“I don’t want a wedding,” I say. “Just you and me, and that’s all.”

  “So a justice of the peace thing?” he asks.

  I don’t even know what that means. And I feel like an idiot. Like a young idiot. I’m exactly what he says I am—too young. I shouldn’t be doing this. I shouldn’t be doing any of it. Maybe I should have just told him no and come up with some different kind of plan. My thoughts disappear when he continues.

  “At the courthouse,” he says. “Just you, me, and a judge.”

  “Yes,” I exhale. “That’s what I want.”

  “Then it’s what you’ll have, Goldie.”

  Then it’s what you’ll have, Goldie. My whole heart melts. That’s what I’ll have. That’s what I will have. I can’t imagine finding a man like him in a million years. Love and babies aside, this is better than I could have ever dreamed.

  VAUGHN

  I want to fuck her again, but I don’t. Instead, I lean forward and touch my lips to hers, then clear my throat and lie down, gathering her in my arms. I can tell she wants me inside her again, too, but I need to think.

  I demanded she marry me, and I won’t change my mind on that. I’ll marry her tomorrow if I can. However, I can’t help but think that I’m fucking her life up and fucking her over. I’m just not sure if I care enough to stop myself, or maybe I care too much for her to stop myself.

  Elodie lets out a heavy sigh, shifting closer to me, wrapping her arm around my waist as she presses her body against my side. Her breathing evens out, and I know when she’s fallen asleep.

  I close my eyes but don’t sleep, rather just breathe. I love the way she feels against me. Physical touch is not something I thought I would ever be okay with, except with her. I love to feel Elodie’s body next to mine.

  My phone buzzes on the nightstand, and I reluctantly slip out of bed, sliding my thumb across the screen as I walk into the living room. Standing with my legs planted wide, I look out at the town lights below me. I’m not really focusing on anything, my hand on my hip as I say, “Hello.”

  “It was a long night, but I have everything loaded. Do you have a price point for each hit?”

  I can’t believe Lucille is calling me in the middle of the fucking night. “Lucille, why are you calling me in the middle of the night?”

  I’m not mad. I’m more amused because she’s crazy as fuck, this one. Always has been, always will be, and I’ll be damned, but it’s endearing.

  “Baby was up, so I figured I’d get this done,” she murmurs, sounding distracted.

  I almost tell her that money is no object, but then I decide against it. I want there to be something left over for her, for Elodie. That way, if she ever wanted to go out on her own, she could live her life any way she wanted to.

  “Fair market value,” I say. “You do it too high, people are going to start digging. You do it too low, no biters.”

  Lucille chuckles. “I love you guys, all of you. Smartest bunch of men on the damn planet.”

  Letting out a snort, I clear my throat. “It’s not us guys who are the smart ones. Between you and the other two girls, I can’t imagine how we made it without you.”

  She ends the call a few moments later, telling me that she’ll see me in the morning sometime, and that’s that. I don’t go straight to bed, but slowly shift my gaze down to the sidewalk, looking down and across the street.

  The PI is there, his eyes on me. I don’t know if he can see anything except perhaps my shadow, but he’s standing out there watching me, meaning I could go downstairs to the other condo and take care of him in about thirty seconds.

  I don’t, though.

  I’m going to let the dark web take care of that shit for me… For the first time, I’m going to pay someone else to do my dirty work. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about that, and I’m still not. I’ll have to wait until the jobs are done, but I thought it would piss me off not being able to find that brand of relief, something I have counted on for years.

  “Vaughn,” a sweet voice calls out.

  Turning my head, I smirk at the sight of Elodie making her way toward me. She doesn’t stop, her gaze focused on me and only me.

  “Why are you up?” she asks

  “Lucille was finalizing things. She wanted to ask me about some numbers.”

  Elodie hums. “In the middle of the night?”

  “It’s Lucille,” I state, knowing that is explanation enough.

  Elodie laughs softly. She has only met the woman today, yet I know she realizes that’s just who she is. Taking a step toward her, I reach out to grip her waist before I position her so her front is facing the window.

  If that asshole wants to watch me, he’s going to get a goddamn show one more time before he dies. So that’s what I do. I wrap my fingers around her hips, tugging them out and tipping them to the perfect angle.

  Her tits on the glass, cheek pressed against the cool surface, I gently slide myself inside her warm center. Lifting my eyes, I look over her shoulder and directly at that asshole. My lips twitch into a smile, and I hold it there while I fuck my woman.

  Mine.

  My soon-to-be wife.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  VAUGHN

  Walking into the office, Elodie at my side, I feel as if I can breathe easier. I don’t know if it’s because Lucille sent me a confirmation about three in the morning that all the names were up on the web, prices attached.

  Now we just wait.

  And I can’t go causing any trouble while we do. I can’t take on any jobs, either. I need to keep myself in the eye of the public, ensure alibis, and marry Elodie. So, it’s out of my hands at this point, which is a sensation I didn’t think I would like, but I find I don’t mind it.

  “We have a new client who needs an in-home estimate. It’s in the Hays Barton neighborhood in Raleigh. Big finance guy wants every inch of it covered,” Theron says as he walks into my office. “He’s expecting someone between ten and noon. I’ll send you the address.”

  He is looking down at his phone as he turns around and walks out of the office, focused and in business mode for the day. A few seconds later, I receive a text and look at the address. It’s going to take me a good thirty minutes to get there.

  I haven’t done anything for the business at all in so long that this feels very out of my element. But it seems as if my little side hobby is now over, so I should spend my time on the actual business I am a partner in.

  And this will be a good job to get my feet wet again. When my phone rings in my hand, I arch a brow at the number on the screen. I don’t recognize it. Sliding my thumb across the screen, I lift it to my ear and greet the person on the other end of the line.

  “You killed my brother,” the man states.

  I don’t ask who it is. I know. But I’ll never say a fucking word about it, not to him or anyone else. Clearing my throat, I lean back in my chair as I wait for him to say something.

  I’m met with silence.

  “Admit it, you piece of shit. I just want to know why.”

  “I can’t admit something I haven’t done to someone I don’t know,” I drawl. “Who are you? And am I supposed to know your brother?”

  The person on the other end of the line growls, and I almost laugh, but don’t. Instead, I stay silent and wait. He’s going to frustrate himself and, hopefully, embarrass himself, too. He thinks he’s doing something big here. He’s the guy with the big dick, hiring a PI and following Elodie and, in turn, me.

  “You know exactly who he was. You staged it, didn’t you? The murder.”

  “If I knew what you were talking about, if I knew who you were talking about, then maybe I could answer your asinine questions. But I don’t. Please don’t call me again.”

  Ending the call, I shove my phone in my pocket and stand from my desk before I go in search of Elodie. I can hear her chattering echoing through the room. I follow the sound of her laughter, and that’s when I see her and Nadine huddled in front of a computer screen.

  “What are you looking for?” I ask.

  Both of them lift their eyes, peering over the screen at me. “You know what we’re looking for,” Nadine replies, her voice sweet and soft.

  “Do I?” I ask.

  “Wedding dresses,” Elodie says, flicking her gaze down from mine to the screen.

  My brows knit together. I’m confused, and I know they see the expression on my face. “For the justice of the peace, something simple, but a white dress,” Nadine explains.

  “I like the sound of that. If you girls go out shopping, have one of the guys go with you. I have a job I need to go to the site for in Raleigh.”

  Elodie stands almost instantly at my words. She quickly moves toward me and then stops when she’s just a few inches away. She places her hands on my chest, tipping her head backward until her eyes find mine.

  “Is everything okay?” she asks.

  She seems panicked, which causes me concern. I curl my fingers around her biceps, holding her close to me. Dipping my chin, I touch my mouth to hers with a brush of my lips.

  “I should ask you the same thing.”

  She shakes her head and takes a step backward, but I don’t release her biceps. My fingers stay firmly curled around her arms before I gently flex them, holding her tighter.

  “I just… can I go with you?”

  My lips twitch into a smirk. “Goldie,” I rasp, “it’s a jobsite. I have to do measurements and get everything to put together a quote, and then I’m back here. You’ll be safe.”

  “I’m not worried about me,” she whispers.

  “Yes, you are.”

  She shakes her head a couple of times. “No, really. It’s you I’m worried about.”

  Pulling her close to me, I hold her against my chest, touching my lips to the top of her head. I inhale her scent, letting it fill my nostrils and consume me.

  “There is nothing to worry about. Find your dress, and tomorrow, we’ll get the wedding details worked out. Hopefully, by the end of the day, we’ll be married.”

  I release her and take a step backward, then extend my finger and touch the center of her chin. My gaze focuses on hers. My cock twitches beneath my jeans, and I want nothing more than to fuck her right here in the middle of this room.

  “Be a good girl while I’m gone,” I murmur.

  She doesn’t say another word, and I don’t give her the opportunity to, either. I turn around and walk out of the office. If I don’t leave now, I’m going to fuck her again, and then I’ll miss the window of time that Theron promised the new client.

  ELODIE

  I have a bad feeling. It’s deep in my gut, twisting and turning, coiling like a snake. I’ve never felt like this before, but a shiver of terror slides down my spine as I watch Vaughn walk out of the office door.

  I wish he would stay here and sit at his desk and work. That’s what I wish because I feel like something is going to happen. Something bad. I have no idea what it could be, but something just feels… off. Maybe it’s just me. Maybe it’s my own trauma. I try really hard to ignore it all, and if Vaughn senses any danger at all, he doesn’t show me anything.

  “Is everything okay?” Nadine asks, her voice soft and lyrical.

  Tearing my gaze away from the empty room that Vaughn just walked out of, I look over at her. I can see the concern in her face. She clearly notices that I’m feeling off, but I try not to say anything. I don’t want to seem overly nervous.

  “I’ll be fine,” I lie.

  “Liar,” she says, calling me out on it, her lips curving up into a grin.

  “I just have a bad feeling, but I’m sure it doesn’t mean anything. I’m being overreactive.”

  Nadine shakes her head and moves toward me, and then I feel her arms wrap around my shoulders, pulling me in for an embrace. Letting out a sigh, I accept the hug. I feel comforted by her, by this hug.

  Other than Vaughn, I’ve never really had much human interaction that wasn’t painful. This is refreshing, and I feel absolutely at peace. The hug also makes me feel like everything is going to be okay. Whatever my fears are, they vanish almost instantly.

  “It’s going to be okay. This whole thing is just stressful, especially with that investigator watching your every move,” she murmurs. “And now you’re going to have a quick wedding. It’s a lot for anyone.”

  “What are we hugging about?” Lucille’s voice calls out, interrupting Nadine’s comforting speech.

  We both turn our heads and glance at Lucille, who is standing in the doorway with a drink carrier full of iced coffees and a playful smile plastered on her lips. She is dressed elegantly and looks like she should be running a Fortune 500 company.

  She’s a bad bitch to the highest degree, and she’s got the formidable personality and brains to back it up. I wish I could be more like her… more like any of these three women. But I don’t think I could ever be. I’m not smart enough, not strong enough, and not mature enough.

  “Elodie is getting married tomorrow… well, maybe tomorrow. We’re going dress shopping after lunch,” Nadine interrupts my thoughts.

  Lucille’s eyes widen at the same time her mouth curves into an even bigger grin. “Nice,” she hisses. “Getting rid of bad guys, getting married, all at the same time. I am so here for it.”

  Nadine and I separate as she turns toward Lucille, slipping the drink carrier from her hands. A few moments later, Colette walks into the office, and the four of us drink our coffees while they discuss the wedding, or rather, the nonwedding.

  But I can’t concentrate on anything because I can think about nothing but Vaughn’s safety. The comfort and peace from the hug have vanished, and I’m back inside my own head again.

  I’m not even sure what the conversation around me is about. All I can hear are voices swirling. Then someone asks me if I’m ready for lunch. I shake my head, my eyes blinking a few times as I come out of my head. As I’m brought back out of my thoughts.

  “Lunch?” I ask.

  Lucille laughs as though she knows exactly where I’ve been. “Lunch, then dress shopping. Let’s go.”

  And go we do.

  Lunch and then shopping, which proves to be much more stressful than I imagined it would be, especially since this isn’t a big wedding, or really much of one at all. I try on a dozen dresses, but none of them are my style… or rather, Vaughn’s style, because I don’t even have a style.

  Any clothes I’ve ever had, someone else has picked out for me… mostly my father, but Vaughn had a few outfits delivered to the condo. All of which have always felt like I was playing dress-up, even as beautiful as they are. I don’t know what my style is, and this venture makes it even more apparent.

  “Maybe I am just too young,” I murmur as I stand in the slinky nightgown-looking white dress. It’s ridiculous on me.

  Lucille snorts. “You’re not,” she states. “You just need something… cuter.”

  “Cuter?” I ask.

  I try to tamp down the shiver of disgust. Thoughts of my father, of the little girl outfits he would make me wear for men, come rushing back to my mind. As much as I try to push them down, they’re there, playing on a loop.

  “Cuter,” Lucille confirms. “Nothing cutesy, but nothing overly sexy, either.”

  I don’t respond to her words. I don’t know what to even think, let alone say. I try as hard as I can to shake the thoughts away. I wish I could just forget my past. That I could make it all go away. But I can’t, and I hate that it comes up at the most inconvenient times.

  Like right now, when I’m supposed to be buying a dress for the most important day of my life.

  “Elodie,” Colette’s voice calls out.

  I’m shaken from my thoughts. Colette stays fairly quiet, so hearing her soft voice rattles me. Turning to her, I arch a brow, waiting for her to finish whatever it is she’s going to say. She has my full and undivided attention.

  “You’re beautiful. You don’t have to wear a white dress. Is there another color you want to wear?”

  God. This woman. She is so damn sweet. “I like yellow,” I say, feeling stupid, really damn stupid.

  Colette smiles. Without another word, she and the rest of the girls stand and quietly disappear, leaving me alone and standing in the slinky, super-sexy gown. A few moments later, Colette, Lucille, and Nadine walk into the room carrying two yellow dresses each.

  The moment I slip one on my body, I let out a sigh of relief. It’s as if just the color, or maybe the fabric, has a calming effect on me. I don’t even need to look in the mirror to know that this is the one.

  When I do shift around to look in the mirror, I let out a gasp at the sight of my reflection. It’s a strapless corset-style top with an A-line skirt that skims the floor. It’s stunning and buttercream yellow.

  This is it.

  I don’t even have to show them. I know this is the dress. This is what I want to wear to marry the man I’m deeply in love with. This doesn’t make me look sexy, doesn’t make me look like I’m trying too hard.

  This makes me feel beautiful.

  I walk out into the room where the three women are waiting, step onto the little pedestal, and face the mirrors. These three mirrors solidify the fact that this is my dress. Nobody can tell me shit in this dress. It’s amazing and gorgeous, and I don’t look like I’m playing dress-up in my mom’s clothes.

  This is me.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  VAUGHN

  The house isn’t just a house. It’s basically a mansion. I don’t spend a lot of time in the city, but the fact that a neighborhood with houses of this magnitude exists inside the city of Raleigh just shows how rapidly the city has grown around it.

  Just a few years ago, it didn’t seem so congested. Now, it’s a nightmare to even drive within city limits, which is why I prefer Nights over the capital city.

  When I pull up to the gated entrance of the home I’m scheduled to visit, I reach out and touch the keypad. There is a little speaker button, so I touch that and wait for someone to respond.

 

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