Page 110 of The Killer Card

Shaking my head, I whisper, “I don’t know if I can—”

“You’ll learn. You have to learn, Naomi.” His hand tightens around mine. “Because I don’t ever want to get that call again. I don’t ever want to be back at your bedside in a hospital unless I’m welcoming a new niece or nephew. Do you understand me?”

Chin trembling, I nod haltingly. Nathan kisses my fingers. “I love you, Naomi. We all love you and if you’re this unhappy then we want to help fix it. You have to trust us to want to help you. Can you do that?”

I try to nod again but everything is becoming too heavy, too fuzzy. I’m so tired. The pain is dull but it’s still there. My eyes flutter closed again and Nathan stands, kissing my temple.

“Get some sleep, Mimi…” He brushes away the remaining tears from my cheeks. “I’ll be here when you wake up. I promise.”

I know he will, because he’s always there when I need him. Everyone is always there when I need them and I never am. I just keep pushing them away and I can’t figure out how to stop.

Trust us to want to help you.

I don’t know if I can.

With his hand still in mine, I allow myself to drift back into the dark, the numb, the quiet, knowing this might be the last time I ever feel this kind of peace.

The Wedding Day

Chapter Thirty-Six

Naomi

"I quite literally can’t believe you never told me you were fucking Graham.”

Penelope Hastings, soon to be Santos- again- literally has the most one-track mind of any woman I’ve ever fucking met. Case in point, she’s been on this one since we left fucking Vermont at five in the fucking morning and is still talking about it as we sit in front of glowing mirrors getting our makeup and hair done for her wedding.

“I mean, holy fuck, Naomi! I knew he had the hots for you, but why the fuck would you not tell me you were crawling into his bed or pulling him into empty restrooms—”

“Clara!” I whip my glare toward her.

“I didn’t tell her!” Clara protests. “I haven’t said a word, I swear!”

“Which is just the worst kind of betrayal!” Nelly snaps at her next. “I had to learn all of this from Elias, who also only just learned it because Rowan had a slip of the tongue while they were having drinks! And you,” she jabs a finger in my direction while still managing to keep her head perfectly still for the stylist. “Have done no explaining! And worse, I hear Cristian had to wash his eyes after walking in on Graham going bananas on you at my fucking rehearsal dinner last night! My rehearsal dinner, Naomi?!”

I roll my eyes. “I don’t know that I would call it going bananas—”

“That is not a denial young lady!”

“I’m older than you!”

“I. Want. Answers!”

“Okay! Jesus fucking Christ, you’re relentless!”

I stand when the makeup artist finishes with me- my hair is mine to deal with- giving the chair up to Ivelisse who has been watching all of this with the most mischievous smirk. Elias’ other sister is sitting on the little couch in the bridal suite looking mildly horrified as she clutches a cross around her neck. I think her name is Theresa? His mother has yet to arrive, thank God.

Theresa does not like me. She’s clearly a God-fearing woman, much like their mother, and is seconds away from removing herself from this room entirely. Maybe even going to find her brother to ask why he’s marrying a woman with such vulgar friends.

Woman, if you only knew the things your brother does to his fiancée behind closed doors.

I fetch Nelly another glass of champagne before taking one of the velvet chairs, crossing my legs beneath my silk robe. The whole bridal party is dressed in matching cream silk pajamas and robes, with fluffy slippers and socks because the bridal suite is kept cold enough to stop our makeup from running. It’s already ten thousand times better than anything Flora or Vivian planned for Nelly’s last wedding. I don’t even think we were allowed to eat breakfast that day, but Elias’ mom is bringing an entire assortment of pastries.

“What is it you want to know, Nelly?” I ask begrudgingly as I begin gently working my hair.

“EVERYTHING!”

“There isn’t much to tell,” I shrug. “We started hooking up around the time you and Elias were separated and just didn’t stop until like two years ago. It’s a very boring story—”