Page 47 of Their Tracked Obsession

We desired a nightmare-inducing setting because ghosts haunted the club. Which was one reason we loved this place, and we got to wander with ghosts of the past. It was a dark place where we fit in and mixed our innermost treasured features. The bad, the ugly, and the most dreadful pieces of us.

Liv fit right in. She was darker than she’d imagined. Plus, she beat us at laser tag.

Saint three points. Liv forty-two, and me a lousy one. But I think she let me have the point.

Beginner’s luck.

“The scene is frightful.” I sipped the glass of whiskey and glanced around. “Such a glorious sight. We did good. Didn’t we, Saint?”

“Damn right.” Saint raised his glass. “A toast.”

“To what?” I asked.

“To us.” Liv clinked her glass against ours. “To finding each other.”

“To true happiness.” Saint flashed his perfect teeth, and his silver mask covered half his face. “Inside the dark.”

Liv, our beacon of light within the madness, wore a radiant black dress. The fluffy tutu made her appear as if she were a monstrous ballerina, but her angelic smile lit everything up. She made me feel alive. Even the spirits within these walls bowed to her; she had earned all she’d dreamed of.

“I couldn’t agree more.” Liv stood on her tiptoes and pecked Saint on the mouth. “I love you.”

“I love you too, darling.” Saint brushed a kiss against our girl’s forehead, and the black feather sticking up from her dark mask tickled his face. “But I hate this fucking feather. The damn thing keeps getting in the way.”

“What?” Liv moved her head and purposely teased Saint with the feather. “Like this?”

Liv giggled. The soft symphony filled the air and mingled with the music. She was a divine sound.

“Quit it.” Saint chuckled as he swatted at the feather, but he couldn’t contain his smile.

“There’s the lovebirds!” Gloria announced with champagne in her hand. “I’ve been searching everywhere for you three.”

“Oh, Mrs. Valencia.” I pecked one cheek and the other in greeting. “Happy to have you here.”

“Gloria.” She pointed a finger at me, and her breath hit my face. “Your mother-in-law. Remember?”

Drunk as a skunk. Whatever. Anything to get her through the fucking evening.

“We couldn’t forget.” Saint smiled and took her hands.

“Frank, dear, don’t be shy.” Gloria waved her hand at her husband. “Come say hi.”

“Gentlemen.” Frank shook my hand and gave Saint a nod. “It’s a pleasure to be here.”

“We’re glad you could make it, Mr. Valencia,” I said.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Frank smiled at his daughter. “After all, my little girl is getting married.”

Gloria cleared her throat.

“To my future sons-in-law,” Frank added.

Frank was uncomfortable. I couldn’t blame him when his wife showed up for every wedding occasion plastered. Gloria probably came home with a nasty hangover after she went out with the girls, searching for a wedding gown. Nothing wrong with diving into the booze early, but Gloria only did it to clear her conscience of her past wrongdoings for being a shitty parent. Frank should take notes because he was the one who got them into ruin. If it hadn’t been for us, they’d be penniless.

I still had a sore spot for how Liv’s parents treated her, but we were there to pick up her broken pieces. I had to let the past rest and move on. We all had to for the woman we all cared about.

“Right back at yeah, Dad.” I smacked the old man on the back.

Frank grunted and shot me a half-smile. Fake or not, I didn’t give a damn. I was marrying his daughter. I helped save her and brought her back to life. If anything, he owed us, but I expected nothing from him. Real men required nothing in return.