Page 18 of Let Me Love You

Lana is still in the dark about my debts and the dangers that lurk because of it. Now that she knows I’m marrying Victor, she needs to know the real reason, so I fill her in on everything.

Tears fill her brown eyes. “You’ve been going through all of this on your own?”

My shoulders feel a little less heavy now that I’m telling more of my loved ones everything. “Yes, well, until recently when Harmony snooped around and figured it out. But you don’t have to worry. I’ll have the entire sum they’re demanding before the time is up.”

I lower myself beside Lana, and she puts her head on my shoulder. We’ve been through so much together that just being close helps. A scream from the horrible movie I was watching shatters the silence, and we both chuckle.

“I can’t believe I’m the last one to find all of this out.”

“Well, I technically never told Harmony. And she has a big mouth because she told both Elias and Victor.” I sigh, letting it drag out. “I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole town knew after the fundraiser she threw for me.”

Her eyes widen. “That was for you?”

I nod but don’t say anything else. What else is there to say? My sister had good intentions, but now everyone could be in danger because of me.

“Promise me we’ll still see each other.”

“Of course.” I wrap both of my arms around her shoulders. “I can’t stay away from my BFF.”

“Good.” She leans in and waggles her eyebrows. “Now, tell me, how often are you going to get laid?”

Ughh. I pull away and say, “It’s always about the sex for you.”

She looks at me like I’m crazy. “Girl, you are about the marry the hottest billionaire ever. Of course it’s about the sex for me.”

We have to find a way to get this woman laid or else she won’t stop asking about my non-existent sex life. “There won’t be anything like that happening between us.”

She cocks an eyebrow. “I bet you won’t make it a month without some shenanigans happening.”

“Yeah?” This will be the easiest win ever. “What do I get when I win?”

She taps her chin. “I’ll let you pick out an outfit at my shop for free.”

I rear back. “But I thought sales were down?”

She shrugs. “That’s how much confidence I have that you will crack before then. And if I win, which I will, you tell me every single detail of what happened.”

“Deal.”

She reaches for my remote and changes the streaming service from what I originally had on. “Now, let’s watch my favorite movie.”

I groan. Not Mean Girls again.

Chapter 8

Serenity

After a farewell party and crying at my job—mostly by Dr. Evans—Harmony, Summer, and I stand inside the foyer of Victor’s “house.” Our bags sit beside us as I spin around, trying to take in everything. I’m not sure what I expected when Victor said this place is “family friendly,” but this definitely isn’t it. The hardwood floors are so slippery that with socks Summer will slide like it’s an ice-skating rink and crash multiple times a day. The vaulted ceilings are probably twenty feet high, and there has to be ten bedrooms in this gigantic castle.

I turn to Summer. “Do you remember why we’re here?”

Never in my life had I imagined I’d have to try explaining why we’re moving in with someone we barely know. But Summer has liked Victor since she first met him, so when I told her we were getting married, she jumped excitedly around the house for an hour.

Lana hauls in one last bag and drops it with a loud thud. “What do you have in here? Bricks?”

I shrug. “Close enough if you grabbed the bag with my books.”

Pushing into the living room, I drop down on the couch. Pain shoots up my spine, and I let out a yelp. What. The. Fuck? Is this some sort of display room with a rock-hard couch and a coffee table? There’s no television or pictures to make it homey—not even expensive art.