Page 60 of Resist
More emotion wells up in my body. Gratitude. I think. Thor offering me an out even on the morning of the wedding eases some of the tension holding my muscles hostage.
“I’m good. Thank you.”
“I should go tell Sterling to run. His balls are literallygoing to burst in his dress pants.” He shakes his head. “Those rules of yours are going to kill him. How’s he not supposed to fuck you senseless on your wedding night when you look like...that?” He huffs out a pained breath. “Better him than me. Five minutes, okay?”
I nod. “Sure thing. And keep your voice down about the no sex thing, okay? Michael has eyes and ears everywhere. And he’s gunning for me to fail. I can’t give him a damn inch. He’ll ruin me.” My friends thought I was being overly dramatic and paranoid until Georgia came into the office on Wednesday and told me Michael had offered her a substantialbonusto spy on me and report anything out of the ordinary back to him.
Fucker has me in his crosshairs.
I’m not giving him any reason to pull the trigger.
The music starts, Maddie hands me my flowers. It’s a classic white bridal bouquet, roses, spray roses, freesias and baby’s breath. Mom loved freesias. They make my nose itch, but I couldn’t walk down the aisle without some part of her being with me.
“Wait.” Foxy holds up a hand holding a large, metal butt plug with a sparkly blue gem on the end. “Here’s your something borrowed and something blue.”
I stare at the offending item. I like anal as much as the next girl, but I’m not sure I’d survive the business end of that thing. “You’re kidding me, right? Borrowing your butt plug? That’s a stretch too far, even for me.”
Maddie dissolves into giggles, as Phoenix doesn’t break. “What? I cleaned it first!”
I show her the baby blue, gemstone hair slide holding back some of my perfect curls. Perfect for now, by the time we get to the reception later I imagine they’ll be frizzy and limp. “I’m covered, thanks.” I can’t help but laugh, the rush of amusement releasing something warm through my veins.
My friends give me one last hug before leading me to thedoor. They’re wearing black bridesmaid’s dresses. I figured if I was going through with this circus I was at least doing it the way I want to. No fugly dresses, and long and boring ceremonies for this woman.
The girls step out into the barn before me, and it’s only then I get a beat to take in just how breathtaking the place is.
Sterling hired a wedding planner. I argued we didn’t need one, but he insisted if we didn’t have a professional, his mom and sister would take over. It probably cost a goddamn fortune. A last minute wedding planner doesn’t sound even remotely cheap. But as I look around the barn, suck in a deep inhale of floral air, and feel the warmth of the pillar candles heating up the room... She was worth every goddamn penny.
My stomach swoops as all eyes in the room land on me. There are maybe thirty six people here. Some of the board members, Sterling’s family, our friends from the club, Georgia and her flavor of the month, but it feels like three thousand eyes have just landed on my body.
Sterling gives me a thumbs up from the end of the aisle, a reassuring smile pasted on his face. He rolls onto the balls of his feet as though he’s fighting the urge to jump up and down like a kid. I’m impressed he doesn’t fist pump into the air.
When our eyes lock, it releases the breath clogging the back of my throat. I don’t need to look at anyone else, or anywhere else, just at Sterling. He’s a lighthouse in the storm, an anchor in the unbridled sea, a deep-rooted tree in a hurricane, a torch in a dark cave, the North Star in the night sky... How many other clichéd analogies can I think up as I move in time with the music carrying me up the aisle of the barn?
Sterling stands tall, shoulder to shoulder with Jagger and Austin, another dominant from Protocol. Thor stands on Sterling’s right with a shit-eating-grin on his face. I’m having doubts about agreeing to let him officiate our wedding, but there’s nothing I can do about it now.
On Thor’s right hand side stand my beautiful girls. Phoenix and Maddie look like absolute fucking visions on the altar. It should be illegal for your bridal party to look prettier than you on your wedding day.
My wedding day.
Fuck.
Just a few more feet and Sterling will have me. He called me last night to tell me he had me. I don’t know what it means, exactly, but he seemed confident in his delivery. And right now, that’s all I’ve got.
My hands tremble as I reach the altar, and he takes my hand, pulling me toward him for a chaste kiss on my cheek. “You look like a goddess, Corabelle,” he whispers. “Beautiful, flawless, and so fucking strong.”
Our wedding party can probably hear what he’s saying but I don’t care. I allow my eyes to drift closed for a beat and force a breath into my lungs. When I open them again, Sterling’s stoic presence is waiting for me.
“You ready to get married, Corabelle?” There’s no impatience in his tone, no uncertainty in his eyes, no nervous twitching or shaking. He’s calm, composed, and from the emotion on his face, he’s truly moved by the experience. “I’m pretty egg-cited.”
It may be a fake wedding, but it’s still a wedding, our wedding.
I nod, offering him what I hope is a reassuring smile.
Thor clears his throat. “Dearly beloved.” He pauses like he’s waiting for someone to join in with him, then he hums some of Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy,” and a laugh rolls through the crowd which makes me chuckle and release some of the tension in my muscles.
You can’t make a reference to a song by one of Minnesota’s own without someone being set off. Thankfully Thor didn’t burst into song. But I guessthere’s still time.
Sterling jerks his head toward Thor. “He’s so egg-stra.”