Page 20 of The Silent Note

Zane is at the end of the aisle, wearing a black tux that looks like it was made of shadows and sin. One hand is bent at an angle, cradled in a black sling.

My breath catches.

He’s... beautiful.

But this isn’t about him. Or us.

I put one foot in front of the other.

For Sloane.

For better or worse.

For justice.

As the strains of classical music plays over hidden speakers, I walk down the aisle, eyes on the boy who will surely ruin me.

Chapter Six

GREY

I can only get through the short wedding ceremony by shutting my mind down completely.

Thoughts like:

This is insane.

What if mom finds out?

Is this marriage even legal? We’re step-siblings, aren’t we?

They all get swept away under a blanket of numbness.

It’s not until I feel Zane squeezing my hand that I come back to myself and realize I’m being prompted by the priest to say ‘I do’.

My mouth purses.

For a long, pregnant pause, I debate the insanity of it all. Everything happened so fast. A few hours ago, I was lying in a hospital cot, thinking about what kind of jello the cafeteria would serve for lunch.

And now I’m here.

In a wedding dress.

In front of God and The Kings.

The longer I stall, the higher Zane’s eyebrow rises. But we both know I won’t stop here.

Even if I hate being pushed around by Zane Cross, I hate that Sloane’s killers haven’t been found even more.

“I… do.” The words claw my throat, like sharp nails climbing up my esophagus.

The room releases a collective sigh.

Zane smirks triumphantly and—if I were a pettier person, if the stakes weren’t so high—I’d do something to wipe that grin off his face.

I do… not want to breathe your stupid air, you over-sized, deranged Creon.

The priest repeats the same lines to the groom. Something about love and honor and respect.Pfft.