Page 44 of Till Death Do Us Part

“And to share my life with you.”

“And to share my life with you.”

She turned to Elaine. “Repeat after me. I, Elaine…”

“I, Elaine.” Her voice shook. Speaking too slowly. Dammit. I should have told the officiant no vows.

“Take you, Vera.”

“Take you… V-Vera.”

“To be my wife.”

“To be my… my wife.”

Another snap. This one louder. Closer.

I felt it like a countdown coming closer as the officiant guided Elaine through her vows, tearful and shaky. At last, the officiant presented us the rings.

“Repeat after me,” she said. “With this ring, I marry you, and I give you my love.”

I slipped the ring onto Elaine’s finger. “With this ring, I marry you, and I give you my love.”

Her breath caught, and her chest heaved as I slid the metal on over her finger. The officiant gave her the other ring.

“Repeat after me,” she said. “With this ring—”

An explosion rang from the front door. Caitlyn screamed, covering her head, and the officiant dropped the ring, stepping back as smoke billowed out—a blast charge, blowing straight through the door and into the complex.

And standing outlined in the smoke, Yulia Mikhailovna.

Chapter 18

elaine

We were supposed to be safe here.

Panic coiled cold and tight in my stomach at the sight—Yulia, battered and bruised, like she was straight out of a fight, clutching a throwing knife, standing in the entryway—that we were too late, and now—

“Ma’am,” Vera said, “will you please hurry up and marry us?”

“Miss—Miss Farkas, I—”

“Madame,” Yulia said, “I object to the union.”

“This is entirely unprecedented,” the officiant stammered.

“Elaine! The ring!” Vera’s voice cut through the haze, and I panicked, dropping to the floor and scrabbling to pick up the ring, grabbing Vera’s hand and slipping it on.

“With—with this ring, I m-marry you and give you my love,” I blurted all in one syllable, and Yulia raced into the ballroom with death in her eyes as Vera shot the officiant a look.

“The pronouncement!”

“But—”

“Do it now!”

“I don’t—”