Page 8 of One More Kiss

My grandfather had constantly told me I’d marry his best friend’s granddaughter one day. Even at eighteen, over twenty years ago, I’d accepted that as the duty I had to fulfill. But I didn’t have to like it.

What I hadn’t expected was to want Lily as much as I did. Or to feel anything, really. From the moment I saw her again when I returned from LA, I couldn’t catch my breath. Howard had pushed us together time and again, but he didn’t have to do that. I was hooked from the moment she smiled and threw herself into my arms for a hug when I walked through the lobby doors, ready to take over the reins Howard was finally eager to relinquish.

“Nash!” She’d giggled, hugging me, and I actually found myself twirling her around. People stopped to stare, but I didn’t care. Holding her, smelling the sweetness of her hair, seeing the genuine affection in her dark-blue eyes, I’d been enthralled. “Welcome home. I missed you so much.”

Not two weeks later, she was in my bed.

I could practically see the wedding bells in Howard’s eyes, and I’d been ready to tell him to start planning the ceremony.

But then he died and threw everything into a tailspin.

He didn’t know it, but he’d finally given me an out and one I wasn’t going to waste. All I needed to do was wait until after Lily’s birthday, and I’d finally be rid of her idiot father. Then I could kick Joseph out, and Lily and I could keep growing our grandfathers’ legacy.

That was still two weeks away, though. Two more weeks of making sure Nicole didn’t run her mouth.

Joseph was lucky I loved his daughter, or I would have already murdered him. He’d tanked the deal I’d been working on for years to open a third Royal Phoenix, one that had the potential to be even more successful than the ones in Vegas and LA combined.

Six years, I’d been working on the business deal, and in two weeks, Joseph had caused it to crash and burn right in front of my eyes. Then the fool had wasted even more of my time by keeping me from Lily with his bumbling apologies and half-cocked ideas for a different location. We’d spent the better part of two hours that morning arguing before Joseph had had to take a call.

Which was when Nicole had thought it was a good time to give me her two cents about what she thought of my not marrying Lily.

When Nicole had first shown up in Vegas, I’d known her game all too well. She’d been pestering me after our breakup. More like stalking me until I left. My lack of interest when she started dating Joseph had sent her into a rage at first. Then she’d somehow convinced him to marry her, and she’d started making Lily’s life hell. Sometime in the last month or so, she’d finally calmed down. I had to assume that was when Joseph had told her about the details of the will.

Now, she was scrambling to hold on to the comforts of being a Royal, all of which would fade when Lily’s birthday came and went without a wedding announcement. It was going to be even worse for Nicole when half the money she loved to spend was gone.

Even with only half the funds, Joseph still had the potential for living a life of enough comfort and luxury to last six lifetimes. But with the way his new wife liked to spend money, I doubted it would last a decade.

Not my problem.

Lily would be taken care of, and that was all that mattered to me. After her birthday, once the Royal Phoenix was no longer at risk from Joseph, Lily and I would get married, and I would gift her half of the hotel, like Howard should have straight up done to begin with.

All I needed was two more weeks, damn it.

Walking through the small sitting area, I saw a book lying on her favorite chair and smiled, imagining her curled up with a blanket over her lap as she read. Her soft, floral scent filled the room, draining away some of my tension, and I quietly let myself into her bedroom.

Only to find it empty.

“Damn it,” I groaned, pulling my phone from my pocket. I’d promised her I would only be gone an hour. But with the bullshit Nicole had thrown at me, it had taken closer to three.

Lily was already upset with me about something. It had shadowed her beautiful eyes when she’d stood in front of my desk that morning.

Me: I’m sorry.

A long moment passed before the bubbles popped up, alerting me she was typing a reply.

Delilah: What exactly are you sorry for, Nash?

I hated that her name was programmed as “Delilah” in my phone and not “My Lily.” Until her birthday, I needed us to remain a secret. I didn’t trust Joseph not to use our relationship to somehow extend the will mandates.

Me: You were unwell yesterday. This morning, you looked like you hadn’t slept. You need to rest.

Delilah: Avoiding the question and telling me I look like crap all in one. Such a sweet…business partner. Associate? Hmm. Not sure which term is more appropriate. But you’re right. I do need to rest. Winston gave me a few days off. I’m going to be at Sam’s.

Jealousy twisted in my gut. Sam. I hated that little fucker. He was always touching her, kissing her, taunting me with things I couldn’t openly have for a little longer. Lily glowed under his attentive affection. He and Stef were always sniffing around.

I didn’t know which was worse. Her best friend or her fucking gynecologist. It pissed me off every time he smiled at her. That prick knew what my woman’s pussy looked like up close.

Me: You don’t need me to tell you that you’re beautiful. All you need is a mirror.

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