Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 140965 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 705(@200wpm)___ 564(@250wpm)___ 470(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140965 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 705(@200wpm)___ 564(@250wpm)___ 470(@300wpm)
Shylah’s hair was swept up in a swirling updo with tendrils falling inevitably out. It was impossible to tame her hair completely, and he liked that. He thought she looked sexy with the heavy gold bracelets adorning her arms and the necklace of fiery rubies around her neck to match the red of her nails. She wore only a tee, so he wouldn’t see her in her wedding dress.
Mindful of the time, he showered, taking a few extra minutes for himself under the cool water. He didn’t want to get there too early and blow their time with the others. He dressed in his brocade gold bhaku, rich with tiny red embroidered protections scattered artfully, the shirt with sleeves that fell to his ankles. His waistcoat was ivory brocade with beautiful golden embroidery outlining it. His trousers matched the golden bhaku. It was strange to dress so differently, but the clothes made him feel formal and that the ceremony had weight to it. He wanted that for Shylah. Something memorable whether they lived or not.
He glanced at the time. “Don’t forget that after the actual ceremony, we have to do the paperwork with the clerks. That will make it legal. Use your name. Peony Cosmos.”
They had settled on Cosmos because that was the last name Bellisia and Zara had helped her choose when she was sent out of the compound.
“I want this to be legal. It’s important to me. The government is cooperating because of our sacrifice.” He winced when he said it. He didn’t want to think about dying, only living with her.
“You explained the process. We’ll get it done.” She smiled at him, a smile of reassurance. “I want our marriage to be legal as well.”
He loved her all the more for that. “I want you out there in ten, Shylah. Make your way to the lab precisely at six. When you’re near the lab, I’ll start the music for your walk to me.”
She nodded, her eyes bright. His heart turned over. He had started out marrying her because it was what he wanted, but now he wanted this day, this ceremony for her. She’d given him a wonderful gift, bringing his mother to his wedding day, now he wanted to give her something equally as special.
He brushed a kiss on her cheek, careful of the makeup artfully used. As a rule, she wore no makeup and he thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world without it, but he’d been in the fashion world and knew makeup was a woman’s armor. “You look beautiful.”
“I’m not dressed yet.”
“You look beautiful.”
“You look sharp. The material is wonderful. And I love the color.”
He wasn’t a purple or red kind of man. Gold was the only color he would consider when it came to the traditional garb of the groom. He hurried out, thinking he should be nervous, but he’d never been surer of anything in his life.
Back at the lab turned wedding gazebo, he tested the cameras a final time to make certain they were working, then completed the video connections to Zara in Montana and Bellisia in Louisiana. Teams One and Two were in Montana with Zara. They were all watching, some standing, some sitting, but all crowding in to watch the ceremony. He spotted Nonny and even Cayenne sitting on either side of Pepper, each holding one of Wyatt’s little girls in their laps. To his astonishment, the third team, the urban GhostWalker unit out of San Francisco, were also there.
In Louisiana, Draden’s team had all assembled, Ezekiel and Bellisia in the front. To his surprise, the men were in their dress uniforms. For some reason that brought a lump to his throat and he found himself swallowing several times.
Lastly, he conferenced in the video feed there in Sumatra. Trap and Wyatt stood with Joe and the monk and the high-ranking officer from the Indonesian government officiating over the service in Indonesia. Behind them were the other members of his GhostWalker team: Diego, Gino and Malichai. Draden knew they were somewhere, set up quite close. Trap almost never wore his dress uniform and it was shocking not only to see him there, but that he, like the other members of his team there in Sumatra, was dressed for the occasion.
He was surprised that several of the members of the Kopassus were there. He saw all eyes turn past him and without looking, he knew she was there by the reaction. He switched on the music and slowly turned to look at his bride.
His heart nearly stopped and then began to pound. Shylah emerged in her beautiful finery. Her bhaku was lace and ivory, the sleeves long and the neckline a golden lacy choke collar. The rubies at her throat matched the tiny red embroidered protections scattered in the lace of her bhaku, just as they were in his jacket. Her sarong was pure shimmering gold matching the gold lace of her top. Dazzling rubies blazed at her ears and thick gold bracelets gleamed on her wrists.