38. Roman #2
The rest of the ceremony passes exactly how it’s supposed to, but I can’t settle.
My gaze keeps drifting back toward Fae across the crypt.
Her entire focus stays locked on Robyn whilst she sways gently from side to side.
One hand still rests over our son whilst the other presses against the small of her back.
I roll my eyes. Stupid, stubborn, beautiful woman.
I know she’s got to be in pain. The only silver lining is this is the last time I will ever see her in this place again.
After tonight, I don’t want any part of this touching her ever again.
I want her in our kitchen with flour on her cheek and music echoing through the house whilst she laughs at something stupid Riggs said.
I want her wrapped up in soft mornings, warm food and our son safe in her arms instead of standing beneath crucifixes covered in blood and candle smoke.
I want her somewhere this darkness can’t reach.
Robyn’s hands shake slightly as she lowers the bowl again before carefully pushing herself back to standing.
Blood stains the front of the white nightgown whilst the women surrounding her move back into formation around the crucifix.
Even from this distance I can see the moment her knees threaten to buckle beneath her.
Fae shifts forward in the congregation like she’s about to go to her, but one of the women beside her catches her wrist gently, silently reminding her to stay in position.
Once Robyn has made it back into formation, Todd Parson steps forward and gives a single nod to the congregation.
“Graduation may now commence.”
The crypt falls silent. Every eye shifts back toward the altar as Snider slowly surveys the room beneath the gold mask before eventually landing on me.
“Roman Longstaff, please step forward.”
I move. The sound of my shoes echoes against the concrete as I walk toward the centre platform. Todd Parson steps aside to allow me space whilst Snider watches me carefully. I shift on my feet and square my shoulders as I look out at the congregation in front of me.
“You stand before The Company having completed your training, your initiation and your service,” Snider speaks and I look to him.
“Tonight, you will take your place amongst the Founders and swear yourself fully to the protection of this organisation and its future. Do you accept the responsibility that comes with such a role?”
“I do,” I declare as my voice carries across the crypt.
“Do you understand the burden leadership requires?”
“I do.”
“Do you understand that sacrifice and loyalty must always come before personal desire?”
I glance toward Fae’s side of the crypt and catch the slight shift of her veil beneath the candlelight.
The Company can preach sacrifice all they want, but they lost the second she walked into my life.
There isn’t a force on this earth strong enough to make me choose this organisation over my family.
I look back towards Parson. “I understand.”
Snider gives a single nod. “You are in a unique position Mr Longstaff. You have only one promised to choose from, please declare in front of The Company who will be your promised from here on out.”
My gaze immediately finds my beautiful pregnant wife across the crypt and a grin slowly pulls across my face.
“Fae Longstaff.”
I see her head shake beneath the veil and if I could see her face properly, she’d probably be rolling her eyes at me right now.
I get an embarrassingly large amount of joy when I use my surname for her.
Half the time at home I use her full name purely because I know it annoys her.
The second she starts waddling toward the altar, I step down to meet her halfway.
Her hand slides into mine and I guide her carefully toward the steps whilst trying not to focus on how exhausted she is tonight.
She’s carrying our son so low now that every movement looks uncomfortable and by the time we reach the altar, she leans into my side to take some of the pressure off her back.
Every person in this crypt watches as I continue to guide Fae toward the centre crucifix.
When I finally position her in front of me, I step back slightly whilst keeping hold of both her hands.
The white veil falls softly around her shoulders and a grin spreads across my face as the memory of our wedding hits me.
It was chaos from start to finish. Riggs got drunk too early, Victor threatened the DJ twice and Felix and Robyn disappeared halfway through the reception whilst the rest of us pretended not to notice.
But somewhere between Fae laughing beneath fairy lights and slow dancing barefoot with me long after midnight, it became the happiest day of my life.
And now she’s standing in front of me looking like my bride all over again.
Parson gives us both a moment before stepping forward between the crucifixes, his robe drags softly across the stone floor as the crypt falls completely silent around us.
“Before The Company and the founders who came before us, you now stand joined not only by blood, but by choice. A promised is not simply chosen to stand beside you in power, but to carry your name, your loyalty and your future from this moment until your final breath.”
His eyes settle on me.
“You may now unveil your promised.”
My hands loosen from hers before lifting toward the veil.
The thin fabric catches slightly against my fingers as I push it back from her face and the entire crypt disappears around me the second I properly see her.
Her green eyes are soft beneath the candlelight, lips curved into the smallest smile whilst loose strands of brown hair have escaped around her face from the humidity trapped inside the crypt.
She looks exhausted, emotional and so fucking beautiful it physically hurts to breathe.
“The binding of the promised shall now be witnessed before The Company.”
Out the corner of my eye, I see men move forward holding ceremonial ties and every muscle in my body locks instantly. I can hear the pulse in my ears as one gets close enough to touch Fae and I yank her behind me, careful not to hurt her.
Absolutely fucking not.
“In three minutes, I’m going to be the highest-ranking Founder in this room,” I say calmly enough that the words somehow sound even colder carrying across the crypt. “You better step away from my very fucking pregnant wife. She will not be going on that crucifix.”
Nobody moves. Instead, they look toward the other Founders for instruction which just pisses me off even more.