Page 27 of Shattered Hearts

Finn

I puff out a cloud of smoke and watch it dissipate into the midnight Manhattan air.

The Blackadder’s honeymoon suite sits on the thirtieth floor. Too bad I can’t stop thinking about Riley Brennan long enough to enjoy the breathtaking view of New York City’s glittering skyline from the balcony.

The wind whips my hair back from my face and cools me off. Even standing out here naked, save for the towel around my waist, I can’t get my body temperature down after…whatever that was in the limo.

There are too many details to sort through and too little space in my mind.

Taking one last drag, I stub the cigarette out on the wall, suddenly reminded of the night of my engagement party.

To avoid my fiancée and the expectant eyes of my father, I ducked outside onto the balcony attached to the estate’s gourmet kitchen, which overlooks a small corner of the gardens, and smoked. Dad was planning to announce our engagement soon, so I waited until the last second to reenter the festivities.

When I got back inside, I found my friends lounging near the bar and joined them. Only moments later, I heard Harper calling me.

Armed with a fake smile, I turned…and felt like I slammed into a brick wall.

Harper wasn’t alone.Shewas there too.

Riley.

Full lips. Same blond hair and same blue eyes as her sister. Riley’s quieter though. Always thinking while Harper’s talking. Her face is a little more angular, her posture more rigid. The two sisters are so similar, yet completely different.

The sight of her triggered a strange burst of warmth in my chest. I immediately snuffed it out and gave her a quick once over. She was dressed in black from head to toe, tension coiled tight in her body. I could tell she wanted to be there about as much as I did.

Last time I saw her was the day she left the estate for good. Brianne had been dead for months, and I was sleepwalking through life and struggling to crawl out of a dark place.

Then Riley woke me the hell up by kissing me out of the blue.

Until that moment, she was still just a kid in my mind. But she damn well didn’t kiss like one. Before I knew it, I was devouring her mouth. Guilt eventually interceded and I pushed her away, but it wasn’t easy.

That day, I felt a connection between us. I experienced the buzz again when we locked eyes at the party.

When I stood there with both of Thomas Brennan’s daughters, their differences shocked me. How could I me feel nothing for one, and too much for the other?

Which was why, as far as brides went, Harper didn’t scare me. Despite sharing looks with Riley, we had no chemistry, so the chances of me falling for her seemed miniscule.

And then today happened.

Even in that god-awful wedding gown that didn’t suit her at all, Riley stole my breath.

But the dress she wore to the reception just pissed me off. The sight of her curves hugged in creamy silk and all that bare skin stole the air from my lungs, and whenever she crossed my sight line, my focus fell apart. She was incredible. Problem was, touching her, dancing with her, kissing her…it all just made me want to fuck her. And judging from the appreciative stares, all the men in the room wanted the same.

This attraction to Riley has to stop.

She’s my sister-in-law, for fuck’s sake. Or at least, she will be.

Shaking off the thought, I slide open the balcony door and reenter the honeymoon suite.

I swear, the thing is mocking me. Fake, fire-safe candles on every flat surface. Rose petals blanketing the California king bed. Pink, red, and white balloons pressing against the high ceilings. Matching bathrobes and slippers. A romantic music collection that can play through the speakers in every room of this palatial place.

I forego the complimentary champagne in favor of whiskey. Carrying the bottle to the bed, I whip the comforter back so hard, all the rose petals rain sideways across the room. Half an hour later, I’m practically weightless, like I’m floating on my back in a pool.

I should be asleep, but despite the numbing alcohol in my system, my mind still races.

Why’d I have to kiss her? Not once, but twice? I could’ve given her a quick peck at the wedding and grazed her forehead or cheek at the reception. So why did I put my lips on her like that?

She knew I was acting insane. Riley even had enough sense to pull away from me. Her trepidation should have snapped me out of it but instead, had the opposite effect. That resistancespurred my competitive side, stoking my desire to overtake her uncertainty. To replace her hesitance with my tongue.