My lips flicker with the idea of a smile. On a micro level I appreciate Emily calling Chloe out for who she really is. Emily is only capable of spouting off the truth.
“Anyway”—she runs her hands over her enormous belly—“I have a vision for you.” She holds up a finger and I back up an inch because I thought she was about to smack me. “Before you say you don’t want it—too bad. This is happening, so brace yourself. Besides, I think you might actually like this one. I have a good feeling about it. I don’t know why.”
Em is never privy to defining her visions from God—she’s simply instructed to give them. They are His work, His warnings.
“I’ll take a hard pass,” I say as I look to the overgrown home before us.
Music booms from the Harrisons’ mansion as we head on in. The windows buzz as they rattle. The bass digs into my chest and pulsates through me like an unwanted heartbeat. It’s so loud I don’t bother saying another word to Em as we go our separate ways. I spot Ellis and Giselle with their arms wrapped around one another and he looks up and does a double take my way before they head over. It’s dark inside, a sprinkling of neon lights, small as confetti spin over the ceiling.
“Messenger.” He slaps me five. “What is up? You look smokin’. You’re going to make all the big boys cry tonight.”
Giselle shrugs. “He’s right. You look amazing.” She glances down at my silver sequin dress, long-sleeved, high neck and even higher hemline. I dug out a pair of silver heels with a row of spikes running down the back to pair it with. It’s nice to know I have a weapon I can utilize if need be. “My mom says you’re going to marry Logan now. Can I be in the wedding? I’ve always wanted to be a bridesmaid.”
Gage pops up between the two of them like an apparition, catching me off guard, with his ocean blue eyes as they drill right through me the way they used to do.
“Yes, Giselle,” I say. “You can be in my wedding. But I think you have another wedding to think about first. One that will take place in less than twenty-four hours.”
His dimples dig in. He’s hiding something, loving something. I can’t read him anymore. Gage has disabled me from his network.
Logan comes up behind them, a slight mischievous grin already pinned to his lips. His brows do a funny dance as he looks at me. He’s unsure of what’s happening. Well, that makes two of us.
“What’d I miss?” He comes over and lands a kiss to my cheek, his arm glides over my waist and it feels intimate, it feels both right and wrong.
Giselle bops in rhythm to the music. “Skyla says I can be a bridesmaid in your wedding. Chloe hasn’t asked yet, but I might be in hers, too.”
Logan moans out a dull laugh. “Yes, Giselle, you are most certainly welcome.” His fingers dig deep into my waist a moment. “It’s going to be a blowout.” That sly smile on his face rides higher as he looks to Gage.
“So when’s the big day?” Gage takes a breath as if he needed to steady himself, and suddenly I am addicted to catching him off guard.
“We’re undecided,” Logan answers for us. “Might be a year, might be next week.”
“I want to do things right this time.” I wrap both of my arms around Logan as I tuck a kiss to his cheek. As soon as my lips hit that scruff on his face, a spark goes off in the pit of my stomach. There it is. I’ve been waiting for you. My feelings for Logan live, after all. His chest bucks with a silent laugh because my hand is touching his arm and he heard every word.
“A wedding, huh?” Gage looks from Logan to me, his jaw moving from side to side. He’s trying to contain his emotions, maintain his cool. I think this is a perfect chance to challenge his steely resolve.
“Honeymoon in Rome?” I wince at Logan as I ask.
“Been there, done that. I say we do something new, something unexpected.”
“Oh, I so agree.” I’m about to pull Logan into the crowd and get away from the cloying air Gage seems to bring with him these days just as Chloe pops up next to Ellis.
Giselle leans her way. “We were just talking about your wedding. The one you won’t let me be a part of.” She rolls her blue eyes and it reminds me to track down Emerson Kragger. Emerson wants Chloe dead just as much as I do. I have no doubt my mother left Emerson on this planet long after her ninth life expired just so she could do my dirty work for me and I can keep my hands clean for the sake of the Factions.
“Of course,G,” Chloe growls over at her because clearly it was not her intention to include her. Chloe likes all the attention on herself. Nothing has changed at all. “In fact, you can be my maid of honor. And since Wes is getting married, too, Ellis, you can stand up for Gage.” She snarls at Logan, “We don’t expect much out of you.”
“I’m not going.” Ellis shoots death rays at Gage. “You can screw your life up all you want. I’m not sticking around to witness it any more than I have to.”
Ellis has always been like a brother to both Logan and Gage.
“Ellis!” Giselle snaps at the love of her life, and, honestly, I don’t think I’ve seen her display this much emotion. “You’re going to the wedding. I’ll be wearing a pretty dress, and I want you to see me in it.” She drags him off into the crowd. Giselle is a loyalist to the end and so is Ellis. It’s a beautiful thing, with the exception they’re each loyal to the other side, mostly.
Logan glowers at the two malfeasances left in our presence. “I’d be offended by your comment, Chloe, but I wasn’t invited to the re-launch of our nightmares.”
Chloe wraps an arm around Gage’s waist and he hesitates a moment before doing the same. A part of me insists on believing this is all an act, something fake to upset me to the core, but the Gage I knew would never be so shallow. And for the life of me, I can’t understand why he would be.
Her hand rides over her nearly flat stomach.
“Of course, you’re both invited. We’re family.” She jostles Gage by the arm. “Isn’t that right, honey? It’s important that our family witnesses the renewal of our vows. The boys are in the wedding—that goes without saying. Twin ring bearers. Emily volunteered Ember to be our flower girl. It’s amazing how everything is falling together so quickly. When something is right, the universe moves heaven and earth to make it happen.” Her head tips to his shoulder. “Just the way heaven and earth moved for us.”
