Page 31 of The Devil

“Say the words. Tell me. I know you remember.”

“That you’d marry me yourself! You said you’d marry me yourself before you let anyone lay a fucking finger on me.”

“Verbatim. Very good. Now, let’s go. We have a flight to catch, and I have plans for the hours before we take off.”

“You can’t make me do this.”

“Actually, I can. I can do whatever the fuck I want. But I’ll give you a choice. Why not? Here are your options, Little Virgin. You either walk up that aisle with me, or I’ll carry you kicking and screaming. It’s up to you. But one way or another, when you walk out of here, it will be as my wife.”

10

AMAL

He means it. He means every word.

How he found me I don’t know. Is he lying about others knowing where I’ve been? The usual threats had been coming on my phone but that had been going on for a while. I guess I’d grown used to it. Become complacent.

“What about Cassian? He won’t allow it,” I try in a last-ditch effort although I don’t believe Jet answers to Cassian if he doesn’t want to.

He exaggerates looking around the church. “Do you see Cassian anywhere?”

I don’t bother to answer. He’s not waiting for me to.

“So. Are you walking or am I carrying you?”

I look up at the altar again. “You don’t have to do this, Amal,” Father Abernathy calls out.

Malcom shoves him between his shoulders, and he stumbles forward but doesn’t fall.

“Stop! Jet, you don’t know what you’re getting into. You don’t want this. You don’t want me.”

“I made you a promise, Little Virgin. I intend on keeping it.”

With that, he bends down to wrap one arm around the backs of my knees and before I can even process what he’s doing, I’m upside down over his shoulder and he’s walking me up to the altar, his footsteps unrushed but determined.

“Jet! You can’t do this! Put me down!”

The world is upside down, my hair falling around my face obscuring my view. I pound on his back and kick my legs, but he takes it all and just keeps walking like it’s nothing. Like it’s costing him no energy at all as I bounce on powerful shoulders, his grip like a steel band over the backs of my legs.

Beneath his long coat, I feel the gun he’s got tucked into the back of his pants. I try to grab it, but it’s impossible and anyway what would I do with it? Shoot him? Before or after his men draw their weapons?

Only when he begins his climb to the altar do his steps slow. I push on his back to lift myself. “Put me down! Damn you! Put me down!”

He only stops when we’re standing before the kneeler and slaps my ass.

“Ow!” My arms fly back, hands over my butt.

“You deserve more than that.”

When he finally sets me down, I stumble. He catches me, not letting me fall and pulls me to him. I look up at him, pushing my hair from my face. How am I the one who’s out of breath? He just stands there, the devil himself, dressed in black from head to toe, his long black coat trailing almost to the floor. He’s glaring down at me with those eyes like the deepest, darkest wood.

A place where I can disappear.

Isn’t that what I want? What I wanted at least? To disappear? Didn’t I think I could once? In the sanctuary of the home he carved out of rock.

But there’s Daniel to consider. Once my brother is safe. Only then can I disappear.

I glance around myself, taking in the soldiers around Father Abernathy. Father Abernathy’s face all concern for me. Isn’t he afraid of these men who are armed? Who will hurt him if I don’t go through with this?