CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
BLAIR
T he air feels thicker than normal, heavy with anticipation, as my mom and I stand outside the large doors of the church. I can hear the hum of soft music and the whispers of guests murmuring excitedly. Everything feels surreal.
Mom adjusts the lace of her dress one last time, and her hands tremble slightly, betraying the calm exterior she’s been trying to project.
She stands a little taller, taking a deep breath as she straightens her veil one last time.
I can tell she’s nervous—more than she’s let on the past few days—and it makes me wonder if she feels the same unease I do.
Like this moment, this whole wedding, is a turning point.
I swallow hard and try to ignore the tightness in my chest as the doors finally open, and we start to walk.
The truth is, as happy as I am for her, something about today feels off.
Watching her walk down the aisle to Henry feels like I’m watching her slip further away.
Not just from me but everything that’s felt familiar.
There’s no way around it, though. Things are changing, and I’m not sure how to handle it.
And then there’s Shay.
I haven’t seen him since the fight with our parents. The last couple of days have been filled with short messages but no real conversation. He hasn’t come by, and he isn’t at his dad’s side like he’s supposed to be. Like he promised.
Hell, even the mysterious texts from the unknown number have stopped momentarily.
As we take our positions across from Henry, the music fades, and so does all the chatter. The minister’s voice booms through the room, and even though I held out hope, Shay still isn’t here. I don’t even realize I’m holding my breath until I feel my chest tighten again.
Then, just as the vows are about to start, I hear the creak of the door in the back and footsteps following. I turn my head slightly, and my heart jumps into my throat.
Shay.
He stays toward the back of the room, standing there looking like he belongs but somehow doesn’t at the same time. He’s late—too late to stand by his dad—but he’s here.
I feel a rush of emotions as the vows start. Everything feels like it’s moving at warp speed, and the only thing that makes sense is to look at Shay. I try to focus on my mom and Henry, on the vows they’re exchanging, but my eyes keep drifting back to him.
The vows continue, but I barely catch the words. Henry’s voice shakes as he promises to love and cherish my mom, and I hear her voice crack as she repeats the same. It’s beautiful and everything I’ve wanted for her, but all I can think about is what this means for me and Shay.
He’s watching me, eyes locked in all the way across the room. The connection between us feels like it’s pulling me closer, daring me to throw caution to the wind. But I can’t reach him, not in this room. Not yet. I try and look away, but I can’t bring myself to do it.
The ceremony continues, but it isn’t until my mom and Henry turn toward the guests that I give them my attention again.
They’re preparing for their first kiss as husband and wife, but all of the weight I’ve been feeling doesn’t let me focus.
It slams into me, and the finality of it all settles over me.
I’m supposed to be smiling and celebrating with them, but I’m not. Instead, I turn back to Shay.
He’s watching me like no one else exists.
The kiss ends, and everyone begins to clap, but I barely hear it. I stand there frozen, letting Mom and Henry step down and move toward the doors. Everyone files in behind them like ants, but I stay rooted until everyone other than Shay is left.
I finally step down, too, and walk toward the exit, only stopping when I’m in front of Shay. I should be mad at him—angry—but I’m not. I don’t even know how to describe it, but all feels right again, being within his orbit.
“Blair—” he starts, but I cut him off.
Throwing my arms around his neck, I pull his face to mine and press our lips together. I relish the taste I’ve missed so much and finger his locks of hair.
“You almost broke a promise,” I mumble against his mouth.
His lips tip up with a smile. “Almost doesn’t count.”
I roll my eyes and push him away. “I really didn’t think you’d make it.”
He shrugs and shoves his hands into his pockets. “Well, I did. Unless you ask my dad. I swear the look he gave me when he was leaving said everything.”
I sigh and lean my hip against the pew. “Yeah. Not a great way to show up, considering how you left things.”
I let the statement hang between us. I know him leaving was best, but it doesn’t mean it hurt me any less. I think he knows that too.
“I’m sorry,” he says, reaching for my arm and pulling me back to him. “I should’ve… I don’t know, handled things better. I’m a hothead, what can I say?” He grins.
I shake my head. “Most fighters are.”
Shay tips his head. “What other fighters do you know?”
“Shut up,” I laugh. “I’m saying in general. Don’t get jealous.”
He buries his face into my neck. “I’ll always be jealous over you, Dollface.”
I clasp the back of his head and lean back. His lips feel so good on my skin I never want them to leave. “As much as I love hearing that, I think tonight, of all nights, we should really try and be good.”
“Good?” He snaps his head up and stands straight. “So I’m not getting laid?”
“Shut the fuck up,” I laugh again.
Finally, he releases me. “Okay, fine. I’ll be good. But if that’s how we’re playing it, I think we should head to the reception. Someone is bound to notice we aren’t there soon.”
I glance out the doors and see how empty the church foyer is. “Yeah, you’re right.”
“I’m going to head to the bathroom. Meet me outside?”
I flash him a smile. “I’ll be waiting.”
As I go to step away, he shrugs off his suit jacket and hands it to me. “There’s a breeze. Put this on.”
“Is there really a breeze, or is this some weird way to mark your territory?”
“I guess you’ll never know.” He winks, turning on his heel, and heads in the opposite direction of the doors.
Crossing the foyer, I step outside the church doors and laugh.
There is no breeze to be felt, so I guess that answers my question.
The tension that was building in my chest before starts to melt away, and I can’t help but take a deep breath.
Shay’s here, and we’ll figure out what happens next together.
I unravel his jacket in my hands and start to wrap it around me, but something starts vibrating in his pocket. I frown, glancing around to see if he’s coming yet, but I don’t see him. When I pull the phone from his pocket, the screen lights up, revealing an unknown number.
The same number that’s been sending me those weird texts.
My stomach sinks.
I don’t even hesitate as I swipe to answer it, pressing it to my ear. “Hello?”
At first, there’s nothing but a brief, unnerving silence, and then a voice crackles through the receiver. Blake’s voice.
“I told you you should have stayed away.”
I freeze, the words hitting me like a punch to the chest. My pulse races, and a cold shiver runs down my spine.
Before I can react, I hear the same voice in person , clear as day, coming from behind me near the edge of the church.
My heart skips a beat as I spin around. The feeling of dread floods through me as I spot Blake standing there, barely ten feet away. My hands go cold as the phone and Shay’s jacket slip from my grasp. But before I can react or even open my mouth to speak, he lunges forward.
I turn to try and run away, but a sharp, quick blow lands on the back of my head. My legs give out from under me, and I reach for the stone wall, but it feels like it’s moving further away,
“Shay…” I manage to whisper.
The ground feels uneven, and everything starts to blur. The last thing I hear before everything goes black is the sound of Blake’s voice again. Too close. Too haunting.
“I tried to warn you.”
Then, there’s nothing. No light, no sound, no air. Just darkness swallowing me whole.