Page 93 of The Reluctant Wife

The nervousness that squeezed my insides in the car ratchets up. I’m aware of the prelate asking a question, and my father answering. The two of them laugh. Then, the prelate bows and melts away.

The orchestra begins to play "Wedding March" by Felix Mendelssohn fromA Midsummer Night's Dream, and the choir joins in.

The same song was played when my mother walked down this very aisle twenty-eight years ago.

My father wipes away a tear. He’s remembering the ceremony when he wed my mother as well.

Spine straight. You’re a princess.

I take a step, knowing I’m following in hers. The hair on my arms rises, and I feel like she’s blessed me with her presence today.

The murmuring of the guests increases in volume until every head has turned my way. Through my watery eyes, the faces blur into each other.

Ahead of me, two flower girls, daughters of distant cousins start down the aisle, scattering flower petals as they go.

The ring bearer, Fred’s grandson, follows; behind him is Zoey, my maid of honor.

Then it’s my turn. My father walks me down the aisle. My stomach twists in on itself, but I manage to keep a tight grip on my emotions. Swallowing down my nervousness, I smile and nod at the guests as I’ve been taught. Every single etiquette lesson I’ve taken since I came of age comes to my rescue, and I don’t falter.

Halfway to the altar, a tingle runs up my spine. My heartbeat speeds up further. Of its own accord, my gaze rises and meets his silver-green one. He’s standing with his back to the altar, watching me approach. The music fades, and the rest of the room seems to disappear, all of my attention captured by him.

He’s wearing his ceremonial dress uniform, with a white jacket featuring his medals, ribbons and insignia. His pants are black. He has a white dress shirt, a black bow tie, and a white cap with a black peak and the Royal Marines’ badge on the front. There’s a sword at his side. He looks dashing and swashbuckling, like a knight ready to ride off into battle. Like he’ll slay my dragons and ensure I’m always happy. Once more, my gaze is caught by his and held, and I feel like a moth drawn to a flame. A butterfly pulled toward a spider’s web with no means of escape. A flower opening to the sun. I feel every nerve in my body tingleas every cell comes alive. My blood begins to pump faster. My feet seem to move of their own accord. Then, I reach him.

He keeps his gaze on me as he nods in my father’s direction. I’m aware of my father asking something and of Ryot replying. But the words don’t register. Then, my father places my hand in Ryot's much bigger, wider palm. His fingers grip mine, and his touch sends a spurt of electricity through my body. All of my senses snap to attention. My gaze grows super-sharp.

He brings my hand to his mouth and kisses my fingers. The touch of his lips sends an additional jolt of heat through my veins. My thighs quiver. And my panties dampen.Damn.

I’m standing in front of five hundred VIPS from around the world, and approximately a billion people who’re tuning in live for this wedding, and I am so turned on. My nipples are hard; my toes curl in my designer stilettos.

I know I’m blushing, and I can’t stop it. As if he reads my mind, one side of his mouth curls. There’s a wicked edge to his smile. A promise inherent in the brilliance of his eyes that turns my belly into a tsunami of sensations.

We stare at each other, and the very air between us heats. With a last smoldering glance—that, surely, the news cameras must capture—he urges me to turn and face the archbishop.

45

Ryot

I take in my surroundings. The magnificence of the cathedral, the crowded pews, the fact that I’m in my dress uniform… All of it is so different from the rushed wedding at City Hall the last time. It brings home the contrast between my old life and the one I'm embarking upon now.

Jane didn’t want to be tied down. She wanted to maintain her own identity, and I respected that. In retrospect, the warning signs that our union might not be everything we hoped for were there from the beginning. We were friends, decided to turn it into a friends-with-benefits situation, and then, she thought she was pregnant, so we decided to get married.

Not that it stopped her from going on the next mission. She messaged me a few weeks later to let me know it had been a false alarm. We should have annulled the marriage, but I foolishly thought we could work things out. Our married life—if you can call it that—was nothing like this connection I feel with my Empress.

Getting married to her, with half the world watching and my family in attendance? This is unexpected, and so very different from the last time. It makes me realize I’ve been given a chance to start over. I resolve to do everything differently this time. A lightness fills me. My thoughts no longer feel dark. I no longer feel like I’m being held back by my past.Perhaps, I’m finally breaking free? Perhaps, I’m ready to move on?

I sneak a glance at the light pouring in through the stained glass behind the altar. I’m not religious, but the beauty, and the hushed atmosphere of the space, make it easy to believe that Jane is resting in peace.Perhaps, she doesn’t begrudge me this chance at happiness, either. Perhaps, she's forgiven me... Perhaps, I’m ready to forgive myself?

The archbishop gives a sermon about love being a choice and commitment needing dedication and effort, then something about the nature of marriage and the significance of our commitment in a public and private context.

I only half listen to his words, my attention on the gorgeous woman by my side.

As she glided down the aisle toward me in her beautiful white dress, I felt my world shift. She looked ethereal—an angel, a goddess from heaven sent down to rescue me. My Empress is every bit a queen. And it's my privilege to be here next to her, to be able to protect her. My senses stay tuned for anything amiss in the audience watching us. My internal radar, so finely geared to spot danger, remains silent.

The specially chosen security personnel including my brothers and uncle have been positioned within and outside the cathedral, at strategic points to observe the crowd. They’re also embedded within the guests, the onlookers, and the press, and even within James Hamilton’s catering team. They’re ubiquitous and trained to blend in with the crowd, so their presence will not be noticed.

Trained snipers, hidden from view, have been positioned in elevated areas above the naves.

Tyler, himself, is by my side as my best man. This gives him a unique view to see direct threats to the princess.

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