Black Wedding by Emma Luna
Idon’t know if I should be offended that he hasn’t told his best friend about us and our arrangement, but then again, it isn’t something that you can talk about over the phone or via text. I can tell how much Kellan means to Liam and don’t even get me started on the tiny little girl wrapped in Liam’s arms. It’s so clear she means the world to both of these guys.
When I first walked into the room and got a chance to watch them for a bit, I was in awe at the way such a tiny girl who can barely hold her own head up yet has the power to bring these two big, strong men to their knees. Hearing Liam do baby talk and lay her across his chest, fuck it nearly killed me. I legit thought my ovaries were going to explode. So when I heard that she didn’t have a mum, and Kellan was going through so much shit, I genuinely meant it when I said we have to help him. He needs to know he has people who are there for him. He already knows that about Liam, but I know I have to win Kellan over if I am to stand any chance of having a lasting partnership with Liam. But how the fuck do you win over someone who has been burnt so badly by women? Honesty is all I have.
“So, to cut a long story short, Liam kidnapped me, and my family refused to pay the ransom. After we talked, I realised this was the opportunity I had been waiting for. I had been looking for someone to partner with, and Liam seems like the perfect choice. Basically, my Family only allows males to run the company. Still, I’m the only heir, so it was agreed that my portion of the firm would transfer to whoever I marry. But I actually want to rule. So, I needed to find someone who would stand by my side when needed but otherwise, let me rule. Liam has agreed to be that guy. To give my Gramps peace of mind, we agreed to spend two months getting to know each other since this is going to be a lifelong partnership,” I explain, deliberately trying to avoid using the term marriage. It’s hard enough to explain without labels.
“What the actual fuck? You have no idea how many fucked up things are wrong with what you just said. You!” he shouts, pointing towards Liam. “You kidnapped her when we agreed that was a fucked up plan. What the hell were you thinking?”
I shy away from the anger in his voice, pleased it’s not aimed at me. But, oops, I spoke too soon. His piercing blue eyes are now firmly boring into me, his accusing finger now pointing in my direction.
“And you, I don’t know if you are crazier than him. Did you seriously propose to the guy who kidnapped you?” The fury in his voice is evident. His shouting causes his stronger Irish lilt to become more pronounced. I wait as I’m not sure he wants an answer. Then, luckily, Liam steps in.
“Look, Kel, the reason I didn’t tell you about this is that I knew you would think it was crazy. But you know me better than anyone in the world. In the entire time you have known me, have you ever seen me make a rash decision?” he asks, and his friend visibly sags. The rigid, angry posture he adopted to yell at us soon falls away, and what remains is two beautifully brutal-looking boys having a heart to heart. Despite it being about me, I wanted to leave them to it.
“No, but at the same time, you have never acted so irrationally before. You have spent your entire life trying to distance yourself from the life your father threw you into. You hated the person he made you into. So why would you risk almost a decade’s worth of work?” I can see Liam’s face scrunch up in displeasure, and the cocky smirk is swiftly replaced by a sneer.
“I had no idea you didn’t want to work in this industry full-time or be part of this world?” I whisper, worried he might realise this is not what he wants. But, instead, he takes hold of my hand and gives it a subtle squeeze. The smile I love is back, and his eyes bore into mine like he is ensuring that I understand and take in everything he is trying to convey.
“We agreed not to talk about business. But listen to me when I say this, both of you. Yes, I hated being raised in this world. The things my father put me through nearly broke me, so I do the work I want. I only take on the clients I want to work with. Despite not knowing much about you, Bree, I already know that working with you will be nothing like my father. Yes, you have what it takes to be ruthless when needed, but you are not sadistically cruel. Kellan, I genuinely believe that this woman right here has what it takes to not only rule our world but to do a fucking great job in it. I know I was initially in it for the money, but now it’s about giving her the protection she needs. She is going to have a fair few enemies, people who will never accept a woman at the helm,” he says firmly, and my heart starts to soar.
Liam was looking at me with a fierceness that I’ve never seen before. Where our palms are connected, our fingers interlocked, I feel the heat creep up my skin. Like I am drawing warmth and strength from him and the belief he has in me. My heart starts to race, and I can feel my stomach doing little butterflies. Fuck, I really like this guy. I can feel myself subtly leaning forward. It’s like he has a magnetic pull dragging me towards him without me even trying. The whole world drops away, and in that moment, it feels like we are alone, and you can cut the tension with a knife.
I notice Liam not only subtly leans closer to me, but his sexy, seductive eyes pierce mine. Looks like we are finally going to take this further without any alcohol influencing us. He licks his tongue over his lower lip, and fuck, that’s me done for. He may as well have turned on a tap directly to my pussy, that’s how I feel.
“No. Stop that right now. There is a baby in the room. You will not do anything sexual with Hallie in the room, let alone in your arms, Liam!” Kellan shouts, reaching to grab Hallie from Liam. He playfully kicks his leg at Kellan to stop him from getting Hallie.
“Fuck off, you know I wouldn’t have sex with you in the room, let alone with Hallie in my arms. I’m not a perve,” Liam jokes, but he doesn’t exactly decline that he wasn’t thinking about us fucking.
“Seriously though, you made this sound like it was a business decision, but what I just saw between you is anything but business. Are you in a real relationship or just taking advantage of the benefits of your business agreements?” Kellan asks, and we both groan together. We have deliberately avoided asking each other questions like these.
“Kel, we are still getting to know each other. We are not in a position to talk about labels yet. But for your information, we are not fucking. The business is the most important part for Bree. It means a lot to her, so we have to make sure the foundations we build will last. I don’t think a quick fuck will build a lasting relationship, do you?” Liam chastises his best friend and Hallie coos in his arms.
I look over, and the little girl is so freaking cute. She has those chubby arms and thighs with all the rolls that make little babies look so darn adorable. But it’s the way her wide, bright blue eyes that are fixed on Liam that really wins me over. She is looking up at him, just listening to him talk, gripping onto the hand that is not holding mine. She looks like he hung the moon, and she would be pretty content to lay in his arms forever. Girl, I can relate so severely. How the hell am I jealous of a baby? I mentally chastise myself and realise I have completely zoned out, looking at Hallie.
Liam and Kellan are debating whether we should sleep together just to get it out of our system, then we can cut the sexual tension out and focus on the business part of things. Liam isn’t exactly telling him it’s a bad idea. Instead, he points out we are more focused on building a friendship. However, I did notice that he didn’t exactly say no to the sex idea.
Watching the casual banter between Kellan and Liam is so funny. If I didn’t know any better, I would say they were real brothers. They are so alike, but yet so different too. It’s obvious Kellan is the joker of their little duo. Obviously, only recently choosing to settle down with Hallie. The idea of that little girl’s mother abandoning her boils my blood. She is so fucking cute. How can anyone want to abandon her?
The more I focus, the more I realise how exhausted Kellan really looks. He looks so drained, constantly yawning in between arguing with Liam. And don’t even get me started on the massive bags under his eyes. So I decide to break up what I’m sure will be never-ending banter.
“Kellan, I know you were saying how exhausted you are. Why don’t you go for a sleep? Liam and I can watch this little cutie for you if you’d like?” I ask politely. He visibly sags at my words. At first, I wonder if I’ve offended him, until he turns the biggest megawatt smile my way.
“I could fucking kiss you right now. Well, I would if I didn’t think my bro here would throw down over it,” he jokes, looking pointedly at Liam. “Are you sure?” He directs his question to Liam, but I do see his gaze flick my way momentarily. It’s obviously hard for him to trust anyone with her.
“I already told you, this is what you are here for. You catch up on your sleep. I know where all her stuff is in those bags, and there are bottles in the fridge. We have got this. I was actually thinking of going swimming. We have a heated pool outside. Can I take her in with me?” Liam asks hopefully, looking to Kellan for his reply.
My brain is exploding. I am silently begging for Kel to say no. I don’t think my ovaries or heart can cope with seeing him in swimming shorts, dripping wet, and carrying a baby. This is like the start of any good mum porn!
“Yeah, she loves the water. There are some waterproof nappies and her suit in the suitcase. Enjoy. Oh, Bree, is there any chance you have a bathroom with a massive tub I can soak in? My shithole of an apartment has a crappy bathroom,” he moans and before I can answer, Liam chips in.
“Well, if you let me put you in a decent place, you wouldn’t have to put up with that shit anymore,” Liam snaps, looking annoyed for the first time. I’ve seen him joking with Kellan, but this looks to be something they have real arguments about.
“Dude, I already take so much from you. I want to provide for my daughter myself. Once I get sorted with a decent nanny, it looks like you are going to need someone a bit more frequently,” he asks hopefully, and they both must notice my confusion. Liam is the one that answers.
“Kellan works for me. He is my security guy and is actually one of the best hackers in the world. Something not many people know about. If they did, people like our dads would insist he work for them, but Kel is like me. He has a moral compass and has never signed on full time because he wants to have a say over the type of work he does. He lives in a shithole because the bitch who birthed Hallie took every last penny he had and sold the house out from under him. Kellan will make back enough to sort out a decent place to live after he does a couple of jobs for me. Still, he hasn’t been able to yet with Hallie,” Liam explains and my urge to help this little family grew so much more.
“Kellan, I have an empty suite upstairs. The room is big enough for you to have Hallie’s crib in your room or in the attached living area, whatever works best for you. The suite also has a big bathroom that I’m sure you will love. There is also an empty room next door. Make a list of everything you need to set up a decent computer system. Give your notice on the shithole. You can live here and work for us. When you have made enough, you can get a place for yourself, but until then, having your own space here should be suitable. You will have Liam and me here to help with Hallie. And as your employer, I will buy everything you need to set the room up into a home office. In fact, don’t bother giving me a list because I won’t have a fucking clue what you are talking about. I will get you a company credit card, and you can order everything yourself. That okay?” I ask, and the look on his face is indecipherable. But Liam’s face is easy to read. He is looking at me like he can’t quite believe I’m real.
“Are you fucking with me?” asks Kellan, and I can’t help the chuckle that escapes.
“No. I promise you can choose your assignments and you don’t have to do anything you don’t feel comfortable with. You can work around Hallie and can stay here as long as you need to. When you are ready, I can introduce you to my friend, Mia. She is a nanny looking for a regular job, and I think you guys would get on well. But get to know me first, and we will go from there. What do you think, do you wanna work for a girl?” I ask, and this time, it’s Kellan’s turn to laugh.
“Fuck, Liam. I can see why you like her,” he jokes, playfully thumping Liam on the shoulder. The movement jostles Hallie, who starts to whimper, and their reactions make me laugh. Liam looks furious that he would dare to disrupt the little girl who is just laying there idolising him as he lounges on the sofa. Kellan looks terrified, like he faces a caged monster that might have just worked out how to get free.
“Thank you, Bree. I have no doubt you will be a kick-ass boss, and I can’t wait to see what you can do…and for the company credit card, obviously. Now, if you will excuse me, I will soak in the bath and sleep until it’s time for food tonight. I will cook for us all, it’s the least I can do,” he says, getting up from the couch as carefully as he can.
Kellan leans over and gives Hallie a kiss on her forehead, which causes her to let out the cutest little giggle. I stand too, offering to show him to the rooms. He continues talking to Liam, reeling off instructions about caring for Hallie. Liam clearly looks like he isn’t listening. At some point, between me standing and Kellan collecting his bags, Liam has laid down on the sofa, and Hallie is lying on his chest. Her tummy resting on his rock hard abs. She keeps trying to lift her head up to look at him, but the more he strokes his hand down her back, the less she tries. I tell Liam I will get changed and meet him in the pool soon.
After showing Kellan to his rooms and giving him a mini-tour on the way, we got on well together when it was just us, having a laugh and joking occasionally. I can already tell he’s an easy guy to get along with. When I finally get to my room, it takes me a long time to decide which bikini to wear. I don’t have any full-body swimming costumes, as usually, I’m here either by myself or with my Gramps, and he doesn’t swim. He had it put in years ago just for me. I eventually settle on the most modest one I can find, which is still a black triangle bikini. Small triangular strips cover both nipples; a decent portion of my breasts are on show. The black bottoms are slightly more modest as they have a mid-length curve, meaning they only show the lower curve of my ass instead of the whole thing. I look curvy and hot, but I also look like I am trying to impress, which I certainly am not. However, if that just so happens to be the outcome, I am most definitely here for it.
When I get to the pool, Liam is already there. He is floating around in the water, holding Hallie in his arms as she splashes about. I take a second to appreciate how fucking great he looks covered in water, the rare English sun rebounding off his rock hard body. Fuck, I think I may be drooling. When my gaze finally moves from his body to his face, I realise he is looking at me in the exact same way. Our gazes are heated; he is looking at me like he wants to consume me. I know how he feels. With every step I take into the water, it’s like he is pulling me towards him, and my body is only too happy to comply. We are stuck in our own world, drowning in lust and suffocated by sexual chemistry. Hallie manages to break the spell by splashing us both with her hands and giggling loudly. We both turn our attention to Hallie, and our matching smiles reflect how cute this girl really is.
We play about for what seems like ages. Then, after a while, Liam finally trusts me enough to hold her and I don’t know who is more scared between the three of us. I don’t think I have ever held a baby before, let alone one so loved and adored. I find it comes easily, but I still let Liam wrap his arms around the both of us to make sure we are safe. Being in his arms feels fucking amazing.
It’s not long before Hallie starts getting very irritable, and that’s when the crying begins. Fuck, how does that beautiful little girl have such a loud, high-pitched squeal? It literally pierces through your skull. I even notice Liam wincing as the pain consumes him also. We quickly get out of the pool and grab towels. I wrap a towel around Hallie and then around us both while Liam runs on ahead to warm up the bottle. I try to keep her outside so she doesn’t wake up her dad. I try every move I have ever seen in the movies; rocking, swinging, even bloody singing to her, but nothing works.
Liam lets us know that the bottle is ready, and I head inside. Liam sits on the sofa, making sure to lay down a couple of towels first, so it doesn’t get too wet. I pass him Hallie, and when he has her comfortably, I hand over the bottle of milk. I realise we didn’t even talk about what we were doing; we just did it. Like we were so in tune with each other, we didn’t question it. She finally quiets once the teat is comfortably in her mouth. That is until some fucktard rings the doorbell.
The loud ring echoes around the ample open plan space; I can only hope that the soundproofing in the bedrooms prevents Kellan from being woken up. Liam looks murderous, and I have to say I am with him on this one. But, of course, we weren’t expecting anyone, so chances are whoever rang the doorbell didn’t do it for anything important, angering the baby for nothing. My palm twitches to reach for the nearest knife. But, luckily for whoever is at the door, Hallie is quickly distracted by the bottle.
I see the t-shirt Liam was wearing earlier, sprawled across the back of a dining room chair, and decide to pull it on over my bikini. At least then I can answer the door in something more presentable. As I open the door, I see that nobody is there, and I release a huff, annoyed that someone hadn’t waited the extra minute it took me to get to the door. I am closing the door when I see it, the white box with a black ribbon around it. I pick it up and see that my name is written on it in cursive handwriting. It looks beautiful, but I know I wasn’t expecting anything. So very few people know this address or that I am here. And there are only one or two people that would send me gifts. I don’t know why but I have an awful feeling in the pit of my stomach. I push it away as I pick up the lightbox and put it on the kitchen counter.
Liam looks over at the box and me, his eyebrows raised as his facial expression asks me questions he doesn’t want to risk voicing if he disturbs Hallie. Pulling the ribbon, I slowly unseal and open the box. Before I even realise what I am doing, I let out a blood-curdling scream. It echoes around the house, and Hallie decides to get in on the action, matching my cry with one of her own. Liam jumps up, holding tightly onto Hallie. He hasn’t even reached me when Kellan appears, sprinting down the stairs wearing only a very tight pair of boxer shorts. I am so freaked out by the box’s contents that I don’t even have time to appreciate him.
Kellan demands to know what’s wrong, if there is something wrong with Hallie. Liam hands her over to her dad, reassuring him that she is okay. He then runs over, pushing me away to put his body in front of mine. Like he is trying to protect me from seeing what is inside. But it’s too late for that.
Liam looks inside to find it lined in clear plastic. Pinned to the bottom of the box is a beautiful Celtic cross, about the size of a book. It’s only after a second look that I realise the cross is an exact replica of the one I wear around my neck. Except mine has a rose in the centre, and this one has a pierced human heart. The organ has been pierced through the centre by the lower point of the cross, impaling it fully. Liam pulls out a handwritten laminated sheet, the writing is the same cursive style used on the front of the box. Carefully dripping the blood off the laminated sheet, Liam reads what it says.
“Brianna O’Keenan. This is your only warning. Back away from your claim to the London firm. It cannot be run by a girl; your men will not stick by you. They will never trust you, and you will never trust them. It will only be a matter of time before one of them stabs you in the back. This is me doing you a favour. Give me the firm, and you get to live. But if you decide to go ahead with this shambolic wedding, I will ruin you. I will slaughter you all until your white wedding is invoked with darkness. Everyone will know that it’s your black wedding that will be your downfall, and I will take great pride in watching you all fall. So do the right thing and save those you love. Or you will all die.”
Liam and I look at each other, our fear now long gone and replaced by anger. If some asshole thinks we will give up that easily, they obviously don’t know us at all.
“If they want a black wedding, then that is what we will give them. They think it will be our downfall, that the darkness will suffocate us, but they are wrong. We will have our black wedding, and then we will slaughter anyone who stands in our way,” growls Liam as he rubs his hands up and down my arm, clearly trying to make sure I’m feeling alright.
“We need to find out who the fuck sent you that. Bree, I’m going to need my equipment as soon as possible. We need to catch this fucker before he puts us all in danger. And please set up a meeting with your friend. The sooner I find someone to care for Hallie, that will be one less worry I have while I’m working,” says Kellan, and I nod, warning it may be a few day’s if she is busy. Liam smiles at his friend, pleased he is on board with us. Who knew it would take a heart in a box to help Kellan see he needed to accept help from others.
“Oh, and just to clarify, when you say you are taking the nutcase who sent you a heart in a box’s advice, please tell me that doesn’t really mean you are having a black wedding. What does that even mean?” he asks, looking confused.
“I think they mean that a black wedding is essentially like a funeral. Everyone dressed in black and mourning the loss of their single life and celebrating the fact they have been forced together. But that’s not what my wedding means. I will wear the biggest black dress I can find, and our wedding will unite Liam and me properly. Everyone will fear our dark union as they know the minute we tie the knot, their hopes of ruling die alongside it.”
Both Kellan and Liam are looking at me like I might be a little crazy. I’m standing in my kitchen, in a bikini, looking at a cross with a hunk heart impaled on it, talking about my big, black wedding. People can say it’s a union that isn’t meant to be, that it’s built on business, not love. But I say fuck them.