AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’ll do it,” Leo said.
“No.” Falcone shook his head. “I can’t spare you right now.”
“I will,” Aidan said before he could stop himself. “Unless you object,” he added, turning to Declan.
Declan’s stare was curious, but he shook his head. “No objection. Maybe we can coordinate a few meetings around whatever you have to do for the wedding.” He looked to Evie, who nodded her agreement. “Fine, then.”
“You do not want to follow me around for the next two weeks,” Viv said when the group moved forward to handle the vandalized cars.
Except he did, and that was a problem. “Well, someone has to keep you alive. You seem to have no sense of self-preservation.”
She snorted. “I thought we already decided you should be happy if I die. Then you’re free from this obligation and from me. Unless you plan to be a piss poor bodyguard and get me killed anyway.”
She stepped away from him, and his hand shot out to grip her wrist, tugging her back against him. He snaked his arm around her waist to keep her from wriggling away.
“Don’t worry, princess. You’ll be safe with me.”
“I’m not so sure,” she murmured, stumbling back when he suddenly released her.
She backed away from him slowly before turning and joining her parents, who’d already arranged for rides and someone to come junk the cars before the event staff saw them and called the cops.
He rubbed at the back of his neck as he watched her, ignoring the unfamiliar ache that tightened his chest. He wasn’t so sure either.
ChapterEleven
By the third stop on Monday, Viv was beginning to regret agreeing to this arrangement, and she had a headache blooming behind her left eye to prove it. At this point, the idea of Collin murdering her sounded like a vacation.
Her main goal when Aidan picked her up—late—had been to get through the laundry list of tasks Evie emailed over the night before as quickly as possible. There was only one appointment today she was actually looking forward to. Cake tasting.
They’d sent in a design late last week but couldn’t make their schedules match up to set up a cake tasting. So Viv had graciously—or selfishly—volunteered to go on her own.
She was looking forward to having this one blissful thing she got to pick all by herself without having to ask or pretend to care about the opinion of half a dozen other women. And her stupid fiancé was ruining it.
The man had been in a mood all afternoon, and she was ready to punch him in the throat. Nothing was more irritating than having a man follow you around complaining about how much there is to do while simultaneously doing none of it.
After approving the final proof for the programs, place cards, and menus at the printers, Viv followed Aidan back into the sunshine and climbed into his truck, rubbing at the ache behind her eyebrow.
“Please tell me we’re almost done.”
She squeezed the bridge of her nose. “One more stop. You don’t even have to come inside for this one. You can wait in the car.”
“That hasn’t worked at the last two places. I doubt it's going to work at the next one.” He pulled away from the curb and followed the directions she gave.
“If you were just going to whine the entire time, why did you volunteer?”
“I do not whine,” he snapped, and she snorted.
“Sorry, I’m not familiar with a more manly term for what you’ve been doing all day. It isn’t as if I enjoy dragging you behind me planning a wedding we’re both dreading. Just drop me off at this last place, and I’ll take a cab home or something.”
“Absolutely not. I gave my word, and I’m keeping it.”
“You know, Callahan, sometimes the execution of the thing matters as much as simply doing it. I appreciate you making sure I don’t get assaulted on the sidewalk, but I don’t see why you have to make us both miserable in the process. Unless miserable is your default setting. Lucky me,” she muttered as he pulled into the parking lot of the upscale bakery.
He put the car in park and studied the elaborately decorated cakes in the display window.
“I thought you already picked out a cake.”
She paused with her hand on the door, eyebrows shooting up. “How do you know that?”
