Page 78 of The Sweetest Devotion

Like a good boy, Cain did as told and left my room.

I dressed quickly before placing my hair in an updo, and lining my eyes and applying mascara. It was passable for The Sheridan, so it would do. You never knew who you would run into, or how you’d look if one of the paps snapped a picture of you. It was just always best to be on your game.

Out in the hall I discovered Cain was with my parents and Irene in my father’s room. My mother was fussing with the pillows behind my father, and he was fussing with her.

“I’m okay, Ange, I’m okay,” my father tried to tell her.

My mother gave up and planted her hands on her hips. “I just want to make sure you’re comfortable.”

My father turned to where Cain was seated beside his bed. “You sure you wanna get married?”

My mother was quick to swat the back of my father’s head. “Dame!”

Cain almost smiled. “She just cares, Damon. Humor her.”

My father stopped his fight and pulled my mother to his side. Sometimes, lately, she was afraid to snuggle with him, and I could tell he missed the genuine affection.

Sensing the tenderness of the moment, I cleared my throat so Cain and I could leave and let them be alone.

“We’ll be going now,” I announced.

Cain stood and met me in the doorway.

My father squeezed my mother’s hip and offered us a nod of approval.

“Have fun,” my mother said.

Yeah, right.

We stepped out of the room and Cain was in my ear as he wrapped an arm around my waist. “You look beautiful, Wife.”

I gave him a tight-lipped smile. “Thank you, Cain.”

He held on to my waist all the way down the steps and out the front door. Beans was on the front walk, phone in hand while Vino was leaning against the waiting Maybach.

Cain let me go as we approached Beans. Cain eyed him and the phone clutched in his hand. “What’s the word? How is Frank doing on his vacation?”

Beans glanced at me. Sensing the attention Cain was unloading on him, he got back to his boss. “Great. He found the keys to that mansion you were looking at.”

Cain hummed, bobbing his head. “Good.”

He’d already bought us a house? “Amansion?”

Cain regarded me impassively. “Just a brick mansion off the coast in Colombia.” He looked at his close friend. “I may end up selling it now that I think about it. Wouldn’t want to be too far from my roots.”

“Sell?” I repeated, confused.

Beans considered this and agreed. “Colombian origin and hasn’t been stepped in? You could easily flip it for a couple mil, more than you paid for it.”

Cain grinned. “Perfect.”

Their business talk sent my head spinning. I let it go as Cain steered me over to the Maybach. He let me inside first as Vino opened the back door for us.

I made myself comfortable as Cain came and sat beside me. I told myself to get used to this. My life surrounded by these men, because it would be my future in the coming year post December. As we rode away from my parents’ estate, I tried not to let a panic attack seize me.

I faced Cain. “My mother’s going to be insufferable with this wedding, you know.”

He wasn’t fazed. “Let her. This is a big moment for mothers.”

---