Page 40 of Papers Don't Lie

Is that even a question?

“Yeah," I mutter with my hands clasped under my chin.

He finally takes it away from me, and I’m not fast enough to stop the gasp from escaping me or cover it with my palm when I’m facing Kai’s surprise.

A blanket of tears covers my vision instantly, and I don’t know why I’m so sensitive, but this… what he did is… it means a lot to me.

“Do you like it?” he asks, and I can sense the excitement in his voice, even if small.

Do I like it?I was expecting something else, not this. I thought he was going to get me a necklace or a dress, just to show me how good of a husband he can be. But this? This isdifferent. This isn’t just a gift that he bought just for the sake of the gesture. He did it because the little part he knows of me is enough.

“I…” I open my mouth to talk but can’t form any words, so I turn around and wrap my arms around him.

Besides the touches at the dinner table and the kiss at the wedding ceremony, this is the first time we’ve been close to each other because we want it. I tighten my hold, sniffling my nose as tears rush down my cheeks. I've received a few gifts throughout my life, and none, except Raven’s, were chosen specifically for me. Kai’s surprise is made for me and me only.

“You’re welcome, Ray,” he murmurs but hugs me back, placing his chin on my hair. Kai inhales deeply, and I do the same before breaking away and wiping my tears. “I hope those are happy tears.” I nod, smiling. “Then what are you waiting for? Take a look.”

I do as he says, stepping into the room that has within the four walls, closets with tiny little drawers, each one of them filled with bows. My eyes land on one where there are five shades of white, all of them made from different materials. I can’t help but trace them with my finger, taking my time to analyze each one of them.

“Since you were supposed to find out about this tomorrow, your makeup table, chair, and mirror aren’t here yet,” he says, leaning on the doorframe with his arms crossed.

“How did you come up with the idea?” I ask, taking in each drawer, one by one.

“Well, in case you have another crisis, I wanted you to have a place to put all the thirty bows you’ll buy,” he says, the day he’s talking about seeming so far away but at the same time so recent.

“I genuinely have no words, Kai. This is perfect and so thoughtful,” I murmur, moving in circles in the spacious room. “It’s the first time I feel like I belong somewhere.”

My eyes find him smiling from the corner of his mouth. “I’m glad you like it.”

“Can I sleep here?” I ask jokingly and take one of the lightest purple bows. The color is absolutely stunning. “Oh, this is so beautiful!”

He clears his throat. “Wear it at our wedding.”

Is he serious about this? I’m eight years younger than him, and I look like it too. Bringing a bow to our wedding would only show I’m nothing more than a child. Carter didn’t want me wearing this for a reason. Once you’re married, you become a woman, and I can’t be one if I act like a child. Or look like one.

“I don’t think people would appreciate it,” I say and play with it in my hands.

Kai enters the room, and for some reason, his steps increase my heartbeat. His hand sneaks onto my neck while his thumb pushes my chin upwards so I’m forced to meet his gaze. His green eyes look from one of my pupils to the other, focusing on nothing else but me.

“I don’t care what people think. You should wear this bow because it represents you so well. You said it yourself. You wouldn’t be you without them.”

He’s right, but that doesn’t make my point wrong. I nod my head. “I’ll think about it. When’s the wedding by the way?”

Kai takes a step back, taking away his touch with him in the process. “Dad insisted we do it next month.”

My mouth parts open. “What? What’s the hurry?”

“I don’t know. That’s what I’ve been thinking about all day, and when I asked him the same question, he returned it to me. He was curious why two people who are in love wanted to wait, so to stop him from saying anything else, I agreed.”

His decision is not to blame. I think I would’ve done the same if I were him, but next month is so soon. I haven’t even got used to him calling mehiswife or his touches in public that I jumpevery time. Everything is so new and fresh that I can barely keep up. The wedding being weeks away doesn’t help either.

Someone knocks on the door, and we both turn to look at Kendrick, who’s greeting us with his usual nod.

“Mr. Graves, I think you'll want to see this,” Kendrick says, and I smile at him, liking to see a familiar face around here.

He takes his phone out of his pocket, handing it to Kai, who immediately grabs it.

“The businessman Kai Graves has just gotten married in Los Angeles, keeping it a secret from the eye of the public. Who’s the mysterious wife, and will he bring her to tomorrow’s event?” He reads the news, not even an inflection in his voice. He’s not surprised by what he just read, meaning he was expecting something like this.

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