Page 7 of Consume

4

Grant

After gettinginto Vegas late last night, we crashed and woke up early to go to the county clerk office to get our marriage license. Then I took her to the shops at Bellagio so she could pick out a dress. She didn’t want me to see her in her dress before the wedding, which I thought was adorable, and she wanted to get her hair done, so we agreed to meet in a few hours at the altar.

Mia had shot down my idea of getting married by Elvis, but she had agreed to have a simple, romantic ceremony. It wasn’t the huge wedding she had told me she wanted, but she seemed to be happy that our vows would be something that we would share only with each other.

While she got ready, I headed over to the nearest bar and ordered a whiskey on the rocks.

My phone rang—Mitch. I refused to ruin my wedding day talking to that asshole. I was still fucking pissed off at him for kissing Mia, even if he had been just trying to help her get information to free Joaquín. No matter the reason, next time I saw him, I was going to fuck himup.

The blinding, fluorescent lights of Vegas rattled me. Last time I’d visited I’d been on a bender with Joaquín and Mitch. Those assholes had dragged me out here, probably sick of me moping around about Mia leaving me. Joaquín and Mitch had taken me to Crazy Horse, where I’d gotten drunk on lap dances and liquor.

At the time, I’d thought they were such great friends, that Joaquín’s friendship had held strong even after his sister had broken my heart.

It had been alie.

He’d known that she had been raped. He should’ve told me. It was almost as if he had been happy that we had been brokenup.

“Want another?” the scantily clad bartender asked.

“Nope. I’m getting married tonight—I want to remember everything.”

“Oh, wow. Congrats. She’s a lucky gal. But you aren’t married yet . . .” She gave me a wink and a playful tickle of my beard. I didn’t even react. I only had Mia on mymind.

After people watching for a bit, I’d had enough of this scene. I stopped by the flower shop and returned to my room to get ready.

I ordered a romantic feast for later, changed into my suit, and placed my trident in my lapel. A final glance in the mirror and I was ready to see my bride.

I entered the chapel, paid the fees, and waited forMia.

And waited.

And waited.

Where the fuck was she? I texted her phone, but she didn’t answer. I was tempted to use the find my phone app I had installed, but I had vowed that I was only going to use that if I believed she was in danger. I refused to stalk mywife.

Maybe she’d changed her mind. Maybe she didn’t want to marryme.

I stood up to leave when the doors opened and I saw my bride.

My heart skipped. Her hair was now dark, close to her natural color, and she looked more like the woman I’d fallen in love with years ago. The woman I had wanted to marry, the woman I had conceived a child with. She took my breath away. She wore a low-cut, white slip dress, which draped over her curves, and I couldn’t believe how lucky Iwas.

She smiled when her eyes met mine, and I took her hand. “You look beautiful.” I leaned down to kiss her, but the officiant stoppedme.

“You can kiss her after the wedding.”

As he performed the ceremony, Mia’s eyes were locked withmine.

“Have you written your own vows?” the officiant asked.

I took Mia’s hand. “Mia, I have loved you for what feels like my whole life. I humbly give you my hand and my heart as I pledge my faith and love to you. Just as this ring I give you today is a circle without end, my love for you is eternal. Just as it is made of incorruptible substance, my commitment to you will never fail. We will notfail.”

Mia choked up as I placed the ring on her finger. “Grant, I promise to love and care for you, and I will try in every way to be worthy of yourlove.

I will always be honest with you, kind, patient, and forgiving. But most of all, I promise to be a true and loyal friend to you. I loveyou.”

“Do you, Grant Joseph Carrion take Angelita Mia Cruz to be your lawfully weddedwife?”

“Ido.”

“Do you, Angelita Mia Cruz take Grant Joseph Carrion to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

“Ido.”

“By the power vested in me by the state of Nevada, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride.”

I grabbed Mia and kissed her passionately. She was mine, forever. No one, not even Joaquín, could ever tear us apart.