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“Parker sent his lawyer for our nuptials,” Everleigh said, nodding.
“I… What?” Who the hell were these men?
“Let’s have some tea.”
“And cake. Everleigh is a baker and she makes the most divine cake. I’m blaming her when I get fat.”
They steered her toward the kitchen, gently pushed her into a chair, and busied themselves in the kitchen. Everleigh made the tea while Arabelle opened one of the boxes Owen had brought inside and transferred what looked like a decadent chocolate and caramel cake onto a platter.
“You okay, Leigh?”
“I’m fine,” Everleigh said, putting her hand on her hip. “I was shot. How many mafia wives can say that huh?” she joked.
“Oh my god,” Vivian said, rising from the chair. “Let me do this,” she insisted and gently pushed Everleigh into a chair.
“What happened?” she asked, incredulously, as she set the cups onto saucers and scooped sugar cubes into the sugar bowl.
“I was shot while at my bakery. I was lucky that my bodyguards got me out of the way of the full brunt of the bullet. Still did enough damage that laid me down flat for too long. It was also the time Parker and I found out we were pregnant.”
“You’re pregnant?”
“I am,” Everleigh said happily. “Although it was a dark time and I only got the doctors to clear me yesterday.”
“Congratulations,” Vivian said and it was uncanny how genuinely happy she was for someone she had just met moments ago.
“But Parker hasn’t cleared her yet. He drove her here and is waiting in the car for her. True love, right?”
“Wait until you’re pregnant and see if Silas acts any differently,” Everleigh teased. “Any day now,” she added.
Arabelle smiled at both of them.
Well, there weren’t going to be any babies in her future. At this point, did she even have a future? One that wasn’t dark and lonely and filled with sorrow and pain.
“The Knight brothers take what they want,” Everleigh said once they were seated at the table with steaming cups of tea and generous slices of cake in front of them.
“It’s true. But they take only what they really want. Ask us. We know.”
“Elliot doesn’t want me. He’s using me as a pawn in a war against the man I was supposed to marry. His whole focus is on taking that man down.
“How do you know he doesn’t want you? Because I can bet anything the Knight brothers won’t ever marry a woman they don’t want no matter what war is at stake. Again, trust us. We’ve kinda been there, got the mafia spanking to prove it, and seem to be going back for more.”
“They just won’t marry someone that hasn’t affected them in some way. They’re not wired that way. And if Elliot didn’t want to marry you he would have found another way to get his vengeance. You have to believe us. Just give it some time.”
“Belle here? Silas fell in love with her after seeing a picture of her which is why he married her. Of course, it took him a while to come to his senses, but he did and now we’re both living this fairytale life so filled with fierce love. And you’re going to have the same.”
Vivian shook her head.
“There’s no fairytale ending for me. Elliot didn’t know I existed until he stood in front of me. He’s focused on winning. Outsmarting the man I was supposed to marry. The man I still need to marry,” she said softly.
Her last statement brought quiet to the table as Everleigh and Arabelle exchanged looks.
“Elliot’s already said when he gets tired of playing this game, he’ll send me away so I know for certain I’m collateral damage.”
“That had been Silas' intention as well. They use these things to cover up their true feelings. They’re growly and grumpy and obsessively jealous and maddeningly overprotective but as soon as they realize the woman they want is right in front of them, that’s it. You aren’t going to go anywhere.”
“No. I can safely say that my situation is different. I can’t be here. I can’t be married to him. I was meant to marry Tobias Ariti. And I’m still going to do that. One way or another.”
She knew better than to ask their help to escape. They were loyal to their husbands and their husbands were loyal to their brother.
