Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-Four

D ani’s been back in the office for a week. To say my life finally feels like it’s on track again is an understatement. With her by my side, I’m at my peak in everything. Although I am also walking on eggshells, knowing I could fuck up at any given moment and lose her all over again. If I don’t stay on my game, if I don’t keep her satisfied and happy, she could easily walk away. Not that I wouldn’t chase her down. I’ve already proven I’m not above handcuffing her to a bed if that’s what it takes. But the thought of losing her scares the shit out of me. I’ve never had to consider another person’s feelings before. Presently, Dani is the first person I think of when making plans.

Like right now. Nathan and Xavier are asking me to go with them to Unhinged tonight. The club we used to frequent regularly. I haven’t been there in a while and never with Dani. I don’t even know if clubs are her thing. Maybe I’ve been keeping her locked up too much…

We basically leave work, get takeout for dinner, go back to one of our apartments, and fuck until we’re both worn out and fall asleep.

“I’ll see if Dani wants to go,” I tell them.

“Go where?”

I turn at the sound of her voice. “These two want to go to Unhinged tonight. You wanna go? We don’t have to.”

“Sure, why not. Can I invite my friends?” she asks me.

“Of course you can.” I grin and pull her into my arms. She stiffens slightly. She doesn’t like PDA at the office. She’s going to have to get used to it around Xavier and Nathan though. They’re my best friends. And I do see them regularly outside of work—that is until more recently.

“Thanks. It’ll be fun. It’s been forever since I’ve been out.”

“You like going out?” I ask her.

“Well, yeah, but I kind of figured you three were well past the nightclub age,” she says pointing at me, then Nathan and Xavier.

“I can still fire you,” Nathan grunts in reply.

“You can, and I’d just hire her right back,” I tell him.

“Okay, I’m going to drag Shardonnay out of here. We’ll meet you guys there.” Xavier gets up and walks out.

“Yep, see you there.” Nathan isn’t far behind him.

“You ready to leave?” I ask Dani.

“Yes, but I’m going to have to go back to my place and pick up a dress if we’re going out,” she tells me.

“We’ll make a detour. Let’s go.”

I’m sitting on Dani’s sofa, because she insisted on getting ready at her place. She’s holed up in the bathroom with her friend Daisy. They’ve been in there for an hour. “Dani, I know how fucking gorgeous you are, so it really shouldn’t take you this long to throw on a dress,” I yell out to her.

“Okay, sorry! I’m done.” She rounds the corner.

My gaze slowly runs up the length of her body, starting at her stilettoed feet and travelling along her bare legs. Her very fucking bare legs. Over the curves of her hips, currently being hugged by a skin-tight white mini skirt. My eyes land on her exposed stomach and trail up to her breasts that are barely covered by what I want to say is a bra because there’s no way it’s a top.

“No, you’re not. You forgot to put your clothes on, babe,” I tell her.

“What? Don’t be daft. These are my clothes.” Dani smooths her hands down the scraps of material she calls an outfit.

“Nope. That’s underwear at best. That’s not clothes. Where’s the rest of it? I can see your stomach, Dani,” I tell her.

“Doesn’t she look hot?” Daisy comes up behind her, and her choice of attire isn’t much better.

“She does, but she’d look hot wearing a potato sack,” I counter.

“She would,” Daisy agrees.

“Dani, babe. Please. You can’t go out like that. I’m going to have a boner all fucking night.”

“How is that different from any other night?” she asks.

“It’s different because we’ll be in a nightclub, not at home, in a bed.”

“Well, the sooner we go, the sooner we can get back home and climb into that bed.” She smiles.

“Right, let’s go.” I take her hand and lead her out of the apartment.

After making a quick stop at my place, we finally arrive at Unhinged. I escort Dani past the line of people waiting to get inside and nod at the bouncer as he opens the rope. Being friends with Xavier Christianson comes with its perks. Never having to wait in line is just one of them.

Dani’s hand is gripped firmly in mine. I’m probably squeezing too tight, but I don’t want to lose her in the crowd. It’s more packed in here than usual. I walk straight up to the VIP section, and Dani pulls back when we reach the stairs.

“What’s wrong?” I ask into her ear, over the noise of the music.

“I need to find Eloise and Claire. They’re here somewhere,” she says.

“Message them. Find out where they are.”

“You can go up there.” She gestures to the stairs. “I’ll find them and meet you.”

I shake my head. I’m not fucking leaving her down here with the wolves. I can see how male clubgoers are already looking at her. If I wasn’t with her right now, they’d be circling her like hungry fucking sharks. Not fucking happening.

Dani pulls out her phone and taps away. “Oh, they’re up there,” she says, pointing to the second floor.

“Perfect, come on.” I find everyone already sitting around our usual lounge. Xavier and Shardonnay, Nathan and Bentley, Lucy and Dominic, and then there’s Eloise and her boyfriend Gio De Bellis, who I haven’t met yet but have heard all about, along with Claire.

Daisy jumps over Eloise and Gio to sit next to Claire. “Please tell me you brought at least one of your hot brothers with you tonight, Gio,” she says.

“Sorry, they’re all busy tonight,” Eloise answers for him.

“Busy, or are you just withholding them from me?” Daisy laughs.

I let Dani slide in next to Eloise. “Oh, Gio, this is Alistair, my… exclusivity partner,” Dani says.

“Boyfriend works too, Dani,” I tell her before holding out a hand to Gio. “Nice to meet you.”

“You too, and I’m glad it’s not because my fiancée put a hit out on you.” He laughs.

“Wait. What did you just say?” Dani screams.

“I was kidding, Dani. I told her no,” Gio says.

“No not the hit part. The fiancée part.” Dani snatches up Eloise’s left hand. “Holy shitballs. No fucking way! Eloise, how…? How could you not video call me the moment it happened?” she says.

“It’s new, today actually, and I was otherwise occupied immediately afterwards. And then you called and said to meet you tonight so I decided to tell you in person,” Eloise explains.

“I can’t believe this. You’re getting married. Like for real!” Dani squeals.

“For real,” Eloise replies.

“Ah, so are we,” Xavier adds. “Next week.”

“Excuse me, repeat that?” I ask him.

“Shardonnay and I are getting married next week. We’ve booked out a resort in the Whitsundays. You’re all coming, obviously, but it’s going to be a small ceremony. Family and close friends only.”

“You’re serious?” I’m not sure if I heard him right.

“Yes,” he confirms.

“A week…” I reply. He hasn’t even come to me for paperwork yet. I’m not about to let my best mate get married without an ironclad prenup. Especially when that best mate is set to inherit a multi-billion-dollar corporation. “Xavier, help me grab a round of drinks,” I tell him and stand. I lean down, press my lips to Dani’s ear, and whisper, “Don’t move, I’ll be right back.”

“We have table service,” Nathan says, like I haven’t been here a million times and don’t know how it works.

“Xavier, now,” I say in a more commanding tone.

Xavier rolls his eyes at me, but he does push to his feet and follow me over to the bar. “Before you say it, I don’t want one,” he tells me the moment we’re out of earshot.

“You might not want one but you bloody well need one,” I remind him.

“No, I don’t. Even if the worst did happen, and she fucking leaves me, I’d still want her looked after, Alistair. I’d want her to have it. I don’t fucking need it anyway,” he says, as if it’s that simple.

“I’m going to write up a prenuptial agreement for you, and you can either sign it or not. Though, as your lawyer, I strongly advise you to fucking sign it. We’re talking billions here, Xavier, not a few million.” I rake a hand through my hair. It makes me anxious just thinking about it.

“One, you’re not my lawyer. Because, in case you forgot, I’m not after a divorce. And, two, you’ll be wasting your time.”

“One, you’re not after a divorce yet . They always come, eventually.”

“My parents have been married for forty years. Happily,” he says with a smug smile on his face.

“Your parents are the oddity. You can’t live your life based on the best-case scenario. You need to prepare for the worst.”

“Okay, I get it. You’re a cynical old bastard and all. But this is my wedding, Alistair. Just be happy for me. Celebrate that I’ve somehow managed to talk Shardonnay into marrying my ass. You know how long I’ve been in love with this girl,” he says.

“I am happy for you. But I wouldn’t be a good mate if I didn’t try to protect your interests.”

“Come on. Let’s just enjoy the night,” he says.

I follow Xavier back over to the table. Dani is still there, exactly where I left her. I wrap an arm around her shoulder and pull her against me.

“Now that my fiancée is back, I just want to clarify that we are not getting married next week,” Shar says. “It’ll be a while yet.” She laughs.

“What? I thought we agreed on next week.” Xavier appears genuinely shocked.

“No, you tried to talk me into next week. I declined,” she says, pointing from him to herself.

“I happen to think next week is a great date for a wedding. And I already booked the resort.”

“Well, it sucks that you’ll be going by yourself. We’re not getting married next week, Xavier,” Shardonnay replies, more sternly this time.

“I’ll get married next week,” Eloise says. “I’ll take your booking, Xavier.”

“Babe, we can’t just go to some random resort and get married. There’s shit I need to put in place before we travel,” Gio tells her.

“Gio, I’m going to be at that resort next week. If you want to marry me, then you’ll figure out a way to meet me there.” Eloise crosses her arms over her chest.

“Fucking hell. You are going to be the death of me… I swear to god.” Gio curses under his breath as he pulls out his phone and starts tapping furiously on the screen.

“You okay?” Dani asks me.

“Never been better.” I lean down and capture her lips in mine.

“Ew, stop, there’s a reason bedrooms were invented.” An ice cube hits my head, and I look up to see Xavier’s sister glaring at us.

“Lucy, you don’t know what bedrooms were invented for. You’re not old enough to know that,” I tell her.

“Oh yeah, well, I guess when Dominic snuck into my bed last night and…” A hand covers her mouth, and Dominic whispers something into her ear before dropping his arm. “Fine, you’re right. I don’t know anything about what bedrooms were invented for,” she says to me, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

I look from Dominic to Lucy. I don’t like him. How the fuck Xavier is so casual about them being together beats me. “Good, keep it that way,” I tell her.