Page 97 of Vicious Kingdom

I did not like this man.

Annaliese pressed into my side. Grinding my molars, I heeded her warning and didn’t start a feud. It was hard—but for her, I managed.

“We should have a toast!” the uncle insisted, looking around for a full flute of champagne.

The vibration in my chest told me a call was coming in. Since the majority of my office, including my secretary was here, I decided to take the call.

“Excuse me,” I said, disentangling myself from my bride and reaching for my phone.

“Ah, business calls. You’ve got a hard worker, Anna,” the uncle laughed.

“Leonard, I—”

“I’ll just be a minute.” I squeezed her hand and left her with her family.

The flash of panic in her eye gutted me. A good groom would have his phone on silent. While I might be the one wearing a new wedding band, I wasn’t that. My bride should know by now I wasn’t that. Hating myself for putting her in an awkward position, I strode away, unable to resist the temptation of escape.

“What is it?” I snapped.

“Good, you picked up,” the deep bass countered with an equally brusque tone. “You need to get your ass downtown.”

I frowned. “What happened, Mier?”

The special agent growled. “We’re enroute to raid your office. White Collar and Organized Crimes are in a joint task force with the IRS. I only managed to sneak away long enough to warn you.”

The call ended.

The special agent’s words rang in my ears.

I flicked a glance back where Annaliese stood uncomfortably next to her cousin. The wimp had his hand on her arm as the uncle gabbed and laughed about something.

Did she know? Was this whole day a setup?

Uncontrolled rage simmered hot. Grabbing a nearby waiter, I barked, “Tell the bride I’ve left for an emergency. I’ll see her at home.”

It was a low blow. An honorable man would at least have the courtesy to tell her in person. But I didn’t trust myself not to shake her, to demand to know if somehow her family was behindthis. She looked frightened standing there, and that was enough to have me marching away, convinced of her guilt.

Chapter 34 – Annaliese

Huddling on the couch, shaking and shivering despite the pile of blankets, was not how any bride wanted to spend her wedding night. In the chaotic whirlwind of the morning, the blissful ceremony was a surprise. The reception started serenely enough.

And then Leo left.

A shudder wracked my frame. Whoever called him must have had devastating news. Penelope had been radio silent, and I couldn’t figure out what the hell happened. But whatever it was, it created a black storm cloud on his face.

The guests were understanding enough. They reduced their inner comments to whispers, which of course, I heard. Since Leo portrayed himself as such a reclusive businessman, it didn’t surprise people that he was called away. Their wagging tongues were directed at me. I heard their criticism of the wedding. The simplicity was called quaint. My mother wasn’t the only snob.

Well, if they expected to be wined and dined in high fashion, that was their fault.

It was my wedding, dammit. The only one I planned to have.

I glanced at my phone for the thousandth time.

Me: Please, Pen, just tell me that everyone is alive.

I sent that text an hour ago.

My fingers trembled so badly that the device fell onto the sofa cushion. I scrubbed my fingers into my hair.