Page 52 of Sweet Wicked Vows
Flashes of cameras went off, and bustles of energetic voices flew through one ear and out another.
And just like that, I was acting CEO of the biggest diamond and jewelry supplier.
A CEO who was married to a man who was trying to learn to simply tolerate her.
Evelyn Reynolds—no, sorry, Evelyn Dade. CEO and majorly out of her damn league.
Fuuuucccck.
Guzzling down a couple more glasses of champagne definitely helped take the sharp edges of the night away.
My father left shortly after his announcement. He simply dropped the massive bombshell on the crowd, and then left before he could lay witness to the destruction.
Flynn also vanished from sight, making him as reliable as a chocolate matchstick.
People flooded towards me, their questions knocking into me wave after wave. Some of them wanted to shake my hand, others were already trying to book meetings to discuss workingtogether, while the searing looks of disbelief and doubt nipped at my exposed skin.
Was this how it was going to go? Me left standing alone, with neither my brother nor father there to help guide me?
In two more days, I’d be taking over the company for a year.
In two days’ time, my sole purpose in life was about keeping my father’s legacy alive.
When did it get so damn hot in here?
“Did you know he was going to do that?” Lola appeared after the last batch of faces walked away. She replaced my empty glass with a crystal glass of bourbon. “Pretty ballsy of him to do it on your ‘wedding day’ sort of thing.”
“I’m a CEO.”
“I mean, congratulations? Gosh, I can’t believe you’re going to run the company.”
My mouth went dry. The material of my dress was suddenly too tight. “I’m a CEO.”
Lola pointed to my glass. “Drink that. I’ll get you another one.”
My brows pinched together. “I’m a CEO. A CEO… what the actual fuck am I meant to do? I don’t know how to run a company… I can’t do this…”
Lola’s hand grabbed mine. “You’ve got this. Just breathe. Let me grab you another drink. Maybe that cute physiotherapist I was talking to has a secret stash of muscle relaxants on him. Those puppies will work wonders on you.”
“I can’t breathe…” I gasped for air. Reality slammed into me tenfold. I needed to get out. I needed to run. “I need... I need to get out of here. I need air…”
Run where?
Who the hell knew or cared—whatever it took to stop my mind spinning out of control. I’d been so focused on organizing the party and finding some common ground with Jaxon that I fooled myself into not thinking about my impending fate.
CEO. Father’s legacy. Married.
What if I failed? What if it all blew up in my face? What if I let everyone down?
What if…
Heat spread across the nape of my neck. “Take a deep breath in through your nose.” Jaxon’s steady voice infiltrated the chaos in my mind. “Deep breath for me, just like that. And exhale out through your mouth. Again.”
Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.
Jaxon’s thumb rubbed slowly up and down the vertebrae of my neck. “Just like that. Once more for me… good girl.”
Unable to stop myself, I leaned back into his touch. The deepness of his voice and the praising words sent a ripple through my core. Light touches graced the side of my neck, fluttering over my uneven pulse, my nipples hardening as the wordsgood girlfell from his lips once more.