“Breathe,” the best man muttered.
Shade took a shuddering inhale, half the audience doing the same.
His focus never left Everly. Not once. Not when she faltered at the sight of him. Not when Riot said something low to her that made her smile. Not when the entire room shifted to watch.
I’d seen him in worse situations. Knife to his chest. Blood on his hands. My friend thrived in chaos. He was unshakeable. But this? Shade’s wedding day wrecked him.
Dixie leaned closer. “Oh my God. Look at him. That man is gone. Fully gone.”
She was right.
Pressure tightened my chest. Men like us didn’t get this. Didn’t deserve it. We burned things. Broke them. Left damage in our wake and moved on before it could catch us.
We didn’t stand at the front of a church and wait for something good.
Or so I’d thought.
Everly reached him. Her brother passed her over, clasping Shade’s shoulder for a second, something unspoken between them. Then he stepped back, taking his seat next to a barely contained Cassie, the lass practically hopping on the pew.
The room settled.
The officiant began, words I didn’t fully hear. My mind had gone elsewhere, to a day when this could be me and Dixie.
Everly slipped her hand into Shade’s. He pressed his lips together, strong emotion plain.
Dixie squeezed my arm again. “If you don’t cry, I’m leaving you.”
“Don’t. I’m barely holding it together.”
She peeked up at me and hugged me harder.
I didn’t expect this, to feel so moved by their wedding. Arran and Genevieve’s had been different. Still emotional, but notoverwhelming. Maybe because I hadn’t any insight into what they felt.
Now, I did.
The ceremony continued with words about commitment, about choosing each other. About standing together through whatever came. I’d heard it all before. Never listened to a word of it. I clung to every word.
Fucking hell, this was messing me up.
I took Dixie’s hand in mine. Gripped it.
“Connor,” the officiant said gently. “Your vows.”
Shade dragged a hand over the back of his neck, exhaling in the way he would before stepping into a fight. He centred himself on Everly. His voice came out rough. “I’m naw good with words. Never needed to be with my trade.”
A quiet ripple of amusement moved through the room.
He ignored it. “I’ve done things I’m not proud of. Things I can’t take back.” His gaze didn’t waver. “I thought that meant I didn’t get this. Wouldn’t be allowed someone so perfect as ye.”
Everly’s eyes filled.
Dixie made a strangled sound beside me. I tried to be her rock, but Christ, I was slipping.
“But ye didn’t care,” Shade went on. “Ye saw it all. Every part of me. And ye stayed.”
His voice broke, just a fraction.
“Ye didn’t fix me. Ye pinned me down and made me listen to sense. Ye made me want to try to be a better man. Someone who deserved ye.”
