Page 117 of Priceless

For the first time, thoughts of the future didn’t fill me with fear, but with hope. Every sign and signal told me they did not necessarily see an end, and even though it was still fast, I found myself hoping it was real and not them merely being kind to their temporary wife.

Boats filled with locals and tourists cut through the water, the latter with cameras pointed at every possible angle. There were even those long black boats tilting to the side and their owners, dressed to the nines, pushing their charges along with poles that reached the bottom of the canals.

Micah came out of the bedroom with a smile. He was dressed, but casually. It still shocked me to see them in clothes like ‘normal’ people. “What will the press do when they see you in a t-shirt?” I asked.

“Hopefully ask me where I got it, and then I can plug the new Firefly men’s line.” He smirked before noting the blueberry muffin in my hand and then the basket of them with no other kinds. “Are they good?”

I moaned in response. It was, quite possibly, the best muffin I’d ever had. And I had no idea whether it was because it was actually good, or because we were in Venisi and I was sparklingly happy so everything would taste good.

He was in the middle of making his own coffee when Cameron came out and started looking at everything. Then he burst out laughing. “Well, they certainly worked fast. I wonder how many papers they had to pulp to print that headline.”

“What?”

I hadn’t noticed the stack of papers next to the food. Cam brought one over with his coffee and eggs, setting it on the chair beside me. The picture was me. Or rather, Everett kissing the hell out of me while the others looked on, smiling.

BILLIONAIRES RUIN BED WITH NEW WIFE

A quick glance at the article told me there was a vague quote from a ‘hotel insider,’ followed by a discussion of the event and Everett’s declaration about me being their Omega. But I couldn’t stop staring at the headline. “Oh my god.”

Cam was still smiling in amusement, but his eyes were careful as he reached one hand for mine. “Are you all right?”

“I—” Closing my mouth, I swallowed. “I’m honestly not sure. I’m fine, but shocked, and… why do they even care? Is being with me really that shocking?”

I hadn’t realized the source of the hurt until I said it out loud. Because still, after all of this, was them being with a fat woman really the end of the world?

“Hardly,” Micah said. “It’s just the newness of it, princess. We don’t go many places. When we do, it draws attention even if we wished it didn’t. The fact that we’re boldly offering ourselves to the press with the wedding and now this is an anomaly. The media loves anything that’s new and different.”

Everett stood in the doorway, glowering. “Though the hotel needs to keep a better leash on their staff if they ever want our business again.”

I smiled at that. He would absolutely follow through on the threat. “It’s a beautiful hotel.”

“There are plenty of beautiful hotels in Venisi, little nymph. We’ll find one whose staff doesn’t race to reveal its guest’s secrets.”

The fact that they were acting so normal about it made me feel better. One thing I noticed—the picture was… incredible. The angle it was taken from captured Everett’s tongue as it slipped into my mouth. It showed the way my fingers had instinctively gripped the lapels of his tuxedo and the way his fingers curled around the back of my neck.

My dress looked good, and even though the picture was from the side, I didn’t feel like it had turned me into a whale. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt comfortable with a picture fully from the side. But my size didn’t matter. What mattered was the look on my face.

Bliss.

The look on his face, too. Like he was lost in me. Micah and Cameron watching with proud smiles. It was a great picture. Finally, I looked back at Cam. “I’m good. I like the picture, and even though I’m not really looking forward to seeing what other people have to say about it, I don’t mind.”

“It’s an incredible picture. And if any of the bullshit gets past Clara, let us know.”

“I will.”

Everett extended his hand to me. “Last day of hurrying on other people’s schedules, wife. We need to get to the plane. But once we’re on it and on the way to Grecia, we’re all free.”

Grecia. Excitement bubbled up in my chest. I wanted to wander streets that were ancient and see ruins that had stood for a thousand years. The fact that it was happening at all was incredible. With them? I shuddered.

“How much time do I have?”

“We’ll leave as soon as you’re ready.”

I left the robe behind in the kitchen, racing to dress.

40

FERN

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