Page 8 of Thorns of Deceit
My brothers entered and I heard Raven’s soft gasp. We all stood at six five, but the twins mostly stuck to leather, making them look like they’d walked out of a bar fight.
“Hello, Raven.” Tyran greeted her while my other brother eyed her long, slender legs. I felt the sudden urge to step in front of her—to shield her?—and I had no idea why.
“Raven,” he drawled, smiling like it was his job to seduce her. I had to grit my teeth to keep from snapping at him. “You’re about to become family.”
She nodded wordlessly, her expression clearly portraying unhappiness.
They stepped deeper into the cramped apartment, clearing space for a short, bald man dressed in his holy cassock. He was in his mid-fifties, and clearly none too happy to have been dragged to a shitty part of town so late in the night. Or maybe I should say, so early in the morning.
“Father Hubbart,” I greeted, rising to my feet. “Thanks for coming.”
He shot my brothers a look as he muttered, “As if I had a choice.”
“I know what you mean,” Raven mumbled, drawing my attention back to her.
“I should’ve brought champagne so we could celebrate properly.” Tyran flashed her a grin, clearly not reading the room and opting to view this shitshow in a positive light.
“She’s not old enough to drink,” I gritted, my jaw aching from clenching it for the last several hours.
“I shouldn’t be old enough to getmarried,” she retorted wryly. “Drinking seems like the lesser of two evils.”
Tyran laughed but quickly disguised it with a cough. Kyran didn’t bother hiding his amusement at all.
“Miss, are you entering this arrangement willingly?” Father Hubbart asked, his eyes, full of suspicion, darting around the room.
Raven opened her mouth, and I shot her a warning glare.
Her back stiffened and her mouth twisted into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes as she said, “Yes, I’m oh so willing.”
Tyran leaned toward her, patting her back lightly as he whispered, “That’s the spirit. From everything I’ve heard, marriage is a blessing.”
“Then why don’t you marry him?” she spat out.
“My brother’s not exactly my type,” Tyran replied lightly. “Although, I must admit, women seem to find him appealing, so you’ll?—”
“Tyran,” I growled in warning.
“What?” he said, throwing up his hands. “I’m trying to lighten the mood.”
My gaze shifted to the priest as I said, “Let’s get this over with before someone does something stupid.”
The priest clutched his bible. “Very well.”
“And keep the ceremony short.”
The priest opened the bible and, as we all stood awkwardly in the too-small space, began to read scriptures until the dreaded question came about.
“Do you, Aiden Callahan, agree to bind yourself in holy union with Raven Croft? To love and hold until death do you part?”
“Yeah,” I said. “I do.”
The priest turned to Raven. “Do you, Raven Croft, accept this union, and all that comes with it?”
There was a long, uncomfortable silence, and then she spoke, “I do, against my better judgment.”
My brothers shared twin looks of amusement.
The priest cleared his throat. “Exchange your vows.”
