Chapter 10 Everett
EVERETT
“No one,” I deadpan.
“Me,” her dad shouts. In my periphery, I see the bastard rising to his feet. “Aurora was stolen from us.”
“Aurora left on her own.” Her small voice bounces off the high ceilings.
She sounds full of contempt.
She hates me.
And yet again, she prefers my awful treatment over her family’s.
That’s interesting and—
Don’t care. I do not care.
“You have no right.” When Winston’s indignant shouting continues, Arnold places a hand over his shoulder. Winston shakes him off before storming to the aisle. “Either of you.”
He’s wrong. I have every right.
Aurora’s fate was sealed the moment I uncovered what Winston did to my family.
I’m not letting him take her away. I’m not letting anyone else touch her.
If he thinks another man would marry Aurora, he’s sorely mistaken.
She won’t walk down the aisle for anyone else. Won’t have anyone else’s ring on her finger. Ever.
Because revenge is all I have, and I won’t let him take it from me.
Loathing burns up my neck as we lock eyes, neither of us backing down.
His intentions are clear. So is my resolve.
I untangle myself from Aurora. A few long strides, and my fingers twist into his collar.
We’re face-to-face, both of us breathing hard.
“I warned you.” I shake the shorter man. His teeth rattle. I wish more than anything to bash them in and end this now. Except he won’t get off that easy. “Aurora is off-limits. Sit your ass down and shut the fuck up. Take what’s coming to you like a man.”
His eyes lose focus, rage morphing into confusion at my mistake. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Fuck, I let it slip. Thinking fast, I slam him down onto the stone bench before he can ask any more questions.
“Stay put.” He turns purple when I point a finger at him. “You’re wasting my time. Your daughter and I have a long night ahead of us.”
I could’ve said I have a virgin pussy to fuck.
Except that voice. That incessant whisper begging me not to humiliate her.
Mine. Mine. Mine.
Her mother’s jaw drops. Ivy snickers. Of course she does. Always watching. Always amused.
My future father-in-law looks like he’s got another round in him.
“Like it or not, I’m marrying her.” I’m burning on the inside, but all they see is my cold facade. “But keep wasting my time, Winston. See where that gets you.”
The room falls into complete silence. No one breathes a word.
This standoff has been long coming. Years of barely controlled hate have reached a crescendo.
Over time, I let him use me, my company, my connections. I let him believe we were on the same side.
He never saw it coming. The fury in his eyes makes it clear just how blindsided he is.
The corner of my lips quirks.
God, hurting him tastes even sweeter than humiliating Aurora.
“You’ll pay for this.” His snarl is ugly. Pathetic.
I smooth my tux jacket and stand a few inches taller. “Oh, someone will be paying tonight.”
When I look over my shoulder, instead of paling at the threat, my bride flushes red. Her tongue darts to lick her full lips.
Poor thing, thinks I’m her savior.
Tonight, she’ll learn exactly who I am.
I’m back at her side as if nothing’s happened.
“Get to the vows already,” I bark at the priest. I don’t even glance his way.
My focus is on her. Her chin is in my grip, my shadow casting over her much smaller frame.
I squeeze slightly, reminding her and everyone else who’s in control.
“Or you can leave, knowing that this is the last wedding you’ll ever ornate. ”
The priest huffs. “I haven’t done anything wrong—”
“Get. To. The. Vows.”
Aurora shivers at my hissed words, and my desire for her spikes. This is going to be one hate-fuck I’ll savor for the rest of my life.
The ceremony continues. Our priest discusses concepts such as eternity, love, and for better or worse.
I swallow down my opinions about that bullshit.
It’s easy enough to do.
I have Aurora to look at. She’s in my grip. Soft and supposedly innocent. Her quickened breaths and her parted lips are mouthwatering.
“Vows.” The command spits out of me.
Frown marks appear between Aurora’s eyebrows. I’ve upset her, and she wants me to know that.
I nod once. Duly noted. I’ll remember your attitude when we’re alone.
“Everett Quentin Alder.” My full name. Last time I heard it was when I was appointed as a judge. “Do you take Aurora Coraline Clarke to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
My bride doesn’t blink. She’s trying to be brave.
It won’t last. “I do.”
Stafford shoves her ring into my open palm. My eyes stay on Aurora as I close my hand around her wedding band.
She’s being a quiet, hateful little mouse as I slip it on her finger.
The resentment is mutual. Only that mine runs hotter. Deeper.
I have her delicate wrist in my unforgiving hold.
“You’re a monster,” she spits out eventually, her hate hitting harder than I expect. “It won’t work. Whatever you have planned, it won’t work.”
The ring reaches the last knuckle, just above her engagement ring. I push it down harder, reveling in her tiny squirm. “I guess we’ll have to see about that, princess.”
“Aurora Coraline Clarke,” the priest cuts in. “Do you take Everett Quentin Alder to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
I outstretch my hand for Stafford, asking for the ring. When he hands it over, the damn thing burns through my palm.
In a surprising move, Aurora snatches it from me. Something wicked flashes across her features.
“For better or worse.” The wedding band is there, on my ring finger. Pushed to the last knuckle with equal cruelty. I’ll never admit that the feel of her hands on me is a turn-on. “I do.”
“I now pronounce you man and wife.” Finally, the priest gets to the end of the script. My feet move toward her. Closer. I can’t stop them. “You may kiss the bride.”
I was supposed to turn around and tug her out of here, to end this ridiculous show and get away from these people.
But the fullness of her lips. Her fingers that are still trying to bruise my wrist.
The essence of this girl.
She’s had everything while I’ve had nothing. I should loathe her, except I can’t help but breathe her in.
I need a taste of her.
My palms cup her jaw as I lean closer.
“No.” Her nose twitches. Eyes blinking furiously. “Fuck. You.”
“On every available surface in the house, wife.”
We could go on forever.
I’m not in the mood for that.
I’m in the mood to haul her against me. Tilt her face up, just enough to give me the perfect angle to crush my mouth to hers.
And kiss her.
The second my lips press to hers, reality slams into me.
I’m enjoying this. Kissing the woman I hate. The woman I have hurt and will hurt again.
I enjoy it so much I force her lips apart, my tongue sliding against hers.
A growl rumbles out of me as I let go of revenge. Just for a few seconds, I shove the past aside. I unshackle myself from the anger, from the grief that never ends.
With her mouth on mine, I shut my brain off and just kiss her.
She tastes so sweet. So mine.
This kiss that I’m reveling in earns me Aurora’s moans and fists at my chest.
Christ, it feels good.
A woman hoots and then whistles in the background. Ivy, no doubt.
The sound is the wake-up call I need.
I snap back into my body and start pulling away.
Aurora’s teeth sink into my lips. Harsh and furious.
Metal floods my tongue.
My blood.
“Bad girl.” I tear her off me as if she were a wild animal.
Her lungs heave with every breath. My blood trickles down her chin.
Adrenaline spikes through my veins.
That look, it’s as if she’s actually upset that I broke our kiss.
Soon, she’s going to miss this moment, this reprieve.
Soon, she’ll be begging me to stop.
“You’re going to regret this.” I dip down to lick my blood off this feral little thing. My lips are at her ear after that. Hand digging into her hip. “You’re going to regret the moment you were born, wife.”
She turns her face to me, and there’s fire in her eyes. “Try me, husband. I’d like to see you fucking try.”