Merging Hearts (Smitten Hearts #1)

Chapter Sixteen

Rain

I stare at my ring, then at my wife.

My wife.

This is it. I’m officially married for the next six months. I glance at Hazel as we walk side by side to greet the guests. Since we stepped down from the altar, her gaze has yet to meet mine, and I try to place a finger on what I did wrong.

First she ropes me into having a wedding, then she ignores me on the day.

She smiles warmly at Reina, who envelopes her in a hearty hug, like an old friend. I raise an intrigued brow at the scene. Who has given my sister the right to get cozy with my fake wife? I’m hoping to keep Hazel from having a relationship with my family, to avoid any potential excuses to cross paths again after our six-month charade ends.

Reina pulls away from the hug, and Hazel arranges her hair, pulling one of the braids in an attempt to tighten the hold in the band holding them together. I’m painfully aware that my eyes follow her every move, unable to tear themselves away. It’s so embarrassing how completely she has captivated me that everything else fades into the background, and I struggle to notice anything or anyone else.

Her wedding dress accentuates her every curve, showing the striking difference from the woman at the immigration office, the one I pushed off my bed, and a far cry from the one that signed an agreement to marry me.

I can’t ignore the voice in my head telling me that the differences I see are because I recognize her more each time I see her.

The sickening scent of lilies lingers as she walks around, and her eyes peek from under her long dark eyebrows. Her brown skin begs to be desired, and her lips part every now and then to greet the guests.

Attention follows her everywhere like a loyal dog on a leash, it’s almost as if I don’t exist beside her.

The amount of pampering I’ve watched her receive from everyone present makes me realize that they’d all given up on me in regards to marriage.

My Dad’s plan is clear; he wants me to have a wife who will birth me a son so the legacy continues. ‘ Will you offer that deal to her if you think you can bear to have a child with her after some months? ’ He had asked me earlier in the morning.

But my Mom? She’ll probably pray to God every day and night that we both fall in love and that this marriage works out so I stay with her forever.

You mean her staying with you forever?

Whichever way it may be, I’m not doing ‘forever’ with anyone. That’s a rigid vow.

“Hey, Rain’s queen.” Renzo grins at my wife as he walks over with the boys. He lifts her hands to his lips for a kiss. Her eyes twinkles with a sweet smile, and Renzo winks at me. Last night when he asked me how ‘my queen’ was, I warned him not to call her that again, but he still dares me.

“Tua moglie è bellissima, vero?” He teases me, ignoring my scowl.

“Vai a farti fottere,” I give him the best reply I can think of, but he just chuckles.

He leans closer to Hazel’s ears and whispers loud enough for me to hear.

Or maybe you’re practically glued to her side?

“How about you abandon Rain, so you and I can elope together?” Hazel chuckles and the sound goes straight to my groin. I’ve only heard her laugh three times, but I never want to hear it again.

Not because it’s the worst sound I ever heard, but because every time she laughs, the crazy craving to bottle it up just to hear it every time, overcomes me.

The next six months might actually be longer than I thought.

“How is marriage life treating you?” Knox jokes, his hands pulling his tie slack.

“I’ll decide that tomorrow.” They laugh, ignoring me while I stand like a stranger at my wedding. I stare at Hazel whose eyes flitter between Renzo, Knox and Anton. She’s still not sparing me a glance and my jaw clenches. I contemplate dragging her to our house already, and I decide to.

“Okay, it’s time to go.”

Renzo turns his head to me, a scowl accentuating his features. “Like hell you are. We haven’t even had a drink to celebrate your wedding yet. You only took three pictures, and in all three, your frown was so deep, it could have given philosophy a run for its money. You’re staying for drinks.”

“Shut up. Hazel will not be drinking and that’s final.”

“You’re not the boss of me. I can drink however I want.” Hazel’s voice echoes into my ears and I lift a brow at her, the unspoken words hanging in the air.

Might I remind her what happened the last time she decided to drink?

“What do you mean by ‘that’s final’? Do you think this is a board meeting?” Knox’s confused and irritated face stares me down. I scoff when he mouths at me to ‘be nice to her’.

“Let’s go,” I repeat, my voice stern and low.

“I don’t want to go with you. I’ll take a cab.”

I thought I was the only one who heard wrong until the guys almost burst with restrained laughter.

“Err, I think you’re supposed to leave with your husband. Especially on your wedding night.” Anton laughs.

Hazel releases a submissive groan and folds her hands to her chest, but I don’t miss the middle finger sticking under her armpit. My lips twitch, and I cover my smile with a fake attempt to scratch the bridge of my nose.

“Okay, I have a suggestion. You both stay for just forty minutes. After forty minutes, you can take your wife home and we won’t say anything.”

I suppress a snarl and peer at my wristwatch. “Fine. Forty minutes and that’s it.”

I’ll never learn to not take suggestions from Renzo, even after his suggestion got me married to Hazel in the first place.

The time is currently one am, which means that we’ve spent three hours and twenty minutes more than he promised.

I can’t see Hazel in sight, nor can I see Kang Su-mi and Reina. It doesn’t take Sherlock to tell me that they’re somewhere drinking, but while those two are wild, Hazel is lightweight. It baffles me that she can drink without triggering the memories of what happened the last time, leading up to today.

“I’m going home.” I stand up.

“Mmh, it’s ‘home’ now? Your wife is working magic already. Also, I know you don’t consider her close to you, but please don’t call her Hazel Wilmer or Hazel Dacosta, that’s embarrassing.”

People around me are aware of my quirk; reserving first names for those I deem close. But he’s oblivious to the fact that I’ve already started referring to Hazel by her name. Thinking about it now, I wonder when I subconsciously decided she’s worthy of my intimacy.

“Renzo, shut up. Don’t get him mad.”

He raises his hand in the air, flipping his middle fingers at Anton. My attention slides to Knox who refills his wine glass, and I raise my brows.

“What are you still doing here? What about your daughter?” He’s a total family man for his daughter, and the fact that he’s still here can only mean one thing–

“She’s with my parents.” That . It can only mean that. He straightens and runs his hand on his face. “Shit, I miss her. I should go pick her up tomorrow.”

“She left yesterday,” Anton notes with an amusing look.

“Okay, and?”

Before they begin arguing, I smooth my suit and glance around the bar in search of my wife, her best friend, or my sister. All three of them, still nowhere to be found.

I take one step, ready to search through the booths, but Renzo’s voice stops me.

“Hey, hang on.” I purse my lips and turn to pin him with a death stare. “Sorry, I just have a simple question. What’s your wife’s friend’s name?”

I tilt my head. It’s the third time Renzo has asked me about that woman in just the span of twenty four hours. “Her name is Kang Su-mi, and she is a no-go area.”

“Is she married?”

“No, but–”

“Good.” He interrupts me, nodding slowly, the gesture further fueling my suspicion that he feels something for her. Unfortunately, I’m not going to allow it.

“That’s Hazel’s friend, Renzo. I don’t want you to have anything to do with her. Hazel and I already agreed to never contact each other after divorce. I don’t want an excuse to keep seeing her.”

“I don’t plan to have anything to do with her. Can’t people be curious?” he argues. “Also, Rain, buddy, I’m going to give you some advice. Talking about divorce on the first day of your marriage is like talking about your funeral at your birthday party. It’s in bad taste.”

I snicker dryly. “You know as well as I do how this is going to end.”

Renzo laughs and nods. “I’m not going to pretend to predict the future, and you shouldn’t either. Give up on your relentless self of control and enjoy what’s in front of you for the meantime. I’m not saying you should fall in love with her, or stay even a day longer after six months is up, I’m saying why don’t you relax and have a good time, rather than spending the time waiting for the six months to end?”

“Damn!” Anton exclaims as he dramatically holds his chest as if he’s touched, earning a flip off in return.

Tightness envelopes my chest, but I decide to ignore him rather than replying to that sentimental shit he just dropped. I down my champagne, and proceed to search for the women.

Three minutes have passed, and I’ve searched every booth, to no avail. Just as I’m about to throw in the towel, I hear a loud, screechy laugh that pierces the air from the last booth. I recognize it anywhere. It’s only my sister’s cackle that sounds like she’s in tears.

I burst through the door, and the women flinch. Scanning the room frantically, Hazel is still nowhere to be found. My frustration boils over. I’m about to lose my shit if I find out they let her slip out of the booth. I’m too tired to jump in my car in search of a five foot four brown bride.

I wince when I take in Reina and Kang Su-mi’s eyes. They’re so stoned, and I wonder how they’ll each get to their houses. Especially my sister, since her driver wasn’t allowed at the wedding.

“Where is my wife?” I snap as I step fully into the booth. My sister raises her head up to look at me, and her lips stretch into a full smile.

“Oh look, it’s my brother!”

“ Where.Is.My .Wife?” I spell for her since she struggles to comprehend anything at the moment.

“Chill big brother, nobody’s stealing your wife away. She’s right here.” She extends a shaky finger at Kang Su-mi, and I tiptoe to find Hazel’s unresponsive body sprawled on her best friend’s laps. Shit, she has passed out.

“She’s sleeping.” Lies!

“Reina, how much did you make her drink?” I bark at my sister, who hisses and grabs her head.

“Don’t shout at me, I’m drunk.”

I rub the tip of my nose in sheer frustration, before turning to Kang Su-mi. I knew she was trouble the first time I set my eyes on her. My guts are never wrong and at the moment, they are telling me she’s still going to cause more trouble.

Six months more.

“How will you get home? Because I can’t let you drive like this, especially not when my sister is with you.”

She waves a dismissive hand at me, and lifts her glass to her lips. “I’m sure you’ll find a way out, brother-in-law.”

“I’m not your brother-in-law.” I grit my teeth at her.

She scoffs and gives an elegant shrug. “Fine then, friend’s-husband-in-law.”

That’s all it takes to send my sister tumbling onto the fluffy settee, clutching her stomach in laughter. Sober or not, her giggles sound like a drunk’s. I exhale a defeated, shaky sigh, pull out my phone, and dial Renzo’s number. He answers promptly, and I cut straight to the chase. “Meet me at the last booth from the right.”

I fold my arms across my chest as I wait for Renzo, eyes still fixed on Hazel, who remains still. Is she truly sleeping or has she passed out? Renzo soon joins us at the last booth, amusement highlighting his features. Reina is on the verge of passing out, while Kang Su-mi still appears surprisingly sober.

I’m impressed by her ability to drink so much, but indulging Hazel and Reina is not it.

“Oh look, it’s my other brother. Isn’t he handsome?” Reina slurs when Renzo walks in. “Why don’t you take him? Hazel takes Rain, you take Renzo. Perfetto!”

Renzo scoffs and folds his hand to his chest as the women talk as if we’re not present in the room. “You act like we’re toys for a giveaway.”

“I don’t want him if he’s not rich.”

Reina scoffs and jabs Kang Su-mi playfully. “He’s a billionaire.”

The latter runs her hand on her face and sighs dreamily. “Ah God, okay. “If you insist.”

“Are you sure it’s only champagne they took?”

I open my mouth to talk, but Kang Su-mi beats me to it. “Of course. See.” She dangles her champagne flute in the air for Renzo to see, then drops it, and throws him a death glare. “What? Did you think we took drugs?”

“No but–”

“Don’t argue with a drunk woman. I’m going with Hazel. Will you book them a hotel?”

“Oh hell no. None of them is sober enough to turn the latch on the door. I’m working overnight in the studio, so I’ll drop them in my house first.”

“Just make sure they’re safe.”

I step out of the car, crading Hazel in my arms. Angela’s eyes widen in worry as she takes in the scene. The other staff members on duty exchange knowing, sick smiles as I walk by.

“Is Mrs Dacosta okay?” Angela asks, rushing to me. Her perfume hits my nose and I puff out a breath. I’ve warned her never to buy that brand again and even ordered an expensive one for her, but she sold it and bought dozens of this cheap orange flavored cologne instead. She’s one of the reasons I lose it daily.

“Yes, she is. Is her room ready?” She nods and trails behind me.

Hazel’s room is adjacent to mine, with an interconnecting door in our rooms. The realtor who sold the house to me had described it as ‘a haven for couples who crave private time, yet still want to feel connected like the rings on their fingers’.

I remember giving him no audience that day while I tried to calm my irritation and the crazy urge to punch him in the face for spewing rubbish. The door connecting them like the rings on their fingers? It’s astounding how people obsess over symbols as proof of marriage.

Do rings truly unite couples, or is it their hearts? Do marriage certificates bind them, or is it their love?

Make up your mind, people.

I lay Hazel on her bed and pull off my uncomfortable tuxedo, hanging it on my hand. “Change her dress, she’ll be uncomfortable in that sack. Also, she’s drunk now, so make something for her hangover tomorrow.”

Before Angela can confirm my orders, I get out of the door and into my own room, shutting my new housemate out.

Figuratively and literally.