The room explodes in laughter.
"You walked in on this wanker wanking himself off?" Arpad chortles.
"Fuck, that’s funny." Damian smirks.
"You caught him diddling?" Weston chuckles.
"Stop. Shut your fucking traps!" I roar.
Silence descends.
Then Edward snorts, "Ever seen Saint lose his shit?"
"Shut up, Father, before I tell them how I saved you from humiliation in a public loo on the wrong side of the tracks."
Edward pales.
The others fall quiet.
"You never did know your limits did you, Saint?" Weston growls.
"Shit, I’m sorry." I dig my fingers into my hair and tug on it. "I didn’t mean for it to come out that way. Can you guys forget I blurted that out?"
"No need to apologize," Edward squares his shoulders, his stance rigid. "No big secret. After the incident, I went through a phase of trying to rediscover my sexuality. Let’s just say, I didn’t make the smartest of choices and Saint here, saved my arse."
"It’s nothing." I roll my shoulders, "Yeah, I found him in a compromising position, but hell, we’ve all been there. We were all in some fucked-up space after the incident, and hell, if we each didn’t make mistakes in trying to figure out our shit."
"Is that what she is? Your mistake?" Weston’s voice is calm.
I squeeze the bridge of my nose, "No." I lower my arm, then scan over the faces of the men who are my brothers by dint of the blood we’d spilt together. "And therein lies the problem."
"What’s the problem?" Damian drums his finger on his chest, "You like the chick? You keep her."
"I can’t."
"And I thought I had problems," Edward snickers. The priest, the one among us who is the kindest, who’d never stoop to the level of the others, takes a dig at me.
"I deserve that," I rub the back of my neck, then begin to pace.
"I thought the fake marriage was the way to keep tabs on her whereabouts, except..."
"Except?"
"The danger is closer than I expected. I ran into her with a man whose reputation is bad news, to say the least."
"That was the emergency?" Weston asks.
I nod.
"Who was he?"
"I had my PI run a check on him and guess what…?"
"He drew a blank?" Arpad fills in.
I nod, "So I called in a favor with a buddy of mine at Scotland Yard and…"
"He’s a wanted criminal?"
"Worse, he’s suspected of being the member of an international crime organization."
"Fuck," Edward swears.
"Yeah."
It’s serious enough for the Father to swear, and worrying enough for none of the others to rib him about it.
I begin to pace, "So you see, I don’t think it’s right to put off marrying her."
"How is marriage going to protect her?" Arpad scowls.
"I can keep her close to me. It will make it clear to the world that she's under my protection."
"And that will stop the Mafia?" Edward places the tips of his fingers together.
"Maybe not...but it'll make sure I am there to stop them if they try to hurt her."
Arpad scans my features, "You’re serious about this, huh?"
"What have I been trying to tell you all this time?" I scowl
"So, do it now," Weston interjects.
"Now?" I frown.
Weston straightens, "Sure, Father here will marry you two, while I make some calls and have the paperwork rushed through for you guys."
"Hold on, hold on! I should marry her right away?"
"Today. In the next," he glances at his watch, "hour or so, tops."
"Ah," I run a finger around my collar, "a bit too soon, isn’t it?"
"You’ve proposed to her. Explain you can’t wait."
"Don’t preach to me about how to handle a woman—Sorry," I jerk my chin toward Edward, "Didn’t mean it that way."
"Hey, you can insult me any way you want. It will be worth it to see you tie the knot." Edward tilts his head.
He seems too calm. “I’d, uh, hoped for something quick at the town hall."
"— which I plan to preside over to ensure it’s all done in the right way." Edward's lips kick up in a smile.
"You’re getting back at me, is that it?" I mutter bitterly.
"You know your earlier faux paus of blurting out how you saved my ass?"
I glower at Edward.
"This is how you can make up for it," he says.
"By tying the bloody knot?"
"By getting chained up for real."
"I’ll be divorcing her soon anyway. It’s all a fucking farce, until I get to the bottom of this entire situation."
"You sure?" Weston scowls, "I mean, there’s something between you two, isn't there?"
"All a farce," I snicker. "I know how to be convincing enough that she bought it completely. She’s not my type. Besides, I don’t plan to shackle myself to anyone for the rest of my life."
"Thought it was kids you’re against," Damian pipes in.
"That too. Marriage, children, the whole shebang." I cut the air with my hand. "Not for me, and definitely not with her."
There’s a noise at the doorway. I stiffen. Glance past Edward, who’s already stepping away from the door. He wrenches it open.
The scent of lily and pepper tickles my nose. "Shit." I spot the back of a woman running, her red handbag clutched to her side. It’s her. Fucking fuck.
I race past Edward, who grabs my arm. "Get her back, Saint," he urges.
"I plan to."
"Apologize to her."
"Fuck," I clench my fingers.
He scowls, "Don’t be an asshole."
"Right."
"We’ll be waiting for you in the ballroom." He releases me.
"Fuck, bloody fuck." I race out the door and after her.
22
Why was the broom late?
Answer: It overswept
Victoria
Fuck him. Fuck him. I hate him. Tears stream down my face as I race for the exit of the hotel. I should have stayed in the suite and licked my wounds, but truthfully? I had been horny for him. I had positioned my fingers over my clit and wanted to rub myself, wanted to shove my fingers inside of my pussy and bring myself to orgasm… Except, it wouldn’t have helped. I would have been empty and aching… Okay, emptier than before. Now that I know what it
