Page 81 of Billionaire Devil

It feels like an unbearably long time.

I start walking toward the bar when my phone vibrates in my pocket.

I pull it out, expecting it to be one of those bitches who made her mad at me, but it’s a Zoom call.

From all three of my brothers.

Which almost makes me laugh. I answer the call. “Wow, a group chat. To what do I owe the astounding pleasure of having all three of my brothers interrogating me at the same time? Must be my lucky day.”

“Where are you?” Alexander asks. I can see from the background he’s by his rooftop pool.

“I’m sure you know from your tracking devices but I’ll tell you anyway. I’m in Malibu.”

“At the wedding?” Cash is clearly back in Hawaii. Palm trees frame the background and he’s wearing a Hawaiian shirt.

“Not that it’s any of your business, but yes. At the wedding.”

“Dude, we’re worried about you.” Noah’s in the Hamptons, out on his deck. The same deck where I first saw her.It’s hard to believe that was only a week ago. So much has happened since then. “Tell us more about this girl you’ve run off with.”

“She’s the maid of honor.” I offer the bare minimum. “She’s helping the bride get ready.”

“Are things getting serious between you two?” Cash sounds amused by this. Everything’s amusing to him these days, which is a complete 180 from how uptight he used to be before he met Dusty. I finally get why.

Except that I’m even more uptight now.Because what if she fucking leaves me?“You could say that.” Do I rip the band-aid off now? Or wait until I get back to New York? She made me promise not to tell Jessie, but she didn’t say anything about not telling my brothers. Fuck it. “We got married in Vegas.”

It’s not often that all three of my brothers are speechless, especially at the same time. I almost savor the moment.

Alexander recovers first, shaking his head. “Very funny.”

“We got married in that chapel right there on the strip. She’s moving in with me when we get back to New York tomorrow.”

Yes, I’m still ironing out a few of the details, but I’ll get my way because it’s the only end result I can live with.

Noah still thinks I’m joking. “Our lawyers didn’t mention it, but I’m sure you did the only reasonable thing and drew up an air-tight pre-nup before vowing your life away?”

“Nope. No pre-nup. Just a pure love match that’s going to last a lifetime.”

Total silence.

“Still waiting for the punchline, Colton,” Noah says.

“You want a punchline? Here’s a punchline: I’m in love with her.”

More silence.

Alex is still hoping I’m joking. “And you met her, what, a week ago?”

It’s notthatshocking is it? “What’s the problem? Cash, Alex, you get it. We’ve had front row seats to your own total meltdowns and happily ever afters. Don’t judge me. I found the girl of my dreams and now she’s my wife.”

Noah’s incredulous, but Cash and Alex went down just as fast. “That’s it, I’m coming out there. You’ve lost your mind.”

“When you know, you know.” I’m standing near a bench that looks over the ocean. I have a good view of the new arrivals as they get dropped off by the fountain beyond the tables.

Most of the guests have arrived and a few ushers are guiding people to their seats. Music is starting up.

And someone new has just arrived at the wedding.

I don’t recognize his face because I’ve only heard his name in passing but I know exactly who he is.

---