Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 149641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 748(@200wpm)___ 599(@250wpm)___ 499(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 748(@200wpm)___ 599(@250wpm)___ 499(@300wpm)
“She’s going into what I like to call wronged queen mode,” Kala said with a nod as though she approved. “The playlists are about to get really girl powery, and we should prepare for some slutty times, my sisters.”
“I should have let the bomb take me,” her father whispered.
“It’s a good thing,” she heard her mom whisper. “She needs to let that asshole go.”
Cool. They were reaching the insult-the-guy stage. She could do that. It was like immersion therapy. She would immerse herself into the world where she hated Benjamin Parker and cursed his name and wished she’d never met him and… Oh, no…she was tearing up again.
Everyone was watching. Like they were all waiting for that tear to fall and they would know she wasn’t ready.
Kenzie sucked it the fuck up because she was ready. Ready to live again. Ready to leave Ben behind. Ready to stand in her own glory, needing no man.
“Kenzie,” a deep voice said. “I was hoping we could talk before we walk down the aisle together. If you let me walk you down the aisle…”
Ben stood in the doorway wearing the sexiest tuxedo she’d ever seen. It fit him like a glove. And his face. She’d missed his gorgeous face. He was here.
“It was supposed to be a surprise. Dare asked him to be part of the wedding party. Seth is willing to step down so you can walk with Ben,” Tasha whispered. “Unless you’re determined to make your own ménage.”
She practically tripped running to him. He was here. He was just slow. It was okay. She could deal with slowness. What she couldn’t deal with was never seeing him again.
He caught her and his face lit with the sweetest smile. “So we’re okay?”
She wrapped herself around him, feeling more at peace than she had since that moment in Nepal when she thought she’d lost him. “No, but we will be. We need to talk.”
His hands stroked over her back, and she felt him kiss her temple. “We will, but first we’ve got an aisle to walk down.”
He shifted back and the room was in motion again. Devi had stepped out of the side room and was dragging Kala back to what she called the steamer. Lou helped Tash into her shoes. Her mom took pictures and tried hard not to ruin her makeup. The aunties showed up. Grace and Avery and Serena and Erin and Eve.
Her family. And Ben was here.
“By the way, I hope you don’t mind but I didn’t get a hotel,” he whispered, his arm still around her waist. “You look fucking gorgeous, and now that the two of you are in a room together, I can’t believe I thought you were the same person.”
No one could tell when they wanted to play the other. Not even her parents, but she would give this to him.
Because he was here. “You can stay with me. We can get your things after the wedding, but you should know I might have to work some this evening.”
A brow rose over those intelligent eyes of his as he stared down at her. “I suspect you’ve discovered Manny put out a hit on your dad. I have some thoughts. And, baby, my things are already in your room. I broke in. I thought you would think it’s sexy that I can get through any security system you want to put between us. You should understand that everything changes tonight. I won’t let anything come between us.” He kissed her forehead. “And your dog is sweet. I’m going to go check on Dare. See you soon, baby. Kenzie. I like calling you Kenzie. I’m going to like whispering your name when I order you on your knees. When I tell you to serve your Master.”
A shiver went through her. It was everything she wanted.
She watched as he walked away.
Her epic love story was totally back on.
Chapter Six
Ben watched Kenzie with the group of bridesmaids. They were hovering around Tasha, making toasts and dancing in a circle. The whole ceremony had been filled with love and family, and he was so fucking confused.
There had been a piece of him that thought her light, that part of her that was warm and loving and offered such comfort, was nothing but a performance. As if Kara had two personas and she shifted between them, deciding which would work best.
Now he knew the truth, but wrapping his head around the idea that she could truly be that sweet and bubbly was hard.
“You okay?” a familiar voice asked.
Dare. His friend looked like a million bucks in his tux. It fit him perfectly, and he looked like he belonged in this ridiculously luxurious hotel. There had been a lot of talk about what would happen if an armed militia group tried to take over, but it was done in a jokey way that Ben couldn’t tell if they were serious or simply sarcastic.