Page 129 of Trust Me

My fucking dreams have been haunted by that weekend we spent together.

I want to touch her.

“It’s about time they got here,” my father says.

That’s when I realize the doorbell is ringing.

“That should be Carter and Michelle.” My mother goes to greet my aunt and uncle, leaving Riley and Kennedy talking.

My father moves in front of me.

“You’re looking at her like she’s on the dinner menu,” he says.

“She’s my wife.” The words spill from my lips without conscious thought.

“Business my ass,” I think I hear my father mumble but I’m still too focused on Riley to really hear him.

“Kyle, you son of a bitch, you didn’t bother to invite your favorite uncle to the wedding?” my Uncle Carter says, grabbing my attention.

He passes a look over to my father. I ignore the teasing that comes from my uncle, and soon after, my Aunt Michelle. Despite having conversation with my father, uncle, and the rest of the family throughout dinner, I keep finding my gaze going back to Riley even as she sits right beside me.

She, Kennedy, and my mother talk off and on about everything from Riley’s work to Eve’s school now that she’s attending Excelor Academy. I listen more to their conversation than to my father mentioning business. Or Uncle Carter telling the both of us about what’s happening at the fire station.

My uncle rose up the ranks to become Battalion Chief.

An hour goes by in a blur as we eat the catered dinner. I don’t even know what the hell we’ve had since I’m so focused on Riley. By the time Stasi’s dessert of the cinnamon-honey creme brulee is brought out, I’m ready for the night to be over.

“I got to show Eve how to use a blowtorch,” Stasi says a little too excitedly for my liking.

“Be careful with that thing,” I admonish, and then turn to my parents. “Should she be allowed to use one of those?” I insist. “Someone could get hurt. Eve, you didn’t use it, did you?”

Eve shakes her head adamantly. “No, I just watched. It’s so cool though.”

That seems to be her and Stasi’s favorite word of the night.

“Calm down, bro. I know what I’m doing. Tell him, Mom.”

“How about we bring out dessert?” my mother says instead.

Minutes later, everyone has plates of Stasi’s dish in front of us. I’ll admit it's delicious. Riley compliments my sister which makes her preen.

“Here she goes,” Kennedy mumbles.

I chuckle.

That’s enough to set Stasi off into a twenty-minute explanation of how she made the dish, but chose to differ from the original recipe.

“You’re very talented,” Riley tells her.

Stasi eats the compliments up like a lap dog. But I can tell Riley’s being genuine. I’m not sure how I know that but I do. I take her hand in mine, beneath the table. She stares at me, a wide-eyed expression on her face.

I squeeze her hand because want to touch her. What I told my father earlier was right. This marriage is all about vengeance, but hell, it’s not like we can’t also have fun with it, too.

As I stare into Riley’s brown eyes, I answer my own question. Yeah, I can have fun with my wife.

Starting with tonight.

CHAPTER31