Page 43 of Keeping Kaitlyn

“Sure.” As ready as I’m ever going to be, I jump at the chance of a distraction. It’s been nearly three hours and we’re heading toward sunset.

Rushing at the door, I’m hoping it’s a bellhop or a room service attendant with a message from Went, even though I’m fairly certain that he and Dakota have been communicating via text. Too nervous and impatient to be angry about being kept in the dark, I throw open the door to find the last person I expected to find, waiting for me on the other side.

Damien.

In a suit.

An impeccably tailored suit, the color of espresso, and a deep turquoise tie. There’s a creamy white gardenia pinned to his lapel.

“Damien…” Heart in my throat, I feel my eyes begin to sting. “What are you doing here?”

“Well…” Grave expression on his face, he shakes his head. “At first, I thought I was here to kick my brother’s ass and to figure out a way to get you to come home that didn’t involve committing a felony.”

Giving him a watery laugh, I step aside so he can come in. Shutting the door behind him, I turn on a shaky sigh. “And now?”

Jamming his hands into the pockets of his suit, Damien gives me a shrug. “And now it seems that I’m here to walk you down the aisle and be his best man—if that’s okay with you.”

Swallowing a sob, I cover my mouth when it tries to come back up as a laugh. If I were marrying Brock, it would’ve been myfather who walked me down the aisle, for appearances sake, but in my heart I would’ve wanted it to be Luke.

Having Damien beside me is the closest I’ll ever get.

Finally feeling steady enough to speak, I drop my hand and nod my head. “It’s okay with me.”

“I want it stated, for the record, that I think this is a supremely bad idea,” he says before the corner of his mouth kicks up in a crooked grin that makes him look like his brother. “But since you’re both bound and determine to do this thing, I’m not going to let you do it alone.”

“Thank you.” Giving him a wobbly smile, I look over to find Dakota standing in the bedroom doorway. She doesn’t look surprised to see him.

“Hey sis.” Damien gives her an appreciative nod. “You don’t look hideous.”

Dakota gives him a sweet smile and bats her eyelashes. “And you don’t smell like cow shit.”

Laughing, Damien reaches into the inside breast pocket of his suit and pulls out a flat, rectangular jewelry box. “Before I forget,” he says, offering me the box. “From Went.”

Taking the box with surprisingly steady hands, I open it to find the most exquisite pearl and diamond necklace I’ve ever seen, nestled in a bed of dark blue satin. “I can’t—” looking up at Damien, I shake my head. “I can’t accept this. It’s?—”

“Too much?” Approaching me on a laugh, Damien leads me to the floor-to-ceiling mirror in the entry way of the suite. “I figured you’d say that.” Reaching for the open box, he lifts the necklace—a single, pale pink pearl, topped with a marquise cut diamond, suspended from a delicate white gold chain. “If it makes you feel any better, I talked him out of the matching earrings.”

“I’d take the earrings,” Dakota pipes up from the bedroom doorway.

Rolling his eyes, Damien laughs. “And I knew you’d saythat.” Reaching into his pants pocket, he pulls out another, smaller, jewelry box and tosses it to her. Catching it with an excited squeal, Dakota disappears into the bathroom to put on her new earrings. As soon as she’s gone, Damien lifts his arms to fit the necklace around my neck. “Just tell me this is what you want, Kaity,” he says quietly. “If you’re doing this to get out of marrying Brock, we can find another way.”

Short of killing Brock, thereisno other way—and even if Brock dropped dead tomorrow, my father would just marry me off to one of his equally shitty friends.

Because this is about punishing me. Nothing more.

Watching his reflection behind me while he works the clasp, I wait until it’s secure and he looks up to find my gaze in the mirror. “This is what I want,” I reassure him quietly. “Went iswhoI want.”

Dropping his work roughened hands onto my bare shoulders, Damien gives me a nod. “Okay.” Giving my shoulders a squeeze, he lets his hands fall away before he takes a step back. “Then like I said—let’s get you married.”

TWENTY-FOUR

WENTWORTH

Shit,I’m nervous.

Not nervous because I think I’m making a mistake or because I’ve changed my mind about marrying Kait.

No—I’m nervous because, standing here in the middle of my family’s rooftop gardens, waiting at the end of a white runner that Jerard undoubtedly had in hisI plan secret weddings everydayarsenal, I’m suddenly sure that Damien played me. Offered to be my best man and to walk Kait down the aisle so he could get close enough to her without me around so he could talk her out of marrying me and going home with him instead.

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