by Cari Quinn
Even so, Teagan had been through a lot with her bastard ex. It didn’t sound as if much had improved since then. Elle was still amazed Teagan had hopped on a plane to California for this party. She hadn’t been home in a while, but she claimed she’d made it a two-fer visit to check in with her family. Elle was just glad she’d been able to come out for a few days. The reception at Happy Acres would be much easier for her to attend, since she was a New York girl now.
Elle bit her lip as Jules and Margo walked back in with their rockstar significant others. Well, only Simon was an actual rocker, but Tristan looked the part too when he ditched his chef gear for tailored pants and an open-necked shirt and spiked up his blue-streaked hair.
She hoped like hell Jules understood when she explained about the wedding. The part about not wanting to deal with challenging parents she should definitely get, because from what Elle had seen, Jules’s and Margo’s familial units were no picnic.
Which reminded Elle that she still had to meet Mal’s father. If and when he arrived.
Lord help her.
She pressed a hand to her swimming belly and considered the plant where her seltzer now resided. She might make use of it from sheer nerves soon. Most of them were backed by excitement, but still.
And because she was such a self-involved friend, she’d brought up Teagan’s challenging past with her ex and just let the conversation drop while she thought about her nerves and her wedding and well, herself. It was a change, because she’d always been someone who focused on everyone’s else happiness. But that didn’t give her any right to lose track of Teagan’s concerns.
“What about him?” Teagan asked before Elle could think of a way to ease back into the conversation. “He’s yummy.”
“Who?”
“Tall, dark and broody over there.” Teagan indicated the dark-haired guy talking to West and Ryan.
Even with only a partial view of his profile, Elle recognized him. “Oh, that’s Nash. He produced our last EP. Maybe our next too, depending how it goes on the tour.”
“A music dude? Ohh. Always turns my crank. Is he available?”
“No. If I’ve ever seen a guy who’s wedded to his career, it’s him. Not sure any mere woman could break that spell.”
“Not even magic pussy?”
Elle snorted. It was a running joke between them, that even magic pussy only went so far and no dude was going to change overnight. And a smart woman shouldn’t expect them to. “Not even super magical wonder pussy.”
Simon picked that moment to step up to throw his arm around her shoulders and give her a loud, smacking kiss. “Hiya, felon. Gee, hard to guess where you got the talent at larceny from.”
Elle had to laugh. She’d known Simon since she was a kid. Not long after he had met her brother, he’d infiltrated her house and particularly her kitchen, usually eating them out of house and home—when there was much food to speak of. “Nicky may have helped me out with a few vital skills over the years.” She slugged him lightly in the gut. Jeez, rock-hard abs. “Thanks for not pressing charges.”
“Um, you’re the closest thing I’ve got to a sister. I hope.” He cast a look over his shoulder at his wife, who shook her head.
Elle winced. The whole situation with Simon and the brother he’d had pop out of the woodwork—who was now taking the rock world by storm—was beyond awkward. She didn’t envy him trying to navigate that thorny mess. Though as someone lacking in family now other than Nicky and her nieces, plus her soon-to-be husband and his family, she couldn’t see disavowing the guy either. But it seemed as if they were making inroads there. Maybe.
Tough road all around.
Simon tacked on a grin to erase the uneasy silence. “Not to mention you’d look shitty in orange, Ric.”
“Thanks. Such a charmer.”
“Trust it to you to know. You got to see me practice early on. Though you were always immune to my charms. And now look at you, all grown up and getting married.” Simon moved back and cocked his head. “You sure about Shawcross?”
Elle grinned. “Absolutely. He’s an ass, but he’s my ass.”
“How could she be immune to anything of yours?” Teagan sounded strangled.
Elle coughed into her fist, smothering a laugh. “Oops, sorry, forgetting my manners. Let me introduce you guys. Simon and Margo, this is my high school friend, Teagan Daly. You guys never crossed paths in school, did you?”
Teagan stared wide-eyed up at Simon after offering Margo a smile. “Um, no. I was a band geek. Were you in band?” Out of the side of her mouth, she whispered to Elle, “He was not in band.”
Simon roared out a laugh. “Band? God, no. That was for the nerds who—” His wife poked him hard and he tugged her into his side, giving her a quick kiss. “For only the sexiest, smartest, most talented women. As you must be, Teagan. Nice to meet you. Ric, catch you later. Gotta feed my wife.”
He and Margo wandered off while Teagan was still trying to remember how to breathe. Her cheeks had actually turned the same flame-red as her hair.
“How are you so chill around all these famous people?” Teagan fanned herself. “Okay, I know you’re famous yourself now, but you’re still just Ricki to me. And thank God for that. You haven’t changed. Except you party less, and who wouldn’t? If Mal was my guy, my idea of a wild night would be fucking him until I was unconscious.”
“As it is mine. Why do you think I’m marrying the dude?”
Teagan chuckled. “Here I thought it was for his mondo money, and instead, it’s his monster cock.”
“Richelle?” The sound of a throat being cleared had Ricki’s spine going straight.
Dear God. So much for her blissful night.
Maybe he hadn’t heard. She and Teagan had been whispering, right?
Ish.
She plastered a smile on her face and shifted to extend a hand toward the man who most certainly was Mal’s father. Beside him was his latest teen bride, or so she assumed. “Hello, Sir. You’re Mr. Shawcross?”
“That I am. This is Annabelle. Annabelle, this is the lovely woman my eldest son has chosen to marry.”
“Pleasure to meet you both.” Elle shook hands with each of them in turn. “This is my old friend, Teagan Da—”
“Oh, I’d say I’ve heard quite enough from her. Tell me, are the rest of your friends on the make as well or is it just this one?”
Elle shut her eyes and tried to calm down.
This is Mal’s father.
It’s your wedding night.
This is the fucker who took advantage of my fucking sister-in-law.
Yeah, so that wasn’t working so well.
One more try. Just one more time, for future family relations for Mal. Which, by the way, where the hell was he? He always managed to disappear at the most ideal time.
“Surely you know how it is when girlfriends get together. Right, Annabelle?” She tried to appeal to Mal’s companion, who just looked down her snooty nose at her.
“I certainly don’t discuss with my girlfriends about landing a big fish. That is, frankly, abhorrent.”
“Wait until you get knocked up,” Elle muttered.
Martin’s eyes narrowed. “Are you pregnant?”
“Dear Lord, no. Not me. Are you serious right now?”
“I’m quite serious. I also know that’s the usual progression for landing a wealthy man.”
Teagan tapped her shoulder. “I think it’s better if I go.”
Elle couldn’t argue. But she did mouth, “find Mal” before facing Mal’s father and his chippie again. “Not sure if you two realize this, but I’m in his band as well. I make pretty damn good money. And if I didn’t, my brother—you know, the guy married to your ex-wife—is practically making it in the basement. I definitely don’t need to get planted with a kid to ensure my financial future.”
“Perhaps not.” Martin rubbed his chin. “But I will encourage Malachi to consider a prenuptial agreement to protect his interests.”
“You do that. And while you’re at it, maybe you could try actually being in his life once in a while? Instead of just flitting in when it suits you and then out again.”
“I can only imagine who’s poisoned your mind with that nonsense, and it isn’t my son.”
Elle’s fingers tingled with the need to ball them into fists. “If you’re referring to my sister-in-law? Wrong. She doesn’t bother to speak about you, ever. She’s just happy to be rid of your womanizing ass. Now if you’ll kindly excuse me, I’m going to go see if I can get knocked up before I sign that prenuptial agreement. Enjoy the hors d’oeuvres.”
“Hang on.” Mal’s voice echoed from behind her an instant before his hands landed on her shoulders. “I didn’t hear all of that, and it’s probably a goddamn good thing because if I did? You’d be crawling out of here.”
His father’s eyes went blank. And cold. “You’d immediately take her side. Even though I heard her discussing with her friend about bagging you for your money and your—” He stopped, but Elle had no such reservations.
“His dick. Which I say to him all the time. And no, I didn’t say I was marrying him for his money. Teagan was kidding. I don’t give a rat’s behind about his money. I have my own. And if I didn’t? I’d get a damn better job. I don’t look at rich dudes as my pension plan.” She glanced at Annabelle and away. “To each her own.”
Martin’s smile was thin. “No, you have other things to occupy your time. Other reasons you’d need money beyond the usual.”
“Get out.” Mal’s voice whipped out, snake-fast. “Before I help you out the door myself.”
“Always the same with you boys. Choosing whatever woman sashays past over your own family. You too, Michael? Come to twist the knife in your old man’s heart as well?”
Michael and Chloe appeared at their side. “I came over to see if my brother,” Michael enunciated the word, “needed help. Seeing as you tried the same shit on me when I was with Chloe. Didn’t work on me, won’t work on him. So save your breath.”
“You know what the fucking best part of this is? She’s the one who wanted to invite you for the sake of family. Not me. I know who my family is.” Mal’s hold tightened on Elle’s shoulders, and she reached up to cover his hands. “And this is exactly why it’s better if we do this shit all on our own.”
The last part he delivered against her ear, and she nodded, agreeing more than she ever had.
She wanted to be married to Mal. This? Yeah, this part she would happily skip.
Martin glanced between his sons. “I wish you both all the happiness you deserve.” He turned on his heel and Annabelle pressed close as she walked with him out of the banquet room, darting a quick derisive glance over her shoulder.
“You probably just gave her a tip about getting knocked up before the prenuptial. She’ll be on that tonight.”
Elle laughed weakly at Mal and reached out to squeeze Michael and Chloe’s hands. “Thank you for the support. I’m sorry about all that.”
“Not your fault. At least it made sense when he thought I was a money-grubbing ho.” Chloe shook her head. “You’re rich.”
“Not Shawcross-level rich. Then again, who is?” Elle glanced around them. She hadn’t missed how conversations around the room had died off as some of their guests had caught on to the drama being played out by the hors d’oeuvres.
So much for a perfect night. This had definitely put a damper on that.
Once Chloe and Michael walked away, she turned to Mal. He’d fisted his hands when he finally removed them from her shoulders and his jaw was tight.
And she hated having to say this, but she would. She loved him enough to. Hell, she probably should’ve mentioned it sooner, but she hadn’t because money wasn’t at the forefront of her mind.
But maybe it should be at the forefront of his.
“I’d sign one,” she said quietly.
“Are you fucking kidding me with this? Do you think I’d ask you to do that?”
“No, and that’s part of why I’m offering.” She reached out to take his clenched hand and opened up his fingers one by one, kissing the tips of each in turn. She didn’t care who was watching now. “I love you. And I want you to be protected. So if you want to take the time to contact—”
Wordlessly, he picked her up off her feet, much as he’d done the first time they’d met. At least the first time she’d remembered clearly. Except this time she braced her hands on his massive shoulders and leaned down to cover his mouth with hers, barely aware of the cheers that broke out around them. Her cheeks flamed as he finally lowered to the ground, letting her slide all the way down his body so she could make no mistake at how their kiss had affected him. His eyes were nearly black with arousal, his pupils overwhelming the blue, and his lips were abused from hers.
She slung her arms around his neck and he hugged her back, so tightly she gasped. Still locked in his embrace, she turned her head and glimpsed a small crowd of new arrivals to the night’s festivities—her brother and Li and Li’s parents all the way from New York. She let out a squeal and broke away from Mal to meet them in the doorway.
Nick barely accepted her hug before he held her at arm’s length and eyed her up and down. “If he knocked you up before the ceremony, he’s going to answer to me.”
Elle sighed. “This was why Li only told you tonight. And can you keep your voice down please? Far too much speculation about the current occupancy of my uterus is skeeving me out.”
“You’re not the only one.”
Without turning to look at Mal as he came up behind her, she flipped him the bird before leaning over to give Li a quick, hard hug. “Your ex is a bastard,” she said too low for anyone else to hear. “I’m sorry.”
Lila tugged her back to look at her. “You’re right, but why do you know that? What did he do?”
“Do the words prenuptial agreement mean anything to you?”
“Oh yes, Martin’s favorite phrase.” Lila hugged her close and as a united front, they shifted to look at their men. “You better not go there,” she warned Mal.
“Jesus, does anyone give me any credit? Not that I heard what she said, but I know what you’re referring to.”
Nicky frowned. “This isn’t about being knocked up?”
Elle ignored him and moved to hug Li’s parents in turn. “Thank you so much for coming. I can’t tell you how happy we are to see you.”
“Oh, my dear girl, as if we’d ever miss this.” Mrs. Ronson gave her a long hug. “If that asshole Martin tried to ruin your night, just point me at him. I still owe him a fist or two for what he did to my Leelee and now this?”
“What did he do?” Nicky whirled around, his gaze bouncing in every direction. “Let me at the fucker.”
Elle had to laugh. “Mal did just fine with dispatching him.”
“Me? She had it all sewn up before I arrived. She was about to kick his ass for what he did to Lila.” That Mal was even acknowledging Martin had been the instigator in that relationship was huge.
So much good was happening. So many positive changes. One sorry, bitter man was not going to poison her heart on the happiest night of her life.
Just was not.
“Please, let’s remember what this night is about.” Elle slipped into Lila’s father’s reassuring embrace, her gaze latching onto Mal’s. “We won’t get another one of these, so save the bloodshed for another time.”
Nick bunched his fist and slammed into his opposite palm. “Yeah, like family Christmas dinner. Happy fucking holidays.”
Twenty
Thankfully, the rest of the party did not include any family beatdowns, either verbal or physical.
Penis balloons were inflated and popped in the pretense of playing some kind of game which Elle never quite understood. Everyone laughed and had a great time anyway. Jules, Lo, Denver, and Molly had all participated in the balloon game, shrieking and laughing. Margo and Lila had begged off, but Margo had been dragged into it by her sister. Mo
lly’s sister, Jazz, from Oblivion was there too, and she, Nicky, and Simon had regaled the crowd with half a song about running away from the altar. Jazz had refused to play the drums for the rest and Nicky had grinned and pulled Li into his lap in consolation.
Mal soon vanished again, but she and Teagan were having a grand time camped out on a fancy loveseat with a perfect vantage point of the dance floor. People came by and wished her well and wondered where her fiancé was, and she and Teagan had a fine time making up excuses.
One time it was bad shrimp. The next, it was he’d just gotten a fishing license and the koi out back were biting. Fairly ridiculous since no one fished for koi, but no one called her on her silliness.
Teagan offered just as crazy scenarios. He was in the main office catching up on Forensic Files on Netflix. Or he’d needed an emergency hair appointment to make sure his head was perfectly shaved.
In no time, they were giggling like fools.
Happily, the guests did not seem offended at being blatantly lied to. Elle was pretty sure most thought she and Teagan were loaded. In her case, she’d had enough seltzer to drown a bride. Teagan was working on her third champagne spritzer, but hey, that was what Uber was for, right?
As the night wore on, Lindsey York and Jamison DuCaine from Brooklyn Dawn wandered over to join them on their loveseat, each one perching on an arm of the couch. Longtime besties, Lindsey was Brooklyn Dawn’s amazing lead singer while Jamison—aka James or Jamie, depending on who was speaking and their level of annoyance at her—was their lead guitarist. Elle had been so stoked they’d taken time away from their busy touring schedule to attend their crazy party.
And better yet? They seemed like awesome women to boot.
“Jules and Molly went to your last show. I would’ve loved to have gone, but—”
