Chapter 12
QUICK RETORTS AND WEAK DRINKS
RONAN
Iliked weddings a lot.
It would have been a surprise to anyone who knew me (and I’d admit it to my brothers when I was dead in the ground), but there was something about a celebration of love that was so innocent and unabashedly earnest, I enjoyed them.
Most of the world was a shithole. Most people were garbage to their core. But most of them also enjoyed at least one day of their lives where they stood in front of someone—a justice of the peace, a group of two hundred, or maybe an Elvis impersonator—just to say “I love you.”
This wedding was nice for a lot of reasons.
Laney’s friend clearly had money. Not Black family money, but enough to pay for the view, the house, approximately ten tons of jasmine, and a reception for two hundred people in their finest spring wear.
I needed a Zyrtec, but beyond that, I was enjoying the reasonably skilled string quartet and the panoramic views of mountains, city, and sea.
All of that, however, faded away the second Laney started walking down the aisle.
She was wearing green again. This time it was closer to sea foam, a floaty satin thing that was a shade lighter than the rest of the bridesmaids’ dresses, denoting her as the maid of honor.
It was also the exact color of her eyes, which glowed as she made her way between the rows of chairs and up to the dais.
I almost felt sorry for the bride, because Laney was stealing the show.
For the rest of the ceremony, I certainly couldn’t stop staring.
Not during the ceremony. Not during the walk back up the aisle after it was finished.
And not as that fucker of an ex escorted her toward the back of the property with the rest of the bridal party for pictures that would take over an hour.
Well, time for a drink.
The reception was being held in an enormous white tent on one side of the property, and that was where I spent the next hour checking my phone and drinking too much champagne while I waited for Laney to return.
Liam
Has your bride agreed to stay the missus yet?
I smirked. The only texts I’d received from my family members had been along the lines of “When are you back?” At this point, Liam was the only one who knew the truth—that while I was legally married, neither the bride nor I was operating under the assumption that it was real or going to last.
Much to my chagrin, I thought as I recalled Laney in her bridesmaid dress.
I couldn’t stop looking at her, even when I should have been focused on the bride and groom.
Even more alarmingly, I found myself wishing I could remember exactly what we had said to each other when we were the ones speaking our vows.
Had we used the standard boiler plates or come up with something more meaningful?
What would I say if I had the chance to do it again?
No, I couldn’t be thinking like that. Even if by some miracle Laney Fisher did want a real future with me, she couldn’t have it. Someone like me simply wasn’t worth those kinds of promises.
I shook my head and typed out a response.
Just waiting for my moment.
Liam
Don’t wait too long. The natives are getting restless.
I frowned and pressed the call button.
“Well, this is a surprise. Shouldn’t you be offering her the contract, or were you planning to woo her a little with dinner and a dance first?”
“What do you mean, they’re getting restless?”
“Hold on.” There was the sound of movement and a female voice floating through the speakers. “I’ll be right back, sweetie. Stay here.” A few second later, he spoke more directly. “You realize we’re three hours ahead. I’m off the clock.”
“Someone I know?”
“Just a friend. Tess already sent a car for her.”
If there was a catchphrase for Liam’s social life, it was “just a friend.” I’d been out with my best friend enough times to know that if a woman made it into his bed, chances were, he wasn’t going to see her again.
Half of his assistant Tess’s job was shepherding the parade of one-night stands out of his apartment.
“She sending pancakes too?”
“It’s only nine, so probably a hot dog.”
“Room and board. That’s quite the service you’re providing over there.”
“Only until midnight. Then I turn into a pumpkin.”
“All right, Cinderella. Tell me what you meant about the restlessness.”
Across the tent, there was a rush of noise as the lesser bridesmaids and groomsmen reentered the party. No sign yet of the bride or groom, nor of Laney and her douchebag ex. They were probably still taking pictures, which meant I had a few more minutes.
“Nothing major. But Mom did mention that Owen was taking one of the board members out to dinner. I sense some wooing.”
I swore under my breath, then flashed a smile at an elderly lady who looked shocked by my language. “Death in the family,” I informed her. “Terrible situation.” Then, back to Liam: “Do you think he’s won anyone over?”
“Hard to say. I don’t, however, think that’s the most important question.”
I frowned, though he couldn’t see me. “Don’t do that. It’s already been decided.”
“And I’m going to keep asking about it until you stop giving me these bullshit passive answers. Ro, you’ve never in your life wanted to be in charge. Do you really want CEO now?”
I drummed my fingers on the table. “I know I don’t want Owen to have it.”
“Yeah, but do you want it?”
It was a worthy question. Being CEO of Blackguard meant becoming the public face of a company that had always been happy to keep me in the shadows doing its dirty work.
I had learned early how to escape accountability rather than facing, starting with blaming Owen for spilled milk when I was four and he was eight.
But people change.
It was a cliché, but it had never felt more true.
Especially as I spotted Laney entering the tent.
She moved in her calm way, stopped every so often by an aunt or a relative or one of Megan’s friends, and she looked every one of them in the eye, offered a warm, genuine smile and a kind touch before moving on to the next.
She was well-liked by these people. That was obvious.
And way too good for someone like me.
Her face lit up when she found me, different from the courtesy she offered everyone else. Like she was happy to see me, yes, but even more that she was proud that I was there for her.
I liked it.
I liked it a lot.
“I want it enough to try,” I told Liam, though I wasn’t entirely sure what “it” meant in that moment.
That was enough to appease him. For now.
“Well, then, you should probably get your bride on board and get back here. Niall is already planning a reception to introduce her.”
At the mention of my father, something in me withered. Laney was making her way across the reception floor, and suddenly, I wanted to keep my family and all its ugliness as far away from her as possible.
“Liam, I gotta go.”
“But, Ronan, we should—”
“I’ll see you in Boston.” I ended the call, slid my phone into my jacket pocket, and was about to make my way to my girl when I was interrupted.
“You look like you could use a real drink.”
I turned to find Derek standing behind me with two martinis, all trussed up in his tuxedo like he was James fucking Bond.
Please. Bond would steal this guy’s girl and put a bullet in his head before breakfast.
I glanced at the drink. “I’m good. It usually scotch neat for me. Or a well-timed shot.”
“Consider it a goodwill gesture.”
Eyes narrowed, I accepted the martini but didn’t take a sip. Not that I thought there was anything in it; I just didn’t want to give him the satisfaction.
What can I say? I could be a petty bastard.
“I never said congratulations last night.” He put his hand out to shake mine.
It was cold and a little too tight. Like he was nervous, or else trying to show me who was boss.
Amateur.
“Appreciated,” I said. “For the drink and the good wishes.”
“I mean, it’s not like it’s real,” he prattled on. “Laney told me everything.”
“What was that?” Christ, all I needed was Laney’s family and friends to find out she didn’t even remember becoming my wife. Then I’d have to fight them and her to get her to Boston.
“Just, you know, that it was quick and all. Spur of the moment thing.” He shook his head. “Not really like her. She just needed to blow off steam since everything that has happened with her parents.”
There was a tightness in my chest that I didn’t like while he spoke. Had she really said that? Had she told him we were planning to end it too?
Unlike Derek, however, I wasn’t one to kiss and tell.
“Laney and I used to date. We were engaged actually.”
God, this fucker didn’t know when to stop.
“Is that so? She’s never mentioned you.”
Another lie. Obviously, I knew full well who he was to her, but I wasn’t giving him the satisfaction.
My father had taught me to never tip my hand.
Not in the boxing ring, and not in a negotiation either.
This, of course, wasn’t an open negotiation—not for Laney, and not for anything else—but this asshole was treating it like it was.
“Well, that’s weird. You know, our relationship wasn’t that long ago. And you two got married really quickly. How long have you actually known her?”
Less than a week. “Long enough to know she was the woman I wanted to marry. And that the two of you broke up over a year ago.”
“Right.” He puffed up, a move I’d seen many times before, usually from insecure businessmen or small-dicked college bros. “Listen, Ronan. If you do anything to hurt our girl…”
Our. Girl.
My hand that didn’t have a drink opened and closed at the phrase, eager to throw the first of a one-two punch.
Our girl.
Our girl?
“She’s not exactly ‘ours’, is she? Certainly not yours. Or mine.” It physically hurt to say the last phrase, but I had to. “Laney’s her own person, Dick.”
He gulped down his drink with a scowl. “It’s actually Derek.”
“Whatever. Hey, wait a minute.” I put a finger to my chin. “Wait a second. Derek? Maybe Laney mentioned you after all. Aren’t you the piece of shit that cheated on her the day when her mom was in the hospital?”
The cockiness fled. He had a weak chin when he wasn’t thrusting it out like a jackass. “That’s not exactly what happened.”
“It never is.” I clapped him on the shoulder. “Maybe I should thank you, though. If we got married because she was blowing off steam, at least I’ll get to have one hell of an adventure making her scream my name for the rest of our lives.”
He reared, though he couldn’t quite shake my hand. “Wow. I knew you were a fucking prick, but—”
“Oh, Dick. Takes one to know one. And you want to know something else?” I yanked him close so that I was speaking directly into his ear.
“You touch her, speak to her, fucking look at her wrong, and you’ll learn just how much of a prick I can really be.
And you really don’t want to learn that lesson, you pug-faced fuck.
The people who do don’t usually recognize themselves after. ”
I released him with a shake, and it was only then that I took a drink of the martini Weak, just like him, though I enjoyed the way his already pale face turned ghostly white as he watched me down the whole thing in one go.
I set the empty glass in his hand. “Been a pleasure, Dick. Now it’s time for me to find my wife.”
Conscious of the fact that he was watching me the entire time, I located Laney on the other side of the room just as she looked up from a conversation, caught my gaze, and grinned.
Just as I reached her, the band stopped playing, and a familiar announcement was made: “Ladies and gentlemen, we welcome for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Weatherford!”
The room broke into applause and cheers as I slid a hand around Laney’s waist and pulled her close.
“I think that’s enough socializing for now, don’t you, Ariadne?”
Her eyes were stars when she looked up at me. “You always look a little like you’re up to no good. Do you know that?”
I bent down to hover my lips over hers. “Baby, you have no idea.”