Page 20 of Ashes

I turned my attention to the officiant, who had been standing still this whole time.

“Finish the ceremony,” I ordered.

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Sir, this is?—”

I reached inside my suit with my free hand and interrupted him before he could finish by aiming the barrel at him. “I wasn’t asking for your opinion.”

She yanked her wrist out of my grasp and put distance between us. She stared at me for a long moment before a laugh bubbled up her throat.

“You are completely delusional if you think I’ll marry you.”

I cocked an eyebrow and took a step forward until her front grazed mine again. I grabbed her chin between my thumb and forefinger and slightly tilted her head back.

I leaned in and whispered low, only for her to hear, “Now, listen very carefully because I strongly dislikerepeating myself and my patience is already running quite low, love. Either you do as I say, or your family will pay the price I’m owed.” I pulled back to look into her warm brown eyes. I wiggled my gun in her family’s direction. “One way or another.”

She tried masking her reaction but couldn’t disguise the shiver rippling through her. Her defiance was only superficial.

She was afraid of me.

And I liked it.

After a moment, her resolve vanished and she nodded. “If I do this, you have to promise me that you’ll protect them from the Barreras.”

I gave her a curt nod before letting go of her chin.

She shook her head. “You have to say it.”

“I promise.”

She gave me a curt nod at my assurance. I holstered my gun and looked over at the officiant again. “Proceed.”

“What’s your name, sir?” he asked, his eyes locked on Sienna.

“Jamal.”

He cleared his throat and whispered, “Jamal…” His voice trailed off, waiting for me to give him my full name.

“Just Jamal. And skip straight to the I dos.”

Then he finally started the impromptu ceremony.

“Do you”—he paused, his forehead wrinkling with uncertainty—“Jamal, take this woman to be your wife?”

My gaze trailed over to my future wife. “I do.”

The officiant turned his gaze to Sienna, giving her a compassionate look before asking, “Do you, Sienna Bruni, take this man to be your husband?”

There was a small pause before she took a deep breath and nodded. “I do.”

Her answer strangely rattled a sentiment of satisfaction within me.

Mine.

We were finally pronounced husband and wife. “You may…um, you may kiss the bride,” the officiant said hesitantly.

I dipped down and gently brushed my lips against hers. It was only meant to be a chaste kiss, just enough to seal our union, but the moment my lips touched hers, any restraint I was holding on to snapped.

My body felt like it had been asleep for the past thirty years and all of a sudden, every single sense in me had been awoken.