He doesn’t even look at me as he replies. “I talked to Jamieson, and he said it was fine.”
Before I could say anything, the doors to the church opened, and the pianist plays the tune of the bridal march.
Despite being pissed that once again my desires were ignored by everyone, I suck it up. My father turns to me with a smile, offering his arm. I slip my arm in his.
“Let’s get you down that aisle.”
I nod as we make our way to J. I keep my gaze on my fiancé. This should be the happiest day of my life. I’m marrying the man of my dreams. Yet, my hands shake as I get closer to that altar. The urge to run the other way is almost causing me to have a panic attack.
Jamieson’s eyes narrow as he stares at me. I’m sure he can read the anxiety on my face. I try to force a smile, but I’m pretty sure it looks more like a grimace.
Sooner than I’d like, we are standing in front of Pastor Thomas.
J mouths the words, ‘Are you okay’?
I nod my head even though I feel everything but okay.
He smiles at me, the one that usually causes me to feel at ease and loved. Not today though. Shawn, J’s best friend and best man, pats him on the back proudly.
“Who gives this woman away?” Pastor Thomas asks causing a hush to fall over the church.
My father turns to me with a smile. “Her mother and—”
“Nobody,” a deep sultry voice says loudly. “Not without my permission, at least.”
I turn to face the back of the church to find a tall white man I’ve never seen before. The moment my eyes land on him, my belly flutters and heat pools in my veins. The urge to go to him immediately almost has me taking a step toward him.
It isn’t just how attractive he is. His dark brown eyes are intense as he stares at me. Those straight brows slash across his face, giving him a menacing glare. His face is square with sharp cheekbones. Dark brown curly hair falls to his neck. His lips are full and stand out amongst the dusting of his facial hair. He’s wearing a white button-up shirt and tailored black slacks.
Although he’s attractive, it isn’t his looks that had my heart pounding and the butterflies in my stomach going crazy. Therewas something about his presence that pulled me toward him like a vacuum.
“Who are you?” my daddy asks beside me.
When the stranger finally takes his eyes away from me to look at my father, it feels as if I can finally breathe.
“I am Raziel,” he says with a slight bow.
I have no idea who this is. It seems as if everyone is stunned into silence. No one even makes a move to escort the stranger out of here.
“This is all really nice,” the stranger says as he makes his way down the aisle. “The colors, the decorations, and the flowers.”
Jamieson steps up behind me as the guy continues to make his way toward us.
“Even your dress is stunning,” Raziel stops right in front of me. When his gaze rakes up and down my body, my breath catches. It feels as if his hands have caressed me, and all he’s done is look.
For years I thought something was wrong with me. No matter how much I thought I liked a guy, my body has never really heated. Even when Jamieson and I were intimate, I would only get a little wet. However, the way my core is dripping at the sight of this man is unreal.
“Baby,” Jamieson calls out to me. I don’t turn to him, because the moment the endearment slipped out of his mouth, the stranger’s eyes cut to him and darkened.
“Do you know this man?” Jamieson asks.
“No,” I reply. “I’ve never met him before.” Even though those words are true, there is something that feels wrong about them.
The stranger turns back to me with a smirk. “We’ve met before, Beauty. You were just too young to remember.”
He didn’t look that much older than me. If I didn’t remember, how could he?
“And as for you,” he says, turning his attention to Jamieson. Once again, the dark brown in his eyes turns darker. “I’d cut that baby shit out.” The threat in his tone has me scared for J.
