9. Miles
Miles
WEDDING DAY
Holy shit, I’m doing this.
I stood in the hallway of city hall just outside the mayor’s office. A whirlwind of arrangements and hurried decisions, and fuck, here I was.
Getting ready to marry Sun— Serena in order to save my family and my company.
Dante had us by the balls, and we’d have to play his way. For now.
Both families agreed not to delay. With the current protest against the Kings and the threats Whitmore Ventures was facing, it was decided to just get the ceremony done.
But all I could think about was the woman I was about to marry—the one I used to love. She ruined me. And I was supposed to vow forever to her?
Was Whitmore Ventures really worth it?
It was. Legacy.
And all the bullshit that came with it…
I shook my head, instead thinking of the other pressing thought.
Erik.
Don’t have a choice now, huh? He’s your brother-in-law.
My phone began to ring in my pocket, and I dug in, lifting it to see a number I didn’t recognize.
“Miles,” a man’s voice rasped, low and oily, slick with familiarity. “Long time.”
I stiffened; I knew that voice.
“Victor.”
Then a soft laugh. “I was wondering if you’d answer. You always were a polite boy. Even when you were desperate.”
“We have nothing to talk about. I paid you back. Every damn cent. With interest.”
“Which I’m glad you did. I would hate for it to have to get ugly between us. You know I don’t like that.”
I swallowed and clenched my fists. Over the years since my last dealings with the “businessman”—and I used that word extremely lightly—I’d heard through the grapevine what happened to those that didn’t pay him back promptly which I did. So why was he calling now?
“Touched as I am by this random-ass call,” I said tightly, “I’m busy. So maybe get to the part where you tell me what the hell you want.”
“You’re valuable again, Miles,” Victor said slowly. “I always knew you had it in you, son.”
“You did, huh?” I couldn’t help but puff my chest out. “Glad the streets are talking. I’m hanging up?—”
“I’m coming back to town for a visit. When I get there, I want you available.”
“That’s not poss?—”
“It is,” he cut in. “See you soon.”
The line went dead.
I sighed and pocketed my phone, rubbing my face. Well. Shit could have gone worse.
That was fucking terrifying in itself.
You just had to take the money.
I heard footsteps. I saw Laurene walking toward me with a veil.
“Miles?” Lu waddled closer. “How are you feeling?”
“Like shit.”
She just nodded knowingly, then looked down and touched the veil. “I hear you. This kind of thing…it’s not easy. But you’ll be surprised over time it gets easier.”
I remembered the abrupt wedding between her and Reese. She was probably the only one truly who understood my predicament and all the challenges that came with it.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen. But her? Of all people, Lu?”
Laurene looked at me closely. “It’s not just about what happened with your dad, is it? It’s from before.”
“Huh?” I squinted at her.
“ I know , Miles.”
That made me blink, and Laurene gave me a look.
“I saw you sneak out her bedroom the day before the summer soirée.”
Well, shit.
I shifted awkwardly. Laurene looked after her sisters. She was second oldest, but like Erik, she was super protective, so I needed to tread lightly.
“Lu…” I started. “You don’t understand?—”
“Don’t worry, I didn’t say anything to Erik or our parents.”
She reached forward, placing a hand on my shoulder.
“Listen, I get it,” she said, her tone softening as she leaned in a little. “I’ve been there, Miles. With Reese, I—” She paused, as if the words were hard to say. “We were together before everything happened. Before my engagement to his brother. Before everything went to hell.”
What she said made my throat close up.
“It wasn’t easy coming back home, Miles. And it sure as hell wasn’t easy when my family decided to set me up in an arranged marriage with the one person I tried to forget. I know it’s hard for you because you stayed. I couldn’t have done that.”
I watched as a myriad of emotions crossed her face, and she placed her hand on her swollen belly.
“I thought I was over it. Over him,” Laurene continued softly.
“Our marriage was supposed to be a duty. I thought I could just show up, smile, survive. But the feeling that…you’ve been ripped apart by your own choices and the what-ifs keep you up at night?
You can’t ignore that. And when I was standing across from the man who knew me better than anyone else—who still saw me—I couldn’t just let all my feelings die. ”
For a second, it felt like she forgot I was even there.
“Serena is different. We’ve always loved her, but it was clear she never moved through the world the same way as us. She doesn’t do mess. Chaos overwhelms her. Feelings overwhelm her. She likes structure. Predictability. Control. It’s how she protects herself.”
I nodded.
“It takes someone brave, open-minded, patient, and extremely compassionate to be with her,” Laurene said. “And I think that person has always been you.”
I whistled low, scratching my neck. “Damn, Lu. Brave, open-minded, patient, compassionate? You got me sounding like a therapy dog or some shit.”
She rolled her eyes. “If you’re standing here, trying to act like you don’t feel any of that with Serena, maybe you should ask yourself if you’re lying to her, or just to yourself.”
I sighed. “My situation is not the same as yours.”
“I know it’s not the same, but there’s this…
tension, right? Between you two? The kind that doesn’t go away just because you’re forced to stand next to each other or you pretend to hate one another.
It doesn’t have to be about what our families expect from you.
It’s about what you both choose to face—and what you’re willing to fight for together. ”
My heart was pounding in my chest.
“I think you both could be happy together. If you want to be.”
That word hit harder than it should’ve.
Happy.
I didn’t know what to say.
Because deep down, I remembered her smile too.
“Thanks,” I said, my voice rough. “I’ll…think about it.”
Laurene smiled, patting me on my shoulder she brushed by. “We’ll be in there soon.”
The veil in Laurene’s hand was still a reminder of everything I had to lose—and everything I didn’t know how to fix.
I walked toward the mayor’s office and stepped inside with no hesitation.
Standing by the window, looking out, was Erik.
Of fucking course.
“Erik,” I said.
He turned to face me, his eyes filled with a mix of emotions—anger, sadness, and something else I couldn’t quite place.
“Miles,” he said, his tone flat.
“I didn’t think you would come.” I closed the door, taking a few steps inside.
“I had to see if you still had the fucking balls to go along with this.”
I gritted my teeth, my back stiffening. “It’s not like I had a choice.”
Erik turned, eyes blazing. His brown skin flushed; his fists clenched. “You have a choice. But you did back then too, and you made the wrong one with the whole Victor thing.”
“Don’t try me,” I snapped, stepping forward. “You wanna talk about leaving shit in shambles? Let’s talk about what you did to my family. You wrecked us, man. That’s why I made that deal.”
“That was after! I warned you about those guys and their sketchy deals.” Erik’s voice cracked, his tone cutting deeper.
“I didn’t want to tell, Miles. Omar was family to me too, but he was outta control.
Somebody had to do something. You were obviously too pussy to do it.
Don’t make excuses because you stooped fucking low to make deals with criminals. ”
“You weren’t funding us!” I had to keep my voice steady. “Who was making sure my family was fed, hmm? You and the rest of your family turned your fucking backs on us. If anything, you should’ve kept your damn mouth shut.”
“You caused all this!” Erik yelled, closing the distance between us. “You always thought all this shit was a game, Miles.”
We bumped chests, and I lost it, shoving him hard. Years of anger finally blew. “Say that shit again, Erik. I dare you.”
He stumbled but caught himself, his face twisting into something feral as he came right back, shoving me with both hands. “You caused all this by pussyfooting. You ruined the town. You ruined our friendship.”
My blood was boiling as I stepped forward again, this time grabbing his shirt. “You got a lotta nerve, acting like you’re the victim. You destroyed my family, and now you wanna act all high and mighty? Fuck that!”
Erik didn’t flinch, his hands coming up to shove me off him. I stumbled back this time, but came right back at him, but before I could swing, the door opened and a voice broke through the haze of rage.
“Hey! Break it up.” Dante suddenly entered the room and stepped between us. “Please try not to destroy anything in here. My aunt would kill me if you cracked that statue.”
Erik and I froze, our breathing heavy, faces inches apart.
He took a step back. Then he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a manila envelope. He held it out to me, a silence stretching as I stared at the envelope.
“The fuck is that?”
Erik’s expression was grim. “A way out.”
I opened the envelope and found a stack of money.
“What is this?” I asked again, though I had a sinking feeling I knew.
“You’re smart enough to figure it out,” Erik said, his tone sharp. “Let’s end this marriage before it starts. Name your price if you need to, but don’t marry Serena. I can figure out how to fix this for both of us.”
Dante raised a brow. “Interesting decision, Erik, knowing the stakes.”
“Mind your business,” he snapped at Dante.
I looked at Erik, stunned. “You’re trying to bribe me?”
“This is about keeping my sister away from you before you drag her into your fucking mess of a show.”
“Fuck your offer, Erik. And fuck you.”
Before either of us could throw the first punch, our parents walked in, Yvonne’s eyes narrowing as she took in the scene. “What the hell is going on here?”
“Nothing like a good ol’ fight before a wedding to get everyone in the mood,” Dante drawled.