Page 55 of Malicious Wedding

“How good are we talking?”

I finally turn in her direction. “It was so good that I have a bite-shaped bruise on my ass, my legs are killing me, and I want to do it again tonight.”

She whistles, eyes wide. “Good for you,” she says with actual sincerity.

“Don’t tell Keely when she gets here, okay? She’ll die.”

“Your sex life secret is in the vault.” She mocks zipping her lips, which is kind of meaningless with Bernie. That girl can’t keep anything to herself. “I take it life is good with the evil gangster husband then?”

“Eh.” I tilt my head from side to side.

“Good-ish?”

“Complicated. Leaning towardfine.”

“What’s the problem? Sounds like sex isn’t an issue.”

“No, the sex is amazing, it’s just—” I rub my face with both hands. “I promised myself a long time ago I wouldn’t get involved with guys like Carson. I cut out my entirefamilyto make it happen. Now, I’m married to him. It’s like, all those years of not talking to my brother, I could’ve just been less of an idiot. I’m the biggest hypocrite in the world.”

Bernie puts her chin on one fist. “You probably never would’ve married Carson if you hadn’t cut Iain out,” Bernie muses, tapping her lower lip. “But it doesn’t matter now. You married him because you got thrown into a shitty situation that’s outside of your control. You’re doing what you think is right to protect yourself and the bar. I don’t know, it almost seems admirable to me.”

“True,” I say, continuing to sweep up. “I am extremely admirable. But I don’t need to fuck him.”

“Right. That’s a want.”

The others trickle in throughout the morning. Even Fulco shows up an hour before his shift to help get the place in good shape. By the time we’re ready to open, it’s almost like that attack the day before never happened.

Except for the two angry-looking Irish thugs stationed outside. They’re not flanking the door, thankfully, but they are lingering on the next-door stoop.

“That one’s my thumb,” Keely whispers, nodding to a bald guy with a pug face as we crane our necks out the front door.

“Okay, I can see the resemblance.” We jump back inside when Thumb notices us staring at him.

Strangely, the day goes by without any issues. The regulars show up at their regular time, order their regular drinks, and make their regular small talk. Some new customers come through, have lunch, buy drinks, and overall business is pretty good. Not amazing, but fine.

Everything isfine.

I’m happy, buzzing through the day, trying not to think about my situation, still high on the best sex of my life, when Carson shows up just after five.

Everyone goes quiet when he walks into the door. It’s like an old Wild West showdown. I glare at Bernie, Keely, and Jamila as they stare at my husband like a pack of horny wolves. “Get back to work, you three.”

“Nah,” Keely says, leaning back, ogling Carson. “I’m good. I think I’ll stay right here and enjoy the show.”

Jamila smacks her arm. “Don’t be a jerk. Sorry, Ash.”

Keely rolls her eyes but allows herself to be led away.

I walk over to meet with my husband, acutely aware of Bernie watching from behind the bar. She’s probably got one hand on the baseball bat.

“Wife,” he says as I approach.

“Carson.” I give him a sweet smile, refusing to say the name I know he wants to hear. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

He scowls. “I brought you something. Two somethings, actually. Would you like what’s in my right pocket or my left pocket first?”

“I swear, if you’re about to whip your dick out, I’ll scream.”

He sighs, closing his eyes. “Just pick.”

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