Page 32 of Deceit
Whatever the reason, I’d outstayed my welcome, and whether I liked it ornot, come tomorrow, I would be moving into my new house. With my new wife.
Yay me.
As guests began to say their goodbyes, and Kai and Riley dragged a sulkingAngel home, I decided it was time to bite the bullet. The sooner we went to bed, the sooner morning would come, and I could get the fuck out of Forest Point and back to familiar territory.
There was just one problem.
My wife had disappeared.
Consumed by my dread of sharing her bed, I’d lost sight of her. A bolt ofconcern shot through me, my brain instantly going into panic modethatsomething had happened to her. But giventhatGeorgio was chatting merrily away to his guests, and all hell hadn’t broken out, I figured she was fine.
Assuming my reluctant bride had gone to the bathroom, I headed inthatdirection so I could wait outside to accost her and demandthatwe call it a night. But I didn’t getthatfar.
Distant voices echoed from inside a room, catching my attention when Irecognized the deep tones of a man, followed by a high-pitched gigglethatgrated on my nerves and could only belong to the current bane of my life. I rounded the corner, and sure enough, Sofia and Rafe were huddled together.
“What the fuck is going on?”I snapped, my gaze raking over the way Rafewas holding her.
They were standing together, close enough for Rafe to have wrapped botharms around her waist, while Sofia’s head was buried in the crook of his neck. If it were anyone else, I would have guessed I’djustinterrupted a couple about to fuck.
Rafe’s head whipped to me as he muttered a curse.“Shejustneeds aminute.”
Sofia’s muffled laughs filled the room where a large table dominated thespace. Recognizing it to be the same room I’d sat in a while back and suggested this fucked up deal, I marched toward them.
“I’ll ask again. What the fuck is going on?”
My eyes darted between the two of them as a pang of…somethingcoursedthrough me. Surely it wasn’t jealousy over the bond the two of them had?
Maybe it was jealousy. Over the siblings’ bond, or because he had his handson her, I didn’t know. I refused to examinethattoo closely.
“Quit your bullshit, Wolfe. Sofejustneeds a few minutes to…composeherself.”
At her brother’s words, Sofia pulled out of his embrace, his hands falling tohis sides.“I’m fiiine!”she slurred, laughing to herself, her glazed eyes meeting mine as a snarky smile twisted on her lips.“Hello, darling husband, how wonderful it is to see you!”
She stumbled, both Rafe and I lunging to catch her, but Rafe getting therefirst.
Christ.
Was she…was she drunk?
“I’ve had aloovelyday,”she continued, trying to wiggle out of her brother’sgrasp.“It was everything I ever dreamed of!”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, ready to turn around and leave Rafe to dealwith his drunken sister, when the irritating voice of Georgio rang out.“Rafe? Where are you?”
“Shit,”Rafe said, promptly shoving Sofia into my arms.“Sofe, stay quiet.”He met my gaze.“He can’t know she’s been drinking.”
The plea in his eyes hit me in the gut. The panic. The fear. It was toofamiliar, eliciting feelings of the time my father used to beat me when I’d disappointed him.
Had Georgio done the same to Rafe and Sofia?
The thought of her father hurting her sent a streak of possessiveness through me. I might have hated her, but if anyone hurt my wife, they wouldn’t live long enough to regret it, and I included Georgio inthatpromise.
I maneuvered Sofia into my arms, gently pulling her head against the crookof my neck and mirroring the position she’d been in when I foundthem. The difference this time wasthatSofia’s hands lifted, her fingers fisting my shirt as she nuzzled against me, a contented sigh leaving her.
“Oh, there you are,”Georgio said, appearing in the doorway. His gazemoved from Rafe to where I held Sofia, and a scowl took over his face.“Well, I’m pleased to see you two are finally making an effort. This marriage may be arranged, but I expect it to work between you two. Your efforts tonight have been pitiful at best.”
I clenched my jaw at the underlying threat.“How about you let yourdaughter and me worry about our marriage working.”
At Sofia’s attempt to lift her head, I held her still, and she murmuredsomething against my neck which sounded awfully like she’d tried to tell her father to get fucked.
