Page 27 of The Best Man

“Marcus,” I say softly, my body aching but also… fucking wanting him, the stupid thing.

“You think I’m afraid to stop a wedding, pretty girl? Have you even met me?”

A whisper of a moan escapes me as my body goes languid. He continues to rub my pussy through the layers of soft fabric, and I rest my head against his firm chest and close my eyes.

“You’re so fucking perfect, Jessa. Too perfect for him. He doesn’t deserve you. He never has. I knew it that first time we met. I watched how good you were to him, how fucking sweet and attentive. And I watched him not even notice. He’s never noticed all the best things about you, baby, but I have.”

Tears spring to my eyes at his words. I slide my arm around him, gripping his muscular back, hugging him tighter.

I’ve never felt yearning like this before. Not for anyone.

“I don’t want to marry him,” I whisper.

“Then don’t. What I said last night was true. None of us think you’re right for him. But maybe you’re right for me.”

My heart stops beating for a moment.

“My brothers will like you now,” he says, gently stroking my perfectly styled hair. “They won’t be able to help it.” Leaning in and pressing his lips to my forehead, he murmurs filthy words that shouldn’t make me feel better, but they do. “They’ve each had their cocks in that perfect pussy now. There’s no chance they could hate you. You want the warmth of a family, baby? I can give it to you. Marry me instead.”

I look up at him, completely floored. “What? Here? Today?”

“Why not? We’ve got the wedding all set up. Guests are here or on their way.”

“But… We haven’t even dated.”

“I don’t need to date you to know I want to marry you,” he tells me, his brown eyes warm with charming mischief. “We can date later. Today, let’s make you my wife.”

A startled giggle escapes me, but his insane idea fills me with such elation. “We can’t,” I say, though I can hear in my tone even I’m hoping to be proven wrong.

Marcus smirks and grabs my hand, bringing it to his lips so he can kiss my fingers. “We can do anything we want, baby. Haven’t you learned that by now?”

I haven’t felt happy like this in… I’m not sure I ever have, really.

It feels like the sun is shining inside me. All the colors of the world are bolder and brighter. Compared to today, right now, yesterday was monochrome.

Maybe we’re meant to be, or maybe it’s what he put me through last night, the way he forced a bond between us by making sure he was with me every step of the way as he pulled me apart and put me back together. But if I’m being honest with myself, whatever the reason, Iwantthis crazy man by my side.

I wouldn’t have said before this moment I wanted to marry him, but imagining walking down that aisle and seeing him waiting for me at the other end…

It brings me so much joy, I think I do.

I nod before I can find the words.

Marcus smiles because he’s a mind reader.

He pulls me closer, looks down at me with a shameless twinkle of satisfaction in his warm brown eyes. “You want to marry me, pretty girl?”

“Yes,” I say softly, my heart filling up with love and unmatched longing. “Yes, I do.”

___

I’m buzzing with nervous excitement when I emerge from the back doors of the church. There’s a beautiful garden outside where couples take pictures. My heart skitters because I’m not even sure what I’ll see when I get to it.

The fiancé I had yesterday, or the one I have now?

Marcus assured me he would handle breaking the news to everyone—including Joey—that I wouldn’t be marrying him today. He told me not to worry about a thing, just to have a glass of champagne and relax, and then meet him in the picture garden when I was supposed to meet Joey there.

It feels impossible to me. As much as I want him to succeed, I don’t see how he can tell his parents and everyone else that the wedding to Joey is off, but the wedding is still on, and we’re just switching grooms.

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