Chapter 23
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Angel
Promise has gone silent again.
She cuts Rock’s hair and then she disappears into my bedroom to get herself ready.
I know I fucked up.
And it wasn’t saying no to Promise in the shower. All those years, I lived with how my mother split and how my father couldn’t keep his word, not one time. Holding onto some shred of morality is the only thing that has kept me from becoming completely unhinged.
And the more time I spend with Promise, the more I want to find other pieces of myself that can be valued.
Where I fucked up was yesterday when I treated her like shit in front of her father. And the day before when I told her I wasn’t going to give her anything good. Just take…
No woman has given me real softness. They want to fuck me. Use me for their fun. But Promise has always been different. From the way we understand each other, to the parts of herself she’s willing to give, she’s more of everything.
I can feel the difference and it makes me want more. More sex, sure. But more of everything else too. More nights wrapped up together, more kisses, more words.
Fuck.
It hits me square in the chest that I’m doing exactly what I said I’d never do. I’m catching feelings.
It’s like a virus. But just like the flu, I’m powerless to stop it.
It’s just washing over me.
Rock and Knox stand on either side of me in their tuxes as we wait for Promise to finish getting ready.
My hands are clasped in front of me as I attempt not to fidget.
“Winthrop return that contract yet?” Knox asks, his hands crossed as well.
“No,” I reply, knowing that it’s not good. I sent it to him signed hours ago. But there is nothing to do but move forward. Carefully.
It’s nearly three in the afternoon, and it’s just about time to go. Knox is going to drive us in his large SUV. It means that Promise won’t have to climb into a low-slung car in her floor-length gown. And it also means that my brother, who I trust to drive, will be behind the wheel just in case…
I wish Axel was here to drive, but despite Knox calling him three times, we still have no word where he is or what he’s up to.
For all I know, he’s decided to split. Axel has his own career, he stays with us out of loyalty, and I’m feeling that hard.
The door to the bedroom cracks open, Promise peeking out.
I can see the white of her gown and one blue eye before she slowly pulls the door open wider, coming fully into view.
My breath catches in my chest, rattling in my throat. Her hair hangs down her back in loose waves that curl away from her face.
The dress hugs every gorgeous curve, and as she’s yet to put the wrap on, the pale skin of her chest is exposed.
I want to kiss every inch of it.
My eyes skim back up her body, over the slender column of her neck. Her makeup is stunning and effortless all at the same time, highlighting her eyes and the perfect pink hues of her skin.
It hits me.
Promise is about to be mine. My wife.
In my wildest fantasies, I never imagined holding something or someone so perfect. And where I thought of feelings like a virus, I think of claiming Promise as a gift.
Why would I let go of a gift like that?
My eyes meet her wide blue ones, her uncertainty flashing in them as she stands in the doorway.
“Come here, Promise.” I take a step toward her, holding out my hand.
She hesitates for a second and then does as I’ve commanded, lifting the skirt to walk toward me.
Holy fucking hell, even the way she moves in that dress makes my knees weak, and I find myself moving toward her, unable to stay away.
She presses her lips together as her chin notches up to meet my eyes again.
I take her hand, my other cupping her jaw as I stroke my thumb over her cheek.
She blinks a few times, turning her face away. I know she’s looking at the wall because she’s uncertain, but I take the opportunity to lean down and whisper, “You are so beautiful you take my—” I stop, realizing that I was about to start spewing song lyrics.
But she turns to look at me, her mouth only an inch from mine, as her wide eyes stare into mine. “What do I take?” she whispers.
“The air. My strength. And maybe my sanity too.”
She smiles at the last one, the sweet curve of her lips so ridiculously satisfying, something tightens deep in the pit of my stomach.
“Not bad, cupcake,” Rock calls. “Gotta be honest, I might take a turn at a swanky bakery.”
Promise’s brows draw together as she looks at me.
“Don’t ask,” I reply to her unspoken question. And then I turn to Rock with a glare. “Find your own bakery.”
Knox chuckles, and I appreciate that my brothers are treating this moment with a bit more tenderness than their usual way.
Promise must as well, because she lets me put her hand in the crook of my arm.
I spent a lot of the afternoon teaching Rock and Knox some of the lessons that Promise taught me, Gunner, and Axel yesterday.
Knox was a quick study. He gets women from all walks of life with his high-profile career and many of the moves felt familiar to him.
Rock was a different story. He asked a lot of questions, he seemed to be considering aspects of life he’d never thought about before.
Rock has this sense of how to move effortlessly in the shadows, to see things other people don’t see.
So the idea of being able to camouflage himself in plain sight today was appealing to him.
I see Rock looking at Promise now, with different eyes than he did that first day. All of my brothers are realizing that Promise is a potential asset.
I grimace as I think of Gunner.
I don’t blame him for not wanting to enter these dangerous waters with me. But I wish he was here.
I move Promise’s hand into my other, wrapping my arm around her waist as we make our way to the elevator.
We’re silent as we make our way down, and when we reach the garage, I help Promise lift her skirts to keep them off the cement floor.
Knox is eyeing me, and as our gazes collide, he shakes his head. “Tied to her skirts,” he mutters, but he gives me a half grin.
I don’t answer as I help Promise into the back of the Escalade and then come around to the other side.
We start out of the parking lot, entering into traffic, as we head for the highway.
Across the seat, I reach for Promise’s hand.
I can’t seem to stop from touching her, and why should I?
After a second’s hesitation, she slips her hand into mine. I give her fingers a little squeeze because I want her to understand what I’m feeling.
Her other hand comes to mine, her body turning toward me. This is how I want Promise.
I lean over, brushing my lips over her cheek.
In the rearview, I catch Knox watching. Rock gives a little glance over his shoulder.
I’d tell them to mind their business but that’s when my phone rings.
Relief washes through me to see Axel’s name on the screen.
“Hey,” I say as I pick up the phone. “Where the hell have you been?”
“Nowhere good,” he answers even as Knox lets off the gas pedal, his eyes on me in the rearview.
“What’s that mean?” I ask, still keeping my hold on Promise’s hand.
“I’m on my way to the wedding but I decided to follow Winthrop, after that shady as fuck meeting we had yesterday.”
Jesus Christ, I fucking love my brother. “And?”
“He spent most of the night with our favorite cocaine dealer, Vincent Morelli.”
“Fuck,” I spit. I could assume that Don was partying and the reason I haven’t gotten the contract is because he was sleeping off an epic hangover.
But as I look at Promise, I remember her warning. Her father is famous for the double cross.
“What’s your ETA?” Axel asks, and I hear him shift his car. “I’m assuming you’re en route to the wedding.”
“I am. We’ll be there in forty-five minutes.”
“Plan is still the same?” he asks again, and I know what he’s wondering. Is the wedding a trap? Do I still plan to honor the deal I struck with Don?
I look over at Promise, whose hands are tightly clasped around mine, her eyes wide. “Let’s meet at that Sunoco that’s two miles from the venue, arrive together,” I say to Axel. Then I hang up and dial again.
I’m not going to call Gunner. There is too much to say and no time to do it. So instead, I call Rush Smith.
He picks up on the second ring. “Why aren’t you doing groom things?”
“Because,” I let out a long breath, “I think my soon-to-be father-in-law is about to pull a double cross.”
Rush lets out a low whistle. “Should I ask?”
“Later. Right now, I’m wondering if you can be at the Sunoco on Ocean Drive in forty minutes. I need to have the kind of buffer that keeps Promise’s father from doing anything stupid.” I meet her gaze, her mouth open in a little O as she stares at me.
“Are you calling in your favor?”
“Stopping at a gas station?” I ask, knowing that I’m pushing.
“Helping you keep your powerfully connected father-in-law in check,” Rush answers. “I can only assume this might be a multi-step process.”
“Fair,” I answer. “And agreed.”
“Cleaning up this mess is going to require our connection to the biggest business contact we have?” Rock asks with a curl of his lip.
“I made Promise a…promise that I’d protect her. I’m keeping it.”
“Seems like there are easier ways to get quality pussy—” Rock says, before Knox punches his arm, not that it matters.
Dress and all, Promise launches herself across the seat and into my lap, her lips finding mine.
I kiss her back, pulling her deeper into my body.
Because Promise is getting her first lesson on what it means to be with a man who means what he says and does what he means.
And I’ve gotta be honest, I’m glad to be the man to teach her.
It makes me feel like I might actually be something worth a woman like Promise.
Then again, perhaps I should make it through this afternoon first.