His Kingdom (Owning Vegas Book 1)

I manage to shower, dress, put on a bit of makeup, and blow dry my hair before Evie wakes up. I’m kinda glad, because I feel like I needed some alone time to wrap my head around the fact that I just got married. And not just to anyone. To Louie. The man looks like he’s just stepped off a runway all the damn time. When he came out of the room this morning dressed in a three-piece suit, I thought I was dreaming.

How is that man my husband?

Then there’s the whole “I’ll kill anyone who hurts you” thing I am working through on my own. Mostly, I’m just trying to accept that it’s okay for me to accept him for who he is. There’s a part of me that says I need to object to his less than law-abiding way of life. When it comes down to it, I don’t, though. I really am falling in love with him, despite his morally gray nature. Or is it because of it?

I’m not sure. But when I’m with Louie, I feel like I’m myself for the first time in a long time. He’s not trying to make me into the version of me he wants me to be. Which is exactly what it was like with Owen. Who I really can’t think about right now. If I do, guilt overwhelms me. He’s dead because of me. There is no getting around that.

I wonder how my sister is handling it? Is she heartbroken? Do I care? Yes, I would never want my sister to feel heartbreak.

“Hey, you look nice,” Evie says as she sleepily makes her way into the living room.

“I’ve been waiting for you to wake up,” I tell her.

“Let me get coffee first,” she groans and walks into the small kitchen area.

I stand and throw my phone onto the table. I was contemplating reaching out to my sister. Or maybe my mom. But they can wait. I need to talk Evie into getting on a flight home. Although I think once she finds out Emmanuel spent the night watching her sleep, or at least I think he did, she’s going to run anyway.

“Hey, I think you should get an early flight back home,” I tell her.

Evie pours the coffee from the pot into a mug before turning around to face me. “Why?”

“Remember that guy from last night? The one you were flirting with?”

“Emmanuel, kinda hard to forget.” She smiles.

“Yeah, well, I don’t think he was kidding around about being a cartel boss, hon. When I woke up, he was holding a gun to Louie’s head.”

“What?” Evie shrieks, coffee spilling from her mouth.

“He wanted to wake me up and Louie wouldn’t do it,” I try to explain.

“You mean, the guy you just met had a gun to his head and still wouldn’t wake you up?” she asks me. “That man is a keeper, Charlotte.”

“Yeah, well, I did marry him. But that’s not the point. Emmanuel wanted to know what happened.”

“What happened when?” Evie questions.

“To you,” I say gently. “He was watching you sleep. I didn’t know. He left after he carried you up to the bedroom. I didn’t know he came back,” I tell her.

“He carried me up to bed?” She shakes her head. “Doesn’t matter. What did you tell him?”

“You were talking in your sleep, Evie. He was adamant on finding out why. I didn’t tell him anything other than to look into the pageant world.”

Evie’s eyes widen. “It doesn’t matter. I’m sure he’s forgotten about it by now. But you’re right. I do need to get home.”

“I’m sorry,” I say. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I know that.”

“It’s fine. He can dig all he wants. He’s not going to find anything, because there is nothing to find. I’m glad I was here when you got married,” she says.

“Me too. It’s crazy, right?” I sigh.

“It is, but I think it was for the best. You seem… happy with him.”

“We don’t even know each other. What if it turns out he clips his toenails in bed or something just as gross? Or what if he wakes up tomorrow and decides he doesn’t want to be married anymore?” I ask her.

“What if he doesn’t? What if you spend the rest of your life waking up next to him and you’re both sickeningly happy? What if you get to live the dream everyone wants?” Evie counters.

“I know, but I just worry. It’s all happened so fast.”

“You know, there are many cultures that have arranged marriages and those work out. Is it fast? Yes, but that doesn’t make it wrong,” Evie says.

“How did you get so smart?”

“I don’t know, but don’t tell anyone because I don’t need them all expecting this level of wisdom from me.” Evie laughs. “Now, I’m going to shower and find a flight.” She places her empty mug on the counter and walks off. Only to stop short. “He’s not still around, is he?”

“Who?”

“Emmanuel?”

“I have no idea. Want me to ask Louie?”

“No, I just want to get out of here without running into him. It’s creepy that he watched me sleep… and embarrassing.”

“I’ll make sure you don’t have to see him.” I don’t know how, but I’ll make it happen.

“Thank you for helping me,” I tell Sammie as I climb into the car after dropping Evie off at the airport.

“Anytime,” he says. “You’re family now.”

My phone vibrates in my bag. I dig around for it and quickly see I have ten missed calls. All from Louie. I frown. I didn’t hear it ring. Just as I go to swipe to answer it, it cuts out.

“Boss?” Sammie says, and then Louie’s voice comes over the speaker in the car.

“I can’t get a hold of Charlotte and she’s at the airport.” He sounds… stressed.

“Ah, how do you know I’m at the airport?” I ask before Sammie adds, “Yeah, we just dropped Evie off. On our way back to the Royal now.”

“You dropped Evie off?” Louie parrots.

“How do you know where I am?” I repeat, seeing as he didn’t answer me the first time.

“We’ll discuss it when you get back,” Louie says, his voice now devoid of emotion. “No stopping. Straight here.” He then cuts the call.

I look to Sammie. “Does he always just order you around like that?”

“He’s in a mood. Probably because he thought you were making a run for it.” He chuckles.

“How does he know where I am?”

Sammie shrugs. “No idea. You’ll have to take that one up with your husband.”

“You’re lying, but don’t worry because I will take it up with him,” I grumble before changing the subject. “Do you have a girlfriend? Or boyfriend? Or even both?”

“Neither.” He shivers, as if the mere thought of being in a relationship is the worst thing that could happen to him.

“Does Carlo?”

“No.” Sammie laughs again.

“Okay then. Nice chat,” I groan.

“Look, we just aren’t used to this. It’s always been the four of us. Mostly three, because Emmanuel was taken to Mexico and only visited on holidays. But we’ve always just had each other.”

“And now you have me.” I smile. “And Carlo has Jazzy. Do you think her mom will turn up for her? I can’t believe someone would just leave their child.”

“That’s because you come from a good family. Good parents. We didn’t all grow up like that.” Sammie turns to me. “And if she is his, then she has all of us. We’re a package deal.”

“I do have good parents. As much as my mother grates on my nerves, she never would have left me, and my parents worked hard to provide for us.” Speaking of, I really need to call my mother. And probably my sister. I’m not ready to forgive Melanie, but I do want to make sure she’s okay.

“I like you for Louie,” Sammie tells me as we pull up in front of the Royal Flush Casino. “Don’t hurt him.”

“I won’t.” I couldn’t imagine hurting him. “I’m just going to make a quick call before we go up.”

“Okay, I’ll wait outside for you.”

I take a deep breath, close my eyes for a minute, and then force myself to scroll through my contacts until I find my sister’s number. “Charlotte? Oh my god, I’m so glad you called. Are you okay?” she answers almost instantly.

“Am I okay?” I ask her. “You know what? I think I am… Are you?”

“I am so sorry. That should have been the first thing I said. There is no excuse for what I did. I don’t know why I did it, and I really am sorry,” she rushes out in one long breath.

“I don’t know what to say, Melanie.”

“I know.”

“He’s dead,” I blurt, leaving out the part that I’m the reason why.

“I know. Are you okay, though? I mean, you loved him. Of course you’re not okay.”

“You thought I loved him and you still slept with him? How long? How long were you fucking my fiancé behind my back?” I hiss into the phone.

“I… It was only that one time, Charlotte. I swear.” She starts crying.

“Stop. You don’t get to cry. It was supposed to be my wedding night,” I remind her.noveldrama

“I know. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“We are never going to be the same. You know that, right? How am I ever going to trust you again?”

“I’ll do whatever it takes. I will do anything, Charlotte. Just tell me what to do,” she pleads. “Let me come to you.”

“No.” I shake my head, even though she can’t see me, and a stray tear falls down my cheek. “I got married last night. And I don’t want you anywhere near my husband. I don’t trust you.”

“You what? To whom? You went and got married. Your fiancé just died.”

“Owen wasn’t mine, though. I gotta go.” I cut the call before she can ask any more questions, and a text message from Melanie comes through almost immediately.

Melanie:

I love you. I’m sorry.

I swipe it off my screen, pocket my phone, and climb out of the car.

“You good?” Sammie asks me.

“Yeah.” I nod. I’m not, but my issues with my sister are just that. Mine.