Page 84 of Dex

DEX

I don’t know why I suggested we kiss.

I do know.

I orchestrated that kiss, because I haven’t been able to stop thinking of her.I wanted her lips on mine, and that kiss at the altar wasn’t the time or place for reliving our first kiss.

But that kiss just now.

Un-fucking-believable.

Daniela blinks at me a few times.Our guests clap excitedly.But we don’t see them.Or look at them.We only have eyes for one another.I don’t even want to see what my brothers’ reactions are.

If she were a hookup, we’d have fun getting her out of that wedding dress tonight.

But she’s not a hookup.

She’s nothing of the sort.

And that type of relationship?That’s clearly not going to happen.But, at this rate, I’m not going to be able to sleep tonight, unless I take a cold shower or two.We can’t have the type of night that a kiss like this leads to.

We both lift our glasses and sip at the same time.Thankfully, dinner is served and I manage to distract myself.With the food slowly being served, the mood changes from celebratory to muted conversation.Daniela and I eat in silence as mindful servers tend to our every need.

After we’ve eaten, Daniela and I make small talk, commenting on how good the food is.We talk about the wedding, and the guests.She points out members of her extended family, her friends, and Raquel.

Family members and business moguls move between tables, discussing alliances, financial strategies, and what this marriage means for both families.The reception buzzes around us; champagne flutes clinking, conversations dipping between business deals and false pleasantries.

I should be paying attention to the spectacle, watching how my father networks and ingratiates himself with those he deems worthy.But I find myself watching Daniela as she talks to people who come up and congratulate us.Most of them are people she knows, as only the Knights came from our side, not our friends or business associates.I’m sure my father will have something planned for us when we return home, some PR stunt to celebrate the first Knight wedding.

When we return home.

My insides feel heavy when I think of what that will entail.Daniela will move into my apartment, my comfortable haven of security, my bachelor pad.I’ll have to share with her.

Only for seven months.

Maybe less.

The more time I spend with her, the more uncomfortable I get about continuing with this ruse.Watching her, I can’t help but admire her poise and her politeness, at her smiles and bubbly laughter as she converses easily with the guests, most of whom I don’t know.

I marvel at the way she takes my hand and introduces me to them, gushes about me, telling them how we met and how much she loves me and how she knew I was the one for her.

She’s an accomplished liar

And a beautiful one at that.

We’re sitting on our thrones again when her expression tightens.It’s so pronounced, that I sit up and take notice.A shadow falls over our table.

“Ah, Daniela.”The voice is rich, and practiced.Confident, but too familiar.I glance up, my fingers tightening around my champagne glass as a portly man and many years older invades our space like an insect that doesn’t belong.

He looks to be in his late fifties, maybe early sixties, silver hair slicked back, suit impeccable, posture dripping with entitlement.The kind of man who doesn’t hear ‘no’ very often.

I don’t know who the hell he is.But my wife does, and she stills beside me, her fingers curling into her lap.

Not a good sign.

“I was surprised to receive an invitation to your reception,” the man muses, not looking at me once, his gaze lingering on Daniela like he’s memorizing every inch of her.“I’m delighted to be here.I couldn’t miss it, of course.Such an important union.”He reaches for her hand and she gives it, reluctantly.I know her well enough to know this much.He lifts it toward his worm-like lips and kisses it.Too slow.Too long.

A beat passes.One second too many.

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