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“Val,” I say, pumping her hand a few times. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Aisling nods and grabs on to Quinn’s hand. She looks between us, then her eyes settle on him. “So you come to Vegas to get married and we’re not even invited to the wedding? I couldn’t even be your flower girl? How could you take that away from me, Uncle Q?”
He snickers at her snarky tone. “Wow, the grape doesn’t fall far from the vine, does it? Why couldn’t you be more like your dad?”
Heaven smiles at her daughter. “You know Uncle Quinn is a busy guy.”
“That’s right. But I’m here now, and we’re gonna make the most of this visit, okay?”
Aisling narrows her eyes and thinks about it for a second before answering. “Okay. And what’s with the weird hair? It looks so… neat. And yours is usually so messy like you don’t own a comb.”
“That’s ’cause I style it that way. But that hair didn’t go with this tux.” He smooths down the front of his tuxedo jacket and sweet Lord, my mouth waters as my gaze follows his hands. Then he slides the glasses back on his face and my knees wobble. “I’ve got these now, too.”
Aisling scrunches her nose. “You don’t look like Uncle Q anymore.”
“Yeah, but I’m still just as much fun.” He ruffles her hair and then drops to his knees. “They have strawberry cotton candy up here, you know.”
“Duh, of course they do. Why else do you think it’s my favorite place in Las Vegas?”
“You wanna get some?”
Aisling’s face lights up. “Race you!”
They take off toward the food court and disappear into a crowd of people.
“Aisling misses him so much,” Heaven muses. “I just wish he was out here under different circumstances.” Her expression clouds and her perfectly arched brows lift when my face drops like The Big Shot.
I suck down a groan.
Why the hell should that even happen when everyone knows this marriage is a total sham?
Heaven puts a hand on my arm. “Oh, sweetie, I didn’t mean it that way. I meant the whole thing with El Azul. The Sinalia Cartel has so many ties out here. I’m just scared for him. Patrick and Alek can only do so much to protect him, and unfortunately, a new hair color and glasses won’t protect him forever.”
That’swhen my belly drops, because I know Heaven is one hundred percent right in her fears.
Out of the corner of my eye, a path clears through all of the people and I catch a glimpse of Quinn and Aisling by the cotton candy vendor. Aisling throws her head back and laughs before wrapping her arms around Quinn’s waist.
Tears sting my eyes.
Somehow in the time since becoming his wife, I’ve actually gone and caught feelings for this guy.
How utterly inconvenient.
And how devastated that little girl would be if someone in El Azul’s crew found him here.
I blink fast.
Weakness, Val. For fuck’s sake, pull your shit together.
“I knew what you meant.” I return my gaze to Heaven’s face. “And I don’t want to see that happen either.”
“My husband is very concerned.” Heaven’s voice is grave. “He had his own issues with a certain cartel leader who’s now… not of this life.” Her face tells me there’s more to the story than her mouth will say.
“And is there any link between those groups?”
“I doubt it. It was a long time ago. Almost ten years.” Her gaze searches the crowds. “Still, revenge is revenge. People will wait a long time to get it. And to hit both Mulligans…”
An icy chill settles deep in my bones.
