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The officiant looks to me expectantly and I blurt out, “No.”
In this moment, I actually have a little power. The marriage doesn’t become official unless I say all the stupid words. Nobody can force me to say them. It feels…nice to be in control of something for once.
“Excuse me?” the officiant whispers, glancing between me and Lochlan.
“Those words are lies. I won’t say them.” My spine straightens as I grow more confident in my new assertiveness. I refuse to stand up here and lie to make my father or Lochlan happy.
Lochlan clears his throat and cuts me a look as if he’s annoyed. I know the feeling. Finally, he explains to the officiant, “Could you please revise the wording for my young bride who I barely know?”
“But…”
“We don’t love each other, and he’s refused to be committed to me,” I enlighten the man, more confident in my stance to not cave.
“Oh,” the officiant replies, his forehead now full of creases. “How about: With this ring, I promise to support you, care for you, and stand alongside you for all of our days?”
That I agree to say, with a small edit. “With this ring, I promise to support you, care for you, and stand alongside you.”
“For all of our days,” the officiant whispers.
Ignoring him, I tell Lochlan, “Your turn.”
He arches an eyebrow at me for a long silent moment, as if in surprise or to try and warn me to behave. I don’t cower or speak the words, so eventually, he reaches into his tux’s inner pocket, but he doesn’t pull out a ring.
“Instead of a diamond engagement ring, I bought you a tennis bracelet.” He holds up the sparkling piece that is blindingly beautiful in the rays of the sunset.
“Oh, my goodness,” the officiant mutters. “I’ve never seen so many diamonds…”
“Do you want it or not?” Lochlan asks me.
I don’t want anything from him at the moment other than a morning-after pill.
But the bracelet is too gorgeous to refuse.
I don’t wear much jewelry since I’m usually in the gym or on the court and have never been into it like my sisters. Usually I prefer fancy clothes to diamonds, but I want this bracelet.
I hold up my wrist to let Lochlan fasten the closure, right over the bruises he left on my wrist last night. I’ll wear the beautiful diamonds for myself not for him.
It weighs a ton, which will take some getting used to. It’s stunning, even if it feels like a dog collar of sorts.
Now Lochlan holds up a thin, plain white gold wedding band and takes my left hand to slide it on my finger.
“Oh, right,” the officiant says. “Lochlan, repeat after me: With this ring, I promise to support you, care for you, and stand alongside you…” He trails off since I didn’t say the rest so he’s not sure if Lochlan will or not.
But of course, Lochlan makes his own edits. “With this ring, I promise to support you, cherish you, and protect you through whatever may come, for all of our days.”
Cherish and protect? If I had to bet, my father probably required him to say those things. And I guess he would say “all of our days” since it could be a while before my father dies, unless he kills him first.
“Now, it is my honor to pronounce Lochlan and Sophie husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
Kiss him? Now? In front of everyone, including my father when I’m so furious I could scream?
Not to mention the frenzy that happened last night as soon as our lips met. That would be a bad idea in public, just like sex against the wall of a breakroom was a horrible idea. I refuse to go down that road with Lochlan again, especially here!
Not to mention the fact that I can’t look at Lochlan’s mouth without remembering where it was just a few minutes ago. His smirk says he knows exactly what I’m thinking about. He’ll never let me forget pressing his face to that part of my body.
When Lochlan leans forward, I allow a brush of his lips on mine before I take a step back. Or at least I try to.
The bastard grabs both sides of my head, holding me captive while his lips not only caress mine, but his tongue forces its way into my mouth. The instant, heated reaction it causes throughout my body pisses me off, especially the lower regions. I don’t want to want him. But god, I do. I want him relieving the ache between my thighs with his fingers, tongue, or big cock…
