Caitlyn stood and helped me clear the dishes from the table. I still had no clue what I was supposed to say to her. Awkwardness flowed between us, and it needed to stop.

Luke helped us carry plates, then sat them down in the kitchen and walked away. He barely looked at me, and I hated that it had come to that.

"I can stay at the Bellagio if it's too weird," she said as she ran the dishes under the hot water.

"No. That's not necessary. Seriously. We just have to get to know each other, that's all," I said.

"True. So, tell me about yourself. Your childhood. Our parents. I want to know everything. How you ended up in Vegas. Everything."

I couldn't blame her. I would want to know too.

"Okay. Vegas. I had a job interview with a large firm and completely bombed it for being one minute late. It would have jump-started my career, but sometimes life throws curveb.a.l.l.s. Honestly, I feel like I was meant to be here all along. The city seemed to call to me, so after I sold the house, I banked on the interview and moved here. My turn. What do you do? How did you find me? How long have you known that you were adopted?"

Finnley walked in, placed a few cups on the counter, and gave me a smile before he walked out of the kitchen.

"I'm an interior decorator and hobby photographer. My parents told me I was adopted when I turned eighteen. It crushed me because so many people told me how I looked like my mother, but to find out she wasn't my birth mother . . . I couldn't believe it. I was hurt. I was angry. But then I got over it and thanked them for loving me like I really was their child. It was a hard year. They didn't know anything about my parents, other than they were young and were from Texas. I had some friends help research everything. We tracked down the hospital that I was born at, as well as one of the nurses who happened to still work there. Thankfully, she had a memory like an elephant. I learned their names, and it crushed me to hear they had died before I could meet them. I had searched for so long and wished I had worked harder. It took me eight years to solve the mystery. I had almost given up, but then I realized I had to know. I was almost obsessed about it."

I placed plates in the dishwasher. I tried to put myself in Caitlyn's place and realized that I couldn't. It was too hard for me to imagine, and I would have done exactly the same thing: kept searching.

"When I found out I had a sister, I seriously broke down because I wanted a sibling all my life. It was like all of my wishes had come true, and now you're here, standing beside me, and it makes me so emotional," she said.

My eyes watered and for a second I thought I would cry, but I swallowed it back. "I always wished for a sibling too, especially after Mom and Dad pa.s.sed away. I hated them for not trying harder for another baby, and it's like they keep sending little miracles to me." I choked up and didn't think I could finish.

Caitlyn wiped her hands on the towel and hugged me. We stood in the kitchen and cried. This is what it was like to have someone and even though we weren't close, we were all we had, as far as blood family.

"I'm so happy I found you," Caitlyn said. When we pulled away, she started laughing.

I laughed and watched as she wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"How long have you been madly in love with Finnley?"

"Months, though it feels like years. I used to take those stupid little relationship quizzes and would read my horoscope in the back of women's magazines. I remember wishing I would find someone who could turn my world upside down and make me feel all those little tingles that women spoke about in the articles. And now that I've got it, it all makes sense. I couldn't live without him," I said.

"So the guy with the black eyes is Finnley's younger brother?"

"I am," Luke said. He was holding chicken in his hand and sat it in the refrigerator.

A pink hue hit Caitlyn's cheeks and I smiled.

"How old are you?" Caitlyn asked.

"Twenty-seven, and you?"

"Twenty-six," she said.

"Who gave you that black eye?" Caitlyn was blunt, straight to the point, and I loved it.

"My brother punched me in the face for a mistake," he said, glancing over at me, then back at Caitlyn.

"Oh. You must have deserved it, then. Finnley seems like a nice guy."

Luke burst into laughter, and I started laughing as well. She looked confused. Finnley walked into the kitchen and leaned against the door. I glanced over at him, at the t-shirt that hugged his muscles, then down lower.

"Are we laughing at my expense?" Finnley asked. A smile touched his lips. I loved how he didn't hold grudges. G.o.d, I loved him.

I walked to Finn and wrapped my arms around his waist. He kissed my forehead and wrapped his arms around my neck. Finnley laced his fingers with mine and walked me to the dining room. I hated to leave Caitlyn and Luke alone, but they seemed to be getting along fine.

"Abbot called me. Baxtor found Jesse. He has an insider working with her, and she's planning to make her move in exactly three days, but we should be ready for her at any point. We all know how she loses it and randomly does things without planning. Apparently, she's livid. She wants us all dead."

Two knocks pounded against the door, and I heard a car speeding off. Finnley rushed to the door. When he opened it, the taillights were already fading in the distance. I followed behind him, and on the ground lay an envelope. He bent over and picked it up and slowly ripped the side open. I placed my hand on top of his and squeezed.

"Should we wait for Abbot?"

"We can't. But I'll need to call him."

He tilted the envelope, and a letter slipped out the side and drifted to the floor. Luke and Caitlyn walked in, laughing about something, and when they noticed something was wrong, they followed in behind us. Finnley opened the letter and read. With a strong fist, he crushed the letter in his strong hand then pulled out his phone and walked away. Luke and Caitlyn glanced at me, and I hurried to follow Finnley up the stairs.

"You're scaring me." I closed the door behind me. Finnley continued to speak with Abbot on his phone and handed me the letter. I smoothed out the paper and held it with shaky hands.

YOU'LL ALL BE DEAD WITHIN THE WEEK.

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS WHILE YOU CAN.

I HOPE YOU MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE, FINNLEY.

YOU DUG THE GRAVE, AND NOW YOU, JENNIFER, AND LUKETON WILL LAY IN IT.

I'M ALWAYS WATCHING. I'M ALWAYS AROUND.

I CAN'T WAIT TO WATCH YOU TAKE YOUR LAST BREATH.

I CAN'T WAIT TO WATCH YOU ALL BLEED OUT.

I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL YOU'RE DEAD AND ONLY A MEMORY.

SOON.

I dropped the letter on the ground. A tremor coursed through my body, and it was all because the physical fear that overcame me. Finnley ended the call and pulled me close to his chest.

"Abbot is sending ten guys to watch over the house. We will be safe through the night. I've got to inform Caitlyn and Luke of what is happening. They will both need to stay here."

I nodded, and he left me in the middle of our bedroom to drown in my worry.

This wouldn't end until someone was dead.

FINNLEY.

Twenty-three.

I awoke to an empty bed, and I couldn't ignore the knots in my stomach. I sat up and stared out the window because time meant absolutely nothing. I threw on clothes, and I didn't care whether they matched or not. I was on a mission, and I had to see Finnley. Something bubbled inside me, and if I didn't speak up now, it would boil completely over.

I walked down the stairs. Caitlyn and Luke were sitting on the couch, laughing. Abbot walked out of the kitchen drinking a cup of milk, and I grabbed the keys from the counter. He slammed the milk down on the bar and followed me out the door.

Abbot picked up his phone and quickly dialed a number. "Liam get the men together and watch Luke and Cait. I've got to go." He ended the call and stared at me.

"Oh, you're going with me?" I asked sarcastically. He had to go with me. He was my shadow, my protector from the darkness that stalked me.

"At least let me drive." He held out his hand. Without arguing, I handed him the keys.

"The Elite building."

Abbot slammed on the gas and weaved around cars. It was nice having someone drive who was in a hurry to get everywhere for no apparent reason. But then again, the open roads encouraged people to push fast cars to their limits. I understood his need for speed.

He parked on the street, and I got out of the car without waiting for him. He jogged to keep up with me. The elevator waited. We stepped inside and rode in silence to Finnley's floor. I know Abbot thought I had completely lost my mind, but it wasn't like that. I was on a f.u.c.king mission.

The secretary sat at the round desk outside of Finnley's office making appointments for the upcoming week. I asked to see Finnley, so she made a call and I was asked to wait, again. So I sat. Abbot leaned against the wall looking bored to be in the Elite office. The man made looking like a bada.s.s seem easy, with his leather jacket, boots with huge buckles, and scruff. I rolled my eyes. He really did love annoying me, though it was like having a big brother.

"Mr. Felton is ready for you," she said.

For some reason, I was nervous. I walked in, and he looked up from his computer and stopped typing, with a smile on his face.

"Surprise," I said.

"Come in. Is everything okay?" Worry hit his eyes and I gave him a soft smile.

"I've been doing some heavy thinking, and I realized something I can't stop thinking about. It's consuming me." I glanced out the large windows behind Finnley, then looked over at the wall where this had all started when I'd joined the Elite. I remembered his mouth on mine, and his hands in places they hadn't belonged, but all of that had unlocked something inside me that couldn't be closed again: my heart. Love. Adoration. I would have waited the rest of my life for Finnley, but right now, I couldn't.

"What's that?" he asked.

"I want you. All of you. I'm ready to be yours forever."

Finnley walked around his desk until his face was inches from mine. "What are you saying?" His eyes searched my face.

I opened my mouth to take in my air and courage, because I needed them both. "I don't want to wait any longer to be Mrs. Felton. I want to be with you. I keep having these horrible thoughts that Jesse is going to find me and take me away from you before we make it official. I want you. I want you forever. I've waited for you for all my life. I've waited for love like this for as long as I could remember, and now that I've got it, I keep asking myself what I am waiting for. The answer is: nothing. There is nothing stopping me from being your wife. If you'll still have me, Finnley."

His eyes searched my face, and I opened my mouth to take in air. Fear of what he would say, his reaction to this, streamed through my veins and pumped with my blood. I admitted it was a lot to throw at him randomly, but I couldn't hold it back anymore. He needed to know how I felt, how important it was to me.

"I would marry you right here, right now."

At that moment, I had never felt so much happiness. Everything seemed to fall into place, and I knew this was the right thing. A smile swept across my face. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and his arms hugged me around my waist. He spun me around, then dipped me down in his arms and kissed me.

"Mr. Felton. I have one small request. Can we go away?"

"Deal. Any place in particular? And I have one request as well."

I shook my head. It didn't matter, as long as I was with him. His lips curled up into a s.e.xy side grin. "I want Luke and Caitlyn to join us. I've got the perfect place in mind. It will be a surprise. Do you trust me?"

"Of course, and yes," I whispered.

"I'll make arrangements. Pack when you get home. We will leave tomorrow morning," he said. His lips softly brushed against mine, then he walked away, smiling. Happiness covered my body, along with an excitement that I had not experienced before.

"I love you," Finnley said as I moved toward the door.

"I love you too." I blew him a kiss, and he caught it and tucked it in his pocket.

"I can't wait to fall in love with you every day for the rest of our lives."

"You already are. Oh, and you can't see me until the wedding. Starting as soon as you walk out of that door," Finnley said as he sat behind his computer.

I walked back into the office, pushed his chair back, climbed onto his lap, and kissed him like I had never kissed him before. When his tongue brushed against mine, I didn't know whether I could stop. We pulled away, both gasping for air. I touched my forehead against his and stared into his eyes.

"Deal," I said, knowing that was the last time I would kiss him for G.o.d only knew how long.

I glanced behind me before I shut the door, then I leaned against it. My heart raced, and the reality of what had just happened hit me like a ton of bricks. Tomorrow we would leave. Soon we would be married.

I let out a long sigh as I held my hand over my heart, and the clearing of a throat pulled me from my paradise of love.

Abbot shook his head, so I stood up straight and tucked my hands in my pockets.

"You're so weak for him," Abbot said as he led the way to the elevator.

He had no idea.

Abbot climbed in the car, and before he started it, I told him that we needed to go to a bridal shop. He pulled his hand from the ignition and turned toward me.

"A wha?"

"I think it's called Couture Bride on South Durango Drive. Apparently they know how luxury is done."

His eyes widened, and he knew what it meant. "When's the-"

"Wedding? We leave tomorrow. I'm sure Finn will tell you, but I cannot leave until I get a dress. I can't not have one."

Abbot cranked the car, shoved it in drive, and sped down the street. As if he had the address memorized, he pulled up to the suite and parked. I picked up the phone and called Caitlyn to meet me. Abbot gave me a sweet, little smile, and I returned it.

In the back of my mind, I feared Jesse would appear at any moment, but I pushed those horrible thoughts away. Abbot would protect me without hesitation, and that was comforting because I knew what he was capable of. I relaxed as we sat in the parking lot and waited for Cait. The goal was to make sure to pick out the most perfect dress, and I needed to focus on that.

FINNLEY.