Page 39 of Enforcer

“Uh-oh, he must have some devious plan to see how your day is going. Whatever will you do?”

Her sarcasm is not appreciated, and I roll my eyes.

I swipe his message away, not answering it as I place my phone on the table and press my forehead to the cold marble.

“He kissed me,” I tell Brynne, and she lets my admission hover a bit before saying anything.

“Okay? And?”

“He hasn’t kissed anyone since Anna.”

“Holy fuck.” I hear Brynne exhale shakily. “Wait, he told you about Anna?”

“He did, and Brynne? I don’t know if I should tell you this, but I think we need to keep an eye on him. I know this is your big day, but Anna’s service was at St. Andrews.”

“Oh, God.” I hear her sniffle, and I know she’s crying. She and Dante got close these last few weeks, and I know she’s sad for him to face this. “Why would he go there and set all this up? It doesn’t make sense.”

I smile. “Because he loves you. He wants you to have the best wedding ever. I’ve looked at the pictures of St. Andrews, girl. It’s beautiful.”

“I know, so did I. I had no idea...” she trails off.

“I know you didn’t. Slate knows. It’s why he asked him last night if he was alright.”

“I caught that, too. I was going to ask him, but then after you left...”

I grin, knowing where that sentence is headed.

“I really think you should give him a chance. If not now, let him grow on you, Lyss.”

I bite my cheek. “It’s just so hard to unlearn and undo all I’ve done to become who I am. As long as I can remember, I didn’twant a man or a family, B. I wanted to do this life on my own, blowing through life like a wild tumbleweed.”

“You still can,” she counters. “Dante won’t dull your shine. I know he won’t. Shit, the last few days, you’ve been shimmering brighter. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I have.”

“I know, B. It’s just... I can’t focus on him and me right now. I’m focusing on you, okay?”

“Got it. We’re still on for dress shopping tomorrow?” she asks.

“Absolutely! Are you sure you don’t want to attend the cake tasting tonight? That’s usually something for the bride and groom to do together.”

She sighs. “No. I know you’ll pick something I’ll love, and Slate and I have some merger shit to get handled.”

“Got it. No worries, I’ll get it done. Love you, B.”

“Love you, Lyss. Talk later.”

My phone pings again as I end the call—another text.

I know you read that. Are you still playing hard to get? I love a game; I’ll play along if I have to.

I can’t help the grin that plays on my lips, but as Lorenzo and Antonio come down the hall, bonding over the fact that I lost it on them, I swipe the message away.

They sit down and look at one another before Lorenzo says, “We’ve decided on a flower.”

“Doesn’t matter, Brynne wants Orchids.”

The two of them fire up again at the fact they lost their vote, and I eye my phone as I tune their new argument out, fighting with myself over whether or not I’m going to cave and text him back.

Before I can talk myself out of it, I grab it and type out a quick message.

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