I wasn’t that stupid jackass she led around by his collar anymore. I was Josef motherfucking Aziz. A man to be reckoned with. Powerful. Rich. Influential. Still lethal as fuck.
And soon, I would add husband to that list of attributes.
“Dearly beloved,” the officiant began.
It was difficult to concentrate. I was aware of her on a level I hadn’t quite expected.
We were quite the pair. A hunter and his prey.
Big Bad Wolf and Little Red.
The vows we recited were simple. I didn’t want to futz around, so I stuck to the classics.
To have and to hold.
I couldn’t fucking wait to have her in my arms.
For better, for worse.
We already had worse. I was looking forward to better.
For richer, for poorer.
Neither of us would ever have to worry about that one. I’d made sure of that.
In sickness and in health.
I was healthy as a horse, and I would always take care of her. The idea of her being sick made my heart squeeze and my stomach turn.
No, I wasn’t willing to look too closely at that just yet.
To love and to cherish until death do us part.
This was a problem. I couldn’t love my wife.
Oh, I had no plans to let her go.
But I couldn’t allow myself to be vulnerable with her.
Not again.
Despite that, I could cherish her body with mine.
Could she love me?
The thought appealed to me in more ways than one. I never had someone who loved me. Never had someone who cared.
I thought she loved me, once upon a time, but that was just a fairytale.
Maybe I could seduce her into caring for me. I definitely wanted to try.
All I knew was if she ever tried to leave me again, well then, I’d just have to prove how ruthless I could be.
I wasn’t kidding when I said until death. Oh, I’d never hurt her. But I’d kill anyone who tried to take her from me.
Meredith Gray was mine now.
CHAPTER ELEVEN