Page 60 of Mr. Kelly

“Oh my God! You mean right now!”

Teddy and the rest of the room laugh. He nods and crooks his fingers, telling me to come to him. Once we make it, my dad shakes his hand and moves next to my mom and sister. I double take, then laugh.

Of course Andrea is going to be the one to officiate the wedding.

Chapter Thirty-Two

THEODORE

I’ve beenin this position before, waiting for my bride to come to me. That day I felt so honored and in love, but it doesn’t compare to this one. What I thought was happening then is actually happening now. My previous wedding was a big, expensive lie. Retrospect showed me that and it also showed me what to notice.

For example, I can think of a million reasons why I love River. Her beauty isn’t at the top of the list like it was with Helena. By no means do I think my ex is prettier than River, I just realize that beauty is all Helena had. It was something I sold myself to justify my love for her. I thought I liked her personality, but I quickly found out after the wedding that I was mistaken. The selfishness she’d worked so hard to hide surfaced.

River, however, isn’t basking in the attention of the crowd or looking to see the size of the gift table because she equates the amount of presents with how much someone adores her. I don’t think she’s fully looked at her ring yet. Of course, if she doesn’t like the style, I’ll get her anything she wants because she’ll appreciate it.

She's here for me. Her eyes haven’t left me for a second. The wind from her movements presses the material of her dress toher belly, not letting me forget our son is coming soon. River is giving me the gift of family. Her acceptance of my proposal is the biggest honor of my life. The love I feel isn’t poetic or pretty. It’s all consuming. I don’t have to consider if I would kill for her. I’ve already killed for her, and I’d do it again.

A thin line of obsession laces this love. I love her more than enough to marry her, but I’m also marrying her to send a clear message that she’s not for anyone else. Those who haven’t received that message will die accordingly. River Kelly will be River Kelly for eternity.

River is embedded into every part of me like invisible tattoos that cover my body. She’s plasma in my blood, and my true other half. My love, want, need, and desire for her is bone deep. I don’t get lost in some daydream as she floats her way to me. My eyes stay glued to her and in this moment in case I’d have to chase her down if she flees. I know she won’t but it’s still an instinct. I shift impatiently as I wait to claim her. I’m already over the ceremony. I want to get to the part where it’s official that she’s mine.

Her smile is everything to me and it’s the biggest I've seen because my love worries about the real, tangible things like our love and connection. Not some possible blow to her reputation or ego. She doesn’t care if someone will see her differently for being herself. Everything is so real, no pretenses or illusions.

I’m not breathing, and I don’t think my heart will start beating again until she’s Mrs. Kelly. I don’t fidget. I’m not nervous. I just feel stone-cold certainty.

Finally, our hands touch, and some of my impatience settles. Our official wedding date will be the day after my birthday, but there was no better way to end my party.

I toywith my wedding ring as I look at Andrea, I’ve been married for five days, and I still look at the ring as if it just appeared on my hand. Andrea sighs, confirming that he’s at the end of his information processing and is ready to tell me what he’s been up to these past few days.

Andrea pulls out a massive file and I know two things. One, he has a lot of information to share; and two, I’m not going to like it.

“Okay,” he begins like he’s my boss who just called me into his office for a performance review. “This is where we’re at.” His blue eyes find mine and I can tell that he’s tired. “We’ve worked and killed our way through Mario and Surly’s ring to try to eradicate who’s at the top.” He sighs again and rubs his temples. “I don’t think we can.”

I sit up higher, half expecting for him to tell me something like the President is involved, but instead he utters a name I’ve never heard.

“Wójcik.”

“Who?” I ask as I lean forward.

“Wójcik. W-O-J-C-I-K. Antoni Wójcik. Commonly known as Father.”

I grimace, while sitting back in my chair. “Father?” I repeat, although I heard him. “He had bad blood with your dad a long time ago, but has only gotten bigger and more elusive.”

Andrea nods. “The one in the same. I’m chasing shadows from my dad’s past now. Father gives anyone with anything to care about pause because he doesn’t seem to have that issue. He has assassins that are extremely loyal to him, but thinkwe’ve found out why that is. His most loyal is also the most dangerous.”

“Which one is that?”

Andrea rubs his chin with his fingers. “His street name is Reaper. He has one of those legends as being the last person you see before you die.”

“And a person like that doesn’t have any ties to anyone.”

Andrea nods. “Correct. I’ve done more research and have found some interesting information, but there is nothing I can do with it. This is the part where we’d threaten or blackmail, but it’s not the smart thing to do with someone like him. You have a wife and a child on the way, and I get married in a few days. Guess who’d be the first victim?”

“It’d still be one of you two,” I hear someone say in Spanish-accented English. “I don’t prey on innocent women and children, but I will make them orphans and widows.”

Andrea and I both stand, reaching for our own weapons as a tall, fit, Hispanic man comes out of the shadows as if he was born in them. He’s wearing all black, his dark hair out of his face, enhancing his dark eyes. His eyes have the coldness I feared. He doesn’t care about anyone or anything. It makes him the most dangerous kind of killer. He doesn’t look concerned that Andrea is aiming his gun at him.

“Where in the fuck did you come from?” Andrea demands to know.

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