Twenty-Nine
Their Eternity
Liv
My wedding had plunged into darkness. An intense fog cast over the happiness that threatened to destroy everything. A carnage of retribution at the hands of a dangerous man who called the shots, but enough was enough.
Someone fired back. A man with dark hair and precise, calculating gray eyes. I had seen him before, but we hadn’t officially met yet.
Sin’s cousin, Ace Madden, came to the fucking rescue. He was the shining light of reinforcements we needed. His gun was ablaze as he ran into danger without a blink of an eye and fired off shot after shot. Men went down one after the other, and he gave Zane the opportunity to reload.
“Go on!” Zane shouted as he shot at someone. “Kiss her!”
“We’ve got your back.” Ace took cover behind a headstone nearby and took aim at the enemy. “Kiss the girl, for God’s sake.”
“Well, you heard them…” I smiled below Sin and Saint. “Kiss me.”
My husbands took my breath away. Completely and utterly stole it as their mouths took turns sharing the one person who was officially theirs. Me.
We got lost in each other. I was theirs and they were mine. To have, hold, and keep for all time.
Sin’s and Saint’s kisses were unlike anything else I had ever experienced. I was on cloud nine with their soft, pleasant church tongues as they captured mine. Their feathery lips brushed the corners of my mouth before they pulled back with dashingly handsome smiles of satisfaction.
The only sound I heard was my heartbeat hammering in my ears and my husbands’ breathing above me. All gunfire had ceased. The danger was gone.
“I think the coast is clear,” I whispered.
“You’re officially a married woman, Liv.” Sin caressed my cheek. “How do you feel?”
“Amazing.” I leaned into his touch.
Saint popped his head up to glance around, but he smiled. “Raven? Are you alright?”
Instinctively, I stood up and saw my best friend heading toward us. I smiled with relief. Raven must’ve ran and taken cover. She had only come out of hiding when the danger had passed. Luckily, our enemies’ full focus was on us, and the targets on our backs had kept our guests out of harm’s way.
“All good!” Raven answered with a thumbs-up.
Raven dangled her high heels in her hand with her dress hitched up, and she lightly jogged in our direction. Her hair was all out of place, and as she got closer, I could see her flushed cheeks. She became winded and took a moment to collect herself, hunched over with her hands on her knees.
“My parents?” I asked.
“Safe,” Raven breathlessly replied as she ambled closer. “Everyone is fine.”
“Oh, thank goodness.” I placed my hands on my hips, tilted my head up toward the sky, and closed my eyes. “Thank you, Jesus.”
All guests were accounted for. Everyone had made it out alive.
“Watch out!” Ace yelled.
A single gunshot rang out.
My eyes snapped open. “Raven!”
Ace reacted. He was closest to Raven as he ran toward her at full speed, chest heaving, and arms pumping. He pointed his gun and fired two shots.
Instinctively, my legs moved beneath me, but arms grabbed me. I thrashed against Sin and Saint, who held me back. They kept me out of danger, but not Raven. A speeding bullet headed straight for her.
I watched painstakingly as the seconds play out in slow motion. Raven was like a deer caught in headlights. Frozen. Eyes locked on her upcoming death until Ace collided with her, and they both fell behind a tombstone.
The enemy went down. One shot to the chest. The other in the head. He was dead.
“No!” I cried out in agony, fearful for my best friend. “Let go of me!”
Sin and Saint released me, and I ran. My husbands were right behind me, guns drawn and prepared to shoot if necessary. I blindly hurried to the gravesite where Raven had fallen and prayed she was alive.
Behind the marked grave lay Ace. He didn’t move and his back was to me. His body shielded Raven with his life.
I held my breath. Unable to breathe with tears in my eyes. Concerned about my friend.
Suddenly, Ace moved as he lifted his head, and Raven trembled below him. Their eyes locked, and Raven whispered something I couldn’t make out. A spark zapped between them, and Ace got up. Ace held out his hand, and Raven accepted the gesture.
“Thank God! Raven!” I threw my arms around my friend and pulled back to cup her face in my hands. “Are you okay?”
“I’m okay…” Raven fumbled for words. “I think?”
Raven still held Ace’s hand, and she couldn’t stop staring at him. He was the man who had put his life on the line for her. I’d never forget what Ace Madden had done.
“Ace Madden…” I let go of Raven and turned to Ace. “You’re a man who knows how to make an introduction.”
Ace dropped Raven’s hand as if she were hot as hell. The flame between them fizzled and burned out. Raven remained speechless.
“Liv…” Ace ran a hand through his hair, and his heated gray eyes glanced at Raven. “It’s nice to meet the woman who has taken my cousin’s heart.”
Ace tucked his weapon back into the waistband of his pants.
Raven gulped. “Cousin?”
“Alive in the flesh.” Ace brushed off his suit jacket.
Raven blushed.
“Without a scratch too.” Sin reloaded his gun. “Nice save.”
“Anything for a beautiful lady.” Ace winked playfully at Raven.
“Egotistical ass.” Raven linked her arm through mine. “Let’s go.”
“I’ll see you at the reception?” Ace pointed at Raven. “I think you owe this arrogant jerk a dance.”
“In your dreams,” Raven shot back.
We turned away before Ace could see Raven’s face turn beet red.