Being Zolt by D. L. Raver Page A

together. I’d get baked and go find a woman to fuck until I forgot all about watching a video of my dead brother talking to me from the grave.
    But Irelyn wasn’t me, thank God.
    She stopped crying, dried her face, and then she stood and faced me. Even with her tear-stained face, she was impossibly beautiful, and I was madly, and irrevocably, in love with her.
    “God, Zolt, I’m so angry with him. I mean he was running a sex club from our grandpa’s home. Why would he do that?”
    “I don’t know, baby. I’ll admit it doesn’t make sense.” I was at a loss. I didn’t know what to say that would make any of this better.
    She straightened her back and stood tall, and resolve lit her eyes. “Regardless of what he did, Chris wanted us together, and I want that, too. Let’s go to Vegas, Zolt. Marry me tonight. Just you and me.”
    “Irelyn?” I said questioningly, taken back by her sudden change in demeanor. “Are you sure that’s what you want?”
    “Yes, Zolt. I’m absolutely sure. Look at what Chris sacrificed for us. We owe this to him. Waiting a year or more so we can have a big-ass, stupid society wedding is fucked-up, given everything. And there is no way I’m going to let my father walk me down the aisle. I don’t want him anywhere near us, ever. Even if he did defy Marcus and finished what Chris started, it’s not enough.”
    I pulled Irelyn to me and kissed her with all I had. Fuck, the thought that we’d go to bed tonight married blew me away.
    “Baby, are you sure? What about Rach, Cory, and Brody? Don’t you want them there?” I didn’t want to discourage her, but I needed to make absolute certain.
    “I love them, I do. But I love you more. I want to give this to Chris, but more than that, I want to give this to us. We deserve this. After everything Marcus has done to ruin us, he’s failed. I want to celebrate by starting our lives together sooner rather than later.”
    “All right.” Smiling, I cupped her face and kissed her incredibly soft lips. “Let’s go to Vegas.”

As soon as we decided to go to Las Vegas and elope, everything seemed to fall into place, and I had to wonder if Chris blessed us from beyond. We found a lovely resort near Las Vegas that was on a lake and had a beautiful garden venue for secluded wedding ceremonies. Since the flight only took an hour, we’d set the ceremony time for sunset. It was going to be amazing and I couldn’t wait.
    T-bone arranged for us to have a private jet. He and Zolt decided it was best for T to book the jet in case Marcus spied on us; we didn’t need him ruining our plans. But just in case, we’d be traveling with two bodyguards.
    Anna went through my mom’s jewelry and found the antique diamond-and-seed-pearl comb that had belonged to my grandmother Mary. Then, I called Beth, my mother’s personal shopper, and had her bring me some dresses suitable for the wedding. I picked a short, lace dress with fancy cap sleeves, sweetheart bodice, and a lace keyhole opening. Along with the dress, I had Beth bring sexy new white-and-blue lace—my something blue—Agent Provocateur panties and garter belt with silk stockings. I also had my beauty salon send over someone to give me a Brazilian waxing. It hurt like a bitch, but I wanted to give Zolt a little wedding-night gift. Just thinking about him taking off my dress almost excited me more than marrying him. Almost.
    “Are you ready to go?” Zolt asked, leaning on the doorway of his—soon to be our—bedroom.
    “I am. Are you?” I licked my lips. He looked good enough to eat in his black slacks that hung perfectly on his hips and an Armani Collezioni, blue button-up shirt that made his crystalline-blues sparkle. Or maybe it was me who made them sparkle?
    He nodded as he walked toward me. “And you’re still sure you want it to be just us?
    “Yes. I’m sure.”
    Zolt ran his hands through my hair, making me shiver. His eyes darkened, and I could tell he had something to tell