Chapter 84

Deric POV

I stood in front of the full-length mirror, adjusting my black tie for the third damn time. My fingers fumbled at the knot again like I was some awkward teenager going to prom. My eyes caught my own reflection, taut jaw, furrowed brow, that twitch in my left eye that only ever surfaced when I was either furious or deeply anxious. Today, I wasn’t sure which.

Behind me, I saw her in the reflection, Ava. Her arms slid around my waist, her touch easing the tension in my shoulders just enough to breathe. She rested her cheek against my back and looked at me through the mirror, her eyes soft but perceptive.

“You’re nervous, baby,” she whispered, voice light but steady.

Hell yeah, I was. “Yeah,” I muttered, adjusting the tie once more. “Can’t help it.”

She spun me around to f