Chapter 15 Nothing Else Matters
NOTHING ELSE MATTERS
CASSIDY
“What the fuck am I doing?”
Staring out the window at the passing scenery, my question is muttered under my breath, meant for my own ears as rhetorical as it is.
“Well, if you don’t know by now, then I’m not sure what we’re doing here,” Issa responds, her tone cheerfully on edge.
Carolina’s face appears in front of me. She grabs my shoulders, then leans in. “Do we need to get you out of here?”
I raise a brow at her, surprised by how easily the mood in the room shifted. “What?”
Carolina’s focus moves to Jessica who is still seated across from us in the limo. “What do you think?”
“You know,” Jessica drawls. “I’m not really sure what to think.”
Carolina’s gaze flits back to mine. “What about you?”
“What about me?” I ask slowly, unsure of what I’m supposed to say.
Issa pipes in from beside me, “They’re assessing if you need to be rescued or not.”
“Oh,” I respond with a laugh. “No, that won’t be necessary but thank you.”
Issa gives me an assessing look. “You want to marry him, right?”
“Yes?” my response comes out as a question.
“That’s reassuring,” Carolina says blandly.
I shrug but say nothing. There really isn’t anything for me to say at this point. I’m here, and we are doing this.
“May I see your vows?” Issa extends a hand toward me, which I then stare at in horror as I croak, “My what?”
“Oh for the love of—” Carolina squeezes my shoulders again. “You wrote your vows, right?”
“I didn’t know I was supposed to.”
Carolina squints then nods. “Right. Okay. It’s fine. I didn’t have any written either, but my wedding was a bit rushed.”
“Same,” Jessica responds. “It was a whirlwind.”
Issa laughs lightly. “I didn’t even know I was getting married, so don’t look at me.”
“Do we know for sure Ren is writing something?”
Issa retrieves her phone, tapping out a message and then waiting for a few moments before lowering her phone and answering. “Declan says there’s nothing in writing.”
“That doesn’t mean anything when it comes to Ren,” I respond with a snort. “He sure loves to throw me off.”
Issa looks at her watch. “We’re out of time anyway. You’ll just have to wing it.”
Grimacing, I rub my now sweaty palms down the front of my blush pink skirt. It’s smooth against my fingertips, and as I brush at it gingerly, not wanting to show up to the ceremony with fingerprints across my front.
The car slows, then stops. Frowning, I glance around, not seeing anyone nearby. “Where are we?”
“Valley of Fire,” Jessica responds.
“But why?”
“Why not?” Carolina asks.
I shrug as I say, “It’s just entirely unnecessary.”
“I’m gonna let you in on a little secret, Cass,” Issa says, her hand moving to my arm. “When it comes to any type of romantic relationship. It is always necessary.”
I go to respond, a knock on the window stops me. Issa opens the door, revealing Declan, looking as dapper as ever in a dark suit. He greets Issa with the kind of lascivious adoration that should only be possible in fairytales.
The ladies exit the limo then Declan is there, hand outstretched, waiting for me. I give my head a shake, straightening my spine as I school myself on the fine art of faking it until I make it.
This is fine. Everything is fine.
The contract is signed. I had Penny triple check that there wasn’t any type of loophole or sneaky way for him to be able to get out of it or screw me over in some way.
Declan stoops over, watching me, so I plaster my most megawatt smile on my face as I slide toward him, place my hand in his and allow him to assist me from the limo. He looks as if he wants to say something, but after a brief moment of hesitation he leads the way down a worn path.
Declan stops, turns back to us. “Give me a minute to make sure we’re set.”
Issa turns to me as he walks away. “Would you like one of us to walk you down?”
“Walk me down where?”
Issa smiles. “The aisle, silly. Or in this case, the path.”
“That is not necessary,” I balk, entirely confused on how my quickie Vegas wedding has turned into a mini fiasco. She gives me a patient look that indicates arguing is pointless, so I add, “Do I have to?”
Carolina rests her arm over my shoulders as she replies, “Sometimes it’s best to just go with the flow.”
I roll my eyes, wanting to tell all of them to fuck off, while also acknowledging that my reaction is ridiculous. I told Issa to do whatever she wanted, so I can’t really be mad when she went well above and beyond what was expected. “I can’t believe you did all this.”
Issa laughs, taking my hand as she motions for Jessica and Carolina to go on ahead of us. “I didn’t do anything.”
My jaw drops open in shock. “But. Who?”
She inclines her head toward where Ren is waiting for us. “Never can tell about people. Sometimes they surprise you.”
I can’t breathe. Can’t fucking breathe.
Pressing my palm against my chest, I bend at the waist, willing air into my lungs as I chase down the panic rising from my guts. Issa’s hand rests on my back, but she doesn’t say anything; just allows me a moment to get my shit together.
Resigned to whatever fate awaits me, I slowly straighten, clear my throat a few times, dragging in a ragged breath, then two.
Issa steps closer, her thumbs stroking lightly beneath my eyes, removing the panic tears that escaped without permission.
Then she cups my face in her hands, whispers, “You’re never stuck anywhere.
We can leave right now, tomorrow, a week, a month, a year from now. Just say the word.”
A watery laugh escapes at the meaning behind her words. Having no clue about the arrangement I set for myself, I’m sure she thinks my behavior is a huge red flag. Which is entirely fair.
Not knowing what to say I nod, and after a few moments she releases me, turns back toward the path, now glowing fire from the sunset. “It’s sure is beautiful.”
Nodding again, I clear my throat. “It sure is.”
Taking my hand firmly in hers, Issa leads me down the path, and I follow easily, knowing deep down I have nothing to fear here. We get closer and the girls come into view, seated with Tony. A few more steps and there’s Declan, acoustic guitar strapped on, a smug smile on his face.
“Is that?” I don’t even have to finish my question, the telltale intro of Nothing Else Matters calling us closer. Issa’s grip tightens, her free hand moving to sandwich my hand between both of hers.
“It’s true,” she whispers. I turn to look at her, but her entire focus is on Declan, who’s now singing as he watches her. “Once you know, nothing else matters.”
They’re entirely focused on each other, the abject adoration in Issa’s gaze palpable. A warm breeze floats over me, and with it, a peacefulness I’ve never felt before. Not awkward or stilted or forced; it just…is.
Ignoring the sudden sting behind my eyes, I move forward, and Issa comes with me, though I know she still only has eyes for Declan.
Ren comes into view, standing in front of a wedding arch, his dark suit a sharp contrast to the pale flowers secured to the wood.
His eyes lift to mine, then he scans me from head to toe and back again, and when his gaze returns to mine it’s now heated.
I close the distance between us far more quickly than I would’ve liked, and long before I’m ready, I’m standing in front of him. He’s watching me, silently, and after a moment I say, “You didn’t have to go to all this trouble.”
“May as well make it count,” he responds, his words somber. “Just in case.”
I give him a look that has him grinning, and then my hands are in his, and he’s turning toward the officiant with a nod.
The man begins to speak, but I’m not listening, too entranced by watching this imposter version of Ren. Most of my dislike for him has always been exaggerated, a young woman’s only defense against the fact he’s hot as hell and completely off-limits.
Who’s off limits now?
He had his hair trimmed, so while it’s still a tousled mess, it has a slight style to it.
He shaved his trademark stubble, his clean-shaven skin glowing in the rays of the setting sun.
My fingers itch to reach for him, to yank his tie loose and unbutton the top few buttons of his shirt.
To muss him up and rough him up. To throw him off guard like he has me completely thrown.
“Ms. Logan,” the officiant says loudly, indicating this is not the first time he’s attempted to get my attention. “Your vows?”
I make a face, then glare at Ren who’s giving me a challenging look. I cannot for the life of me figure out what he might have to gain from putting me on the spot like this, but there is zero chance I’m going to come up with anything even remotely romantic.
Panicked, I go for the truth. “I’m a terrible communicator.”
Ren’s brows raise, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. I squeeze his hands tighter, yanking to ensure I have his attention. His expression turns serious, his gaze intense as I continue, “I don’t like to compromise. And I hate sharing.”
The officiant’s eyes widen comically. He looks between me and Ren, obviously at a loss on how to proceed.
Ren leans in, and it’s all I can do to prevent myself from leaning away. He releases one of my hands, moving to rest on my waist, holding me in place. Having nowhere else to put it, I place my now free hand on his bicep, grateful for the heat of his body as I’m forced to take a small step closer.
“It just so happens,” he drawls, his voice low, his tone soothing, hypnotizing, even. “I’m an excellent communicator.”
He adjusts his grip on me, his eyes intent on mine. “As long as you follow my rules, I’ll let you have anything you want.”
Leaning in, his gaze becomes hard, his fingertips digging in sharply. “And I’ll never share you.”
One of the girls makes a rather indelicate noise from behind me, the implication behind his words crystal clear. Then his gaze clears, and his attention moves away as he waits for the next instruction.
Relieved I don’t have to respond, I turn my attention back to the officiant, listening and repeating as required, moving as if in a fog.
Even though this was entirely my idea, I still feel all sorts of ways about it. Maybe just because none of this has gone as planned, but I’m going to have a serious talk with myself next time I’m alone.
Which, according to our agreement, is basically never.
I expect him to lean in for a quick, clinical kiss, so when his hand moves from my waist to the side of my neck, my gasp of surprise is genuine.
He’s staring at me, his lips hovering over mine.
Then one side of his mouth curves upward in a panty-scorching smirk of a grin and he whispers, “Close your eyes, princess.”
I close my eyes.
His lips brush mine briefly, and, thinking that will be the end of it, I begin to relax. Only to have his hand on my neck slide behind, gripping the base of my skull so tightly my lips part on a sharp whimper.
Ren presses his mouth against mine, teasing my bottom lip before sliding his tongue between my lips almost delicately. I respond in kind, allowing him to kiss me, thoroughly, languidly, until I’m leaning so heavily against him, he’s all but holding me up.
He pulls back slowly, giving me a moment to stand on my own two feet, the expression on his face almost unreadable. A shiver rolls over me and we turn toward our small group, Ren’s arm wrapped around my shoulder, his other being held in a death grip between both of mine.
“May I present to you,” the officiant announces from behind us. “Mr. and Mrs. Rennick Rafferty.”
Everyone claps, the girls cheering uproariously, and I glance at Ren, muttering, “I never agreed to that.”
Unfazed he responds, “Guess it’s a good thing I never asked.”
Not waiting for me to respond, he walks forward, taking me with him. Everyone falls in behind us, but we don’t go far, as we come across a woman waiting with camera in hand. Once again, I’m giving Ren a dirty look. “Seriously? Do we have to?”
He gives me a patient look then responds, “Just humor me, princess.”
I search his gaze, annoyed that he’s giving nothing away. Finally, I nod, turning back to our friends who are doing the worst job pretending to not be smiling. Narrowing my eyes, I shake my head and mutter, “You’re all in big trouble.”
The group all give me the same innocent look, and then immediately begin to laugh. I sigh, shake my head again as I give up trying to be mad. I smile, genuine, grateful for the camaraderie of people I barely know, but also feel like I’ve known forever.
Turning back to Ren, I laugh, reaching for him. He takes my hand, allows me to tug him into the swarm.
Then the camera shutter clicks. And clicks. And clicks.