The Arranged Marriage

Chapter 8: The Harsh Past

“What brings you here, Jake?” Mrs. Lannister asked, her voice was cold. Jake’s expression didn’t change.

“You need to finish your end of the deal with Quinn’s parents. I don’t want them trying to harass her anymore.” Jake firmly said to his mother, as if he wasn’t even acknowledging her as his mom at all. The Lannister’s laughed before turning back to Jake.

“What gives you the right to get into our business? Last I recall, you had wanted to cut your ties.” Mr. Lannister then spoke, his voice also low and harsh. Mrs. Lannister stood there, looking at her nails and giving Jake side glances. It seemed as if neither one of them wanted him, just like Quinn’s parents. This raised Quinn’s suspicion of her new in-laws.

“Since it became a threat on mine and my wife’s life,” Jake began to raise his voice. Yet, Lannister’s expression did not change.

“I don’t care if they kill you both, when we are ready, we will expand to the Astor’s. Right now, we don’t feel that it is a safe move, considering that that family has no good reputation.” Mrs. Lannister then looked over at Quinn, giving her a smirk. “And I’m sure that this one is gonna be a real handle when you find out she has other playmates.”

Jake clenched his fists at his sides. He didn’t like that his own family was starting to even talk low about his wife. They may have been newlyweds, and barely know each other, but Jake has care towards Quinn already. He has a sense that he needs to protect her, that she is nothing like them.

Before anyone could say another word, another woman and man stepped out of the house. They both looked elegant as they strode over to Mr. and Mrs. Lannister and stood beside them. The woman had long, brown hair that was neatly styled and her make-up was near perfection. The man wore a business suit, keeping his posture firm.

“Oh look! Our baby brother decided that it was too rough out in the real world and couldn’t handle it!” The woman said, grinning as if she was enjoying the torcher.

“Elise, let’s not welcome our new sister-in-law like that.” The man said, his expression was gentle, yet he had a rage in his eyes that Quinn shivered under. His smile seemed as if it were from the devil himself.

“Can you please just deal with your s**t between the Astor’s? Quinn is no longer a part of that family, so there is no need to bring her into this, same as me!” Jake roared between his clenched teeth. “Otherwise, there is no reason for me to still be here.”

As Jake turned around and opened the car door for Quinn, Elise raised her voice towards them again.

“Jakey, how could you afford such a luxury car?” she was trying to start something. Jake simply ignored her as he got in the car and drove off. He sped back across the city, losing the black car again.

“Who were the other people next to your parents?” Quinn asked Jake, not caring if it was crossing a boundary anymore. If this was going to be her husband, she needed to know some things. Jake sighed as he slowed down.

“My other half brother and sister, Daniel and Elise.” Ethan hesitated before speaking up. “My biological mother is Carol Lannister; I don’t know my father. It’s the same way for Lila.” He didn’t say anything more. He hated looking back at the past.

Everyone saw the Lannister family as the most powerful and successful. Their reputation was above most others with them having no other affairs, straight forward, and had the most money. However, their public view was complete cover-up to gain that power.

When Carol attended an event one evening by herself, the Lannister family had a feud against another family and company. She was drugged, and then later taken by a group of men who then had her way with her that night. When she found out she was pregnant with Jake, Mr. Lannister wanted nothing to do with the child. Carol was a caring and loving mother at first, until the same thing happened again a year later, and Lila came into the world.

Since then, Carol despised both Lila and Jake. She blamed them as reminders of the abuse she had gone through, so she abused and neglected them. Not long after, Mr. Lannister, Daniel and Elise joined in with the torcher.

The Lannister family has grown stronger since then and have already caught and disposed of Carol’s rapists. They have been a family that has been able to commit a crime and get away with it through their money. However, they haven’t been able to get rid of Jake and Lila permanently.

Jake decided to keep quiet about his past and his confusing family past to Quinn. He didn’t want to have her worry about another family on top of her own.

They finally arrived home as the night began to grow dark. Quinn got out of the car and headed inside the house. Jake followed and headed straight to the fridge to grab a beer. Quinn sat on the couch, wanting to say something to him, but couldn’t find the words. Finally, she gave in.

“Are you sure that you borrowed that car from a friend?” She asked him calmly. Quinn wanted to know all his secrets, his life, his story. For once, she found someone that she felt care and admiration for. She didn’t think that anyone had problems with family like she did. But she felt like she could understand.

Jake sat down on the couch next to her, his eyes looking at her up and down. She was still wearing her interview outfit, and to him Quinn looked like a sexy secretary. As his gaze landed on her breasts, Jake felt that if he touched any of the buttons on the front that they would pop off, revealing a gift for him. He finally looked into her eyes with ease.

“My friend does business with cars and lets me help sometimes with delivering them.” He was forcing a smile at her, hoping she doesn’t catch on. At first Quinn didn’t believe him, but she didn’t push him further. She finally relaxed and sat back.

“Do we need to worry about your family coming after us?” She said, her head was tilted back and looking at the ceiling. A feeling of worry and fear rushed over her.

Jake put his beer on the table and wrapped his arm behind her head, making her look at him.

“I promise you, no matter what happens, I will protect you.” Jake calmly said, his eyes stern. He wanted Quinn to know that she would be safe around him. The thought occurred to him that maybe he needed to prove that he could save her in any situation. Quinn pursed her lips.

“I can handle myself,” Quinn didn’t feel the need to bother him with her troubles. She didn’t want him to feel the need to save her from anything. With some more practice, Quinn could be better with her self-defense.

Jake straightened up and held one of her hands.

“I’m not kidding, I will be there for you in any situation. You are my wife now, and it is my job to keep you protected. Right?” Jake wasn’t going to back down on this. Quinn may be stubborn, but he wasn’t taking no for an answer.

Quinn looked at him, her expression calmed. She nodded in agreement.