Chapter Two

Mia

Over the next two days, my entire family scrambled to get things in line for the upcoming wedding with the King family.

Amanda was still nowhere to be found, although her credit cards were being used, along with surveillance picking up her and the college boy she'd apparently run away with, moving through Mexico like they were on their own little honeymoon vacation.

If it wasn't causing my family so much time and inner turmoil, I might've found the entire situation kind of funny.

Trying on my sister's dress and veil, I couldn't help but admire myself in the mirror. Of course it was a perfect fit—that wasn't shocking at all—and looked terrific with my skin tone and hair. I had to say, my sister did have impeccable taste when it came to fashion.

"Are you nervous?" The seamstress, Betty, asked as she tailored the last little bit of hemming on the bottom of the skirt. "I wouldn't blame you if you were."

I had to hold my tongue in order to not spill the truth.

I was actually the complete opposite of nervous. In fact, I was quite excited to finally meet Xavier—the man I'd been corresponding with through letters over the past few months since his engagement to my sister had been announced.

Of course, he wasn't aware that I was the one writing all those letters. It had started as a suggestion to my sister one night when she'd been complaining after a night of drinking that getting married to "a man I've never even talked to" sounded worse than death.

The next morning, I'd taken my own suggestion to heart and had written the King family a letter, not expecting any kind of reply in return. To my surprise, though, Xavier had answered within a few days, interested in corresponding with me—or rather Amanda—more.

My intrigue for him had honestly only started out of sheer curiosity. I wanted to know more about the man my sister would be marrying. And who better to dig up intel on her future spouse than her own sister?

That was, until I started to slowly fall for him.

But no one had to know that. It was a secret I was going to take to my grave.

"Miss?" Betty's voice tugged me out of my thoughts. "You alright?"

I breathed out a long exhale, letting it settle me once more.

"Oh yeah. I'm great."

***

The wedding went smoother than I imagined.

It was held in an elegant chapel with over two hundred guests in attendance, as with any syndicate affair.

Getting up to the altar was easy, and I'd only gotten my first shock of nerves when Xavier lifted my veil and I took my first look of him in person.

And god was he handsome as sin.

His dark hair was combed back from his face, and a trimmed beard covered his strong, square jaw, giving his features an even sharper angle. His dark eyes bored into me while his tattooed fingers drifted over my cheeks while he lowered my veil.

"Hello," he said softly, ignoring the rest of the wedding party and the guests.

I couldn't help my shy smile, suddenly feeling bashful under his intense gaze. "Hi."

When he smiled, I could see the barest hints of dimples in his cheeks.

Amanda was so goddamn lucky.

"You may kiss the bride," the priest had said after blessing our union.

The moment Xavier's arm went around my waist and he dipped me back, electricity raced through me the moment his lips pressed against mine and the entire church erupted in celebration.

Being forced to let go of him after our kiss sealed the deal was close to torture, but I managed to pull myself together when he took my hand and led me down the aisle to our awaiting limo.

As soon as the door was shut behind us, I all but collapsed into my seat and breathed out a slow sigh, trying to regulate myself while my sister's new husband—or was he mine now too?—turned to look at me.

"You are more stunning in person than you let on."

I allowed myself to grin. "It's the glitter in my makeup. I was told it'd make me look like an angel."

His chuckle was deep, causing my belly to stir with desire.

Instead of answering me, he bent and dragged up the many layers to my dress, folding them into my lap. His hand wrapped around my ankle, his skin warm, as he pulled my leg up and turned me just enough to sit it in his lap.

"May I?"

I blinked in surprise, not sure what he was doing but nodding anyway.

Then again, why would I ever refuse him? It wasn't going to be long now that I had him all to myself. In fact, after Amanda showed up, I'd most likely have to do something to my appearance to make our differences obvious so Xavier wouldn't grow suspicious.

He slipped off my heel and cupped both of his hands around my bare foot, gently massaging along the bridge all the way up to my toes.

I practically melted against the car door, groaning. "Ugh, don't spoil me this soon or I'll be expecting it for the rest of our lives."

He chuckled again, not letting up on his massage. "Oh, how terrible that sounds."

How funny that Xavier King, a man whose reputation within the city's crime families was known to be both ruthless and cold, was massaging my feet after I'd been standing in heels at the altar for over an hour.

"I'm serious." I told him, closing my eyes. "Next I'll be expecting you to draw me a bath every night."

He didn't say anything for a long while, simply switching to my other foot once the first was taken care of. When he finally spoke again, his words surprised me.

"I'd love nothing more than to spoil you, Amanda."

Amanda.

I tried to not let that hurt me. And failed miserably.

Starting to put distance between Xavier and Iwas probably a good thing. But until my sister was found, maybe I could enjoy my time with him.