At the Pleasure of the President (The Perfect Gentlemen 5)

“You really loved Mad all these years?”

Sara sighed happily. “I did and I was too afraid to even give him a try. Zack is doing his best to give you himself now. He simply needs time to open up and learn how. Just because he’s got a genius-level IQ doesn’t mean he’s smart about everything.”

Holland strode in, the wireless speaker in her hands. “We’re ready.”

Gabe stepped back into the room, followed by the rest of her lovely bridesmaids, the women who had made this beautiful wedding a reality.

She couldn’t ask for better friends.

Dax’s wife hit the button, and Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” started playing through the residence. Her brother held out his arm. “Ready?”

“I’m still not sure how all this is going to work,” Sara muttered. “We didn’t exactly have a rehearsal, and you’re also Mad’s best man.”

“I’m your brother first,” Gabe said. “And I’m so proud of you. We got this. Now let’s get you married so we can tie the knot on this family circle.”

Sara nodded and took a deep breath, then walked toward her future.

* * * *

Mad stared at his wife across the crowded room, a deep sense of satisfaction coursing through his veins. Sara was finally his. She’d said I do and everything. Oh, she’d refused to take the lie detector test Freddy had suggested would make a great addition to their wedding vows, but other than that, the whole thing had gone off without a hitch.

They’d stood on the Truman Balcony, illuminated by twinkle lights Liz and Lara had spent hours setting up, and promised to love, honor, and cherish each other until death parted them. Screw that. He would love her long after death.

Now Sara Crawford stood in her gorgeous dress, looking like a sexy, beautiful angel he was going to make glorious, filthy love to very soon.

She glanced his way with a secretive smile that let him know he was on her mind, too.

Roman approached, clapping a hand on his shoulder and breaking into his X-rated thoughts. “How are you doing, married man?”

Dax strolled up, too, a beer in his hand. “Who would have guessed Maddox Crawford would take the plunge?”

He glanced toward the balcony where Zack lingered, his back to the room. “Oddly enough, Zack did. I think he was the only one who saw how crazy I was about Sara.”

“Oh, we saw it,” Roman allowed. “Everyone except Gabe, who didn’t want to.”

“I know from experience that it’s weird when it’s your sister.” Dax frowned at them both.

The guy ought to know since he was well aware they’d both slept with Gus. Though in Mad’s case it had first been about youthful lust. Comfort had followed a few years later. Since then, Gus had been his emotional sounding board and a very good friend.

“I don’t know.” Mad shrugged. “I don’t mind that Gabe married my sister. They’re happy.”

“But you don’t remember Everly as a child.” Dax looked over to the women, now drinking wine and surrounding the small cake they’d brought in. Sara held her bottle of water and glowed with happiness.

Dax’s expression softened as he looked at Gus. “You didn’t grow up in your sister’s shadow. She was my hero when I was a kid. I kind of thought of her as pure.”

Mad nearly spit out the beer he’d just taken a sip of.

Roman laughed.

Dax rolled his eyes. “Okay, I thought that when I was ten. I also thought my mom and dad shared a bedroom to save money.”

Roman chuckled, but his humor faded as he caught sight of Zack by himself. Mad watched as Roman turned, scanning the room for someone. When his gaze landed on Liz, standing in the back and slightly away from the other women, Mad knew there was trouble.

“Is he okay?” Mad nodded toward the balcony. “I noticed he and Liz didn’t seem terrifically cozy tonight. She doesn’t look much happier than he does.”

Dax and Roman shared a look.

Clearly, they knew something he didn’t, and they hadn’t planned on telling him. Thank goodness he grasped Perfect Gentlemen-style stares and facial ticks. This language all their own was something they’d perfected during long decades of friendship. It was all about watching for the little tells.

He and Gabe had used it often when deciding if one of the other guys had imbibed enough booze to need saving from starring in his own personal re-enactment of The Hangover. Often Dax and Connor used it when deciding whether or not someone was a threat. For Roman and Zack, it had always been about politics, at least until tonight.

Dax’s eyes narrowed slightly. Well, he’s freaking Mad. I know he’s been dead and all, but he’s still our brother. Should he be in on this?

Roman’s eyes rolled back a bit, but not in full-on annoyance. He doesn’t need to know everything because I’m the douchebag godfather of this group and I like keeping a million and one secrets.

Okay, that might be a loose translation.

Dax responded with a slight huff. He might be able to help.

Roman studied Mad, then followed with a shake of his head. Are you forgetting? He’s Mad. If I need help finding cocaine in a church on Sunday during a sermon on the sins of decadence, I’ll call Mad. Otherwise...

Dax’s eyes narrowed. You caused this problem.

Mad joined the silent conversation with a nod. Roman could be an absolute bastard, and his dickishness often rubbed off on Zack. Always had.

Still, the whole thing made him frown. Dax and Roman had disagreed before, sure. The question was, what were they disagreeing about now? It obviously had to do with Liz.

“Zack’s got a lot on his mind,” Roman finally said in a lame attempt to dismiss the topic.

But Zack wasn’t the only one who looked tense. Liz also seemed on edge.

Given what they were going through, the stress didn’t surprise Mad. What did, though, was that they weren’t tense together anymore. They weren’t staying close to give or receive support. The distance between them now told Mad they were no longer boinking like crazy as a way to relieve the tension and reaffirm their bond. No, Zack was physically putting distance between them, and he had all night long.

Fuck.

He leaned in so only Roman and Dax could hear. “You honestly believe Liz is some kind of Russian errand girl and you’re pushing your suspicion off on Zack, who just wants to enjoy sex for the first time in years. He should be relaxed, man. His balls have been beyond full for, like, a decade. And now, he’s got a woman he adores who probably cured those oh-so-blue balls. That’s gotta be good for him. I know because I went without for a couple of months and I thought I was going to explode. Why can’t you let him have a win?”

Roman’s eyes rolled fully now. “Because I’m the bad guy, Mad. I’m the asshole coming between perfect angel Zack and his chosen goddess of love, who also might be trying to set him up for treason. I know you can follow your gut, which, by the way, told you to fake your own death and live with Crazy Freddy and use outdoor toilets for months, but I have to look at the evidence and reach a logical conclusion. The rest of you get to be crazy. Zack and I don’t.”

Mad figured he was maturing because some of what Roman said actually made sense. Roman and Zack had always been the steadying influences of the group while he and Gabe had been the young, crazy, rich morons who had followed their wildest impulses because they knew Roman and Zack would be there if their shenanigans all went to hell.