Page 168 of Ruthless Desires: Vol. Two

Aubrey winks at me. “Sounds like a waste of money, but whatever. Wear black, I don’t care. But you’d better look happy when you see me walking down the aisle. I expect tears of joy.”

“Likewise,” Ludo drawls before spinning on his heel and marching off.

Once he’s far enough away that he can’t hear, Aubrey laughs. “I knew he wouldn’t wear it when I bought it, but I justhadto see his reaction. God, that was priceless.”

In her room, Aubrey shuts the door behind us. Nothing in here really reminds me of her. The bedspread is navy blue, the wood paneling is beautiful but too dark, and the only bright things in here are the balcony doors and her clothes.

“I know,” she says with a sigh. “But I figured there’s no point in redecorating when I’m going to be gone so soon.”

“Fair.”

Quietly, Aubrey opens the drawer of her nightstand. “This is where the makeup bag is. Everything is already inside.” Moving to the doors that lead to her balcony, she gestures to the tree outside. “And for later tonight, I’m getting out of the house through here.”

“Can you make that climb?” I ask.

“In my sleep.” She opens the bottom drawer of her dresser. “We’re going to need some kind of signal. I don’t want to sneak out until I know Ludo has gone to bed, and I can’t call or message one of you. There can’t be any trace of communication between us.”

“Right. What’re you thinking?”

Aubrey pulls out a long red scarf from the drawer. “Ludo gave this to me soon after we solidified our engagement.”

I frown. We haven’t known each other long, but I’ve never seen Aubrey wear anything red. And looking into her open closet right now, most of her clothes are exactly what I’d expect—pastels.

“That’s about the face I made,” Aubrey says. “He could’ve spent two seconds asking about what colors I preferred, but no. He had to go withhiscolor. It’s the perfect representation of our relationship. Might as well be instrumental in its ruination.”

A smile tugs at my lips. “Poetic justice at its finest.”

Aubrey nods. “I’ll hang it from my balcony when I’m ready to go. The guys have a distraction planned to clear the yard, right? There will be four men watching the perimeter paired off together. The distraction will occupy at least two of them?”

“Correct.” We’ve been over most of this, but I’m glad Aubrey and I are going through it again. There’s no room for mistakes tonight.

She releases a long, slow exhale before placing the scarf on her dresser. “I can’t believe we’re almost there. I’m so close, Wren.”

Clasping our hands together, I squeeze gently. This might be the last moment Aubrey and I share alone, so I want to make the most of it. “I’m happy for you. Tonight is going to go perfectly, and you’ll get everything you want.”

Aubrey nods, and some of the hope glistening in her eyes transfers to me. “We all will. That’s the deal.”

I smile in agreement.

“Aubrey,” Marceline calls through the door as she knocks. “Some of the other bridesmaids are here. It’s time to start getting ready.”

“Be right there,” Aubrey calls before whispering to me, “Ready to turn Ludo’s world upside down?”

I square my shoulders. We’ve planned, we’ve prepared, and now it’s time to finish this. So I truly mean it when I whisper back, “Oh, I’msoready.”

Chapter fifteen

Elliot

Sometimes, irony strikes at the oddest moments.

I’ve never seen a wedding as beautiful as Aubrey’s and Ludo’s. Every detail is attended to, every moment thought out to the fullest extent. The lights, the music, the color scheme—it’s all perfect.

And also entirely fake.

Having the wedding ceremony in the library seemed like an odd idea until we entered the room. It’s the perfect spot, considering it’s already beautiful on its own. Rows and rows of old volumes and ornate bookshelves line the walls, and it creates an intimate, warm environment. It’s exactly what Aubrey and Ludo need—the feeling of closeness.

Oliver adjusts his tie as we take our seats. “Axel is watching us.”