Page 106 of Hart of Vengeance
“Thank you for that,” I said to Maggie.
I’d finally met her after Tito was arrested. She’d been covering the big showdown for the local news station. We hadn’t had a chance to get to know one another yet, however before we’d gotten in the car, she’d invited me to her wedding.
I’d accepted. The last time I’d been to a wedding, I was ten. Mom had dragged Savannah and me with her to a friend’s wedding. It had been a happy occasion, and it would be nice to see happiness again.
After I buried Savannah, I planned on doing things that made me happy. I’d taken the first step and said yes to Denim when he asked me to move into Duke’s penthouse with him. I hadn’t batted an eye. I’d thrown myself at him with a kiss that said “hell yeah,” and not because of the lavish apartment on the top floor of an expensive building, which was icing on the cake, but because I had Denim back and things were looking up.
As for Duke, he was getting The Monarch ready to reopen. However, in the three weeks since the club incident, I hadn’t seen Duke. I was hoping to see him at the service. I wanted to thank him for paying for the burial service, and I still needed to get some things off my chest with him.
Denim reached over and pried my hand from my mouth. “You’ve been surviving on your nails,” he teased.
I batted my eyelashes his way. His face was completely healed, showing no signs of the beating he’d taken from Tito and his men. He had a couple of scars, but they made him look more badass amid his close-shaven beard than ever before.
I was feeling a ton better from my gunshot wound. I, too, had a scar forming above my right breast. Denim had said it was a sexy battle scar. To me, it was a stark reminder that I wanted nothing to do with criminals.
Denim had promised me he wouldn’t regress or fall into his old ways.
“Not even if Duke needs your help?” I’d asked.
“No. Duke is on his own,” he’d said. “I’m not going back to prison.”
I believed him. He’d enrolled in online courses to finish his degree in business, and he’d been out job hunting. He hadn’t had any luck yet, but I was confident he would find something soon.
I was back at work and loving my job with Kelton Maxwell. In between working long hours, I was learning the paralegal role with Mallory’s help.
Denim kissed the back of my hand. As he did, his blond locks toppled forward, grazing my skin. “Angel, you okay?”
Tingles sprouted. “I’m good.”
Denim grinned, his blue eyes clear, happy, and loving. He seemed like a new man now that his murder conviction was about to be erased. If it were even possible, he looked sexier than he ever had. Maybe it was the suit. I thought suits looked yummy on men, especially if it was tailored, and Denim was wearing one of Duke’s expensive suits—black pants and jacket, dark-blue shirt, and a gray tie to complement the ensemble.
“Thank you,” I said.
“For what?”
Dillon flicked on the blinker. “We’re here.”
“I’ll tell you later.” I didn’t want to go into detail in front of Dillon and Maggie.
Once we were parked, Dillon climbed out, darted around the car to the passenger side, and held up an umbrella for Maggie.
“Are you ready?” Denim asked.
“Not really.”
He grabbed the handle of his umbrella, hopped out, and held open the door for me.
I slid along the buttery leather seat and took his hand. Once we were cozied up under the umbrella, we rushed into the church.
Mallory was waiting just inside, wearing a simple black dress that fell to her knees. Her hair was tied back in a low ponytail, her mouth was pinched, and crinkles lined her forehead.
Before Denim lowered the umbrella, Mallory was throwing her arms around me. “I’m sorry it’s raining outside. I’ve been so worried about you.” She knew all too well rain had a tendency to trigger bad memories.
I hugged her tightly. “I’m okay.” I truly was. Denim was part of the reason. Honestly, if I didn’t have him to hold me at night, I probably would’ve stayed in bed that day.
She inspected every inch of me. “Are you sure?”
I smiled with lingering tears. “It’s time for new beginnings.”
