Page 140 of Poison Vows

It’s just that when one’s heart is fucked up, does anything else have a hope of functioning? Yes.

I discovered this when I laid eyes on her…

Even though my heart had checked out, the rest of me kept going, working overtime just to see her walk toward me like she’s doing now.

Now, it wasn’t the weather that caused the death. It was what happened as soon as the game ended.

Angel had marched over to me wearing her pink oversized sweater, a windbreaker that might’ve been her brother’s, an entirely too long scarf, and Mickey Mouse earmuffs—and she was pissed.

Her eyes were narrowed, her tiny fists clenched at her sides, rage blazing behind her glasses… I knew I was in trouble.

All throughout the game, I could feel her eyes on me, but I couldn’t tell exactly where she was up until the moment she stormed the field at the end of the game.

Before I could conjure up a flimsy excuse for why I was playing football in such horrible weather, she barreled right into my arms and pressed her ear up against the left side of my chest.

I remember how time stopped in that moment.

All eyes were on us.

She didn’t care, and I stopped breathing.

Angel had been the only one who knew about my heart condition at the time. Not only that, but she also didn’t even go to our school. The ripple of shock her sudden act caused was huge, but in that moment, I didn’t give a damn what the rest of the Blue Boys thought, let alone the world.

She was in my arms.

She had this ability of stopping time whenever she was in my arms, and I greedily ate it up.

Then, in a move that has since been seared into my brain, she pulled back, slapped me hard across the face, then, with tears streaming down her face, she planted a kiss over my heart and then stomped off.

Eight and a half seconds later, I was dead.

And now, a million strenuous heartbeats later, a few close calls, and some major regrets, I’m about to die for real just by taking in the pure Heaven-like vision in front of me.

At my word, the entire greenhouse garden was reset for this.

Every unsightly thing, including that bastard Theodore Hughes, was taken down and hosed, all the blood cleaned up before tossing his unconscious body in the chair beside his fearful father. There’ll be time for them later.

Standing at the altar in a fresh white shirt and jacket for formalities’ sake, but I shift impatiently on the balls of my feet.

I can feel myself still bleeding from the wounds I sustained on my way back here, but that’s a small sacrifice to pay for this moment.

I’d do anything to get back to Angel. My poor physical state isn’t worth considering in the face of that.

And it’s all worth it as I watch her walk down the white carpet I had them roll out for my bride and the fresh rose and daphne flower petals there for each step she takes toward me.

She’s so stunning, I can’t handle it.

God only knows how many times I’ve had this illusive dream, only to wake up livid with the myself and the world because I knew it was impossible.

But now, that dream is about to come true! Angel is becoming mine.

When she reaches the altar, I hold out my hand for her, but she hesitates, staring at my hand.

I frown. “There’s no going back now, Angel,” I warn in a low voice.

She suddenly looks up at me. Through the veil, I can feel her blazing eyes piercing me, but I only smirk at her.

I grab her hand and walk her the rest of the way and then I gently lift up her veil, desperate to see the look on her face.

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