Total pages in book: 174
Estimated words: 172061 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 860(@200wpm)___ 688(@250wpm)___ 574(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 172061 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 860(@200wpm)___ 688(@250wpm)___ 574(@300wpm)
“You look like you’re about to shit your pants,” Kane mumbled out of the side of his razzing mouth, loud enough so only my crew and I could hear.
“That’s because this nincompoop just realized he’s actually getting married today,” Otto said just as low and with just as big of a shit-eating grin. “Hence, the poop.”
Was he serious?
Like any of this was funny?
“I’m just fine,” I gritted through clenched teeth.
Otto shared a look with River and Kane. A silent toss of their eyes that called bullshit.
Assholes.
“It’s not fuckin’ real,” I grunted at them.
Otto squeezed my shoulder with his big mitt, jostling me around like it might knock some sense into me while he easily held Luna in the other. “Oh, brother, the fact you’re sweating fuckin’ bullets and look like you’re about two seconds from puking your guts up all over the floor makes it plenty clear this is real.”
“Temporarily,” I forced out.
Sure. The wedding was happening. It was the rest that was fake. Standing there pretending like Daisy and I were getting ready to pledge our lives to one another. Like we were starting that life together.
As if I’d ever get a gift like that.
“You sure about that?” River’s voice was full of a challenge. “Never have seen you this spun up.”
I roughed a hand through my hair. “Why don’t you have a girl ask you to marry her for the sole purpose of you ending up with custody of her kids since she believes her ex is gonna off her and see how you feel?”
Amusement arched his dark brow. “Sounds like another day in the life of being a member of Sovereign Sanctum.”
I didn’t have time to tell him to fuck off. To tell him what was happening here was entirely different than the rest of their circumstances.
Because the door swept open and Piper and Emery came through, each wearing pretty dresses that clearly came from Ivy Threads.
Charleigh stepped in behind them, then Raven.
Raven, who cut me a knowing glance.
Like she fuckin’ knew I was standing there shaking. So torn and messed up and unsure if what I was doing was right. If I was only making things a thousand times worse. Dragging them into my sordid world for even a minute when they’d been trying to get free from the debased and corrupt.
The girls joined the kids and Theo on the bench, then I was getting squeezes on my shoulders by the rest of my brothers as they moved to join them.
You know, since this was supposed to be a casual thing.
No biggie.
No wedding party or fanfare.
Just our family there as witnesses.
“This is a good thing, Cash,” Kane muttered low.
“Try not to pass out, brother.” That from Otto, the punk.
“You’ve got this, man,” River said with a clap to my back.
Did I?
Could I fucking handle this?
Because I was feeling my entire world splinter apart when the door slowly opened again.
Reticence curled through the air.
Thick and tacky.
Like she was as hesitant as me.
Before Daisy finally stepped all the way through.
Took everything I had not to drop to my knees.
The sight of her a punch to the gut.
Seeing her was like looking at heaven and seeing its beauty, but knowing you’d never fully get to experience it for yourself.
Wearing that dress that I impulsively picked out this morning, wishing some facet of this was true. Wanting her to feel beautiful and treasured the way she deserved to be.
The way she was destined to be.
Body hugged by that ivory material, every lush inch of her accentuated by the cut. High heels on her feet, making her appear a foot taller than her petite form.
Her cinnamon hair was done up in a pretty twist with a bunch of flowers tucked into the locks.
Makeup done in a way that she didn’t normally wear it.
Eyes rimmed in black and her lips glossy and pink.
Like my gorgeous Wallflower had stepped out into a spotlight.
But that was the way I’d always seen her. Like she was the sun. A beam of blinding light.
Those cornflower eyes pinned me to the spot as she stalled out just inside the door, holding a bouquet that undoubtedly had come from Moonflower. My family coming together to make her feel welcome and right.
But that’s what she was.
Right.
So fucking right that I felt like a blight just being in the same damned room as her.
I pinned her with my gaze as the connection we’d always shared rippled and tugged and screamed.
Shockwaves of it crashed between us like we were shores on opposite sides of the world.
In it, I sent her a million silent promises.
I will take care of you.
I will take care of your children.
I will fight for you.
I will love you.
Couldn’t believe the last thought would dare to invade, and I didn’t know if I hoped she could sense it or if I was terrified that she could see it plain as day.