Chapter 27 Brielle
Fire On Fire, Sam Smith
Rage envelops my soul.
After seeing a naked Seraphina standing in Everett’s office, I’d rather choose violence than peace this morning.
We hadn’t seen that bitch in God knows how long and she decides to pop up in his establishment, putting on a fucking shameful show!
I take one long inhale as I hear his office door shut, after she stormed out humiliated and full of fear. Makes sense, considering I playfully slid my knife along her thigh and maybe caused her to bleed a teensy bit.
I’m not sorry .
After a month of acclimating to my new boundaries, I feel much more free and at peace with myself. My nightmares barely occur and I can’t believe how utterly happy I am.
My thoughts break as I hear clapping from the corner of Everett’s desk.
I take two side steps to find Kenneth sitting on the floor, a shit-eating grin plastered to his features as he states, “That was feckin’ brilliant, love.
” Then he stands and walks toward me, grabbing my left hand to inspect it.
He carefully assesses it, then reaches for the other hand to inspect my ring finger.
Then he glances at Everett in confusion.
“I thought you said he was your husband?” Confusion is written all over his poor face after my choice of words with Seraphina.
Everett cocks a small smile then nods in my direction.
“You’ll have to explain that one to the both of us, dove.
’Cause last time I checked, we weren’t married yet, and we haven’t said we love each other, either.
” He raises a playful eyebrow at me as my face heats with embarrassment at my bold display.
“I…” Oh, shite, I really buggered this. “I felt it was the right thing to say in the heat of the moment.” Wringing my hands together, I can feel perspiration gather at the back of my neck.
Everett has mentioned more than once he was mine and I was his , though we’ve never confessed our love for one another. Maybe this is all heated passion, pure lust, and now I’ve completely made a fool of myself due to miscommunication.
Everett rises from his desk and begins placing his tweed coat and wool sweater on.
“Let’s go,” he states, then walks toward Kenneth’s coat and throws it in his direction.
“Where are we going?” I ask, figuring we may be about to hunt Seraphina down.
He opens the office door and gestures for us to leave. With a wide grin he states, “We’re going to the courthouse.”
“You’ve gone mad,” Kenneth says as he takes a cigarette out of his pocket.
Everett reaches for my hand as he pulls me through the door .
“No, I’m in love,” he remarks, as we make our way toward the courthouse to solidify our union, easing all worries and stress I had deliberately caused myself.
On the way, we pick up rings at a smaller jewelry shop owned by Marcus’s mother.
I choose a delicate cushion-cut sapphire with a silver band, and he chooses a matching band with my initials carved on the inside.
At the courthouse, as we stare into one another’s eyes, delivering the simple vows I never thought I’d speak again, my heart feels so full of love and joy.
He leans down as we seal our kiss, our union, our promise of forever.
Then Kenneth, Tilly and Bobby cheer in the background alongside a weeping Baba.
Everett’s handsome face leans down to whisper in my ear, “I loved you since the night you told me your dream to have a farm. The night you escaped everyone at the Den and I found you seated in the corner, by yourself.” Then his lips graze my cheek, down my neck and back to my lips.
I never thought I’d be this happy.
I never thought someone could love me as deeply as he does.
I never thought I’d feel as safe as I do.
Though anxiety peers out from the subconscious part of my brain, reminding me that I could lose everything in an instant, but I shove it back.
Back as far as I can, to the recesses of my mind, so it may not ruin this perfect moment.
As we sit in the courthouse, surrounded by our small group of family, I realize how much I have to lose.