Chapter 2
“Nicole, you’ve been busting your ass for Alaric for over ten years. You’ve earned it.
“I’ll make sure he gives you a nice promotion. Maybe even throw in a few hot male models while we’re at it. Can’t let your love life get neglected, right?”
“And Alaric… He just can’t wait any longer. He’s marrying me tomorrow. Ugh, it’s just so.”
I tightened my grip on the gun in my hand, barely holding back the urge to blow her away right there.
“Move,” I said coldly, shooting her a glare as I turned to leave.
But Amara blocked my path, pulling a little journal from her bag. Her voice was syru
syrupy sweet, her eyes full of mischief. “This is a collection of love notes Alaric wrote for me over the years whenever he missed. me. It’s kinda heavy in my purse. Nicole, can you toss it for me?”
With that, she gave a twirl and walked off, her dress swaying like dancing on my grave. I stood in the cold wind, facing the crashing. waves, hands trembling as I opened the journal.
“April 12, 2024. The night I helped him break out of an ambush. He said. ‘Amara, if I survive this, I’ll marry you.‘
“August 5, 2023. When I found out Damian had ambushed him on a business trip, I grabbed two machetes. I stormed into enemy territory to save him.
“He said, ‘Baby, you smelled so damn good today.”
“January 24, 2021. When he got arrested, I offered to take the fall for him. He said, ‘If you were in my shoes, I’d never let you endure this pain‘.”
Every word in that diary hit me right in the heart, like a blade digging through my chest.
I begged Alaric to marry me so many times. He’d always kiss my forehead and say, “Nicole, just wait a little longer.
“I’ve made too many enemies. I need to clear a path for you once I have all of Seattle in my hands. Okay?”
you. I’ll
marry
But every time I brought it up again, he brushed me off.
Then, finally, a reply popped up on WhatsApp. One short word. Firm. Final.
“Deal!”
I tapped my phone screen, but I couldn’t help myself. I had to ask. “August 5, 2024. You were the sniper who went after Alaric, right?”
The response came instantly, full of righteous fury.
“Hell no! I was framed!
“You serious? That’s why you chased me with two damn machetes through nine streets? I swear, it wasn’t me!”
I let out a dry, bitter laugh.
So in Alaric’s eyes, I was just a clown. A toy he could mess with whenever he felt like it.
028
If that’s all I was, why should I stick around to be their joke?
After locking down the details for our escape plan with Damian, I started heading back. That’s when I heard voices by the yacht–Alaric was talking with his men.
“Alarie, the wedding dress has arrived. It’s the one you requested, the billion–dollar gown from the Ardent Crown Auctions.”
“But what if Nicole makes a scene? If she blows our cover, we could all get wiped out.”
Alaric didn’t even flinch. “I love Amara. She’s the only woman I’ll marry. Tomorrow’s wedding has to go smoothly. I won’t tolerate any surprises.
“Not even from Nicole. I’ll make sure she stays quiet.
“And keep your men’s mouths shut. If anyone leaks a word, I’ll feed them to the sharks.”
Even though I’d already decided to walk away, hearing the man who once swore he’d marry me talk like I was nothing and never mattered….
It still crushed me.
Back in my room, I started packing whatever I could take with me.
I stared at the room full of weapons and realized–aside from my ID, Alaric had never given me a single thing of my own.
No gifts. No jewelry. No dresses. Just weapons. Always weapons. Things to help him survive.
I used to ask him for a pretty dress or a necklace. He’d just scoff. “Nicole, even in a dress and necklace, you still don’t look like a
Chapter 2
woman. Don’t embarrass yourself.”
And yet Amara showed up with a damn truckload of jewelry and
gowns.
Why did she get to dress up and not me?
I dug through my closet and pulled out a red dress I’d stuffed away long ago. Put on heels. Did my makeup.
Right then, Amara barged right into my room without knocking.
“Nicole, you read the diary, right? Alaric loves…”
Her words caught in her throat the moment she saw me, dressed to kill, dripping with beauty sharp enough to cut. All she could do was gape.
