Wrecked by a Devil – Extended Epilogue
Malachi
Six months later…
“I need two more men covering the west garden.” The guard’s voice crackles through my earpiece just as I cross the foyer.
“Already done,” I answer, barely slowing my pace.
A waiter slips past me carrying a tray filled with champagne glasses and I grab one from the tray. If we’re going to do this tonight, I need alcohol. Two bridesmaids laugh as they disappear toward the terrace and somewhere upstairs a photographer is arguing with one of the decorators over poor lighting.
If someone had told me a year ago that the Kavanagh estate would be filled with wedding chaos, I would have not believed them. Yet here we are, and I’m not entirely sure if I prefer this or a gunfight. The stress seems to be quite similar and to be fair, this rehearsal dinner does carry the potential of becoming a blood bath.
As I step outside, the gardens are glowing beneath hundreds of string lights, every table already dressed for dinner. I notice Riley standing near the fountain with Mia, both of them laughing at something, while Zeke pretends he’s paying attention to whatever Levi is saying and not watch her from across the terrace.
He is failing miserably.
I cross the short distance between me and my brothers, and the moment they see me, they give me the same look, one that expects me to give them answers and solutions they didn’t even ask for.
“It’s all secure,” I say, bottoming up the champagne and leaving the glass on one of the tall tables on the terrace.
“Good,” Zeke nods, relief washing over his face. “The last thing we need is for someone or something to ruin this for Riley.”
“She shouldn’t have invited her mother then,” Levi points out and we both glance towards the woman sitting at one of the round tables in the garden. Looking at them side by side, I would have never guessed the two of them were related. They’re the complete opposite physically.
“It’s going to be fine, they buried the hatchet,” Zeke takes a sip from his glass.
Another thing I never saw coming was my brother drinking club soda on his now wedding rehearsal. To be fair, he did ask the waiter to add a slice of lemon in it so it’s not as obvious that it’s not alcohol. Apparently, he decided not to drink tonight because Riley doesn’t drink and he thinks it’s only fair if he doesn’t either. My brother has gone soft for this woman and even after watching them live together for the last six months since they got engaged, it still feels surreal.
“Well, Riley doesn’t seem very eager to hang around her,” Levi shrugs as he shares his observation. Leave it to our youngest brother to speak without a filter.
“She has her reasons,” Zeke glances at his soon-to-be-wife once again, the corners of his lips twitching, desperate to turn into a smile but he’s holding it back. “But it’s not my story to tell.”
“Speaking of stories,” Elijah joins us, completely out of breath. “The princess just arrived.”
We all turn toward the entrance, seeing the Moretti family walk in. Zeke wasn’t very happy about inviting them, but Elijah and I insisted, knowing how much it would help us to improve our working relations. After the blow the Eden suffered recently, we need all the connections we can get to get back on top, and the Italian family is the perfect candidate. Even though I wouldn’t go as far as calling them our allies.
We’ll need more security.
“Go and greet them,” I nudge Zeke’s arm and he gives me a very bratty look. One that’s nowhere near common for Zeke and means he’d rather eat sand than do it.
“Why me? You two insisted on inviting them.”
“Maybe because you’re the groom and the head of the family,” Elijah rolls his eyes, leaning against the table.
“Fine,” Zeke responds, shoving his drink into my hand, before heading to welcome the Morettis. “When one of you gets married, I’ll make sure to invite the Coluccis.”
A laugh escapes me at how ridiculous that threat is, but before I can say anything, Cain speaks. “You know their daughter, Jade Moretti?” He asks and I nod. “The little princess is getting married to the Devlin.”
I didn’t even notice when Cain joined us and he’s almost unrecognizable in his elegant suit, covering the scars and the tattoos on his large frame.
“Nolan?” Levi’s eyes go wide in surprise and I see my own surprise reflected on his face even though I don’t react myself.
“Yeah,” Cain nods.
“We’re screwed if that happens,” Elijah’s face darkens as he turns to look again at our brother politely chatting with the head Moretti family of the family and his wife. Jade is nowhere to be seen. Riley has joined them, once again leaving me amazed at how well she fits in into our world.
“That’s why we can’t let it happen,” I bottom out Zeke’s drink from my hand, regretting it the moment the lemon-y club soda hits my tongue. I needed a drink, not sparkly water. “We need to ruin that engagement one way or another.”
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Great book!