“I assume you like it?”
“It’s breathtaking,” I whisper, and I mean it.
The entire space is beyond anything I could have ever created myself or imagined. It’s like a magazine cover. This sight has me wondering what the cake looks like, because I have a feeling it’s absolutely stunning.
I start to ask if I can be taken to see the cake, but I don’t get the chance before the doors fly open, and I turn my head, watching as people begin pouring in. I don’t recognize any of them.
I know they must all be from Paul’s side, because they’re all in tuxedos and floor-length gowns, and I know my people aren’t dressed like that. I mean, they aren’t dressed like slouches, but if there was a black-tie requirement, they decided against it.
Plastering on my fake-as-hell smile, I greet a bunch of people I don’t even know as they make their way into the reception. The women all comment about how beautiful the venue is as they hug and give cheek kisses.
Paul doesn’t introduce anyone to me, and I’m okay with that, because I wouldn’t remember anyone’s name anyway. I just keep my smile plastered in place as I wait for a familiar face, and thankfully, it doesn’t take long.
Dakota and Bullet are first, and she doesn’t even look at Paul. She makes a beeline for me and wraps her arms around me. She presses her cheek against mine, her lips at my ear, on the opposite side of Paul, so he can’t see her speaking to me, or more importantly, hear her.
“Are you okay?” she asks.
My muscles flex as I hold her closer to me. “I’m okay.”
It’s a lie. I don’t think I’m okay at all, but at the same time, it doesn’t matter. None of it does. I am here. I am married. And that is that. This is my new life. Honestly, I didn’t think it was actually going to happen. I told myself a million times that it was happening, but I didn’t really believe it.
A big part of me hoped that Gunnar would have stopped it. That he was going to object or something at the last second. But that didn’t happen, and this is my new world. My new life. I’m accepting it and attempting to embrace it, even if it feels really weird and a little bit wrong.
Maybe it’s just something I need to get used to, this new life, this new world. Like when you move into a new place, and you have to get used to your new surroundings.
“You can still run,” she exhales.
I know she means well, but she doesn’t realize just how much it hurts me when she says that. Because I can’t run. This is my world now. My life and my home. There’s nothing else to be done about it.
Thankfully, she doesn’t say anything else. She takes a step backward, her gaze searching mine, and then she gives me a soft smile before Bullet moves beside her and wraps his arms around me in a hug as well. He tells me congratulations, but I can see the sadness behind his eyes.
He didn’t want me to do this. I understand why, but what’s done is now done. Thankfully, the line continues, and no one else tells me I can still run. Instead, they congratulate me, hug me, and keep moving.
My brother is the last person to appear in front of me. The final guest. I don’t pay attention to what he and Paul are saying, but I watch as they shake hands, and then Axton tugs him into his body, lifting his other hand and clapping him on the shoulder. He leans down and murmurs something that causes Paul’s body to tense and a muscle to tic in his jaw.
Uh-oh.
When Axton releases his grip on Paul before he turns to me, he’s got his own fake smile playing on his lips as he closes the distance between us. I feel my brother’s arms wrap around my shoulders as he pulls me in for a hug.
I’m waiting for him to say something about leaving or running away, but it doesn’t happen. Instead, he just hugs me before he takes a step backward, his eyes searching mine, his fake smile on display.
I start to call him on it, but decide against it. The wedding planner appears out of thin air and guides us over to the head table, telling us that it’s time for dinner to be served. There is music playing, but I have no clue what it is.
As we walk past all the tables of guests, I feel like I’m walking through a tunnel. I wonder when this is going to end, when I’m going to stop having these bouts of feeling… off. The hard part is over. I saidI do, we kissed, and this is supposed to be the fun part, but all I can do is think about what happens in an hour when he wants to leave.
VIKING
Pulling up to the reception place, I hiss at the sight in front of me. It’s fucking fancy. Some vineyard that no doubt cost fucking bank. If anyone deserves this type of wedding, it’s Lainey. Even though I fucking hate everything about it.
Pulling my bike around to the back, I take in the building, well, I take in the exits. There’s no way I can get out the front. I wonder where all the guards are. I can’t imagine they wouldn’t have this fucking place locked down tight for the event, but I don’t see anyone.
Taking my phone out of my pocket, I look behind me as Flop rolls up behind me. He kills his engine beside me. Jerking my chin toward him, I scroll as I find Bullet’s name in my phone. I touch the call icon and hold it against my ear.
He doesn’t answer immediately, no doubt going through all the bullshit that happens at weddings. Then I hear rustling before he murmurs his greeting. I can tell he’s trying to be quiet, and I hope he’s in the hallway or something.
“We got a fuckin’ problem. A big one,” I state.
There is a moment of silence, then he clears his throat. “What the fuck is going on?”