Runaway Bride’s Guide to Love (Guide to Love #1)

34. Stella

34

stella

“Are you sure this is going to work?”

This doesn’t feel real. It feels like we’re doing a bad reenactment of Ocean’s Eleven . But instead of robbing a casino with high-tech equipment and a crew of criminals, it’s me, Emmett, my brother and sisters, Nadia, and a guy my brother somehow knows who does surveillance that insists on being called Kaos.

And yes, he told me it was with a “K.” Which makes sense, with his blue mohawk and gauged ears that you could fit a donut hole through.

“It’s working on my end,” Kaos says as he tests the camera and audio. “As long as he doesn’t see it, we’re smooth sailing.”

Was Quinn’s plan to hire Nadia to get Duncan to spill while we secretly recorded him with cameras strategically set up in the hotel room? Yes.

Is it ridiculous? Yes.

Did Simon then come in saying he knew a guy who could make this happen? Of course he did.

Which is how we’re here, at the scene of the flogging crime—the hotel I was supposed to get married at—to catch Duncan in the act .

Hopefully not that act. Just the one where he admits that he’s a trash human and the SEC can put him in jail instead of me.

He wouldn’t last a day, even in white-collar jail.

“This is going to be fun,” Nadia says as she comes out of the hotel bathroom, clad in her leather outfit. “I’ve never done this before.”

“You’ve never got men to confess things?” Maeve asks as she sits at the hotel room desk.

“Oh plenty of times. They’re usually accidental. One second I’m asking if they’re being good boys, the next they’re telling me all the times they weren’t. But I’ve never got to use this power for good. It feels like I’m giving back to the community.”

We all laugh. How is this even real life right now?

“I must say, you look stunning,” Ainsley says. “The red lipstick really suits you.”

“Why thank you.” Nadia gives Ainsley a once over. “Now, I know this line of work isn’t for everyone. But I’m just saying, you could make a lot of money with that good girl vibe you got going. Throw on a baby doll dress? Honey, you could make bank.”

The roar of laughter that comes from the room can probably be heard fourteen floors down in the hotel bar. And Ainsley’s blush? Poor girl is redder than Nadia’s lipstick.

“Oh, Nadia, that was good,” I say, still keeled over in laughter. “I really needed that.”

And I did. It’s been four days since I was questioned, and since then, it’s been nothing but worry and stress and planning. I don’t know if I’ve genuinely smiled since the moments before we heard those sirens. I’ve been a mess. I can barely eat. Sleeping has been few and far between because my brain won’t shut off. And then once this plan was in play, all I could do was come up with the hundred reasons why it wouldn’t work.

Honestly, I don’t think I’d be standing if it weren’t for Emmett and my family. My siblings have been taking care of everything so I didn’t have to get my hands dirty. Quinn took the week off from work to help out. Simon found Kaos. Maeve has been the coordinator with Shane and a lawyer she knows to make sure everything is on the up-and-up. Even Ainsley’s been all-in. This might be shady and borderline illegal; I think our good girl is finally going a little bad. She was the one who found Nadia. I still don’t know how. I’d never Googled “dominatrix near me” before, so I assumed finding her was going to take a minute. Yet Ainsley came through in a pinch, and even went to pick her up this afternoon.

Then there’s Emmett, who…I don’t know how I would be getting through this without him. And it could be happening. With or without Emmett, Duncan was setting me up. I could be going through this without a rock. A shoulder to cry on. Someone to hold me and tell me that everything is going to be okay. He hasn’t left my side, and I don’t know how I’ll ever thank him.

“Thank you again,” I say to Nadia. “I know we met under unusual circumstances, and you could’ve turned us down.”

Nadia shakes her head and takes my hand in hers. “I haven’t been able to get the sight of you out of my head since it happened. I know I’ve been the other woman to many men, but knowing what he did to you? What I was doing to him on the day that was supposed to be yours? Absolutely not. Fuck him and fuck his audacity. Getting him to confess this shit is the least I can do. And I know exactly how I’m going to play him. Sometimes he likes me to be comforting before I start the whipping. I’ll play into it nice and thick. He won’t know what hit him. And yes, that was a dominatrix pun.”

Everyone laughs as Nadia and I embrace. It hits me at what a full circle moment this is.

“He’s here. The eagle has landed.”

Quinn’s voice carries through the hotel suite, announcing that Duncan has walked into the lobby. When we were devising roles and plans for today, Quinn was all too eager to sit in the hotel lobby in disguise, waiting for Duncan to enter. She got very excited when Kaos told her that he had a phone app that could serve as a walkie talkie.

“Places,” Simon announces. Which is really just for Nadia and Kaos. Nadia grabs her bag of props and uses the adjoining door to go next door while Kaos takes his spot at his computer monitors.

“I still can’t believe he fucking fell for the bait,” Emmett says.

I laugh. “Oh I can. I guess four years with him did do me some good.”

Once we had Nadia on board with the plan, the next part was the hardest—getting Duncan to show up alone. And, being the narcissist he is, we were able to play him like a fiddle. All it took was one phone call from Nadia, who said how much she missed him, and that she’d give him a free session, and boom, they were making a date for right now.

“Here we go,” Kaos says as he adjusts the volume as Duncan enters the hotel suite.

My blood pressure spikes when I watch him walk in on the computer screen. I’m feeling so many emotions as he slithers his way to Nadia like the snake he is.

I’m fucking furious for what he’s done to me.

I’m disgusted at myself that I was with him for as long as I was.

But the biggest feeling? Indifference. I couldn’t give two shits about him. I want him to confess. I want him to go to jail. And I want him to be a distant memory in the Book of Stella.

Now, Emmett on the other hand? I’m pretty sure he’s ready to commit murder.

“Easy there, Cap,” I whisper. “Remember, if anyone is going to go sneak attacking him, it’s me. I even brought the good shoes to do it with.”

My joke doesn’t seem to lighten his mood, but I can’t concentrate on that. Because Nadia is about to get going.

“There’s my good boy,” she says, holding out her arms. Duncan walks into them and leans in to start kissing her .

It turns my stomach.

“Oh my God is that how he kissed?” Maeve says with disgust.

“Ew!” Quinn says a little too loudly as she enters the room. “It’s like he’s trying to eat your face.”

“Shhh!” We whisper-yell. The walls can’t be that thick, and if we get caught, then I’m fucked. This is our one and only chance to take Duncan down.

“You didn’t tell me I was a better kisser?” Emmett says, the teasing back in his voice.

“I figured it was assumed that you’re better at everything.”

Emmett kisses my forehead as we turn back to the monitor.

“I’m glad you called,” Duncan said. “I needed to let things settle down before we met again.”

“Of course,” she says. “It had just been so long. I didn’t want my good boy thinking I was mad at him.”

Damn, she’s good. She’s doing exactly what she said and playing into the comforting role. Her voice is smooth and sultry, and if I were into women I’m pretty sure I’d let her call me a good girl.

“Well, you did seem to side with Stella,” he says. I feel Emmett tense next to me when he says my name. And, I’m not going to lie. Watching my man get angry over another man simply saying my name? Fucking hot.

“I need to apologize for that,” she says, slowly stroking her whip up and down his chest. “I was just confused. I wasn’t expecting your wife to come in and catch us.”

“We didn’t get married,” he says.

“Oh no,” Nadia starts gently stroking his face. “Are you okay?”

Holy shit, she’s laying it on thick.

“I will be,” he says in a sad voice which is completely fake. “I’ll be much better once I’m with you, Mommy.”

The collective gagging sound of everyone in our room echoes off the walls. Even Kaos can’t handle it .

“I want to throw up,” Ainsley says. “Stella, he’s truly awful.”

“I knew he had mommy issues,” I say. “But I didn’t realize it went this far.”

Oh God I was going to wear is mother’s wedding dress. What if he wanted me to keep it on that night! And her name is Sheila! And I’m Stella! Is that a coincidence?

I swallow back the bile in my throat and do my best to collect myself. I can go to therapy later for those thoughts, but right now, I need to focus on what’s happening. I have a feeling we’re about to get to the good stuff.

“That’s my good boy,” Nadia says, her demeanor hardening as she gets into character. “Now take off those pants for me.”

Duncan starts to do so, but looks up at Nadia as he undoes his belt. “Did you mean what you said? This time was free?”

I bite my lip, knowing what we’ve told Nadia to say next when the conversation turned to this.

“Of course it is,” she says. “I called you. I missed you. Of course it’s free.”

“What a dumbass,” Quinn says. “Like any well-respected dominatrix does it for free.”

“Well, he’s an idiot,” Emmett chimes in. “Combine a narcissist with a dumbass, and you get this fucking guy.”

The two share a fist bump, which makes me smile. Quinn isn’t an easy one to win over, even if she did live here. It’s that simple moment that makes me realize I’ve picked right.

“Why haven’t you called me?” Nadia asks. “Is it because of how I acted the last time we were together?”

“Here we go,” Simon says, rubbing his hands together.

“Partly,” he says. “I had to get some other things in order.”

“What kind of things?” Nadia asks, walking a little closer and starts playing with his still limp dick over his boxers. “The wedding?”

He shakes his head. “I had some money troubles.”

“Come on…” I say under my breath, starting to rock back and forth. I reach for Emmett’s hand, squeezing it because I need so mething to keep me grounded as we watch and pray that Duncan is the fool we know he is.

Nadia takes her pointy nail and starts tracing it up and down his cheek bone. He leans into her touch. It’s like I’m watching him be cast under her spell. “Money problems? But you’re so rich. You told me about all the money you had.”

“I am,” he lies. “Just had a rough patch.”

“A rough patch? What happened?”

He shakes his head. “Nothing I want to get into.”

“Fuck,” Simon grits out. “He’s not opening up enough.”

“Give her time,” Maeve says. “We knew this wasn’t going to happen in the first five minutes.”

“That’s okay,” Nadia says as she starts to lead him to the bed. “I know how to make everything better.”

“Do we need to be subjected to this?” Quinn asks. “Our eyes didn’t do anything wrong. And Ainsley shouldn’t have to see this.”

Ainsley shudders. “No one should have to see this.”

I hold my breath and clutch Emmett’s hand while wrapping my other through his arm as we stare at the monitor. Nadia’s directing Duncan to undress as she snaps her whip against her hand.

“On the bed,” she orders. Her change of tone is immediate and intense. But it seems to light something in Duncan as he immediately listens.

“Good boy.”

Crack!

We all flinch at the sound of the whip hitting Duncan’s bare ass. I must say, the sound quality Kaos has is top-tier.

“No,” Duncan mewls as Nadia cracks him again.

“No?” she asks. “That’s not our safe word.”

He shakes his head. “No, I haven’t been a good boy.”

Crack!

“Oh really?” she asks, walking around him and tipping his chin to look her in the eye. “Do you need to tell me about it? ”

He nods. “Yes. I’ve been so bad.”

Nadia goes back to her assumed position. “Tell me. What bad things did my good boy do?”

Everyone goes still in our room. No one is breathing.

“This is it,” I whisper. “Please God let this be it.”

Crack!

“I used information from my company to buy stocks.”

Crack!

“Is that all?”

He shakes his head, which earns him another whip.

“I stole money from my fiancé,” he says.

Crack!

“Don’t hold back. Tell me what a bad boy you’ve been. Tell Mommy everything.”

“I used her for stock information,” he says. “I looked at files she had access to and bought and sold stocks. Put the money in an account with her name on it. Then she quit, so I lost her log-in and access. And then I lost the money. I lost all the money!”

Crack crack!

“Holy shit,” I mutter. “That’s why he wanted me back. He thought if we were back together, I’d come back to work at the firm. Once I was gone, he lost access.”

“And he probably thought after the wedding you were going to quit,” Maeve says. “That’s why he filed the lawsuit. He wanted to scare and intimidate you. He knew you usually just let things slide away. No way would you have wanted a lawsuit. He scares you with it, you, in his mind, come to your senses, and after a few chats everything goes back to normal. You go back to work. He has your password. And the trading continues.”

“I’m going to snap his damn neck.” Emmett growls as he starts to make a move through the adjoining door, but I hold him back. “Just wait. We need to let him bury himself.”

“Is that it?” Nadia asks as we all turn our attention back to the main show.

He shakes his head. “The government is investigating. I made it look like Stella did everything. I think I got away with it. But I lost all the money. It was all for nothing!”

“We got him,” Simon says, which is all the permission Emmett needs to go barreling through the door. Before Duncan even knows what’s happening, Emmett has him pinned against a wall, holding him up by a flimsy white T-shirt. We all enter the room, and I don’t know about everyone else, but I’m doing all I can to not look at Duncan’s dick swinging below.

Partially because I think he’s about to pee himself.

“You’re fucking done,” Emmett says. “You think you can set Stella Banks up and there not be repercussions? You’re a bigger fucking idiot than we realized.”

Emmett slams him against the wall before tossing him on the bed, setting him up for Simon, who comes in with a punch straight across the face.

“I’ve wanted to do that since the moment I met you.” He winds up and throws another one. “Fuck with my family again, and you won’t walk out of here alive. Understand?”

Duncan nods, fear in his eyes as his now ghostly white face tries to get a sense of bearings. I grab a blanket as I walk over to him, tossing it over his crotch, because we don’t need to see that.

I lean over, making sure that he looks me square in the eye. “I fucking loved you. I wanted to be the best wife, best partner, best friend you ever had. I did everything for you. And what was it all for? Nothing? Con the woman who had access to everything in the law firm just so you could get rich? Was that all this was?”

Duncan shakes his head as he sits back up. “No, Stella. Baby. I loved you. I still do. I can explain everything.”

It’s been a minute since I slapped someone in the face. Never a man. Then again, is Duncan a real man? Either way, the slap I deliver straight across the face stings my hand in the best way. He falls back on the bed, holding his face that’s now received a slap and a punch as I go stand over him.

“I want you to remember this. Remember me. Remember that you could’ve had everything, and your greed and pride is why you’re going to be in jail. Alone. You threw your life away for a few bucks. And as for me? I’m going to say thank you. Thank you for being a greedy asshole. Thank you for being a worthless human. Thank you for being a goddamn idiot and getting caught in every shady thing you did. Because it led me to the happiest I’ve ever been. With a man who loves me for who I am, crazy and all. I’m going to live happily ever after, and you’re going to rot in fucking jail.”

I turn on my heel and walk away, head held high and more confident and free than I’ve felt in years. And why shouldn’t I? My name is about to be cleared. Any and all lawsuits are about to be dropped. Duncan is about to be exposed for everything he did. I get my reputation and name back.

Yet, I’d go through this all again if it meant finding Emmett. The running. The shitty relationship. Almost going to jail. If I knew Emmett was waiting for me on the other side, I’d experience it all again.

Because once you know a love like ours? You realize that there’s nothing you wouldn’t do to have it in your life for as long as possible.