Chapter thirty-five
Luc
Till death do us part.
“S top fidgeting, man. She’ll be here,” Alain says beside me, carrying a calmness I don’t feel right now.
I won’t lie—part of me is terrified she’s changed her mind. That she’s taken her sister and moved somewhere far away, somewhere her mother will never find them. The thought claws at my chest. Maybe I should have told her the truth.
I grab a pen from my pocket, pressing it repeatedly to keep my hands steady. The clicking sound is faint compared to the whirlwind in my mind, endless scenarios playing on a loop. What if she realized this was a mistake? I should’ve told her the real reason I’m doing this. That I’m completely in love with her, and I’ve been in love with her since that summer. Would that have scared her away?
“Luc.” Alain’s hands grip my shoulders, steadying me. “You got this.”
His words should ease my mind, but they don’t. My heart pounds against my ribs, deafening and relentless.
The soft Christmas music fills the chapel, dragging me from the storm in my head. The doors open, and Sophie enters first, dressed in a flowing crystal-blue gown. She spins with a playful twirl, grinning as she takes her spot.
Next is Luna. She walks slowly, her steps measured, and the sight of her makes my chest ache—she’s like a younger version of Rylee.
Mia follows, her curls bouncing with every step, a soft smile curving her lips. Sarah comes last, taking her spot next to Mia.
The music shifts to “Christmas Canon,” and everyone stands from their seat.
The door opens again.
There she is.
Seeing her in that dress knocks the air out of my lungs.
The world ceases to exist; everything blurs, because and I’ve been transported into hers. She’s the sun, the stars, the moon, and the universe. Everything else orbits around her. I can’t even see her face under the veil, but I feel her gaze. It pins me in place, stripping away every nerve and doubt in a single moment.
I slide the pen back into my pocket. Alain nudges me, pressing a handkerchief into my hand. I frown, unsure why, until I feel it—the wetness trailing down my cheeks.
Fuck .
“You really love this girl, don’t you?” Alain whispers.
I don’t respond. I can’t. I’m not sure I’m even breathing, because she’s stolen that, too. I’m hooked on her. Completely and utterly hooked, like she’s my oxygen.
When she finally reaches me, my trembling fingers rise to lift her veil. The fabric slips back, and there she is, her eyes meeting mine.
“Hi,” I whisper, smiling despite the lump in my throat.
“Hi.” Her lips curve just enough to make my chest ache.
“You’re breathtaking.”
Her cheeks darken slightly, not quite a blush, but enough to send a wave of warmth through me. And I smile, completely undone by her.
The ceremony continues, but I can hardly focus on the priest. My mind is consumed by one thought—the moment I finally get to kiss her. We’ve been sticking to polite forehead and cheek kisses for the public, but it’s not enough, not after that last kiss on the couch.
The priest has us repeat our vows, and I say, “‘Till death do us part,” without hesitation, meaning every word. But when it’s Rylee’s turn, she hesitates. I give her hand a reassuring squeeze, letting her know it’s okay. She exhales softly and finishes her vow.
He asks for the rings next. Rylee hands her bouquet to Mia while Alain makes an exaggerated show of checking his pockets. “Lost it. Oh wait,” he says with a grin, pulling the ring out and handing it to me.
He thinks he’s funny.
I take Rylee’s hand, peeling off her glove gently. Her hand trembles in mine as I push the ring onto her finger, feeling the weight of the moment settle between us. When she does the same, her fingers brush mine, lingering longer than necessary.
“By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may—”
The priest doesn’t even finish before my lips crash onto hers. I wrap my hands around her waist, pulling her close to me, ignoring the murmurs and gasps from the audience. I don’t care. What did she expect? She gave me a taste of her drug, and then left me dry. I’ve been going through withdrawal for weeks, and now I won’t stop until I'm satisfied .
Her lips are soft, warm, intoxicating—everything I’ve been craving. My hand moves to her back, pulling her to me as I deepen the kiss, drowning in the taste of her.
“Should we leave them in here?” Alain teases.
Please do . I’d make love to her right here if she’d let me. After I kick everyone out of, course, including the priest. I’ll ask for forgiveness later.
The priest clears his throat, and I feel Rylee start to pull away. No. Not yet.
I let her go with a quiet growl of frustration. The sound earns a ripple of chuckles from the audience.
This is definitely going to be all over the news.
Her wide eyes lift to mine, and I can’t tell if she’s shocked or dazed—or maybe a little of both—but the small smile curling at the corner of her lips sends my heart racing all over again.
I entwine my fingers with hers as we step down the aisle and out of the church, the sound of applause and cheers fading into the background.
My wife.
My wife.
The words keep replaying in my head
Till death do us part.