Seal Of A Lifetime (Madame Dragonfly MOB Book 1) Read online

  Seal of a Lifetime

  L. Loren

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Seal of a Lifetime (Madame Dragonfly MOB, #1)

  All Rights Reserved

  Dedication

  Seal of a Lifetime Blurb

  One | Wedding Dress Blues | Eileen

  Two | Matchmaker Make Me A Match | Eileen

  Three | Make Good Choices | Lincoln

  Four | The Great Escape | Eileen

  Five | Take My Breath Away | Lincoln

  Six | For Crying Out Loud | Eileen

  Seven | Business as Usual | Lincoln

  Eight | Great Expectations | Eileen

  Nine | Man in the Mirror | Eileen

  Ten | Insatiable | Lincoln

  Eleven | Steal Your Girl | Lena

  Twelve | Truth Hurts | Linc

  Thirteen | Get My Life Back | Linc

  Epilogue | Lena

  About the Author

  Follow her on Social Media

  Also by L. Loren

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved.

  Published by

  Lisa W. Tetting Books

  Copyright © 2020 L. Loren

  All Rights Reserved

  Cover Design by L. Loren

  Dedication

  Thank you so much to my author friends, Siren Allen and Shani Greene-Dowdell for inviting me to be a part of the original Cabin Fever Boxset where this story was first published. Your belief in my ability to stand with such great authors as you, as well as Posey Parks, Francesca Penn and Falon Gold means a lot to me. It was a pleasure watching you work, and I look forward to working with you in the future.

  To my husband, Doug, thank you for always being in my corner, no matter what. You are my heart and soul.

  To the Lovebirds, my group of readers - Thank you for your unwavering support of my work. You guys inspire me to keep writing and birthing these characters!

  A very special thanks to Pam Gonzales of Love2ReadRomance for your excellent proofreading skills.

  Seal of a Lifetime Blurb

  Southern Belle, Eileen Sheridan has been training to be Anderson Winchester’s bride since birth. Their parents are best friends, which meant spending holidays and vacations together. Now that she is turning 21, the wedding is soon to take place. There’s just one problem... Eileen hates Anderson. When she discovers the sordid truth behind her engagement, she turns to her sister for a way out.

  Former Navy Seal, Lincoln Watts has built his dream home, a cozy cabin nestled near the Redwood Forest, in Humboldt County, California. Fulfilling his dream of helping veterans who suffer from PTSD, he opens a dispensary. His only regret is that he is alone. He’s convinced having a wife by his side will only lead to success beyond his wildest dreams. Unfortunately, the women in his town don’t appeal to him.

  Madame Dragonfly’s Matchmaking Service to the rescue. Her 100% match rating holds the promise of a perfect marriage for Eileen and Lincoln, but can either survive being married to a complete stranger?

  Warning: Contains explicit sexual content. A BWWM LoveRotica Tale.

  This story was originally a part of the Cabin Fever Boxset published in 2020.

  One

  Wedding Dress Blues

  Eileen

  “Eileen, this is the one! You look amazing in this dress. I can’t believe my beautiful daughter is getting married in a couple of months.”

  “Mom, this dress makes me look like a princess. I would rather...”

  I stopped talking as my mother shot me ‘the look’. The one that she weaponized the day I was born. She has used it to manipulate me my entire twenty-one years. No matter when she pulled the trigger, it never failed to get her what she wanted. Right now it was getting me to wear this god-awful wedding dress that she had picked out. I would rather stand naked in an acid rainstorm than to wear this dress, but if Mother says I should wear it, then I will. I never wanted to be disobedient. It was drilled into me since I could talk. Smile pretty, obey your parents, marry the stupid big-headed boy that you hate with every fiber of your being. Yeah, that part.

  “Fine Mother. If you like it, I love it.”

  “Great honey. This dress is going to be the talk of the town. Everyone is coming to the wedding and you have to look like royalty. Afterall, you want Anderson to love what he sees coming down the aisle to him. You are going to glow!”

  She rambled on and on about my wedding. She may as well have been planning the wedding she never got. When my father met her, he didn’t have a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out, according to my grandmother. Daddy worked hard to build his empire and since he had no sons, he decided I needed to marry his best friend’s son so he could take over the business. Misogynistic much?

  Though it was the year 2020, I may as well have been living in the dark ages when women had no voice and only existed to look pretty on their man’s arm and bare children to keep their legacy going. Boys were valued and girls were used as chess pieces to plot their next move. I was raised to believe I was the Queen on the chess board, when really, I was just the pawn. Nothing I did or said would ever be taken seriously. I was a means to an end, nothing more.

  Despite my mother’s best efforts to brainwash me, I had other ideas. I wanted more for my life besides being a spoiled little rich socialite who had no opinion or brain. I was pulled out of my internal tirade by something scratchy landing on my head. Suddenly, I was spun around to face the mirror. My eyes focused on a very unhappy woman in a puffed-up wedding dress, complete with veil and a fake bouquet. Disgusting!

  “What do you think darling? Don’t you just love the veil? It complements the dress just right. I can’t wait to see the pictures. You are going to make such a beautiful bride.”

  “I love the veil, Mother. It is exactly what I need.”

  “Good, good.”

  She missed the sarcasm in my voice. I didn’t need a lace curtain to cover my face. I was already walking around with a masked smile on my face day in and day out. My little sister, Katrina was the only one who could see the smile never reached my eyes. Everyone else either didn’t see or didn’t care. Either way, I remained hidden and silent. What had I done in a former life to earn this?

  “We’ll take this one!”

  Mother called out to the nice lady who had to be exhausted by now. Mother had run the poor woman ragged, pulling over twenty dresses for me to try on. I knew I was tired of the entire process. At this point all the white dresses were morphing together. They all looked alike.

  The attendant helped me off the round platform I had been standing on like a mannequin and guided me into the changing room. I was thankful they didn’t allow parents back there. It was a chance for me to breathe. I hated everything about the dress my mother just picked out. It was a dress made for Cinderella, not Eileen! I preferred something edgier, no lace and absolutely no poof!

  Looking in the mirror as the lady assisted me with unbuttoning the millions of buttons that flowed down my back, tears filled my eyes. I looked like a character from a cartoon. I guess there were girls out there who dreamed of having a $50,000 wedding dress that made them look like the real-life version of a girl who met her prince, fell in love and
became a princess overnight. Me, not so much.

  I preferred a rugged man to a genteel man. I wanted rough worked hands to hold me against a hard body, not finely manicured fingers grazing my body in a lecherous manner. None of that could happen for me though. I was stuck in this upcoming arranged marriage. Our parents had our china pattern picked out before we were even born. As a single tear dropped onto my cheek, there was a tap on the dressing room door. I quickly swiped the tear away and watched in the mirror as my sister poked her head in the room.

  “Eileen, look what I found.”

  She held up the most beautiful dress I had ever seen in my life. It was exactly what I would choose to wear on my wedding day if I was walking down the aisle to the man I loved. I squealed with excitement as Trina sneaked into the room and locked the door.

  “Try it on, just for fun.”

  I slipped into the asymmetrical bodycon dress with a small split on the side that fell mid-calf. The cap sleeve attached to the waist of the dress, giving a bit of side boob action when my arms lifted. The front had a crisscross ruching that rose to my neck, so there was no cleavage in the front. It was edgy, elegant and fun. A unique dress that I would chop off a pinky finger to wear. It was perfect!

  “You look like a bad ass in that dress. You should get it.”

  Trina was always the one who looked out for me. She was the youngest, so she didn’t have the pressure on her to marry a man to continue the family legacy. She got to be the carefree, loving girl she was meant to be. I envied her life, but I adored my little sister. She was my best friend. My only friend really. She had no filter and got away with murder. I loved every second of it. She was also a very bad influence, always getting me to defy my parents. We must have sneaked out of the house a thousand times without getting caught. The girl was a little imp.

  Standing in that mirror was like an awakening to me. The woman who looked back was strong, independent, daring and knew who she was. She was a rule breaker who did what she wanted, when she wanted without being controlled. This woman would never bow down to authority. She was not Eileen. No, this woman was Lena, my alter ego.

  “Trina, I love this dress, but you know I can’t wear it. Your mother’s head would explode.”

  “Well, you should definitely get it then. And just for the record, she was your mother first. She needs to stop trying to control you. She has turned you into her little pet project. Her masterpiece. I am sick of you being unhappy just to please her and Daddy. They don’t deserve your loyalty.”

  “I know, but what am I supposed to do? The wedding is in a couple of months. Invitations have gone out, food has been ordered, flowers are being flown in from Europe, for goodness sake. All the preparations have been made. The dress was the last thing on the list and she just decided on that.”

  “Don’t you ever get tired of this obedient life? If you could do anything in the world, what would it be?”

  “I can’t afford to live in a dream world. The only thing it does is break my heart.”

  “Just indulge me for a moment. Answer the question.”

  “I really don’t know. I have allowed myself to dream in the past, but I quickly forget. I really do want to be a wife. I just want the ability to choose my own husband. I want to be in love with the man I wake up to every morning. I want him to look at me like he wouldn’t exist without my love. And I want to live far away from here so our parents will not interfere with our relationship.

  “Eileen, you can have all that and more. There is this place that can help you. I saw an ad a while back and have been waiting for the right time to spring it on you. Well, you’re standing here in this dress looking like a boss chick is the right time.”

  Trina reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. It looked like an ad for something. She handed it to me, and I was shocked to say the least. Who has a mail order bride company in this day and age? Now a days, didn’t people meet online? I had to admit that my curiosity was peeked,

  “Girl, where did you get this?” I whispered as if the paper was contraband.

  “From a friend of mine. She used the service and is happily married to a wonderful man who adores her. She can’t say enough about the company and the owner.”

  “Yeah, but Madame Dragonfly sounds like a high-class prostitution ring. Am I that desperate?”

  “Yes, bitch you are! I’m making an appointment immediately.”

  We both started giggling, so caught up in our laughter we forgot the time. The demanding knocking and gruff voice of our mother permeated the small dressing room causing us to panic.

  “Here, help me get out of this dress before she sees.”

  My mother struck fear in my heart, but my sister had planted a seed in my mind with that dress and the flier. I still wasn’t sure I could defy my mother, but the thought was there. As I rushed to put my own clothes back on, Katrina straightened my dream dress up, hung it on a hanger and hid it behind the other dresses. I opened the door, and Mother barged in looking around the room as if she expected a man to be in there with me.

  “Why was that door locked and what was taking you so long?”

  “Oh, Mother, calm down. We were just having a sister moment. I was congratulating my big sister on her impending wedding. Is that such a crime. Geez!”

  Trina made a face letting me know she was talking about the matchmaker’s wedding and not the one with Anderson.

  “Don’t use that slang around me girl. I am not one of your little friends. Eileen, we are running late for brunch with your future mother-in-law. We need to get moving. And fix your hair, dear. I swear you are a hot mess today.”

  I rolled my eyes behind my mother’s back, thankful for the attendant who came back into the room to collect the unwanted gowns and return them to the rack. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Katrina hand the worker a credit card and whisper something in her ear. The lady smiled, grabbed the dress I had just tried on and rushed out of the room like her feet were on fire. That sister of mine. I am sure she promised that lady a big tip if she rang up the dress without my mother seeing. I loved that chick so much.

  Now it was off to the Spanish Inquisition. That’s what I jokingly called it anytime I had to deal with Anderson’s mother. Mrs. Winchester was hot blooded and hated my guts. She always wore her bleach blonde hair pulled tightly at the nape of her neck in a perfect bun. Her face the picture of disgust as she spewed negativity from her fire trap. The constant barrage of questions she launched made me feel like I was on trial for my life. One mishap and I would be burned at the stake. The woman was maddening and scary.

  I guess she could feel my lack of affection for her son. However, even if I did love him, I have a feeling she would still be the bane of my existence. In her opinion, no one was good enough for her sweet boy. The pimpled faced asshole. Anderson was a horrible person from birth. The way she raised him to be a self-centered misogynist would almost guarantee he would be an even worse husband. Was I really going to tether myself to this man for the rest of my life?

  As we exited the shop, I kissed my sister on the cheek, and we said our goodbyes. She was headed off to do her own thing while I was stuck having brunch with the only two women on earth that got under my skin.

  The nerves that I had been fighting since I woke up this morning were making a resurgence as we entered the restaurant. The Lighthouse was one of those places that had white tablecloths and fancy menus with ridiculous prices. I had no idea why Mrs. Winchester loved the place so much, except maybe she knew I was uncomfortable there. The atmosphere was stuffy, and the food was salty. The chef never heard about high sodium content in food causing high blood pressure. The man was heavy handed. After my first encounter with his cuisine, I made it a point to order the Cobb Salad with dressing on the side every time I dined there. Of course, that really stuck in my future mother-in-law’s craw.

  “Why do you always insist on ordering that blasted salad? The menu is chock full of delicious selections, but you
have yet to try any of them. It really annoys me.”

  I clutched my imaginary pearls and gave Mrs. Winchester a fake smile. She was used to seeing that expression on my face. It was a permanent fixture when she was around. My eyes widened in shock and I leaned forward to speak in my overexaggerated Southern Belle voice.

  “I do declare. I had no idea the mere act of ordering a salad for me to eat could be the cause of irritating someone to distraction. I never would have thought the food I choose to eat would be the source of so much anxiety for another person, especially when my parents were paying the bill, but I digress. Please forgive me for such a heinous act. Next time, I will be sure to get a big juicy steak so you can watch it masticate in my mouth as I talk.”

  I rolled my eyes and handed the menu to the waiter who smirked at my comment before walking away. Mrs. Winchester was fit to be tied and we had only been in each other’s presence three minutes. This was a new record, even for us. I excused myself to the restroom so I could splash some cold water on my face. The woman was hard to be around, and I needed a break. After getting myself together enough to resist the voices in my head telling me to choke this bitch out, I exited the bathroom and headed back to the table, hoping the salad I ordered would be waiting for me. What I heard as I approached the table stopped me in my tracks. My mother and Mrs. Winchester were arguing about her treatment of me.

  “Christine, you are sadly mistaken if you think I will allow you to abuse my daughter once she marries Andy. This agreement was made between our husbands, and though I think it archaic, I am going along with it to keep the peace. However, my child is not a punching bag. She was raised like a princess and she will be treated as such. Do I make myself clear?”

  Mrs. Winchester smirked at my mom as she picked up her cloth napkin and wiped the excess salt from her hands.