Everything he did was for her.
She shoved me, and I nearly fell into the lily pads. I caught the rosebush just in time, scraping open my palm.
Lottie didn’t take another step toward me, just stayed there breathing heavily. I held the thorny stem as blood wept down my wrist.
“What would you do if you were me?” she asked. “If you were in my position?”
“I don’t know.”
She quirked her head like she’d been slapped. “I think you do.”
She turned on her heel, going back to the group.
GRAY
* * *
Oh, we’re trying.
Fucking West.
After a tea time that rivaled Wonderland’s in length, Mother had prepared an evening cocktail hour in the garden, and I searched across the cobblestone, looking for the asshole who hadn’t been with his bride for over thirty minutes.
If Story were my bride, I wouldn’t leave her side ever.
Fuck him.
It’s like he wants to get punched.
“Grayson.” Lottie tugged at my elbow. “You haven’t moved from this spot for thirty minutes.”
“Are they cutting West off?”
Hurt flitted across her features, but she slowly shook her head. That didn’t make sense. West was set to take over Du Lac Industries soon. There was no way he could marry someone like Snitch without any repercuss
ions.
None of this made any fucking sense.
What the hell was he getting out of this marriage?
“I’m going to make the rounds…” Lottie said softly. “I’ll come find you in a little. Please eat something. Your mother has your favorite, steak crostini.”
“Lottie, shit, wait—” I broke off. She’d already joined her friends.
I exhaled, gaze wandering to the girl on the terrace as a lighthouse to a lost ship. Everyone here was like a reanimated zombie, going through their final movements before death. But Snitch? She was bright. Alive. Tasting and trying new things.
She was so fucking adorable.
And about to make a fool of herself.
Gemma walked across my path, and I snatched her elbow, yanking her back.
“Hey, what the fuck?” She jiggled her arm in my hold. “Let go.”
“Go tell her that’s decoration, not food.”
Gemma looked at me, then followed my line of sight to where Story was about to pull a garnish off a tower of fresh fruit. Gemma laughed.