Page 78 of Worth Risking It

Her gasp was shrilly, her whole body freezing. I sagged into the door and gazed at her with a sigh, knowing I couldn’t live like this for the next few decades. We would get caught eventually, just like Meyers and Amanda.

“I mean it. We can disappear in Spain and start a new life, away from all this. We can—”

“Yes,” she whispered, bobbing her head frantically. “Yes, yes, yes. Let’s do it.”

My brows shot up, stunned that she would agree so easily. “Really?”

Her nodding intensified, tears welling. “Yes, Wyatt. Let’s run away.”

Adrenaline shot through me, and I grabbed her, claiming a heated kiss, my arms folding around her tightly. Tapering the kiss off to a few scattered around her face, I finally let her slide off my lap and pull her jeans up. Sitting on the seat properly, I tucked my dick into my own and fastened them before making a u-turn and heading back down the hill to the main road.

The entire trip to Illinois was in silence, but with fleeting glimpses at one another. We knew we had just made a decision we could never come back from once we put the plan in motion.

Regardless, our lives were on borrowed time. We could either continue what we were doing and pray it took a while for Milo to catch us, or we could take our lives into our own hands and at least attempt freedom.

Chapter 31

Wyatt Shaw

The Skyline Loft at the Bridgepoint Art Center was filled to capacity. Tables covered in shimmering, champagne colored cloths with light lavender napkins, centerpieces full of purple flowers and bright green, leafy something or anothers combined with purple candles of all sizes. Vines with purple and ivory flowers draping from the ceiling mixed with white strings of light cast a soft, whimsical glow around the area. Music crooning from the speakers, the air was filled with the scent of perfumes, colognes, candles, and food.

My hands in my pockets, my stance slumped forward, my heart was heavy as I stared at the sleek, elegant wedding cake. Six tiers tall, the same soft gold with purple flowers to match the theme, it was beautiful and simple, but so goddamn expensive.

A knot in my throat, I gradually turned around to face the dancefloor where the bride and groom were swaying to the slow tune.

The top of the dress was off the shoulders, the sleeves lace all the way to her wrists. Heart shaped over her breasts to dip and show off her amazing cleavage, the champagne tone complimented her complexion perfectly. The bodice clung to her curves to just above her waist where it sprawled out like a ballgown in shiny silk to the floor. Here and there, the hem was dark purple, fading lighter as it rose upward into gold and purple flowers. The back was long, dragging behind her by almost two feet.

Her dark brown hair with the honeyed highlights was swept up on the crown of her head, held with purple, crystal studded barrettes, leaving a few wisps to curl around her face and neck. Wearing makeup that merely highlighted her natural beauty with a shiny gloss on her lips, Chastity Lou Pampinella was the most spectacular woman I had ever laid eyes on.

The knife in my chest twisted, sending prickles of agony riddling my soul. Chastity Lou Pampinella.

The most painful moment of my life had also been one of the proudest. Watching her sashay down the aisle, holding her purple and gold floral arrangement with the long, bright green vines that dripped below her knees, the smile on her face, the glow in her cheeks, the tears in her eyes…Christ, my knees had weakened at the mere sight of her.

Wearing a matching set of earrings and necklace crystals the same color as the ones in her hair, I had been somewhat gutted to see she’d taken the necklace I’d given her off.

What had I expected, however? Did I really think she would wear the piece of jewelry her lover gave her while she married her fiancé?

Not once, did she look at me through the whole ceremony. Again, had I expected her to? In a perfect world, she and I could be together, and she would be Chastity Shaw today. That could never happen. Milo would kill us both if he knew we were in love.

The bride and groom circled about, smiling brightly, looking so very much in love. Despite knowing it made me a masochist, it relieved me to know Chastity truly loved him. Thinking about her being with him, afraid or miserable, tore me up inside. Though it struck a chord of jealousy in my core, it eased my mind knowing she was comfortable and happy. There was no way out of this situation; it was good she wasn’t suffering.

My cellphone vibrated against my fist, so I pulled it out, huffing when I saw Melinda. Tapping the screen, I turned my back to the couple and answered it.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, I was just…” She sighed. “Lonely. How are things?”

“Um, I’m actually at Milo and Chazzy’s wedding right now.”

“Oh, shit. It’s February tenth already? I keep losing track of the days out here.”

Craning my neck, I peered at my gorgeous kitten. Her head was thrown back for a giggle, the groom nuzzling her arched neck. My teeth ground, my gut knotting with tension. It was a relief she was happy, but I wasn’t a goddamn saint; that should be me holding her right now, not Milo.

“Ahem. Yeah, yeah. That’s today.”

“How are you dealing with it?”

Taking a slow breath through my nostrils, I turned back around to gaze at them some more. “How do you think?”