Chapter 8
Eight
J akob sat in the back of the family limo and readied himself for the wedding festivities and seeing Lani.
“Thanks for the drive, John,” he said,
“No worries. Are you sure you don’t want me to hang out to get you home?”
“No. I don’t know when it will end, and I would hate for you to be stuck here all day. I’ll get a ride home from one of my friends.”
Truth was, he was lying a little bit. Jakob had one real friend at this wedding, the groom, who had morphed into someone he didn’t recognize. The rest of the wedding party was Kingston cousins and the Stepford Instagirlies looking for a rich man. He wasn’t being presumptuous. One of the bridesmaids said he was rich enough to afford her lifestyle. Brazenly…right out in the open last night.
Jakob stepped out of the car and drew in a huge breath. Sweet Hawaiian air drifted over him. He had loved the place since his first visit to Hawaii. Not just the beauty but also the culture. He had always been fascinated by how the Hawaiian people had protected their culture from every invader who sought to take over. You had to admire a people who kept to their traditions even as other countries tried to squash them.
He took his time as he made his way to the check-in desk. His entire body buzzed with anticipation. He’d spent the whole afternoon yesterday with Lani. They had spent very little time together at the rehearsal dinner, which had been boring and long. All the toasts had gotten on his nerves. Years ago, Ben would have mocked something like that, but now, he seemed to thrive on people kissing his ass. Jakob was starting to realize he might not know his friend. At least, not anymore.
He was on his way into the hotel to check in and get ready for the wedding. He couldn’t wait to see Lani. Maybe it was because he had waited years for this, or perhaps it was because, for the first time in a long time, he was going after a woman with whom he wanted to build a relationship.
Before he reached the desk, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out. His sister’s face was on the screen, so he took it immediately.
“Is everything okay?”
She sighed. “Yes.”
“But?”
“Nothing. I just… I’m bored. How do people sit in bed all day and not go mad?”
He smiled. They all had good work ethics that sometimes bordered on the unhealthy side. But out of the three siblings, Jules had the most energy. She was always moving, always thinking. He figured it was her creative mind. She couldn’t seem to ever settle down.
“Read a book.”
“I’ve read them all.”
He snorted. “All the books in the world?”
She chuckled. “Sorry. I’m being a prat.”
“You are, but you’re pregnant and have every right to be.”
There was a long moment of silence. “You sound better than you have in a while.”
“I…” he sighed and stepped into an alcove. “I told her how I felt, and she didn’t kick me in the bullocks.”
“Honesty is always the best way.”
And right then, he felt like a snake. He hadn’t told Lani he had kept his hands off her all these years because of her brother. He would. One day. That is if she decided that they were meant to be together. There was no reason to drive a bigger wedge between her brother and her. His relationship with Royal had already driven a wedge between them. The last thing Jakob wanted to do was cause her more pain.
“I’m giving her space to think. I kind of freaked her out.”
“You didn’t pounce on her?”
“No! Why would you think I did that?”
“Jake, this is me. You’ve wanted this woman for years.”
“How would you know about that?”
“It was the way you would say her name. There was always something there. And I saw a picture of you. It was you, Ben, and Lani. You were looking at her like she was your whole world.”
“Huh.”
He thought he had been better at hiding his interest. And he knew what picture Jules was talking about. It was a couple of years ago at the premiere of his spy thriller False God . They had been reminiscing about Jakob’s first surfing lesson from the siblings all those years ago. He had wiped out almost every time. Lani belted out a laugh, and his whole world lit up.
“Amazing that no one else picked up on it.”
“I know you well. I’m sure no one else saw it, but I assume I could since I’ve known you longer than all the jerks on the gossip sites. Plus, weren’t you involved with Michelle Roberts then?”
He bit back a sigh. Even his family didn’t realize how many of his “relationships” were fake. Michelle was a lesbian who needed to win more leading lady parts. He had fit the bill. What he never understood was why, in this day and age, someone as talented as she was had to do fake relationships. She had been nominated for an Oscar four times, two of those times before she’d turned eighteen. It was stupid, and she felt she needed to pretend.
“Yeah.”
A gaggle of sunburned tourists wandered by. They were loud and obnoxious frat boys. “What are you doing?”
“I’m at Turtle Bay for the wedding.”
“Argh, of course you are. Seriously, this baby is eating all my brain cells. It’s annoying.”
Nic had complained about the same thing.
“I’m about to hunt up the room they reserved for the groomsmen.”
“Ah, okay. Have fun. Love you.”
“Love you,” he said. He hung up and turned and almost ran straight into Royal.
“I didn’t know you were dating anyone.”
How long had she been listening to his side of the conversation? She had snuck up on him easily enough for such a usually loud person. A sliver of unease slipped through him. There was always something a bit off about the woman.
“I was talking to my sister. Not that it’s any business of yours.”
Her eyes narrowed, and that vacant, stupid look dissolved into anger. Then, it slipped away. It was a second or two, but he could still feel it. The woman wasn’t at all what she seemed to be.
Before she could respond, he heard someone call out her name. They both turned in the direction of the voice and found her friend Sienna walking toward them. Great. Just what he needed. Royal had kept throwing out hints about her friend being single the night before at the rehearsal dinner. He knew she was involved with, or had been involved with, Rick.
“Royal, there you are. I dropped you off, and you just disappeared on me.”
“I saw Jakob hiding over here whispering into his phone.”
He blinked as he looked at the calculated look in Royal’s eyes. The woman was a piece of work. “I wasn’t hiding or whispering. My sister was checking in because she was ordered to bed rest today.”
“Is this the sister who is a nympho?”
The rumor Jules’s ex-fiancé had started about her still pissed him off. And what woman used that term?
“Has anyone told you you don’t live up to your name?” She blinked at his harsh tone. He was a nice guy, but he had a bad temper. He rarely lost it, and it usually was when people were being dicks. “No? Well, since I know a few of them myself, and in case you didn’t know, the Wulf Family is in the line of succession in England.”
Yes, about seventy people had to die, but that wasn’t important. “So, I know what I’m talking about. You need to learn some manners.”
He slipped away then, ignoring her gasp and her friend. Jakob still couldn’t understand what his friend saw in the woman. She was mildly attractive, but she caked on makeup, which made her look garish compared to the locals.
He made his way into the hotel lobby. Having been raised in the hotel business, Jakob took in the resort once again. It wasn’t a Wulf property, but it was beautiful. He smiled at an attendant who greeted him.
“I’m here for the Kingston wedding. I’m one of the groomsmen.”
“Of course, Mr. Wulf,” the man said, smiling at him. “Mr. Kingston has a suite upstairs. Here is your key, and the room number is written on it.”
He tipped the man and headed to the elevators. He was still irritated with Royal and her nastiness towards Jules. There was something off about Royal. Who in their right mind would bring up those rumors about Jules, especially to his face?
The elevator doors opened, and only one person was on the lift. His heart tripped up a few ticks as he spied Lani.
“Hey, there. I was coming to see where you were,” she said.
Jakob’s brain froze. He seemed to have lost the ability to talk. Words. Those weren’t coming to him. His entire body felt electrified by the vision before him. She was already dressed and ready for the wedding. Her hair was in a low bun, but two long tendrils had been left out, and they framed her gorgeous face. As usual, her makeup was subtle, but her eye shadow was darker, highlighting her golden eyes. Her lips were ruby red, and he wanted a taste.
But then…the dress. It was a simple dress with one shoulder exposed. The ivory material looked soft, and the explosion of pink and purple flowers definitely nodded to her love of her Hawaiian culture.
She. Was. Stunning.
“Jakob?”
There was worry in her voice. Good thing because he wasn’t sure he would ever be able to talk again. She stepped closer, and her sweet scent seemed to wrap around him.
“Are you okay?”
That’s when he heard the whispering. He turned and looked. Great, freaking people were looking at them. One or both of them had been recognized. Wanting…needing…privacy. He hit the elevator button again. It hadn’t gone anywhere, so he crowded her back onto the lift, then hit the button before anyone could get on.
“You look amazing.”
The furrow in her brow eased as a cute blush stole over her cheeks. Had no one ever told this woman how gorgeous she was?
“Thank you.”
“I’m not that late, am I? I just saw Royal, and she wasn’t ready.”
She rolled her eyes. “She and her bridesmaids are running behind, but they are not my job. You are.”
He blinked. “Excuse me?”
She smiled. “Sorry. I’m wrangling all the guys. That’s why I’m ready.”
“Am I the last to arrive?”
She nodded. “Most of the groomsmen stayed here last night.”
And he had wanted to. He had wanted Lani to ask him to stay, but she had not. Jakob had not pushed for it because he knew they needed time.
“I want to kiss you.”
Her eyes widened.
“But I won’t because I know it’s about the wedding right now.”
He leaned forward to whisper his next promise. “But once this is over, know I’m getting a kiss.”
And hopefully, more. He drew in a deep breath of her heady scent, then he pulled back just in time for the doors to open. When they did, he found Ben standing on the other side, frowning. When he saw the two of them, Ben’s frown deepened. Great. He wasn’t in the mood to fight his best friend.
“What is going on?” Before Jakob could direct his friend’s ire elsewhere, Ben turned toward Lani. “You’re not giving Jake a hard time, are you? Can you just let it go one weekend?”
He wanted to box his friend’s ears, but again, he would let it go. It’s what Lani would want. Still, he wouldn’t let her be chastised like that by anyone.
“Not at all. She wrangled me from downstairs and saved me from fans.” Not a complete lie. “We’ve called a truce for the wedding. Her idea.”
Ben looked between the two of them, suspicion darkening his eyes before his expression cleared, and he smiled.
“I knew I could count on you, sista.”
She smiled at him, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Ben was oblivious to it and her. Again, he wanted to grab his friend and shake him.
“Now that your best man is here, I have things I have to check on. I’ll be back to make sure all of you are ready on time.”
He didn’t want to leave. He wanted to go help Lani. But he knew it would look weird. So, instead, he stepped off the lift.
“Save a dance for me, Lani.”
This time, when her lips curved, her dimples popped out, her entire face transformed, and her magical eyes sparkled. “You got it.”
Then he watched as the doors closed.
“That’s good. I never thought the two of you would get along.” He slapped Jakob on the back. “I think dating Rick has been good for her.”
Jakob pushed away the initial surge of jealous rage that seemed to course through him. Just hearing the loser’s name made him irrationally angry. He knew part of that anger was directed at Ben. How could he not know that his sister and Rick had broken up? He opened his mouth to respond, but Ben and Lani’s cousin Hank called out.
“Come on, y’all. They want pics before the wedding, and you idiots aren’t dressed yet.”
“Let’s go,” Ben said. “I don’t want to be late to my own wedding.”
Lani’s hormones were still vibrating when she stepped off the elevator. Jakob hadn’t really touched her. All he had done was whisper in her ear, and she was a mess.
The moment she stepped into the common area, something pushed against her senses. It wasn’t good. It was that feeling of being watched…intently. Unease slipped down her spine. Trying her best not to look like she was searching for anyone, she pulled out her phone and pretended to check for messages. All the while, she looked out of the corner of her eye.
Her phone buzzed, drawing her attention to it. She frowned at one from an unknown number.
Unknown: You should be careful. Your life is in danger.
What?
When Lani looked up this time, she didn’t try to hide it. Her gaze searched her surroundings. She was now in the lobby area, and her gaze took in her surroundings. No one was paying attention to her, even though it was crowded. And why would someone want to kill her?
It had to be a wrong number. No one knew about her and Jakob, and they had barely kissed, so that made no sense at all. She sighed and pushed that thought aside because she had too much on her plate today. Hopefully, whoever it was found who they were looking for. The next message was from the catering director, who was freaked out. Lani shoved her phone back into her pocket and headed off to avert whatever crisis had arisen.
He watched from the other side of the lobby. Lani practically glided across the crowded space. It was easy to see the royal blood that flowed through her veins.
His phone buzzed, and he knew who it was. He didn’t want to answer. Didn’t want to deal with his partner. If he didn’t answer, he knew what would happen.
He answered just before it would have gone to voicemail.
“What?”
“Did she react?” his partner rasped over the phone.
“Not really.”
“What is it with this woman? Is she that obtuse?”
No. He had known her for several years and knew she wasn’t stupid. It was just that Lani thought she could handle everything. And the truth was, for the most part, she could. When he first started observing her, he’d realized that the woman could juggle her legal work along with PR for the company.
“Not sure. I do know that sending it today is probably not a good idea. She has a lot on her mind with the wedding.”
“Hmm,” was the only sound over the phone. “I guess so. Still, I want to make sure that this is all wrapped up in a couple weeks. I don’t want anything in my way.”
He had always thought this plan was a bad idea. The Kingstons might be jerks in a lot of ways, but they weren’t stupid. If anything, their legal position on certain things had been cleaned up by Lani. It would be hard to get away with anything against them. That was probably why his partner wanted to get rid of Lani.
“She needs another reminder of why she should run.”
He would roll his eyes, but he knew from experience there was a good chance his partner had eyes on him.
“What do you have in mind? The brakes didn’t seem to scare her.”
He hadn’t been too sure about that to begin with. Their parents had died in a wreck, so both of the Kingston children were fanatical about their car safety.
“Maybe another close call, but this time, it should be someone else driving.”
“No.”
“Yes, or do you not understand how much money you owe me?”
Fuck.
“Fine. But after this, you get to do the dirty stuff.”
“She will recognize me. I can’t.”
“I’m just saying you do it, or someone else does it. I’m not going to do anything after this.”
“Good.”
The dial tone was his only answer. He sighed, knowing that this situation wouldn’t end well for him.