Page 24

“Yeah, I just think it was a bit weird that she’s been off to the bathroom for nearly an hour, and we had that incident in your room. And ever since she arrived, you’ve been under threat. It’s just too much of a coincidence.”
“Kieran,” I sighed, rubbing his cheek with my thumb. “Tasha would never do that. We can’t just assume things, can we? I know you’re worried about me. Let’s just drop it for now, okay? I’m really sleepy.”
He nodded and kissed my nose and forehead again. That was all it took for me to close my eyes and drift into a deep sleep.
Just to let you know, I’ve got a few more things to add.
I opened my eyes and saw the light coming through the curtains. To be honest, I thought I’d catch up with Kieran, seeing as he was snoring right in front of me when I nodded off last night. But he was MIA.
But the sound of his snoring and the heat that was blowing onto my neck confirmed that he was now behind me. I could feel his arm around my waist and I would’ve felt comfortable in this position. But, of course, I didn’t.
I could feel him pressing against my back and my face went red at how big it felt. His leg, which was between mine, crept higher and higher, and the hand that belonged to the arm was rubbing my stomach all too passionately. Then his hand moved from my stomach down my legs, rubbing against my inner thigh and coming close to my private area. I made a noise, but he didn’t hear me. As he was moving back up, I heard him mutter something, but I couldn’t say what it was. His hand moved up my arm in a way that made me feel uneasy, and I couldn’t help but get goosebumps. I felt his warm hand go back down to my belly before going back up and cupping one of my breasts, ignoring what he was muttering. Even if it felt really good, I squeaked in embarrassment, my face going a deep shade of red.
This made Kieran look at me, eyes wide open, as he checked the room for any danger. He saw that I was red in the face before he followed his hand down to where he was currently groping. This caused him to jump back, almost falling off the bed and landing on the floor with a loud thump.
I laughed at him, even though the situation was a bit awkward. I looked at his figure on the floor, his hand rubbing the back of his head. “I’m really sorry, Talis. I really didn’t know what I was doing,” Kieran said, smiling apologetically.
“Oh, come on, big guy. You’re always saying sorry for accidents,” I said, annoyed, before pouting. “Aren’t I entitled to a good morning kiss?”
Just to let you know, I’ve got a few more things to add.
“And finally, the moment you’ve all been waiting for,” Father Paul said, smiling widely at the two couples who were looking at him eagerly. “Hm, what was I saying again?” He asked, scratching his head where the hair was thinning. The corners of his eyes crinkled in amusement as he smiled at the couple, who were practically jumping up and down with impatience.
The crowd laughed at Father Paul’s sense of humour and Elias and Tasha’s impatience. Well, it was a big crowd, with the whole of our small town’s population there. We had everything from newborns to the elderly, and everyone was making history in our town. Even Tasha’s immediate family was there, but wow, was it huge! She had about seventeen brothers and sisters and thirteen nephews and nieces. Some of her cousins and close friends were there too.
I looked as happy as I could for my brother, with my lips stretched into a big smile that made the corners of my eyes wrinkle. I was glad our beauty artist had put on waterproof mascara and eyeliner, because I was crying and tearing up the whole time.
I saw my brother, who was in a black tux with his hair slicked back, wrap his arm around Tasha’s petite waist. He looked as charming as ever, with his brown eyes twinkling and a big grin on his face. Tasha wiped away a tear, her dark red lipstick really standing out against her pale, pretty face. Her dress was gorgeous, with jewels, studs and crystals that really made the ivory silk material of the corset top shine. The dress ended in a big poof that reached the floor, but when she picked it up so she could walk, we saw white pumps with intricate details. At last, her trail looked like a waterfall as it wound its way behind her. Her blonde hair was swept into an up do, with her fringe curled to frame her face. I thought the couple looked stunning – perfect.
My mum, who was sitting next to me on the pew, was crying quietly. She looked at me, smiled, and took my hand. I squeezed her hand as she whispered, “I can’t believe he’s getting married already. My baby boy… all grown up!”
I patted her hand and almost laughed, but we were in a church for crying out loud. I was one of Tasha’s bridesmaids. If I laugh now, everyone’s going to think I’m a bit of a joke.
“Okay, fine, Elias,” Father Paul sighed, slugging his shoulders playfully. “So, guys, the moment you’ve all been waiting for, or should I say the moment Elias has been waiting for?” He smiled, adding a bit of drama, then raised his hands slightly and said, “You may now kiss the bride! Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Elias Ainsley.”
Everyone clapped and cheered as Elias got really close to Tasha. They looked into each other’s eyes before they kissed. I smiled when their eyes closed and they embraced. I clapped and cheered along with everyone else.
They pulled away, and everyone clapped again. Then we took some pictures, but the flash was blinding me. The pictures included family members, close friends, siblings, in-laws, and entourage.
When we were done, I couldn’t see a thing. Everyone left the church and waited in the car park, which was absolutely full of cars – there were even some parked near the road. I’m telling you, this was the biggest wedding I’ve ever seen in our small town.
“Right, everyone,” Elias said, his arm still around Tasha. He raised his other arm in the air, his fist clear to the swarm of people. “Let’s party!”
I thought it was funny how he was so blunt about wanting to celebrate. I didn’t blame him. He just got married to someone who loves him just as much, maybe even more. All I knew was that they were in love, and that was all that mattered.
“Oh gosh, Tali,” Mum sobbed, wiping her eyes. Her cheeks and nose were red. She adjusted her light pink dress casually before giving me a hug. “I can’t believe my kids are growing up so fast!”
“Mom,” I laughed, but a deep voice that sent me shivers cut me off.
“Wow,” Kieran said from behind me. When I turned around, he was standing there with his head held high and a little smile on his face. His blue eyes twinkled as he saw her smile at him appreciatively. I ran up to him, threw my arms around his neck and gave him a big hug, and he did the same. I flinched a little when I heard him sharply inhale my scent, and straight away, I felt his body calm down under my touch. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the warmth of him near me.
Then he gave me a little push, took my hand and started spinning me around. “You look lovely,” he said, admiring my outfit. My dark hair was swept to one side in a fancy ponytail, soft curls falling through it. I wore make-up today – something I haven’t done in a long time – and my green eyes really stood out against my dark, long eyelashes, which were covered in mascara. I was so surprised that even my lips popped out with the light pink lipstick I had on. My pink dress was made of silk, one-shouldered and covered in flowers. It was the right length, showing off my curves right below my knees. Even in these black heels, I was still a head shorter than Kieran.
“Kier, you don’t look too bad yourself,” I said, winking at him and giving him the eye. He was wearing a white button-down shirt that was rolled up to his sleeves, with dark jeans and Nike trainers. As usual, his jet-black hair was styled in a mess.
“Yeah, I know I do,” he said, leaning down and kissing my cheek, still holding my hand. I also kissed his cheek, holding on to his smooth skin for a bit longer than necessary. I knew we had to keep it innocent, especially in front of my mum and my family. “Hey, Serena!” He cleared his throat and slung his arm around my shoulder. “You look beautiful,” he kept saying, trying to impress my mom.
“Oh, hush,” my mum said, ignoring the look I gave her. “You don’t have to flatter me. You do enough for me by letting my daughter stay with you until her room is done being fixed.” She smiled warmly at him, but she hardly ever smiled like that unless she really trusted and knew someone.
I could tell Kieran was getting uncomfortable. As I looked up at him, he looked down at me with a big smile. It was as if he’d won the lottery twice in a row. “No worries, Serena. I’d do anything for her,” he said sincerely. Even if it was what most guys said, I knew he really meant it because I saw his pupils get a bit bigger, which made my heart beat faster.
“Call me ‘mom’,” she said, adding a wink.
Just to let you know, I’ve got a few more things to add.
I told Kieran, “You better be careful”, and I couldn’t help laughing. “Aunt Sara is checking you out.”
We looked towards the table where my sixty-year-old aunt sat. She pushed her round glasses up, squinting at Kieran even though she was wearing glasses. When she saw us looking at her, she fluffed her auburn wig and smiled, showing off her pearly white dentures.
Oh my goodness, this was like a family reunion. Everyone was asking about how I was, if I was working, whether my grades were bad or not, what I was up to now, and so on. But all I knew was that they were asking just to find something to gossip about. Some of the older ones were warm and honest, which I really liked.
When I say that everyone was at the wedding, I mean everyone I knew. The Moonfire and Eclipse Pack were here, and I have to say, they looked amazing. Everyone else looked plain and dull by comparison.