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One month later
It had been a long time since Graciella had worn white. She stared at her reflection and her nerves were completely shot. This wasn’t suppo
sed to be her life, but here she was, living the dream.
Her wedding day.
How had it arrived so fast? There was no time to escape. No way for her to leave, not that she wanted to either. No, in the past month, Boss had shown her a place in his world, and it worked. She wanted to be with him every day. Killer of Kings was an empire with so many intricate details and went so deep into all parts of the world. She had underestimated the sheer size of it.
No wonder Boss controlled it with an iron fist. She never thought she’d be part of something so amazing, so powerful. It felt good to belong. They were all just cogs in a much bigger network, but without it, she hated to even think of what the world could be like.
There was a knock at the door and she called for them to come in. The other Killer of Kings women were so nice but Graciella didn’t exactly know her place with them. They were good girls and they had little in common. It was still a sore subject for her and a constant struggle to find her place among them. Time would help. One day, she’d become accustomed to not being alone in the world.
Twirling, she spun out the skirt.
“You look beautiful,” Xavier said, catching her off guard.
She’d been successfully avoiding her brother for a long time. Until now. She turned toward him. “You think so?”
“You do and you know it.”
“I don’t know. I’m not used to being the star of the show. I’ve been to many weddings. Some of them have ended in blood baths. That’s the way the world goes. Hopefully Boss and I will get to say the I do before then.” She rambled. Why was she so nervous? She pushed some of her hair out of her face.
“I know we’re never going to be where we were as kids. Too much shit has happened. We both have different lives now.” He stopped. “I’ll always be the brother who didn’t protect you and that will stay—”
“Right, stop.” She held up her hand. “I didn’t want to do this but I don’t blame you, Xavier. I really don’t. You’re my brother, sure, and the whole brothers protect their sisters, I get it. We were both kids. Both of us, not just me. You were a kid as well, and I will not allow you to carry this guilt. It’s not yours to carry. You didn’t sell me or hurt me. Our lives took unexpected turns and I dealt with it.”
She took a deep breath. “Just stop feeling guilty about what happened and move on. It’s all we can really do. I don’t want you to be here because you feel like you have some kind of debt to me. I’m in love with Boss and that’s scary enough. He’s a crazy guy and amazing, and I can’t believe how lucky I am that despite everything we’ve gone through, he’s going to marry me today. I’m happy, Xavier. Against all odds, I’m happy. I know you’re happy too. I’m going to be an aunt. You’ll be a daddy, a damn good one. What’s more, every time you see me, I don’t want you to be thinking about what you couldn’t do as kids. I don’t want to keep being reminded of what was taken from us, Xavier. Our childhoods were stolen from us. Stop trying to steal the chance that we have now as adults.”
Xavier nodded. “I can do that.”
“Good, because I didn’t ask you this as I knew you’d cry on me. Will you walk me down the aisle to your boss?” she asked, smiling. He was the only family she had, so it was only fitting.
“Of course, I’ll walk my sister down the aisle. It’ll be an honor. And he’s more than just my boss. He’s also a friend.” He held out his arm. “By the way, I don’t cry.”
“I can see a tear. It’s right there. You just got to blink and it will slip right down your cheek.”
“You know what your couple’s nickname will be?”
“Nickname?” she asked.
“Yeah, like Brangelina. Graciella and Boss, so it’ll be Gross. I totally agree. The thought of you two together makes me nauseous.”
“Xavier, act your age.” She shook her head.
He chuckled. “I really hope Boss can handle you.”
“He’ll never be able to handle me, but it’s going to be fun to see him try.”
Graciella didn’t want to get married in a church or at the city hall. Instead, she’d asked if they could rent a villa near the ocean so they could have their wedding on the beach. She didn’t expect Boss to own an island or for a priest to be one of the Killer of Kings. That was his name, Priest. He didn’t go by any other name, and she’d yet to hear him speak. Half his face had tattoos, and there was nothing holy about the man.
Boss had his secrets but she knew he was all hers. She had fought him for so long but there was no one else she wanted more. Men had torn her life to shreds, but Boss was determined to put her back together piece by piece. He was her knight in shining armor.
The music started. A small band on the edge of their group sounded like an orchestra. It was incredible. Other Killer of Kings men and their wives were present. Their intimate group of people. This was where she belonged. She didn’t have to run anymore.
Everyone else faded away. All her focus was on the beast of a man in front of her. The man who’d been able to shatter her cold heart and make her hope for a better life, to make her feel true love.
