Sinners at the Altar

by Olivia Cunning

He worried his lower lip for a moment because he had promised not to lie to Rebekah and once he voiced this desire, there’d be no returning to his path of indifference. “I think so. The entire process will probably turn me into an emotional wreck or an insufferable asshole. You sure you can handle that?”

  She nodded. “Yes, I know I can. With you beside me, I can handle anything.”

  He smiled. “Yeah, I feel that way too. It’s the only reason I think I’m ready to face her.”

  “Then we’ll find her and no matter what happens, I’ll still love you.” She gripped his chin in her hand and stared intently into his eyes. “You believe me, right?”

  He gazed at her for a long moment, absorbing her affection, her love. He would probably never feel worthy of her, but he did believe her. She loved him. He could feel it in her touch, see it in her eyes, hear it in her voice when she spoke his name. Taste it in her kiss. It was real. She loved him. He believed. He’d never doubt it again.

  “I do,” he whispered and kissed her just as the candle flickered out and they were bathed in darkness. “I do believe, sweet love of mine.”

  Patience

  Epilogue to Rock Hard

  A Sinners on Tour Encore

  by Olivia Cunning

  Chapter One

  Groggy from sleep, Sed rolled over in bed and reached for Jessica. When he found nothing but empty pillow, he felt a moment of panic. He lifted his head to see if the bathroom light was on and then checked the clock. Even though it was past eight, the room was more dimly lit than was typical for a southern Californian morning. It probably had something to do with the storm clouds he could see outside the French doors to the balcony. And the absence of his heart and soul probably had something to do with it being his wedding day.

  And hers.

  Jessica had wanted to stay in a hotel room the night before so they wouldn’t see each other before the wedding, but three orgasms had exhausted her enough to keep her in his bed. At least for the night. She must have risen early and vacated the place. He could almost picture her with her hand over her eyes as she scooted out of the bed to avoid glimpsing him even in sleep. He made a mental note to tease her about it later. He’d only agreed to a traditional wedding because his family were expecting it and Jessica said she wanted one. He didn’t care how the deed was done as long as he could make that woman his in the eyes of God, his friends and family, and the fine state of California. That way she would never leave him again.

  Sed rolled out of bed and stood naked before the French doors, scowling at the angry clouds overhead. Jessica would be heartbroken if it rained today. He wanted her to be happy every day, but especially today. He wondered if the band’s manager could do something about the weather. Jerry was a miracle worker when it came to keeping the band from falling apart, even though they’d gone through plenty of tragic events in the past couple of years. Surely the guy could stop a few rainclouds from dampening his day.

  Sed’s cellphone rang and he recognized the guitar-solo ringtone of his best man, Brian Sinclair.

  “Are you up?” Brian asked in greeting.

  Sed glanced down at his morning wood, which would have been stone hard if Jessica was in his morning routine, but it was already subsiding in her absence. “Not quite,” he said.

  “Jessica and Myrna just left with an entire van full of giggling women. We need to go round up the guys and pick up our tuxedos.”

  And how Jessica had ever talked him into wearing one of those, Sed would never know. At least she hadn’t insisted he wear one of those ridiculous bow ties. That was not happening.

  “I’ll be over as soon as I get out of the shower.”

  “You nervous?” Brian asked.

  “No,” he said, but as soon as the words were out of his mouth, his stomach lurched in protest. “Not much,” he amended.

  “Jessica is a wreck this morning. Not that I blame her. Look who she’s marrying.”

  One corner of Sed’s mouth lifted in amusement. “Great, Brian. That’s just what I need to hear this morning.”

  “Just remember I’m the nice one. Wait until Eric gets going.”

  “I’m looking forward to it,” Sed said with a laugh. Nothing anyone said or did would keep him from marrying Jessica today. Not even Eric Sticks.

  He found it hilarious that Jessica had set out proper socks and underwear for him in the bathroom. He’d gotten her really worked up the night before when he’d told her he was wearing white tube socks with his black tux and dress shoes. He did enjoy riling her. But he’d behave himself today. She was already under enough stress. Tonight, on the other hand, her temper was bound to get poked. And that wouldn’t be the only thing he poked.

  Like a good husband-to-be, he wore those dumbass, thin black dress socks with his basketball shorts, T-shirt, and cross-trainers. He just hoped no paparazzi were waiting at the gate of his condominium complex this morning. He felt as lame in the dress socks as he looked.

  When he arrived at Brian’s house, a party of cars was already parked in the long driveway. He recognized Aggie’s black Mustang, his sister’s Toyota, Eric’s Corvette, and the big van that Rebekah drove to haul her brother Dave and his wheelchair around. Jessica’s car was there as well. He really wished he’d gotten to see her that morning. His day never started right when he had to start it without her.

  Sed rang the doorbell and was ushered into the house by Brian. He was surprised the man wasn’t holding his son. The kid was always attached to Brian’s arm except when he was on stage playing his guitar. He occasionally let Sed hold him. And nothing filled Sed with wonder more than snuggling his friend’s baby against chest except the knowledge that in seven months he’d be cuddling one of his own.

  “Where’s Malcolm?” Sed asked.

  “With his mother,” Brian said. “Come in. Did you have breakfast? Myrna said to make sure you ate something. She doesn’t want you fainting at the altar.”

  Sed laughed. “Why the fuck would I faint?”

  “It happens more than you think. Remember when Trey fainted at Malcolm’s birth?”

  “Shut up, assmunch,” Trey said as he entered the room on cue.

  “I missed that, unfortunately,” Sed said.

  “Invite him to Jessica’s delivery,” Brian said, “and behold the hilarity for yourself.”

  “I don’t think Jessica will want an audience of Trey.”

  “I don’t know,” Trey said. “It’s not like I’ve never witnessed the two of you fucking in the bed right beside me.”

  “We thought you were asleep,” Sed said.

  “Dude,” Eric said, loping into the foyer to join the festivities, “where the fuck did you get those socks?”

  “Jessica said I have to wear them with my tux.” Sed looked down at his socks and scowled.

  “You could have brought them and changed into them later instead of wearing them now,” Eric said.

  He punched Eric in the shoulder. “But I want to make sure they’re nice and smelly before the ceremony.”

  The mechanical whir of Dave’s wheelchair announced his arrival into the increasingly crowded foyer.

  “Why are we all congregating out here?” Dave said. “The strippers are getting lonely.”

  “Strippers?” Sed’s band and crew had thrown him a wild and rather incriminating bachelor party a few nights before. He didn’t need any repeats this morning.

  Brian chuckled and shook his head. “Myrna’s having some work done in the dining room. They’re stripping wallpaper off the walls this morning.”

  “Good one, Dave!” Eric said with a hearty laugh.

  “I think I’ve been hanging around with you too much,” Dave said. “Your lame sense of humor is wearing off on me.”

  “Five minutes is too much when it comes to Eric,” Sed teased.

  “That’s what she said,” Dave added with a laugh.

  Eric had no qualms against smacking his brother-in-law in the forehead.

  “Where’s Jace?” S
ed asked, noting the absence of the final member of his band.

  “Asleep on Brian’s couch,” Trey said. “You know he doesn’t function before noon.”

  “I think Aggie got a little vicious with him last night in the dungeon,” Eric said. “It’s got to be rough for them on the road without their St. Andrew’s cross.”

  “I heard that,” Jace called from the living room off to the right of the foyer.

  “What are you going to do about it, Tripod?” Eric asked.

  “Gift you an hour-long session from Aggie when she’s on her period.”

  “Eww, why when she’s on her period?” Eric asked, his long nose crinkled in disgust.

  “Because she’s twice as vicious when she’s in a really bad mood.”

  Sed still hadn’t taken Jessica for a training session with Aggie. He wasn’t afraid or anything. But now that Jess was pregnant, he couldn’t imagine that her using a cane on him to work through her frustrations would be good for the baby. Yeah, good excuse. It was bad for the baby.

  Brian presented Sed with a piece of paper. “Jessica said you are to follow this schedule and not deviate from it at all.”

  Sed scanned the contents, scowling at things like trim nails and brush teeth. What? Was he five? He glanced at his fingernails and decided they could use a trim, but still… He could plan things on his own. In fact, he’d planned their entire wedding dinner on his own. When he’d realized that a morning wedding and an afternoon reception meant they’d have the evening free, he’d taken it upon himself to arrange something special so he could celebrate his new wife in style. Having sex in another unusual location had only been part of his motivation for devising his plan. He’d rock her world tonight, he had no doubt. But he knew how important it was for her day to go without a hitch, so he’d follow her stupid list without argument.

  Eric handed him a pink box that looked like something a three-year-old would store her beloved plastic princess tiara in.

  “What’s this?” Sed asked.

  “This is where you’ll keep your balls once you’re married,” Eric said. “Jess probably doesn’t want to continue keeping them for you.”

  Eric ducked in time to avoid Sed’s retaliating slap.

  “It only hurts for a minute,” Brian said, “and then you’ll wonder why you ever insisted on holding on to them in the first place.”

  This bit of teasing was nothing compared to the massive ball and chain they’d manacled to his leg during his bachelor party. They hadn’t removed it until late the next day. Luckily, Jess thought it was hilarious when he came to bed that night and had to sleep in his jeans with his leg dangling outside the covers. It had been Jace who’d finally come to his rescue. Probably because the manacle had originated in Aggie’s dungeon.

  “I need mine for baby making,” Sed said and handed the box back to Eric. “And keeping my woman in line.”

  Even the strippers in the dining room laughed at that claim.

  Chapter Two

  Jessica looked skyward and frowned at the heavy black clouds rolling in. Not a good omen, she decided. Especially since her wedding was scheduled to start in two hours and was supposed to take place on the beach.

  “It can’t rain,” she said to Myrna, who was driving her from her nail appointment to her hair appointment. “It just can’t.”

  Myrna scrunched her neck so she could see the sky better out the windshield of her minivan, a vehicle Jessica couldn’t believe the woman owned, much less drove. But the soft coo from the back seat—where four-month-old Malcolm was secured in his car seat—was the only excuse Myrna needed. Jessica supposed any mother would give up driving her ’57 Thunderbird convertible to keep her baby safe. And the van came in handy for lugging Jessica’s bridesmaids from one appointment to the next. It even had room for the only male tagging along for the day.

  “Can’t is a strong word,” Myrna said.

  “We’ve been planning this for months.”

  “And what was the backup plan for rain?” Aggie asked from the seat directly behind Jessica.

  “There is no backup plan for rain.”

  “It won’t rain,” Reagan called from the very back seat of the van, where she was sitting with Eric’s wife, Rebekah, and Sed’s youngest sister, Elise. “I won’t let it.”

  Jessica hoped Reagan’s confidence had the desired effect. She wanted this wedding to be over with. The planning of it had been driving her nuts. She needed everything to be perfect and for everyone to have a memorable and enjoyable time, but mostly she just wanted to be Sed’s wife. God, she couldn’t wait to see him in his tux. He’d worn one to the Grammy’s during the two years they’d been separated and when she’d seen him in it on television, she’d nearly swallowed her tongue. Not that she’d ever admit to watching the awards in hopes of catching a glimpse of him, because at that time she’d hated his fucking guts. At least that was what she’d been trying to convince herself. Good thing she’d finally figured out that beneath the arrogance and domineering behavior beat the heart of a good man. A man she loved more than anything. A man who made her toes curl and her heart thud.

  Maybe he could stop the rain.

  “I can call the crew and ask them to set up a beer tent,” Rebekah offered.

  Uh, no. Jessica refused to get married in a beer tent. She’d rather be drowned by rain.

  “Thanks for the offer, sweetie,” she called, “but it can’t rain. It just can’t.”

  “You should have eloped,” Sed’s sister, Kylie, said from her seat between Aggie and Malcolm’s car seat.

  “I tried to tell Sed that,” Elise said. “But would he listen? Of course not. This is bullheaded Sed we’re talking about here. He doesn’t listen to anything anyone tells him.”

  Sed would have eloped if Jessica had wanted to, but silly her, she’d thought having a big wedding with seven bridesmaids, seven groomsmen, and who even knew how many ushers would be fun. So far, not so fun. And if it rained on their big day… Jessica wasn’t going to let herself think about that.

  Feeling as if she were forgetting some important detail, she ran a mental checklist and toyed with the engagement ring on her finger, rubbing the band into her flesh. The inexpensive piece of jewelry meant the world to her; it was by far her most cherished possession. And not because it meant she belonged to Sed, but because he’d carried it around with him for two years while they’d been separated. He might have behaved like a horny imbecile for the entirety of their time apart, but he’d never stopped thinking about her, just as she’d never stopped thinking of him.

  “Don’t forget to put that on a different finger for the ceremony,” Myrna said as they sat waiting for a red light to change to green.

  She glanced up. “What?”

  “You’re getting a new ring today,” she said. “You’re supposed to wear the wedding band close to your heart.”

  “This is the one that’s closest to my heart,” she said, but she slipped the ring off and put it on her right hand. It felt weird there, but she didn’t want to mess up at the ceremony. Everything needed to be perfect because as wonderful as it was to be engaged to Sed, being his wife would bring her even more joy.

  “I feel like I’ve forgotten something,” Jessica said, going through her mental checklist one more time.

  “You haven’t forgotten anything,” Myrna assured her and smiled into her rearview mirror as she checked on her son who was giggling at Kylie’s game of peek-a-boo.

  “Beth!” Jessica shouted as her subconscious churned out the missing piece of her morning. Her best friend was a rather important part of the ceremony.

  “Did I forget to tell you she called?” Myrna asked sheepishly.

  Jessica’s breath caught. “Is she okay? She’s coming, isn’t she?”

  “Everything is fine. She overslept and is running late. She’s going to meet us at the salon after she picks up the dresses.”

  Even though the bridal shop was on the opposite side of town near Beth’s apartment,
Jessica probably should have picked up the dresses herself. If Beth didn’t show with them in time, they might as well call off the whole wedding.

  “Breathe, Jess,” Myrna said and reached over to pat her shoulder.

  Jessica sucked a breath into her lungs and attempted to put her head between her knees but was halted by the seatbelt cutting into her shoulder.

  “Ow.” She laughed at her own stupidity and rubbed at her sore collarbone.

  Everything will be fine, she told herself, but herself wasn’t buying it.

  At the beauty salon, Jessica’s hair was yanked, teased, curled, braided, coiled, pinned, and tucked until her wedding veil and long strawberry-blond hair were an entwined work of art.

  “Wow, Jess,” Myrna said, her own hair in the small and mighty fist of the son she had resting against one shoulder. “You look stunning.”

  She smiled. “So do you,” she said just as Malcolm grasped the pearl adorning one of the bobby pins in his mother’s auburn hair and tugged it free. This sent half of Myrna’s carefully styled up-do cascading down one shoulder.

  “Mal,” Myrna said with exasperation, “those aren’t to play with.”

  The adorable, black-haired baby, who looked so much like his gorgeous guitarist father his mother didn’t stand a chance, laughed with an orneriness rivaling Trey’s. The tyke was immediately forgiven.

  “Will someone hold him while I get the damage repaired?” Myrna asked, holding Malcolm around the middle and out of reach of another pearl he was staring at intently.

  Rebekah claimed the honor. She touched Malcolm’s tiny fingers and traced the lines of his face. She was obviously completely enamored. And who could blame her? Jessica would have loved to have held Malcolm, but if Myrna’s tiny pin pearls weren’t safe from his grasp, Jessica’s veil would never survive the interaction.

  As soon as the make-up artist was finished with Aggie, she went to work on Jessica’s face. Though the woman had been unable to talk Aggie out of wearing her typical red lipstick, she’d toned down her usual heavy eyeliner for a more understated look. Jessica wouldn’t have minded Aggie showing up looking the way she always did, though she was glad she wasn’t planning on wearing her corset and thigh-high boots. Jessica’s grandparents would likely have keeled over on the spot if she had.