Page 5 of The Hunted Wife

She felt her face burn.

“Well, it looks you two won’t have any problems getting to know each other.” The judge chuckled.

Adam took out his wallet, removed a crisp one-hundred-dollar bill, and handed it to the judge. “Thank you. You’ve made us very happy.”

“Yes, thank you, Judge Hardy. We appreciate you being available to marry us right away.” Millie knew she still blushed from Adam’s kiss. She wanted to fan herself but wasn’t ready to be that embarrassed.

“Let’s go take your rental back now.”

“No. I’m keeping it. I refuse to have to ask if I can take a car to go to town or anywhere else.”

“But you won’t need a car.”

“I won’t be trapped, Adam. I need my vehicle.”

“Okay. Just follow me home.”

“I will.”

Adam drove to get gas and then drove home.

Millie followed him in the Ford Expedition she’d rented.

After he pulled his F250 Ford pickup into the yard, he jumped out and hurried to Millie. He opened the door just as a man came out of the bunkhouse, followed by another and another and another. All of them tall, broad chested, with varying shades of brown hair although Adam’s was the darkest.

Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. “Are they all your brothers?” She didn’t take her gaze off the men standing in front of the truck.

“They are.”

“Is this all of them?”

“Um, no. We are seven in all. Daniel and Gabriel are missing. They must be doing chores.”

“Seven! Where are the other wives?”

“There are no others. You’re the first.”

She turned and fixed her gaze on Adam. “Do you expect me to take care of all of them?”

He shrugged. “Not entirely. I expect you to cook, do the laundry and keep the house clean. They live in the bunkhouse, and you don’t have to do anything there. It’s up to them whether they want to live in a pigsty. Speaking of pigs, we have a sow and eight piglets. The little ones are only two weeks old so still very small. You’re expected to feed the sow, Peggy the pig.

“As to laundry,” he continued, “I do ask that you do the laundry for all of us. You don’t need to put it away; each man will do that. All of us are the same size in the chest, so shirts and t-shirts will be easy to sort, just give the same number to each man. If you have leftovers, put them in my pile. The boys will get the right things to the right brother for the remainder of it. For the rest all I can ask is that you do the best you can.”

She narrowed her eyes and furrowed her brows. “So, you basically married me so I’d be the cook and housekeeper. Don’t you think that was something you should have mentioned at the grocery store?”

Adam felt his ears get hot. “You’re right, Millie. I should have told you. We can have the marriage annulled. Or you can try it for a year. If you still hate it or me, you can leave, and I’ll give you ten million dollars for your time and effort.”

Her eyes widened and she swallowed hard before calming herself. “What about children? What if we have children?”

Adam crossed his arms over his chest. “The children would stay here. If needed I’ll hire a nanny.”

“You will never—” She stomped her foot on the Expedition’s floorboard.

“I will. You will have no say because you’re the one who left.”

He had her and he knew it, and by the pout on her face, she did, too.

“Fine. I won’t leave if we have children until they are old enough to understand.”