Showtime.
thirty-seven
Rae West
“He’s not coming.”
I turn to Valeria and my mother, looking back and forth between them in desperation. Mom looks like she’s about to cry, and she keeps picking at my ruined dress, like she’ll somehow fix all the dirt and tears if she tugs on it enough. Thankfully, no blood soaked through to the outer layer, though there’s a few questionable smudges.
“He’s coming,” Valeria says firmly, taking both my hands in hers. “My son wouldn’t do something like this without being sure. I talked to Maddox half an hour ago, and he’d just picked up his brother. He has the number for the rectory if he needs to call.”
“Okay,” I say, nodding and taking a deep breath. I’m not sure if I’m more scared of him seeing me or not showing up at all. But there’s a church full of his friends out there, and the music is playing already. The bridesmaids and groomsmen will be taking their places. I’m shaking all over. He was supposed to be at the altar first, and when I snuck out of the room to take a peek, he wasn’t there yet. I pray he won’t come, that he’ll call and say it’s off.
The wedding march begins, and my heart stops. I can’t breathe.
“That’s you,” Valeria says. “Go on.”
I take Mom’s arm, not sure which of us is trembling harder. I wasn’t even going to invite them, since I haven’t spoken to them since the night Lee arrested Maddox. But Lennox said I’d regret it if I didn’t invite them to this one thing. Otherwise, he’s pretty adamant about keeping our lives separate from the one we led on Mill.
We step out of the little room off the atrium and make our way to the door of the sanctuary. Everyone turns to watch me in my bedraggled dress, and I’m thankful Mom ran by and got my veil on her way. They’ve done their best to patch up my neck and ear and shoulder where Maddox bit me, and the veil covers most of the Band-Aids so I won’t get questions.
I squeeze Mom’s arm and hold my head high despite my appearance. I focus on the altar, stumbling a little when I don’t see Lennox up there. A few people around us gasp. I manage to keep my feet and continue. My whole body is numb. I feel like I’m marching to my death.
My gaze sweeps over the motley assemblage where the groomsmen should be. Instead of Lennox’s Crossbones friends, I see the old Murder of Crows crew has reunited, none of them in tuxes. Billy, Reggie, Michael, Jeff, and Daniel wait where Lennox should be.
I’m almost there before I notice that none of my bridesmaids are dressed up either, aside from my boss, who’s there in her place, looking flustered. Beside her, in a floral dress and yellow rain boots, Lexi’s standing with a bouquet of wildflowers, beaming at me. Her friends are standing beside her, all dressed up but none of them matching.
Dread knots in my belly. Did Maddox murder my entire wedding party and grab random people from the guest list to put up here?
But no.
I didn’t invite any of these people.
Mom delivers me to the altar and scampers back to her seat. The priest looks me over and frowns. “It looks like we’re missing a groom,” he says. “How would you like to proceed?”
“I… I’m not sure,” I say, silently cursing Valeria for making me go ahead with this.
“He’ll be here,” Billy says, checking his watch and giving me an easy smile.
We stand there awkwardly for a minute, no one speaking. The small crowd assembled in the pews shifts and murmurs, and then a door off the side where the choir comes in flies open, and Maddox hurries in. His hair is unkempt and wet from the rain, and he’s out of breath as he strides over and takes my hands. He’s still wearing his jeans and the black tee shirt with bloody spots on it, the shoulders wet from the storm outside. He turns to the priest and nods. “Go ahead. Just switch the first names.”
“What are you doing?” I hiss.
“I’m marrying you, little girl.”
thirty-eight
Maddox North
“Would you like to proceed?” the priest asks Rae, frowning down at her.
“I…” She looks at him, and then me, and then the expectant crowd. “Can we have a second?”
“I would advise against this,” he says.
She swallows and turns to me, searching my gaze. “What are you doing?”
I raise a brow. “Did you really think I’d let you walk up the aisle and stand here alone?”