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“Will do. What do you want to do about the wedding?”
“Bring it forward. I want it over with by tomorrow night.”
“That’s a big ask.”
“Just do it.”
“Keep that phone on you, then. It’ll be short notice.” He leans toward me. “I’m sorry you didn’t get to say goodbye to your family. You sure you don’t want to give her back to him now? Might be able to get him to back off if you do. Rearrange the funeral. Do things properly.”
I get into the car without saying another word. That’s all the answer a suggestion like that deserves. I look across at Anna. I’m never giving her up. I’ve never felt this way about a woman before.
“Are we safe now?” she asks as I drive out of the garage into the early afternoon traffic.
“We’ll be safe once the marriage certificate is signed.”
“You sound very sure.”
“The commission won’t allow any violence against us for twelve months from that date.”
“The same commission that bans violence at funerals?”
“Piper will pay for what happened today. If the cartel doesn’t take him out, the commission will. All we have to do is wait for it to be over.”
“How long will that take?”
“Last time someone broke the rules, the commission had them executed within a week.”
“Then it’ll be over? It’ll really be over?”
“Should be.”
“What will you do then? Divorce me?”
“Why would I do that?”
“If you’re only marrying me to piss off my father, you won’t need to if he’s dead.”
I pull the car over so I can look her straight in the eye.
“Why did you stop?” she asks.
“Look at me, Anna.”
She blinks, swallowing hard.
“Once we’re married, we stay married. You will be my wife for the rest of your life.”
Twenty-Eight
Anna
* * *
“How many houses is this now?” I ask as the car pulls up beside a log cabin. “You have more safe houses than I have pairs of shoes.”
“We won’t have to move again,” Marco replies. “I’ll be dealing with things tonight. Then we can go back to the city.”
“You sure?” I get out of the car and gasp at the sight. The cabin is on the edge of the most beautiful lake I’ve ever seen. The sun is low in the sky, lighting up the still water like it’s a painting. In the distance, a few ducks are flying, completing the scene. “Wow,” I say. “This is quite the place.”
