Page 35 of Settling the Score (The Karma Club #4)

‘I mean, you stay in town. That’s why you can’t leave.’

‘It’s part of it,’ she agreed. ‘One day, when Mel’s eighteen, she might want to go somewhere else and then, who knows? But for now, while she’s there, I’m there, too.’

‘What’s his deal?’ Aiden pushed, wondering at the kind of guy who could have a child and not take care of their most basic needs, like food.

‘He’s just a selfish prick,’ she said, her smile more genuine now, even when it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

‘He’s not intentionally mean or anything, and he’s not violent, he just thinks only of himself and his needs.

You can bet your bottom dollar he’s grabbing burgers or whatever else he wants.

He just wouldn’t think to pick something up for Melanie. ’

Outrage coursed through Aiden.

‘I usually make sure their fridge is stocked, have her over for dinner a couple of times a week, you know. But God, it drives me crazy that he’s so careless. Doesn’t he realise how lucky he is, to have her?’ Her voice cracked and something inside Aiden did exactly the same thing.

Her hollowed-out grief on that sentence was like a dagger to his chest.

Sienna didn’t mention their baby, but it was there, right in front of them, like a visage of what could have been. What should have been.

Impulsively, he reached down and grabbed her hand, weaving their fingers together.

She turned to look at him and something in his gut popped.

He wanted to apologise again. To say sorry that he hadn’t been there for her.

But he wasn’t sure she wanted to hear it.

After all, it didn’t matter how many times he said sorry, nothing would change the past. Nor how badly he’d let her down.

All he could do was promise – himself, and her – that he’d never do that again.

* * *

‘Okay, field trip time!’ Paige said, waving a hand in the air to draw the attention of the guests. She stood shoulder to shoulder with Bella and Sienna. As bridesmaids, they’d organised today, each of them volunteering to go on a different boat and make sure the guests had a good time.

The whole group was on the island now. More than one hundred close friends, teammates, partners, children and family members, filling out the pristine white sand beaches of the private island.

On the water in front of them, clustered around the jetty, sat four stunning boats, reasonably large in size, bearing Greek lettering down the sides.

Sienna knew, from pre-wedding planning, that these boats had been chartered for the day, rather than using the smaller speedboat they’d come over on.

‘You’ve all selected your activities. We’ve got a historic sightseeing tour in Athens – you’ll be going with me, on boat one,’ Paige said, into a megaphone, before turning her attention back to the clipboard (a clipboard Sienna would have put her last five bucks on Paige having insisted on) then pointing to the boat at the top left of the jetty.

‘The art galleries of Athens are Chase and Bella,’ she continued. Beside her, Bella waved and Chase grinned broadly.

‘Boat two.’ She moved her finger sideways.

‘If you want to island-hop, with lunch in Lavrio – you’re with Sienna.

’ Sienna waved a little hesitantly as Paige indicated the boat on the left side, closest to them, of the jetty.

She’d committed to this before she’d realised that boats were as low on her enjoyment list as flying was.

When the idea of sunning herself on the deck of some billionaire’s yacht and feasting on chargrilled octopus had seemed like an excellent idea.

Now, she eyed the bobbing crafts a little uneasily, and just hoped the seasickness bands Paige had magicked up out of somewhere would do the trick.

‘As for the future Mr and Mrs Carter, it’s rock climbing and cocktails on the other side of the island. Boat four will whizz you around there, unless you’re feeling particularly energetic, in which case, it’s an easy six-mile run.’

Someone let out a cheer. Her eyes filtered through the crowd to where a selection of the Titans teammates was standing. A big guy with short blond hair grinned, flashing even white teeth, and beside him, a beautiful woman with fiery red hair shot him a look before sidling against him.

‘Okay, I take it you’re rock climbing. Everyone else, find your guide, or your boat, and have fun!’

‘One last thing.’ Astrid grabbed the megaphone.

Blake stood beside her, one arm casually wrapped around her shoulders.

Aiden was a little way to the left, wearing boardshorts and a shirt, big, muscular legs planted wide apart.

Her stomach clenched. ‘The wedding is tomorrow. Not until the afternoon, but nobody goes writing themselves off today. No hangovers, no broken bones, no face plants.’ She seemed to be giving the Titans an extra hard look.

‘A couple of cocktails and an afternoon, nap, fine. But by tomorrow, I expect each and every one of you to be happy and healthy. You hear me?’

There was a mumble of laughs, and then Blake shouted, ‘Oy! You got it?’

‘Yeah, yeah,’ the Swedish guy from their team called out. ‘We got it.’

‘Okay.’ Astrid smiled serenely once more. Sienna had to say, if that was the closest she came to a bridal freakout, then she was doing exceptionally well. ‘Have fun, everyone!’

Astrid turned to the girls then and Sienna did her level best not to look over Astrid’s shoulder, to where Aiden and Blake were locked in conversation.

‘Thank you guys for playing mother hen for me.’

‘Sightseeing around Athens? What a hardship,’ Bella said with a lift of her brows.

‘You know what I mean.’

‘Don’t worry. We’ll make sure everyone gets back to the island in one piece,’ Paige chimed in.

‘I mean, there are tour guides. It’s just some of those guys’ – she thumbed towards the Titans – ‘can be a bit of a handful. I know you ladies will know how to handle them.’

‘In our sleep,’ Sienna agreed. ‘Don’t worry, honey.

We’ve got this. It’s going to be an amazing day.

’ Out of nowhere, she felt tears stinging her eyes.

‘An amazing weekend. Oh, God. I’m actually crying,’ she laughed, fanning her face, so Paige put an arm around her waist and squeezed, and Astrid laughed.

‘It’s just a wedding,’ she said with a shake of her head.

‘It’s been so beautiful,’ she added, ignoring the twisty, turning, not-easy-to-understand feelings that were moving inside of her. ‘All of it, Astrid.’

Astrid angled her face to regard the large mass of people who were moving off towards their separate boats.

Four tour guides in matching uniforms stood with matching clipboards, writing names down as everyone boarded.

Paige and Bella had worked as a team to coordinate this, too.

Their organisation skills were a thing to behold.

‘It really has been. Seeing our friends, from all different parts of our lives, and our families…’ Her eyes shifted to her mother and her mother’s partner, who were standing on the grass, waiting for Astrid.

‘Spending time with family,’ she corrected, smile wistful.

‘I think that’s been my favourite part. Even more than actually getting hitched,’ she added with a laugh.

Before Sienna could object, she held her hands up in the air.

‘I’m kidding, I’m kidding.’ She flashed a smile, but it wobbled a little, and they all understood why.

‘You ready, babe?’ Blake’s voice cut across the group.

‘You betcha,’ Astrid said, reaching back for his hand.

‘You know, you guys are kind of inseparable. I don’t think I’ve looked for my fiancé once this week and not found her with one, or all, of you.’

‘Yep, we know,’ Paige said.

‘We’re a package deal,’ Bella agreed.

‘Uh huh. You might be marrying me, but you’re inheriting three best friends.’

‘I can live with that.’ He pulled Astrid closer. ‘Especially when they clearly love you so much they’re happy to put up with all this madness.’

‘We happen to love madness,’ Paige promised.

‘Yeah, it’s kind of a part of how we met.’

‘And don’t I know it,’ he teased, so Sienna glanced nervously over Blake’s shoulder, to Aiden, who was now standing with his mother.

Her heart ratcheted up a notch, as she contemplated that.

Blake knew the truth of their plan. Sienna had been there when it had all come out.

Even though he’d been sworn to secrecy, Sienna couldn’t help worrying that it might not hold.

At some point, would Aiden find out that she’d been part of a revenge plot against him?

Admittedly, a pretty funny one – that had been organised with the precision of a golden retriever marching band, but nonetheless, wouldn’t it give him just a little too much insight into how messed up she’d been?

Or did he already know that?

Her mind was spinning like a top, refusing to settle in any one direction. She ground her teeth and tried to focus back on Astrid, but her own thoughts were too loud, making it almost impossible to hear anything anyone else said.

‘Okay, ladies. So, dinner tonight, just the four of us, yes?’

Sienna finally lurched back into the present. ‘Yeah, dinner,’ she agreed, as they began to walk towards the jetty. It was only as she stepped foot onto the boat she’d been designated, she realised that Aiden ‘Heartbreak’ Carter was right freaking behind her.