Page 85 of Lords of Ruin: Savage

Sophie sniffles. “I—I think I’m gonna cry.”

Jasmine, always the cool one, just nods. “Same, babe. Same.”

Brooke is practically glowing with pride. “I knew it. You look like royalty.”

I laugh softly, feeling the weight of everything settle into place. The dress feels like it’s everything I’ve dreamed of for this day, and more.

As I adjust the train, my thoughts drift for a moment—toward the wedding, toward what comes next. I bite my lip, feeling the shift of my heart. Then I turn to them, my smile softening.

“Listen,” I begin, “there’s something I need to say.”

They all look at me, suddenly a bit more serious.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about the wedding,” I continue, “and I know it’s kind of….rushed, but I want you all to be there. I want you all to come, no matter what.”

Brooke raises an eyebrow. “No bridesmaids?” she asks, a teasing smile tugging at her lips.

I shake my head. “No bridesmaids,” I confirm. “But I’ve been thinking—if there were groomsmen, then you guys would be first on the list. I just want you to be there. I want all of you there. Because you’re my family.”

Rudy gasps dramatically, clutching his chest. “Oh my god,you’re making me emotional!”

“Same,” Sophie says, wiping at her eyes. “That’s beautiful.”

Jasmine steps forward, wrapping her arms around me in a tight hug. “You know we wouldn’t miss it. But you better believe we’re gonna show up looking fierce. No way are we letting you have all the fun.”

I laugh, the knot in my chest loosening a little more with each passing second.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” I say softly.

Rudy sighs dreamily. “This is gonna be the best wedding ever. I can already feel it.”

“Hell yeah,” Jasmine agrees, her eyes twinkling. “Best wedding, best dress, best people.”

I glance at them all—my best friends, my support system—and feel my heart swell. No matter what happens, I know that this day will be filled with love, and I can’t wait to share it with all of them.

“Okay, okay, enough of the emotional stuff,” Rudy says, wiping away a dramatic tear. “Let’s go get some mimosas and celebrate, huh?”

“Best idea you’ve had all day,” I agree, still smiling.

32

WILLOW

“Bachelorette?”Vincent repeats, his voice low, dripping with a mixture of disbelief and possession. He’s lounging back on his bed, arms stretched out, his posture effortlessly relaxed, but his eyes follow my every move.

I glance at him through the mirror, adjusting the dangling earrings in my ears, the cool metal against my skin a contrast to the heat building in my chest. His gaze doesn’t leave me for a second, and the air between us thickens.

“Yeah,” I reply, my voice soft, though there’s a hint of teasing. “Just a small get-together with the girls before the wedding. Nothing crazy. You know most people have bachelor and bachelorette parties.”

He raises an eyebrow, a smirk pulling at the corner of his lips. “Really— and do those people intend on staying married?”

I chuckle, stepping closer to the bed where he lies. “Come on, that's not what bachelorette parties are about. They’re about mourning the death of the single life.”

His eyes narrow, his lips curl into a grimace. “I don't need to mourn the single life. It was the worst part of my life.”

I freeze for a second, my fingers frozen mid-motion as I finish adjusting the earrings. I turn slowly to face him, the soft fabric of my dress shifting over my curves.

“Oh?” I ask, my tone playful, but my pulse quickening at the tension thickening between us. “And why’s that?”

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