“Cue the sweet talk. We know I’m good, so stop distracting me, so I can wrap my mouth around that beautiful cock of yours.”
I grab her hand, ignoring the people around us, and pull her toward the elevators. As soon as the door opens, I’m about to press the button to stop anyone else from entering, so I can slide my fingers into her shorts to feel how wet she is until the doors ping open.
“Well, if it isn’t the happy couple.”
The sound of his voice blinds me with an uncontrollable rage. I’m caught off-guard, unprepared to deal with this motherfucker and his annoying presence. I stretch my neck, my nostrils flaring as Kate squeezes my hand. I don’t look his way, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of my attention.
“Dominic, how are you?”
“Fine, Kate.”
“That’s good to hear,” she says politely before continuing, “Listen, I love Eric. I don’t want there to be animosity between us when we’re all here for him and Tristan.”
Dominic keeps his attention fixated on the door. “Yes, we’re all here for Eric. There is nothing more important to me than the bond of brotherhood. And he is your best friend, correct?”
I’m about to punch his fucking face, swallowing the anger as Kate tightens her grip on me. But I keep quiet, remembering Lex’s words. Always remain one step ahead. If he wants to pull the brotherhood card out, I will keep a close eye, knowing he has a hidden angle in trying to stay close to Kate.
The door pings open as we reach our floor. Fuck, finally.
“Now, if you’ll excuse us, we need to get ready for tonight. I guess we’ll see you later.”
Kate drags us out, but I stop her, holding the door as my eyes blaze against his. For the longest time, I envied this man for having been the attention of my best friend. But as I continue to stare into the eyes of my enemy, I see nothing but a sad, pathetic man, who creates a world based on false fantasies and ruins people’s self-worth for his own selfish needs.
“It’ll be in your best interest to remember that this weekend is about your brother and nothing else,” I warn him in an arctic tone. “Do you understand me?”
The dickhead smirks like a fucking idiot, though behind his complacent façade, I see the blaze out of control because the woman he loves walks away so easily.
“I’ll see you soon, Kate,” is all his says while we battle with our stare.
The doors close at the same time. Kate pulls me toward the room and unlocks the door. The second we are inside, I kick the goddamn chair, angered by what I knew all along.
“Noah, you have to let it go.”
I slide the balcony door open, relishing in the fresh air to calm me down. My hands grip the railing as I stare at the view of the strip below me.
“Let it go?” A sinister laugh escapes me while I shake my head. “Right.”
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Kate raises her voice behind me. “I get it, I really do. But you’ve said over and over again that you know how much I love you, so what else is it? Because it’s starting to sound like you don’t trust me, and if that’s the truth, that is a whole other argument, especially since I’m the one who has had to compromise for you and have your exes in our lives for the sake of the kids.”
“I trust you,” I confess, almost raising my voice, frustrated at my own insecurities.
“I just want a moment to get down on one knee and make you my wife. That perfect moment to prove to you how much I want us to be husband and wife. And everyone in our lives demands so much of us, I can barely fuck you let alone propose marriage to you.”
“What if there isn’t such a thing as a perfect moment? You can always plan, but sometimes, that perfect moment is spontaneous. There’s no thought, just careless thoughts carrying us away like our dip in the ocean that night. Whatever may have happened afterward, our crazy actions led us to bond in a jail cell. And look at us now.”
“I guess so,” I mumble. “I hadn’t thought of it that way.”
“Noah.” I turn around as she inches closer, placing her hand on my cheek, caressing it softly. “We are not ordinary. And that’s what makes our bond unique. We’re not Charlie or Lex or even Adriana and Julian. We are Noah and Kate. Two best friends who fell apart four years ago and got through the hardest years of our lives to end up here, together. Our love story is far from perfect, but it’s perfect for me.”
“I’m sorry, and you’re right. I just hate how much he crawls under my skin.”
“It’s called jealousy.” She smiles, her arms around me. “So back to the whole wife thing…”
“Yeah,” I grin, “I’ve never hidden the fact that I want all of you, mine forever.”
“Let’s just get married, here, tonight.”
“Here?” I tilt my head, questioning her. “In Vegas?”