Page 258 of Kissing the Villain

His eyebrows lifted. “Are you pregnant?”

I held out my left hand.

Aiden studied the diamond ring gleaming on my finger. “You’re getting married?”

“Mid-September. Pops already planned the wedding.”

“Is this what you want?” Aiden lowered his voice. “He didn’t force you?”

I shook my head. “No, I love him.”

He dug his teeth into his bottom lip. “Okay. As long as you’re happy, then I’m happy.”

I squeezed his hand. “I am now that you’re here.”

He looked like the same Aiden, yet he was so different. His blond curls were the longest they’d been since we were kids. A generous amount of hair covered his jaw, and his sideburns were grown out.

“You need a haircut.” I tugged on his curls and smiled. “And a shave. You look like a homeless person.”

“I’ll get my shit together by the wedding,” he promised.

“Speaking of the wedding. I want you to be my man of honor.”

He laughed. “Is that like the male version of a maid-of-honor?”

I nodded. “So what do you say? Will you be mine?”

Aiden hugged me so tight that the air drained from my lungs. “Yes, of course.” He kissed the top of my head. “Don’t make me plan your bachelorette party. I’m not going to a male strip club.”

I chuckled. “Like I would ever want that.”

“Do I still get to walk you down the aisle?”

“Yes,” I said with a smile. “I couldn’t imagine anyone else at my side.”

“How about a drink?” Luca asked us. “We have a few things to discuss before Kali arrives.”

I slipped out of Aiden’s arms and into Luca’s, walking into the house with my two favorite men.

We sat on the back patio overlooking the bay with Luca on my right and my brother on my left. I squeezed their hands, afraid of losing them. Someone from the criminal underworld would always have a bone to pick with the Salvatores.

“Drake and the Knights are working on rounding up Kurti’s men,” Luca told Aiden. “After we wipe them from existence, we’re proceeding with the ceremony to make Alex our queen.”

Aiden gulped beside me. “I don’t want to be there for the ceremony.”

“Because of the circumstances,” Luca said in a firm tone. “I have no choice but to make this one exception.”

If Luca were marrying another woman, Aiden would have participated in the ceremony. It was his birthright as the heir to the Wellington fortune.

“Miss Marx is here,” a man announced from behind us just as Kali strolled through the French doors.

She wore a pale blue sundress that complemented her blonde hair and tanned skin. I shot up from my chair and threw my arms around her. I winced when she squeezed me too hard and stepped out of her embrace.

“Sorry, girl.” Kali studied my face, then my bruised skin. “Oh, my God. Bastian and Damian told me they hurt you, but I didn’t know it was this bad.”

“I’m okay. Just sensitive. My ribs are pretty banged up. I should be better in a few weeks.”

Her eyes widened as I lifted my shirt sleeve to show her the damage.

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