Page 109 of End It All

"Has to be someone really close, a higher up," Harlow interjected. "No cousins, no great, great anything. A direct marriage. You're the only candidate. Unless you have another brother."

"Knowing my father, that's entirely possible," Benito and I said at the same time as he appeared in the doorway.

"Jinx!" I shouted at the same time.

Harlow flicked me in the forehead. "Pay attention!"

"Ow," I groaned.

Quincy popped his head around the door. "Please don't hit my boyfriend or I'll have to take your fingers."

"Try me," Harlow said, but he didn't hit me again. "We had to get a priest that would come this late. Come on. Benito and I brought you two clothes. Here." He shoved them out toward us. "They'll semi-fit. Giancarlo and Ash brought backups just in case. I think you're more Ash's size, but you've got a little bulk on you," Harlow muttered, thinking to himself.

"Don't check out my boyfriend," Quincy called.

"I'm not your boyfriend yet," I snapped.

Quincy pouted. My heart squeezed, and right then and there, I realized I had a soft spot for absolute dumbasses. He was the king of them.

"You're not off the hook," I said as I took the clothes from Harlow. "This is insane!"

Quincy took the clothes from me. "You don't have to do this. Trust me, if you didn't, I wouldn't blame you." He shrugged. "I've been in the yakuza all my life. Lost this and everything," he said, showing me his hand and the partially missing digit along with it. "So staying wouldn't be any different than the life I’ve had up until this point."

"Quincy," Harlow called. "It's not safe for you anymore. They?—"

"Hate me," he finished. "Yeah, I know." He moved forward, and I made sure the door was pushed up more so no one could see him but me. Quincy cradled my face in one hand. "But if it really bothers you, then we don't have to do it. I know this is nuts, getting married before we even go on a date." He laughed.

"Not true," I muttered. "I consider the docks with the Russians one of our dates."

Quincy lit up so hard, I nearly laughed despite the weight in the air. How could someone as big of an asshole as him have such a sweet face? It was like he was innocent sometimes. And I knew that wasn't true, not after all the blood and death. But the other side of him was. Like he hadn't seen the ugliest parts of the world, when I knew he had. He was so depressed when we first met, and now? It was like he was finding his way back.

And getting out of the yakuza would help him even more.

"Fine," I groaned. I opened the door back up. "We'll be ready shortly. Got any weed?"

Harlow nodded. "I always keep a stash. Two joints?"

"We'll split one." I sighed.

Harlow grinned. "You two are disgusting. Was Benito and I like this?"

"Worse!" Giancarlo called. "Y'all were breaking tables and each other's dicks, like, all the time."

"No one broke anyone's dick," Benito said before the sound of a sharp smack filled the air. "I told you, none of you had to come. This is a formality!"

I quickly shut the door on the chaos and turned to Quincy. After a speedy shower, we got dressed. At least the clothes weren't too bad, jeans and black button ups. I glanced at Quincy as he worked on his shirt, before I turned to do it for him.

"Did it hurt? Losing part of a finger?"

He wiggled it. "Like hell, but I kept a straight face. Probably the only time Harlow's old man looked at me with pride." Quincysmiled at me, before he reached out to push his fingers through my hair. "You really don't have to do this."

"Shut up. If I hate it that much, I'll just divorce you."

Quincy's eyes darkened. "Yeah? If you try that shit, you'll find out how crazy I really am, baby girl." He yanked me forward. "You're mine now. I mean, at this point, you've practically signed your name inside of me. No one else gets that fucking privilege again."

My heart skipped a beat at the stupidest shit. I was aware of that, but I couldn't stop it from happening anyway. We kissed and finished off the joint that had been sparked once we were out of the shower. I reached out, took Quincy's hand, and squeezed it.

"Why am I so nervous?" I muttered. "It's not like this is real."