She took a deep breath and let her eyes roam over his form with more intent. He looked good too. Of course, he did. Cooper Dawson was a very good-looking man. He was tall and muscular. His hair was always perfectly coiffed…except when it wasn’t, but she didn’t really mind that look either.
Cooper wore the tux like he was born for it. As if the material agreed that he had to be the hottest man in the world, and the suit was doing everything in its power to make the man shine. And shine, he did. “You don’t look half bad yourself,” she conceded.
He beamed at her. “Thanks. Lou brought this over. Not bad, eh? I might need to know who his tailor is.”
“Probably some demon,” Alice offered.
Cooper threw his head back with a laugh. “You’re probably right.”
“Are you kids ready?” Lou, the bartender, asked, popping his head in the little room that was tucked off to the side of the indoor chapel for the bride.
“We are ready,” Alice and Cooper replied in unison, exchanging an amused glance before following Lou into the little chapel.
It was a Hell chapel, so it didn’t exactly look like a church, but it was your standard space with wooden benches, divided into two by an aisle at the very end of which stood a pulpit. Lou rushed forward to the pulpit, and he cleared his throat, tapping the stand dramatically. Soon, the chapel was filled with the bridal march, and Alice and Cooper stood there, looking at each other.
Portia, who was sitting at the piano, playing the tune, smiled at them. Alice feared that the succubus would rush them, but there was no hurrying this along.
“I can walk you down,” Cooper offered his arm. “I know that the groom doesn’t usually walk the bride down the aisle, but it’s not like there is anything common or normal about this day or our wedding.”
She gave a small nod and took his offered arm. “That’s actually really kind of you, thank you. I guess I always imagined that my mother would walk me down the aisle when I got married. You know, back when I still could imagine what this day would be like.”
“That’s in the past now, Alice. We’re only gonna be married on paper, but you don’t have to be alone in the world anymore. I don’t think it’s healthy, anyway. Let me walk you down the aisle. Let me marry you. Let me be your friend, and maybe it’ll help ease some of your loneliness. It’s good to have friends.”
Alice had nothing to reply to those kind words, so all she did was incline her head. Taking it for the sign that it was, Cooper began walking them down the aisle toward a smiling Lou and Portia.
They began exchanging vows, but halfway through her own, Alice stopped. She didn’t just stop. She pulled her hand out of Cooper’s and took a step back. “I can’t do this,” she whispered.
“We’re so close,” Cooper coaxed. “It’s going to be okay.”
The pressure was crushing, and it was too much for her to bear. How could she stand there with a man she didn’t know and promise to spend her life with him? It was all a lie, and she didn’t even know what forever would look like.
Would she be on the run? Would Cooper insist on living with her? There were so many things that hadn’t actually been addressed, and Alice couldn’t ignore them anymore. Yes, it was saving her life, but what kind of life would it be? She had no way of knowing, which was terrifying for someone with her history.
“Alice,” Cooper repeated her name a few times before she was able to meet his eyes. “Tell me what’s happening. Talk to me. I’m right here.”
She shook her head. “It’s too much, Cooper. All of this.” She didn’t want to look around the room to see who was missing.
“Hey, love, if you don’t want to do this, we won’t. We can find some other way.”
She scoffed as tears fell down her face. Through her tears, she wasn’t able to see Cooper, but the others in the room noticed how honest his face was.
“Another way. Right. Because I haven’t triedeverythingto make this stop since I was twelve years old.”
“Then tell me what happened to change your mind between last night and now.”
She looked away and pretended that Lou and Portia weren’t watching this display. The faint smell of popcorn filled her nostrils, but it had to be a mistake.
“I …” Alice began. She took another deep breath and closed her eyes, willing the words out. “You’re just gonna let me down like everyone else. That’s what always happens because humans suck.”
Cooper shook his head and advanced on her. “No.” He tipped her head back. “No,” he repeated. “I am not going to let you down, Alice. Besides, I’m not human. I’m a dragon.” He pressed his mouth to hers in a heated kiss. Alice melted into him as she took in all of Cooper’s words, but this time, with hisaction.With hiskiss. When he pulled away, his eyes were on fire. “I’m not going to let you down, Alice. It’s not in me to hurt you. When we’re married, you’ll have my protection and also have the protection that the Dawson name gives.”
“What he said,” Lou chuckled. “Smart man.”
“Alice,” Cooper pleaded, his voice soft. “If you walk away from this and end up dead, I will blame myself forever. Dragons live a long time, and maybe those are selfish reasons to lay at your feet, but it doesn’t change the facts. I want to help you. Icanhelp you, so let me. Please, love.”
He was so sweet and honest at the moment that Alice blurted through the last line of her vows before they exchanged rings.
“Well, that’s it, kids. You’ve said the vows and kissed. Now all you need to do is consummate the vows.”