Page 72 of Broken Lies
Chapter Fifteen
RILEY
Kieran Sullivan isnothing short of confusing.
The fact that someone who looks like a GQ model felt rejected by someone like me has me feeling all kinds of conflicted.
If I was smart, I would ignore any feelings that are starting to grow, but it’s clear that I’m anything but smart.
I just have to hope that he’s willing to adhere to our new boundary rules because after a few glasses of champagne, I’m finding it hard to remember why I put them there in the first place.
When he’s not being a complete pain in my ass, Kieran is surprisingly fun to be around, and I find myself genuinely smiling for what feels like the first time in weeks as I fall into step beside him as we head back to our hotel.
The air in Vegas is hot and electric even after sundown, and the Strip is buzzing with music and drunken laughter. It’s mesmerizing and overwhelming all at once.
I cling to Kieran’s arm so I don’t get lost in the crowd because I’m too busy taking in everything Vegas has to offer.
“Hey there, pretty lady.”
Kieran groans beside me, and it takes me a second to realize why.
“Oh, no!” I laugh as we pass a tacky looking chapel with a full-on Elvis impersonator standing outside. “I didn’t think these actually existed.”
“It’s Vegas, what do you expect?”
I don’t know what’s funnier, the middle-aged man wearing a bad wig and a white jumpsuit that has seen better days, or Kieran’s face.
“Well, look at you two lovebirds,” he croons in a terrible accent, flashing us a crooked grin that shows off his yellowing teeth. “How about getting hitched right now, courtesy of the King?”
I’m about to tell him we’re not interested when Kieran’s hand appears on my waist, and he’s pulling me against him. I’m so taken aback by the sudden contact that I barely register the words he’s whispering in my ear.
“What do you think?”
“Are you being serious right now?” I eye the man standing in front of us.
“There’s no point in delaying the inevitable.”
I glance between the blaring neon lights of the chapel, Elvis, and Kieran’s annoyingly gorgeous face.
A spontaneous Vegas wedding was always something I imagined doing on a dare, not under fake names with the guy who kissed me senseless and then emotionally flatlined less than a second later, but here we are. It seems nothing about my life is going to plan, so I might as well just roll with it.
“Fine. Let’s do it.”
The chapel is even tackier than I imagined, and I have to cover my mouth with my hand to stifle my laughter as I take in the red velvet carpet and the flower arch at the end of the aisle made out of plastic roses.
“They really spared no expense,” Kieran mutters under his breath, and my eyes start to water as I try not to laugh.
We hand over the fake IDs Kieran arranged for this very moment, and just like that, I find myself standing in front of Elvis about to commit to spending the rest of my life with Kieran Sullivan.
If it weren’t for the ungodly amount of champagne I consumed over dinner, I’m pretty sure my entire body would be shaking with nerves.
“Breathe,” Kieran mouths before plastering an easy smile on his face.
He looks completely relaxed and unfazed as Elvis launches into the vows with the enthusiasm of a man who’s done this a thousand times before.
Kieran plays along flawlessly, repeating the vows with such sincerity that I almost forget that he’s only playing a part.
I’m the one who almost fumbles the words, my mouth going dry halfway through as I repeat the vows after Elvis.
