by Sophia Gray
Two minutes to go.
Anna stood at her side and took her arm. Teresa had asked her to hand her to Vance since she had no mother or father to do it – and she did not want it any other way.
One minute.
Teresa took a deep breath, and when someone opened the courtroom doors, she stepped inside at a firm pace. There was soft music playing in the background, but she barely heard it. Only the first two rows of the room were occupied, but she did not pay much attention to them either. She did not hear or see anything at all, except a buzz in her brain and one thing before her eyes: Vance.
Vance looked amazing in his tuxedo. He stood tall and handsome with a radiant look of shock and awe. She couldn’t take her eyes off of him. His hair was neatly combed back with some gel, something that he had never done before.
He was standing next to the judge with Peter at his left and was frozen at the sight of her. His face revealed so many emotions, but one of them struck her: love. He looked at her with such devotion she trembled, and Anna squeezed her arm trying to reassure her silently. When they reached the end of the aisle, Vance stumbled, so nervous he almost fell and went to take her hand. She took his arm, and Anna and the girls sat down.
“Are you nervous?” Teresa whispered to him as they both stood before the judge.
“A little. I mean, who wouldn’t be? I’m about to marry a goddess. That should make anyone nervous,” he joked, and Teresa’s heart raced a little when she felt his hot breath against her ear, giving her goosebumps. She chuckled when he asked, “And you?”
“A little too, actually. I’m going to marry a mere mortal, and my fellow gods and goddesses are going to judge me for that,” she joked back and watched as Vance had a hard time stifling his laughter.
The small exchange of nonchalant jokes helped with Teresa’s nerves, and she looked at the judge. She was ready to begin.
Chapter 10
Vance
The door of the courtroom opened, and there was Teresa, accompanied by her bridesmaids. Vance was taken aback. He expected her to look gorgeous, stunning, amazing – but she exceeded his expectations. Teresa was like a dream come true. Like an angel sent from heaven to make his life worth living.
He could not take his eyes off of her as she walked down the aisle, and when it was time for her to take his arm, he stumbled and almost fell over, much to his chagrin. He regained his balance, cursing his damn luck, and Teresa linked her arm with his. Her skin felt hot, and he breathed in her wonderful scent.
“Are you nervous?” Teresa asked him so low he had to make an effort to understand her words.
“A little. I mean, who wouldn’t be? I’m about to marry a goddess. That should make anyone nervous,” he whispered in her ear. She chuckled, but it was no joke: he felt that way. “And you?”
“A little too, actually. I’m going to marry a mere mortal, and my fellow gods and goddesses are going to judge me for that,” she joked back. Vance had to bite his tongue to prevent himself from laughing in the middle of the courtroom.
He loved this woman. Even when he was on edge, about to throw up his breakfast, she knew exactly what to say to calm him down. They faced the judge, and the ceremony began.
“We are gathered here today to join this couple in holy matrimony,” the judge began. “As a representative of the state, I have the power of marrying these two people, who have come to me willingly and on their own freedom. I will let them express their love to each other, and you all shall be witnesses of their vows.”
The judge looked at Vance, who cleared his throat and began.
“Right here and now, everything feels like it was worth fighting for...” he said, his voice shaking. He had prepared a few words, but he could not remember a word, and really did not know what to say.
“It was.” Teresa encouraged him on, and Vance smiled. Hearing her voice boosted his confidence.
“I know we haven’t known each other very long and that, to some people, this wedding may seem rushed, but in my heart, I feel like I have always known you, and I know that I want to spend the rest of my days getting to know you, if you will have me.”
He paused and waited for Teresa’s turn.
“You have saved me, Vance, in more ways than you realize. And I want to spend the rest of my days thanking you for it, and telling you... telling you that I love you. I love you more than anyone in this world.”
She said it. The words were so simple and so new that his heart skipped a beat and he knew it was true. He could hear it in her voice and in her eyes, which were shining with tears.
“I love you too,” he whispered in shock.
“Your vows, please,” the judge said, motioning for them to continue.
“I, Vance Tate, take you, Teresa Love, to be my lawfully wedded wife, in sickness and in health, in poverty and in wealth, until death do we part,” he recited. He took the ring and placed it on her finger, and she smiled at him with loving eyes.
“I, Teresa Love, take you, Vance Tate, to be my lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health, in poverty and in wealth, until death do we part.” She carefully placed his ring on his finger.
“By the powers granted to me by the state, I now declare you husband and wife,” the judge pronounced. “You may now kiss the bride,” he finished with a gentle smile.
Vance did not need to hear it twice: he took a step closer to Teresa and crushed his lips against hers, in a kiss full of love and promises for the future. She answered with the same love and passion, and by the time they parted, the whole room was cheering.
They both signed the papers and turned to leave. Vance took his now-wife by the hand, and they rushed down the aisle while being showered with confetti. They headed to the car and crawled into the back seat, waiting for Karin to take them to the restaurant.
Karin, merciful as she was, gave them a moment of privacy. Vance looked at Teresa up close for a moment: she was radiating with happiness. He looked in her eyes and cupped her face in his hands before closing the space that separated them and kissing her again, brushing her lips with his tongue and drawing ragged moans from her.
“I love you,” he repeated when they parted. He felt, more than he saw, her smile when he said that.
“And I love you too,” she replied. Vance could not be happier. He felt that nothing could ever spoil his happiness now and made up his mind to come clean after the wedding night. He felt in his heart that she could forgive him – or at least he hoped so. She loved him and that had to mean something.
The car engine started, and Karin drove them to the restaurant. Everyone was already there, waiting for the happy couple. Everyone that they had invited was there... And someone who they had not.
Jimmy Love was dressed up in a gaudy suit and was waiting among the guests, with a large, fake smile on his face and a dangerous gleam in his eye.
Chapter 11
Teresa
Teresa froze when the car stopped, and she got out. Among her friends and loved ones, among the people she had invited to share her happy day, was the last person she wanted to see. She noticed Vance tensing up beside her and instantly decided what she would do. She would not let that man spoil her day. He had ruined her life enough and would not ruin her wedding.
If he wanted to be there and play the nice dad charade he could. But the first thing she would do the next day was place a restraining order on him. She was sick of always fearing her shadow, looking around the corner thinking he would show up – and now that she was not alone, she would not let him ruin Vance’s life too.
Teresa held Vance’s hand, and together they walked toward the cheering crowd. With a smile on her face, she kissed and hugged everyone, thanking them for coming, until she reached her father. She was the first one to talk.
“Father, I am so glad you came, even if you were not invited,” she said, rolling politeness, coldness, and sarcasm all into her greeting. Her father stared at her in surprise, and in the corner of her eye, she noticed that
Vance was also awed by her reaction.
Both men had probably expected her to scream and throw things at her father until he left, but she would not transform her wedding into a circus. “Please, join us in our celebration. After all, this may be the last time you see me and my husband,” she said sweetly, taking Vance’s hand again and stepping inside the restaurant. She did not wait for her father’s response.
Everyone took their places at the designated tables, and Teresa spoke to a waiter to accommodate her father at the table at the end. They had very few guests, so he was still too close for her liking, but it was the best she could do, and she was determined to enjoy her day. She took her place at the center table with Vance, Peter, and Anna. Drinks came first, and before the meal was served, she stood and raised her glass to propose a toast.
“I want to thank you all for coming, even on such short notice. It means the world to Vance and me to see you all here,” she said, looking at everyone but her father. “I hope you’ll continue to support us throughout our journey together, happy and healthy.” She raised her glass, and everybody cheered. The bubbly champagne calmed her nerves, drawing red circles on her cheeks almost immediately.
The waiters started bringing food, and soon she was lost in the party, talking to Vance in whispers and enjoying the meal. She drank a little too much champagne because she felt lightheaded, but she was also too happy to care. It was her wedding day!
“I don’t know how your father found us,” Vance whispered, looking worried. Teresa grabbed his hand, squeezing it hard.
“Don’t worry, my dear husband. I won’t let him harm you. And I won’t let him spoil our wedding. I’ll straighten things up with him tomorrow,” she assured him.
“It’s not me I’m worried about, Tess,” Vance replied with a frown. He looked at her and then at her father, still worried, and she kissed him on the cheek and then on his jaw. And when he looked at her, finally on the lips.
“Trust me,” she insisted, and he finally smiled.
“Let’s enjoy this party,” he said.
The dinner ended, and the music started. Teresa dragged Vance to the dance floor: it was their opening song, and she was aching to dance with him.
The music started, and Vance held her close to him, one arm around her waist and the other entwined with hers. She placed her head on his shoulder and enjoyed the swaying and his scent as “Save The Last Dance For Me” played.
Teresa could feel the stares and smiles from the people watching them, but she found herself not caring. Vance was leading her into the perfect rhythm, and she was so close to his body that the heat emanating from it and his scent was filling her senses, numbing her mind completely. There was only one thing that mattered: him.
His heart was beating against her chest in a racing pulse that told her he was feeling the same as she did. They were both enthralled by the dance. Teresa felt tipsy from the alcohol and Vance. The best combination.
He will take me home, she thought. Just like the song says. Vance would take her home that night, and every other night after that one. Could there be anything more perfect?
Vance’s hand slid up and down, from the small of her back to her waist, drawing affectionate patterns on her back as he led her around the dance floor. Every inch of skin he caressed burned, and the rest of her body ached for more.
Vance’s arms held her with strength and care as they glided across the dance floor. Her head felt light as a cloud, her heart full of joy and love.
Vance sang the final verse in her ear, and she shivered in his arms.
The music ended. They stopped dancing, and the world stopped swirling. A new song started playing, and the rest of the guests joined them, but Teresa and Vance did not move: they just stood there, on the dance floor, looking at each other for a moment. A sudden urge to feel him, have his body naked against hers awoke in her groin, burning in her thighs.
Vance smiled at her, unaware of her thoughts. “I’m going to get some drinks,” he told her. “Do you want something?”
Teresa nodded fervently, and her reaction made Vance laugh.
“Okay, you should go dance with Anna and the girls in the meantime.” He winked and disappeared into the crowd. She went to her friends and soon was lost to the rhythm of the music. It was crazy that months ago, she would have never willingly danced with others, but Vance had changed everything for her.
She had danced with her friends to a couple songs when she realized Vance hadn’t come back with their drinks. She looked around, trying to find him. Her head was spinning slightly due to the champagne, and she was dying to be with him, so she left the dance floor and went looking for him, smiling at everyone who crossed her path.
He was not at the bar, but Teresa heard some noise in the kitchen. Maybe he went to order something special, she thought, her judgment clouded by the alcohol.
She snuck behind the door, not wanting to spoil the surprise if it was meant for her. But what she heard instead made her blood freeze and stomach drop.
“... ye have to come back to the club immediately, lad!” her father’s voice yelled.
“I’m not doing that, boss.”
That was Vance’s voice, she was sure of it. Boss? What did that mean? How could those words be coming out of his mouth? This had to be a mistake. That it was someone else, or it was a big trick. She couldn’t think of the alternative, that Vance actually knew her father, but more than that, he worked for him.
“This ain’t the plan! Ye were supposed to marry her and bring her home, or else...!”
Teresa stopped listening. She stumbled against the wall beside her, trying to muffle a strangled cry. So Vance was the man her father had sent to spy on her. He knew who Jimmy Love was when he came banging on her door. He had even been paid to marry her! This was all was a charade. Fake. He had never loved her.
Her eyes filled with tears and she turned around to leave but ran into a waiter holding an empty tray. Both fell to the ground, and the noise alerted the men in the kitchen. Vance was the first one to appear, and when he saw her, they both knew. His face was as pale as a ghost, and he reached for her, but Teresa backed away on the floor.
She sprang to her feet and rushed across the dance floor, bumping into people. She grabbed her purse from her seat and rushed to the car. She knew driving was a bad idea, yet she started the engine and took off, blinded by the tears, blinded by the alcohol, and blinded by the pain.
It was raining. The road was wet. But she didn’t care. The idea of getting into an accident was almost enticing. Maybe that would be less painful than knowing she had given her heart to a man who had sold it for money and a position in her father’s gang.
Lights flashed as she drove. She heard the muffled sounds of cars honking at her. She took a bad turn and lost control of the wheel. Teresa screamed as the car bumped and rolled down a hill. She covered her face with her hands and prayed for it to be quick. Through her hands, she could see a tree coming closer and closer in the headlights. She braced for impact, and her whole body was jolted, and then everything went dark.
Chapter 12
Jimmy Love
Jimmy had known about Vance’s wedding with his daughter thanks to Bailey, and he had not hesitated even for a minute to show up. It was his daughter’s wedding, and he had a right to be there, goddammit! Unfortunately, his subordinate had not been able to find out the courthouse room where the ceremony would take place, so he had to wait until the reception.
Vance and Teresa’s faces when they saw him there, standing among their guests, had been priceless: Jimmy enjoyed watching Vance’s horrified expression the most. He knew what the lad had been doing, he was no fool: he had been avoiding the club on purpose.
Since his first trip after the engagement, he had only shown up once, even though he had been summoned on several occasions. He always made up an excuse, like, “Can’t go, Teresa expects me to cook dinner for her tonight” or “I am too busy planning the wedding” or “Teresa will get
suspicious if I go.”
Bullshit. Jimmy knew it was all bullshit; blatant lies to avoid confronting him. And Jimmy knew because he had realized something: that Vance Tate was not interested in the deal anymore. The fool had winded up falling head over heels for Teresa, and he would rather leave the club and everything behind than betray her.
Well, they had a deal, and nobody crossed Jimmy Love and got away with it.
When the couple reached him, Teresa received him so politely that for a moment Jimmy thought that he had been forgiven. But things were never easy. “Please, join us in our celebration. After all, this may be the last time you see me and my husband,” she shot at him, her voice and glare as cold as ice – how much she reminded him of his ex-wife.
Jimmy stood there, watching them leave, and entered the restaurant with the rest of the guests. He was accommodated at the farthest table and was stuck during the whole reception with some dull coworkers of Teresa’s. He looked at her intensely, glaring at Vance whenever their eyes met – which was fairly often. He knew the lad was scared and smiled grimly.
At one point, before the meal was served, Teresa raised her glass and called for attention. Jimmy Love froze, as he saw his daughter get up and address her guests in an apparent harmless speech – but one he knew was fully intended for him, to let him know he was unwanted. Something in the bottom of his heart stirred, and he closed his fists in raged as he listened to his daughter’s words.
“I want to thank you all for coming, even on such short notice. It means the world to Vance and me to see you all here,” she said, looking to everyone but him. “I hope you’ll continue to support us throughout our journey together, happy and healthy.” She raised her glass, and everybody cheered.
Jimmy just stood there, eyes locked on Teresa and clenched white-knuckled fists on the table, unable to move. She had very openly declared that he was unwanted in her life and that she would do anything to get rid of him once and for all.
