Let’s just say the silk beneath this dress is officially soaked.
“I love you,” I whisper against his lips.
He smirks, that cocky Slade smirk that always sets me on fire. “I love you too, Mrs. Slade.”
Then he leans in, mouth close to my ear, and lowers his voice to a private growl. “So… want me to play another set, or do you want to head upstairs?” He deliberately turns the mic away so the guests can’t hear him, but the heat in his words burns through me like wildfire.
It’s an impossible decision, and for a second, I actually have to think about it. Watching Colt perform is my favorite drug.But being alone with him—husband and wife, no interruptions—that’s the hit I’ve been craving all day.
I lick my lips, stepping back slowly, teasing him with a smirk of my own. “Play a little longer,” I murmur. “I’m getting off on it anyway.”
His eyes darken instantly.
Then later?
Yeah, later, we’ll consummate the hell out of this marriage.
And I cannot wait.
12GUAGE-Slayedplay a few more songs, and we all lose ourselves on the dance floor beneath the glowing willow tree. It’s like time has stopped for this one night—our night. The music pulses through the grass, the fairy lights shimmer above, and everyone dances like they’re in a dream.
Eventually, the band wraps their final song, and Colt steps down, returning to my side. As the cool night air brushes over my skin, he pulls me close, wrapping his arms around me like I belong there because I do. We sway gently as The Bangles’ “Eternal Flame” plays through the speakers, its haunting melody wrapping around us. It’s slower than the others, quieter, more intimate.
Colt leans in and presses a soft kiss to my lips. “This day has been perfect. This night has been perfect. And you, my wife… are perfect.”
I melt under his words, under his gaze, under the feel of his mouth as he kisses me again, slow and tender.
But of course, the moment can’t last forever.
A tap on his shoulder pulls him away slightly, and I notice the shift in his body. His back straightens, his jaw tightens. Colt’s instincts are sharp, and I feel his protective energy kick in before the security guard even speaks.
“Sorry to interrupt, sir,” the guard says. “But you told me to alert you if there was any trouble.”
Colt’s entire body goes still. “What is it?”
“There’s a man and a woman at the gate,” the guard explains. “They claim they were invited to the wedding, but they don’t have an invitation. They were quite insistent, sir, and… intoxicated. They also attempted to climb the front fence.”
My eyebrows pull together. “You’re kidding.”
“Do you have their names?” Colt asks, voice low and clipped.
The guard glances at his notepad. “The man is Jarrod Coslecki, and the woman is—”
“Let me guess,” I cut in, the irritation rising fast. “Jessi Bradbrooke?”
Colt groans. “Of course.”
“Yes, Mrs. Slade,” the guard confirms with a nod. “Would you like me to let them in?”
“No!” Colt and I say in unison, loud enough that a few heads turn our way.
The guard gives us a respectful smile. “Understood. I’ll personally escort them off the property. And sir, ma’am… congratulations.”
Colt reaches out and shakes his hand. “Thanks, Rudy.”
As the guard walks off, I exhale sharply. “My God. I never thought they’d actually show up. And not even separately?”
Colt shrugs, jaw flexing. “I had my suspicions. I’ve seen them together recently, lurking at industry events. Always hanging back. Never trying to talk to us. But I had a gut feeling they might try something tonight.”
