Page 12 of Southpaw Slots

“Lettingis a bold term. I don’t know. She seems kinda prissy to me. Maybe she’ll want to live back home. I’ll just knock her up and she can live with her asshole of a brother.”

Taking a step back, Cass inspects me with a once-over as Dave leans against the far wall, finishing his cigarette. In his mumbled deep voice, he says, “So you’ve talked with her, then.”

I run my hands through my hair as I check out my image in the mirror. Everything is perfect. No speck of dust on the expensive fabric, and my shoes are polished to a mirror shine. Bitch wanted cream and gold roses to “combine our houses,” or so Kline told me. She forced Max to pay for someone to spray paint fucking roses and, like a sucker, he did. I tuck one into my lapel with disgust. “Who?”

“Uh…your wife. You’ve talked to her, then.”

“Nah, nah.” Grabbing my crotch, I give my dick a shake. “I only let this do my talking for me.” The guys chuckle, but there’s no mirth behind it. They must be feeling what I am, which is trapped. Like we’re losing something we thought we’d always have. Good times, fun, and freedom.

What I don’t want to tell them, what I never could admit, is that there’re these hopes I have. And maybe they’re stupid dreams, but what if…

Nah, I shouldn’t even think about it.

Well, what if we fall in love and have something special, like my parents did? What if she wants a big family and to have a home and she’s like my soulmate or some shit?

So ridiculous. Plus, it would be playing right into Max’s hands by treating her like royalty. Irritating him feels like my new goal in life, and if I treated his sister right, he’d enjoy it too much.

“Mr. Donovan, it’s time.” Kline sticks his weaselly little head through the door and taps on his wristwatch. Nodding at him, the guys down their drinks or snuff out their blunts and we all exit together. As a pack. Jinx tosses his arm around me and wipes his teary eyes with a thumb.

It feels like I’m on death row being led to the electric chair.

In the chapel, it seems everyone from East and South Side tried to squeeze in to see the main event. I don’t know most of these people, but there’s Livia sitting in the front row like a demigoddess, so full of herself that there’s no room for anyone else near her. Heard the Freidenbergs’ guards were dropping like flies. Dumb fuck stole from Zayne straight up, and his girlfriend had his men nail one of their main guards to the Freidenberg front door. At least that’s what Dash told me.

Why is this taking so long? There better be good champagne at the party. Ugh, I’d kill for some blow after this. Just gotta knock her up as soon as possibleand then I can die. Hopefully, she’s not a prude. That’ll be a problem for my dick. It has needs.

Where is she anyway? Are we on her time now? Hoss makes some type of seal cough behind me, and I snap a look at him, but he just shrugs his shoulders.

Just when I’m about to walk out, the music starts up, and the doors at the back of the room fly open. There’s Max in a black tux and…

My heart literally stops beating, and sweat pours from my forehead. Closing my mouth from the gasp I just let out, my breathing returns in slow inhales at the vision of her.

The empress.

A tiara on top of her head drifting into some billowy, white veil covering her rich chocolate locks of hair that have been curled into gentle, feminine waves. As if her figure needed any help, her face is exquisite, eyes permanently molded into seductive shapes with a set of full, pouty lips. Her body… Almost biting my knuckle to keep from letting out a whimper of strain, my gaze drifts down every inch of her curves. A plump bosom nearly spills out of her strapless organza gown, which is covered in tiny flowers, and ends in a dramatically long train. Despite the puffiness of the skirt, her waist is tiny, and I’ve seen her hips and ass once before. It’s all I could think about when I did.

She’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Like someone just opened a gate to Heaven and she is the source of the light.

Waltzing eloquently up the aisle, her dark eyes crawl up my torso until they lock onto my face. Hers holds a question, but mine probably shows something like awe. When she nears the bottom step, I’ve forgotten about the whole show we’re supposed to do until the officiant clears his throat and I reach for her hand, taking it from Max.

With barely a glance at her brother, who narrows his bear eyes at me with a warning, I snag her cool palm in my warm one and help her rise to the top of the stage. A peppering of pink colors her cheeks as she stands before me, and now that she’s close, I can make out the color of her eyes. They aren’t that ugly flat brown, but the color of a solar eclipse on a sunny day. Shielded by long black lashes that aren’t even fake, but the real deal, and her ears catch my notice only because…they’re unadorned. It’s surprising. And refreshing in some odd way.

“Hi,” escapes me in a reverent whisper at the creature, hoping to not scare her away.

Ruddy lips part in a small smile as a breath huffs through them in a delicate laugh. “Hello.”

“Well, now that you’ve met, let’s begin the ceremony!” the officiant says, and I hear the audience erupt into guffaws, but my attention stays focused on her as if there’s nothing else that exists.

What does she drink in the mornings? Coffee? Tea?

Does she like all the lights on in the house?

Is she cold natured, want the heat on even in the summer? ’Cause I’m pretty hot, but maybe for her, I’d be willing to turn off the air conditioning.

Maybe.

“Sir?”

“What?” Suddenly, I realize the officiant has been talking to me and everyone laughs again.

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