I nod. “I’ll see you later then.”
“Have a good day,” he says quietly.
I leave, and Leon is standing outside. “It’s good to see you, ma’am,” he says. “Let’s get you home.”
“Can we stop and pick up Asher, please?” I ask.
“I will send a driver for her if you’ll let her know. His name is Currie.” Leon motions for me to walk, and I realize this is what happens all the time. I’m being led everywhere. I sigh and walk back downstairs. I don’t see Danil to thank him for having me, so I leave with Leon and get into the car that’s waiting outside.
I text Asher and then sit back. It’s not a long trip home, though it felt like we couldn’t get away fast enough last night. I didn’t see anything, but I smelt the blood. It’s a distinct smell, and I am worried it will still be about when I enter the house.
I need not have worried, though. I walk into the entrance hall, and everything is as it was, except there are more guards than usual. I didn’t even know that Kervyn had this many men. The kind of manpower he must command is a little sexy, but I would never admit that to anyone.
I have a whole guest room I’ve decided to dedicate to wedding planning, and when Asher gets to the house, Leon has a guard bring her to the room. She smiles and gives me a hug.
“I thought we were only meeting tomorrow,” she says.
“Life is short,” I say, but I don’t want to scare her with what’s happened. I realize now there’s going to be a lot I’m going to have to keep from my best friend. That makes me kind of sad, but I want to protect her. “But I want to plan a wedding, and I think today we’re going to try to start finding samples.”
I pull out a bunch of wedding magazines and scatter them on the bed. “These should do the trick.”
Asher sits on the edge of the bed and pulls a magazine toward her. We make our way carefully through the pages until midday. I haven’t stopped talking and think it’s the fear making me babble. I want to talk about anything except what happened last night, both the good and the bad.
“You seem quite excited about this wedding,” Asher says.
“I need something to look forward to,” I comment. “Aside from the baby, of course. Still have to plan the nursery and all that.”
“Tom and Carmen won’t be far behind, I’m sure, now that they’re engaged.” She purses her lips. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to blurt it out like that. It doesn’t even really matter.”
It feels like a dagger to the heart. “Thomas asked Carmen to marry him?”
Asher reaches over and takes my hand. “It doesn’t matter because your wedding will be far grander than anything they could ever plan. We will outplan them. Your wedding will outdo any possible thing they can throw.”
I smile sadly. “Yeah, I guess we can do that. Kervyn said I mustn’t hold back.”
Asher jumps up. “Then we won’t. Leon?” She calls out.
Leon steps into the room. “Yes, ma’am?”
“We will need an escort to the shopping district. Magazine samples won’t do. Mr. Milov has assured us we can do what is necessary for the wedding.” Asher looks at me with wide eyes, and I look at Leon.
“He did. He said I mustn’t hold back,” I say, standing up. “And rightfully so, we should have a wedding fit for a king and queen.”
Asher looks like she wants to laugh, but thankfully she doesn’t.
“The younger Milov brothers are to escort you if you leave the house without your fiance,” Leon says. “I will check their availability.”
“No, I will,” I say suddenly. “Where are they?”
“On the terrace,” Leon admits. “We should follow protocol.”
“We follow my protocol,” I say, feeling fired up. I lead Asher, Leon, and two other guards to the terrace, where Luka and Arseny are playing cards.
“Penny! Asher!” Luka cries. “My brother is kicking my ass. Do you want to join me and defeat him?”
“My douche ex-boyfriend is getting married.” I blurt out. “And I want to go to the shopping district to try out wedding things to make my wedding better.”
“Revenge,” Arseny says with a chuckle. “I like it. We’re in. Leon, get us twelve guards and three cars.” He throws his cards down. “Blackjack, brother.”
Luka groans and tosses his two aces down. “You know, we know a lot of the shop owners. Let us take you shopping. You’ll have fun.”
I look at Asher, who grins. “Deal.”
It starts as a simple shopping trip through the shopping district. Arseny seems to know all the shop owners, and we get samples of fabrics, foods, and designs.
“Do you want a wedding planner?” Luka asks. “Maybe Arseny can start a new company.”
Arseny glares at his brother and then gives me a polite nod. “We should try on wedding dresses.”
I blush. “I don’t know.”
“Just try them on,” Asher says. “It’ll be fun. I know the best boutique.”
We follow Asher’s directions and reach a gorgeous bridal store that caters to all sizes of women. We walk in, and a young French girl hurries forward. “Who is the bride? Certainly not madam Asher.”
“No, please meet Penny Winters soon to Milov,” Asher says. “What kind of dress do you want to try on?”
“I don’t know,” I say. “I like the maternity dress off-shoulder look, but the a-line is nice too.”
