Page 33 of Whispers in the Dark
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Vin stands, using the edge of his knife to tap against the crystal glass in his hand.
“Family is all that matters in this world. And we are blessed that our family keeps growing.” He raises his glass high. “Eli, you’ve always been like a brother to me, Leo, Alex, and Mauro. But now, you are officially one of us—an Alarie. I am honored to welcome you to our family. There is no one we would have thought more perfect for our sister than you. And we know…” He clears his throat. “We know our father would be incredibly happy for the two of you.” He looks around at each of us, including me, before he turns his attention back to Madeleine and Eli. “So, here’s to family.”
Everyone raises their glasses. “To family.”
A moment later, Eli’s chair scrapes across the floor as he pushes back and gets up, striding off toward the kitchen with a giant grin on his face.
“So.” Scarlett leans closer to Madeleine. “Need any help planning your wedding?”
“Yeah, starting with a redo of my bachelorette party,” Madeleine says, laughing. “I’m thinking of doing a girls’ trip somewhere tropical. Maybe—”
“You can go to the family’s island,” Leo interjects.
“But I’ve been there before.”
“So? It has a private security team, twenty-four-seven surveillance, not to mention it’s in a no-fly zone.”
Madeleine rolls her eyes. “I guess it could be a compromise.”
“What’s a compromise?” Eli asks as he walks back into the room, pushing a cart with what looks like a wedding cake.
“For my bachelorette—” Madeleine turns in her chair, her lips parting wide in shock as her eyes narrow in on what Eli is pushing her way.
“You really thought I was going to let you order a vanilla cake when you dream of and live for chocolate?” he asks, smirking.
“What?” She shakes her head. “I don’t understand… How did you do this?”
Their words blur in the background as I notice Alina’s hand shaking on her lap. The one currently wearing the custom wedding band I had Felix, our family jeweler, create for her overnight. Although I can’t say he was too ecstatic from my one a.m. wake-up text…
Her fingers rapidly tap on her knee, and I want to intertwine my fingers with hers. I want to reassure her that everything will be okay. But I can’t.
Not until we tell them.
Which is why I find myself abruptly standing and using my knife to tap against my glass to gain everyone’s attention.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
All eyes turn to me, but my attention remains on Alina.
She bites her plush bottom lip and pushes her hair behind her ear before shyly standing beside me. I feel the nerves radiating off her in waves, so I cautiously place my hand around her waist and pull her against my side.
Out of the corner of my eye, I note the looks that everyone gives one another. There’s confusion clear as day written all over their faces. But there won’t be for long.
“Hi, everyone,” Alina says softly. She clears her throat and pushes up her glasses as she twists her hands together. “Mauro and I, well, we just wanted to share that…” She peers around the table, her lips parting and closing as she tries to form words.
I don’t like seeing her like this, and it’s killing me that I can’t speak for her. That I can’t say the words she’s trying so desperately to convey.
I look to Alex and know he’ll be able to speak for me.
I place a hand against my chest, and then, with my right hand in the shape of a loose C, my thumb touches my lower cheek before moving down toward my left hand, which is also shaped in a loose C, and I interlock my fingers.
I tilt my head to see Alina displaying a breathtakingly beautiful smile as a blush sweeps over her cheeks.
Madeleine speaks first. “What did he just—”
“He said.” Alex catches my eye as he smirks.“My wife.”
