“But it can’t be mine.” My chest starts to feel tight as my breaths quicken. “I…I…Hunter?”
“It’s alright.” Hunter moves quickly toward me, sensing my spiral. “Come sit down.” He starts to guide me to the couch.
“I married Ria,” I choke out as I sit down. My chest rises and falls rapidly, because what the fuck. I’ve done the one thing I swore I would never do. Something to ruin my friendship with Hunter. And boy, have I done it in spectacular fashion. “I’m so sorry.” My head falls into my hands because I can’t bring myself to look at my best friend, shame washing over every part of me.
“Sorry?” He huffs out a laugh. “Trust you to do something impulsive while we are here. I thought it would be a tattoo or a dick piercing but not marry my sister.” I cringe as he speaks, my breathing calming only slightly at his playful tone. “I mean you got the tattoo.” He nudges my shoulder playfully and I drop my hands, the queen of hearts tattoo catching my attention, and I give a half smile. “If you got the dick piercing, I’m glad we didn’t get photographic evidence of that.” He grins, and the rumble of laughter from around the room has my chest feeling lighter.
“Don’t pretend that you’ve never seen my dick before,” I tease.
“I try to pretend I haven’t. At least that way I can sleep better at night.”
“Threatened?” I quip.
“No, and we’re getting off track.” He raises his brows at me. “Look, this is fixable. We just get the wedding annulled. I'll speak with our lawyers when we get back.”
“You really aren’t mad?”
“I’d be mad if you woke up in her bed this morning,” he says pointedly, and my brain stutters as I picture the scene of what the morning after my wedding to Ria should have looked like. It definitely shouldn’t have been me not remembering marrying the only woman who has ever managed to keep my attention. She deserves the world. To be treated like the goddess she is. Not have some quickie wedding in Vegas with some tool who can’t sit still for more than two minutes without feeling the need to cause chaos. She deserves stability and calm. A safe place. Not a whirlwind of drama.
Gazing at the simple wedding ring in my hand, I look up to find Deacon. “Why did you have this?”
“You told me before you did your striptease that I was to keep hold of it for you as it was slightly too big and you didn’t want it to fall off. I believe you said, and I quote, ‘You keep that in your mammoth mitts, Deeks, and protect it with your life. It is the most important thing in my life right now, and I would rather lose my left nut than lose the circle of eternity and love.’ You then thrust it into my hand and backflipped into the bedroom.”
“Sounds like something I would do,” I mumble. “Sorry, Thomas.” I cringe as I finally make eye contact with—I suppose—my new father-in-law.
“We can fix it.”
“Bet you’re glad.” I huff out a laugh. “I’m not exactly son-in-law material.”
He frowns slightly before he sits down on the coffee table facing me. “Any man would be happy for you to look after their daughter for the rest of their lives. I’m not angry that you married Ria; I’m only sad that you did it the way you did. But like I said, it can be fixed.” The way he says it sounds almost like a question, and I’m a little thrown by what he is implying. I open my mouth to respond just as the front door to our suite opens.
“Next time you plan to marry my best friend, Chuckles, don’t do it in private,” Grace booms. “My girl deserves to be shown off.”
“Grace.” Ria’s nervous voice filters through as she appears at Grace’s side, and my mouth goes dry as I gaze at her. She is in simple jeans and a fitted white T-shirt, but every piece of material is clinging to her frame. Her beautiful deep brown hair is in big waves flowing down her back, and her face is free of makeup, but when her bright blue eyes meet mine, I swallow the lump that has formed in my throat. She is utterly breathtaking. She has always made my steps falter and my pulse speed up, but now, looking at her in a new light, I’m transfixed. My head and my heart are fighting their own battle because my head knows I should fix this, but my heart is saying this is right. This is how it is meant to be.
“Very funny, Grace,” Thomas says as he stands to kiss Ada on the cheek. “But you will be invited to the next one, as I will get the ball rolling when the trip is over to help them get this marriage annulled.”
“Umm, about that, Dad,” Ria says quietly before her eyes connect with mine. “I think we should stay married.”
Chapter 16
Ria
Instantly I start sweating as all eyes turn to me.
God, I can actually feel a drop of sweat trickle down my spine as I take in Leo’s expression. He looks like I’ve just kicked him in the balls.
Repeatedly.
His face is an awful shade of green, and he looks like he’s in actual physical pain. Of course he won’t want to do this. He’s a playboy and enjoys that life. There is nothing wrong with that, but now I’m suggesting he be tied down to one woman. It’s actually laughable that people will believe this.
I clear my throat and stand tall. You can totally do this, Ria. You’re a billionaire, for Christ’s sake.
“Let me rephrase that. We need to stay married.”
“What the fuck?” Hunter rushes to my side. “Why do you need to stay married?”
“Let your sister speak, Hunter,” Mom says calmly, and Dad looks just as confused.
