I might have been standing in a beautiful dress, in a church full of people I barely knew, but I was still Rosamund Bailey, and these were more than just my friends, my crewmates; they were my family.
I wondered if I would ever take a normal breath again. I fought the urge to go to them and instead reached out my hand to Dilly, who squeezed it tightly, holding it till she couldn’t reach any longer. My first friend on the Wraith. My chosen family.
The steps became like a dream, this long aisle unforgiving. Doubt was creeping in once more until I lifted my eyes, and there he caught them. Blue eyes latching onto mine like a lifeline on rough seas.
Dressed in a black suit with a white lily tucked into his pocket, stood my pirate. The man I’d chosen over and over. He drank me in as he always did, hungry, possessive. If anyone here doubted the nature of this wedding, there was no denying it now. It was written into the fist clenched at his side and the way he tracked my every movement.
If I ran now, I had no doubt in my mind he would chase me down. It sent a thrill through me, and I realized the terror knotting my chest was gone. With just a glance, I knew I was exactly where I was meant to be.
The world narrowed down to just us, and as he came to meet us at the front, I was lost in the void around us. Vaguely aware of exchanging words and my father giving my hand to Bash. Lost to time and space as he led me to where the priest stood. He smelled of sea salt air and fresh air, his face freshly shaved. Jawline is as unforgiving as ever.
Leaning forward, Bash lowered his head to my ear.
“Breathe, Rosamund,” he said.
His breath coasted over my skin, and I fought back a shiver. Swallowing hard, I nodded.
He gave a small chuckle, and god, the smile he wore was worth more than any of the treasure I’d dug up so far.
“I’d prefer not to force you to take a breath in front of all these people, but you are going to force my hand,” he whispered.
Right. Breathing.
Apastfrom the front row drew my attention, and Oscar patted Oliver on the back, a signal.
Breathing. I could do that.
I sucked in air, and Bash’s shoulders relaxed ever so slightly.
“There you are,” he purred, practically indecent in a church.
The priest was speaking around them, but my world was here.
“You came,” I whispered.
It was an echo of the words he’d spoken the night I returned to the inn. Except where there had been surprise in his, there was none in mine. I knew Edward Smith, and he was always going to be here.
A muscle flickered in Bash’s jaw, and I squeezed his hand in both of mine. From the gallows to the church, our destinies were wrapped into one, forever intertwined.
The priest cleared his throat, and I was briefly aware of a chuckling that sounded an awful lot like Oscar before it was covered with a cough. I turned my head and found the priest glaring at me.
“I said, repeat after me, Miss Bailey,” he said.
And so I did.
“I, Rosamund Bailey, take thee, Edward Sebastion Smith, to my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health…”
I might have mumbled over the part about obeying, but my husband didn’t seem to mind much and instead, the corner of his mouth pulled up. He knew better than to expect it of me.
He held my gaze as the priest gave him his words, but before he could offer the next verse, Bash spoke without his coaching, the words ingrained into his mind.
“I, Edward Sebastian Smith, take thee, Rosamund Beatrice Bailey, to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part.”
If I were to be owned, let it be the man holding me as if we were the only two people there. The words are an unbreakable vow between us. Till death do us part.
Oliver stood and stepped towards us, handing Bash a small gold band. I chanced a glance to the other side of the aisle, where Lord Smith sat with a scowl across his face. Traditionally, thenext of kin would have been in charge of the ring, but Bash had chosen Oscar for that honor. It sent a thrill of satisfaction in my chest, and I made sure to give the lord a small smile for his troubles.
My gloating was short-lived as Ruby followed suit, handing me a larger gold band. It was hard to care, though, as Bash held out his hand for mine. Without a second thought, I slid mine into his and held my breath.
