Page 126 of The Image of You

He nodded. “I’ll marry you anywhere you want. Maybe, though, you’d like to start with us? Today?”

My heart soared with his words. “Yes,” I whispered. “Us.”

He sat up straighter and gathered my hands between his. “Alexandra Robbins, I promise to love and honor you every day for the rest of my life. I will protect and cherish you and put you above all else. I give you my heart, my soul, and my life. I take you as my wife. Right here, right now, for as long as we live.”

My voice shook. “Adam Martin Kincaid, I promise to love you all my days. Nothing will separate us again. I give you my heart and my love. I give you me.” I swallowed as a tear ran down his cheek, my own spilling. “I take you as my beloved husband. Always.”

Our lips met in the sweetest of kisses. Love, adoration, and a promise of forever were in our shared caress. He crushed me to him as he kissed me, his mouth possessive and gentle at the same time. When we pulled back, his smile was brilliant, his eyes filled with love.

“You’re mine.”

“Yes.”

“We’ll do this in a more traditional way as soon as we can. But as of now, we’re married.”

Married. I belonged to him. With him. And he belonged to me.

“No one can take me away now,” I murmured.

“No.”

I looked down, frowning. “You don’t have a ring.”

He grinned. “You want to mark me as taken?”

I nodded, then gasped. “Wait!” I scrambled off the bed. “Don’t go anywhere!”

Adam chuckled. “Already issuing orders.”

I grabbed my bag and found my nightingale box, bringing it back to the bed where he sat, looking mystified. I opened the small pouch I had added and held up a thick silver band carved with Celtic symbols. At his quizzical look, I explained. “It was Theo’s. Aside from his wedding ring, it was the only piece of jewelry he ever wore. Elena wore his wedding ring around her neck, but she gave this to me and I tucked it away—it was in the box. She said I might need it one day.”

Adam laughed low. “Crafty old bat. She always knew.”

He held out his hand and I slipped on the ring, and we grinned when he declared it a perfect fit. “I’ll wear it until Mr. Freedman has the other one ready, and then I’ll wear it on my right hand, like Theo did.” His voice caught. “I’m proud to wear something that meant so much to Elena. To carry a piece of her life with me.”

“She’d love knowing you had it and used it for a wedding band—even if it’s temporary.”

He pulled me close. “She would.”

We were quiet for a minute.

“You feeling brave enough to do this now, my wife?”

His words filled me with joy. “Yes. Let’s do this and move on.”

* * *

The slightest hope that somehow Bradley had been an unknowing part of this entire mess died the instant I opened the door.

“Jesus, Alexandra. What the hell is this all about? You’re not answering your phone, you tell me to come here…” His voice trailed off as he saw Adam standing behind me.

“Fuck.”

“Fuck you, asshole.” Adam mocked him, his grip tightening. I knew he wanted to hit Bradley, but that would get us nowhere, and I wanted some answers.

Bradley’s shoulders dropped, and without another word, he walked in. We stood in the living room, all staring and silent. Adam was tense, his hands holding me close as if he was afraid I would disappear. Bradley’s normally easy confidence was shaken, and he fidgeted and shifted his weight.

Finally, I spoke up. “Why, Bradley?”