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I cocked my head. "You want to focus on this? Postpone the wedding?"
His eyes widened. "What? No," he said. "I mean bring it forward. Get married sooner."
"Bash..."
His gaze held mine, full of a quiet desperation. "I want to secure our legacy, Justice. If something happens to me," Bash's voice faltered for a moment, "if something happens, I need you to be prepared, to have legal rights over Sebastian."
A knot formed in the pit of my stomach. “I already have legal rights over Sebastian,” I said. "Nothing is going to happen to you."
"Right. This will guarantee we keep it that way. And we don't know that," Bash said, his gaze steady and resolute. "You know this world, Justice. You know what we're up against."
My heart clenched in my chest at the unspoken implications of his words. It was a reality I'd always known—we'd both always known—but hearing it acknowledged so openly felt like a punch to the gut.
He stepped closer to me then, the distance between us disappearing as he wrapped his arms around me. I buried my face in his chest, closing my eyes against the harsh truth we found ourselves facing.
"I need you to promise me, Justice," Bash murmured into my hair. His voice was raw with emotion, a stark contrast to his usual cool demeanor.
I pulled back slightly to look at him, my heart aching at the intensity in his gaze. "Bash..."
"No," he cut me off, shaking his head gently. "I need to hear you say it."
I swallowed hard but nodded. "Of course I'm going to look after him, Bash. He's our son."
He gently lifted my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. In it, I saw a myriad of emotions; worry, fear, love–but most importantly, determination. "Hey. I love you. I'm not just doing this to protect you."
"I know," I said, searching his face. "I love you too."
"I know you'll fight for our son no matter what happens to me," he said. "And, outside of all of this shit, no matter what happens, I want to call you my wife. I need to call you my wife."
Bash's words hung in the air. I blinked rapidly, struggling to keep my emotions at bay. The weight of what was happening, what we were facing, it was enough to crush me. But Bash...he was my rock, my anchor in this sea of chaos.
"I don't want to wait," he whispered, brushing a strand of hair from my face with his thumb. "I say we do it as soon as possible."
I looked into his eyes, seeing the resolve behind them. He wasn't asking for an answer; he was telling me what he wanted—no, needed—to do. And who was I to deny him?
"Okay," I said on an exhale, surprising myself at how quickly I agreed. But more than anything else, I realized I wanted this too. "We'll move up the wedding."
Chapter Sixteen: Justice
Ilooked at myself in the mirror, barely able to recognize myself in the long siren-shaped wedding gown and delicate veil that crowned my loosely pinned hair. The dress was simple yet elegant, nothing too ostentatious, but it felt strange. I mean, it was ridiculously expensive. Bash's doing, of course. But this was weird. I was used to the comfort of worn jeans and the reassuring weight of a blade at my side. This was a far cry from what I considered normal, but for Bash… for us, I'd play the part. Smokey eyeshadow, mascara, and a touch of plum lipstick were all I had allowed my makeup artist for the finishing touches.
The veil cascaded down my back. I was nervous, my hands shaking as I adjusted the tiara that Zane had surprised me with, claiming it was the perfect mix of femininity and lethal sharpness just like me. He was right. The glistening diamonds were set in a blade-like design; it felt like a crown fit for a mafia queen.
I heard a soft knock on the door.
"Justice?" Hassan's voice called out. "Can I come in?"
"Yeah," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper, my eyes still transfixed by my reflection in the mirror.
He walked in, stopping in his tracks as his eyes fell on me.
"You look stunning," Hassan finally managed to say. His eyes were soft, filled with emotion that made my heart clench.
I smiled, turning to face him. "Thanks, Hassan."
He walked over to me then, his footsteps echoing throughout the room. He looked at me for a long moment before he pulled out a small velvet box from his pocket.
"I...uh," he stuttered, uncharacteristically nervous. "I'm aware you're marrying another man right now. I just..."