Page 50 of Bourbon and Proof

“What aren’t you telling me?” he asks. It’s an out-of-character moment for him. Lincoln rarely asks too many questions.

I hate keeping anything from him, including the role that his wife is playing in all of this, but some of it needs to be quiet until the timing is right. I settle on, “There are a lot of moving parts. But I promise you that I won’t hurt Hadley.”

“Not intentionally,” he says, brow furrowed as he looks at me intently. “But this isn’t a business deal. Regardless of how you’reapproaching it.” When I open my mouth to speak, he holds up his hand and cuts off my rebuttal. “I will punch you in the dick if she ends up crying over you.”

Quirking my eyebrow, I rest my fist under my chin. “You done?”

He nods, slapping his hands on his thighs as he stands. “Done.”

I’m going to get punched for the few secrets I still need to keep from him, but it would be worth it, providing everything worked out. My phone vibrates in my pocket. I’m instantly distracted when I see it’s a call from Del.

“Yeah, Del?” I answer as Lincoln watches.

I hold up my finger to keep my brother from leaving, but he stands anyway.

“Ace, we couldn’t get a confirmation on the men you reported at Finch & King stables, but the plates we pulled from the security footage were registered to a stolen vehicle up in the Tri-State area,” Del says from the other end of the line. “My guess is old associates of Finch, and based on what you said, they don’t seem friendly. I’ll make sure my guys on the house arrest detail do a sweep between shifts.”

It isn’t a surprise that Del didn’t find much. I appreciated his support, but oftentimes, Fiasco PD got in the way instead of helping.

As soon as I hang up, I throw out a text to someone who will get this done.

ACE

I’m going to need you to do a little hunting.

THE ARCHITECT

Sounds fun. I’m in.

ACE

Two men walked into Finch & King horse stables.

THE ARCHITECT

I don’t do jokes so I’m assuming I get to deliver the punchline?

ACE

That would be ideal.

I crack my neck. I know she’ll find them. She should have been my first call.

“I’ll take the fact that you’re distracted now as your way of telling me you’re done with this conversation,” Lincoln says, and I glance up just in time for him to add, “Don’t hurt her, big brother,” as he’s walking out.

That’s exactly what I’m trying to keep from happening. This goes beyond some pissed-off trainers and other workers left without jobs and paychecks. There’s only one other time in my life when I saw her scared like that, and I’m not going to allow it ever again. Her father is going to pay heavily for putting her in front of his mess.

And it starts by making her my wife.

Chapter 20

Hadley

May: Wearing a Saint Laurent tux as the bride. Oh yeah, and marrying Ace Foxx, regardless of whether or not it’s “real.”

MaryJune Howser nearly spits out her chamomile tea when Ace steps up to the window at town hall and asks for a marriage license. She snort-laughs, taking in his crisp black suit and the white-collared shirt that’s unbuttoned at the top, sans a tie, of course. I roll my eyes at how stupidly attractive he looks.

I’ve never been one to fidget much when I feel good in what I’m wearing, and today, I feel really fucking sexy. I decided on repurposing the tuxedo I wore for Lincoln’s wedding. It was Saint Laurent, and I bought it thinking that I’d only ever wear it once. With my aggressively tall stilettos, it’s absolutely the right choice. This is an agreement between friends, for lack of a better explanation, and a marriage of convenience. I wasn’t going towear a pretty white dress. Despite the mixed signals and a life-altering kiss, this is a business deal.

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