Page 66 of Bound in Debt
I’m not sure how many minutes go by before Father Charles clears his throat, but finally I return to myself and direct my attention to the priest.
“The rings,” he murmurs with a nod and… Fuck, I forgot we need rings.
I become aware of the weight of my father’s ring wrapped around my left pinky. Mindlessly, I tug it off. It’s all I have to offer her, but I have to do something to make this legitimate.
Victoria quirks a brow, the corner of her mouth tugging up in the smallest of smirks. I’m not sure what else she thinks I should do—I’m working with limited resources here.
“Repeat after me,” The priest prompts, and I do, sliding the ring down her fourth finger. It’s far too big, the gold easily spinning around her delicate finger.
Father Charles turns his focus to Victoria and she slips her hand free of mine. Reaching for her ear, she unclasps one hooped earring before retaking my palm.
She studies my hand for a moment, and it’s quickly obvious that her earring won’t fit any finger except my pinky. Shifting her grip, she ignores where my father’s ring sat and opts to slide the loop of metal over my right pinky.
“Miss, it goes on his left?—”
“He’ll need to earn that right,” Victoria interjects and I lift a brow. What else am I supposed to prove to her? We’re either married or we’re not.
At least she trusts me enough not to go running off half-cocked next time she gets a wild hair.
I hope.
“Alright then,” Father Charles replies, clearly deciding this is not a battle he wants to pick with Victoria. “By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride, Mr. Moretti.”
I tower over Victoria and see the slight start of a blush spread across her cheeks as I lean closer.
She’s beautiful.
A perfect woman for any man, so long as he likes arguing. I can see how that sort of verbal sparring could be a turn-on, provided you can bend her over and fuck her into submitting, into obedience, when necessary. This isn’t that sort of arrangement, though. I ignore the prickles of regret that this marriage will go unconsummated.
Victoria may be my wife on paper, but I’m not built to love her the way she deserves. Not after all I’ve been through.
“Do I need to earn the right to kiss my wife, princess?” I question. I will respect whatever answer leaves her lips.
I’m not Liam.
I don’t need to force her to prove my claim. I’m better than that, a better man than my nephew will ever be.
“You just saved me from marrying your nephew,” Victoria concedes. “I think you’ve earned that and a ‘thank you’.”
“Anything for my princess, wife.”
Her lips part slightly and I don’t waste another second on conversation. I sweep my head lower and gently press my lips to hers.
Victoria tastes like sugar and sunshine, fresh and sweet and delightfully warm. A blend of crushed hopes and secret fears and an intoxicating thirst for life. I can’t help wanting more, to consume her entirely and steal that stubborn light for myself. My tongue glides against the seam of her soft lips, seeking entrance, delving deeper to see if there’s more hiding under that first taste.
My cock hardens, swelling the moment she surrenders and opens her mouth to me. It takes everything in me not to pull her closer, to resist the urge to crush her chest against mine. My body wants to twist this blasphemous sacrament into something real.
I can’t deny I’m attracted to her, this too-young chit who was calling me “professor” in front of her peers not even twenty-four hours ago. I would love nothing more than to see our wedding night to the logical end and seal our vows in bed.
But I won’t ruin any chance she might have to walk away from this. Our futures are still unpredictable. I’m waiting for a call from my contact in Italy to confirm the loan I requested. It’s not looking good. Hopefully he’s just on a job and chose not to carry his personal shit with him, but that still leaves Victoria and I in an incredibly tight spot.
With a gasp, my new wife breaks our kiss and takes a half step back. I don’t know if I’m more annoyed with her for ending it or with myself for taking things so far. I didn’t plan to get lost in kissing her. It just happened.
Victoria stares up at me through her lashes, an expectant look on her face. There’s no way I can take her back to her dorm room tonight. Obviously, Liam can get to her there and I won’t give him another chance to capture her or harass her. And it’s not like I can spend the night with her in the dorms or set up camp anywhere on school premises to guard her.
“You hungry?”
She shakes her head and I don’t push. Clasping her hand, I slowly escort her down the aisle. Liam’s weaselly accomplice is still glued to his seat, a better listener—or maybe just a bigger coward—than Victoria.
