Page 24 of Married into the Mob
Ranger was in the monitoring room checking the cameras. I’d told Stefan the celebrant had to carry a black briefcase so we’d recognize him.
“He’s here.”
Flint and I joined Ranger, and we scanned the other cameras, looking for anything suspicious.
“Gods, it’s him!”
Flint removed the gun from his holster.
“Put that away.” Odell would freak more than he already had, and if the kids came out of the other room, there would be questions about why he had a gun and could they hold it.
Stefan himself stood at the entrance, one hand and then two gripping the worn handle of an old briefcase.
I phoned him and told him to wait. Flint accompanied me after I assured Odell I’d return. He’d wanted to come with us to get out of “being buried alive” were his exact words. Marriage I could do, but if my mate wanted to leave the panic room, I struggled to come up with somewhere to keep him safe.
Flint opened the private door and dragged a surprised Stefan inside. He removed his arm from my brother’s grip. With the door closed, and the blindfold and headphones in place, we brought him down the stairs, winding around the corridors and to the entrance of the panic room. He said he was legally able to conduct marriages.
“You built this without planning permission,” he stated after I scanned my retinas and removed the blindfold.
“Let’s not worry about that now.” Once Odell and I were married, I’d compensate Stefan. But if Draven had something on the guy, he might want to stay, though space was limited.
“You!” Odell burst out. “I’m glad you’re in one piece. I was worried about you.”
“What?” My mate’s aunt appeared at the bedroom door, though her husband was still asleep. Her yell was as loud as her nephew’s. “You know him?” She took a breath. “Who is this?”
She was holding Odell and glaring at me as my mate mentioned marriage. “So we replaced one arranged marriage for another. This can not happen. Dellie, darling, I brought you up with strong values, and that didn’t include marrying into the mafia.” She tugged at his sleeve, her face scrunched up in agony.
Oh my gods, Dellie. That was an adorable nickname, and I longed for a time when my mate might allow me to call him that.
I didn’t have the time or the energy to go into another long-ass explanation, but as I opened my mouth, Odell took over.
“It’s okay, Auntie. I’ll explain more later.” He shot me a look that said, “And you can fill me in too.”
Stefan’s hands shook as he indicated for me and my mate to stand before him, and he pushed the glasses up that’d slid down his nose. The kids burst out of the other room. Ranger said they were getting a new uncle. Kendrick looked under a chair, and Lottie raced around the room asking where he was before Flint put a finger to his lips, and the kids squished onto the sofas and armchairs.
“Wait! You need rings.”
“Why don’t you have a ring, Uncle Hunter?” Lottie asked. That set off a barrage of questions from her, and Kendrick examined the adults’ fingers. “My daddy has a ring,” Lottie announced triumphantly.
Stefan rummaged in his briefcase and held up two paper clips. “Will these do?”
I unwound them and fashioned both into rings, testing one on Odell’s finger.
“Ready.” I offered my mate a hand, and he squeezed it, his palm a little sweaty.
Stefan recited a few words. Even if someone had put a gun to my head, I wouldn’t have been able to repeat them. My head was filled with my mate and Draven, the Silverback pack, and what it would mean for La Luna Noir.
Odell and I slid the makeshift rings on each other’s fingers, and Stefan pronounced us married.
Everyone clapped, and I pecked my mate on the cheek. He wasn’t ready for a tongue shoved in his mouth.
But Lottie examined Odell’s arms and mine. “Where’s the blood?”
My mate’s aunt squealed. “Dear gods no!” She glowered at me. “You harm a hair on Odell’s head and you’ll deal with me.”
She was fierce, and I loved that about her. She’s instilled some of her strength in her nephew. But it was Lottie who’d given me the perfect segue from marriage to mating. I could have hugged her.
“Do mafia need blood to bond or something?” Odell studied his palm. “I’ve seen it in movies. Our blood has to mingle.” While my niece had introduced the subject, Odell ran with it. I wanted to kiss them both.
