Page 63 of Sunshine & Ink

“Marry us and don’t goddamn talk about my wife that way.”

The Elder’s eyes were liquid pools of agony, and he made a helpless motion in the air.

“Do you, Raker, take this woman as your lawfully wedded wife?”

“I do,” Raker said, turning dark burning eyes to me. “I promise to guard and protect you, Sunni. All the days of my life.”

“I donot—” I began, trying to yank my hand from his grasp, but it was drowned out by his triumphant bark after my first two words.

“Say it,” he growled at the Elder.

“Man and wife,” the man groaned. “Help. Help!”

Raker kissed me, hard and fierce, my skin feeling like molten gold under his touch, our baby dancing inside me, pressing his tiny toes and feet against my belly, like he wanted to reach out for his father.

My blood pounded in my ears and I wanted to strangle Raker.

I didn’t know if the Elder was more upset about the loss of water or the dagger stuck inside him, but he began to chant, his voice wavering and Raker turned and pulled the knife sideways, digging it cruelly down past flesh and blood.

“Take your worthless carcass back to your cronies and tell them Raker is coming for every goddamn drop of water in this whole county.”

My stomach heaved to the sound of the Elder’s arm being torn apart from the inside out. I hadn’t realized how angry Rakerwas until the Elder stumbled down and Raker kicked out with his big boots, crushing the man under them and spitting on his body.

The panic pulsed through me as he crawled away.

It would have been foolish to run and besides, my legs were trembling so much I couldn’t have moved anyways.

Raker’s hands were on me, moving the hair from my throat, making sure I hadn’t gotten injured.

The blood had dripped from my neck down to the small of my back, sticky and wet.

“Are you all right? Did they touch you?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” I managed to squawk out, my throat still dry with horror at the sight of the lost water, leaking from the shards of the fountain, lost forever into the soil even as the Saints fell on the Righteous. Teacher’s dark braid fell over his shoulder as his knife flashed and Command staggered sideways.

“Come on,” Raker said, one arm around my waist, the other clasping my hand.

“But your men. . .” I began.

“They’re fine. I want to make sure you’re safe.”

I thought he’d take me to his motorcycle but instead he led me to the limo I’d driven in, the same guards I’d seen standing by it lying on the ground with their throats slit.

My own throat closed in fear but I said nothing as he opened the door and gently helped me into the passenger seat, squeezing my hand.

“That’s a good girl, Sunni,” he said, and I shook off the pleasure that slid, hot and wrong, down my skin at his touch.

When he went around to the other side, there was a ring sitting tightly on my finger, an old-gold band with a dusky desert rose.

“How dare you!” I wailed, unable to take my eyes off it.

Goddamn Raker

“You wanted to get married, sweetheart. You’re married now,” he said, yanking hard on the stick shift and jamming his boot down on the gas. Sweat glistened on his forearms and his jaw was like iron.

“Take me back to the apartment!” I cried. “I do not forgive you. I do not trust you!”

His eyes were steely as he looked down at me, the scar stark white on his lips, his dark eyes making him look almost feral.

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