Page 38 of Shattered Desires

“Now, look into his eyes, Isla. Tell your hunka-hunka burning love that you promise to be his forever.”

A tear rolls down Isla’s cheek, and I’m not sure if it’s from their laughter or love, or maybe a mix of both.

“I promise to be yours forever,” she says, sliding the ring onto his finger.

Elvis grabs his belt and does a little hip roll before he continues. “And Isla, say, I promise I will never leave you.”

Isla does as she’s told.

Elvis says, “At the heartbreak hotel.”

More laughter erupts from all of us as Isla repeats the words. Bordeaux winks at her, and I struggle to contain my laughter.

“It is my complete and total honor to announce that you two have now committed to each other forever and to introduce you to the crowd as husband and wife. Bordeaux, go on, man, kiss your bride, baby!” Elvis claps as Bordeaux makes a show of kissing Isla before dipping her backward.

We all stand as Elvis starts to sing “Teddy Bear,” and Isla and Bordeaux walk hand in hand back down the aisle, both of them laughing and crying at the same time.

“Now we party!” Bordeaux pumps his fist in the air as Isla blindly tosses her plastic bouquet of flowers into the pews. Miller catches it and throws it as fast as he can, as if the damn thing scalds his fingers.

While I know that the silly superstition of a woman catching a bouquet at a wedding and then getting married next is just that—a superstition—part of me can’t help but wish Declan would have caught it. I may be a little intoxicated from the pure rush of the two of us finally crossing that imaginary line we drew for ourselves all those years ago, but I can’t deny the thought crossing my mind.

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24

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DECLAN

We’ve all made it to one of Las Vegas’s hot spots, which means our security guards are working overtime to make sure people can’t get past their border. We’ve only been at the bar about an hour, but I swear, I’ve seen thousands of camera flashes going off. People are screaming at us, asking for autographs and photos, and we’ve obliged for some, but now we just want to hang out with our friends and celebrate Isla and B’s shotgun nuptials.I still can’t believe Isla and Bordeaux are married. It feels like they’ve been together forever, like Isla has always been part of our circle, even though it’s only been a couple of years. I’ve seen so many changes in both of them, and definitely for the better. Isla is more laid back, goofier, more carefree. And Bordeaux has learned that he is capable of love—and being loved in return.

I scan the bar and enjoy the dark and moody vibe it offers, with neon signs and photos taking up every square inch of wall space. The music isn’t too over the top, so we can at least talk and hear each other.

I’m four vodka cranberries in, celebrating to the best of my drunken abilities. Spence rubs my leg under the table, and the liquor flowing in my veins—along with my want for him—throws my center into overdrive. All I can think about is when the two of us get back to my room. I want him again… and again, and again. I’m ready to go now, just thinking about the way he feels inside me.

“Let’s play a drinking game!” Mia suggests, putting her phone down. She’s been trying to get some social media material as sort of an inside look into our lives. “Never Have I Ever seems appropriate for tonight.”

We aren’t usually the drinking-game type of group, but we’ve all had a few. Miller motions for our waitress, and we get an entire tray of shots brought over to us. This could either go really bad or… Yeah, it’ll probably just go badly. I shake my head and look at my friends sitting around the table. My gaze drift to Kade as he stands behind Miller. His eyes are locked on mine. I quickly look away, but a burning sensation flickers to life in my gut. I need to tell Kade about Spence and I taking things to the next level, but not tonight. I feel like I owe him a conversation after everything, but not when we’re all drunk.

“I’ll go first.” Flynn grins. “Never have I ever gotten married in Vegas.” We all laugh as Isla and B take a shot.

Isla slams her shot glass down on the table. She looks over at Veronica, who has her fiancée, Dani, on her arm. “Never have I ever done anything sexual with a woman.” She laughs as Veronica shakes her head, chuckling while raising a shot glass in the air before downing it. All the guys take shots, and I have to reach out and grab a glass too.

“What?” Veronica and Isla both yell at the same time. I can’t help but smirk before draining the alcohol from the shot glass.

“How did I not know this? I thought I was being clever and getting all the guys and Veronica and Dani to drink!” Isla reaches across the table and grabs my hand. “You have some explaining to do, girlfriend.”

It’s really nothing scandalous, not by a long shot. I feel Spence’s eyes on me, so I turn to look at him, and he wiggles his eyebrows.

“What? It was just a little experiment a few years ago. It’s nothing.” I laugh and swat the air, feeling my cheeks grow warm from my secret being exposed.

“I think we may need to talk about that later, Ms. Rothschild. I need to hear those details,” Spence flirts, and before I think better of it, I cup his face and show him just how much I’m not into women. His lips part and our tongues intertwine—he tastes of liquor and gum. Our entire table erupts in chaotic cheering, and it only intensifies our kiss. By the time we pull away from each other, my hands still on either side of his face, the room is spinning.

Everyone but Miller is still clapping over our kiss. Instead, he pumps his fist in the air and tosses me a wink. “Took you two long enough, for fuck’s sakes.”

Before I even realize what’s happening, Kade slams his palms down onto the table, leaving his post. A cocky grin spreads across his face, and it takes my mind a minute to realize what he’s about to do.

“You okay, man?” Miller claps a hand on Kade’s shoulder, but Kade shakes him off. His black shirt has risen up, exposing the top of his boxers.

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