28. Matthias
Chapter 28
Matthias
“Like hell I’ll marry you,” Scarlet screams, all worked up, her hair wild around her. She closes the distance between us and jabs her finger into my sternum. “You’ve lost your mind.”
She’s so fucking cute, all I want to do is lean down and kiss her, but that’s not going to get her to calm down any faster. “You can either do this sober or drugged. It’s up to you.”
Her mouth drops open, eyes wide. I can almost see the wheels turning in her brain.
I’m just fast enough to dodge her fist, which grazes the corner of my ear.
“Almost,” I say, chuckling, and leave the room, leaving her seething behind me.
Damon leans against the kitchen island, wearing a black dress shirt and crisp pants. He’s wearing an amused smile as I come closer. “You didn’t tell our brothers?”
I go to rake my hand through my hair but stop myself before I can mess it up. I’d taken extra care with my appearance this morning, not that Scarlet noticed, but you only get married once.
“Are you kidding me? Do you have any idea how much shit I’d take? Not to mention, I don’t trust them not to take her side and steal her away. I really don’t want to have to kill one of them.”
The door opens, and the officiant steps in. His eyes dart around the room as he sets papers down on the table. He’s not a part of the Order, but he’s in enough debt to our family that he has no choice but to do what we say.
“Gerald, we all set?”
He jerks his head toward me and gives me a minuscule nod. If he’s already this nervous, he might faint by the time my Little Sparrow comes out.
I go to her and bang on the bedroom door. “You’ve got ten seconds until I physically force you out.”
“Screw you.” Her voice is muffled through the solid wood, but her tone’s easy to make out. A sick part of me wants her to push it a little bit further. I might enjoy having her fight in my arms as I tie her to me permanently.
A hand lands on my shoulder, and I turn to face Damon.
“You sure about this?”
I knock on the door again. “Dead. I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life.”
Damon laughs. “She’ll try to kill you.”
The idea of her, fire in her eyes as she takes a swing at me, has my cock twitching. I’m one hundred percent a sick fuck. “I’m looking forward to it.”
“Scarlet, get your cute ass out here.”
“Ten. Nine.”
“I never agreed to this,” she yells back from the other side of the door.
“Don’t you remember? You agreed ten years ago,” I reply and keep counting during the long pause. “Eight. Seven.”
“We were kids.” Her voice has lost some of its edge and is tipping closer to curiosity.
“We’re not kids now. Six.”
There’s a thud that sounds distinctly like her head landing against the door. “I’m not coming out.”
“Five. I dare you to test me.”
There’s no movement from the other side.
“Four.” It comes out like a warning.
The door swings open, slamming into my forearm, and I grunt against the pain as it spreads up my arm. She’s radiant in the white dress, and I have to choke in a breath. I’ve been planning this for months, but I’m in no way prepared for the real thing. Her hair’s wild, pulled on top of her head into a messy bun, as if in protest.
“Good girl. I knew you’d make the right choice.” I bite the corner of my lip as my dick twitches in my pants. She looks freshly fucked, and if today wasn’t so important, I’d tell everyone to leave and drag her back to bed.
“How does it feel to be the same as every other guy who wants to use me?” Her chest rises and falls rapidly, her eyes narrowed into slits.
I grab her chin, squeezing around her delicate bones. “I’m nothing like them. All they wanted was to use you. I don’t need your spot in the Order.”
“Then what do you want?” she mumbles through clenched teeth, unable to open her mouth against the pressure of my hand.
I lean down, resting my forehead against hers, basking in the way she gasps in a breath.
“Everything.”
She fists my shoulders, but she doesn’t push me away, and I use the opportunity to run my nose along hers.
“I’ll make you happy.”
She huffs out a laugh and seethes. “I hate you.”
“Liar.”
She shoves my shoulders, and I let her push me back several feet. If we get any closer, I’ll be fucking her here, not giving a damn about our audience.
The officiant clears his throat. “Um…if y…you’re both ready, we can begin.” He’s standing with his back toward the window, an open space in front of him. I’d spent more time than I want to admit figuring out where to do this without going outside.
Wrapping my fingers around Scarlet’s wrist, I drag her with me.
She winces, and I immediately release her, turning her arm. The faint bruise circling her wrist from the cuffs I’d locked her in has pain piercing my chest.
I press my lips against the mark left by the handcuffs. “I’m sorry.”
Instead of pulling away like I expect, she searches my features. “Are you really worried?”
“I know it’s hard to believe me now, but I’ve never wanted to hurt you.”
Red rims her eyes, and she sniffs. “Well, you have.”
There’s so much more pain in her voice than a simple bruise. Knowing that I’m responsible for that hurt is nearly my undoing.
I entwine our fingers. “It’s over now.”
“What’s over?”
“The wait.”
“May the witnesses please step forward.” The officiant’s entire body visibly trembles.
We need to hurry this up before he faints.
Damon steps to my right. “I’m the witness.”
The officiant goes white as a ghost. “I…I’m sorry, but two witnesses are required.”
“Fine.” I open the front door and call out, “Oliver, get your ass in here.”
He’s quick to come but stumbles back when he sees what’s happening. His brows pull down, and his eyes narrow as he takes in the scene in front of him.
“You’re going to be our second witness,” I state.
He looks at Scarlet, and there’s a softness in his gaze that I want to tear out.
“What are you doing here?” Scarlet’s mouth drops open, her eyes wide on her longtime guard. The gears turning in her mind are practically visible on her face. “Why are you here, Oliver?”
He glances away, then back to her. “I can’t say.”
“Tell me!” she screams, her voice cracking.
“He works for me,” I answer flatly. It’s too late to take back all the things I’ve done, not that I would if I could.
Her head snaps to me, shaking from side to side in denial.
“He always has.” I should have known better than to let her find out this way.
She rears back. “He can’t. He couldn’t have–”
I sigh, getting ready for what comes next. “He does. Now, let’s get started.”
“I can’t do this. You’ll have to find someone else.”
Oliver meets my eyes head-on, knowing there’s a good chance I’ll kill him. The only thing saving his ass is the knowledge that Scarlet wouldn’t forgive me if I do.
“You.” I point past Oliver at one of the guards stationed at the front of the house. “Get in here.”
He looks to his left and right, clearly hoping I’m speaking to anyone else before giving up and entering the house.
Unlike Oliver, he doesn’t resist. Our men have been trained to do what they’re told, and ever since what happened with Misty, they’ve been on extra alert.
“Anything else?” I ask the officiant, my voice low, challenging him to request anything else.
“No…no…we’re ready.”
“Good.”
The officiant starts running through the normal words, and Scarlet takes a step back. Her chest heaves, and her cheeks are pink as she processes everything. She’s going to run.
She twists, but she doesn’t make it a foot before Damon’s holding her in place.
“I’m really sorry about this,” he apologizes.
“Hurt her and you’re dead,” I say.
My older brother nods. “Understood.”
“How do you think Misty will react about you participating in my coerced marriage?”
There’s a sly smirk on his lips. “I think you’d be surprised how much she’ll understand. So long as you don’t fuck this up.”
“Do you, Scarlet Laurent, take Matthias Everette to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
“No.” She spits the word, and the officiant freezes.
“Continue,” I command, and he does.
“Do you, Matthias Everette, take Scarlet Laurent to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
“I do.”
"By the power vested in me by the state of Massachusetts, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
I grasp the back of her neck and force the kiss on her. She refuses to open for me, teeth clamped shut. I grip her ass, pressing her against my hard cock, and she gasps. I use the opportunity to shove my tongue in her mouth, devouring her.
The hands that push against my chest change to pulling me closer as she melts under my touch.
Goddammit, I want her, but I know she’ll hate herself if this continues. I break the kiss. “You taste so fucking good.”
She rears back, hazy eyes going clear. “I’m not signing anything.”
“You are mistaken if you think that’ll stop this.”
“I don’t want you to touch me.” Her neck flushes a pretty pink that crawls up to her ears.
“You shouldn’t lie to yourself, Wife.”
I can practically see the smoke pouring out of her ears, and I shift back, dodging her punch. She’s fast, having spent years honing her skills, but not quite fast enough.
She lets out a frustrated grunt and stomps toward her room.
I take a step after her, but Damon stops me.
“Give her some space.”
Everything in me wants to follow her into our room and make her see just how much she wants me. No matter what she says, I know she’ll be wet, her body reacting to my every touch, but I’m looking for more than just sex from her.
“Fine. Let’s go,” I say.
Oliver slides his phone into his pocket the second I step outside, as if he’s expecting what’s coming next. I grab him by the collar and slam him against the exterior wall.
“Who the fuck do you think you are to question my orders?”
He doesn’t say anything, simply taking whatever his punishment will be.
“You’re lucky she trusts you. Stay here and keep her out of trouble.”
“Yes, boss,” he deadpans, and I have half a mind to punch him for his insolence.
I get into the car, and Damon smirks. “That was very mature of you.”
“Fuck off.”
His laughter fills the car. “I can’t fucking wait to tell Xander and Bash they have a new sister.”
Warmth spreads in my chest, and my shoulders relax. Whether she admits it or not, I know family is what she needs.