Chapter 16 Michael
MICHAEL
“You ready for this?” Sinner asked, standing beside me in front of the arch my brothers brought in.
“Of course I’m ready.” I glanced over and watched as he straightened his tie. “What are you doing?”
“Getting ready.”
“For what?”
He looked over his suit, then back at me in confusion. “For my job as your best man.”
I snorted in amusement, shaking my head. “You’re not my best man.”
Shock rippled across his face, though I wasn’t sure why. It wasn’t like we were best friends or even hung out all that much.
“I’m not?”
“No, my brothers are standing up with me.”
“But…I don’t get it. I was there for you through all of it. We took down evil senators. Remember that time I pushed you through a window?”
I rolled my eyes. “That was Blake.”
“Okay, but remember that time I ran back into a burning fire for you?”
“You ran into a burning fire to get the antidote for Knight’s wife.”
“Dude, are you gonna contradict everything I say?”
“When it’s ridiculous and stupid? Yes.”
He huffed at me like a petulant child. “You know, I’m really hurt. After everything we’ve been through, to just be shoved aside like this is…I don’t even know what to say.”
“Nothing. You say nothing because you’re not my brother and we’re not friends.”
The horror on his face would have been comical if he wasn’t serious.
“Look, this is my wedding day. Not—”
“But Hunter gets to be part of the ceremony.”
“Hunter is performing the ceremony. Although I’m not sure why.”
“Oh, sure. He gets to be the main act,” he grumbled.
“Actually, Blake and I are the main act.”
Crossing his arms over his chest, I knew this wasn’t over. “I was afraid you were going to say that. Just remember, you could have avoided this.”
And then he was gone. I didn’t know what he was up to or how I was going to survive whatever the hell he had planned, but then the music started up, and everything else faded to the background as I saw Blake at the edge of the crowd.
“You ready for this?” Liam asked.
“More than I ever could be.”
“You’re lucky,” he said, trying not to let his anger and sadness show. “She’s a good woman.”
“I know.”
Clapping me on the shoulder, he sighed heavily. “Don’t ever let her go a day without knowing exactly how you feel about her.”
“I won’t,” I promised as Blake walked toward me.
She was fucking beautiful. I would hardly recognize her in that dress if I didn’t already know it was her. I’d gotten used to her wearing combat gear, but this…fuck, absolutely gorgeous.
Except the closer she got, the more worried I became. She had that look on her face, the one that said something was bothering her. As I took her hand, I tugged her in closer.
“Blake, what’s wrong?”
“What? Oh, nothing.”
I didn’t buy it for one second, but before I could ask her anything else, Hunter began the ceremony.
“Dearly beloved. We are gathered here in the foothills of the mountainous region of Montana to freeze our asses off in the middle of winter.”
“It’s not winter yet, you moron,” Derek snapped.
“Whatever,” Hunter retorted. “It’s fucking cold out.”
“Hey!” I hissed, earning me an eye roll.
“Anyway, we’re here to celebrate the love and greatness that is…love. For when there are two people who love each other as much as Blake and Parker love each other, there can be no greater love than this.”
I glanced over at Blake, but she seemed just as worried about the direction of this as I was.
“Today, we join these two in holy matrimony in the name of love. With both of them agreeing to love and cherish each other as much as they love and cherish…” Hunter frowned. “Each other.”
“So…do you have the rings?” he called out to no one in particular.
I turned and took the rings from Liam, who shot me an irritated look. He could take it up with someone else. I didn’t ask Hunter to perform the ceremony.
“Oh, right. Before I marry these two, is there anyone who would like to stop the ceremony?” He waited, his eyes sweeping over the crowd. “No one? Cuz, this is your last shot.”
I stomped on his foot, pissed that he was doing such a terrible job. “I thought you were ordained to do this!” I hissed.
“I am. I’m just making sure there are no takers.”
“It’s not a fucking auction,” I retorted.
“Fine. There are no takers. We’ll move on,” Hunter muttered.
“Wait!” Blake gasped, her eyes wide.
The crowd gasped. Hell, the whole town had shown up, and now she was backing out?
Frozen, I didn’t know what to do. Was she seriously stopping the wedding? Had she changed her mind? Because I was pretty sure we had worked this all out.
“That’s it!” she beamed.
“What’s it?”
Lowering her voice, she leaned in closer. “Your mom said something to me about how the land across the river used to belong to John Callahan.”
Confused, I nodded. “Right. And then a portion was sold to my father.”
“Exactly! But it didn’t all belong to him. I mean, she said at one point, it belonged to his twin, Jim.”
“Okay,” I said slowly, unsure of where this was going.
“She also said the land on top of the falls belonged to Jim, and quite a bit of it stretched around to the outskirts of town.”
Chuckling, I kept my voice low. “Blake, I’m not sure if you realize this, but we’re getting married, and you’re talking about land.”
“I know, but don’t you see? Jim was the one who owned the property at Murky Falls where Dakota’s body was found. And if that land went all the way to town—”
“Then it’s possible someone who knew Jim had access to the land.”
“Exactly,” she beamed. “Or Jim himself. Not that we can question him since he died seventeen years ago.”
I nodded, seeing where she was going with this. “Perhaps it wasn’t really an overdose.”
“Maybe someone else in town knew about what happened at Murky Falls and killed him.”
“It’s definitely possible. The list of suspects could definitely be narrowed if we can find out who was closest to Jim.”
“Uh…guys?” Hunter chuckled. “Not to break up this investigation, but everyone’s staring at you.”
Blake and I slowly turned and faced the crowd, laughing to ourselves as we waved.
“So, can we get on with this?” Hunter asked.
“Right, we should probably do that,” Blake laughed.
“For sure.”
“So, no objections?” Hunter asked once again.
“Nope. None here.”
“Nada,” Blake grinned.
“Right, then do you Parker Parker take—”
“Wait, what?” I interrupted.
Rolling his eyes, he repeated, “Do you Parker Parker—”
“Why are you calling me Parker Parker?”
“Because that’s your name!”
“No, my name is Michael Benjamin Parker.”
Hunter frowned, scratching his head. “Really?”
“Yes, really!”
“But she always calls you Parker. Weird.”
I could kill him, but I decided bloodshed at our wedding was definitely out.
“Anyway, do you take Michael, whatever your middle name is, Parker, to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
“I do,” Blake grinned.
“And do you, Blake Samuel Collins, take—”
I opened my mouth to interrupt, but Blake stopped me with a shake of her head.
“—lawfully wedded wife. To have and to hold. In sickness and health. Till you’re both old and gray…and all the rest of the stuff?”
“I do.”
“Fucking great. Then by the power vested in me by the internet Gods, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
I yanked Blake against me and kissed her hard. Cheers went up all around us, but that’s where our part in this ended.
Music blasted through speakers playing Time Of My Life. Tucking Blake into my side, I wasn’t sure if we were supposed to walk down the aisle or stay where we were.
My question was answered just a few seconds later when Sinner led a team of Reed Security men down the aisle, each of them staggered as Sinner pulled Derek into his arms and together, they recreated the ending of Dirty Dancing.
Between the gyrating hips and the smoldering looks each of them were shooting at each other and the crowd, it was a tad uncomfortable.
“This is weird, right?” I asked Blake.
“Yes. And no. I mean, it is…Reed Security.”
“To think, that could have been us.”
“You know, Maggie asked me if I wanted to blow something up before the wedding. She said that’s what she did on the morning of her wedding.”
I snorted. “I guess it could have been worse.”
“In what way?”
“I don’t know. Let me get back to you on that.”
“Excuse me,” Hunter said, stepping between us. “It’s time for my cameo.”
Clearing his throat, he held out his hands as Wolf and Storm came forward, helping him as if he was leaping off a stage. Then he was running flat out toward Sinner and leapt into the air as Sinner caught him around the hips and held him above his head.
Hunter’s arms and legs were spread wide as he struggled to maintain his position.
“Balance!” Sinner hissed. “We’re gonna go over!”
“I am balancing! You’re just—ah!”
“I’ve got ya!” Wolf said, stepping in and catching Hunter as he fell forward. The three of them fell to the ground in a tangle of limbs, each of them fighting to break free.
“You ruined everything! I told you to practice!” Sinner shouted.
“Hey, it’s not my fault you’re not strong enough to hold me!”
“None of this would have happened if Cap had agreed to be my partner!”
“Oh, so now I’m not good enough to do your stupid dance?”
Sinner, shocked and horrified, took a step back. “Stupid dance? Dirty Dancing is a classic!”
“A classic for women!”
“That men can enjoy also!” Sinner argued.
Three shots were fired in succession into the air. Everyone screamed, getting down on the ground as Knight stepped forward into the chaos, holstering his weapon.
“Everyone shut the fuck up. The ceremony is over. Move in an orderly fashion to the tent. Food will be served and there will be dancing. Normal dancing. None of this pansy-ass shit. Am I clear?” When no one answered, he shouted, “Move!”
Blake leaned over and whispered, “Do you think he’ll allow us to use the bathroom?”
“We’re just so glad that you’re finally home,” Mrs. Bennett grinned. “I know Bailey was just tickled when she heard about you getting married. Of course, she couldn’t make it to the wedding. Bad cold.”