Page 50 of Wretched Heart
“Long enough to piss off Maddison’s ex though. I’d love to see the wedding photos of Barrett being left at the altar.”
“Jesus, is there anything that gets past you?”
Killian’s eyes harden briefly. “I hope not, Hunter, for all our sakes,” he says before his quick smile returns. “I don’t imagine Ash is too happy. You Griffins have a reputation for not getting distracted with love.”
“I’mnotdistracted,” I say pointedly. “And as for my marriage, I’d appreciate it if you kept it to yourself for now.”
Killian rocks back in his chair as he laughs. “You sneaky bastard. You haven’t told him yet, have you?”
“For fuck’s sake, Killian. Can we just keep to business?”
He nods. “Don’t worry. You can trust me.”
The twinkle in his eyes tells me different. If Killian can make use of the information he will, and I just have to hope that the news of my nuptials isn’t of particular value to him – other than the sheer entertainment factor of fucking with Ash’s head. Their friendship goes back a decade, and I just know Killian would love to be the one to break the news that Ash has a sister-in-law.
Killian is an additional problem I’d rather not have, but I know I’m fucked no matter how Ash finds out. And he will find out soon.
It’s the reason for the heavy weight of dread in my stomach when I board the flight back to Brimstage, but not the only reason. The return journey is painfully silent. Maddie is still pissed off with me. Seriously pissed.
When she’d come out of our hotel bedroom this morning, I’d been dozing in a chair – until I was rudely awakened by the sting of a wedding band glancing off my cheek.
“Bastard!”
That was the first word Maddie greeted me with, and technically the last, because she hasn’t spoken since, other than through one of my men, or our flight attendant.
When we touch down, I drive us home from theairfield. It’s Levi who draws the short straw of sitting at the back with my seething wife.
In spite of the frosty atmosphere, I still enjoy the view of Maddie storming into the house, her ass swaying beneath the tight fit of her camel-colored cashmere dress. I follow as she heads straight to her room. She goes to slam her door, but it bounces off my hand. I close it gently and rest my back against it.
“What is that?” Maddie demands, looking at the large box on her bed tied with a red bow.
“It’s your wedding gift.”
She harrumphs and goes to push it off the bed, but it’s too heavy. “I hope it’s a dinner service because I’d love to throw some plates at you right now.”
“Like you did with my wedding band?”
Maddie rounds on me, her blue eyes sparkling. “Oh! Was it aweddingband? Silly me. I did wonder what that lump of gold was meant to represent? That meaningless ceremony yesterday must have slipped my mind.”
I shove a hand in my pocket and take out the offending article. It feels heavier than it should as I slip it on my finger. “Happy now?”
“No.”
“Fine. Tell me why you’re angry,” I say calmly.
“You know why I’m angry!”
“I’d still like to hear it from you.”
Maddie stalks towards me until all I can smell is wild mint and lemon. “It might have just been business yesterday, but the least you could have shown me was some common courtesy. If I’d known you were going to leave me alone all night, I would have taken Melissa up on her offer of a night on the town. Maybe I could have asked if she and her boyfriend fancied a threesome so I didn’t have to spendmy wedding night alone. You slept in a fucking chair, Hunter!”
“If I share a bed with you, you know I won’t be able to keep my hands off you. This is how we manage it.”
“Manage what?” she screeches, flinging her arms in the air. “I swear to god, I don’t know why you’re so hung up about me being a virgin. Losing my virginity is not the worst thing that could, or has happened to me, Hunter. Pay attention. Iwantyou to fuck me!”
I put my hands behind my back, flattening my palms against the cool wood of the door to stop me from grabbing hold of her and ending this argument once and for all. Maddie notices, and rolls her eyes.
“When it comes to women, you’re such a coward.”
