by Cari Quinn
His lips twitched. “So much for keeping things all business, huh?”
Lila shook her head. “You’ve got me there. It is personal for me, but I fight it all the time. I try not to get wrapped up in your lives, and I try not to care more than I should. But I can’t help it.” She leaned forward and took his hands. “Especially with you. No matter how old you get, you’ll always be that boy with the backward baseball cap and a sweet smile. And I’ll always want to protect you, even if you hate me for it.”
He curled his fingers into hers. “L, I married Chloe.”
“You’ll understand someday when you have your own children,” Lila continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “In the far, far off future. But it changes you when you’re responsible for someone else—”
“L, did you hear me? I married Chloe.” He shut his eyes and hung his head. “I didn’t mean to do it, but I did.”
She gripped his hands so tightly that he opened his eyes again. “What do you mean you didn’t mean to marry her?” She threw back her head. “Dear God, Vegas.”
“I may have been just a little…inebriated at the time.” As was Chloe, but he wasn’t about to cast aspersions on his new wife’s character.
She’d married him, hadn’t she? That was aspersion enough.
“You told me you didn’t have a problem. You swore to me you didn’t.”
“Dammit, I got to play with my brother last night. My brother who’s been on the fringes of my life for years. Do you know what a rush that was? And we were incredible. We were the best we’ve ever been, and she was in the audience, and Jesus, she was so into us, into me. I’ve never felt anything like that before.” He couldn’t explain it to himself, never mind his stepmother. “It was chemical. I couldn’t control it. Fuck, I didn’t even realize it was her at first.”
Lila took several deep breaths before meeting his gaze again. “Did you have sex with her?”
“What?” His ears were heating up to go with the back of his neck. “I can’t believe you’d ask me that.”
“You’re an adult, and I’m pretty sure you don’t read the Bible with your female companions.” She leaned forward, releasing his hands to lay hers flat on the table. “Did you have sex with her, Michael? It makes a difference as to how quickly and quietly we can make this go away, so answer carefully.”
“What difference does it make? I said I married her. I have the marriage license, I have the ring…” He trailed off and shook his head. “Uh-uh. No. Not happening.”
“An annulment is a simple dissolution. No fuss, no muss.”
“No.” His vehemence surprised him as much as it clearly surprised Lila. “No annulments. I don’t believe in those.”
“You don’t believe in fixing mistakes? In making a problem go away?”
“That may be how you see marriage, but I don’t. I spent my whole life vowing to myself I’d never be like my parents. I’d never treat a promise casually. If it wasn’t forever, I wouldn’t say the words.”
Lila’s cheeks paled. “What are you saying? That you’re just going to stay married to her, because you made a mistake? That you’re going to pay for your crime for the rest of your life?”
“It wasn’t a crime. Christ, I fell so hard for her. In a couple of hours, I fucking fell.”
“You knew each other before this weekend. You’ve been at the same family things a couple of times, surely you’ve spoken to each other. Yet all of a sudden, lightning bolt?”
“What happened with you and Nick? I highly doubt that you were all over his ass from day one, because he’s a complete dick most of the time. I’m assuming at some point something changed and you saw him in a new light. Well, the same thing happened here. It took me being on stage and her being below me to—”
Lila braced her forehead against her hand and he decided to stop talking. He wasn’t going to convince her anyway, and he was long past convincing himself.
He didn’t get what had happened between him and Chloe either. It defied rational behavior. He might’ve said it was just beer goggles, but fuck, he hadn’t had a drop of liquor in him the first time he glimpsed her in the crowd. Even stone cold sober, he’d wanted her enough to risk everything.
Now they’d just have to figure out where they were going to go from here.
“I don’t know if it’s just based on sex or if there might be something else there, something underneath, but fuck, I’m not going to figure it out by sitting here talking to you.” He pulled out his wallet and withdrew a few bills to cover his juice and the tip.
And saw that too bright white piece of paper that had changed his entire life.
“I get that you’re confused. But you don’t want to do anything rash—”
“I’d say the rash bus has already left the station, wouldn’t you?” He started to slide out of the booth.
“Michael, wait.” Lila reached out to grasp his hand. “Just wait. We can talk this through, figure it out.”
“No, we can’t. Because she’s my wife. Goddammit, somehow I have a wife.” He swallowed down the ball of fear and confusion and frustration in his throat. “I need to talk to her. She’s who I have to speak to right now. I’m sorry.”
Halfway out of the booth, he turned back. “You have to promise me something though.”
Still looking shell-shocked, Lila dropped her hands in her lap and nodded. “Okay.”
“You can’t contact her. You definitely can’t mention an annulment. No matter what. I need to do this on my own, and in my own way. Promise me, L,” he prompted when she shifted her gaze away.
After a moment, she glanced back at him and nodded. “All right. I promise.”
“Guys? I’m sorry to interrupt. Lila, could I speak to you, please? When you have a moment.”
He glanced up and smiled at Elle. She was gripping the padded leather end of the circular booth and biting her lip.
She’d probably returned to apologize. That was the Elle he knew. She was sweet and kind and rarely prone to outbursts. In fact, that one was the first he’d ever seen from her.
Must be something in the Vegas air. People were acting all kinds of crazy, including himself.
Especially himself.
“No problem. I was on my way out.” He stood and turned toward Lila. “Thank you. I’ll be in touch.”
She nodded, pressing her lips together.
“Don’t worry,” he told her, knowing she would just the same. In this case, he didn’t blame her. “Everything is going to be fine.”
“It better be.”
He squeezed Elle’s shoulder and headed for the exit.
In under fifteen minutes, he was back on his floor. Between dodging tourists and the not-so-sneaky paparazzi he glimpsed hanging around—though he wasn’t sure if they were stalking him or some other hapless celeb—he felt like he was moving through mud. He flipped out his keycard and opened the door, already braced.
The first thing he noticed was the absence of her particular scent.
So stupid to immediately associate cinnamon with her when he’d lived his whole life smelling it without it meaning much of anything. Now his room being devoid of it meant that she’d gone.
She’d just walked out and left him holding his balls.
Still, he went through the motions of checking the suite for a note. He looked everywhere he could think of, then gave in and sat down on his bed.
The sheets were still askew, the pillows tossed every which way. Guess he’d missed housekeeping with their late departure from the suite.
She’d just fucking left.
He pulled out his phone and just stared at it. What was he supposed to do now? Call Lila and ask for Chloe’s number again? Or better yet, he’d call Nick. If he got to Nick before Lila filled him in, he’d hand over the number without realizing anything was up.
Michael’s thumb slipped over the icons and he opened the photos app. Why, he didn’t know. He had no reason to look at pictures. But something made him bring it up, and
there she was, like a glimmer of light in the center of the murky darkness his life had become overnight.
She was smiling up at the camera, her hair glinting red in the darkened atmosphere of the club. There was no missing the blurriness of her expression. She was well and truly toasted, but cripes, the way she’d been looking at him. So seductively, so openly. As if every part of her was on display for him.
Only him.
He remembered that look. Seeing it on his screen brought so much of the night screaming back, just not the parts he needed most to remember.
Like saying “I do.”
He needed to take a shower and get dressed for the flight back. And he needed a plan for winning back his wife, even if he didn’t have the slightest clue what he was going to do with her.
Fourteen
Chloe scrolled back and forth between her singular texts from Ivy and Jinx.
Seriously?
Both of them.
So, I got kidnapped. In the best way ever. I’ll fill you in next week. For now—adventure awaits, bitches!
Was there something in the water in Vegas? It was the marriage capital of the damn world, but honestly, this was a little ridiculous. And neither of them would reply, that was what killed her the most. In fact, the messages she sent didn’t even seem like they were delivered.
Had they turned off their phones?
Should she be worried?
Had some insane stranger made them type that?
Could she be any more dramatic? Jinx pulled this kind of stunt all the time. How many times had she up and disappeared during a vacation with the three of them? She could actually count three of them off the top of her head right now.
Ivy, however—that didn’t make a bit of sense.
She was the stable sister. Always had two jobs, and could be called on any time day or night for help. Chloe was actually a little worried about Ivy’s message. If she didn’t hear from them again today, she’d…
What?
Police report?
Oh, I got this random text from my two best friends that they…hooked up in Vegas?
She’d be laughed out of the station. Then shown the door and asked what she had to drink. And at this particular juncture, she couldn’t even rely on her own judgment. So, she was sitting on the plane and praying that no one would notice her.
And she was doing a damn good job of being inconspicuous, thank you very much.
She was tucked into the last row of seats. The shades were down since everyone seemed to have had a little too much fun in Vegas on this trip.
She’d been one of the first people on the plane. She’d met the stewardess on the tarmac, for God’s sake. Anxious much?
Deacon and Harper came down the aisle, laughing. He scooped his wife up and sat down with her tangled around him in the seat a few rows ahead of her. They were enjoying a rare baby-free weekend. The few times she’d seen them at the family parties they’d been preoccupied with kid stuff and cooking—mostly since Harper was everyone’s favorite chef.
And honestly, she’d thought the couple had landed in that comfortable portion of married life. Chloe couldn’t remember a time that Harper and Deacon had been all over each other. The rest of the Oblivion people seemed to be much more of a handsy bunch.
Nick and Lila especially.
Chloe scrunched down in her seat and averted her eyes. Any second there was going to be some skin action.
A flash of her astride Michael intruded and she slammed her eyes shut. When the hell had that happened? She pressed her lips together and willed another memory to come forward.
No.
No, dammit.
It faded away into the darkness of the plane. Had it been in a dark corner? It didn’t feel like a hotel room. Too crowded?
“Didn’t you get enough of the manster at the hotel, Harp?” Nick’s voice boomed through the plane.
Chloe’s eyes snapped open and the memory disintegrated like so much smoke.
Harper kept on kissing her husband and raised her hand in a special one fingered salute.
“Move along, Nicholas.” Lila pushed him further down the aisle. “I need to get some work done. Let’s go in the back.”
“If we go in the back, the only work you’re getting done is on my lap, Li.”
“Dream on.”
“Want to bet?” Nick dropped into the aisle seat and dragged her against him, his face in her chest. He grinned up at Lila, seeing nothing but her. He curled one arm around and under her smart pink business jacket. Even in Vegas, Lila dressed like the corporate shark she was.
Instead of putting him in his place, she cupped his face. “Didn’t you get enough this morning?” she asked on a voice that barely traveled.
But of course since she was literally two rows behind them, Chloe heard the rare husky voice loud and clear.
The pang hit Chloe low. It wasn’t like she had any lingering feelings for Nick, but he’d definitely never looked or talked to her like that. Everyone in the Oblivion family seemed to have found the perfect soulmate.
She didn’t even believe in soulmates, but there was no way to deny it on this plane.
Especially when each of the couples still acted like it was Spring Break Hedonism version well into their marriages. Yeesh, all over each other didn’t cover it.
Simon and Margo, followed by a laughing Gray and Jazz boarded a moment later. Lila looked over at the group of them. Nick reached up and turned her face back to him. “What’s up?”
“Nothing.”
He hauled her down and moved over a seat. “You are a superiorly awful liar, babe.”
Lila elbowed him. “It’s nothing.” She seemed to be craning her neck.
“What?”
“Have you seen Chloe yet? Or her brood.”
“Brood?” Nick laced their fingers. “They’re not that bad.”
“That tall one is really loud.”
Chloe opened up her mouth to tell Lila off. Sure, Jinx was loud, but they’d been leaving to go to freaking Vegas. It wasn’t like they were just going to sit stoically on this luxury airline and not get excited.
Nick snorted. “So am I.”
Yeah, he was. Chloe crossed her arms. She didn’t really want to listen in on this conversation any longer. It was one thing to know Lila didn’t like her, but she really didn’t need a play-by-play about just how much.
Lila sighed. “They’re fine. I’d like to get into the air and get home.”
Nick brushed an absent kiss at her temple. “Janice said that everyone was aboard.”
Lila slumped back in her seat. “Good. I just want to get home and figure all this mess out.”
Mess?
Did Lila know?
Chloe bit the corner of her thumbnail.
“Why, what’s up? All the shows went off without a hitch. Including our noobs. According to our special unicorn of madcap media, the YouTubers have been doing whatever it is that YouTubers do.”
Lila brushed the back of her knuckles over Nick’s angular jawline. “It’s quite endearing how clueless you are about the internet, yet I can quiz you about a Les Paul from 1967 and you’ll know how many were made.”
“Not many. They had a lull that year. Now ’68—”
She held a finger over his mouth. “See?”
He took her hand away from his mouth and smoothed his thumb over her palm. “So what’s the big deal? You’re not going to make me dig it out of that hot and very confusing brain, are you?”
“Michael did something so stupid I can’t even…I actually have no words.”
“Should I buy a lottery ticket or something? That just doesn’t happen.”
Lila punched him in the arm. “I’m being serious.”
Nick sighed. “I know. That’s why I’m doing this husband shit. You know I don’t really care what that kid does.”
“You don’t care what anyone does.”
“Damn right. I am a house of four and sometimes when I’m feeling generous
, I count the people in my band. Right now, nope. Don’t give two flying fucks. I’m tired and I miss my girls.”
Chloe swallowed. It felt too intimate to listen to them, but at the same time she wanted to know what the deal was. What did Lila know about Michael? Was it band stuff because she was their manager? Or was it their crazytown wedding?
Lila rested her head on his shoulder. “Me too. I’m not used to being away from them for this long. And I’m not going to get to relax with them.”
“Why the hell not? It’s Sunday. You can play Superwoman on Monday.”
“Yes, well my idiot stepson got himself married last night, so I have to figure out what the hell to do about that.”
“Married? To who?” She didn’t answer. “Li. Who the fuck did he marry? Some tramp looking for a full ride? Is that what has your panties all in a bunch?”
“In a matter of speaking.”
“He’s a grown-ass man. Why do you have to do anything?”
“It’s my job.”
“Is it your job to shake off his dick when he pisses too? Jesus.”
“You’re such an asshole.”
“You knew that going in, sweetheart.” Lila tried to stand up and Nick blocked her path. “Stop getting all twisted about this and tell me the problem.”
“Not when you’re like this.”
“Obviously, you need to get it off your chest. Husband 101, woman. I know my role.”
She gave an exasperated laugh. “Did I mention you’re an ass?”
“Daily.”
Lila blew out a breath.
Chloe held hers. Lila really couldn’t think she’d done this on freaking purpose. There was no way she could think that badly of her. Could she?
“Look, I just found out about this.” Lila’s voice was getting more agitated.
“Well, stop being a pussy about it. Spit it out.”
“Honestly, Nicholas.”
“What? It’s not like he married someone in the band, right? Juliet gets her grind on with Michael sometimes, but I didn’t see anything more than that. Besides we don’t need another Reese in the damn mix, do we? Margo is the least crazy out of that family and she decided marrying Simon was a good idea. Obviously, they’re a little touched in the head.”
