Emery glances up at me, her smile faltering. Light dims in her eyes, but she quickly masks it.
Something I just said bothered her.
Should I have thrown her something more formal?
“You all right?” I ask, pulling her closer. “We can put this off if you want more people here.”
“No, it’s fine. Like you said, taking care of business.” Her smile is tight. “Ready when you are.”
Venom is the first to walk toward the chapel, tossing a coin in a wishing well that sits beside it. The bottom iscovered in pennies, and maybe I should make a final wish myself. But what else do I need with Emery in my arms?
She’s no longer smiling as big as she was when I proposed, and I can't help but worry that I fucked something up just now. But she sticks to my side as we walk into the chapel, so I take it for what it is.
I’m making her mine.
We’ll deal with the consequences later.
17
Emery
I'm buzzing as wetake the stairs up to the front door. Hayes hasn't let go of my hand since helping me out of the truck, and this somehow feels more like a first date than our wedding night.
Our wedding night.
It doesn't sound real.
I glance down at my finger. The gold band catches the porch light, and the diamond shimmers. I was surprised when he pulled a ring out of his pocket in the chapel since it was a last-minute ceremony, but he said it belonged to his mother, which explained why he had it.
Now, it sits on my hand. A promise we probably shouldn’t be making when there are still too many uncertainties.
I suppose he's right that we've already done everything else out of order, so why not this? Especially if it is just a matter of us taking care of business, as he said. Himchecking off a box so that my uncle can’t marry me to anyone else.
The thought alone has my stomach lurching because when I look up at Hayes, I want this to be real. I want this to mean more than him simply trying to protect me.
When his lips landed on mine after I said yes, a silly part of me believed he was feeling the same thing I was, and he was done denying it.
This undeniable pull.
A landslide of need that courses through my veins at the simplest touch.
I should've known better.
Hayes stops at the top of the stairs, turning me to face him. “I have to meet up with Steel for a bit, but I'll be back tonight.”
My heart is a sinking ship in my chest as I look past him to the horizon. While we were saying our vows, the sun set. We celebrated with shots at the bar next door to the chapel, but apparently, it was too much to think he’d want to continue the night with me when there are probably more exciting things happening at the clubhouse.
Hayes’s dark-blond hair blows with the slight breeze. A dewy sheen of sweat coats our skin in this dry heat, and reminders of the night we met flash before me.
How we moved as one. Slicked with sweat and urgent need.
How he kissed every inch of my body like he’d memorize my curves. My freckles.
He’s forever imprinted. And while I held those memories in comfort for months, now all they do is hurt.
“I’ll be back tonight,” he says again when I’ve yet to respond.
“It’s fine if you’re not.” I shrug, putting up the same walls he clearly still wants between us. “I understand if the club needs you.”
