Page 20 of Say I Do

I wrappedmy hand around the gun beneath my pillow. As I woke up, the coolness of the steel reassured me that it was right there if I needed it. Slowly, I peeled my eyes open and immediately groaned.

Everything hurt.

I grunted as I peeled myself off the couch. Giancarlo had crashed there more than once when we had to work late, and I had no idea how he hopped up the next morning with no problem. I stretched, every vertebra in my back popping as I did.

Shit. I need to get back in my bed.

I thought about last night with Harlow and quickly dismissed that idea. There was no way in hell I would share a bed with a man who was intent on either killing me or the both of us. I kept my circle small and surrounded myself with trusted friends and family. Harlow was neither of those things. I needed to keep him at arm’s length. Probably even further than that.

The image of him in those lacy black panties flashed through my mind. I’d never seen a man in panties before. Sure, I’d gotten a glimpse of it through internet porn, but it was never something I’d sought out. Harlow wrapped in lace was not something I had prepared for. Neither had my cock.

“You’re letting me down,” I groaned as I tugged out the waistband of my pants and stared at my dick getting harder. “What’s wrong with you?”

The thing usually only lit up if a soft woman was in the room. I’d always had a thing for the type that liked to cook, clean, and suck cock. The perfect woman, as my father said. In truth, I liked them because they were so much different than my mother.

Harlow was nothing like that. The way he’d slammed me down was anything but soft and sweet. I still couldn’t believe he’d gotten me down, that he had been able to pin me. There was more strength and skill to him than I’d anticipated.

Groaning, I pushed my fingers through my hair. This was why men were clear nos for me. Harlow might look soft in some places, but he was a pain in the ass. My ex had been the same, a fluke that I’d indulged in. Just like him, Harlow would be pushed out of my mind soon enough.

I shook my head to clear it of Harlow as I made my way to the coffee maker. Once I popped in a pod and prepped my mug with chocolate syrup, I tapped my fingers on the counter. My phone buzzed against my thigh. I pulled it out, groaned, and hit answer.

“Yes?”

“Yo!” Giancarlo yelled entirely too loudly so early in the morning. “How’s shit with your blushing bride?”

“The blushing bride is a dangerous dickhead,” I muttered. “What do you want? Make it quick, okay? I got shit to do.”

“Yeah, I know. Lunch date with the devil, huh? Shit’s gonna be wild.”

I grunted. “You don’t have to tell me. Don’t forget we have a dinner planned.”

“Speaking of dinner, I was thinking about wearing—”

“No.”

“Come on! You haven’t even heard what I was going to say!”

“Whatever it is, no,” I reiterated. “You will wear a normal suit. Ash! Can you hear me?”

“Yes, I can hear you, Benito.”

A sigh of relief slipped free. If there was one person who could rein in my brother, it was Ash. His little boyfriend, no fiancé now, who had once been a shy, sweet thing, had grown a backbone. It was refreshing, especially since someone needed to keep a leash on Gin, and that person couldn’t be me anymore. I had too much shit on my plate.

“I picked him out a nice Saint Laurent with a respectable but fun tie. Trust me. I’m not letting him go out dressed in his tiger shirt again.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that shirt!”

“Everything is wrong with it,” Ash muttered. “It turns you into a douchebag.” As Gin protested, Ash cleared his throat. “Is there anything we need to do for dinner?”

“No. Show up well-dressed and be on your best behavior. As far as the media knows, this is a nice family dinner. That’s what I leaked to them anyway.”

“We’ll be there,” Ash said. “Is your husband really that bad?”

“Worse,” I muttered as I took my mug and dumped sugar into it. “I just want to get through today.”

“See you soon, bro!” Gin called.

“Jesus, Gin. The wheel. Will youholdthe goddamn wheel!”

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