Page 98 of Knight Life In Vegas

“And you two will be on horseback?”

“Mhmm.” Dylan grinned. “You should get some handkerchiefs and tie them on our arms like they used to do with knights back in the day.”

Charlotte slid off her stool and rose on her toes to kiss him, but drew away before he could scoop her up. “I could, if you’d like.”

I met her partway as she moved closer to me, again rising up so she could reach me. Her lips were soft and sweet against mine, a brush of warmth compared to all the fire I knew she contained.

“Make sure you cheer for us tonight,” I told her, trailing my knuckles over her cheek. “I’ll be watching for you in the crowds.”

She sank against me, nestling into my arms that wrapped so readily around her. “Thank you for being so patient with me. I know I’m not what you signed up for.”

“Querida, just because I didn’t know what I was signing up for doesn’t mean I have a single regret about doing it. You’re ours, and I will cherish every moment you give us.”

Charlotte hummed softly and drew away. “I must’ve been a saint in a past life to be gifted alphas so sweet.”

I tipped her chin up and pressed my lips to hers again. “Go on and see your bondmates. I’m sure the new bond must be chafing to be away from them.”

“You’re not wrong.” She let out a long breath and nodded. “I’ll see you later tonight.”

“Of course.”

She trotted off, leaving Dylan and me staring after her.

“Dude, you’re in fuckingdeep.”

“And you’re not?”

“I didn’t say that.” Dylan laughed. “I’m just as far gone.”

I’d never thought it was possible to fall so fast, but Charlotte was proving me wrong on a lot of fronts. I’d do just about anything to make her smile, to feel the trust she placed in me even when she was afraid. Her ex-husband might not have appreciated her, but I’d rather fucking die than ever let her feel that way with us. She deserved the whole world, and I’d give it to her on a platter before too long.

This was going to be a fucking disaster. I’d waited too long. I knew it. I couldn’t avoid Charlotte’s birthday party either, both because I wanted to be there for her, but also because that would probably piss off Bryce even more and make it blatantly obvious I was avoiding him.

Honestly, I was almost impressed with how incredibly shitty the timing of everything was. Bryce didn’t know about all of theplans I’d had before Charlotte rolled onto the scene, didn’t know I’d had Autumn book me flights twice a month for visits so I could start to rebuild my relationship with him and not miss too much of my granddaughter’s life. All of those were irrelevant since I’d moved here and I knew the only thing he would see was that I had done that for Charlotte, not for him.

I had failed him.

Again.

Regardless of my intentions, that was what it came down to.

We were all in the back room, getting outfitted at Dylan’s insistence. Bryce’s gaze kept sweeping over me, sharp as a blade. Ava’s curiosity was softer, as was the rest of their pack’s, waiting for some explanation I wasn’t sure how to give them. Charlotte had invited her friend Madison as well, and Madison’s alpha, who looked like he would rather be anywhere else. All the alphas, myself included, wore squire livery. The ladies were in the serving maiden outfits, and Charlotte was in one of the spare queen gowns, sparkling like the goddess I knew her to be.

“I need to talk to you.” Bryce finally approached me and I slammed down on my surge of panic, so it didn’t go directly to Charlotte. I wasn’t ready for this discussion, but it was my own fucking fault Bryce didn’t know what had been happening.

Francisco passed me his keychain. “You can use my office. Dinner service starts in fifteen minutes. We’ll announce Charlotte before the show begins an hour after that.”

I took the keys, squeezing the cool metal until it bit into my palm. I led Bryce to the office and locked us away inside of it. No one else needed to hear what he had to say to me.

“What the fuck, Dad?” Bryce rounded on me, hurt bright in his amber-brown eyes.

Emily’s eyes.

“You don’t call. You don’t text. You don’t fucking visit when you’ve moved to the same goddamn city as me. Why am I seeing you for Charlotte’s birthday and not before now?”

I opened my mouth to speak, but Bryce carried on, letting all my failures pour from his mouth.

“Do I mean so fucking little to you that you can’t even be bothered to see me? You said you were going to be better. God, I can’t believe I fell for that.”

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