Page 98 of Mine Again
“I suspected his family had wealth. You can tell from the clothes, the car, the estate. But I wasn’t ready for the sleek jet waiting for us at a private airstrip. Ever heard of Hale Enterprises? That was written all across it in silver letters.”
Dario shakes his head, still working my curls into what can only be described as a work of art. “No, but tell me why this is a problem. Most girls would kill for that.”
I wave him off, or I think I do. “Sebastian said it was his cousin’s jet. Said they’re close. But he never even mentioned a cousin before.”
Dario clucks his tongue. “And?”
“Don’t get me wrong, flying in luxury was great. But it didn’t stop there. We’re staying in a huge two-bedroom suite at the Waldorf. And there’s no casino. This is Vegas. Why is there no casino?”
Dario whistles and gives me a look in the mirror like I’ve grown a second head.
“Lucky bitch. The Waldorf doesn’t need a casino. That’s where rich people go to be invisible in plain sight. Privacy, babe. Exclusivity. It’s not like every other hotel on the Strip.”
He goes back to adjusting my curls. “Did Sebastian insist on separate rooms?”
I nod, my head so damn heavy.
“He said it was important to him that we wait. That our wedding night should be the start of something, not a continuation.” I should be touched. Maybe I am. Mostly I’m just… unsettled.
“Oh babe, he sounds like a dream. So sweet. And honestly, no way a man like that is a dud in bed.”
I blink at him. “I hadn’t even considered that. Is that why he hasn’t pushed for more?”
“I refuse to believe that’s even a possibility. He’s being respectful. Trust me. Your wedding night is going to be spectacular.”
My wedding night.
I tap my glass against the vanity. This time, Dario just sighs and tops it up. The champagne fizzes like it’s judging me.
I down it in one go.
It burns now. That’s probably not a good sign.
My tongue seems numb. Or is it my head? Hard to tell.
“This isn’t how I imagined it,” I whisper, blinking at the mirror as if it might morph into a portal and pull me out of this room.
“What? Running off to Vegas? Babe, it’s fabulous. Daring. Romantic. Especially withthatman and that wallet.”
I snort, which turns into a hiccup, then laughter, then another hiccup until tears blur my vision.
“I feel like I’m betraying someone.”
And there it is. The crux of the matter.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Isabella
The words hang between us, too heavy to take back.
My fingers drift to my throat, to the spot where Luca’s butterfly pendant used to rest. I wish I’d never taken it off. Would it comfort me now or condemn me?
Dario’s hands are still in my hair. “You’re betraying Sebastian?”
“No. Luca.”
He blinks, straightening slowly. “Luca?”
