Either way, I’ll be kissing King soon.
My stomach clenches, not because I have to, but because I’m disappointed, and I feel like the biggest whore on the planet.
Because for a second there… I wanted it.
“I bring you, Mr. and Mrs. King Campisi!” The priest cheers.
King keeps my hand in his, and we walk down the aisle with smiles on our faces. And I know in my soul it’s not over.
It’s just begun.
Chapter Eleven
“There are chords in the hearts of the most reckless which cannot be touched without emotion.” —Edgar Allan Poe
King
My face hurts from fake smiling.
“Bro!” Maksim slaps me on the back. “Congrats! See? Now you too get to have all the sex.”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, how fun is that going to be when she’s forced into it?”
He makes a face and then shrugs. “She’s not forced. She can always say no, and you would never force her.”
I leave out the whole, “Oh hey, guess what, best friend, we made a blood oath, and both agreed to it, so yes, we will be having sex, no it’s not going to be fun.”
I imagine me shooting off within like two seconds, all because I’m so happy to be touching her, and her face mirroring a broken heart or worse than that, eyes closed, imagining Roman.
It honestly makes me want to puke as I stand there and sip my whiskey.
“Yessssss.” Junior slides up next to Maksim, Ash follows, and Valerian isn’t far behind. I smile, though this one’s not fake since Ash looks drunk as hell, and Valerian’s literally holding him up as he starts lifting his drink, sloshing it all over his glass.
His attempt at speaking is adorable.
“Andsh, I just sayings… shit I’m gonna be a dad!” He yells it. Thankfully the music is super loud at the reception, and mostly everyone is either dancing or they’re on their second glass of wine.
Italians, we know how to party. What can I say?
Junior just pats Ash on the back. “Yes, yes you are.”
“Shit,” Ash says it again. “Whatsh if…”
“Nope,” Valerian says. “Don’t do the whole what if thing, plus you’re so fucking drunk you won’t even remember this tomorrow.”
“Hydration!” Maksim announces.
“I got this.” Junior winks.
“I’ll help.” Valerian walks off, leaving Maksim and me.
My best friend; hell, they all are.
Everyone’s having so much fun—my parents included. I like to see them relax. I know the stress my dad has on his shoulders. My half-brother, Dom, is helping out so my dad can hang with my mom and not worry about the world burning down around them.
I catch Tex’s gaze and nod.
He salutes me and then winks.
Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to give it all up, to give him this giant empire and just walk out into the ocean.
Would I hold my breath?
Or would I let the waves crash over me until I can’t breathe? Until I float away.
People would miss me.
Right?
But would she?
“Hey…” Maksim shoves me a bit. “Do you need a minute?”
I let out a long sigh. “No. I’m good. I mean, it doesn’t change things, does it?”
“No,” he says quickly. “But I’m here to provide an excuse if you need to leave for at least an hour. I do know Del…”
Yeah, he was pretending to fuck her not so long ago.
Angry, my jaw clenches as I look away.
He chokes out a laugh. “Wow, still pissed, good to know.”
“I’m not pissed.” I’m so pissed I want to unhinge his jaw from his face. “I’m totally fine.”
“Suuuuure.” He looks down at my fists then back up at me. “Totally relaxed.”
“Do you have a reason for being here right now other than to make me want to fight you?”
“Would it help?” he asks. “To punch me? Get bloody?”
“Maybe,” I grumble. “No. Yes. I don’t even know anymore at this point.”
Del’s out on the dance floor with her uncle looking tense as hell. Thank God, my dad steps in and starts dancing with her. I breathe a sigh of relief as they twirl around. The first relaxed smile I’ve seen forms across her lips, and I’m immediately pissed all over again because it was my fucking dad that put it there, not me.
Shit. I wipe my hands down my face.
“He could be her dad.” Maksim elbows me. “Stop being weird.”
“She’s happier with my dad than me,” I mumble, then huff out a breath.
“God, stop being such a bitch,” Maksim says under his breath. “So yeah, this sucks, yeah you’ve taken one for the team, but this isn’t you, all right? So I’m going to help, take one last look at that girl, smile, have your fucking daydreams about unicorns and lollipops, then do your damn job and remember who the fuck you are!” He grips my elbow. “If you need reminding, I have no qualms about punching you in the face just to get you to hit me back.”