AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"I've barely had a sip of the drink. Get off my back, you two." I snap. I drop the tumbler to the table with a thump and shove my chair back. "Have father brought in."
Alec nods, and this time, his face is an expressionless mask of nothing.
I move out of the living room to the door, passing by the mantel with its many photos of our family that mother insists we put out.
When my father had fallen ill three years ago, I'd known this day was coming. His voice had been a still croak in his throat as he'd told me he'd brokered a deal with the Sedrics.
Marriage in exchange for a joint alliance and an end to the very feud that had birthed the end of my relationship with Mel.
I feel a bitter mask slip over my face. Six years later, I was back at the same place. Getting married to a woman I'd loved and lost.
Father's butler, Enzo, is standing by the door, an expectant look on his face. I nod and step out of the house when he opens it with a short bow. Right as she steps out of the car, her arm is tucked into Daniel, who sends me a glare as he leads his sister towards me.
The guards stationed outside have their faces turned away, their spines straight as always.
I feel the betraying hike of my heart. It racks its way into my throat, and I swallow. She's changed.
Her body looks titillating under the drape of her red dress to match the glint of the engagement ring I'd sent this morning.
Her hips are curvier, thrusting out of her waist like they wish to make a statement all their own.
"Might want to pick your jaw off the floor and go speak to your bride."
Declan is back beside me. I roll my eyes and walk down the steps towards them. She stops for a moment, her eyes freezing on her brother's shoulder before she inhales and takes a step forward.
I step forward and watch as Daniel lets her go without a word from me. I nod at him and offer her my arm.
She slips her arm into my elbow and looks up at me with those emerald green eyes, so deep and clear, like a forest with the sun breaking through its leaves.
"Xander." She murmurs, biting down on her lip. Her eyes snap away from mine and rove over Mother's garden surrounding us. A ghost of a smile flits across her face. "Looks like nothing changed."
It seems so because just the sound of her light voice has my cock jumping in my pants. Like it recognizes her. Like it craves her.
"We haven't had the time for much landscaping. Father's looking forward to seeing you."
She sweeps her dress around her and walks beside me to the door where my brothers are arranged, their faces blank as a clean slate. "My sister Gianna sends her greetings. She's been called away for an emergency. She'd been looking forward to the meeting."
I shake my head. Just like Mel to try smoothing things over. "Knowing Gianna, she's more likely to wish me a slow and painful death than to look forward to this meeting, but maybe she's changed."
Mel looks up at me, and a slow smile breaks out on her face. "She said something along the lines of she hopes someone sends a bullet through your ass. Maybe she'd been hoping to do that herself."
I nod, my throat too tight to let any words slip through. That sounded more like Gianna, and I could've said so, but watching Mel smile at me snatches the words away.
Her eyes are still light and airy. Like nothing had happened between us. I wonder how she can smile that way at me when what I want to do is wring her pretty little neck, then take her against my wall, wrap my hand around her, and hurl her into my chest so she burrows into me like she always did.
I blink the fantasy away to see her watching me, her brow creased. "What did you say?"
"Nothing. You stopped moving. I wondered if there was something wrong."
I shake my head no and ignore the tug towards her in the back of my mind.
My brothers take the steps towards us. Alec, as is customary, kisses her cheeks first, then Declan and my last born brother Knox.
"Welcome, Mel." Knox is the closest to her age and the only one of us who has kept up with her.
He offers her his arm, and she looks up at me first, asking my permission as a good wife should. My brow raises of its own accord, and I smile down at her without humor.
She pulls her arm from mine and slips it into Knox's.
