Page 119 of Beautifully Reckless

What the hell do I know about being a biker wife?

Ace starts the vows, so I force myself to listen so I don’t mess them up, and when he finishes speaking, I take a big gulp and glance at my soon-to-be-husband to find his dark gaze already on me.

“Ready, Angel?”

My heart skips a beat from the tone in his voice and the way he’s looking at me.

I could be standing here marrying Daniel Stone right now. Forced into pledging my loyalty to a vile, cold creature who never once looked at me the way Ringo is right now.

This wedding might’ve started out feeling like a prison sentence… but to say that it’s forced doesn’t quite fit anymore.

If I were given the option of choosing between Daniel and Ringo, there’d be no contest.

Hands down, Cameron Musgrove would win every time.

So, with emotion thick in my throat, I nod at my monster of a man.

With his hair up in a knot, his leather vest sitting over a black shirt with the top buttons undone, teasing me with a hint of his chest… well… I can’t deny he looks sexy as sin, and it occurs to me now why I noticed his trimmed facial hair this morning.

He cleaned himself up for me.

Ace turns the page he’s holding with the vows, offering them if we need to read along, and I scan them again, letting the words sink in, bracing myself to speak.

The moment Ringo starts, I join in, our gazes locked. His big hands cradle mine, his thumbs sweeping across the backs like I’m the most precious thing he’s ever touched.

“Today, we take our vows of marriage before our family and friends.

We will honour one another when we are together or apart, and always respect each other’s differences.

We will cherish the good times, and endure thestorms. Hand in hand. Side by side. Riding this life together and always leaning into the curve.”

The corners of Ringo’s lips kick up like he’s pleased I didn’t fight him or twist the vows like the brat I was before.

Damn.

I actually like that I please him, and realise I want to do more of it.

Don’t get me wrong, I like being a brat too. But there’s just something about pleasing a man like Ringo, that I know I’ll do just about anything to see his stormy gaze soften when he looks at me like that.

“Now, Abbey,” Ace draws my attention. “Please recite this line.”

My gaze drops to the paper he’s holding, and the line highlighted in pink.

Reading over it, I wet my lips before glancing back up at my monster.

“Cameron, when I say I love you, what I’m really saying is that I’ll hold on tight until our ride on Earth ends.”

Emotion slams into me as I finish, my voice cracking, and I find myself wanting to mean every word I just spoke.

Which makes no sense. I know this. I keep reminding myself of this. That what Ringo and I are doing is yet another ruse until this nightmare is over.

Sure, we are attracted to each other. I won’t pretend the moments we’ve shared weren’t real. They’ve felt more real than anything I’ve ever known. But I know he’s just doing this to protect me. So really, I should be more grateful and at least try to be civil about what’s happening here.

As if readingevery thought stamped across my face, Ringo’s smile widens, his teeth making an appearance as he lifts one of my hands and kisses it.

“Ringo. Please recite this line.”

Ace’s prompt has Ringo reading from the sheet before refocusing back on me.

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