Chapter 2

• How could she have done this to Joshua? Her love and my love for him were so different. I gave him away to give him time to pursue her because I thought that’s what would make him really happy, and yet she would rather he be dead than with me.
• He could have died. I nearly did die. My eyes drift down to the horrible, thick purple scar on my wrist.
• I hate her. I hate every damn thing about that poisonous bitch. My gaze wanders to Joshua again, and when our eyes meet, he seems to read my mind, and frowns in question.
• I shake my head softly in a dismissive gesture and smile.
• “I’m going to go see my man,” I whisper.
• I swim up to his end of the pool along with the girls. I’m looking forward to getting him to myself tonight. Mum and Bridget have been by my side constantly since my release, understandably scared to take their eyes off of me.
• “You ready for bed, Presh?” he asks.
• I smile. That name will never get old.
• “Hey. You two are not supposed to be sleeping together on the night before the wedding,” Bridget announces.
• Joshua looks at her deadpan. “Yeah, well, that’s not happening.”
• I nod my weary head and swim over to the stairs. Joshua retrieves a towel and wraps me in it protectively as I climb out. I kiss his chest through his t-shirt. It’s so damn good to be home and in his arms.
• “Take me to bed, my Lamborghini,” I whisper.
• “We’re turning in,” Joshua announces to our families.
• “Its only ten.” Cameron frowns as he stands on the pool stairs. We are obviously interrupting his impending swim.
• “Yes, so? Go and swim in your pool and get out of mine.” Joshua yawns.
• Everyone smiles and stands. “See you tomorrow. Bye.” They all call out as they start to head back to their rooms. The girls are staying in the house next door, the boys in the one after that, and then the bodyguards in the end house. Margaret and Robert are staying in a luxury resort down the hill.
• Suddenly alone with my man, I stand with my arms wrapped around him and I look up at his beautiful face.
• He smiles and kisses me gently on the lips. “You ready for bed, my bride to be?”
• “Mrs. Stanton?” I whisper. Is this real? Are we really getting married tomorrow?
• He smiles the sexiest damn smile I have ever seen.
• “Sounds old.” I smirk.
• “Sounds good,” he whispers. “And old.”
• I narrow my eyes. “You are older than me, you do remember that don’t you, Mr. Stanton?”
• He kisses me again, and his tongue sweeps gently through my open mouth, making me feel a throb that only he can ever instil.
• “I feel ninety,” he whispers.
• I giggle. “Well, you best get Cam to write you a script for Viagra, because I am feeling seventeen and dangerous.”
• I wake to the bed bouncing, and force myself to pry my heavy eyelids open. Mum, Bridget and Abbie are sitting on the end of the bed with stupid grins on their faces.
• “Wake up, sleepy head.” Mum smiles.
• I sit up in a rush as I remember what today is. Holy crap. “Where’s Joshua?” I stammer.
• Bridget rolls her eyes, adding in a soft shake of her head. “He’s on wedding crack or something.”
• I smile broadly. “What’s he doing?”
• “He has been ordering everyone around like a lunatic since 6:00 a.m. this morning. He has poor Cameron up a tree stringing fairy lights, Adrian in charge of flowers, and Nicholas making playlists. Ben is in charge of the tables and chairs, and he has Brock in charge of the food.
• Abbie rolls her eyes. “And that’s just stupid because we all know that Brock will just eat all of the food.”
• I smirk. “Sounds dreadful.”
• “It’s good to be a girl today.” Mum smiles
• “Where’s Max?”
• “He is helping Ben.”
• I flop back down onto my pillow. “This is, like, my favourite day ever.” I smile in delight. “What time are we getting married?”
• “Five o’clock.”
• “On the ledge, right?”
• “Yes.”
• “What do they want us to do?” I ask.
• “Nothing. Just show up, I imagine.” Mum smirks.
• I smile broadly before jumping out of bed and running to the bathroom as the girls lay on my bed. This is it! This is the day I have been waiting for forever. I can hardly contain my excitement. That is, until I take a long, hard look at myself in the mirror. Holy crap, this just won’t do. I look like death and I’m pasty white. I march back out to the girls and put my hand on my hip in disgust.
• “That’s it, we are going to the beach.”
• The girls all look at me like I’ve gone completely mad. “You want to go the beach? Today?”
• “I look like freaking Casper the Ghost. I need some sun, stat.”
• Abbie bites her bottom lip to stifle her smile. “There’s my girl. I’ve missed my drama queen.”
• I smile, take out my phone, dial my favourite number – Lambo – and he answers first ring. A rush of excitement runs through me that I can just ring him whenever I want now.
• “Good morning, my Presh.”
• I smile as an overwhelming feeling of love fills me. “Good morning.”
• “Are you ok?” he asks gently.
• “Perfect,” I breathe. “Do you want me to do anything?” I ask.
• “No. I’ve got it. Spend the day pampering yourself. Get a massage or whatever girls do on their wedding day.”
• My heart melts. “You know I love you, right?”
• I can hear him smile through the phone. “You better.”
• “I want to go to the beach,” I announce.
• “What?”
• “I want to get some sun.”
• He hesitates. “Ah, Presh, I have a lot to do and I don’t want to be worrying about you being safe.”
• “Joshua.”
• “Yes.” He sighs.
• “I’m going to go to the beach with the girls and I will take Max.” My eyes flicker to the girls who are all smirking as they listen.