AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“A glass of red wine would be lovely,” Ray said, the slightest bit of a tremble to her words as she started to calm down.
“There’s a great Cabernet on the bar,” I suggested. “Can you get her one of those?”
Mom nodded and scooted off toward the place she felt most at home. I looked back down to Ray, watching as she breathed in through her nose and out her mouth. She was nervous, and I couldn’t blame her.
“Hey,” I said, placing my hands on her cheeks and forcing her to look up at me. “Dom’s parents aren’t here yet. It’s just my family. You’ll be okay. Chloe knows what’s going on, the arrangement we’ve agreed to, so it’s just my mom and dad, Zane and Dominic. You’ve got this.”
“What if I fuck up?” she asked, her voice low enough to not be heard over the subtle, calming music. “I can’t exactly reverse things I do or say.”
“It’ll be fine. Just follow my lead.” I leaned down and pressed the quickest, smallest kiss against her lips, short enough that I wouldn’t get overly excited. I just had to avoid looking below her neck for the rest of the night and we’d be golden.
Leading away from the entrance and toward my sister, I could feel every muscle in her body stiffen. I should have known this would be too much, too fast. I needed to make more of an effort going forward to introduce her to as many people one-on-one as I could. I shouldn’t have put her in such a position to begin with and I should have known it wasn’t a good idea?—
“Ray! Oh my God, I’m so happy you’re here!”
Chloe snatched Ray from me, wrapping her arms around her as she giggled. Ray laughed, relaxing into her, and I wondered just how much time she and my sister had been spending together in order for her to be more comfortable in Chloe’s arms than mine.
“You look lovely,” Ray chimed, all smiles and giddiness as she pulled away.
She wasn’t wrong. Chloe did indeed look beautiful standing there in a floor-length white gown, little crystals embellishing every inch of it. I wondered how many times over the next few days she’d be in a different style wedding dress.
“You really do,” I added, grinning down at my little sister. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted Dad, Dominic and Zane, approaching us from behind her.
“Thank you,” Chloe giggled again, doing a little spin in place before grabbing her drink back from Dom. “This is Ray, Wade’s… girlfriend. Ray, this is my fiancé, Dominic.”
“So nice to finally meet you.” Ray offered her hand to Dom, but he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her in for a quick hug instead.
“You too,” he chuckled. “Didn’t think Wade would ever calm down, if I’m being honest.”
Zane’s eyes flicked between me and Ray. I could see the calculations going on behind them, could see how he was silently dissecting us down to our bare bones. He’d always been tall, just a hair above me, but with the way he looked at both of us, I felt as if I’d suddenly shrunk four feet.
“Not going to introduce me to your new plaything?” he purred, leaning closer as he sipped at his glass of amber liquid. “It’s nice to see you, little brother.”
“I was getting to you,” I said.
Just then Mom approached with a couple of glasses of wine and one crystal glass of scotch. She passed Ray hers and handed the whiskey to me, side-eyeing my father as she wiggled into the circle we’d formed. Dad didn’t do a great job of trying to hide his grimace.
“Ray,” I said softly. “This is Zane, my sister’s stepbrother.”
Ray looked between the two of us, confusion furrowing her brow as she reached out her hand. “Nice to meet you, Zane. But… you’re Chloe’s stepbrother? I’m confused.”
Zane took her hand in his ring-covered one and lifted it to his lips, placing a kiss against her knuckles. “I’m Wade’s stepbrother, as well. He just doesn’t like to acknowledge it.”
“Oh, right,” Ray laughed awkwardly as she discreetly wiped her hand on her dress. “I think he mentioned you.”
“I did. Once,” I said, the words flowing through gritted teeth. Mom glared at me.
“So, entertain me,” Zane continued, his eyelids dropping as he looked Ray up and down as if she were a fucking feast. “Tell me how you met.”
————
“You can sleep on the couch.”
I tugged at the tie around my neck until it came loose as I stared at her. “Absolutely not. We’re both adults, Ray. We can sleep in the same bed. It’s big enough to keep a comfortable space between us.”
Red bloomed across her face. She kicked off her heels, aiming one directly at me, but I dodged just in time to avoid getting stabbed in the gut by a stiletto. “I’m not sleeping in the same bed as you.”
“I’m not going to let you sleep on the couch.” I hung my jacket in the closet and unbuttoned the sleeves of my shirt before starting on the buttons at my neck. “Besides, my suitcase is there. It’s very heavy.”
