Moving to the nearest car, I smashed the window and opened the door. Once it was hotwired, I pulled out onto the road. I hit the lights in case anyone saw me. And the closer I got to the chapel Luis told me to meet him at, my heart fucking pounded.
The sky was starting to lighten. Dawn would break in a couple of hours. That was enough time. The minute I saw the small chapel, nothing else around for miles, I pulled the car to a stop around back. I stared at the old bricks that looked like they’d fall if touched. The stained-glass windows barely gripped their rotting wooden frames.
Inside, I saw candles. I ran my hands down my face and got the fuck out the car. Moving to the small blue side door Luis had told me enter from, I knocked twice. It took less than ten seconds for it to open. I ducked inside and looked around. The room was small, wooden pews occupying most of the stone floor. A large crucifix hung on the main wall. Candles were lit on their stands—the only light in the entire place.
“She okay?” I asked, my voice echoing round the old room.
Luis smiled. “More than.” My pulse slammed in my neck. Luis sighed, smile fading. “I never thought we’d get here, Tanner. I never thought this day would come.”
“I never gave up hope.”
“Nor did she.”
A young guy came through a door to the side of the chapel. I went to draw my gun, but Luis put his hand over mine and said, “He’s my trainee priest. He’s safe.”
Then Luis looked behind me, and I fucking froze. I knew Adelita was there. I could fucking sense her. Luis smiled at her. We were in front of the altar. The priest-in-training moved to the piano. He started to play some song I couldn’t name.
Then I heard Lita walking toward me. I heard her feet padding on the stone floor . . . getting closer and closer. My head spun. My heart beat fast. We were here. We were fucking here. After years . . . we were here.
I smelled her rose scent behind me and closed my eyes. I thought back to meeting her that day in Mexico. Of how she stood up to me when I looked down on her. When she broke through my fucking defenses . . . when she came to me when my old man had hit me. And how she made me lose the hate that ran as thick as tar in my veins. She made me change . . . she made me love her.
And by some fucking miracle, she loved me too.
Seconds later, she was beside me. I could feel her warmth to my right. I breathed a deep breath . . . then opened my eyes. My head turned straight to her, like she was a magnet I couldn’t help but be drawn to. Her head was bowed, her dark hair covering her face. But I saw her dress. A purple silk dress. I fucking loved her in purple. Always had. The light was low, the candles not giving off much light. But I tensed when I saw the bruises on her bare arms . . . when I saw dried blood on her dress.
Adelita lifted her head and showed her face. I almost lost my shit when I saw her black and swollen eyes. When I saw her cheeks were scratched. Her lips had been split.
“Lita . . .” I whispered and moved my finger softly down her injured face. Adelita’s eyes filled with tears. She caught my hand, then did the same to me.
“They beat you too . . .” she whispered.
I fought the lump in my throat. “I thought you were dead.”
Adelita’s lip trembled. “No . . .” She smiled. “It seems like God wanted us together after all, Tanner Ayers. It seems we were destined to be.”
“I love you,” I rasped and cupped her face, careful not to hurt her.
“Ti amo, mi amor.”
As I stared at her, it was like I’d never seen her before. I’d thought her dead. I’d believed she was gone. But she was here, a fucking miracle. She was beside me . . . telling my unworthy ass that she loved me.
She fucking loved me.
She was marrying me.
Luis cleared his throat. He held a Bible in his hand. “I never thought we’d be here today.” He spoke in English, clearly for my sake. Luis shook his head. “When you fell in love, I didn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe it.” Luis looked at me, then Adelita. “The White Prince and the cartel princess. It made no sense. Two people, who were never meant to be, found in the other their soulmate. The half of their heart that had yet to be claimed.”
Luis’s eyes watered as they landed on Lita. “I have married many people. Yet I don’t think I have ever rejoiced in a union more than this . . . more than yours.” He cleared his throat again. “You deserve one another. You’ve fought harder than anyone I have ever met. God will reward that. Has rewarded that. Right here, right now, is your reward.”
I squeezed Adelita’s hand. It was shaking. But I knew it wasn’t from nerves. It was from happiness . . . because I was feeling it too.
Luis read from the Bible. I didn’t hear it. Just stared at Adelita. She had no makeup on. She always wore makeup. But she was perfect without it. Even with bruises and cuts and wounds, she was the most beautiful bitch I’d ever seen.
“And now your vows.”
I faced Adelita and took hold of both her hands. “Lita . . .” I rasped, my heart echoing in my chest. “I’m not good with words.” I shook my head, not knowing what the fuck to say. Adelita squeezed my hands. I looked into her eyes. She nodded her encouragement, silently telling me to try. So I fucking tried. “You changed me, baby,” I said. “Everything. The minute I met you, you changed everything for me. I never knew anyone who was kind. You showed me that. I never knew anyone who was loyal. You showed me that too.” I took a deep breath. “I never knew anyone who fought so hard when they loved someone.” I dropped my forehead against Adelita’s. “You gave me a home, princess. You gave me a family when I barely knew what that was. And after this, I’m never leaving your side again. Not until I’m dead . . . and even then, I’ll take on Hades himself to get back to you.”
Tears poured down Adelita’s cheeks. I wanted to wipe them away, but she held on tightly to my hands. “Tanner . . .” she whispered and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath. “I love you. I love you more than I ever dreamed I could love another person.” Adelita smiled. “You challenged me when we first met. You challenge me still. But when I first met you . . . I felt something in my soul shift. I didn’t know what that shift was. I believed it to be hatred. But the more I got to know you . . . when I saw the cracks appear in the heavy armor you wear like a shield, I realized it was more.” Adelita’s thumb ran over the back of my hand. She met my eyes. “My heart was kindling. You were the naked flame that caused it to ignite.” I swallowed at her words. “I’ll never leave you again. I’ll never walk in this life without you by my side. I’ll follow you anywhere you go. My hand in yours.” Her head bowed. “You claim I fought hard for us. But Tanner, you fought harder. So much harder.” She lifted her eyes. “Without you, we wouldn’t be here right now.” She laughed through her tears. “Free, mi amor. Free and able to love without punishment. Our dream come true.”
I wanted to kiss her. I wanted to take her mouth right then. But Luis handed me a ring before I could. It was just a plain gold band. “Repeat after me,” Luis said.
“I, Tanner Ayers, take Adela Quintana to be my lawfully wedded wife.” I repeated all of what Luis instructed, and then slid Adelita’s ring on her finger. I couldn’t look away. She was mine. That ring on her finger told the world she was mine.
“Adelita, repeat after me.” Luis guided Adelita through the words, then she slid the ring onto my finger.
I didn’t look away from that fucking ring, until Luis said, “And by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife.” I took in a long breath. Then I released Adelita’s hands. Cupping her cheeks, careful that I didn’t hurt her bruises, I kissed her.
When I pulled back, I pressed my forehead to hers and just breathed. There was no sound but the candle wicks burning. Only silence . . . until the deafening sound of a gunshot thundered around the chapel. Adelita’s body suddenly tensed and her eyes widened. I staggered back when she went limp in my arms, her lips parting like she was struggling to breathe. I didn’t even get a chance to turn around, to s
ee who was there, when another shot rang out. Red-hot pain immediately shot through my side. Trying to keep hold of Adelita, I slumped to the ground, taking her with me, when my legs gave out. Another shot fired, and Father Reyes hit the floor. Another shot; the priest-in-training dropped. I managed to look up and saw Diego Medina. His eyes were bloodshot, and he had his gun aimed back at Adelita.
Lifting my numbing hand into my jeans, I pulled out my gun and, even with fading strength, lifted my torso from the floor and fired a single shot his way. The bullet sailed through Diego’s neck, but not before his gun went off again too, firing a bullet into my chest. The shot knocked me back onto the floor. I blinked, I tried to fucking blink, but the world began to blur. My heartbeat was too slow, my blood as thick as tar. Everything was moving too fucking slow!
My mind fogged with confusion. I tried to think why I was here . . . where I was . . . then I saw her. I saw the purple dress . . . I saw her arm stretched out toward me. I recognized her immediately. My wife. I would always recognize my wife. “Lita . . .” I whispered and started to crawl toward her. Pain fucking stabbed in my side and chest, numbness sweeping through my limbs. But I had to get to her. “Lita . . .” I said again. Her eyes were closed, and there was blood pooling beneath her.
Reaching out, I took hold of her left hand. I gripped it as my eyes started to close. I felt her wedding ring on her finger. And I held on tight. Held on even though I couldn’t feel a single part of my body anymore . . . until my eyes closed.
Until, together, we sank into darkness.
Chapter Seventeen
Adelita