Page 1 of Unveiled

CHAPTER

ONE

Adalyn sat at the bar, her drink in hand, feeling a mix of anger and betrayal. “Dirty, low-down, lying, cheating son of a...” she muttered under her breath, tossing back her drink and slamming the glass down with more force than necessary.

She needed to take her aggression out on something. Here she was, at her cousin’s bachelorette party, just weeks after her own fiancé had walked out on her. This party should have been hers, but instead, she found herself as a bridesmaid rather than the bride.

With their wedding less than a month away, Shawn had gotten cold feet—or so she thought—and run off. But not alone. He had taken off with one of her best friends, leaving a twenty-year friendship in ruins.

Their breakup had felt like a betrayal, and the rejection still stung. They had both been under pressure to marry from their families, and while she didn’t resent him for seeking happiness, she begrudged the way he had chosen to cheat instead of ending things amicably.

Adalyn knew why he had cheated. Every waking moment had been spent in her bridal salon, Something Blue, which she had opened only eight months ago. While the business was doing well, it still required a lot of her time and attention. Shawn had been jealous of the shop, as if it were a living, breathing entity that took her time away from him. In truth, it was her baby, and she loved the salon far more than she had loved Shawn.

Her mother, Evelyn, had introduced her to Shawn through the law firm where he worked. When Evelyn suggested she date him, it was easier for Adalyn to agree than to fight it. Her feelings for Shawn had been lukewarm at best, but Evelyn had been enamored with the charismatic young man on a fast track to becoming a lawyer.

Shawn had done all the right things and said all the right words, but something had always felt off. When he proposed after only a year, Evelyn was thrilled, and Adalyn began to question whether something was wrong with her. Despite her reservations, she had accepted his proposal.

Now, eight months later, Adalyn found herself alone in a bar in Las Vegas, the land of weddings and huge jackpots. She rolled her eyes, contemplating the absurdity of it all. Maybe she could buy a groom—someone tall, dark, and handsome.

“He was an idiot,” a deep, masculine voice interrupted her thoughts.

Startled, Adalyn nearly fell off her stool as she turned to face the man who had spoken. “I’m sorry?” she asked, her gaze sweeping over him as he slid onto the stool beside her. He was a head taller than her, with golden blond hair cropped close to his skull and a day’s growth of whiskers adorning his square jaw. The sight sent a tingle of pleasure through her.

“The jerk you’ve been muttering about over here. Sounds like a real winner,” he said wryly.

Adalyn stared at him in fascination. “You heard me?”

“Oh, darlin’, I heard ya. The lying, cheating fool.”

Her cheeks burned with embarrassment, and she dropped her gaze to the bar. She could feel his eyes on her, and his voice surprised her when he continued, “There’s just one thing I can’t figure out.”

She looked up at him, curiosity piqued. His blue eyes met hers before sliding over her face and lower, sending a rush of heat through her. He was tall—probably six or seven inches taller than her five-foot-seven frame—and built like a Norse god. She allowed her gaze to roam over his broad shoulders and the muscles of his biceps, feeling a strange sensation coursing through her body.

“Why would a man cheat on you?” he asked.

She shrugged, aiming for nonchalance. “He ran off with my best friend.”

The man’s eyes widened in shock. “I… don’t even know what to say to that. Seriously?” He looked bewildered, and she nodded solemnly. His mouth turned down in a scowl. “The man obviously wasn’t right in the head to leave you, let alone betray you like that.”

He tossed back his drink, and she smirked. “Well, that part was probably my fault. I didn’t love him as much as I should have.”

He studied her. “Doesn’t make it right, either way. You’re still better off without him.”

“Oh, I know. It was more than just that.” She lifted one shoulder offhandedly. “I may have also mentioned something about him being a pretentious, self-absorbed, scum-sucking lawyer trust fund baby.”

The man threw back his head and laughed. “Good for you.”

“Yeah, well, it wasn’t much of a consolation.” She tossed back a shot of tequila.

He nodded. “What he did was low. But”—he shrugged—“it’s a good thing you figured it out before you married the idiot.”

Adalyn laughed. “Thank God. I’d rather marry some stranger off the street than spend one more single day with that selfish prick.”

He gestured at the bartender to refill their drinks before turning his attention back to her. “You have no idea how glad I am that I stopped in here tonight.” A smile split his face, showcasing a row of even white teeth. “Jaxon Keller. My friends call me Jaxon.”

She slipped her palm into his, feeling the warmth of his touch envelop her. “Adalyn Vale.”

“My pleasure, Miss Vale.”