Chapter 42
Chapter Forty-Two
Rayna
While the actual ceremony was swift, efficient, and sweet, the reception has been nothing short of organized mayhem. Kids are running around all over, and adults are mingling while trying to keep up with them. There’s music and food, and plenty of tables to settle down at.
I’ve gone from bouncing around with Apollo while accepting congratulations and well wishes, to savoring the first course of antipasti along with some bread and herby oil, to helping Leo play with bubbles while holding a very sweet and cuddly Cesar.
My stomach has been too fluttery with nerves to indulge in any of the wine or champagne, needing water to keep myself hydrated and focused. But mostly, I’ve handled today well.
“I see that my wife has been stolen away by the usual suspects,” Apollo drawls, waltzing over to us with a short glass of something clear and bubbling. Looking down at his nephew with a falsely stern glance, he asks, “Do you plan to keep my Rayna from me all evening, Leo?”
Leo giggles, nodding happily in response to his uncle as he reaches out to pop another bubble. “Pollo, share.”
“Oh, I should share, should I?”
“Yes.” Leo clicks his tongue. “Pollo share my Rayna.”
“My Rayna,” Apollo corrects in a gentle warning.
“My bubble,” Cesar adds, sounding so sure of himself, like the one year old is adding to their conversation. Blowing his lips together in a raspberry, he attempts to create more of the globes of joy he finds thrilling to pop.
“Very good job, Cesar,” I praise, helping him in the process. He squeals when the air from my lips does the trick, dozens of bubbles flying wildly out of the wand. “Whoever thought about bubbles instead of doves deserves a very big hug, hmmm?”
“Zio E-yo?” Leo asks, correctly remembering who suggested the bubble wands. I haven’t let any of the kids forget it, he deserves all the credit. “Zio E-yo, hug?”
“I heard my name.” Elio swaggers over with a boyish grin.
“There’s the bubble man himself,” I greet with a smile. Lifting Cesar off of my hip, I hand him off and softly gesture for Leo to follow along. “Hug tackle.”
Cesar attempts to bite Elio instead of hugging him, but Leo politely wraps his arms around his uncle’s leg. I swear one day I might pass out from the cuteness of all of these little babies we have around.
“Watch them for a moment, will you?” Apollo asks, not waiting for an answer before he captures my hand and tugs me away swiftly.
“Where are we going?” I almost trip, trying to keep up. Stumbling into his side, I let out a yelp and a laugh. “You know, I’m in heels under this extensive skirt of mine.”
“How inconsiderate of me.”
Before I know it, Apollo is holding my waist, pulling me into him. My feet lift off the ground, hovering at least a foot above the stone patio floor. Beginning to carry me, he ignores my squeal of surprise.
“Is that better, love?” he asks, the question grazing the side of my neck.
Flushed, I whisper, “It’s entirely indecent.”
“The faster we look ravenous, the faster we can get out of here.”
I can’t deny that I like the sound of that.
“Feeling needy already, are we?” I tease. “I didn’t know that I signed up for such a clingy husband. I don’t know how I feel about that.”
“You love it,” he declares, unaffected by my taunt.
“I was wondering when I would run into the happy couple.”
Apollo freezes at the sound of the voice. Taking in a measured breath, he sets me down and I find him staring at a man. There’s no malice in his gaze, but no kindness either. It’s the way I might imagine he would look at someone he can’t read. It’s assessing, and almost threatening in a quiet way.
“William.”
“Apollo.”
My eyes bounce between the two men wondering why the heck there’s so much tension brewing.
“I’m Rayna,” I say, extending my hand. “How do you know my husband?”
William, whoever he is, opts to kiss the back of my knuckles rather than shake my hand, like he’s some kind of gentleman in an old movie.
“William Sallow,” he returns, letting go of my hand. “Apollo and I go way back, isn’t that right, old friend?”
“We went to Empire Academy together,” Apollo replies dismissively. “Though, you can’t really call it together since Will here owns the place. He was more of a professor than a peer.”
“If you heard yourself say that fifteen years ago, you would kick your own ass,” William jokes, cracking a smile that has his white teeth flashing. “You’d never have given me such a prestigious title willingly.”
“Well, ‘Lord’ was given to you at birth, I sincerely doubt you need another title on top of that one.”
A slow grin spreads on his lips. “Touché.”
“I can’t tell if you’re friends or not,” I admit, biting my lip.
Will chuckles, his short brown hair swaying as he rakes a hand through it. “Neither can I, Mrs. Moretti, neither can I. Things have never been clear where Apollo is concerned. He likes to keep his cards held close to his chest. Though, I suppose those days are over. He’s a married man now.”
“Yes,” Apollo says roughly. “I am.”
I swear something like hurt flashes behind the mysterious man’s dark eyes. “Well, don’t let me keep you. I wish you all the best, old friend.”
“Goodbye.” There’s no fondness in Apollo’s response.
“Bye,” I add, waving awkwardly.
William leaves us, and from the path he’s taking, I think he’s leaving the reception all together.
“Okay. That was odd, right?” I ask, eyebrows drawn down tight in contemplation. “Was there something between the two of you that I should know about?” I feel oddly like I just met someone important, though Apollo seems to think otherwise.
“Ancient history,” he assures me, sounding perfectly sincere. “Will wanted something from me that I didn’t want to give. We’re not friends, and we’re not allies. But we aren’t enemies either. Cooperation between our families is standard.”
“He liked you?” I ask, voice soft.
“He liked the idea of me,” Apollo corrects, his crystal blue eyes full of truth. “The Lord of Empire Academy enjoys collecting powerful things, and he assumed I wouldn’t mind being collected. He assumed wrong.”
“It sounds complicated.”
“For him, perhaps.” My husband shrugs. “In the spirit of going into our marriage with complete honesty, I’ll be blunt.
I have a romantic history with no one, male or female.
I’m attracted to women as a species, but you’re the only one who will ever have the right to call yourself mine.
And to call me yours. I don’t have a history outside of you. ”
The possessive side of me fucking purrs at the information. This is the first time he’s called himself mine. “Why does that turn me on?”
“Go say goodbye to your friends,” he says, voice dropping an octave. “It’s time to go. If we don’t leave now, I’ll take you upstairs and ruin the plans I have for you.”
“We’re going somewhere?” I ask, surprised.
“It’s our wedding night,” Apollo replies evenly. “If we were to simply go up to our bedroom, we may put the soundproofed walls up to a real test.”
Gulp.
“Go say goodbye,” he repeats. “You have two minutes until I’m carrying you out of here over my shoulder.”
Why do I want to take my time to see if he’s serious?
Shaking off the thought, I do as he suggests and find my friends to say goodbye. Starting with a quick goodbye to Jade and Ana, since I live with them and will see them again soon enough. And ending with the person who I still can’t believe was able to come.
“You’re heading out to get laid, aren’t you?” Sienna asks, playfully wiggling her eyebrows at me as I approach.
“Something like that.” I chuckle, pulling her into a short embrace. With so many prying eyes, though most are trusted, I can’t hug her for too long. We can’t let anyone think she’s someone important to me, lest they look too hard at her and make any connections.
“I’m going to miss you like crazy,” she admits, letting me go.
“Me too, S. We’re going to get you more freedom one way or another. We’ll figure it out, I promise.”
“Even if we can’t, this is enough,” she replies softly. “Anything is better than where I was. And I owe it all to you.”
“And I owe it all to them.”
We both know who I’m referring to. The Morettis. Apollo, Elio, and their father. They’re the reason that my best friend is happy, healthy, and safe—even if she has to be secluded from me for now.
With that, we part, and my husband collects me. I’m at the front of the house and being ushered into a car before I know it. When we hit the road, anticipation begins to bubble up in my stomach. I didn’t expect Apollo to take me anywhere or plan anything for after our ceremony.
We didn’t discuss a honeymoon of any kind.
He has responsibilities at home, so I can’t imagine that we’ll be gone for long.
Which is fine by me. I like the idea of getting away for the night, maybe for two, but I don’t want to leave Yordan alone for too long.
I feel especially responsible for him now that he’s legally my son.
I don’t care that he’s seventeen, I want to be there for him, for whatever he needs.
“We’re here.”
Shaken out of my thoughts by Apollo’s voice, I look out of my window, finding a huge building. A luxurious hotel from the look of it. That was fast.
My door is opened for me by some kind of valet employee. I step out of the car just in time to see him catch Apollo’s keys. No words are exchanged between them as my hand is taken by my groom, and I’m guided inside.
We make no stop at the front desk, walking directly into a silver elevator. I don’t have time to take in the lobby, but it’s very clearly opulent. Everything is shiny and squeaky clean. Like a museum of a hotel rather than a hotel itself.
This must be a Moretti owned place.