Page 28 of Reckless Promises

“They all are,” she reminds me. And she has a point. “At least he’s not Sascha.”

“I appreciate the attempt.” I squeeze my sister’s hand. “But you’re forgetting it doesn’t matter how hot Cillian is. Sascha didn’t want my entire family dead.”

“There’s that.” Gen’s eyes move once more to Cillian.

He doesn’t break his stoic expression. No love in his eyes. No interest. He watches me like a chore he’s checking off his list as I walk toward him. The same way he watched me when he climbed into bed beside me last night.

As we reach the end of the aisle, my heart hammers so wildly I’m on the verge of fainting. And I can’t help but grip my sister tighter.

I should be ready for this—Mom made sure I was ready for this. But as I stop in front of Cillian and tip my head up to look at him, nothing could have prepared me for this moment.

I turn to my sister, and she pulls me into a hug, bringing her mouth by my ear. “Love you millions.”

“Love you billions.” I hug her back. “I promise I’ll be back for you.”

“I know,” she whispers. “Stay strong, Odette. If anyone can do this, you can.”

Gen pulls back, tears spilling from her eyes as she walks away. She’s swallowed by the darkness in the back of the room before I can tell whether she’s sitting with myfamily or not, and the sight of her disappearing empties me.

“Shall we get started?”

I turn to face the officiant standing between me and Cillian. And I wonder what it says about my future husband that we aren’t in a church, being married by a man of faith.

“Yes,” Cillian answers for both of us.

He reaches out a hand, guiding me to stand in front of him. And once I do, he doesn’t let me go. With his palm in mine, the room silences. Even the man reading our vows might as well be muted by the pounding of my heart.

It’s just me and Cillian at the center of the room while it spins. A merry-go-round I can’t step off. And as my stomach twirls with the motion, I find steadiness in Cillian’s gunmetal eyes.

Gray as bullets shattering my dreams. Exact. Lethal.

“Do you Odette Vivianne Bardot, take Cillian Ronan Cross to be your husband from this day forth? Till death do you part.”

I nod, and my mouth turns to sandpaper as every instinct inside screams for me to sayno. “I do.”

“And do you Cillian Ronan Cross, take Odette Vivianne Bardot to be your wife from this day forth? Till death do you part.”

“I do.”

Two words. Seemingly simple when I didn’t think anything could change my fate more than the single wordsolddid last night. But somehow hearing Cillian say them with such surety locks me in place.

Roots reach up and ground me. They tie me to him. Two words and we’re bound.

“The rings?”

Daniel steps forward and hands them to Cillian, who takes my hand once more to slip the band onto my finger. A single cushion cut green emerald sits on top of it. And my skin prickles as he slides it on.

Green like the roses. And I can’t help but wonder if it’s Cillian’s favorite color.

Cillian hands me a black band, and I slide it over his thick knuckle as our eyes connect.

My husband.

He reaches for the bottom of my veil and peels it up over my face until I’m met with the full force of his eyes—with the full attention of the room.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the officiant says, stepping back. “You may kiss your bride.”

Husband and wife.

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