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I hardly hear the priest pronounce us man and wife because, in a rush to get here, I’d forgotten that Niall would kiss me. I vaguely hearyou may kiss the bride,and then my heart is racing as Niall gently pulls me towards him, his head bending down towards mine.
I’d thought he would never kiss me again. Even after he’d rescued me, even after it became clear that we were bound together now by the child I’m carrying, I hadn’t thought I’d ever feel his lips on mine again. But now they’re brushing against my mouth, firm and warm, and every sensation I’d told myself to forget is bursting through me all at once. My skin feels like it’s on fire, and I can feel myself arching into his touch, his kiss, every bit of pain and heartbreak forgotten in the perfect sensation of Niall’s mouth on mine.
When he pulls away, it feels like a loss.
“Congratulations,” Father Hernandez says. “Now, let’s get the official matters handled, so you can be on your way.”
“Wait,” Niall says suddenly, still holding onto my right hand. I look at him, confused, until he reaches into his pocket and holds out his hand. I see what’s on his palm, a thin gold chain with a small topaz dangling from it, and I feel as if I’m going to burst into tears.
“The necklace,” I whisper, my eyes wide as they well up, and Niall nods.
“I knew I shouldn’t have gone in your room when I was at your home–but I did. I found this there, in your jewelry box.” He unclasps it, a bit unsteadily, holding it out to put it around my neck. “You said that night in the garden that it did mean something to you. I kept it with me, thinking that if I managed to find you, I’d give it back. I thought you might want it, and before I found out–” he swallows hard. “I thought it might be a parting gift in New York. Closing the circle, so to speak. But now–this seems like the right moment to give it to you.”
I feel the tears spilling over, sliding down my face as Niall clasps the necklace around my neck. It sits perfectly in the silhouette of my dress’s neckline, and it feels like it belongs there. That it, like him, like our wedding, isrightsomehow.
That feeling doesn’t last long outside of the church, though, as we finish with Father Hernandez and leave the warm, low-lit, incense-smelling haven of the tiny church.
The night somehow feels colder than before as we step outside. I look down at the thin gold band on my finger, and it looks so much better to me there than the huge ring from before. I don’t care that it’s small and simple.
I glance up at Niall, who is shrugging on his leather jacket. “You were right about bribing the priest being low on the list of sins,” I say softly. “Since we just lied to two priests, too.”
Niall looks down at me. “What do you mean?”
I shrug. “The vows? Saying we’d come here wholeheartedly? Promising things for all the days of our lives? Love and honor? I’ve hardly honored you with my actions, and you said clearly you don’t love me. I don’t think you’re here wholeheartedly, and as for all the days of our lives—”
“People say wedding vows they don’t keep every day,” Niall says curtly, interrupting me. His jaw tightens, and I wonder what it is about what I said that upset him so much. He looks almost angry, and I press my lips together, wishing I hadn’t said anything at all.
“But you wanted to keep them, if you made them,” I say softly. “That’s why you didn’t want a wife. You didn’t want to make those kinds of vows.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Niall says, his voice still tight. “We’ve done what we needed to do. Diego can’t take you back now. We’ll handle the official paperwork in the morning before we leave town, and I’ll call Liam and figure out where we can get a ride out of here.”
“So—back to the hotel?” I try to keep the quaver out of my voice, thinking of the one small bed, of how this is suddenly our wedding night, and how I had never expected it to be like this at all.
“I need to get some tequila first,” Niall says gruffly. “But then aye, lass. Back to the hotel and some rest.”
He says the last pointedly, and I try to push down the disappointment I instantly feel.It’s not real,I remind myself.None of it was. So why would your wedding night be? Better to not have sex at all than end up beneath a man you don’t want, forced into it. Everything about this is better than what you would have had, otherwise.
Niall doesn’t take my hand as we walk towards the liquor store, our last stop before the hotel. And as I look at my husband, his jaw clenched tight in his silhouetted face, I tell myself not to cry. After all, this is what I’d wanted. An escape.
That’s what he’s given me as a wedding present.
Freedom from my old life.
And a chance at a new one.
