Chapter Twenty
Cason’s first glance at Lacey weakened his knees. He’d never seen anything so beautiful in his life. The white gown she wore hit the ground and conformed to her body in the most delicious way. Her hair blended nicely with the fabric, so it didn’t make her look washed-out. She looked like a fairytale princess. The subtle makeup and blush of pleasure made her already gorgeous features shine. He almost growled at the thought of other men looking at her like this.
Their gazes clashed and stuck. It was like no one else was in the room.
Devon handed her hand over to him and then stepped back.
“Hi,” she whispered.
“Hi, baby. You look so beautiful. I feel like I can’t catch my breath.”
She took a step closer until they were smashed together. She closed her eyes and raised her chin when his head started to lower. He jerked to a stop when the reverend cleared his throat.
“We’re not to that part yet.”
Cason heard snickers in the small crowd and felt himself blush.
“You’re so handsome.”
“Thank you, baby. Are you ready to get married?”
“Yes.”
He turned them to face the reverend Travis had found for them. He’d also got through the waiting time for a marriage license somehow. Some day he’d ask how he did it all.
He turned to her to recite their vows. He waited until Lacey handed her flowers to Sienna and turned back to him. They repeated the reverend, and then he turned to Devon, who handed him the rings.
She gasped when he slid hers on and then handed her his ring to slip on his finger.
All he heard next was, you may kiss the bride. She was in his arms before he blinked, making him laugh and hold her tightly again his chest, and then he lowered his head.
He had no idea how long they stood there, but he heard the reverend chuckle and then clapped and hooted.
Someone rested a hand on his shoulder. “Man, you better slow it down. You’ve got a party to get through.”
He reluctantly raised his head and stared down at his new wife.
“Thank you for the beautiful necklace.”
“You’re very welcome.” He bent and gave her a quick kiss. “Are you hungry, wife?”
She giggled. “Yes, husband, I am.”
“Then let’s get you fed.”
Cason kept her by his side all night. He couldn’t remember being this happy before. There were more people than he thought there would be, but he was glad because all of them had special training, so it couldn’t be safer for Lacey.
Travis made sure to have the newspaper there to take pictures of them and ask a few questions.
The reporter asked about a honeymoon, and he told him the story they made up that they were leaving that same night to Hawaii. He squeezed her hand not to talk, and she gripped back and just smiled.
One of the guys had even arranged for two people to fly under their names and stay on the island for two weeks. The woman looked enough like Lacey and wore a wig. They thought it would work and give them time.
They had a regular photographer come and take pictures. He especially liked the one with her and the other girls and the one where he held her and they stared at each other.
They had everything a normal wedding had. They even cut a cake and fed it to each other.
There were two reasons for everything they did that night. One, he wanted to give her a beautiful wedding, and two, they had to make it look good, so when the reporter took pictures of the ceremony, it would look like they were madly in love, which he thought they pulled off very well because it wasn’t far from the truth on his end.
They had a picture of them signing the marriage certificate for more proof of their wedding. The pictures were going to be emailed to him that night.
Everyone came around to congratulate them, shake his hand, and hug her.
It was sometime after midnight when everyone left.
Eli had set up the decoys to leave from the front of the building minutes ago, and they went into a car and headed to the airport.
They also had two guys guarding the elevator and stairs in the apartment and a few downstairs. It wasn’t what he wanted his first night of marriage to be like, but he wasn’t taking chances with her.
He also didn’t tell her there were two men in the condo with them. He didn’t want her to be self-conscious when he took her for the first time.