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“Forever?” he asks.
I let out a snort. “Yes, but no. Just get them out of here. Claire wishes to enjoy her wedding reception.”
Henrick snorts. “We’ll get to thatyessoon enough,” he states.
And he’s right.
We will get to the yes. Tomorrow night.
I’m ready to get to the bottom of the secretive notes, the watching, the seemingly all-knowing nature of it all. That shit is not okay. Only the family should have that kind of information, not some fuckhead selfish bastard in Vegas. And the family should never, not fucking ever, send that kind of shit to one another.
We already know that Keen is a potential fucking problem that is going to be dealt with tomorrow. Junior is likely not involved. But that doesn’t mean his brothers aren’t. All signs lead to at least one of them.
“We sure will,” I murmur.
“I’ll take care of it,” Hendrick mutters.
A few moments later, I watch as he gathers them up, all five of them, and within just a few minutes, they are out of the venue and no doubt back to their hotel, where I hope they stay until I pick them up tomorrow for our very own special meeting.
Scanning the room, I notice Allison, Hendrick’s current woman, glaring toward the exit doors. She’s no doubt his date tonight, and he’s just left with not only Claire’s family but that included Claire’s very skimpily dressed young sister.
I don’t pretend to understand their dynamic. She is not his prize, but he seems to covet her anyway. It is even more so than me with Shiloh. I liked her, as disgusting as that was after the realization of who she was to me, but I did not love her. I did not covet her. I would have never taken her to a private event like this.
“Would you like to dance?” I ask, tearing my gaze from the defeated appearing Allison and turning toward my wife.
Claire’s head turns and she faces me, her eyes slowly lifting to find mine. “You sent them away?”
“It was clear you weren’t enjoying them being here.”
Her brows snap together as she watches me in silence for just a moment before she speaks. “I wasn’t,” she exhales.
“Let’s dance and forget them. We’re starting a new life, just the two of us.”
Standing, I hold out my hand for her, my palm facing upward. She slips her fingers in mine, her eyes focused on me, and she slowly stands from her seat.
“A new life,” she exhales.
“A new life.”
ChapterEighteen
CLAIRE
Dancing,cake, a few drinks, and socializing.
I didn’t think this wedding would be fun, but it was. After my parents left, of course. Eventually, the men drifted off toward the bar, although I noticed they were never out of eyeshot, or maybe it was the women who weren’t. I’m not sure which way it went, but I spent the late evening with Parker and Allison.
“I really liked your in-home store,” I offer, my eyes finding Allison’s.
Her brows are furrowed as she stares at the bar where the men are gathered. “Thanks,” she murmurs, then she shakes her head, and her gaze finds mine. She smiles as if my words have truly just registered. “I’m trying to get enough capital and clients to open an actual shop, but this is good for now. So what did you think about the products? Do you think I have enough for everyone’s taste?”
Parker lets out a heavy sigh. I turn to face her just in time to see her rolling her eyes. “I told you that the store is amazing,” she says. “And I’m willing to invest in all of it if you would just let me.”
Allison’s face turns pink at her mention of investing in her business, but she doesn’t reply. Instead, she shakes her head a couple of times, then dips her chin as she looks down at her feet.
“I liked everything. I don’t know what all of it means, but I thought there was a good mix between sweet and naughty if that’s what you meant?” I ask. “And I felt comfortable.”
I’m not sure what to do. I don’t know Allison very well. I only talked to her for a few moments when Parker took me to her store to find some lingerie for tonight. I’ve honestly never been in a store like that before, even though I lived in Las Vegas. I had no reason to frequent a place like that, so I’ve never been. But it seemed nice.
