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Titan looked at me, eyebrows raised. “Last chance to escape.”
“Not necessary.” I shook my head. “Let’s do it.”
* * *
Nalani
“Last chance to escape,”Morgan teased, as she was still moving around, fussing over my veil.
There was nothing to fix. Everything looked perfect, which for some reason made the urge for tears even stronger.
Everythinglookedperfect, sure. The dress fit like a glove, my makeup was flawless, and the stylist for my hair had styled my coils into an updo more regal than anything I could have imagined. The venue was breathtaking. It wasn’t snowing now, but outside there was a heavy blanket reflecting the sun through the big windows, making the inside of the ceremony look ethereal and bright.
Everything thatreallymattered though?
It was in shambles.
“You should’ve made that nigga marry you in a garbage bag.”
My eyes went wide, heart leaping up into my throat as I turned to the doorway. A grin spread across my face, mirroring my brother’s as he came in taking off his coat.
“Soren, what happened?” I asked, accepting his hug while trying to make sure I didn’t smudge any of my makeup. “You were supposed to be here ages ago.”
“Snow happened,” he explained. “The roads are open, but it was slow. And… I ended up leaving Blackwood a bit later than planned. Trying to talk some sense into that damn daddy of ours.”
I rolled my eyes, moving my shoulders to shake off the flush of negative energy that hit me at just the mention of him. “You didn’t have to bother. I already knew what that situation was going to be.”
“Yeah,” he agreed. “But still. I figured it was at least worth an honest shot.” There was genuine remorse in his eyes—for something that wasn’t even his fault—as he met my gaze before it shifted to Alexis and Morgan. “Damn, here y’all go, looking like you do.”
Both of my friends humored him—just a little—for a few moments before Shiloh came in, rushing him off to change into his tux. Soren was a later-in-life baby for my parents, with damn near a decade age difference between us.
As much as he tried, My friends had never given him any real attention, which I thanked them for.
He was handsome, intelligent, and way too talented with tech for his own good.
A woman to impress was the last thing anybody needed on his mind.
His ass would be somewhere hacking bank accounts and deleting loans.
It didn’t take him long to get back. He showed up at the same time as Shiloh, letting us know it was time to start. Morgan left to take her seat and Alexis moved to get in place to accompany my soon-to-be brother-in-law down the aisle.
It was just me and Soren now.
“You’re really doing this, huh?” he asked, taking my hand to escort me to the dressing room door.
“I am.” I nodded. “You know I have to… right?”
He shook his head. “Nah, Idon’tknow that. You don’thaveto.”
“The other option is lose the store.”
“Or I can put a back door in theStellar Foodssystem. Fuck up everything. If they want it fixed, we can trade. One business for another.”
I smiled. “That sounds amazing. But… you know what these people would do to you, right?”
“I’m not scared.”
“But I am,” I told him. “Not just for me, or even you. But our family… everybody we love. I don’t want to be on their bad side. And, I want the insurance—assurance—that they can provide,” I said. “For the store to always be ours.”
