by Willow, Jo
I checked my watch and stood, pulling down the sleeves of my jacket.
“I’m going to watch my brother get married by Elvis. Probably to some tacky song while his bride holds plastic flowers. Pardon me if I feel like I’m a bit player in a ‘B’ movie.”
Anton stood in front of me, deathly quiet.
“Don’t knock the King Pierce. Just...just...don’t.”
I swear I would’ve laughed myself if he hadn’t seemed so serious. I nodded politely and we followed each other out the door.
The plan was simple. That was the problem. We were scheduled to arrive at four o’clock. The girls plus Sean would take one limo, Anton and the rest of us would take another. The chapel was half a mile off the strip and as we pulled up, I had to admit it was nice. Simple, but tasteful. I had hopes.
We arrived first and went in to shake hands with the clerk that stood behind a counter. Pictures of other weddings hung on the wall behind her and the people in the pictures looked happy. A few had Elvis and even he looked happy. So far, so good.
The woman, (named Elsa) smiled and greeted us formally. She ran through our part of the ceremony and the expectations. We all nodded in understanding and she ushered us into another room. There were upholstered folding chairs and a man in a suit that greeted us. Anton, Deacon, and I were approached and he asked for the license.
I’m new to this, but even I know you need a license to get married. Anton froze. Luckily for him, I watched him put his license down on top of ours when he came into my hotel suite to finish getting dressed. Knowing my brother and his ability to fuck up making toast, I grabbed them and put them into my inner suit pocket. He was lucky to have me and I’d remind him later.
I pulled out the license and didn’t notice that it was folded into ours. Admittedly, I was nervous. I was about to stand before Elvis in a chapel in Vegas. There were other things on my mind at that moment. Okay?
The man in charge looked puzzled, but he took it in stride and excused himself. We took our seats and waited to be called.
Ten minutes later, he came for us and we followed him into the ante room of the chapel. We lined up in front of Elvis (he was impressive, I have to admit it), and we introduced ourselves. He didn’t, so we simply called him Elvis. It seemed fitting. Love Me Tender began to play and the chapel doors opened up. Dorothy began her walk and she looked lovely. Her dress was also silver, but it flowed softly over her bump and ended several inches below her knees. Her hair was up and she was smiling. Her flowers were real and I began to have hope. She took her spot as Ayla began her walk.
I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. There should have been a halo crowning her head, she looked that angelic. Her red hair was down in soft waves and she walked with confidence, a smile barely ghosting her lips. The white roses she carried completed the illusion and she took my breath from me. I watched her take her spot next to Dorothy and saw nothing else.
It turns out there WAS nothing else. All eyes were on the door, but Melody was nowhere to be seen. A nervous Elsa stood at the back of the room wringing her hands, trying to get Elvis’ attention. He was ogling Ayla and I shot him a dirty look. Once the song was over, it was obvious we were all present minus two.
Sean was also missing in action.
Anton started down the aisle to get to the bottom of it, and we all held our ground looking at one another. Elvis never missed a beat.
“Looks like the Bride is All Shook Up. Uh uh-huh.”
Not funny. Well it was, but no one was laughing. Then he pulled out a piece of paper.
“Which one of you couples is Pierce and Ayla?”
Confused yet curious, we both stepped forward.
“Okay, let’s do this. By the time we’re done, maybe the other groom will have found his bride. Ready?”
“Whoa. What?”
Ayla was looking at me and I was looking at her. We were both in shock. Elvis continued as if it were another day at the races. I don’t think he even took a breath.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this teddy bear to his latest flame. Pierce, does Ayla rock your world?”
“Well yeah. But...”
“Ayla? Do you promise to keep Pierce as your teddy bear until death do you part?”
“Of course, but...”
“Do y’all have rings?”
We were in possession of Anton and Melody’s rings so we held them up.
“Perfect. Pierce, repeat after me. Ayla, I can’t help falling in love with you and I promise I’ll love you forever.”
I looked at Ayla and grinned. If you can’t get out of it folks, get into it.
“Ayla, baby I can’t help falling in love with you and I promise I’ll love you forever.”
I slipped the ring onto her finger and she stared at it until Elvis broke the spell.
“Ayla? Repeat after me. Pierce, you’re my hunk of burning love and that love will burn within me forever.”
Oh I liked that. That was a nice touch.
“Pierce, you’re my hunk of burning love and that love will burn within me forever.”
I watched her slide Anton’s ring onto my finger. Then Elvis clapped his hands once and swiveled his hips before he put one arm around each of us.
“By the power vested in me from the great state of Nevada, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Kiss your baby Pierce.”
I did just that and then Elvis addressed everyone else.
“Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. and Mrs. Pierce Sloan!”
I shook the man’s hand and he kissed Ayla on the cheek. As she turned to retrieve her bouquet from Dorothy, I looked into the face of a shocked Deacon.
“I’ll take the five hundred in cash big brother.”
He ran his hand through his hair, then linked his wife’s hand around his elbow.
And THAT ladies and gents is now the only fond memory I have of Las Vegas. That, and the killer picture of Ayla and I with Elvis.
I am now a married man.
Ayla and I held hands all the way back to the Bellagio. There was still no sign of Melody or Sean, and now we could add Anton to that list. Remember that paranoid feeling I had on the plane? It was working on me overtime now. Ayla could sense it and she kept stroking my arm as if to comfort me. I turned and kissed her beneath her ear and she smiled.
“We got married Pierce.”
“Yes we did. Any regrets?”
“I don’t think so. It all happened so fast. I know you wanted a different kind of wedding and maybe one a little further down the line. Do you have regrets?”
I kissed her before rubbing my nose alongside hers.
“Are you kidding? I’m your hunk of burnin’ love baby. I’ve got you now.”
“Hmm...playful Pierce. I think I like playful Pierce.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. I’m worried though.”
I looked straight into the eyes of my brother who was watching us closely.
“Me too baby.”
Dorothy was clenching his hand tightly and I knew Deacon had multiple concerns all playing at once. He was worried about Dorothy. She was six months pregnant and she didn’t need this stress. He was worried about Melody, because it wasn’t like her to disappear without a word ten minutes before her wedding. He was worried about Sean, because wherever Melody was, Sean was probably with her as collateral damage. Then there was Anton. If he got into trouble, it would mean publicity and we were nowhere near the people we needed to play it down.
We stayed silent until the limos delivered us back to our hotel. No one gave us a second glance as we entered the elevator and then shot up to our floor. Once we got out and knew for certain we were alone, we flew into action.
Deacon settled Dorothy in with Ayla and Austin, who promised to call him if anything seemed wrong. Then he and I went across the hall and knocked on Anton’s door. Imagine our surprise when he opened it with his cell phone pressed against his ear.
His tie was gone and his shirt had three butto
ns undone. His jacket was draped over the chair next to the sofa. He stepped aside as we followed him in. It quickly became obvious that he was talking to Chase, and it was then that I realized that Chase had disappeared shortly after Anton during the ceremony.
“...but if he rented a damned car, can’t we track him? I thought car rentals were only good for bordering states. He can’t drive the damned thing all the way back to New York, right?”
I looked at Deacon who seemed as puzzled as I was. Who rented a car? Sean? Melody didn’t seem like the runaway bride type to me. Besides, they would have jumped on a flight.
“I’ll round everyone up and we’ll meet you at the jet. The sooner we get home, the better. Our people are there and we’ll track his ass. This is the last straw Chase. You’d better hope and pray to god that you catch him before I do.”
Anton ended the call and turned to us. He raked a hand through his hair before he sat down heavily on the sofa.
“Marconi has Melody and Sean.”
Five words that sucked the air right out of the room. I sat down on a chair and Deacon started pacing, his hands in his pockets. I recognized the look. Deacon did this when he went into “War Room” mode. He was now deep in thought, weighing implications against actions. I addressed Anton.
“How did he get to her?”
“The lady at the chapel - Elsa - said that Mel’s phone rang and it was a number she didn’t recognize. She stepped outside to take the call in case it was one of her parents calling from a hotel somewhere. Sean went with her to keep her safe. When they didn’t return, Elsa went outside to tell them the ceremony was starting and they were gone.”
“How do you know that Marconi has her?”
“The dickhead rented a car using his own credit card. Chase used his connections and found out that he had a woman in a wedding dress and a tall blonde man with him. He rented it for a week.”
Deacon spoke softly, but we both heard him.
“He could drive home in a week Ant’.”
Anton stood and poured all of us a much needed drink. We accepted the glasses before he answered.
“He could, but he won’t. Every state trooper from here to New York is looking for that car and the driver. They also have pictures of Melody and Sean, thanks to Chase. If one of them pops up in a gas station bathroom, alarms will go up.”
“How will he get them on a flight? Won’t they be looking for him there as well?”
“Chase thinks the car was a diversion. He thinks it’s parked somewhere in Vegas. Mel’ has her purse and Sean has his wallet. That’s all the I.D. they need. Chase is working on the assumption that they’re already airborne.”
I had a question of my own.
“Why would they go willingly?”
“Who said they did? Marconi is a crafty bastard.”
I raked my hands down my face and Anton grabbed my wrist.
“Is that my ring on your finger?”
I froze before I pulled free.
“About that. I’ll give it back when I get home and we get rings of our own.”
“You said ‘rings’ plural. Is Ayla wearing Mel’s wedding ring? What the fuck Pierce.”
I stood and started pacing the same route that Deacon had taken.
“It wasn’t planned! Elvis tricked us!”
“You’re telling me that Elvis used coercion to get you and Ayla married?!”
Deacon stepped between us and clenched his fists as he bore down on Anton.
“Will you fucking listen to yourself?! Newsflash Anton: Elvis is dead. D.E.D., dead.”
Then he turned to me.
“And another thing. Pierce, when did you and Ayla get a marriage license?”
I started pacing again while running my hands through my hair.
“It all happened so fast. When we went in with them yesterday to offer moral support, the clerk thought that we were applying. We took the paper and Ayla started talking about how it would help calm them down if we filled it out. The next thing I knew, I was holding a marriage license! I never thought we’d use it!”
Anton reached out and stopped me.
“You hijacked my Elvis ceremony dude. So not cool.”
Deacon rolled his eyes and put his hand on Anton’s chest to push him back.
“Anton, think about it. Do you honestly believe that Pierce would’ve let Elvis marry him if he’d had a choice? He was in Vegas. In a chapel in Vegas. Standing in front of a fucking Elvis impersonator. Use your head. This is Pierce we’re talking about.”
Something about this upset me. Deacon was right, but how the hell did they view me? Was I that much of a stuffed shirt?
I almost asked the question when Anton blew out a breath and threw up his hands.
“You’re right. You’re right and I apologize. If it were anyone else, maybe. But Pierce?”
He looked over at me and patted my shoulder.
“Sorry bro’. But congratulations anyway. Wish I could’ve been there.”
What do you say to that? I was still reeling from them thinking I was too stiff to get married outside of the Vatican. I sincerely needed to work on my damned image.
Deacon nodded at both of us as if to say, “We’re good?”, and we nodded in return. Back to business.
“What’s the plan now Anton?”
He grabbed his jacket and started for his bedroom door.
“Now we all pack up and go home as soon as possible. Deke, call the pilot and have him get the jet ready if you would. No matter what, they’re heading east, Marconi doesn’t know anyone out here that we’re aware of. He’ll take them back to his comfort zone. Once we’re there, Chase has more pull and we can get things done easier. I’ll meet you guys downstairs in thirty minutes.”
If it hadn’t been for my new relationship status and my bride tucked sweetly into my side, I’d say that leaving Las Vegas was the bright spot in the whole trip. As the plane taxied down the runway, I couldn’t help but watch my brother go insane. He was in a deep conversation with Chase, Austin, and Deacon, all of them hunched over open laptops. Dorothy was napping, bless her, and the atmosphere was decidedly more serious than it was on the way in.
Ayla looked up at me and patted my chest.
“I’m Mrs. Sloan now.”
“You are indeed. It’s not exactly the way I would’ve planned it, but the end result is the same.”
“I’ll do my best to make you proud Pierce.”
I kissed her forehead and wondered where she came up with these ridiculous ideas.
“Baby, you always make me proud. I’m the one that needs to work on making you proud.”
She sat up straight and pierced me with her gaze.
“Let’s get something straight. I didn’t get engaged to you in hopes that you’d change. I know how lucky I am and I know how lucky we are. People search forever to find what we’ve got. You’re twenty-seven, successful, and happily married Pierce. That’s unheard of. I’m so proud of you I grin when I think about you. You’re everything to me Mr. Sloan. Don’t forget that.”
Could I get any happier? I think not.
“You’re everything to me too Mrs. Sloan. You make me think about things I’ve never considered. Long term things. Life changing things. Houses, children, family cars and life insurance. The whole enchilada. I want everything with you. I want the kind of marriage my parents have and I want that with you.”
“Oh shit Pierce. Your parents. They’re gonna freak.”
I waved away her concern.
“They were expecting a wedding and a wedding happened. It wasn’t the one that everyone THOUGHT would happen, but beggars can’t be choosers. Right?”
“Who are you pod person and where’s my husband?”
I pulled her close and chuckled against her hair.
“I’m attempting to chill. According to the Brothers Grimm over there, I have a stick permanently lodged up my ass. Now that I’m married, I shall attempt to remove said stick. I expect you to help me with that.”
“I don’t know hunka burning love. What if I like the stick?”
“Then you can frame it. We both deserve a little fun in our lives. We’ve been through enough drama.”
“Amen baby. Does this mean we can have hot monkey sex now?”
I slid my lips to her ear and took her earlobe between my teeth.
“The minute we get home I plan on going Magilla Gorilla on your ass babe. Think you can handle it?”
She slid her hand down my chest and lodged her pinky beneath my waistband.
“I’ve been waiting to handle it for months now.”
My eyes glazed over and every thought in my head aligned on one track. We were three hours from home and that was three hours too long. No amount of adjusting my position would offer the kind of relief I needed and my mind was racing.
Her hand never moved and a significant part of my anatomy was straining to meet that pinky. Something had to be done and no matter what that something was, it would no doubt be embarrassing. It couldn’t be helped. I wasn’t going to last.
Hiding my intentions would be futile. Granted, Ayla would probably kill me, but it didn’t change the facts or my condition. I was finished with waiting.
The bathroom was small and at the rear of the plane. The walls were thin. I sincerely hoped that Ayla wasn’t a screamer, but if she was, the back-up prayer was that she could control it.
I reached over and unbuckled her seatbelt before I unbuckled my own. Her look of surprise was priceless and I saw it as my opportunity. If I gave her a chance to regroup or think, she might fight me and the shock of what I was about to do would be lost. Catching her unaware was quite possibly the only way I could pull this off quickly.
I stood and pulled her up with me. I started walking towards the bathroom while clutching her hand in mine, giving her no choice but to follow. All eyes were on us and every one of them looked curious. They hadn’t put two and two together yet.
Not wanting to spur any more speculation than would already exist once we were locked away in the only private area offered, I kept the explanation brief.
