Page 67 of Corrupt Vows

Serenity squints at me in disapproval. I shake my head and keep my eyes on the road as I quip, “I’d still smack your hand if you reached for the dash.”

“Is this a married couple thing? Preferential treatment?” Natalie asks with so much attitude I expect to see her preteen self when I glance in the rearview mirror.

“Yes. Only my wife can touch my radio.”

After a moment of flicking her gaze between Serenity and me, Natalie nods and sits back.

“I approve. Keep chipping away, Serenity. You’ll tame him in no time, like I knew you would.”

Serenity coughs into her hand to hide her surprised snort, but eventually gives in and openly laughs so hard she cries.

“The makeup artist is going to be mad. I’m all blotchy,” she says once she calms herself.

I quirk a brow as she obviously avoids explaining what she found so funny, but she opens her visor and wipes her tears with her eyes trained on her reflection.

“Eh, that’s what trial runs are for, right? Preparing for the worst-case scenario?” Natalie responds.

I park at the wedding gown shop and escort Serenity on my right arm and Natalie on my left. The attendants insist Serenity go back alone, but I check the dressing area despite knowing Ermanno just cleared the place and left through the back door as we entered. I give Serenity a heated kiss before releasing her into the care of the intense-looking woman in charge of the entire operation.

Natalie plops onto the far side of the couch and accepts a cup of tea as I sit back.

“How long does this usually take?” I ask.

She rolls her eyes and sets her teacup down with a clink.

“Are you bored already?”

I shrug. She sighs.

“You can’t rush perfection. Besides, this is the first fitting. Just be patient, would you?”

I prop my phone on my thigh and lift it between pinched fingers before rotating and letting it slip back down. Natalie eyes my fidgeting and shakes her head.

“Do you have somewhere else you need to be?”

Her scathing tone pulls a smile from me.

“Not at all. I’malmostright where I want to be,” I say with my eyes trained on the dressing room door.

“Wow, you got itrealbad, don’t you, big bro?” she says in her most obnoxious macho man impression. I quirk a brow and meet her gaze. She looks me up and down as though she’s never seen me before.

“What do you mean?” I ask.

She scoffs.

“You’re head over heels in love with Serenity, aren’t you?”

The revelation shouldn’t shock me, but hearing the words out loud resonates so profoundly within me I can’t believe I never thought them to myself before.

“I am.”

The confession slips from my lips with ease. Natalie smiles and wriggles back onto the couch.

“She could do so much better than you, but she seems to love you anyway, so I’m happy for you both.”

I stop fiddling with my phone and work through her words before leaning over and mussing her hair.

“Thanks, Natalie.”

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