Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 74843 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 374(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74843 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 374(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
EPILOGUE
HAVEN
SITTING AT THE bridal table in the front of the ballroom, I take a sip of my champagne as I gaze at everyone. I catch sight of my Luca sitting at a table over to the left. Forearms resting on the white tablecloth, he’s leaning forward, talking to Titan and Bones who sit across from him. Titan’s jaw clenches, and his hands fists at whatever my husband is saying.
I smile. Husband. We’re married. Well, technically we have been married, but now the world knows. It wasn’t the ceremony that Luca and his father had originally planned. It went from four hundred guests to fifty. And it was perfect. The Kings were nice enough to give us the ballroom on the fiftieth floor of Kingdom. And we chose an evening ceremony because I love the way the city lights up at night. It’s at the corner of the tower so you can see most of the Strip from the floor-to-ceiling windows.
I look away from them to the back of the room and see Jasmine step into the ballroom. She has her head down, and her red hair covers her face. She places one hand on the white column wrapped in red roses and her other hand on her heaving chest. She looks up, and her face is flushed. Her lips parted. She looks like she’s having a heart attack. I start to stand to go to her, but I stop when I see Nite walk up next to her. He places his hand on her back while taking her other hand in his. He helps her to the nearest table, pulls out a chair, and has her sit in it.
As if he feels my eyes on him, he looks up at me. I frown, looking from her to him. Then the corner on his lips curves up, and I realize what’s going on. They just had sex. At my wedding. I chuckle. Good for her.
Finishing my champagne, I look at the empty glass and smile to myself. For as much as it’s a great day, it’s also sad. Two very important people aren’t here.
Emilee and Mia.
I unzip my clutch and pull out my cell. I go to Mia’s number and send her a quick text.
Me: I wish you were here.
Mia: Me too. Maybe I’ll see you soon. Congratulations on the wedding. And welcome to the family. Sister.
I think about that message. Luca and I are supposed to be going to Fiji tomorrow morning, but I can’t see why we can’t stop in Italy first.
Everyone is still mingling and drinking. My husband is still in a heated discussion with Bones and Titan. Grave and Cross are nowhere to be seen, and Jasmine has disappeared again. Round two?
I get up from the table, slip through the back door that leads to the elevator, and walk down the hallway to the end. Looking out the window at Sin City, I hit call.
“You’ve reached Emilee. Sorry I missed your call …”
Straight to voicemail. I let out a sigh and listen to her recording until it beeps. “Hey, E. I’ve been trying to call you. I … I miss you. And wish you were here. Jasmine told me you’re moving back. You better call me as soon as you set foot off that plane. We need to have a girls’ night. Drink too much and eat more chicken wings than our stomachs can handle.” I laugh. “I just … I just wanted to tell you that I miss and love you.” I hang up and turn around to head back, but I pause when I see the door close softly. I frown. Was someone listening to my conversation?
LUCA
I watch as Haven re-enters the ballroom from the hallway. She places her phone down on the bridal table and walks over to the bar where her mother stands talking to Titan.
“Hello?” Bones answers his cell as he sits across from me at a table. He nods once to himself. “Titan and I will be there first thing in the morning, and we’ll discuss it then.” He hangs up.
“Problem?” I ask.
Leaning back in the chair, he laces his fingers behind his head. “Looks like someone doesn’t wanna pay us what they owe.”
“Who is it?” Las Vegas is small. It may be some big fancy city to a cowboy from Lawton, Oklahoma, but trust me, it’s not.
“George Wilton.”
My brows rise. “George Wilton as in York and Wilton Construction?”
He nods, putting his arms down, and begins to undo his tie like it’s choking him.
“As in Nick York?” I clarify, making sure I understand.
His jaw clenches.
That’s Emilee’s father. “They owe you money?”
“Not Nick. Only George.”
“Well … that’s—”
“Unfortunate for him,” he interrupts me.
I scratch the back of my head. “How much?”
“Five hundred thousand.”
I snort. “That’s chump change to you.”
“It is. But if I let every piece of shit who owes Kingdom money get away with it, then Kingdom would be no more.”