Page 29 of Whispers in the Dark
I clink my glass against hers before taking a sip. She grimaces as the liquid travels down her throat, but at least she doesn’t cough up a lung this time.
Maybe she’s developing a taste for it.
I grab the notebook, find a blank page, and write,So, after the sixty days, who do you have to inform in order to claim your inheritance?
Her eyes flick to her plate. “A relative of my mother has been overseeing everything. I’ll let them know I’m getting married,and once we hit the sixty days, they’ll just require my signature to complete the transfer.”
Seems easy enough. I scratch the pen across the paper and write,What about your dad?
She wrinkles her nose. “What about him?”
Are you going to tell him we’re getting married?
She waits a moment before saying, “I think it would be better not to. Especially, since it’s only temporary. Besides, he’s traveling right now. I would hate to…bother him about this.”Bother him?She’s his only daughter. And I know for a fact that man wouldn’t want to miss her getting married. But I let that information slide and watch as she takes a bite of her food, chewing slowly and, after swallowing, asks, “How do you think your family will take the news?”
I shrug and write,I assume with skepticism and disbelief. But they like you. You’ve always felt like one of us, so I’m sure they’ll ease into it.
She rolls in her bottom lip. “I guess we’ll eventually find out.”
I tap the pen against the paper and then write,So, when should we make this official?
She presses her index finger to her chin, tilting her head to the side, and asks, “Are you free tomorrow?”
Chapter seven
Alina
Deep breath in. Deep breath out. I’m just marrying the guy I’ve always secretly loved, like it’s any typical day. It’s definitely not a big deal. Nope. Nothing to overthink about here…
My fingers curl around the cold metal door handle as I take one last breath and open the entrance to town hall. I had half expected the place to be bustling with people. Maybe arguing over parking tickets or debating bills. But as I walk inside, I find the place to be…empty.
I take a few steps, looking around. I remove my jacket and fold it over my arm as I approach a counter and lean over the edge. “Hello?”
“Ah, you must be Alina.” I spin on my heels, my palm slapping against my chest as I stare at an older gentleman sporting a wide smile. “Sorry, didn’t mean to give you a scare.” He extends his hand toward me. “I’m Alan. I’ll be officiating the ceremony today.”
“Oh, hi.” I take his hand. “Is it usually this quiet here?”
“Huh? Oh, no.” He shakes his head. “When Mr. Alarie reached out this morning regarding the arrangements, he asked for complete discretion. Naturally, we didn’t want to take any risks with your privacy, so we decided to close for the day.” He gestures down the far hallway. “Shall we?” He takes a step, and I follow suit, walking side by side. “It was quite generous of him to pay for everyone’s time off. My staff was over the moon when I gave them the good news.”
My eyes widen. “He… He did that?”
“Yes. He wanted to ensure everyone was compensated for their time.” We approach a closed door. “Right this way.” He pushes it open, motioning for me to enter before him. “He was just in the back when I left him.”
As I enter the space, my breath falters.
Mauro stands at the back of the room staring down at his phone in his hands, and my eyes freely trail over him, soaking in everything that they can. His face looks more prominent, his jaw more defined, as he’s cleaned up his beard, leaving just a slight shadow on his cheeks. His hair is pulled back with a black leather strap. His crisp white shirt is wrinkle-free, smoothed to perfection, and tucked into his fitted black pants that mold to his muscular thighs.
He’s a dangerous weapon in a suit—one that many fear for all the right reasons.
Yet, there’s a quiet, rugged beauty in him that calls to my beating heart.
“We’re ready whenever you are, sir,” Alan announces, causing Mauro’s head to snap up.
His eyes land on me, darkening as they trace the length of my floor-length ivory dress. I wasn’t exactly sure what the dress code should be for a temporary marriage ceremony at town hall, so I’m relieved to see his eyes leisurely scanning me in approval.
Goose bumps spread across my skin as he takes substantial strides toward me, stopping just a foot away. He pauses briefly before placing his open hand near his face, moving it in a small circle around his features, then bringing it back in front of him, fingers and thumb pressed together.Beautiful.
A warmth spreads over me. “Thank you,” I manage to say, biting down on my bottom lip. “You look very handsome.” I reach a hand out toward his face, my palm grazing against his slight stubble. “I like that I can see your face.” He brushes the tips of his fingers against the side of my temple, his brows furrowing slightly. “Oh. Contacts,” I tell him, realizing he usually sees me with my glasses on.
