My fingers clutch the material of his black t-shirt, drawing him into me. “I want it to be legal, Dal. I want it on paper. I want to sign something and file it somewhere so that it counts outside of Harmony Heights, and then I want to tell the whole goddamn world that you’re mine and I’m yours. That it’s ‘til death do us part.”
Dallas lifts his right hand, stroking the height of my cheek. “I let you get away from me once. It was the biggest fucking mistake I’ve ever made. You listen to me, Dandelion. The only way you’re getting away from me now is if I’m in a casket or you are. So, yeah, ‘til death do we part is right. I don’t need some legal bullshit to tell me what I know: that you belong to me. But if this is what you want?—”
“It is,” I promise. “I… I’ve been thinking about this for a while.” I’ve been thinking about this since I learned the devastating truth that hewasn’tmy husband, even if he considered himself to be the moment he found me in that hospital bed. “You asked me to marry you once.”
Surprise twists his features. “You remember?”
I do. One of my most recurring memories that I’ve kept to myself includes a very intimate scene in the cab of Dallas’s truck, followed by the worst day of my life: when I ended things with Dallas all because his father threatened to kill him if I didn’t. Ithought I was saving him, and I liked to think I did. He outlived Jack Collins, something I doubt he would’ve if I’d accepted his sudden proposal all those years ago.
“I remember you asking me,” I admit. “I remember how much it broke my heart to say no. How much I wanted to say yes, but your dad…” I shake my head. No. The former King stole so much from us. I refuse to let him have any more room in our heads these days, something I’m sure Dallas would agree on. “I remember wishing I could be with you forever.”
Releasing his hold on my hip, Dallas snatches my hands. “You’re gonna. You want to get married? We get married. A big church wedding, if that’s what you want. White dress, flowers, organ-playing. Fuck. I’ll even deal with Father Francis eyeing me skeptically from the other side of the altar.”
At my confused look, Dallas snorts. “Sorry. He’s a good priest, but he still hasn’t forgiven Adrian and me for desecrating St. Catherine’s when my cousin interrupted Loni and Des’s wedding.”
It’s my turn to blink. “Is this something I don’t remember, or?—”
“Nah. That happened while you were… gone. I can tell you the story?—”
“Later,” I say firmly. “But I don’t need all that. A fancy church wedding… I mean, if that’s whatyouwant…”
Another snort. “That’s not my style. I’m good with you wearing my ring and the blood oath backing up my claim to you. But my Dandelion wants a wedding, so…” For a few seconds, Dallas studies my expression. He dips his head again, a stray curl falling forward as his eyes brighten. “How about a courthouse wedding? Something simple and quick.”
“And legal,” I cut in. “Yes. That would be perfect. We can find out when there’s a judge who can marry us?—”
“Today.”
“—and we can.. Wait. Did you say today?”
“If the snow lets up, yeah. Why not?”
I can think of a million reasons why not, the least of all that: “It’s Christmas Eve, baby. I want to make you my husband as soon as possible more than anything, but I don’t think we’ll be able to just drop everything and find someone to marry us.” When Dallas thumbs the corner of his mouth before raising his eyebrows in a cocky dare, I sputter. “The courthouse has gotta be closed. It’s Christmas Eve, Dallas! It’s snowing!”
“And you said it’s just a squall. Besides, I asked my Dandelion what she wants for Christmas and she wants to be my wife. You think I’m not gonna make that happen?” Dallas shoves his hand into his back pocket of his jeans, pulling out his phone. “What good is it being the former King of the Order… or knowing the new King… if you can’t do something as simple as getting hitched on Christmas Eve?”
Then, before I can point out that there has to besomelimits to what an Owed can accomplish in Harmony Heights, he presses a button on his phone, then holds it to his ear.
My heart thumps wildly as I wait for someone to answer?—
“Adrian,” Dallas grates as his cousin gets on the line. “Change of plans. No, it’s not about dinner. We should be able to still make it by seven. But, first, there’s something else we need to do…”
The courthousein Harmony Heights should be closed. If not closed completely, then shutting down early. It’sChristmas Eve, after all, but that means nothing when the Order of the Owed is involved.
From what I understand, every single judge in the city is a member of the Order. Even if the courthouse was closed, all it took was a single call from Adrian and there was a marriage clerk and an officiant waiting for us to leave the Fortress and head to the downtown courthouse so that Dallas and I could get married.
I’m wearing a red sweater dress that Dallas bought for me after I admired it in the window of a local shop. It was meant to be the dress I wore to Christmas Eve dinner, and since that’s where we plan on heading after our quickie wedding, I figured it could do double-duty as a wedding dress.
Just like I said, the snow has slowed substantially an hour after I stood in front of the window, watching the thick flakes whirl around Harmony Heights. It’s still drifting downward, almost lazily, leaving a small dusting on the coat Dallas wrapped around my shoulders before he bustled me into his truck.
To my stunned surprise, Dallas is wearing a suit that I’d wager belonged to Adrian at one point. It fits Dallas well, and I almost decided to call the whole thing off just because I wanted to take his hand, drag him into the bedroom, and peel each layer of the three-piece suit off before I gave him a more physical Christmas gift of my own. He looks so damn sexy, with both of his neck tattoos peeking out from the collar of his suit jacket, a hint of danger clinging to him in a way that the expensive suit can’t tame.
His hand is on the back of my coat, the snowflakes nestled on his curls. He found time to shave before we left the house, though his hair is tousled and his expression determined to do this before I change my mind.
As if I would…
I figured we would meet the judge that was waiting for us, sign a marriage license, have him do a quick ceremony, and borrow a witness or two so that this thing is official. And while that’s exactly what happens for the most part, I should’ve knownbetter. When it comes to Dallas, Adrian isn’t the only family he has. Oh, he might be the only blood relation left—along with Dallas’s aunt—but before we can get this whole thing started, another couple walks in behind us.
It’s Connor and Haven.
