Page 116 of Collateral Claim
I’m frozen in shock. Charlotte pulls me away, but before I run, I catch sight of a man walking down the aisle. He wears black on black and a sexy five o’clock shadow. His eyes are dark, darker than I’ve ever seen them, and he approaches the altar, a gun in each hand.
At least a hundred men are at his back. They let the attendees flee and now seem to be creating a living wall with their bodies. A man who looks like Endo joins him. He wears a matching tux.
When they reach us, the man, who must be Cass Macarley, hands my sister a red velvet box. Much of the bruising on his face has cleared up, but one of his eyelids hangs lower than the other. They treated him like a punching bag. I’m glad he appears to have recovered well.
Without a word, he stands behind Endo, who takes Wilfred’s body from the shocked priest. Endo dumps Wilfred to the side, steps over his legs, and simply says, “Continue with the ceremony.”
The priest, sweating like he’s about to walk into hell, says, “I wasn’t sure you’d make it.”
“I wonder what you’d do if I hadn’t.”
“I’d have faked a heart attack.”
“It’s good to know you came with a plan.”
I clear my throat. “Sorry to interrupt, but what took you so long?”
Behind him, Cass chuckles.
“You look nice, Scar,” Endo says.
“Only you would think a bride in mourning looks nice.”
He shrugs. “I think you always look nice.”
See? This is my guy. He’s not wrong for me. He’s perfectly right.
“Hate to interrupt this awkward reunion,” Cass says in a deep tenor voice, “but we have about three minutes before a small army of armed locals runs in here eager to test out their new rifles. Can we hurry this along?”
Endo brings my hand to his lips and kisses my knuckles one by one. “Be mine, Scarlett.”Kiss.“I’ll spend the rest of my days making up for the mistakes I will make every day that you’re mine because I have no idea what the fuck to do with a woman like you. I don’t know what to do with how I feel about you either. You infuriate me. You gave up your future to save my brother’s life? What kind of a woman does that? Hm? This, inside me,” he touches the middle of his chest with his fist, “is reserved for you.”Kiss.
“I had to come here and end this. I couldn’t let you marry this garbage. But you must know. You must know that who I am is not up for debate. It is not going to change. I have to tell you that I was born wild. I would rather die than be tamed. If you want a tame man who’s going to grovel and beg you for attention, tell me now, and I swear I’ll leave you alone. I swear on Cass I will let you go because, fuck, Scar, you’ve earned your freedom. From me and everyone else.”Kiss.
“I will secure your future and make sure you’re never touched by anyone unless you choose a decent, nice man. I am notdecent. I am not nice. But I am insanely and completely in love with you.”Kiss.“I promise I will cherish you for who you are, and I will support you in any way I can. I think that should be enough. I think who I am should be enough. What say you?”
I hold his hand and kiss the skull-and-bones tattoo on his finger. “Who you are is perfect for me.”
“We only have a minute left,” my sister says. “I’m starting to freak out.”
The priest recites the wedding lines, and Endo slips a golden band on my finger and I slip one on his. He lifts my veil and pauses before cupping my face. His kiss is surprisingly gentle, a touch of lips, his dark eyes soft as they stare deep into mine. I think they’re seeking confirmation that what he feels toward me is reciprocated.
A helicopter descends, and the wind from the rotors rips the veil off my head. My hair tumbles down.
Endo and I stare at each other, daring each other to say the three magic words first.
“Let’s go home,” he says.
Not those three words. The other three words. Someday, we’ll get to a place where we talk like normal people do. Or maybe we never will. Either way, I said yes to Endo Macarley and became his wife.
Chapter 48
Couldermouth welcomes you
Scarlett
It’s two in the morning by the time we arrive at Widow’s Keep. Marquis parks the SUV in front of the mansion, and we step out of the vehicle. Four huge bright lights shine down on us and then move slowly away and across the lawn. Two of them swing back and forth in front of the forested area, where several dozen men stand on guard.
“Lots of security,” I comment as I follow them across the driveway.
