Playing with Fire: A Standalone Dark Romance

Chapter Ten

To say I’m sick with nerves is an understatement, my stomach hasn’t stopped churning all morning and the thought of ingesting anything right now makes me feel ten times worse.

“You’re looking a little green,” Willow cringes.

I press my hand to my stomach, “I’ll be fine.”

The artist presses the powder puff to my cheeks, setting the makeup she’s placed on my skin. She’s done an incredible job, keeping it light but I have this subtle glam look going on, which I’m not mad about. My hair has been pinned back and the small flower shaped accessories I picked up at the boutique have been intricately woven into my black strands.

The only jewelry I have on is a bracelet Willow lent to me for the day, my something borrowed, she said. After she’d given it to me, she pulled out a lacy little lingerie set, wagging her brows, “Something blue and something new,” she shoved it into my chest and told me to put it on.

Since the dress is backless and strappy, I can’t wear the bra, but I appease her and put on the lacy panties.

Now my feet are being slipped into the strappy white heels we had picked to match the dress, and Willow is reaching for the gown hung up by the bedroom door.

The house for the past few days has been quiet, barely a whisper but now I can hear commotion, voices and laughter, footsteps and furniture being moved. I know there are hundreds of people downstairs waiting.

I haven’t seen Malakai today, I had gone for breakfast early this morning, even though I couldn’t stomach anything, but he was nowhere to be found. I’m not sure if that made me happy or even more nervous.

“Let’s get this on you,” Willow whispers, helping to ease the dress over my head, avoiding my makeup so we don’t mark it and once it’s over my head, I shimmy a little, letting it fall in a swish of material down my body, soft like a cloud as it goes.

Despite my lack of excitement for this wedding, this dress really is stunning.

The buttons are secured at the back, the dress fitting like a glove.

Willow lets out a whistle, “Damn girl.”

She looks stunning herself, in a cobalt blue dress that makes her skin pop, it hugs all her curves. She’s gone light with her own makeup, using gold and browns to compliment her blue eyes and the dress and her red hair is curled, framing her face perfectly.

“You ready?” She asks.

My chin barely moves with my nod.

She reaches for the door but before she can get it open, a knock sounds.

“Who is it!?” Willow’s eyes widen in panic.

“Sebastian.”

“Who the fuck is Sebastian?” She hisses.

“Fuck if I know!” I whisper shout.

“I’m the best man,” He calls a moment later, “I’m here to escort Miss Stanton down the aisle.”

“Oh shit!” She snaps.

“Did you know about this?”

“Yes!” She hops on her toes, “I forgot!”

“How do you forget! I can’t go down there on my own!” I grasp her hand, holding it tight.

“Uh, bitch,” She tries to snatch her hand back, “You’re gonna break my hand!”

“Don’t leave me!” Panic surges through me, that churning of my stomach becoming so heavy I can feel myself on the verge of vomiting.

“Nuh uh!” Willow grasps my shoulder, “You look too pretty to puke. Suck it up, honey!”

“Don’t make me go down there on my own!”

“That Abe dude is walking you down, right?” She nods, her voice calm and soothing.

“Yes, but he isn’t here! And I have to go down there! There’s so many people, Wils, what if I fall down the stairs!?”

She opens her mouth to speak but I’m already talking over her.

“Oh god, what if he stands me up!? Could you imagine!?” I let go of her hand, ignoring how she shakes it and then cradles it to her chest, “I don’t even want this wedding but I’m doing it anyway. He’s going to stand me up, isn’t he? He’s going to humiliate me. The asshole!”

The door opens a touch and Willow shoves her head out, “Oh!” She breathes but immediately admonishes herself and snaps out, “Wait focus!”

“Willow!” I hiss.

“Sorry, he’s hot,” She shouts back, “She’s spiraling. I’ll meet you downstairs, okay?”

“Spiraling?” I hear him repeat in that deep voice of his.

I’ve not even met him! Shit.

I can see the hair and make-up artists staring at me, but they know better than to speak right now. I’m in a big old hole and I can’t find a ladder to climb out of it.

Shit. I can’t do this. I can’t fucking do this.

“I’ll get her downstairs,” Willow vows, “I’ll meet you down there!”

Then she shuts the door and is back in my face, “Oli,” She says my name sternly, “Breathe.”

I shake my head frantically.

“Do not cry!” She demands, “We are going to walk out of that door, I am going to hold your hand the whole time, so you don’t fall down the stairs, and I’m going to take you to Abe. He’s going to walk you down the aisle to where Malakai will be waiting, do you understand me?”

“He’d do it, you know,” I point out, “Stand me up just to humiliate me.”

“He’s down there!” I hear Sebastian yell through the door, “I just saw him.”

“See?” Willow rubs the tops of my arms, “It’s going to be fine.”

I nod, more to myself than to her. I mean if he stands me up then I’m free, right? It’ll be fine.

Why am I even panicking about this!?

“There you go,” She smiles, “You ready?”

“Yeah,” I reply, voice wavering.

She grasps my hand firmly, tugging me toward the door. When she opens it there’s no one in the hall and we begin to move down it slowly. Noise filters up from downstairs, but it’s almost drowned out by the sound of my thumping heart, my blood pounding inside my ears.

Don’t throw up. Don’t throw up. I chant it over and over in my head as we descend the stairs, one step at a time, our movements slow, Willow’s grip on me tight as if she knows I’m going to bolt at any second.

Just before we hit the bottom step, Abe comes into view. I can’t help but smile at him. He’d instantly put me at ease the night before with his charm, it didn’t matter that he was related to the devil because he’s nothing like his grandson. There’s a kindness to him Malakai lacks, and he almost reminds me of my father when he wasn’t drowning in work.

“Olivia, sweetheart,” He says when I reach the bottom, “You look beautiful.”

“Thanks, Abe,” My voice shakes, giving away my nerves. He takes my hand from Willow, not giving me an inch to even think about running.

“Chin up,” he taps my chin with a crooked finger, “Shoulders back,” I find myself obeying his words, straightening my shoulders, “One foot in front of the other so you can go knock my grandson on his ass.”

A quick burst of laughter escapes me and some of that tension leaves my chest, making it just that little bit easier to breathe.

“You good?” Willow asks me just as a man steps up behind her.

He’s fucking huge. Dressed impeccably in a blue suit, it stretches over broad shoulders and thick arms. His white shirt is tucked into blue slacks and his dirty blond hair is styled to perfection atop his head. Dark green eyes, thick lashes and he’s clean shaven which highlights how sharp his jawline is, his cheeks high, his brows low.

He throws me a dazzling smile, winking before he takes Willow’s arm and leads her away from me.

“Sebastian?” I ask.

“The one and only,” Abe grumbles, “Troublemaker if you ask me.”

“Is Willow safe with him? Is he… is he like Malakai?”

“Yes, sweetheart,” Abe pats my hand, “We’re about to walk into a nest of snakes, assume everyone is venomous, because they mostly are. Trust no one except Malakai and those he keeps closest to him.”

“So, Sebastian?” I push.

“Yes, as much as I loathe to admit it.”

I’m not about to tell him I’m never going to trust him or Malakai. The only person I can trust is myself.

“You ready?” Abe asks.

“I don’t think I have much choice,” I admit honestly, “Let’s get it over with.”