Page 5 of Heavenleigh

I knew the basics of her life.She was the middle child, parents still married, she had an art degree, and she worked at a little studio in DTLA.That had confirmed she lived in Los Angeles, which was a hell of a relief.At least now I knew she and I lived in the same city.I’d been terrified she’d had a layover.Long-distance relationships weren’t something I’d ever personally experienced, and my current work schedule was too insane for me to travel for anything except for work.

She knew the same basic information about me.Eldest child, Harvard grad, lawyer.I’d told her important bullet points of my life without scratching the surface of who I really was.The plane was too full, and I couldn’t risk a journalist or influencer being close enough to listen.

Not only would that ruin Yara’s wedding, but it would put whatever future I had with Ven in jeopardy.It would drop her into the deep end of my chaotic life—the billionaire heir, my governor grandfather, and the real kicker…my nightmare of a family.Yara was in a different compartment from our parents and grandparents, as was Jude—only in an opposite capacity.My relationship with my brother had its ups and downs, primarily complicated by our parents.

Mom always made our lives and career goals feel like they needed to be a competition between the two of us.A competition I had never actually been participating in.I didn’t need to compare my successes to my younger brother’s, and he sure as hell shouldn’t be so focused on besting me in everything.How could he possibly enjoy his own life, celebrating his own accomplishments, if he was constantly trying to one-up me at every turn?

“I need your number,” I told Ven as the plane slowly rolled up to our gate.“Once I get my friend settled and the weekend itinerary figured out, maybe we could meet for drinks.”

She nibbled on the corner of her bottom lip for all of two seconds before taking my phone out of my hands.I’d already unlocked it, and she easily opened my contacts and added herself.Then she texted herself, and I watched as she added me to her favorites list.

I glanced down at the name she’d entered for herself.Bunny.I switched it to MY BUNNY and was rewarded when I looked up to find her watching me, her eyes filling with an intensity that made me want to throw her over my shoulder, find a hotel room, and spend the next three days fucking her so hard she’d permanently bear the imprint of my cock inside her.

Around us, the other passengers were already on their feet, grabbing luggage from the overheads.I sat there waiting, barely noticing when the person in the window seat finally began to wake.Ven glanced at her then turned back to me with a soft, sad smile.Standing, I reluctantly let her out into the aisle.My cases were still in first class, and I wasn’t about to fight the flow to get up there.

Ven paused, adjusting her backpack on her shoulder.Those blue-gray eyes darted over my face, like she was memorizing it one more time.“Call me when you get a chance.”

“I will.”Without thinking, I reached out, tucking a few locks of hair away from her face.My fingertip lingered on her soft skin, rewarding me with her shiver and the sight of goose bumps popping up along her neck.“See you soon, Bunny.”

Pink filling her cheeks, she left me standing there with a burning ache in my chest.No longer hollow, now the damned thing had caught fire.Shaking my head, I stepped out of the way as other passengers rushed by.It was more than ten minutes before I could reach my own carry-on.As I exited the airport, I found a driver waiting for me with my name on a card.

Warren and Yara wouldn’t be arriving until later since they were on the East Coast.I didn’t know if Jude and his girlfriend were on the same flight.When I’d last spoken to him, my brother was campaigning.Whether it was for himself or someone else, I hadn’t asked.He wanted to follow in our grandfather’s footsteps and was focused on politics, which made him Mom’s golden child.Dad detested the political side of his life, so he wasn’t impressed.Which complicated the whole competition thing between us that much more.

An hour later, I walked into one of the two presidential suites that Warren’s assistant had reserved for us.Each suite had three bedrooms, and there were only supposed to be six of us, but I figured Yara and her college friend would use the second suite to get ready for the wedding.I didn’t know much about the girl my sister had gotten close with while she was at school.

Yara had double majored in the classics and art history—which she’d gotten her curatorial masters in.Both were considered vanity degrees to our mother, who hadn’t wanted her to attend a West Coast school.Especially when she could have gone to Harvard—although college wasn’t a requirement for what everyone expected of my sister.Miranda Wilson had one goal for her only daughter, and that was for her to marry Warren Kline.The sooner, the better.If Mother had had her way, they would have gotten married as soon as Yara had graduated from high school.Instead, our mother had to wait an entire six years to see that dream come to fruition, and now she wouldn’t actually get to witness the moment.

She had no one else to blame but herself, not that she would ever admit that.Once she found out about the elopement, she would make everyone miserable for at least the next decade.Or until I married Marsha.Which was never going to happen, especially now that I’d found Ven.

Kicking off my shoes, I dropped down onto the bed in the second bedroom and pulled out my phone.There were a hundred other things I should have been doing.Like making arrangements for some kind of bachelor party or squeezing in a much-needed nap.Warren was lucky I was his best friend and not Jude.He would have planned something with strippers.

It needed to be something I planned, though, not either of my assistants.Hawaii had stunning golf courses.Maybe dinner at a craft brewery.Or if Warren wanted the girls to join us, we could do a sunset boat ride.I wanted it to be an activity my friend enjoyed, so we’d play it by ear.

Instead of making reservations, though, I found myself clicking on Ven’s contact.For a long while, all I could do was stare at her name on my phone, the memory of her blue-gray eyes haunting me.

Me: I can’t wait to see you again.

Heavenleigh

I trustedYara with my life, but she was one of the few on the short list of people outside my family whom I could.Other than a few conversations on the phone, I’d never actually met Warren in person.He’d never come to visit Yara at college that I was aware of, though that didn’t mean much.Yara had parts of her life that she kept off-limits, just like I did.That was why we’d connected so seamlessly.Family was family, friends were friends.They didn’t have to coexist for either of us to be happy.

Honestly, Yara was a safe harbor for me.With her, I was just the friend she’d met at art school.I wasn’t Drake Stevenson’s daughter or Arella Stevenson-Moreitti’s sister.Yara didn’t look at me with stars in her eyes for who I was related to.We rarely brought up our relatives, and after she’d confided in me about her own, I realized that I was her safe harbor too.

We never talked politics or what it was like to grow up in the public eye.We’d just existed and lived our lives for ourselves back then.Despite the distance that separated us after she’d moved back home following graduation, we’d remained close.Not a day had gone by when we didn’t talk, even if it was some emoji texted at midnight.

It was my trust and love for Yara that had me dropping everything and jumping on a flight last minute.That trust did not extend to Warren, who had a driver waiting with my name on it when I walked out.

A driver with a name card that simply read Heavenleigh.

Not Ven or Heaven.

Heavenleigh.

I spotted the driver, then the card, and immediately clocked three different paparazzi standing around.They were dressed in Hawaiian shirts and board shorts with cameras hanging around their necks, like they were merely any other tourists.But they were in no rush to leave the airport and see the beautiful island.Their attention bounced from one driver to the next, taking in the names and waiting like the vultures they were to see if it wasthatHeavenleigh.

It took less than five seconds for me to take it all in as I exited with the other passengers.I didn’t hesitate, didn’t second-guess myself, just walked on by and got into a taxi outside the airport.When I arrived at the hotel, I checked in to my own room, using my ID and credit card that had my alias on it.Mieke ensured we all had the right documents for traveling under the radar, including passports and separate cards.

She would get a notification when my card went through, but I texted her as I went up to my room, letting her know I was safe, with friends, and not to let anyone know.Alerting her to my whereabouts was the smart decision.She could make sure that if my name got tagged in anything for the next few days, it would come down instantly.It was an extra safeguard to guarantee my parents didn’t find out about my weekend adventure.