And to think I was horrified by the prospect of getting married, annoyed by the conditions my old man had left behind and now, fuck, I can’t imagine not seeing Sienna’s bright smile, lying down with her soft body pressed against mine or waking up to her angelic face.
It makes sense why my old man never forgot my mother. He never moved on because he loved her in his own twisted way. There will be no moving on after Sienna Ford. Once she becomes a Cassidy, I'll just have to find a way to ensure she stays mine forever.
It seems I have fallen in love with my little rabbit.
***
Music swells through the room, champagne bottles are popped and chatter swirls around me as the night winds. I’ve had my share of congratulations, toasted with nearly every guest in attendance and I can’t help but wonder if their sentiments would be the same if they knew the reason behind this wedding. The details of the will are on a need-to-know basis, and the majority of people in this room are oblivious to the reasons for this engagement or the quick wedding that will follow.
I stand by the wall, champagne in hand as I watch my bride-to-be, the smile on her face genuine as she chats with her friends and family. I know she feels guilty about lying to her family but I’m going to make sure it’s not a lie.
Our marriage will be as true as can be.
When the music softens, I decide it’s time to take my fiancée to the dance floor but I spot a figure standing alone, brooding and that stops me in my tracks. Bishop and I haven't spoken since that day after the burial and my effort to reach out to him has been met with silence. I question how I would have felt if the roles were reversed—if everything we'd worked toward was left to Bishop instead. It would have pissed me the fuck off but I would have tried to work things out with my brother—something he hasn't tried to do.
What the fuck was written in his letter?
I consider ignoring him, leaving the fucker to brood alone but find myself making my way toward him. Even with us being twins, Bishop and I couldn’t be any more different from each other if we tried. Stubborn motherfuckers we are, but that’s where the similarities start and end. Bishop was always the quiet one between us with an annoying habit of internalizing everything then retreating when he's upset. Growing up, he was the plotter and planner, always seemed to know things before everyone else did.
I know my brother well enough to know that waiting for him to come to me when he's ready is the best approach but patience has never been my strong suit.
Bishop must notice me approach him because he stiffens and his expression turns even more sour. A part of me wants to rage at my brother and box the truth out of him, a little bloodand bruises ought to do the job but that would ruin Sienna’s day. I pick diplomacy despite the urgent need to punch my twin.
“You came,” I say when I stop next to him, turning to watch the dance floor. “I didn’t think you would.”
The asshole shrugs, taking a sip of his champagne. “You only get married once, right?” Is that sarcasm I hear in his voice? My fingers clench so I shove them into my pocket before my fist can find its way to his face.
“I’ve been trying to reach you,” I say, finally turning to look at him. “You haven’t been around much.”
His jaw ticks but he doesn’t say a word and I’m not surprised. I want to push him into telling me what his letter said but Bishop and I have never been the type to share our feelings. In his place, I too would have closed off but I wouldn't have lasted this long. At some point, I would have wanted to fight out the tension, a good boxing match to fix any animosity. There was a time Bishop would have reacted the same which only makes me more curious about the content of his letter.
When he doesn’t speak, I decide not to push and I’m about to leave him to brood in peace when I spot Sienna making her way to us, her lips stretched in a dreamy smile. She stops next to me, sliding a hand into my arm and turning to Bishop.
“Hi,” she chirps, extending her hand to Bishop who merely stares at it, forcing her to drop it. “I’m Sienna.”
“Bishop,” the fucker says, offering Sienna a tight smile before downing his champagne. She looks at him with surprise, recognizing him from name only. For twins, we look nothing alike. “If you two will excuse me.”
We watch him walk away and when I turn to Sienna, I read hurt in her eyes which only makes me want to go after theasshole and fight him after all. “Did I do something wrong?” she asks, that pretty face marred with a frown. “Your brother seems to hate me.”
“It’s not you,” I offer, brushing my lips over her temple. “Bishop is still coming to terms with the fallout from our father’s death. He tends to withdraw and becomes an asshole when he’s upset. Don’t take it personally.”
“What fallout?”
I start to respond when I notice her mother and brother making their way toward us. "Later," I whisper, brushing my lips over her brows. I offer a smile when they stop in front of us. "Is something the matter, Elise?"
"I'm afraid we have to call it a night," my soon to be mother-in-law says, nodding toward her son. "Jude is getting tired. He’s done more today than he has in weeks.”
“Of course,” I say, moving to hug Elise. “Thank you for coming and for trusting me with your daughter. You looked stunning tonight, Elise. I’m sorry we didn’t get a chance to dance.”
“You charmer,” she says, slapping my shoulder lightly but I read the joy in her eyes. When I turn to Jude, I read the exhaustion in the young man’s eyes but I’ve been watching him in case something went wrong all night so I know he had fun too. I feel a responsibility for my future brother-in-law and want to make sure he has everything he needs.
“Next time you come by, remind me to show you where we keep our motorcycles.”
Those tired eyes light up, taking my hand when I offer it. “You bet.”
“I’ll walk them to the valet,” Sienna says, leaning up to brush her lips over my jaw. “See you in a minute.”
I watch them walk out, already missing Sienna, and only tear my eyes away from the door when Ghost walks over to me, holding a glass of sparkling water with a lime. I read the amusement in his eyes and can tell he’s about to make some sarcastic comment about how taken I am by my bride-to-be but before he can say a word, a loud crash cuts through the music followed by several screams.
