Page 83 of Restrained

“You ready?”

She nods, looking completely sure. “Yes. I am.” She grins, taking a drink. “I’ve been ready for this for a long time.”

I look around the crowded ballroom of hotel number one. The grand opening is tonight, and I’ve hired a party planner to make it a party to celebrate the opening of the hotel and the marriage of my sister tomorrow.

Everyone is dressed up, but I wouldn’t say it’s too formal. My eyes can’t stay off Lola. Her long, blond hair is down and wavy. She’s wearing a sleeveless, flowy, white floral dress that sweepsthe floor but has a long slit up the side, showing off her long tan legs. Her beauty is effortless.

“And areyouready to get married?” Penelope’s eyes follow mine.

I straighten my tie and stand tall as I watch Lola talking to Vivienne and little Baz. “Soon.”

She smiles, taking another drink. Marriage had never crossed my mind before Lola, but now I think about it all the time.

“Who the fuck flies to Kansas from California in the winter?”

She laughs almost maniacally. “It’s not winter, you pussy.”

“It’s fucking close, and they’re calling for snow. On your wedding day.”

She looks happy. I haven’t known her very long, which is a really odd thing to say about my sister, but I can tell she wasn’t always like this. There’s pain hidden deep inside her, but she’s beaming tonight, ready to take that next step and me giving her shit isn’t going to ruin her good mood. “I’d marry him in the middle of a fucking tornado, or hurricane, or whatever the fuck. It’ll be fine.”

I wrap an arm around her shoulder and pull her in for a cautious hug because we’ve only hugged a handful of times. “Yeah. It will.”

She’s quiet for a moment but then asks, “Do you think she was ever happy?”

“Our mom?” I don’t really need to ask. I know who she’s talking about.

“Yes.”

Why the hell are we talking about her? We’ve hung out several times since that first day and this is the first time we’ve talked about her since then. “I don’t know, but she wasn’t when I knew her. She was busy causing chaos and bringing as much pain as she could to others.”

“Yeah.” I pull back enough to see tears in her eyes as she looks up at me. “Why do you think she hated us so much?”

Okay, so maybe something can ruin her good mood. What the hell?I turn to face her straight on, holding her shoulders. “Don’t let her do this. You turned out to be this amazing, strong woman despite coming from that evil witch. She does not get to ruin your wedding for you.”

“I hear her.” It’s a whisper that makes my blood run cold.

“You what?”

“I hear her calling me her tragedy. I swear the happier I get the louder it is.”

“I thought we talked about that?” I tease, wanting so badly to lighten the mood, but that’s never really been my thing. Not until I met Lola. My eyes find hers across the room. I see her concern, but she doesn’t move to join us.

Penelope’s eyes fall to the floor. “I think it’ll always be in me, Hayden. Her calling me her tragedy, saying I'll hurt anyone who dares to love me.”

I swallow the bile creeping up my throat, thinking about her saying those same words to me. A six-year-old? Who the fuck hates a six-year-old? “Fuck her.” Her eyes lift to mine again. “Fuck. Her. Penelope.” I use my hand to gently turn her head toward Lincoln, who is definitely watching us and looking like he’s ready to punch me because of the defeated look on Penelope's face. “He loves you. He needs you. So do all the Sterlings. You haven’t brought tragedy down on them, you helped them heal.”

“Colt died because of me.”

She waves Lincoln off, calming him as she turns back to me. “What are you talking about?”

“He got drunk and pissed the night he died because I broke up with him. Because I was in love with Linc. I cheated on himwith Lincoln.” She looks guilty, and I hate it for her. Guilt can do horrible things to a person.

“So, you always loved Linc?”

She nods. “I loved Colt too. Just differently. And now, I'm getting married tomorrow where he died, which was my fault. But this was my idea, and now I'm freaking out.”

Women.

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