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A frown creased Devon’s brow as Miles finally took the glass of Pepsi from his hand. They had been planning to open some old brandy, but Miles recognised he was way too tense to drink right now, his emotions too raw. He’d rarely touched the stuff since his spiral into darkness when Ivy went missing. Before that, he’d loved a good whiskey and savoured a rich brandy, but then alcohol had become his crutch, his escape, and he lost himself at the bottom of countless bottles. Sensing where his thoughts were, Devon held his gaze. “She admitted to everything?”
“I think her absence is confession enough. I’ve never heard my dad so angry.” His mother had vanished after her father had chewed her out. He couldn’t say he blamed him. It was a good job he hadn’t been there. If he’d heard that conversation, he dreaded to think what would have happened. He was glad his mother had done a disappearing act, because he wanted nothing more than to give her a piece of his mind, and the things he had to say, there’d be no coming back from.
“What about you? How doyoufeel, Tails?”
“Well, Doctor Jacobs.” Miles cocked his eyebrow, warning him he’d seen through the man’s attempt to turn their night of relaxation into a therapy session. “She’s dead to me. That she could torture the woman I love, try to humiliate her like that, it’s the final nail in her coffin. No one does that to the woman I love. There’s no reason for it, all because she doesn’t like Sin. She’s never even tried to get to know her.” Miles sighed, sinking back onto the sofa. “I just don’t know what she was thinking. Sin was, trying to restore the relationship between me and my mother, and all the timeshewas doing everything in her power to break down and hurt the woman I love. I just don’t get it.”
Devon’s hand squeezed Miles’ shoulder. “Tomorrow is a new chapter. Your mother has been a shackle for a long time, but I must confess, the escalation of her methods surprised even me.”
“Okay, enough.” Miles threw up his free hand in frustration. His mother wasnotgoing to ruin tonight. “I believe you promised me a night of strippers and beer.” Miles chuckled teasingly.
Strippers and beer were the last things on Devon’s agenda. Especially since JJ was the one to throw his bachelor party. Miles swore JJ had taken them to that strip bar just to annoy his big brother. Strippers and beer were far from the list of desires either of these two men had.
A rhythmic knock sounded on the door. Miles’ face became serious as Devon’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “Right on cue, freshly painted with body glitter and strawberry-flavoured lotion, no doubt.”
For a moment, he almost believed him.
His shoulders relaxed as JJ and Matthews let themselves in. “Sparky’s on guard duty for your blushing bride. I’ll switch out with him later before the strip-o-gram arrives.” Matthews grinned, flicking her long brown ponytail over her shoulder. She dumped a pile of games and DVDs onto the small glass coffee table with a grin, stepping aside to allow JJ to deposit the pizza boxes. Well, they were certainly not going to go hungry. Especially now JJ was adding snacks and nibbles to the mix. He’d be lucky if he could fit in his tux tomorrow, let alone down the aisle if they ate all this.
Now, this was a bachelor party. His closest friends and a quiet night in, with more food than could be eaten in a single night. JJ blew his fringe from his eyes, glancing around the room. “Aww man, I thought you said there’d be a pole.”
“Oh, come on, JJ, everyone knows they bring their own gear,” Devon teased, firing up the PlayStation. “Tell you what, you can have first go on the strip club level.” He passed JJ the light gun, as the distinctive introduction music to House of the Dead: Overkill echoed through the surround sound speakers.
Miles leaned back, a slice of pizza in hand, watching his friends animatedly cheer JJ on while Devon tried to get the second light gun to connect. Yep, this was going to be the best bachelor party ever.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Whilst he wasn’t allowed to see his bride, Ivy was relieved Miles had possessed enough insight to send her a message. A video message, no less. It was just one of the many reasons she loved this man so deeply. He was her world, her air, her everything, and he knew exactly what she needed, sometimes even before she did.
She had known she was his soon after the moment they met. Their friendship had been everything, and yet never quite enough. There were more times than she could count when her heart had nearly guided her lips to his, where her hands had lingered just a little too long in a touch.
He was her sun, her knight. He chased away the darkness and filled her with warmth and light even before Owner had captured her. He was her last thought of the day, her first in the morning, and in those final moments, when she thought she would die, his face, his smile, was the image she held on to.
She’d watched the message a hundred times, losing herself in his image and missing the words that rich, honeyed voice had spoken. He’d caught the sun in the short time he’d been away, the almost-invisible freckles that skittered across his nose had become more prominent for those who knew where to look.
Her heart sped each time she caught sight of him, and each stolen glance still caused the heat to rise to her cheeks. He was the only person to have such an effect on her, the only one her soul craved.
It was dawn. The blood orange sun still rose impossibly early. Nerves and excitement meant her sleep was sporadic, when she wasn’t reading, she was tossing and turning, battling with the covers which were both too light and too stifling. The only thing that had calmed her somewhat was knowing, somewhere, Miles was in the same hotel, waiting to meet her at the altar.
In a few hours, Becca would arrive with everything, but not having the dress, her underwear, or even her shoes, was causing panic to flutter in her chest. Though she understood why it was better they weren’t here it didn’t ease those razor winged butterflies that never stilled. Mrs Taylor still had not made an appearance, and Becca was certain she’d try one more last desperate measure to ruin the wedding she was so set against. Destroying her things would be the perfect way to do that. So Becca had hidden them away, kept them safe.
Her phone pinged and relief surged through her at just the sight of his name.
“Becca’s on schedule. Have a bath, relax, and check the drawer by the side of the bed. I’ve got you something to wear too.” Miles’ voice note came through just at the right moment. A smile crept across her lips. When Sparky had brought her here yesterday, she could have sworn she smelt Miles’ aftershave lingering in her room, but she passed it off as her imagination.
A steady breath expelled slowly from her tense lungs. Was it even possible for lungs to be tense? Because it sure felt like it to her as each nervous and shaky breath tormented them. Curiosity led her straight to the drawers. She opened it slowly, heat burning her cheeks as she slammed it shut, barely able to believe what he’d placed in there for her.
Her eyes darted around the room, almost expecting to see Matthews looking over her shoulder, even though she knew her security detail had been relieved since arriving here, and they were now taking care of some other tasks and double-checking the hotel security. After all, Ivy wasn’t about to leave her room. No, she was going to do exactly what her soon-to-be-husband suggested, have a bath and relax, and she certainly wouldn’t be opening the door to Mrs Taylor.
That was the agreement. Besides, she’d needed time to herself to get ready, and she knew if anything happened, her normal security people were just next door.
Matthews had switched with Sparky after they’d arrived at the hotel. The original agreement was, once here, Ivy would be given her space, and security would remain close, but not close. But when Matthews arrived she had to smile at how her sneaky Dom had circumvented that request under the guise of allowing just the boys to enjoy something of a bachelor party, while Matthews and Ivy watched chick flicks with Becca and Penny.
Sneaky man.
But she loved Matthews. The impromptu gathering was only happening as Miles insisted she had at least some semblance of a bachelorette party, and she was glad Matthews was a part of it. She wouldn’t have had it any other way. Except, of course, maybe having all of them together in one big gathering. But Miles was firm about holding up to traditions. Which meant no sneaky last-minute rendezvous, and no seeing the bride the day before the wedding, which was why she hadn’t video-messaged him back with a sneaky shot of her in the bath surrounded by the scented bubbles that seduced her senses, driving her deeper into calm and relaxation.
The girls being over didn’t change the fact she wanted the morning of her wedding to herself. And surprisingly, Matthews had left with Becca and Penny, without objection, giving a brief heads-up to the security next door as she left in the early hours of the morning.
