Roman wasn't sure what category to put Miles Landry in—friend or foe. The man seemed to be working both sides of the street. Out of character for an ex cop, and as much as Roman appreciated the head start the PI had given Zoya, the fact remained, he still worked for Marion O'Donnell-St. Clair.
Miles set his briefcase on the table, stuck out his hand and Roman ignored it. "What the hell are you doing here?"
He pushed his palms out in front of his body as if surrendering. "No need for hostility. I'm here to help, not cause trouble."
Roman nodded toward the last vacant chair at the table. "In that case, take a seat. Only fair to warn you though, nothing—and I do mean nothing is going to mess up my wedding day."
"I understand." He turned to Flynn and Ophelia. "I take it you're the family."
"Yeah. I'm Flynn, and this is Ophelia."
"Nice to meet you both." Then he swung his attention back to Roman. "Here's the deal. I'm still employed by Mrs. O'Donnell-St. Clair, and I plan to collect my fee. I've put in too much work not to get the final installment. So tomorrow morning, I'll notify her that Zoya is in Arcadia. Once I do, the widow will head this way with her jolly band of minions."
"So far I don't hear the helping part of this plan," Roman grunted.
Miles leaned forward. "I figure the quickest she can get here is one o'clock. Since your wedding is at two, I suggest you move the ceremony to an earlier time. Say—before noon."
"Why not just postpone your call?"
"Can't do that. Notification needs to look like I contacted her as soon as I located the girl. Besides, according to Stella, all the wedding guests are already here, so it's not like you'll be waiting for a late arrival."
"I'll talk it over with Zoya. If she's good with it, then so am I."
"Okay, now that's settled, can I buy you guys a round of drinks?"
Flynn drained the last from his bottle. "Roman isn't drinking, but Ophelia and I will take you up on the offer."
Miles motioned for the bartender to send three more beers, then shouldered back in his chair, and focused on Roman. "Once you're married, Zoya might be safe, but you won't be. Marion can't kill her stepdaughter and gain anything. But she can off you and leave the girl vulnerable again. So, here's where my help comes in. While I've been searching for Zoya, I've had Marion under surveillance. And, I've investigated her all the way back to childhood."
The waitress brought the drinks and Miles took a long pull, then focused on Roman again. "She was in and out of foster homes until she turned sixteen, then she ran away. Turns out she spent time in juvie for breaking and entering. Had a real knack for picking locks. After that, she used her beauty to her advantage. Made a habit of hooking up with older men who had a little money, but once they couldn't afford her, she moved on."
Miles opened his briefcase and pulled out a folder. "Names and photos of some shady characters the widow St. Clair has been dealing with. Also recorded phone conversations with incriminating evidence concerning plans for her stepdaughter. I'm telling you, Marion can get Zoya in a facility and take over the company before anyone knows about it. Once she has power of attorney, it will be hard to undo."
Thumbing through the file, Roman's gut clenched. Doctors, lawyers, and a judge willing to say or do whatever it took to prove Zoya incapable of running her father's company. Fake documents outlining erratic behavior. What? Attempted suicide? Bullshit. As successful as Zoya had been in hiding out, she'd be no match for Marion. Not with this many people on her stepmother's payroll.
Roman eyed Miles. "So, she fucked her way to the middle until she decided she could go all the way to the top with David St. Clair."
Miles nodded.
Roman closed the file. "Why are you doing this?"
"A number of reasons. I've spent the majority of my adult life putting people like Marion where they belong. It took me a while to figure out what kind of person she was, but once I did, I decided not to let her get away with it. And everything I've learned about Zoya tells me she's nothing like her stepmother claims. Plus, I've fallen in love with Stella and I have to be the man she believes me to be. The same way you feel about your bride, I imagine."
Roman couldn't argue with that.
On the way back to the farmhouse, Mother Nature reminded Roman that the ultimatum he'd spouted about nothing ruining his wedding day didn't pertain to her. Because now dark clouds rolled in and made themselves right at home.
As he got out of the truck, he craned his neck toward the sky. "Come on. Don't do it for me. Do it for her. She deserves sunshine tomorrow."
Inside, the house was quiet, which caused his stomach to knot. He rushed down the hallway, stepped into the bedroom, and found Zoya clutching his pillow to her chest, sound asleep. He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed and kissed her cheek.
Her eyes fluttered open. "Are you drunk?"
"No. Are you okay?"
"Yes. I'm just tired." She pushed herself up and leaned against the headboard, then tilted her head toward the doorway. "Flynn and Ophelia with you?"
"Nope. Got the place all to ourselves. Mariana came and picked them up because I rented rooms for them at the motel just outside of town."
"But I'm supposed to spend the night at Mariana's."
"Yeah, we'll talk about that. Right now I just want to get a shower." He headed to the bathroom, then stopped and leaned against the jamb. "We already act like old married people. Going to the bed with the chickens the night before our wedding when we should be having parties with strippers."
Zoya snorted. "We should?"
"Kidding, babe. You want to get in with me?"
"No. I've already showered."
Zoya was still awake when Roman came from the shower and crawled in next to her. "I want to move the wedding up to eleven o'clock. Is that okay with you?"
"Why?"
He pulled her into his arms. "The sooner we're married, the better."
That answer probably wouldn't be enough to satisfy her, but he'd be damned before he'd tell her anything about Marion and ruin her day.
Zoya trembled and the warm breath from her deep sigh floated across his skin so he clutched her tighter. "What's wrong?"
"Do you need to get it over with because you might back out?"
He loosened his hold, tilted her face to his and kissed her, then settled her against his chest. "The day I got out of prison was the happiest day of my life—until you accepted my marriage proposal. Then, the next day you climbed on my bike, wrapped your arms around me and held me all the way home—then that was the best day. Now, with you next to me, breathing in my air, this is the best. But tomorrow, when you become my wife, that will be the best. Back out? Never."
She smiled, a little goofy. "Okay."
"Okay. Now, about going to Mariana's. I want you to stay here."
"But you'll see me in the morning and it will be bad luck."
"You trust me?"
"Yes."
"Well, I promise I won't look at you. It'll be fine. Get some sleep. We got a big day tomorrow."
She snuggled closer, sliding her fingers under the hem of his shirt. He swatted her hand away.
"Nope. We're abstaining until we're married."
"You're just being mean. An orgasm or two would help me sleep."
He chuckled. "This might be a good time for me to watch you get yourself off. I'll even talk to you while you do it."
"Not happening."
He laughed harder. "Okay, but I'm going on record right now—that's what I want for my next birthday."
"Stop laughing. Do husbands and wives really do that? Watch each other?"
"Baby, anything a couple agrees to do together is okay."
"So, if I wanted you to tie me up and spank me—you would?"
"I said if both parties agreed. You want to make love in strange locations? I'm your guy. Try different positions? Hell, yeah. But I don't swing, swap, or do fifty shades of anything. I do something you don't like, all you have to do is say so, and I won't ever do it again. My job is to keep you satisfied. And believe it or not, that plays a big part in my satisfaction. Understand?"
"Yes."
"Good. Uh—you don't really want to be tied up and spanked, do you?"
"No. Just checking. But I do have a list of places I want to have sex."
He bolted upright, eyes wide. "You're joking."
She smiled slyly. "Nope."
"Like where?"
"Airplane. Boat. Car. Deck. Elevator."
Roman held up his hand. "Wait. Let me catch up." He repeated the places in his mind. After the motorcycle sex, he should have seen this coming. Of course she'd have a list, and it would be in alphabetical order. Life with her would never be boring. "Okay, between the two of us, we have those locations. Go on."
"Float."
"Like a parade float?"
"Yeah."
"Damn, that's a problem."
She smiled. "That's just the first eight places. Should I get my list?"
God, the woman drove him nuts. "No, and we're done talking about this because I'm getting a boner."
She widened her eyes and gave him the innocent look he recognized as fake. "Oh, then maybe I should watch you get yourself off. I can speak French while you do."
He gave her an exasperated look, but he was smiling. "Right now, spanking you sounds tempting."
Zoya opened her eyes and let them adjust to the dark. Outside, a low rumble of thunder announced bad weather. Rain on her wedding day couldn't be a good sign. At least everything she and Roman needed was already at the church.
Roman. She glanced at the clock. In just four hours, he'd be her husband. She smiled, remembering last night and how she'd gotten the best of him. But even if she'd turned him on, he stuck to his guns. No sex. That was okay. She had a lifetime with him, and there'd be plenty of opportunities for that.
Then her heart raced. She needed to get out of there before he woke and saw her. Just as she scooted to the edge of the mattress, his hand touched her back.
"Where do you think you're going?"
She pulled the sheet over her. "Don't look at me!"
"Relax. I can't."
She lowered the cover and stared at him, then grinned. He'd blindfolded himself with his bandana. Moving closer, she ran her fingers over his lips. "Do you have any idea how sexy you look?"
He pointed to his eyes. "Duh. Blindfold."
"Oh—yeah. Well, you do. Super sexy. Just stay right there. I'm going to take your picture."
"Is it going to end up in a gallery?"
She jumped out of bed and grabbed her phone. "Maybe."
"At least I won't be naked. That will be an improvement."
As she snapped, he continued to talk. "Have you thought about what you're going to tell our kids when they see all the naked photos of their dad?"
She froze in place.
He sat up. "Zoya? You still here?"
"Yes."
"Come here. What's wrong?"
She eased onto the mattress next to him. "Kids. We haven't talked about that."
He felt his way up her arm to the nape of her neck, then cupped her face with both hands and kissed her. "You want kids, right?"
"What if I don't? Will you still marry me?"
"Yes. But you don't?"
"I might not be a good mother. I like order. I like things neat. Kids are messy. What if that drives me crazy and I fuss at them all the time? What if they turn out like me?"
"If they turn out like you, then they'll be great kids." He leaned back on the bed and made room for her next to him, then held her close. "And you'd be a great mom."
"But what if I don't?"
"Then we won't."
He answered without a heartbeat of hesitation, and in that moment she decided to have a dozen kids if he wanted. Besides, maybe he was right. She might be a good mother. She was a good cat and dog owner, and that was a start.
By ten o'clock, the rain had passed, and the sun shone from a watercolor sky. She'd been at the church for hours visiting with Fiona and her wife, Priya, and Stella. But now, they were all gone and her nerves were getting the best of her. She smoothed her veil and fidgeted with her bouquet.
"Stop picking at everything," Mariana said.
Zoya frowned. "I can't help it. I think the hands on the clock are stuck."
"Good Lord. It's a good thing you changed the time. You would never make it until two."
Ophelia rushed into the room. "Okay, everyone is here already, so there is no reason to wait. Let's get this show on the road."
Zoya stared at her.
Ophelia waved her hands in the air. "Mariana texted me. Said you're about to wear a hole in the carpet because you're anxious so I checked the guest list. We're good to go."
"The church is beautiful," Zoya said. She reached for Mariana's hand, then Ophelia's. "I didn't expect it to be decorated. Thank you."
"No big deal. Roxanne hired a couple of townies to do most of the physical labor." Ophelia shook her head. "Lemon's dad is the minister, so that was easy. Mother Nature provided the fall leaves, and I threw in a few pots of mums, tied some ribbon on the pews, and voila! Oh, and since you moved the time, your Aunt Fiona arranged a catered lunch following the ceremony. It's all set up in the fellowship hall. I really should've gotten into wedding decorating, I'm so good at this." She placed her hands on her hips, looking like a fiery dark haired superhero, and Zoya believed her. Something about Ophelia resonated in her that the girl could bring into existence by sheer force of will.
"Did I hear my name mentioned?" Fiona stepped through the doorway and wrapped her arms around Zoya. "After I saw you this morning, I had a chance to spend a little time with your groom. I like him."
She broke Fiona's hug and looked up at her. "I'm glad. Did you bring the ring?"
Fiona reached into her clutch pocket and slid a wedding band into Zoya's palm. "Your mother would be happy that you're using the ring she gave your dad."
"I just hope it fits."
"Pretty sure it will. Roman and David are about the same size."
"Well, I'm going to tell the piano player we're ready to start," Ophelia said.
Fiona offered her arm. "I think that's our cue. You ready?"
Zoya slipped the gold band on her thumb, swallowed hard and nodded. With a deep breath, she curled her arm through Fiona's and started the long walk down the hallway to her future.
Ugh, I am so sad. We are on the last stretch. I'll post the final chapter on Friday, as usual, and then Saturday, I'll post the epilogue.
TEASER: "You might have Zoya fooled, but not me."
Dundundun.