Page 67 of The Trick

“Anniversaries are important,” I interrupt her, completing her sentence.

“Yes,” she nods her head. “The good and the bad ones. I know this day has always been difficult for you, with the anniversary of your father’s passing and,” she pauses to look at Blair before lowering her lips to my ear, “and the anniversary of this one,” she nudges her head over to Blair’s direction, “almost framing you,” she chuckles. “But now you can see it as a fresh start and an opportunity to make an unbelievably fucked up situation better. I don’t know why I waited so long to change my name back but please, for the love of God, or Satan, whomever, can you please stop referring to me as Cam Moeder? Iamyour Moeder, but please, mom or Glinda will suffice.”

I’ll happily retire calling her Cam Moeder, which I only started calling her once she married Byron Campbell. The Cam part being short for Campbell and Moeder, as aless personal way to still refer to her as mom. “You got it, Mom,” I mutter, the words feeling oddly comforting and bizarre all at once.

“Yay,” Delilah claps. The three of us startle, having almost forgotten she was standing there. “Come on, I didn’t get my online officiant certification for nothing.”

Mom laughs before settling into an amused sigh. “Ah, yes. What a treat, it’s not every day that the woman who you had a threesome with a few hours ago is here to officiate your wedding.”

Horror paints Blair’s face as Delilah steps in.

“Oh Glinda, you’re such a fucking gem,” Delilah says, still laughing. “We didn’t have a threesome. No offense, but your son is too fucking crazy for me. But I did get a little time in between Blair’s legs, just like old times,” she winks.

“Jesus fucking Christ, D, really,” Blair says, blushing which is a rare occurrence for her.

“Oh please, it’s not like I didn’t hear what was going on from the hallway,” mom teases.

“What the fuck, Mom?” Maddox chimes in.

“What? We’re all adults here, who cares?” she teases. “Oh, and before I forget. I heard someone had a little mishap this evening,” her eyes zoning in on Blair.

Blair shrugs, “Oops.”

“Well, I can take care of that for you both, consider it part of your wedding gift,” Mom says.

“Sorry Glinda, your son has waited a long time to convince me to be his wife and if I know him as well as I think I do. It’s only fitting for us to add to our skull display, together, as husband and wife.”

Delilah chimes in again, looking as if a lightbulb went off in her head. “I knew it! There was no way those skulls on the mantle came from HomeGoods. Hell, not even Spirit sells them like that!”

“Well, I’d hope not. That means our art has gone mainstream and we don’t want that,” I deadpan.

“Damn, you two are crazier than I thought,” Delilah shakes her head, “Okay, you two crazy ass love birds ready?”

As I reach for Blair’s hand a flutter works through my system, excitement coursing through every part of my body. Bringing her inked hand to my lips, I shoot her a devilish grin before kissing her prickled skin. “I’m ready,” I murmur, keeping my gaze on her onyx eyes.

Playfully she kneads on her bottom lip with her teeth before swiping her tongue across her mouth. “Well Boogeyman, it looks like I’m about to be yourfinal girl.”

CHAPTER 31

“That’s it? Are you fucking serious, Maddox?!” I blurt, feeling my blood begin to boil as he smirks back at me.

I’m going to strangle him. I’m literally going to wrap my fucking hands around that thick, tattooed neck, and crush his fucking airways, mere seconds into saying “I do.”

“Umm,” Delilah stammers, clearly uncomfortable with the way my stare is practically throwing daggers his way.

I can’t believe that we waited all this time to have this moment between us to have it go down like this. To have Delilah literally just stand between us, asking if we take each other’s hand in marriage and then some spiel about the state of New York giving her permission to pronounce us whatever. Blah, blah, blah. All this build up, for two minutes of robotic bullshit. This seriously can’t be all that I mean to him. A rushed wedding with no guests other than my best friend and his mother.

His light eyes locked on mine, a grin spreads across his lips. “D, it’s ok, her anger is mine to deal with now. Isn’t it,wife?” He is beaming, and it takes everything in my power not to pummel him.

I narrow my gaze into a stern squint. “Don’t pull that “my wife” shit with me, Maddox. Remember I’m just as capable of killing as you are. Do you really want to get on my bad side?”

He sighs, looking even more amused by the goddamned second. “Hating me has never stopped you from fucking me before. Nice try though,” he retorts.

My legs stiffen as my knees lock in place as if I’m going to have a damn hissy fit.

He steps forward, placing his outstretched finger to my lips. “Ssh. Save that anger for when we consummate the marriage, little hellcat.”

His finger remains on my lips. “I’ll take it from here,” he announces to Delilah and Glinda, though his gaze remains on me.

---