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I react.
My mind goes blank as I charge her. The booming sound of the projectile leaving the chamber reverberates through the air, nearly deafening me. Shayne screams, but I don’t stop my pursuit, because if I do, I know I won’t live to see another sunrise.
And I really want to see another one… with my husband.
Luca
“The women are taking too long,”I mumble, anxious to have my bride in my bed. “I’m gonna go see what the holdup is.”
“I’ll come with you. Judge, it was nice to see you again,” Julius says, forever the polite brother.
“You two take care,” Judge Merrimore adds as our strides eat up the space between us and the waiting area.
“You too,” I call back, my feet never stalling as I keep putting one foot in front of the other. An intense need to see Mera encompasses me. I don’t question why, if my senses are in overdrive, there has to be a damn good reason behind the incessant need.
“Where’s the bailiff?” Julius asks as we continue walking.
“I have no idea. But he’ll pay for leaving them unprotected,” I promise.
Just as we hit the alcove that leads to the restrooms, a shot blasts out. I pick up my pace, Julius hot on my trail, and we rush to the women’s entrance. The door doesn’t give, it’s been locked from the inside.
“Fuck! We need a key,” I inform my brother. Shouts of anguish have my limbs shaking in both fear and anger.
“Stand back!” Judge Merrimore orders, his black robe floating behind him as he urgently sprints our way. “I’ve got a master key. Here.” He all but shoves it at me, and I insert it into the lock and wrench my wrist. When it disengages, and the door opens, I see red… lots of motherfucking red. Blood to be specific.
I leap to Mera’s side, yank her off the lifeless woman, and envelop her in my arms. “What happened? Who the hell is that?”
“Graham’s wife,” Mera spews. “The bitch wanted me to spend forever in the afterlife. We had a difference of opinion and I sent her there instead.”
Rage consumes me, and I spit on the dead bitch. “Good fucking riddance.”
Shayne’s shaky voice says, “Can you believe the bullshit coming out of her mouth? She actually thought my brother was the good guy. That’s ludicrous. It’s like she didn’t know him at all.”
“Jesus, fuck. Did you just cuss, Shayne?” I ask, wondering if we’ve journeyed into an alternate universe. Is the world ending? First Mera. Now Shayne. We’ve corrupted them, and I like it. “Atta girl.”
“Now is not the time, brother,” Julius scolds me, holding Shayne close to his chest. “Are you alright, temptress?”
“Physically, I’m fine,” Shayne answers him.
“Mentally?” Julius probes.
“In a bit of shock. Moreso, because she was delusional. My brothers were a lot of things, Julius. Being good, that wasn’t one of them.”
“I tend to agree with you, Shayne,” I state, leaning back and scanning Mera for injuries. “Are you hurt?”
“No. This isn’t my blood, it’s hers. She gave me an opening and I took it.” Her tone is shaky, but on the outside, she’s as strong as a rock.
“I need to get this off of you,” I tell her, plucking at her dress. “Let’s go home.”
“Can we? Don’t we need to make a statement or something?” she asks me, burying her head in my pecs.
“No. I’ll take care of it. Y’all go home and salvage as much of this happy occasion as you can,” our judge friend insists. “If we need anything from you, I’ll get in touch.”
“Don’t have to tell me twice,” I huff, standing up and lifting Mera in my arms. This wasn’t the way I wanted to carry her home and over our marital threshold. But there’s no way I’m gonna set her down. I may not for the rest of the damn night.
* * *
“Luca. I’m alright, I swear,” Mera protests as I wash and scrub her skin for the second time since getting her in the shower.
