Page 41 of Devious Kingpin
“You look beautiful,” Davina cooed, clasping her hands together. I had forgotten about my friends.
“Very beautiful,” Wynter agreed, padding over to me and giving me a small smile. I was always the bad-tempered troublemaker. Wynter was always the peacemaker. My cousin lost herself in her sports. Whatever she lacked in affection from family, she got it from ice-skating. And me… I was left somewhere in between missing Dad, Killian, and Aunt Aisling’s affection while trying to find myself.
Whenever I acted out, Dad and Killian came to deal with me. It was exactly the result I needed and wanted. But then, Travis, Brandon, and Sam happened. That had left me alone. The shame was too great. The blame was a self-inflicted wound that kept festering.
“Look.” My cousin’s voice interrupted my trip down memory lane.
With gentle hands on my shoulders, Wynter spun me around to face the full-length mirror before I could protest. My eyes met my reflection and a small gasp tore from my lips. I didn’t recognize myself. I looked beautiful and innocent.
Except, I was neither.
My hair was fashioned into a long French braid with diamonds weaved into it. The white dress mocked my virginal status that was stolen from me. It was an off-the-shoulder corset dress with crystal trim around the top and lace and flowers adorning the bottom part that stretched to the ground.
Heat prickled my skin. Panic spread through my veins. My breaths came out harsher.
“Breathe, Jules,” Wynter murmured softly.
“We can always kill him,” Ivy suggested. Unhelpfully. “Although that might make Wynter’s relationship with her husband awkward.”
Wynter rolled her eyes. “We’re not killing Dante. They are already married. This is just Uncle Liam giving his approval.”
I stopped listening to them. It didn’t matter what this was, I knew where it led. Tonight. In the same bed.
Don’t think about that, I scolded myself.
Dante was hot as sin. Attraction was definitely there. I didn’t panic when we had sex the other night. Of course, I couldn’t remember that night at all. In fact, Dante hadn’t exactly said we had sex, so maybe we never went that far.
Fuck!
My gaze shifted from my reflection to the window. Clear blue skies. The sun was shining. Even birds chirped. Calmness engulfed me. I’d make it through this. I’d made it through worse and survived.
If only I knew whether I believed myself.
Feigning a smile, I smoothed down the dress and stepped off the box. My heart thundered wildly. I’d killed men, yet this terrified me more. Committing to Dante. Trusting him with my life and my secrets.
Because I knew one thing for sure, they were bound to come out.
The door swung open and Emory was back. The smile on her face resembled my own. It was fake as shit, but there was something else there. Deep in her eyes so similar to her brothers.
It almost looked like… guilt.
“It’s time. The priest is waiting downstairs,” she announced, her voice trembling.
I mustered a smile. “Let’s get married, then.”
CHAPTER19
Dante
Juliette was a fucking sight to behold.
I couldn’t look away from her as she walked down the makeshift aisle. Toward me. The dress hugged her curves that I couldn’t wait to explore. I couldn’t wait to lay claim to every inch of her body and hear her moans. I wanted to own them all and make her forget everything and everyone before me.
Juliette’s gaze met mine. She chewed on her bottom lip, and with each step, her complexion seemed to pale further. If I were a decent man, I’d put a stop to this. But I wasn’t. And I’d waited too long for this.
For her.
Juliette stopped beside me and I took her hand into mine. It trembled. It was cold as I gripped it gently, hoping to reassure her. For all her sassiness and bravery, this woman sometimes reminded me of a scared little girl hiding under her tough bravado.
