Wicked Heart (Starcrossed #3)(97)

Tension fills the room as we listen to Anthony’s voice reverberate in the corridor. Whoever’s on the other end of the phone is putting up a fight.

None of us talks. I glance at Liam. His shoulders are bunched and his hands are shoved in his pockets. Angel is next to him, arms crossed, gazing at the floor. They look like prisoners on death row waiting to hear if their sentences have been repealed.

After about ten minutes of tense conversation and some flat-out yelling, Kent comes back in. His usually perfect hair is disheveled, and he has a light sweat all over his face.

“It’s done.” He shoves the phone into his pocket. “All obligations have been fulfilled. Go fuck whoever the hell you like. Preferably yourselves. I’ll have the appropriate paperwork sent to you later today.”

He goes to leave, but I step in front of him. “Oh, one more thing. When you leave here, I expect you to have a private conversation with Ava, Mary, and Marco in which you explain about Liam and Angel’s relationship and clear my professional name. I don’t need my job back, but I do need them to know I’m not the horny home-wrecker they currently believe me to be.”

He crosses his arms over his chest. “I’m not admitting to the blackmail.”

“I don’t care about that. Just clear my name. And keep in mind, if you even think about starting a smear campaign against Liam and Angel, we have no problem leaking rumors that you have your own clients followed. And considering that what you’ve been doing is actually illegal, you have a hell of a lot more to lose than they do.”

He tenses his jaw so hard, he’s actually trembling. “Screw you, Elissa.”

Liam steps forward and puts his arm around me. “Sorry, asshole. That’s my job. Now, get out before I give you a reason to sue me for grievous bodily harm.”

Kent gives each of us one final glare before stalking out.

After the four of us release a collective exhale of relief, Angel squeals in triumph and pulls us all into a group hug.

“Hell, yeah! We did it! Free at last!”

After much jumping and laughing, Liam turns to me and takes my face in his hands. “You’re brilliant. You know that, right?”

I run my hands over his chest. “It was a group effort. It seems the four of us make a good team.”

“Yes, we do.” He lowers his head, and I’m holding my breath in anticipation of his lips when there’s a crash beside us.

We turn to see Josh pressing Angel up against the wall and kissing the hell out of her. For her part, Angel is kissing him back like her life depends on it.

“I hated seeing that asshole’s hands on you,” Josh says in between kisses. “I wanted to break all his fingers.”

Angels grips the front of his shirt. “Then show me what you’ve got, Kane. God knows I’ve waited long enough for you to put your hands on me.”

Josh makes an animalistic noise and spins her around so he can lift her onto the conference room table. Angel opens her legs and he quickly steps between them before kissing her again.

Liam and I look at each other and smile.

“Do you think they even know we’re still here?” he whispers.

“No. And damn them for getting to the giant table first. I had plans for that.”

He takes my hand and leads me out just as Angel starts pulling at Josh’s clothes. “I have a giant dining table in my apartment. Big. Expensive. Sturdy. Let me show you all the ways I can defile you on it.”

“Sold.”

We nearly run down the stairs and out to the street to grab a cab. It might be my imagination, but just before I close the cab door, I swear I hear Angel scream Josh’s name.





EPILOGUE


Six Months Later

St. Patricks’s Cathedral

New York City

A storm of nerves churns in my stomach as I look down the aisle. The church is packed with friends and family, and down in the front, I can see that my mother is already crying.

God, Mom. No. It’s a happy day. Please don’t cry or I’ll follow, and then my makeup will be ruined for the photos.

I take a deep breath and glance down at the bouquet in my hand. The symmetrical beauty of the flowers calms me a little, and when I look back up the aisle, Liam’s handsome face gazing back calms me even more. He looks at me with so much love, my heart swells.

I step away from the door and turn to Cassie, who’s waiting nervously behind me. She looks absolutely stunning in her ivory form-fitting gown and long veil. I always knew she’d make a stunning bride.

“Everyone’s seated,” I say, and take her hand. “Ready to make an honest man out of my brother?”

She nods, and I can tell she’s fighting back tears. “I’ve been onstage in front of thousands of people, and yet I’ve never been this nervous before. As soon as I see Ethan at the end of the aisle, I’m going to be a sobbing mess. You know that, right?”

“Yep. Don’t worry—I’ll be right there with you.”

Ruby, Cassie’s best friend from college, steps forward. “I have tissues and a flask of vodka. Don’t panic, girls. We got this.” Ruby’s a nice no-nonsense counterpoint to Cassie and me. We all take a deep breath and share a group hug.

When the music starts, we do last-minute checks before taking our positions, then it’s time to take the long trek down to the altar. I go first, followed by Ruby, and then Cassie.