Arranged love

GRAVE

“WAKE UP.” I hear my brother’s voice far away.

I ignore it, but then a hand slaps my face, and I sit straight up. “Huh?”

“We’re here,” he growls, standing over me.

After I took the pills in the bathroom, I made my way to his bedroom in the back and passed out. Decided to sleep as much of the flight as I could.

Rubbing my heavy eyes, I crawl out of the bed. After sliding my shoes on, I lace them up and then follow him off the private jet. The heat is stifling, the sun is blinding, and the smell of the salty ocean is intoxicating. I hate the beach and the water. That’s why I live in the desert.

A black Town Car waits for us with the back doors already open, so I climb in and then so does my brother. When the driver speaks to us, I look out the window and allow my brother to communicate with the man. My tongue feels swollen, and my head’s still foggy. I need some water to drink.

The car takes off, and thankfully, my brother stays silent as we are delivered at our destination. Exiting the car, we walk up to a back door. Bones enters, and I follow him.

The smell of death instantly hits my nose, and I feel vomit start to rise. I begin to cough.

“Keep it down,” my brother orders, and I pull on the collar of my T-shirt.

We’re ushered into a back room with a table sitting in the middle. A white sheet covers it, and a man stands to the right. “Bones.” He shakes his hand. “Grave.” I just nod, crossing my arms over my chest. “I’m sorry you had to come such a long way-”

“It’s fine.” My brother interrupts him. “If you don’t mind, we’re on a tight schedule.”

“Yes, of course.” He nods once and pulls back the sheet. “As I informed you before, he was found in his condo. A woman called it in …”

I tune him out as I look down at the body lying on the metal slab. His color as white as the sheet that covers his lower half.

I sit on my bed, the house quiet. Who knows where my brother is when my door opens. I quickly jump to my feet and wipe my wet cheeks when my father enters my room. “Ever heard of knocking?” I manage to get out without sounding upset.

“I pay for every inch of this house, including this room. I don’t have to fucking knock,” my dad snaps.

My hands fist, and I spin around to face him. “What do you want?” I grind out.

“Where’s your brother?” he asks, looking around as if he’s in here.

“How the hell should I know?”

He lets out a long breath but ignores me. “I’m leaving. Dillan is in charge while I’m gone.”

“Where are you going?” I ask. Our mother just died. We buried her yesterday and just arrived back in Vegas this morning. Where the fuck could he possibly be going so soon?

“That’s none of your business,” he snaps, then exits my room, slamming the door.

I yank it open and catch him exiting the front door. I run down the stairs and open the front door just in time to see him help a woman into the passenger side door of his Ferrari.

Anger boils inside me. He was never faithful. My mother was an angel. She gave everything to my brother and I. But my father? I know a part of her loved him in the beginning, but over the years, Dillan and I watched them both change. He lived for Kingdom, and she despised it. She hated how it took so much of his time away from us. His family. He didn’t care. The house we lived in became a cold mansion. My mother was trapped. She knew she couldn’t leave him. He’d fight her for us, just for spite, and our mother didn’t come from money. Maybe she preferred him having women he could fuck so she wouldn’t have to do it anymore. But that doesn’t mean he has to disrespect her memory. Not this soon.

“It’s him.” I hear Bones confirm.

“Can we have him cremated?” I ask.

The guy looks up at me. “Yes, but …”

“Good. Burn his body,” I order, then turn to walk out.

“But what about the ashes?” he asks.

I turn back around. “Throw them where they belong, in the fucking trash.” Then I walk out, heading back to the car. This was a total waste of a trip.

APRIL

There’s a reason I’m not much of a drinker. I don’t do well the following morning. I open my eyes and am thankful that I’m in my own bed. Last night is a little foggy. The girls and I ended up at a club. VIP status. I feel like that’s the only way Emilee and Jasmine roll. We partied hard for about three hours, then everyone called it a night. Jasmine had a visitor coming over early the next morning, so she wasn’t going to stay out all night. Emilee said she had to get home to her fiancé, and Alexa spent most of her night on her cell. Her ex blowing up her phone. We’d had so much to drink that we had to call an Uber to get us all home.

I’ve been up for four hours now, and I’m starting to feel more like myself. I just needed a shower and three cups of coffee.

I stand behind the desk at Roses when I hear the bell ring that hangs above the door. One of my most loyal customers enters.

“Hello, Luca.” I smile up at him.

“Good morning, April.” He walks up to the desk dressed in a black three-piece suit. He always looks like he just walked out of a courtroom. I don’t know anything personal about him except he’s married. And he didn’t give that information out willingly. I just put two and two together. The wedding band on his finger along with the flowers and vase he buys at least twice a week.

“What can I do for you today?” I ask.

His dark eyes meet mine, and he gives me a kind smile, placing his hands on the countertop. “How about some violets. Do you have a solid black vase by any chance?”

“I have the perfect one.” I nod.

He pulls his wallet out of his back pocket and begins to count out some cash that he lays on the counter. I walk away and go into the cooler and put together his arrangement. When I return, he’s on his cell.

“Yeah, I can do that.” He nods to himself. “I’ll meet you at Kingdom in twenty. I’m going to run by the house really quick.”

Kingdom?

“Okay. Sounds good.” He hangs up.

“What do you know about Kingdom?” I ask.

His brown eyes look down into mine, and he tilts his head to the side.

I lower my eyes, instantly embarrassed by my question. I don’t know this man personally. Maybe he likes to gamble. It is Las Vegas, after all. “I mean, uh …” I stumble, looking for the right lie to make up. “Do you like to play the machines or the tables?” I ask. Then I add, “I prefer the machines.” Lie. I don’t even like to gamble.

“I don’t gamble,” he answers.

“Oh.” Then why in the fuck would he be meeting someone at Kingdom? Maybe for an early lunch? I bite my tongue to keep from asking.NôvelDrama.Org owns all content.

“Thank you for the flowers.” He nods, picking them up off the counter.

“You’re welcome,” I call out as he exits the flower shop. I sigh and pick up my phone to call my brother. He never did come home last night, and he’s three hours late to work.

The phone rings three times and then goes to his voicemail. Sighing, I hang up and immediately call him again. Straight to voicemail this time. The fucker turned his cell off.

Sitting my phone on the counter, I let out a growl. What the fuck is he up to?