Page 56 of Shameless in Vegas

“I’m okay,mi amado,” she says simply.

And that’s that.

For at least another hour, Natalia is still and quiet as she sleeps.

ButIdon’t sleep.

There’s no way I can sleep.

And now it has little to do with the threat of her killing me while I’m in a vulnerable state, and everything to do with the fact I have even less of a clue now whoexactlymy wife is.

FOURTEEN

NATALIA

I AM LIVING ON borrowed time.

The information I gave Xavier has him on a wild goose chase that will end with the realization that it leads nowhere, and then he will come after both me and Joaquin, and their entire family.

And that means I have to make my move soon.

The sheer volume of shit weighing down on me makes it extremely difficult to think about anything else, and fortunately the single item on my to-do list today requires very little thought.

“I can’t decide if we should go with the garnet to complement your hair and complexions, or if we should go with the pale blue to complement the beach,” Elle observes, tapping one of her long, elegant fingers on her chin. I’m seated with her and Fortuna as the three of us stare at Lili and Elle’s friend, Celia, who are wearing matching bridesmaid dresses in garnet and pale blue, respectively.

The high-end bridal boutique in Midtown Manhattan is bustling with brides on this particular Wednesday afternoon, which strikes me as odd.

I take a sip from the crystal champagne flute that was shoved into my hand upon our arrival and drift my gaze around the large space. Chic consultants dressed inblackturtlenecks, andblackcropped pants, andblackballet flats zip around, holding hangers above their heads while voluminous cascades of ivory, lace, and beadedthingsfloat behind them. Wedding gowns that cost as much as twice the monthly rent in some places. And speaking of money,andthe fact that it’s aWednesdayafternoon, don’t any of these women havejobs?

Judging by the vast quantity of diamond rings that are just as absurdly large as mine adorning the hands of these women, I’m sure they don’t. The collective shopping sprees taking place all around me are undoubtedly funded by someone’s rich daddy or rich fiancé.

“Are you crazy?” Celia pipes up, grabbing fistfuls of the delicate, flowy, blue fabric falling around her bodacious hips. “You don’t pick a color to complementusor thebeach. You pick a color youlike.” She drops the skirt and flips a hand at Elle. “What color do youlike?”

“I likeall colors,” Elle says with emphasis and a sigh. “I don’t think I care about details like this as much as I should.”

The champagne bubbles have tickled their way into my brain, and my lips quirk into an involuntary smile. I really do like Elle. She’s sensible. And that’s probably because she’s one of the only women in this place other than the consultants who actually works for a living.

“What color doyou guyslike?” she adds, tilting her champagne flute toward Celia and Lili.

“Um, I’m actually partial to the red. It’s a really luscious shade of red,” Lili says, eyes fixed on the bodice of her dress, andpoor Lili. Given how much she has lamented to me about her unrequited love for Colin, I know this has to be difficult for her. It’s not easy loving someone you can’t have.

Ask me how I know.

Which is theotherreason I have to make my move soon.

Just like Joaquin likely never expected to wake up married to a woman he’d never seen before, I never expected to catch feelings for a man I was ordered to murder.

And because I did, for the first time since being trapped in this web of sinister, violent people, I can’t go through with my assignment.

Iwon’t.

Someone in my life deserves to die, and it’s not Joaquin.

And thus, the move I have to make. The one I can’t stop stressing over, which is why this vapid afternoon task is a nice little mental vacation from everything.

“Okay, good!” Elle exclaims with more relief than excitement. “Do you think Isla will like the red? She does look great in red, too.”

Lili looks up from the dress and offers a pleasant enough nod. “Yeah, she loves red.”

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