Packing Heat: A Bad Boy Secret Baby Romance (Barone Crime Family) (24 page)

A
s far as
last-minute flights went, ours was pretty uneventful.

The first flight to Vegas didn’t leave until five in the morning, and so we were stuck sitting around in the terminal all night. I tried to sleep while Nash sat around reading on his phone or whatever he was doing. He didn’t seem particularly talkative, which didn’t exactly surprise me. He wasn’t known as a super chatty guy.

He was a Navy SEAL, after all. He was supposedly a badass, trained to kill in a thousand different ways. Part me of understood that and was afraid of it, and part of me was excited beyond belief.

Eventually, though, we boarded the plane. Nash got us first-class tickets, so the flight out to Vegas was actually pretty comfortable. We both finally got some sleep, thanks in part to the free whisky Nash drank like water.

Eventually, though, the plane landed, and we were out walking into the dry Las Vegas air.

We took a cab to the main strip, and I couldn’t help but gape around us as we walked.

“This is amazing,” I said.

Nash laughed. “Yeah. Looks that way on the outside.”

“What’s that mean?”

“It’s Las Vegas. This whole damn city is rotten on the inside.”

I frowned at him. “Why are you so pessimistic all the time?”

He shrugged. “Realistic, babe.”

I sighed. “Listen, I need to buy some clothes. I feel disgusting.”

“Here,” he said. He pulled a card from his wallet. “Go get whatever you want. I’ll check us into the Bellagio.”

I raised an eyebrow. “The Bellagio? Isn’t that really fancy?”

“Fuck yes it is,” he said, laughing. “It’s our damn wedding; we might as well go all out.”

“Okay,” I said, smiling despite myself.

“I’m checking in under the name Glen Patton. Ask for that at the front desk. I’ll instruct them to give you a key when you’re ready.”

“Okay.”

He grinned at me. “Welcome to Vegas, wife.”

Without another word, he turned and walked off.

I watched him go for a minute, completely overwhelmed, before walking again. I was looking for somewhere to buy some decent clothes that wouldn’t cost thousands, but I couldn’t exactly find a Gap.

Eventually I wound up in a little boutique, picking out clothes. I got some underwear, a couple shirts, a couple skirts, pants, and finally ended up in the dress section. 

I looked around, biting my lip. I felt strange knowing that in a few hours I was going to marry a perfect stranger. And yet my stomach was doing flips from the nerves, and I knew I was excited. The rational part of me was aware that it wasn’t really my wedding day, but I couldn’t help myself.

I’d always thought about what it would be like to get married. I figured it would be to some handsome, kind person who I’d fallen in love with, not some brash, rich asshole who only wanted to use me.

But I was using him too, after all. It was a business deal, plain and simple.

Still, I wanted to look good. I looked through the dresses idly until stopping on the perfect one.

It was revealing, low cut but not too inappropriate. It was more of a cocktail dress than a wedding thing, but it was white. I grabbed it and tried it on.

And it fit. Actually, I looked pretty damn good. I laughed, looking at myself in the dress in the mirror. It hugged my hips and flattered my body in a way I didn’t think was even possible, but there I was.

Wearing my wedding dress.

I got changed back into my regular clothes and went to pay for everything. I was shocked when the cashier told me how much it all would be, but I didn’t worry too much about it.

It was on my new husband, after all.

Smiling to myself, I left the shop and headed toward the Bellagio. I saw the sign in the distance and suddenly felt nervous all over again.

I was going to meet my husband in our hotel room. Then we were going to get married.

That still seemed like madness, even if I knew it was true.

I made my way to the hotel and gave Nash’s fake name at reception. They gave me a key and I made my way up to the top floor.

The Bellagio was all classy decorations and wealth. It was beautiful and chic, the sort of place I could never stay at on my own. The ceilings were huge and people were milling about everywhere. The marble floors were shined to perfection, and I felt completely out of place in the clothes I’d worn for the last day straight.

Finally, the elevator made it to the top floor. I checked my key, frowning, and walked forward.

There were only two doors. I tried the key on the second door, and it popped open immediately.

I walked inside. “Nash?”

The room looked like the living room of an incredibly rich family. A couch, some chairs, a table, plus its own little kitchen; it was incredible.

“In here,” I heard him say.

I walked toward the back and entered the bedroom. The whole place was huge, and the bedroom was no different. The bed was large and luxurious, and Nash was sitting in it with his shirt off, watching football on television.

“How’d it go?” he asked.

I held up my bags. “You’re a lot poorer now.”

He smirked. “Good.”

I stared at him for a second, my eyes roaming his body. “Don’t you ever wear a shirt?”

“Nah,” he said. “Not anymore I don’t.”

I frowned. “Whatever. I need to get changed, so you need to get out of here.”

He cocked his head. “Why should I leave? You’re going to be my wife.”

“Business associates, remember?” I asked. “Get out.”

He shrugged. “Fine. Just make it quick. I just made us a reservation for a little wedding chapel.”

“Okay.”

He got up out of bed and walked past me, not bothering with a shirt. I watched him leave, marveling at the muscles rippling in his back, before shutting the door behind him.

I sat down on the bed, breathing fast and hard, trying to get myself under control. I felt like I was spinning all of a sudden. Being alone with him in an expensive, luxurious hotel room was really making it all sink in.

I had to sit there and remind myself over and over why I was getting involved with him, why I was going to marry him and lie to the world.

My father might be dying, and they needed the money more than anyone else.

I stood up and walked into the large bathroom, turning on the shower. I might as well clean myself up before getting ready for my wedding.

As the hot water rained down and soaked my body, I couldn’t help but start thinking about Nash’s naked chest again, his muscles, his serious grin, his intense gaze. I couldn’t help but think about the way he looked at me, the way it sent thrills through my body.

Nash Bell. He was a mystery to me, and dangerous.

And I was going to marry him.

* * *

“
D
amn
, girl,” Nash said, sitting up in his seat. “You look incredible.”

I blushed slightly. “Thanks. It’s not too much?”

He stood up and walked toward me. “Fuck no, it’s not too much,” he growled. “God damn, you’re getting me hard just looking at you.”

“Stop,” I said, smiling. “I figured I needed something white if we were going to get married.”

“This is perfect.” He stopped right in front of me, staring at my body.

“What are you wearing?”

He shrugged. “This.”

“No shirt?”

“I’ll grab something.”

“Okay then,” I said, looking away. “Let’s go.”

He stared at me for another second before walking back into the bedroom. He came back out in a black T-shirt. “Follow me.”

We went back down into the lobby, and he hailed a cab once we were outside. We climbed in and he gave the driver an address. He looked at me as we sped out into traffic.

“Ready?” he asked.

“I guess,” I said.

“This is the easy part.”

“Why’s that?”

He looked at me, leaning closer. I felt my heart begin to beat fast. “In there, it’s just you and me. We don’t have to lie.”

“It’ll be lying when I say, ‘I do,’” I said.

“Maybe.” He was so close to me, and I wasn’t sure why. “But maybe not.”

“Nash,” I said, but the cab pulled over.

“Let’s go,” he said, moving away. I watched him step out of the cab as I slowly regained my ability to breathe.

I followed him out of the car. He paid the driver and we walked together up the steps of a small white chapel.

Inside, he walked up to the receptionist. “We’re the Bell party, ready to get married.”

She smiled widely. “Mister Bell, welcome. We’re almost ready for you, if you want to wait just over there.” She gestured to a small waiting room.

We sat down in the chairs, getting comfortable. The place looked half like a doctor’s office and half like a church. There were prices and menus on the walls, but also testaments to the sanctity of marriage and bible verses. It didn’t look seedy though, like I’d thought it might. It was comfortable and clean, and the receptionist was pretty in a bland sort of way.

“Been here before?” I asked him.

“Nah,” he said. “First time in a chapel like this.”

“How’d you choose this one?”

He shrugged. “Googled it. Took the first one.”

“It’s nice.”

He grinned at me. “Nothing but the best for my wife.”

I looked away, breathing deeply.

This was it. We were finally in the chapel and I was actually going through with it. I was really going to stand up there and say the words and marry this man. And I didn’t know him at all.

Suddenly, he put his hand on my leg. “Relax,” he whispered. “Take deep breaths.”

I stared at him. “What?”

“You look like you’re about to pass out,” he said, his voice deep and close. “Take a deep breath and calm yourself.”

I breathed deep, focusing on the feeling of his hand on my thigh. I realized that he was right, that I really was about to pass out. My heart was hammering and my hands were shaking, and my nerves were getting the best of me.

“It’s okay,” he said. “It’s okay to be nervous. It’s going to be okay.”

I nodded at him. “Yeah. I’m good.”

His hand remained on my thigh. “I’ll be with you the whole way,” he said.

I nodded at his hand. “Keep it business between us,” I said.

He smirked and moved his hand. “Just trying to help.”

“Help without touching.”

He laughed and shook his head. “You’re welcome, princess.”

I opened my mouth to give him a biting reply, but at that exact moment the doors to the inner chapel opened. A group of drunk-looking people spilled out, smiling and laughing.

I watched as they slowly left the waiting room. The bride and groom looked so happy, and the people around them were clearly having a great time. They actually looked like they were in love.

I glanced at Nash and he nodded at me. I didn’t love him, not at all. We didn’t have anybody with us, no friends or family.

It was not how I had imagined my wedding would be.

An older man in a chaplain’s outfit stood in the doorway to the inner chapel and smiled at Nash and me.

“Are you two ready?” he asked.

Nash stood up. “Sure.”

“Right this way,” he said, and disappeared inside.

Nash held his hand out to me. “You ready, wife?”

I stared at his big, rough hand for a minute. If I took it and stood, I knew I’d go through with it.

Or, I could smack it away and run. I could run outside, get a cab, and be done with this whole crazy thing. I didn’t have to go in there at all, didn’t have to marry him.

This was my choice. He wasn’t forcing me; nobody was.

Nash looked at me expectantly.

My heart did flip-flops in my chest.