Page 130 of I Stop Somewhere Waiting For You

“I thought your mom wasn’t allowing you and Luc to see each other before the wedding?”

“She’s not,” Daph replies, her response causing my brow to furrow in confusion.

“Well, then what…” My words die out as my eyes dip low, catching a glimpse of her finger as she continues to fidget with the ring. It’s brief, and for a moment I think I imagined it until the diamond spins on another pass, confirming what I originally observed to be true. “Daph, is that what I think it is?” My gaze snaps forward, jaw slack.

Her stare holds mine, a small tight-lipped smile gracing her face. “Trust that I’ve got this, okay?”

I pull her into me, wrapping my arms tight around her as I bury my face in her hair. “I love you so much, Daph.”

“I love you too, boo. Now, let’s go get these boys outta the mess they made.” She releases me, quickly adjusting her boobs before straightening the top of her dress. “Us bitches have to do all the heavy lifting around here.”

I snort, grabbing my bouquet from the vanity as she unlocks the door so we can make our exit. “Lead the way, babe. I got your back.”

***

MAV

“You look like shit.” I encounter Nicky at the main bar off the lobby, drowning his sorrows in three fingers of scotch. “Nice jacket, though. Almost makes up for your shitty mood.” I pretend to brush off the shoulders of his navy blue and silver paisley print tuxedo jacket.

“Fuck you, Mav.” He snickers with a slight shake of his head. “And you know damn well your uncultured ass doesn’t like this jacket. Nice black on black on black by the way. Original.” Nicky makes a dramatic show of rolling his eyes at me.

I come to settle beside him, clapping him on the back in a show of solidarity. “Wanna talk about it?”

Nicky lets out a deep sigh, eyeing me up and down as though debating his response. “Let’s make it through today, first. If we’re still standing at the end? Fuck yeah, I’ll wanna talk about it.”

I offer a supportive nod while signaling to the bartender to bring us another round. Nicky tosses back the remaining liquid in his glass, swapping it out for the fresh one placed in front of him.

“Can I ask you one question?”

Nicky shoots me a look from the corner of his eye before gesturing toward me with his drink. “You’re going to whether I say yes or not, so have at it.”

“Daph’s been in love with you for years, Nick. That’s no secret. Why didn’t you lock that down forever ago?”

Nicky sets the crystal tumbler down, his gaze following, peering into the shallow glass of scotch as though it holds the secrets to the universe. For a moment I think he’s going to blow me off, but then he speaks.

“I tell myself it’s for the same reason I worked so hard to keep you and Baby J apart. That I’m keeping her safe. That being with me will ruin her. But the truth? The things I feel for her scare the ever-loving shit out of me.” He attempts to laugh, but it comes out more as a scoff. Nicky scrubs a hand over his face before running his fingers through his hair. “I’m a coward. That woman has given me every opportunity imaginable, and I have continuously failed her. That stops from here on out. However, I’m scared she’s had enough of my shit.” He looks to me once more in earnest. “How’d you get my sister to forgive you? What’s the secret?”

I polish off the rest of my scotch, placing my glass on the bar with a smirk. “Sorry, fucker. There’s no quick fix to that. You get on your undeserving knees and you grovel. Cry, plead… hell, you beg for your Queen to take you back. You tell her she’s the greatest thing that ever happened to you and you will fucking die of a broken heart without her in your life. Then you pray to whatever God exists that she takes pity on your miserable existence and gives you another chance.”

“And that speech worked for my sister?”

I shrug, arching my brow. “The orgasms that accompanied it sure as shit didn’t hurt my case.”

“Motherfu—” Nicky punches me in the arm as I swat him away, the two of us chuckling as we shove one another a few more times. “Okay,” he exhales as we settle down, “so… beg. Fuck, I hate relinquishing control.”

“You’re not in control. Neither of us are. Not when it comes to them. Let it go, Nick. Fucking fall. And trust she’ll be there to catch you.” Nicky nods slowly, retrieving a hundred from his wallet and slapping it down on the bar. “So,” I eye him suspiciously, “you gonna tell me what’s going on today?”

“You know the plan.” Rising from his seat, he drains his glass before readjusting his jacket.

I pin him with a look. “That’s not what I mean and you know it.”

“And ruin the surprise? Never.” He makes his way toward the ballrooms, where several other guests are heading at this point. “Maverick.” He stops, glancing back over his shoulder. “Will you do me a favor? Come with me. Make sure I don’t shoot anybody during this shit show.”

“I gotta be honest, Nick, I can’t guarantee I won’t shoot anybody.” I fall in line beside him as we continue onward.

“That’s fine.” Nicky holds out his fist, which I promptly bump with my own. “At least we’ll go down swinging together.”

***

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