Page 41 of In the Dark

“Welcome to your new home,” Callahan said, his voice echoing in the vast, cathedral-like foyer.

“Home?” I questioned, sounding small against the soaring marble columns and the massive iron-and-glass staircase that looked like it belonged in a modern art museum.

We had just passed through the large, iron-clad gates of the community only to drive for about a mile along a private, winding road carved through a dense, ancient forest. When the house finally appeared, it didn’t just sit on the land—it dominated it.

This didn’t feel like just a home. It felt like an estate of opulence with the winding stairs, and the floor-to-ceiling windows past the foyer into the living area weren’t just extravagant—they were giving a view of an expansive, manicured lawn with a forest in the distance. I was at Hogwarts, but it was all updated to fit Callahan’s modern tastes in some way.

“Yes. Well, sometimes. I’m not here much really. I travel for the business, obviously.” He gestured vaguely toward the acreage outside. “We can have the wedding in the backyard. Once you start planning, make sure to invite all the people here. We want to be good neighbors.”

“You don’t have neighbors,” I pointed out, because he was surrounded by land and trees.

“Of course I do. My brother lives down the road. My mom lives just a few blocks into Paradise Grove, and everyone in this gated community is a neighbor.”

“And what about your father?” I asked him with a raised eyebrow.

“You know the story, Viper. He’s buried six feet under after betraying me and my brother.”

“And everyone here is just fine with that?”

“You asking if they’re all Diamonds?” He turned to me, a slow, dangerous smirk playing on his lips.

“I’d like to know who I’m dealing with, yes.” I’d seen the insignia on the gate that opened when we drove in. Paradise Grove held many Diamonds, I was sure. I was in enemy territory and knew the show I would have to put on for the next twenty-four months if I wanted to survive.

“Give or take a few.” He winked at me. “Let’s just say Paradise Grove is a closed ecosystem. Everyone understands the dynamic and responsibility of living here. You’ll be well watched, if that’s what you’re asking, Viper. Don’t do anything stupid.”

I scoffed and set my cat carrier down to unzip it.

“What are you doing? Your room is upstairs, the last door on the left. And your ex can stay with you in it.” He shook his head like I was ridiculous for thinking otherwise, and then started walking up the stairs like I should follow.

I did because the sooner I found my room, the sooner I could get away from him.

“Oh, so now we’re not sleeping together?” I lifted a brow.

“I wouldn’t dare sleep with such a precious, innocent woman until I’ve wed her,” he said condescendingly.

“How chivalrous of you. You going to keep your dick in your pants long enough for me to plan a whole wedding?”

He chuckled, “Probably not.” We continued down the hall, and Romeo meowed like he hated the place. I hated all the doors I passed, all the unknowns, and I hated the perfect specimen of a man I was following. Then he stopped at the door on the left and opened it to a neat room with what looked like a walk-in closet and bathroom. He leaned on the doorframe and looked at me like he was confused I was asking. “Do you really want me to keep my dick in my pants?”

I walked past him quickly to set Romeo’s carrier on the bed because I was confused too. I didn’t care what he did in his sex life, right? The more he slept with other women, the less he’d sleep with me, right? I mean, I only had to marry him and stave off pregnancy for two years.

“Sleep with every woman in the world for all I care,” I said fast, trying to cover the turn happening in my stomach.

“What a great wife you’ll be,” he mumbled. “Although”—he waited a beat to consider it—“two weeks isn’t that long for me to hold off until the wedding night.”

“Two weeks?” I screeched. There was no way my stitches would completely heal in that time. I could feel my heartbeat starting to skyrocket in the wounds just thinking about it.

Plus, my aunt and uncle would want extravagance, a showing of our alliance and partnership. That meant we couldn’t have anything but a perfect wedding.

“I can’t plan a whole wedding that’s extravagant enough for our families in two freaking weeks, Callahan.” That would be my play. It was for my aunt, cousins, his family, all the Diamond Syndicate, and it would be partially true anyway. “Can you really say you want to put on a wedding that’s less than perfect for all of the syndicate to see?”

“I don’t care.” He shrugged, but his jaw was ticking.

“Okay, what about your mother, your brother? This neighborhood?”

“It doesn’t have to be memorable.” He waved away the idea. “It just has to be a wedding.”

“Easy for you to say. Do you know my family? My aunt and cousins would die if I just cobbled together some mess of an event.”