Page 93 of Theirs to Corrupt

“Pax showed up with a ticket, hotel reservations, and transportation to and from the airport both ways.” She shrugs. “Man won’t take no for an answer.”

I look up and unerringly find my husbands. Pax is watching us.

“He’s assigned a security detail to the place.” She shrugs. “Not that I need it.”

“Which…” I lean toward her. “What happened that night? I was so scared something happened to you.”

“Took care of the bastard.”

“Took care of…?” She can’t mean what I think she does.

“No one threatens or hurts the people I love and gets away with it.”

I blink.

“Pax handled the cleanup.”

Oh God. I remember the story about her sawed-off shotgun. And I have no doubts. Marge means exactly what I was afraid of.

“That’s all you’re getting from me.” She shrugs. “If you want to hear more, ask Pax.”

I nod.

When the song ends, Natalie and David return, cutting off conversation, which is fine because Link and Pax join us.

“Sorry to sweep her away from you,” Link says. “Maybe we can get together when we’re all in Houston.”

After promising we’ll make arrangements later, Link moves me toward more new people, including Matteo Moretti. He’saccompanied by bodyguards, but he’s polite, though his dark eyes miss nothing.

The man is unsettling as hell.

I can’t imagine how it was possible to get this many high-profile people in the same room.

And every minute, more guests seem to be arriving.

“Ready for our first dance as a married trio?” Link finally asks.

The DJ asks for the floor to be cleared and announces that we’ll be out there alone for a while.

Link takes my hand and leads me to the middle, beneath a spotlight. Pax is off to one side, Marcella and her camera next to him.

The opening notes of “Something” by the Beatles begin to play.

He pulls me close, and beneath my ear is the reassuring pounding of his heart.

His body is warm and strong, and the song achingly romantic.

If only this was a wedding we both wanted.

Softly he croons the lyrics, only for me.

Surprised by the resonance of voice, I look up at him as we sway to the ballad.

Our guests, even the room fades away, and for a moment, it feels like we’re the only two people in the world.

“I chose this song on purpose.”

Halfway through the song, Link turns me over to Pax.

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