Page 98 of Lethal Vows

Honey’s gaze is firm. A Ricci woman through and through. She’s not the one I want, but she’s the one I will be married to.

I lock gazes with the spitfire across from me. Her caramel hair is coming loose from her bun and she looks like she’s about to combust into flames.

“Maybe I should have aimed higher when I shot you.”

“Maybe you should have just married me instead.”

“Fuck off, Crue!” Rya flips me off and storms out.

Mr. Ricci sits there speechless. His wife blanched pale about two minutes ago.

“My daughter has always been very vocal,” he finally says.

“Doesn’t make for a good wife,” I reprimand.

But my God, the only woman I want to be my wife is the one who lacks all of the qualities I am looking for in a plaint wife.

Rya being here changes nothing.

In two weeks, Iwillbe married.

CHAPTER62

Rya

Iwasn’t meeting anyone.

As quickly as possible, I went to the nearest hotel, jumped into the shower, and crawled into bed naked.

I should have brought my bag, but I hadn’t planned to run away from my family.

I knew I couldn’t sit there a second longer.

I need to sleep.

Maybe tomorrow, I’ll be better prepared to deal with it.

I expected Crue to be marrying someone else, but I didn’t expect it wouldbe my sister.

I try to call her once, but it goes straight to voicemail.

So, out of respect, I will give her a day before I show up at my father’s house.

* * *

“So it turnedinto a screaming match in a local restaurant?” Angel sits breastfeeding Alessia, looking at me dumbfounded. Then her worried gaze moves to Dominic.

“Yeah, basically,” I say, defeated.

She whistles. “You two have absolutely lost your fucking minds.”

“What? I’m not the psycho who came back to put a ring on my sister’s finger and plan on marrying her intwo weeks!” I immediately apologize for raising my voice as Alessia stirs.

We sit in Dominic and Angel’s mansion—the couple having settled into family life. Dominic lounges next to Angel, his hand helping to cradle the baby, as if he wants to be a part of everything.

I find it strange to watch them. Angel is married with a kid now. The exact things I have been running away from my entire life. I wonder if my father and mother shared a moment like this. Whether they were the vision of doting parents. Or if my mother was out flaunting her newfound money and lifestyle the week after I was born.

“Yeah, we only received our wedding invitation today,” Angel says as she nudges Dominic to hand it over. He blows out a low, begrudging breath as he holds it to me. And there, in writing, it states the time and date of Miss Honey Ricci being married to Mr. Crue Monti.

---