by HELEN HARDT
“You want to get married?” I asked her. “Are you sure, baby?”
“I’ve never been more sure. Please, Matt. Marry me.”
I stood and pulled her toward me, kissing her lips hard. Then I lifted her in my arms. “Absolutely, Riley. Let’s get married!”
But how would her brothers react?
I imagined a punch to my face. Or a hearty pat to my back.
I didn’t imagine what I got.
Roy stood. “That’s an amazingly good idea, sis. You want some company?”
Riley, still in my arms, met her brother’s gaze. “At the wedding? Of course. You’re all invited.”
“Yes, at the wedding, but I thought I might stand up there with you. How about it, silver?”
Now Charlie’s eyes went even wider. “You mean…?”
“Yup!” Roy dropped to his knee in front of Charlie. “Marry me. Please. I love you so much.”
She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Yes, of course I’ll marry you, Roy.”
“A double wedding, then.” Lacey smiled. “How wonderful!”
Even Reid joined in. “Hmm. I’m the only one without a date for this momentous occasion but I’m sure I can fix that up in no time.” He glanced through his phone.
“You have women here in Vegas?” Rock asked.
“Bro, I have women everywhere.”
Then a knock on the door.
“Probably the caterers to clean this shit up,” Rock said. “I’ll get it.”
I helped Riley gather our dishes and trash together. Damn. I’d just gotten a marriage proposal. From a supermodel. A supermodel I was madly in love with and who loved me back. Yeah, we had problems to deal with. Big ones.
But I had a ridiculous grin on my face anyway.
Tonight I would marry the woman of my dreams.
Tomorrow we’d deal with the rest.
“Where should we get married?” I asked Riley.
“Whichever chapel is closest. I can’t wai—”
Her mouth dropped open.
Rock stood in the doorway to the meeting room with a woman.
“Zee…” Riley said.
“I… I’m sorry I didn’t show up. I mean… I’m here now.”
“Of course.” Riley walked to her and touched her hand lightly. “We’re glad you’re here. This is my family. My fiancé, Matt Rossi, and you know Roy. That’s his fiancé, Charlie, and my other two brothers, Rock and Reid. Then Rock’s wife, Lacey.”
She nodded nervously. “N-Nice to meet you.”
“Hey,” Riley said. “I’m sorry we’ve already eaten, but would you like to join us tonight?”
“For…what?”
“A wedding! Matt and I are getting married, and so are Roy and Charlie.”
“I’m not suitably dressed…”
“That’s a fabulous idea,” Charlie said. “And you’re dressed just fine. This is a come-as-you-are thing.”
“We’re all going like this,” I said. “Right?”
“Yeah. Sure.” Roy said. “You should come with us.”
“But I—”
“You can be my date,” Reid said.
Riley’s eyes shot wide open.
So did Zee’s.
“You’d be doing me a favor,” he said. “I’m the only one without another half for this occasion.”
“I couldn’t.”
“Sure you can.” From Riley. “We all want you to come.”
Zee smiled. Sort of. “I guess. I don’t have any other plans.”
“Then it’s settled,” I said. “Let’s get married, Riley.” I pulled her close and whispered into her ear, “I need to talk to you. Alone.”
After we excused ourselves for a minute, I stood with Riley alone in the hallway. She fidgeted with her fingers, biting her lower lip.
I opened my mouth, but she pressed two fingers to my lips.
“Don’t. I know what you’re going to say.”
“I’m pretty sure you don’t.”
“I do. You didn’t want to embarrass me in front of my family. You don’t want to—”
This time I quieted her by leaning down and pressing my lips to hers in a searing kiss. She opened for me, but then broke the kiss after only a few seconds.
“Don’t,” she said.
“Honey, I love you. I want to marry you. Tonight. But I can’t have any secrets with my wife, and there’s something I never told you about my past.”
“Your past doesn’t matter to me.”
“I know that, and yours doesn’t matter to me. But I have skeletons too, and I don’t want to go to the altar with you before you know about them.”
“Your parents…” she said.
I nodded. “My childhood wasn’t exactly idyllic.”
“What happened?”
“Nothing compared to what you’ve been through, but it’s not fair of me to make you go in blind. I have a few hang-ups myself.” I drew in a deep breath. “My mother committed suicide when I was in high school.”
Riley gasped, bringing her hand to her mouth. “Matt, I’m so sorry!”
I cupped her cheek. “I’m okay. It took some time, but I’m okay. She suffered from depression most of her life, and I guess one day it got to be too much. My father didn’t help things.”
“What did he do?”
“He was a drunk, Riley. And not a nice one. He didn’t beat up on either of us, but he did a lot of damage to our home and to others’ property when he was on a bender. After my mother died, he went crazy. He…”
“Oh, Matt. What happened?”
“He killed a man, Riley.”
She went white in the face. “Oh, God. Not you too?”
“Having an asshole father? Yeah. But honey, I’m okay.”
“Do you see him? Ever?”
“Once a year I make the pilgrimage. That’s all I can stomach. Anyway, after my mother died and my dad was locked up, my uncle got custody of me. He saved me. I was an angry kid. I didn’t make it easy on him.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked.
“I don’t talk about it, and the people in town know better than to bring it up around me. Then, once I found out what you’ve been through…”
“No. Don’t. Your past is your past just like mine is mine. There aren’t degrees of horror.”
I didn’t argue the point, though I disagreed vehemently. She had strength enough for both of us. I pulled the pink sapphire pendant out of my pocket, then, and placed it around her neck. “I wanted to give it to you in Sumter Falls, but you wouldn’t take it. I offer it to you now. It’s no engagement ring, but—”
“It’s better than any engagement ring. It’s perfect.” She melted into my arms.
And I was complete.
My story wasn’t a hundredth as horrible as hers, but now she knew.
And now we could be together.
47
Riley
Tacky.
So tacky, this chapel, but I was in heaven, despite what all of us had been through. I was in love, and I was happy.
I couldn’t help giggling as I picked out a bouquet from the display.
“Is marrying me that funny?” Matt asked.
“God, no. I’m just thinking of the look on my mother’s face if she were here.”
“Should we call her?” Roy asked.
“Only if you want to. I certainly don’t.” I fingered the flowers. “I like the white roses. Which one do you like, Charlie?”
“The roses are gorgeous, but I’m going to go with the lilies, I think.”
“Whatever you want.” Roy smiled.
The others had already taken seats in the chapel. I couldn’t get over Reid. Just an hour ago, he’d been ready to take Zee down to save his own hide, and now he was escorting her to my wedding.
My brother had always been a womanizer, and he was no different now. An attractive woman came along, and he went for it. Classic Reid Wolfe. He wasn’t called the Wolfe of Manhattan for nothing.
I just hoped he understood that Zee was troubled. Surely he wouldn’t try to get her into bed. Not when we needed her cooperation. The last thing she needed was a love-her-and-leave-her guy like Reid taking advantage of her and then flying the coop.
After all, once Rock and Reid had concluded their business here, we were all heading back to New York.
On the other hand, Reid knew how to cozy up to a woman and make her comfortable. Perhaps that was exactly what Zee—and the rest of us—needed.
But then I stopped thinking about Reid and Zee.
I thought only about Matt, who looked magnificent with his blond hair hanging below his shoulders, his buff-colored shirt clinging to his muscles and his ass looked delectable in black jeans. I was wearing the same thing I’d worn all day—a miniskirt and camisole with denim mules. Comfy and casual.
Roy and Charlie looked great as well. Roy had pulled his hair back into his signature sleek ponytail and wore dark jeans and a white button-down, no tie. Charlie wore jeans too, along with a creamy silk blouse and strappy silver sandals.
“We don’t have rings,” Charlie said.
I tugged at the sterling pendant around my neck. “This is my ring.”
Charlie gasped. “Oh! It’s lovely.”
“Matt made it,” I bragged. “He’s a silversmith.”
“Really?” Roy said. “Too bad you don’t have your wares on you. It would solve our ring dilemma.”
“No dilemma.” Lacey walked briskly toward us. “Every chapel in Vegas sells wedding sets.”
We all laughed, and ten minutes later, we were outfitted with genuine ten-karat gold-plated rings.
Wagner’s “Bridal Chorus” pumped out of the organ at the front of the chapel, where our Elvis-impersonating minister waited.
“That’s our cue,” Roy said to Matt. “We’ll see you ladies in a few.”
I turned to Charlie and smiled. “Welcome to the family. I hope you know what you’re in for.”
“We don’t really know each other, but I love your brother more than anything.”
“I know you do. Ready?”
She nodded, and we linked arms. Together we strolled down the short aisle to meet our fate.
Rock and Reid pulled the corks out in unison from two bottles of Dom Perignon.
“To the happy couples,” Rock said. “I hope you’re all as happy as Lace and I are.”
After the newlyweds were all served, Reid carried a flute of champagne to Zee. He was ever the gentleman. In that moment, I adored my brother for what he was doing for her—making her feel at ease in a strange and stressful situation. Maybe she’d open up to him. To all of us.
“Speech!” Lacey called. “You first, Matt.”
“Me? Why me?”
“Because you’re the newest member of the family,” Rock said.
He smiled. “I’m not sure what to say, except that I love this lady—my wife—more than I ever thought I could love another person. Thank you for proposing to me, baby. I’m happy to be Mr. Riley Wolfe!”
Everyone laughed, and then I spoke.
“I’m just as happy to be Mrs. Matteo Rossi. Thank you for everything.” I clinked my glass to his and everyone took a sip.
Roy stepped up next. “I’m really glad to be here. In this moment, without all the shit that’s been dragging me down for so long. Silver, you’ve made such a difference in my life. I love you more than anything.”
Charlie blushed, and her eyes—yeah, they were actually silver—sparkled. “Thank you for seeing me, Roy, and loving me.”
Glasses clinked once more, and we all hugged and kissed and shook hands in a mass of lips and limbs.
Zee stood alone, not touching anyone.
“Excuse me for a second,” I said to Matt. I walked to Zee. “Doing okay?”
She nodded. “I’ve never had Dom Perignon before. I don’t drink much.”
“There’s plenty. Want some more?”
She shook her head. “Thank you for letting me stay.”
“Of course. In your own way, you’re one of us.”
“Am I?”
“We’re all victims of my father. Maybe not in the same way you were, but in other ways.”
“I’m beginning to understand that.”
I smiled at her. “Thanks for showing up. I thought you might have run.”
“Why would you think that?”
“Because I’ve done it before. I’ve run to get away from something. But there’s no escaping the past, Zee. You can only accept it, deal with it, and move on.”
“I’ve tried. For over ten years, I’ve tried.”
“Talking about it will help.”
“Will it?”
“I don’t mean talking to us, though I hope you will. I mean talking to a professional.”
“I could never afford that.”
“You can now. I’ll see that you get everything you need.”
“I couldn’t impose.”
“Are you kidding? If I can’t help someone my father hurt, what good is my inheritance?”
“But it’s his money.”
“Correction. It’s my money, and I want to use it to help you.”
“You don’t know what you’re getting into.”
“Trust me. I do.”
Reid approached us then with another flute of champagne for Zee. “Moving in on my date, sis?”
I laughed lightly. My God, my brother could turn on the charm. Already I could see Zee weakening.
I didn’t want her wobbly-kneed over my womanizing brother. I needed her strong. Strong and willing to tell her story.
Reid tapped his pocket. “Phone’s buzzing. Excuse me, ladies.” He stepped away.
“He seems…nice,” Zee said.
“He’s a good guy at heart.”
“He’s so handsome, too, except for…”
“Except for what?”
“He looks so much like his father. Your father.”
God. I hadn’t even considered how much we all resembled our father. But Zee was right. Reid looked the most like him.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t even think about that.”
She didn’t reply.
“You have to understand,” I continued. “None of us can think like that, or every time we look into the mirror, we’re reminded of the man who did such heinous things to all of us. To you. To so many others.”
“What did he do to Reid?” she asked.
I sighed. “I don’t fully know, and even if I did, his story isn’t my story. You’d have to ask him.”
“I can’t. I don’t even know him. Yet you’re asking me to tell all of you my story.”
I sighed again. She had a good point. “Zee, this isn’t about us or even about you. It’s about clearing all of our names. None of us is willing to go down for his murder when we’re all innocent.”
“I get that.”
I looked around the small room. Reid and Rock were in a corner in heavy conversation. Probably about the phone call Reid just got.
Damn. Probably more bad news.
But you know what? I wasn’t going to deal with bad news tonight. It was my wedding day. My wedding night. “Would you excuse me?” I said to Zee.
“Of course.”
I walked straight to my husband. “Time to go,” I said.
“Oh?”
“It’s my wedding night.” I smiled at him. “And you’re not going to get any sleep.”
Epilogue
Reid
The Lone Wolfe.
Ha! Great pun, huh?
Within less than a month, my three siblings had all met their life mates and gotten married.
Not in the cards for me. I was the Wolfe of Manhattan, always with a new lady on my arm. Now, though, since all my siblings were off the market, I was indeed the Lone Wolfe.
The phone call I got after the wedding was from the NYPD detective on our case, Hank Morgan. Consequently, Rock and the rest of them headed back this morning on the
jet.
Again, not in the cards for me.
Someone had to stay here in Las Vegas and deal with our damned luxury hotel and casino. Money is money. Words of wisdom from the bastard who’d fathered me.
Sure, all of us were being investigated for the fucker’s murder, but someone had to take care of business.
That someone was me.
Always me.
I wasn’t CEO of the company, but only I could deal with the contract mess here in Las Vegas. Story of my life. Under-appreciated to the max.
The rest of them were called back to New York for more questioning.
I wasn’t going down for his murder, and neither was anyone else in my family. Not on my watch.
Zinnia—or Zee—seemed to be the key.
I just had to get her to talk.
The Wolfe of Manhattan.
I’d never met a woman I couldn’t seduce.
So I’d seduce her.
And oh, she’d talk.
Wolfes of Manhattan continues with Rake, coming soon!
A Note From Helen
Dear Reader,
Thank you for reading Runaway. If you want to find out about my current backlist and future releases, please visit my website, like my Facebook page, and join my mailing list. If you’re a fan, please join my street team to help spread the word about my books. I regularly do awesome giveaways for my street team members.
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Helen
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Acknowledgments
Thank you so much to the following individuals who helped make Runaway shine: Christie Hartman, Martha Frantz, Theresa Finn, Karen Aguilera, Angela Tyler, Linda Pantlin Dunn, Serena Drummond, and Marci Clark.
Also By Helen Hardt
