Akri gasped. “Wait! I’m the one who said that.”
Simi tsked at him. “You might have said it first, akri. The Simi made it famous.”
41
One year and six months later
Thorn let out a long breath as he finished tying the skull bow tie around his neck. Only for Simi would he wear something so garish.
Ash knocked on the door behind him, then pushed it open. “You ready?”
“Sure.” Thorn grimaced at Ash, knowing he wore the same pirate-styled tuxedo. A long black cutaway jacket and vest with tan knee breeches, and black riding boots. White silk shirt with the black skull and crossbones bow tie.
Ash gave him a droll stare. “I hope that pained expression isn’t from wanting to marry my daughter.”
“You know it’s not.”
“Good, because I still feel like I should kill you over this.”
Thorn snorted. “As long as you promise to dress me in something else for my funeral, I’d probably be all right with that.”
Laughing, Acheron clapped him on the back. “You are way too obsessed with clothes, my friend. Besides we dressed like this a lot … centuries ago.”
Scoffing, Thorn adjusted his cuffs. “I promise you, I have never dressed like this. But it’s fine. For Simi, I’d walk naked down the aisle, over broken glass.”
“Good answer.”
And he was grateful that he wouldn’t be the one walking down the aisle in front of that crowd. There were be hundreds of people on Simi’s side, and he was dreading it.
But the worst was the knowledge that his side would be practically empty.
Okay, it would be completely empty. The only one who was here for him was his best man, Shadow. Simi, on the other hand, was loved by everyone.
I love her more than all of them together.
Why hadn’t he seen it sooner? All the centuries they could have been together. That was on him for being so stupid.
Or maybe it was scared. Loving her was terrifying. Especially since she came with an almost seven-foot-tall, angry god.
Another knock sounded on the door.
It was Shadow who stuck his head in. “Showtime. Y’all ready?”
“Yes, I am.” No regrets. What he felt for Simi far surpassed anything he’d ever felt for anyone else.
Thorn couldn’t wait to let everyone know that special demon was his significant other.
No, she was his heart and soul. The best part of him.
Inclining his head, he crossed the room and let Shadow lead him to the outdoor garden they’d rented.
Weird that he’d never once thought about getting married after his twenty-first birthday. Not really. Yet here he was on a warm April day in New Orleans, tying his eternity to Simi’s.
There were no butterflies in his stomach. No hesitation.
Just immense relief.
As they headed toward the flower-covered arch, Thorn slowed down. His side wasn’t empty.
