14. Family Drama #2
"Good morning! I'm Marissa, the wedding planner," she announced with a professional smile that seemed almost too bright for the tension-filled terrace.
There was no way that she could miss it.
"Today is going to be beautiful! We are on a tight schedule, so we'll need to get started.
" Her eyes turned to look at Nash's hand on her hip, and then she leveled a too-bright smile on Iris.
"You must be the bride, of course you are. Lovely to meet you, Iris."
Iris's eyes widened as the woman came up and shook her hand firmly. She nodded absently. Unaware that Nash had even hired a wedding planner.
"It has been such a pleasure organizing your wedding. Mr. Nash has passed along all of your preferences and I have to compliment you on your eye for design." Marissa sent her a wink that she almost missed, as she had turned wildly to stare at Nash.
"My preferences?" she asked softly. Her words hushed. Nash simply cocked an eyebrow up, as if daring her to make a scene.
"I wish we could talk more, but we need you and the bridal party in hair and makeup pronto. There will be pictures of the wedding party before the ceremony, so if you and Mrs. Richards could follow me?"
Hearing only Daisy's and her name, Iris hesitated, her gaze shifting to Nash. "Holly?" she whispered for his ears alone, concern etching her features.
Nash's lips curled into a scoff, his blue eyes glinting with a cool detachment. "Did you really think I would let her be a bridesmaid after the way she treated you?" His voice was low and scornful. "She's lucky she gets to be a guest."
The corners of Iris's mouth lifted into a bittersweet smile.
She sensed the truth beneath his words. It was a twisted form of care, a dark protectiveness that she was fast becoming addicted to.
With a shake of her head, she accepted his reasoning and moved towards Daisy.
Who, up until that point, had remained off to the side.
Trying to stay out of the drama that was unfolding before her.
As they left, following behind Marissa, she looked over at her siblings. Her hand gave a fluttering wave as she turned away, allowing the tension to seep away. Today wasn't the day to get swept up in arguments or hurt feelings. No. It was a day to celebrate.
Her wedding day. Nothing was going to dampen her mood. Even as she thought that, her eyes were sweeping the room. Worried that at any moment, the only two people who could ruin this day for her were about to appear.
Her parents.
Nash
Nash's gaze lingered on the private beach before him. Everything that Iris detailed in that binder came alive before him, transforming the private beach into a romantic getaway. Perfect for a wedding.
Their wedding, he thought with a slash of dark satisfaction. It was finally happening.
The archway was elegant, draped in sheer white fabric, and stood as the centerpiece. Surrounding it, flowers burst forth in a riot of colors that mirrored the bouquet Iris would soon carry down the aisle towards him. Vibrant purples dotted against pure white petals.
He could see it now. Him standing there with the officiant, watching her walk towards him. Anticipation sent his nerves firing. His fingers twitched, and he could feel his heartbeat pick up. He was ready. Past ready for her to be his. Legally, that is.
She'd been his for since the first day he saw her as a teenager, in actuality. But now the world would know it.
He watched as two more of his guards emerged from around the house carrying giant vases filled with flowers. He brought in his own team to set everything up. He was not risking Iris's safety again. It was difficult to vet contractors properly.
Marissa positioned herself near the start of the aisle, directing his men with military precision.
They had already laid down temporary flooring across the sand for Iris to walk on.
That, combined with the walls made of white linen that they constructed earlier to prevent any other residents from intruding, made the entire beach feel elegant.
Flowers veritably exploded out of the sand. Just as he asked for.
His lips quirked upward. The wedding planner had exceeded his expectations. This was a wedding fit for his little flower; anything less was unthinkable.
As he took in the final preparations, the crunch of sand underfoot caused him to turn his head. Nash gritted his teeth as he saw it was his worthless soon-to-be brother-in-law. Ash. Tension thrummed through the air, thick enough to cut with the knife he had concealed beneath his jacket.
With deliberate slowness, Nash brought his whiskey glass to his lips while staring him in the eyes. Letting him know he wasn't that important. The burn of the aged spirit was a welcome bite against his tongue.
He braced himself for excuses he was sure were coming.
Ash no doubt sought him out to offer him weak justifications.
That's what privileged little boys that were masquerading as men always did.
Came to him and lied to both themselves and him.
Hoping to disguise how weak they were. It was the last thing Nash wanted to hear on his wedding day.
He turned away, watching his men continue setting up for his wedding.
But Ash's next words were anything but what he expected. If he were anyone else, he probably would have choked on his whiskey. But he wasn't, so his stoic face didn't let even a flicker of emotion through.
"Thank you for saving my sister."
The statement hung between them, and Nash swiveled his head, fixing Ash with a steely blue gaze. He needed an explanation, and he needed it now. Ash swallowed thickly before he continued.
"I never paid attention... to what was happening right under my nose," Ash confessed, his voice a tortured whisper.
"Both my sisters were abused, and I never knew a damn thing about it.
Iris more so. She suffered more than Holly ever did.
I should have seen it. Stopped it. But, I didn't. Without your intervention... " His voice fractured.
Nash's eyes turned to stare out over the horizon. He had no desire to see such emotion on his soon to be brother-in-law's face. The scent of salt and flowers mingled in the air, a heady concoction. As Ash's presence lingered beside him, Nash let a cold smile play on his lips.
"I have no need for you gratitude," he said, voice low and even.
The ocean breeze caught strands of his jet-black hair, lifting them off his forehead.
"I didn't do it for you. Iris was mine the moment I laid eyes on her.
The Blackworth's may discard their treasures, but the Nash's—we protect our own. "
He saw Ash nod from the corner of his eye.
He turned to face him fully. Nash noted how his brown eyes reflecting a somber acceptance.
"I can see that," Ash muttered, glancing away, his gaze lost to the waves.
"You've made that abundantly clear. But you still have my gratitude.
Whether or not you want it, it's yours. Regardless of your reasons, you saved my sister from a horrible fate. And for that, I am in your debt."
Nash waited for more, but when Ash stayed silent, he found himself incapable of stifling his curiosity. "And the company? Your family's fortune?" he probed, watching for any flicker of reaction. "Aren't you going to thank me for saving all of that?"
A bitter laugh escaped Ash, carrying with it the weight of regret.
"I suppose I should thank you for that too, shouldn't I?
" There was no warmth in his laughter, only the sharp edge of grief.
"But I won't. Iris's life—her happiness—it means more than any damn company.
" His eyes met Nash's, holding a fierce intensity.
"Let my parents grovel at your feet for their legacy.
It's all they care about. I care about my sister, not their empire.
" The words were bitter, cold. Nash stared at him, weighing his sincerity. Wordlessly, he took him in.