruel. His eyesa deep, stormy hazelwere framed by long lashes, the corners slightly upturned in a way that felt both flirtatious and dangerous. He wore a half-unbuttoned white shirt, revealing the hard lines of his throat and collarbone. He radiated an aura of untamed, upper-class rebellion.

I frowned, my voice barely a whisper. "Im serious. Ask your mother. Evelyn told me we were married."

A flash of genuine confusion crossed Nates face, followed by a dark, mocking grin. He released my wrist and sat up, swinging his legs off the bed. He strode toward the door and yanked it open, his voice thundering through the hallway. "Arthur! Evelyn! Get out here and explain this right now!"

I scrambled to button my shirt, my fingers trembling. I stood by the edge of the bed, feeling small and out of place, barely daring to breathe.

After what felt like an eternity, Evelyn emerged from her room, wrapped in a silk robe and yawning. She looked at Nate with pure, unadulterated annoyance. "Nate, for Gods sake, its the middle of the night. Stop howling like a wounded animal."

Nate gestured wildly toward me, his voice tight with suppressed rage. "What is this? Explain. Now."

Evelyn didn't even blink. "I sent you the email, Nate. I told you this was happening."

Nates jaw tightened. "You weren't joking? You actually went through with it?"

Evelyn offered him a triumphant, cat-like smile. "When have I ever been a woman of idle threats?"

Nate ran a hand through his hair, his voice rising in desperation. "I thought it was a move to get me to come home! I didn't think youd actually find a..." He stopped, glancing at me as if I were a piece of furniture he hadn't ordered.

Evelyn walked over and patted Nates cheek. "Nate, you made a deal. I have the recording to prove it. Riley is your responsibility now. And tomorrow morning, the two of you are going to City Hall to make it official."

She turned to go back to her room, pausing at the door with a playful, sharp glint in her eyes. "Oh, and Nate? Riley is staying in your room. If I find out youve been anything less than a gentleman, there will be consequences."

"Mom" Nate started to protest, but the heavy thud of her bedroom door cut him off.

I stood there, a ghost in a strangers bedroom, watching the wreck of a man in front of me. Nate sighed, a long, ragged sound, and turned his gaze back to me. His eyes were cold again.

"You," he said flatly. "Go sleep in the guest room."

My lower lip trembled. "Evelyn said... she said I have to stay here. With you."

Nate let out a dry, incredulous laugh. "And you just do everything she says?"

I gripped the hem of my shirt and nodded, looking down at my toes. The shame felt like a physical weight in my chest.

"Fine," Nate snapped. "Stay here then. Sleep in the damn bed. Im out."

He turned to leave, but Evelyns voice drifted through the walls, clear as a bell: "If you walk out that door, Nate, Im calling the manager of the track. Ill have your entire car collection under lock and key by breakfast."

Nate froze. His shoulders slumped, and he stood there for a long time, defeated by the one person he couldn't outrun.

After a chaotic hour of tension, we ended up back in the same bed.

Nate was clearly seething. He lay on the far edge of the mattress, his back to me, a wall of cold muscle and silence. Eventually, his breathing leveled out into the slow rhythm of sleep, and the iron band of tension around my chest finally loosened.

I lay there in the dark, my mind racing through the blur of the last few months.

My mother and Evelyn had been best friends when they were young. They both married for love, but thats where the similarities ended. Evelyn married Arthur Garrison and found a life of security and enduring affection. My mother... my mothers "love story" shattered the year I turned five, the night the first bruise appeared.

The abuse had been a slow, agonizing crawl. My mother endured it for years, even after she suffered two broken ribs. She stayed until the night my father turned his rage on me. I had tried to protect her, clinging to his leg to keep him from hitting her again, and he had backhanded me across the room.

In that moment, the fragility in my mothers eyes vanished. She pushed him back with a strength she didn't know she had and scooped me up. We ran. We called the police. My father, Richard, was sentenced to eighteen years for domestic battery and aggravated assault. For a decade, we were happy, just the two of us.

Until the cancer came.

When the diagnosis hit, Evelyn stepped back into our lives. She moved my mother into the best facility in the city and covered every cent of the astronomical bills. I was drowning in debt and grief, and Evelyn became my life raft.

A week ago, Evelyn had taken my hand, her eyes full of a strange, determined kind of love. "Riley, Ive always adored you. I want you to be part of this family. Properly."

I had been stunned, but she just patted my arm. "Don't worry. My son isn't a monster. Hes just... lost. He needs someone grounded. Someone like you to pull him back to earth."

How could I say no? How could I refuse the woman who was literally keeping my mother alive?

The room was silent now, save for the hum of the AC. I tried to shift my weight, my body aching from the stress. Nate must have felt the movement because he suddenly yanked the duvet toward him.

The sudden rush of cold air hit my skin, making me shiver. The AC was cranked down to sixty degrees. I knew Id be sick by morning if I didn't cover up, so I reached out, gingerly trying to pull a corner of the blanket back.

In a heartbeat, Nate spun around. He was over me in an instant, his arms bracing him on either side of my head, his eyes burning with accusation. "What? Can't wait for your 'wifely duties' to start?"

The shock paralyzed me. "I... I..."

Nates lip curled. "You what?"

"I wasn't... I just wanted the blanket."

Nate laughed, a low, husky sound that should have been beautiful but felt like a serrated blade.

"Sure you did. The second you agreed to move into my bedroom, we both knew what you were after."

I didn't know how to defend myself. Ive always been the kind of person whose emotions leak out of their eyes before they can find the words. Tears began to blur my vision. "I didn't ask for this. I didn't have a choice!"

Nate clicked his tongue, his brow furrowed in annoyance. "Oh, for God's sake. Don't start crying. Youre the one who moved into a stranger's bed."

I shook my head, a sob escaping despite my best efforts. "I... I can't help it. Its a reflex."

Nate stared at me, something dark and unreadable flickering in his eyes. I watched his Adams apple bob as he swallowed hard.

"If you keep crying," he whispered, his voice dropping to a dangerous, gravelly register, "I might actually give you something to cry about."

The threat hung heavy in the air. I squeezed my eyes shut and pressed my lips together, trying to force the sobs back down. My body was still trembling, and Nates expression shifted from irritation to something sharper, more intense.

"Just... stay on your side," he muttered, finally pushing himself off me.

He flopped back down, creating a literal "no-man's-land" in the middle of the California King. He seemed to fall asleep almost instantly, but I remained wide-eyed and terrified, my nerves frayed to the point of snapping.

I didn't drift off until the sky began to turn a bruised, pre-dawn purple.

I was jolted awake by the sound of a door slamming. I blinked, seeing Nate standing by the vanity, his chest bare and his skin glowing like burnished bronze in the morning light. He was drying his damp hair with a towel, wearing nothing but a pair of grey sweatpants that hung low on his hips.

He caught me staring. His eyes were cool, assessing.

I was too sleep-deprived to hide my reaction. He was breathtaking, in a way that felt unfair.

Nates eyes narrowed slightly. "See something you like?"

I looked away immediately, my face heating up. "No. Nothing."

He let out a dry, humorless laugh. "Good. Keep it that way."

He disappeared into the walk-in closet and emerged minutes later wearing a crisp white tee, a varsity jacket, and relaxed-fit dark denim. It was a simple outfit, but on him, it looked like a million dollars.

He walked out without a second glance. I got up and pulled on the most decent thing I owneda simple, white linen dress. It was modest and clean, the armor I chose for the day Id officially become a Garrison.

Downstairs, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Nate was slumped on the sofa, staring at his phone with a dark scowl, while Arthur and Evelyn sat across from him, looking like they were presiding over a court-martial.

Evelyn spotted me and her face instantly softened into a maternal smile. "Riley, sweetheart. You look so pale. Ill have to get you some brighter dresses. After breakfast, you and Nate are heading to City Hall."

Nate let out a sharp, irritated sound.

"Evelyn," I said softly, "isn't this... a bit fast?"

"Fast?" Evelyn raised an eyebrow. "You two spent the night in the same bed. We need to make this legal before the rumors start."

Nate looked up, his eyes flashing. "Oh, so now we care about rumors? After you practically held a gun to my head to stay in that room?"

Evelyns expression flipped in a heartbeat. The warmth vanished, replaced by a gaze of pure steel. "Watch your tone, Nathan."

Nate looked like hed been slapped. He went silent, a look of utter defeat on his handsome face. I had to bite my lip to keep from smiling. It was the first time Id seen someone actually manage to handle him.

But then Nate caught my eye. His gaze was icy, a silent warning that if I laughed, Id regret it. I immediately wiped the expression from my face and stood there, waiting to be told what to do.

Nate stood up, grabbing his keys. "Lets go," he snapped at me. "I have things to do today."

I grabbed my bag and hurried after him, but Evelyn called out, "Breakfast first! Whats the rush?"

Nate didn't even slow down. He marched out the door, and I gave Evelyn a quick, apologetic smile before running to catch up.

His car was a low-slung, matte black sports car that looked like it belonged on a track. I went for the back seat, knowing he didn't want me near him, but the door wouldn't budge.

"Do I look like your Uber driver, Princess?" Nates voice was like a whip.

"Sorry. I... I didn't mean..."

I climbed into the passenger seat, and Nate took his revenge out on the gas pedal. He tore out of the driveway, the engine roaring. The world outside became a blur of speed and noise. I felt my stomach drop; I was terrified we were going to crash.

I gripped the seatbelt, my knuckles white, and squeezed my eyes shut. I didn't see the way Nate was looking at mea strange, dark smirk playing on his lips. Watching me tremble like a frightened rabbit seemed to have improved his mood.

At City Hall, Nate stayed sullen. He was the picture of a man being led to his execution, but he signed every paper and followed every instruction.

When it came time for the photo, the photographer looked at Nates stony expression and hesitated. "Sir... maybe a smile? You look like youre being forced into this."

Nate didn't say a word. The silence was deafening.

The photographer gave a nervous laugh. "Haha, just a joke! Anyway, the bride is stunning. Youre a lucky man."

Nate looked at me then, his eyes dragging over my face with a chilling intensity. "Lucky," he echoed, a bitter edge to his voice. "Yeah. So lucky."

Outside, the sun was bright, mocking the coldness between us. Nate headed for the car, and I stayed on the sidewalk. "Mr. Garrison... Nate. I can catch a cab from here. You don't have to"

"Get in the car," he said, his tone mocking. "Im taking you somewhere."

"I don't want to be a bother"

He arched an eyebrow. "My mothers orders. She said I need to 'bond' with my new bride. So, lets bond."

I bit my lip and got in.

"Bonding," it turned out, meant being dragged to a private racetrack where Nate and a group of his wealthy, bored friends were tearing up the asphalt. He forced me into the passenger seat for a high-speed lap.

"Please," I whispered, my face turning ashen. "Ill wait at the finish line."

Nate grinned, a reckless, predatory light in his eyes. "No way. Youre my wife now. You go where I go."

The next few minutes were a nightmare of screeching tires and G-force. The moment the car screeched to a halt, I fumbled for the door, stumbled out, and collapsed by the side of the track, heaving.

Nate leaned against the car, watching me. For a split second, I thought I saw a flash of guilt in his eyes, but it was gone before I could be sure.

One of his friends, a guy with blonde hair and a mischievous grin named Logan, walked over. He looked at me, then at Nate. "Whered you find this one? She looks like shes about to break."

"My mothers choice," Nate said flatly. "The new Mrs. Garrison."

"What?" Logans eyes nearly popped out of his head. He looked back at me, then back to Nate. "Damn, man. Your mom has excellent taste. Shes gorgeous."

Nate shot him a murderous look. "If you like her so much, Ill tell my mom to find one for you, too."

"Whoa, easy! My girl would literally skin me alive."

The "bonding" session was cut short by a call from Arthur, summoning Nate to the office. Nate was clearly pissed about the interruption. He looked at me, and I quickly waved him off. "I can get home on my own. Really."

Logan watched us with a smirk. "So, youre already at the 'I can't stand to be in the same car as you' stage of the marriage? That was fast."

Nate glared at him. "Do you want to keep your teeth, Logan?"

Logan raised his hands in a mock surrender. "Kidding! Just kidding."

Nate peeled out, leaving Logan and me in a cloud of exhaust. I started walking toward the exit, hoping I could find a spot to call a rideshare.

"Hey, Mrs. G!" Logan called out, jogging to catch up. "Where are you going?"

I looked at him, confused. "To find a cab?"

"Youre gonna walk? Its three miles to the main road." He checked his phone as it started ringing. "Hold on."

He answered, and I caught bits of the conversation. "Yeah... I know... Im not gonna leave her in the middle of nowhere... Since when did you care so much?"

He hung up and jerked his thumb toward his SUV. "C'mon. Your husband told me to make sure you got home safe."

"Nate did?"

"Look, Nates a prick sometimes, but hes not a monster. He wouldn't leave a girl stranded out here. Neither would I."

I managed a small, tired smile. "Thank you, Logan."

He dropped me off in the city, and I immediately headed to the hospital. My mother was sleeping when I arrived, her face pale against the white pillows. The nurse told me shed responded well to the new round of treatment.

I sat by her bed for hours. She thought I was just working a high-paying tutoring job to cover the bills. When she woke up, she squeezed my hand, her eyes full of worry. "Riley, don't work too hard. I just want time with you. If it's my time to go, it's my time."

"Don't say that, Mom," I whispered, my throat tight. "Ive got a great job now. Everything is going to be fine."

"My little girl is all grown up," she sighed, looking at me with so much pride it made my heart ache with the weight of the lie.

Later that evening, my phone buzzed with an unknown number. It was Logan.

"Hey, Riley? You need to come pick up Nate. Hes... had a few."

"Can't you just drive him?"

"Uh, Ive got a situation here I can't leave. Please? Hes at the club on 5th."

When I arrived at the VIP lounge, I found Nate slumped on a velvet sofa, rubbing his temples. A woman in a dangerously short dress was hovering over him, her voice a forced, breathy coo. "Come on, Nate. Let me take you home."

Nate pushed her arm away, his voice a low growl. "Get lost."

"But Nate"

I stood a few feet away, watching the scene. Nate looked up, his eyes bleary, and spotted me. "Come here," he commanded.

The woman shot me a look of pure venom before stalking off. I walked over to him, feeling a strange mix of pity and frustration. "Ready to go?"

"Get me some water first."

He tugged at his tie, looking genuinely miserable. I grabbed a fresh bottle from the table and handed it to him. He drank the whole thing in one go, which seemed to clear his head slightly.

He stood up, gave a curt nod to the room, and walked out. I followed him to the parking lot, where he handed me the keys to a black SUV he must have driven to work earlier.

The drive home was silent. Nate was passed out in the back seat. When we pulled into the driveway, I reached back to wake him, but as my hand brushed his shoulder, I jumped.

He was burning up. Sweat was pouring down his face, and his breath was coming in ragged gasps.

"Nate? Nate, are you okay? Youre freezingno, you're boiling."