Page 164 of Dirty Dylan: Dirty Dusters

The sound of prolonged silence echoes around the room.

“Jessie?” I prompt, suddenly nervous having declared my intentions in front of all of these people.

Shite.

What if she says no? What if I’ve gotten this all wrong? What if she’s with Tyler Grayson now? What if she was only crying because of the emotion of the moment and not because she cares about me. Women do that, don’t they? Weep at occasions such as these. And at sad, sentimental old movies likeThe Notebook.

What if she laughs in my face? What if she tells me to fuck right off because she thinks I led her on?

I never stopped to consider she might say no. Not until right at this moment. What an absolute eejit.

Well, if she does say no, then it serves me right for being a presumptuous fucker.

“Yes.”

It’s so faint I’m not sure if it was wishful thinking on my part that the word was actually spoken.

“Yes.”

Louder this time.

Relief flows through me. Thank. Fuck.

Is it yes to the trust or yes to the marriage? I’m not sure, but I’m going to be greedy and I’m taking it as yes to both.

Because I’m taking her. She’s mine. And I’m never giving her back.

My hands are shaky as I take the ring from the box. I couldn’t find any as beautiful as her, but I’m hoping the oval-shaped diamond is seen as a suitable enough declaration of my love for my soon-to-be wife.

Slipping it on her finger, I stand. Then, resting my forehead against hers, I close my eyes and inhale her intoxicating springtime scent. Opening them once more, our gazes connect. Then, cupping her perfect face in my hand, I press my lips gently to hers to taste her unique sweetness.

A taste that’s now all fucking mine. And if any other man ever tries to sample it, I’ll kill the fucker with my bare hands. Let’s face it. I’ve now had plenty of practice.

I hear cheering in the background, but nothing matters.

Just me. And her. And our future together.

En route to Nevada

We’re heading to Vegas where we’ll take another flight to a private airstrip in Nevada. A hired SUV awaits us there.

I’ve filled Jessie in on everything that’s gone down. With Jaine’s blessing I explained about the web of lies and deceit. That it’s Jaine who is in fact the cliché blonde.

Paddy’s Disney princess. Not mine.

And that I kept schtum about everything out of love for my baby brother.

I also explained that nothing untoward ever happened between me and Grace, and that after her revelation, Jaine was tasked with making sure Jessie turned up to her own engagement party.

So, Jessie’s now my fiancée, and she'll be my wife within a matter of hours.

We left the party as soon as she said yes. After a day of back and forth, Lucifer reluctantly agreed to let me have her hand, but it was on the strict basis he be allowed to give her away. And that he be allowed to do so in the town church in Colton.

Unlike Paddy, I have no issue where I take the vows, although apparently, he’s been asked to reconsider his own service venue at Luc’s insistence due to how small St. Peter’s is.

I think in a way Paddy’s relieved. I reckon he realizes he made a hasty decision when he agreed to wed Sophia in our family church. I think he’s now decided that, until he’s dead and buried, there’s still a chance he’ll marry Jaine there one day.

And in this life of ours, who knows?

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