Page 20 of Playful Summer

After the ceremony, we head back to the house for the reception. Everything here was made by someone in our family. Rosaura made their wedding cake and it’s gorgeous, with cherry blossoms cascading down the side like a river. There’s also a lot of finger foods like mini corndogs, mini pizzas and sliders. Emiko wanted mini foods because of the kids.

“You know it’s your turn next,” Rhett says as he comes and stands next to me.

“I hope so. I don’t want to push Piper. But I know that she’s the one.”

“You’ll get there, I thought that Emiko would need more time. But she surprised me, and look where we are now. Even after all she’s been through.”

“Piper was hurt before and I think she’s a little hesitant because of that.”

“She’ll work through it and you’ll be there when she’s ready.”

“I will.” I nod. “So how’s it feel to be a husband?”

“I love it. My wife—I’ve said it in my head a lot, but now I get to say it out loud. Are you sure you’re okay watching the twins for us? We can postpone our trip if you can’t.”

“Of course we’re sure. You and Emiko need some time to yourselves. It’s only a week.”

“Thank you so much.”

“Plus, everyone’s staying until you get back. So the kids will have a blast while you’re gone.”

“I wish Mom and Dad were here today.”

I hug my brother. “Me too.”

We spend the rest of the night celebrating Rhett and Emiko.

Unknown: I gave you some time with Piper. Now it’s my turn. Do you think you can stop me?

Fuck. I head over to Sebastiano and show him the text.

“We have guys watching everyone coming in and out of the party tonight. And we have them in shifts so that no one can come onto the property. But as far as we can tell, Marc is still in southern Montana of us. He hasn’t come back up here yet.”

“I don’t know who this could be. Some crazed book fan?”

“I wish I knew. We will know something soon, I called Salvatore to ask if he could run the number, maybe see where it was bought and who bought it.”

Salvatore Mancini is the Sheriff of Lake Renegade. He is also part of the Chicago Mafia. Between him, Sebastiano and Francesco, I’m hoping they can help us figure out who this is. I’m starting to wonder if it’s Marc, especially since they’re tracking him in southern Montana. He’s at least three hours away from us and it looks like he’s leaving Montana now. So if it isn’t Marc, then who is it?

“Is there anyone else we should be looking at?” Sebastiano asks.

“No one that I know of, Marc is the only one we’ve had issues with.”

“I’ve been meaning to ask, since we’re all here, did you want Piper to know about us?” Ares Athanasiou asks.

The Athanasiou and Nikolaidis families are shifters. Not the kind you read about in fantasy books. Real-life shifters. The Athanasious are polar bears and the Nikolaidises are white tigers. When we found out about them earlier this year, it felt like I was dreaming. Real-life shifters.

“I would like her to know. I meant to ask your dad and Panagiotis about it.”

“Let me talk to them about how we’ll tell her and I’ll let you know. Also, does she know about these weird texts you’re getting?”

“No, she doesn’t know. I didn’t want to worry or scare her. But now that I got this second one, I think I need to tell her.”

“I agree, she needs to know in case whoever this is comes after her,” Lorenzo says.

“I’ll talk to her tonight. I don’t want to take away from her enjoying today with Emiko.”

We spend the rest of the night celebrating my brother and new sister. Tomorrow they leave for their honeymoon in Ireland. Then I’ll talk to Piper and hopefully we can figure out who it is that’s threatening us.

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