Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 20280 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 101(@200wpm)___ 81(@250wpm)___ 68(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20280 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 101(@200wpm)___ 81(@250wpm)___ 68(@300wpm)
My girl . . .
“Thank you.” I pulled back my hand and ran it down the lapel of his tux. “You look very handsome.”
Stephen smiled, then lowered his head. When he looked back up, he said roughly, “It is an honor for me to walk you down the aisle today, Mae. I have waited for a moment like this for too many years to count. I cannot believe we are actually here right now. It’s like a dream.” His gaze drifted over my shoulders to my sisters. “All of us. All of you looking so perfect . . .” he cleared his throat. “My brave daughters.”
“Father,” I whispered and blinked away my tears.
Stephen stilled. “Father . . .” he repeated, and this time a tear drifted down his cheek. “I will never tire of hearing that word from your lips.” He kissed me on my cheek, then threaded my arm through his. “I believe it is time. I do not want to face Styx’s wrath if we don’t get you out there and married as soon as possible. He is not a patient man when it comes to you.”
I laughed, but knew he was right. Styx would not think twice about marching in here and carrying me to the altar to speed things along if I did not hurry up.
Sia waited at the doors. “You ready, Mae?”
“Yes,” I said but then quickly held up my hand. “Just . . . one moment, please.”
I moved to the window that overlooked the yard as my sisters took their places. I discreetly looked through the glass, and I felt a wave of nervousness as I saw all the brothers in their seats. Phebe and Sapphira were beside AK, Flame, and Vike. Letti and Beauty were with Bull and Tank. I saw Ky at the altar, dressed in a white shirt and his cut . . . and then I saw him.
My heart stopped beating, my lungs stopped breathing, and my body stopped moving. Styx, my Styx . . . he was . . . he was . . . beautiful.
He stood at the altar with Pastor Ellis before him. His head was down, and he was rocking from side to side. I knew how nervous he was. His hands wrung together at his front. And then he turned to hear something Ky had said, and my breath whooshed through my parted lips.
He wore dark jeans and a black bolo tie with the Hangmen emblem embossed in the silver buckle. And then there was his cut. The top couple of buttons of his shirt were undone, showing his many tattoos and tanned skin. His dark hair was messy, exactly how I liked it. And then there were his hazel eyes, bright under his furrowed brow, his dark stubbled cheeks making his irises look even greener.
He was about to become my husband . . .
“You good, Mae?” Sia asked, and I turned to face my sisters.
“I am ready,” I said, knowing each word was true. “I am more than ready.”
Sia smiled and left through the doors. I took my place beside Stephen, behind my sisters and waited for the music to begin.
Today I would marry the boy who had pulled me from my deepest despair. Today, I would become Mrs. Mae Nash . . .
. . . at long last, I would be home.
Chapter Seven
Styx
I saw Sia emerge through the doors and give me a huge smile. She threw up her thumbs, telling me Mae was ready. I kept my hands joined together so no fucker here could see them shaking.
I would sign today. I’d fucking made peace with that shit. The pastor knew, my brothers would expect nothing else, and now all I had to do was wait for Mae to walk outta that fucking door.
Ky leaned toward me. “You shitting yourself?” I glared at him. He laughed, and I pulled at my collar. It was fucking too hot out here.
The sound of Sia clearing her throat came from the back of the yard. I looked up, as did everyone else, and some froufrou classical music started to play from the sound system. It wasn’t Nelson or Waits, but Mae had picked it, so that made it all fucking okay.
Sia opened the door. I couldn’t see in, but I didn’t have to wait long. Grace stepped out looking as cute as fuck in her little white dress. Ky smiled as his daughter began throwing white petals on the floor. She walked down the aisle like she had no fucking care in the world then ran the last few steps until she was by Ky’s side.
“Good fucking job, kid,” he said and took hold of her hand.
Lilah was next, followed by Maddie. Ky was fixed on his wife, and when I looked at Flame, the brother looked about ready to launch from his seat just to be with Madds. Bella followed, Rider and his mother, Ruth, smiling at her from the back row.