Claiming His Wedding Night

Picturing her face, he had felt his rage give way to shock as he’d realised what he’d seen but chosen to ignore. That she was worried about him. That she cared.

‘I shouldn’t have said that. It was rude and I’m sorry. It’s just that I never— I haven’t—’ He stopped. Things were getting so complicated. How much should he say? There was so much she wouldn’t understand.

She took the towel from his hand. ‘I know,’ she said quietly. ‘I do know what it’s like to have things inside your head you don’t want to share. After my accident I got sick of people asking me what I was thinking. You don’t have to tell me everything. Or anything. Not if you don’t want to. I just didn’t want you to have to deal with whatever it is on your own.’

He stared at her. ‘Then come with me. That way I won’t need to tell you. You’ll be able to see it for yourself.’

‘Okay. I’ll come.’ She gave him a small, tight smile as he reached out, his hand drawing her to him. ‘But I’m warning you: if you start with that pay grade stuff again I might just push you out of the helicopter.’

* * *

Aside from the noise of the rotor blades, inside the helicopter cabin it was quiet—sombre, almost. Watching the lights of Miami grow closer, Addie was aware of nothing but Malachi’s still, silent presence beside her.

It was clear that his parents were alive and well, and she wondered what was serious enough to drag him over to the mainland. But, sticking to her word, she hadn’t asked him any more about the phone call and he hadn’t told her anything. However, he had held her hand during the entire three-hour flight.

After the peace of the island, downtown Miami felt crowded and noisy. But at least it was crowded with ordinary people, she thought nervously, staring out of the window as the limousine slid to a stop in front of the Marlin—one of Miami’s swankiest and most exclusive Art Deco hotels. Malachi’s parents were anything but ordinary. Having furtively searched for them on the internet, while he was talking to the pilot, she had been horrified to discover that Henry and Serena King were not only fabulously wealthy, glamorous and beautiful, they also hosted some of the most decadent parties around the globe.

Glancing at her reflection in the window, she felt a rush of panic. Her dress was short, black and cute, and it showed off her long legs, but it most certainly wasn’t decadent. Maybe she should have worn the dress Malachi had given her instead. Her pulse shivered. Or maybe she should have just stayed on the i

sland.

‘Are you okay?’ Malachi glanced down at her, his eyes roaming over her face.

‘Yes. Why?’

He winced. ‘Because you’re cutting off the blood supply to my hand.’

‘Oh, sorry.’ Loosening her grip, Addie felt her heart start to thump loudly.

His eyes were dark and flickering with excitement, and there was a strange almost nervous energy about him that reminded her of how she had felt before playing in front of an audience: a mixture of fear and bravado and restlessness. But surely he didn’t need to feel like that. After all, they were his parents.

Glancing away, she looked up at the smooth, curving hotel facade and frowned. ‘I suppose I’m a little tense. It feels like I’ve been away for ever,’ she said carefully.

He studied her face in silence, and then slowly pulled her up against him. ‘Let me guess. You’re worried about meeting Henry and Serena?’

She met his gaze. ‘A little.’

‘They’re charming—and great company. I’m sure you’ll fall under their spell. Everyone always does.’

He was smiling, but there was an undertone to his voice that she couldn’t quite identify.

‘I don’t know if that’s made me feel better or worse,’ she said lightly. She squeezed his hand. ‘Anyway, this isn’t about me. It’s about you—and I just want you to know that I meant what I said before. I’ll be there for you.’

She glanced up at him, half expecting him to pull away or change the subject. But he didn’t do either. Instead, after the briefest of hesitations, his fingers tightened around hers.

‘I know.’ His face softened and, lowering his mouth, he kissed her gently.

‘Promise you’ll stay close to me.’

She stared at him dazedly. ‘I promise.’

It took nearly half an hour for them to make it up to the twelfth floor, where Malachi’s parents were staying in the penthouse suite. Most of that was spent calming down the hotel manager, a tall, balding man who looked as though he was about to collapse but who eventually ended up offering them a magnum of champagne.

In the lift, watching the numbers counting up, Addie felt Malachi’s gaze on her face.

‘You look beautiful,’ he said softly as with a slight shudder the lift came to a stop.

And then the doors opened and she caught her breath. Whatever she had been expecting, it wasn’t this. The suite was huge, with high soaring ceilings. Six massive chandeliers swayed gently above a marble tiered fountain. But it wasn’t the decor that had made her breath stop in her throat.