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I shake my head as my throat tightens. “Stop it.” It comes out as a raspy whisper.
“We fight. You leave with Frank. He’ll know where to bring you.” He studies me, ignoring my clear panic. “And if things don’t go as planned, you will take care of our daughter, Cat. You’ll continue to be the fiercest woman I’ve ever met. The love of my life. And promise me, Kitten, promise me, you’ll be happy.”
I swallow thickly. The sound of my heart beating in my ears drowns out everything but his voice. But he’s right. I’m fierce. So I place my palms against his cheeks and demand the only outcome I can fathom.
“You listen to me, Mr. Hanson. We are going into that party. I’ll pretend that I’m mad at you. We’ll get in our fight. We’ll make it clear to anyone who’s watching that I’m lost as to why Vanessa is demanding money from you. If the Mob is watching, they’ll believe I’m in the dark about all of it. And then we start fresh in Paris. You, me, and Chloe.Thatis the only result I’ll allow. Promise me that, or we don’t get out of this car.”
Jay scrutinizes me, scanning my face, and then his lip lifts into that classic smirk I love. “Fuck, I love you, Kitten. You drive a hard bargain, but okay. Happily ever after, that’s what you want?”
My heavy breath escapes. “It’s what we’veearned.”
* * *
For a few momentswhile Grace walked down the aisle toward my brother, everything faded away. My guilt and stress ceased to exist as I watched the way my brother looked at his bride. It was exactly how Jay looked at me. With pride, affection, and overwhelming gratitude that she’d chosen him. That she’dforgivenhim.
With the two of us standing side by side, our relationship slipped back into place. We’d both made mistakes. We’d both been selfish. But he’s my brother. And despite how much he’d let me down in recent months, I knew he’d struggled with our rift as much as I did.
So when he asked me to dance, I accepted and followed him out onto the wooden floor.
“It’s a beautiful wedding,” I say, looking up at Cash.
He may be younger, but there is nothing smaller about him.
“It was all Grace.” The smile he’s worn all day somehow gets bigger and softer at the mention of his wife’s name.
“Of course it was. She’s perfect for you.”
He chuckles. “She’s too good for me.”
I shake my head. “No. You’re both perfect for one another. And for the record, I’m really sorry that it took me so long to come around to her.”
Cash spins me out as the band plays “Wild Horses.” When he brings me back to his chest, he squeezes me tighter. “I want you to be happy.”
My smile is tight. “I am.”
“But you and Jay—”
I stop him. He saw us fighting before, as he was meant to, but I don’t want to talk badly about my husband. I don’t want to extend this lie in private. Loudly, I’ll make the scenes, but while dancing with my brother, I want truth. Not every moment of my life needs to be a lie. “It’s complicated.”
He raises his brow. “It’s always complicated with you two.”
I can’t help the laugh that escapes as I rest my cheek against my brother’s chest. “Ain’t that the truth.”
When I look back up, he smiles. Then his attention drifts to my necklace and his brows pinch together. “Where’d you get that?” he asks, lifting it from my skin.
“It was a gift.”
Cash shakes his head. “Weird.”
I study the cross. “I don’t know. I think it’s pretty.”
Cash narrows his eyes. “It’s almost identical to Frank’s tattoo.” His voice comes out strained. “Did Frank give this to you?”
“What?No,”I say, far too quickly. As if I have something to hide. And while I do, it has nothing to do with this necklace.
“It’s his family crest. Why do you have it around your neck?”
Breathing becomes difficult as I put the pieces together. And, filled with a slew of new questions, I scan the reception for Jay or Frank.
