Page 133 of A Dark Duet

When I grab one of the dolls with happy tears streaming down my cheeks, I ask, “How did you know that I loved Barbie?”

He slides a strand of my hair behind my ear. “There is this ballerina I know that told me she would lend her best friend her Barbies to play with but you would never take one home with you because of an evil mother that would be upset someone gave you a doll instead of money. She told me you loved Barbies and that you actually looked like one of them.” He grabs one and places the box next to my face and I smile. “Yep, you look just like one, only better.”

I give him a deep kiss and thank him because I know I would have been excited about just having the dolls as gifts but who can deny real-life replicas of cars that Barbie would drive.

I give him a playful grin. “So, does this make you Ken?”

He grimaces and says, “Umm, no. I’m the bad boy that steals Barbie from Ken.”

Jaden

Ireceived a text from Nate that he received the information on the two assholes, Ben and Daniel, with their information. I also received a follow-up text from Ethan that says the same thing as he promised. I’m not concerned about Ethan because he can never love Briana like I can. He had his chance with his wife and because of his folly, she was killed. Briana is my responsibility, not his, and I will protect Briana and send a message to her mother to leave her alone or I will have her locked away in a rehab facility.

Walking inside the gym, I head into the office to see Nate.

“Hey brother, you got the message with the info?”

I nod, looking at the pictures of the bastards I’m going to kill. “Yeah,” I tell him, studying their profiles and planning on how I’m going to kill them. The rage that I feel for these two assholes who savagely hurt her has me on edge.

He waits until I glance at him while I take a seat in the chair across from the desk. “Are the other details about Briana’s birthday all set?”

Nate and Giselle are helping me throw Briana a birthday party, even if it is not her actual birthday, but who cares? I missed it because I was too stupid to realize my girl was struggling and I wasn’t there for her. I decided a belated birthday party was going to happen for my girl.

“Yep, Giselle is more excited about it than planning our wedding. She said her dream was for Briana and her both to be married so they could even plan on having their babies close to each other. They wanted their kids to grow up close in age and like siblings.”

My head snaps up, listening to what Giselle has told Nate. An idea forms in my head and I smile, angling my head toward the picture of all of us. “Then let’s give it to them. Let’s do it. Are you down for that?”

He raises his brows. “I’m down if you’re down, but a lot of things have to happen first.”

I sigh. “Yeah, they do. Did you hear from Morales’s team about canceling the fight?”

Nate slides his hand over his face. “Yeah, Zavier wants to pull out of his camp and find another team.” His eyes find mine. “He is canceling your third fight and wants to train with us in a different weight class and with Briana as his physical therapist.”

Rolling my shoulder, releasing the tension, my nostrils flare. “Do I have to kick his ass for him to stay away from Briana?”

He chuckles. “Nah, he made sure to tell me they are friends, and it is strictly professional, and he knows you guys are together. He saw your last fight. He wants to switch sides and be part of our team.”

“Fine, we’ll see what the kid’s got, and it would be good for Briana professionally. So one more fight?”

“Yep, you need Brie to help you through this one again before you take some time off. We will handle the other situation before though.”

He means we need to kill these bastards before the fight and then we’ll have a solid alibi.

“Good, I like it.”

Briana

It’s been a week since he gifted me the cars, I’m in the closet Jaden had built for me in his home, looking through the rows of shoes that would look good with my outfit.

“Those.” Giselle points to the silver strappy heels that would look beautiful with my white minidress.

“You don’t think they are too high?”

“Umm-no. I think you would look great in those, and your legs would look like they go on forever in those shoes.”

I pull them off the shelf and look at them. “Gianvitto Rossi.” I read out loud.

Jaden told me I could have Giselle over to his house, and she cannot believe the impressive home Jaden lives in, hidden away from everyone. He said he will try to work on inviting certain people he calls family. Nate and Giselle have been our family and so it was a no-brainer for him to agree when I asked if Giselle could come over and get ready for a night out. The guys are chatting in the living room, waiting for us to emerge from the master bedroom.

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