Chapter 3 #2
“This woman is my fiancée,” I say again, ignoring the look she’s shooting at me. Just go with it, Eden. “And you’re wrinkling a Tom Ford jacket,” I add.
Before the second sentence is out of my mouth, he releases her. I hate and I love how easily I can get people to do what I want.
Eden steps away from the guard and frowns at me, but I don’t give her time to ask any questions. Instead I step into her space, my fingers brushing the edge of the lapel as I slip my hand inside the jacket’s inner pocket.
Her breath catches. Just for a second.
So does mine, if I’m being honest. Not that I let it show.
Retrieving my wallet, I flick it open for the guard, showing him my driver’s licence.
Eden’s eyes flash but she says nothing. She’s not stupid, she knows this is trouble. She shifts her feet as the guard reads my name off my licence and mutters into his mouthpiece. There’s a little back and forth with whoever he’s talking to before he turns back to look at me.
“Mr. Abbott, sir. The owner has requested you both join him in his office. Now.”
Of course he has. Christ, I have a headache.
If there’s one thing I know about casino owners it’s that they don’t like noise. Or mess.
They like quiet. They like profit. And they really like it when problems disappear fast and clean. So this is going to take some delicate negotiation.
I slide my wallet back into my jacket that Eden’s still wearing and shoot her a warning look. “Come on, darling.” I brush my lips against her cheek. “Let’s go apologize to the nice man.”
They march us through the back corridors, and I resist the urge to rub my temples.
Instead, I’m concentrating on our next move.
Apologize, get out of here, and put Eden on the next plane out of here.
And then I can get back to my damn job instead of thinking about how my jacket is going to smell like her.
When we reach the back rooms of the casino, the security guard leads us into a private office that looks exactly as I expected it to.
Dark wood-paneled walls, cream marble floor, a massive desk at the center with green leather inlay.
And behind it is a gray-haired man, a scowl painted firmly on his lips.
He looks up as we enter, his gaze flickering over me. A glass tumbler rests in front of him, empty but polished. Everything about him gleams, except the expression on his face.
“West Abbott I assume,” he says with a graveled voice.
His gaze turns to Eden. From her bare legs to the dried paint on her skin to the oversized jacket swallowing her frame. His mouth twitches. His expression looks somewhere between amusement and disdain. “And your fiancée, I presume.”
I try not to wince at that. She’s going to give me hell about this for the rest of my life.
“That’s right.” I give a small nod to the man, sliding into charm mode.
“And you must be Mr. Riva.” Vin’s cousin.
Or second cousin. Something like that. Vin has a big family.
He called and got us a room here when I told him I had to leave for Vegas.
“Thank you for your hospitality,” I tell him.
“And I apologize for the uproar a moment ago.” I pull Eden close and kiss her brow like a besotted lover.
“My fiancée has a very strong sense of right and wrong.”
“I didn’t realize you were here with your fiancée,” Riva says, his expression completely neutral. “Vin just said you had a problem to sort out.”
Eden laughs softly. “I guess I am a problem,” she says, leaning against me. Good girl. “I’m really so very sorry,” she says. “I absolutely regret everything that just happened.”
I squeeze her waist. Very good girl. Ten out of ten.
But Riva doesn’t look convinced. “How long have you two been together?”
“Three years,” I say at the same time Eden says, “Six months.”
Damn.
“Well, it depends.” I give him an open smile. “I’ve been in love with her for three years. She’s only given me the time of day for the last six months. But to be honest, it’s all a bit of a mess.”
That piques his interest. “How so?”
In for a penny. I decide to keep lying through my teeth. “She’s my best friend’s sister. And he doesn’t know about us. None of her family does. Which is why we’re trying to keep our relationship,” I clear my throat, “Our engagement quiet.”
He looks at Eden. “You’re in love with this guy?” he asks, pointing his thumb at me.
“So much.” She looks up at me, her breath warm against my throat. Her eyes catch mine, and for a second, I feel a weird ache in my chest. “My one wish is that we could get married, but my brothers will never allow it.”
I arch a brow at her. Too much, princess. But she almost looks like she’s enjoying this.
“Honestly, it’s been a bad week,” she tells Riva.
“West says if we can’t get married soon, we’re over.
And then I came here to think about things, to try to find a way, and I got splattered with paint at some protest.” She sighs.
God, she can be a good actress when she wants to be.
Does she realize that Riva’s staring at her, captivated?
“And then on top of that, I saw that man cheating at cards and I completely lost it. I’m so sorry.
I shouldn’t have reacted like that. I’m just lovesick, that’s all. ”
My mouth twitches.
“My wife’s family didn’t want us to marry either,” Riva says. “We had to run away, do it, and then give them a fait accompli.”
I let out a breath. “So you understand the stress we’re under. Either way, I’m sorry for the disruption. We’ll head straight to our room and leave first thing. I appreciate your help, and this will never happen again.”
But instead of nodding, Riva puts up his hand. “Wait,” he says. “You say you want to be together?” A smile pulls at his lips. “You should get married. Tonight.”
What? I shake my head quickly. “It’s okay. We’ve caused you enough trouble. I’ll just take this little maverick to bed.”
But he looks almost excited. Like something inside of him has woken up. “No trouble at all. I have a chapel. And I’m very… close with the Clark County officiants. They owe me a favor. They can have somebody over within an hour.”
Eden looks up at me. This time she looks confused. “Wait, what’s going on?” she whispers.
I swallow hard. I should tell him I’m a liar and walk away. But if I do, he’ll tell Vin and… dammit, why can’t I think straight? What would I do if I was cleaning this mess up for somebody else?
I’d tell them to do it, then quietly walk away. I’ll handle the paperwork, get it annulled, and it’d be like nothing ever happened.
“We’re getting married, baby,” I tell her, a fake smile on my lips.
She blinks. “Of course we are. We’re engaged.”
“I mean tonight. Here.” I lift a brow at her. “Isn’t that wonderful?”
Her mouth drops open. And all those sassy words disappear. Replaced by a look of pure panic.
Riva gives us a huge smile. “My wife is going to love this,” he tells us. “Romance isn’t dead. It’s alive and kicking.” He stands and claps his hands together, and his assistant walks in, looking at him like she’s ready for anything.
“Call the chapel,” Riva tells her. “And then Ryan at Clark County. Tell him to send somebody over right now. We need a licence, we need an officiant. And I need the chapel to be ready within the hour.”
His assistant blinks. “Mr. Riva, it’s the middle of the night.”
“I know.” He smiles at her, all thoughts of what brought us in his office forgotten. “But romance waits for nobody. Come on, let’s set these lovebirds free.” He looks at us both. “Enjoy the wedding. And the honeymoon suite.”
My jaw is so tight with a fake smile I’m worried I’ve pulled a muscle. Eden is frozen next to me, like she’s considering how to escape this as soon as possible.
I tighten my arm around her, letting her know that there’s no way out. I need Vin’s money too much to mess this up. So right now, keeping Riva on my good side so I can build the resort is my only concern.
We’re getting married tonight. And tomorrow I’ll clean it up. The way I always do.
“Thank you,” I tell him. “Isn’t that wonderful news, sweetheart?”
“Wonderful,” Eden echoes, sounding almost despondent.
“It’s a pleasure,” Riva says. “Just make sure you name your first baby after me.” He winks. “And don’t worry. It only took my in-laws twenty years to forgive me for eloping with their daughter.”