King's Treasure (Oil Kings Book 3) by Marie Johnston (great novels .TXT) 📗

front door opened and Pearl came out. Her smile was sly, and mischief glittered in her eyes. Her blond hair was growing out from the bob she’d kept in the army. She flew down the front steps, no jacket and her feet stuffed into my boots that were kept in the front closet.

“Oh my God, Savvy. I thought Chief had gone out of his damn mind when he told me what you did!”

Mild curiosity seeped into Xander’s expression. “This must be Pearl.”

“If she’d been born a redhead, she would’ve been named Ruby.” Mother said my eyes were so blue there had been no question they’d stay that way. Thus, I was Sapphire. “But she’s a blond, so she got Pearl.”

My sister barreled forward, her arms out. I thought she’d slow, but I should’ve known better. Pearl didn’t do subtle.

“Oomph.” My breath whooshed out as she swept me into a giant hug.

“I’m so glad you’re home.”

“I’ve only been gone a few days.” But I sank into her hug. Pearl was the devil on my shoulder, daring me to be my impulsive self. But the older I got, the more I realized that it was only me dealing with the outcome, and Mother and Chief were left thinking I had to be cared for.

Pearl stepped back and waved her finger between us. “Since Mummy dearest found out what you did, she’s been in a reception-planning frenzy and somehow hasn’t figured out that I don’t know the slightest difference between steel blue and cobalt.”

Mother had been planning? Ugh. Xander might rethink how much he was willing to do for money.

“And you’re my new brother-in-law. The knight in cheap armor that turned out to be platinum. Chief sounded downright giddy on the phone.”

Xander held his hand out. “Xander King.”

Pearl shook it, then crossed her arms, eyeing him. “I can’t wait to hear the unabridged story, Savvy.”

“That’ll have to wait. Is Mother home?”

“The Dame is in the study, picking out announcements.” No nicknames for Mother ever stuck. She was very much just Mother, but Pearl kept trying. “Marriage announcements.”

Warmth leeched from my face and the cold seeped in for the first time since we’d landed. My family and Brady knew about my Vegas wedding. And Lex. And of course Xander’s family had to all know by now. But all our extended relatives and everyone in our social circle?

That made it so . . . real.

Pearl bounced on the balls of her feet and I fortified myself against the next bit of news. Her voice was strangled, like she couldn’t contain her glee. The military had done nothing to dampen her annoying sister qualities. “I heard her booking a photo shoot for the two of you.”

“Oh God. She’s going all out.”

“She is. And I’m going to be so off the hook for at least a month. Chief might not be bugging me to get married, but she’s been asking me if I met any nice officers while I was at Fort Jackson. Thank you!” She threw her arms around me once more, then withdrew so fast I stumbled backward.

Xander’s hand was on my elbow in a heartbeat.

Pearl chucked him on the shoulder. “You’ve earned the best brother title already.”

“Happy I could help,” he said dryly. His hand dropped from my arm and I missed his heat.

“Come on.” Pearl bounded away. “Let the fun begin.”

I watched her go. I didn’t move and neither did Xander. I had no idea how long he planned to stay, or what we were going to do together as a married couple while we were here. Xander was used to leaving when he wanted. How long would he stick this out with me before he said enough is enough, have your lawyer call me next Valentine’s Day?

Had the lunch with Chief really been yesterday? Yes. It was early in the day. I’d been married for nearly forty-eight hours. A detail niggled at the edge of my mind. Right!

“Happy birthday,” I said. He hadn’t reminded me.

“Thanks,” he said, his eyes on the house.

“I didn’t get you anything. I hope the millions you’ll get next year will make up for it.” What would a whole year bring? Would we still be together? Would we be married in name only until we cashed in? Too many questions when we’d known each other for less than two days.

But that didn’t mean that the answers weren’t important.

Xander

I wanted to leave. Hitch a ride to the airport and fly out. I’d go anywhere there weren’t reception halls, matching color schemes, or portrait sessions for invitations.

Less than two hours after we’d arrived at the Abbot estate, my arms were stretched to the sides and a dude I’d met only minutes ago had his hand in my crotch. Another guy was at my back with a measuring tape, getting the width of my shoulders. The suit Mrs. Abbot wanted me to wear for the photos was going to be the most impeccably tailored garment I’d ever worn. Which was a low bar to step over, but still.

I’d grown up with money. My family worked hard for what we had, but the stress of managing wealth was different than managing debt, or living without money altogether. A difference I knew and that my brothers didn’t. But that didn’t mean we’d grown up like Savvy. We bought our clothing from the farm and tractor place in town. If we needed something fancier, we went to the mall in Billings. My shoes and cowboy boots had always been off the rack, never special ordered, like the pair crotch-measuring guy had just put a rush on.

He’d even politely suggested a brand of underwear and undershirts that he could order. I’d agreed since I didn’t have much more than what was in my backpack and I was certain this photo shoot wasn’t the only one Mrs. Abbot had lined up.

Normally, I’d feel bad about the expense, but it wasn’t like Savvy or I had asked for pictures, marriage announcements, a “small” gathering to celebrate our nuptials,