by Nia Arthurs
Jo hauled the determined bride back. “Remember, the groom shouldn’t see you before you walk down the aisle. It’s bad luck.”
“Says who?”
While Jo and Sky fussed, Carrie waved from the door. “Jewls, could you come downstairs with me? I need someone to yank me back to reality if I get too distracted by Benson.”
“Why would you be distracted by Benson?” Jo demanded.
“Have you seen that man in a tux? I go haywire when he’s wearing a T-shirt and jeans. I just might lose my mind when I get downstairs.”
“You two need a chill pill.” Sky laughed.
Carrie winked. “He is my chill pill.”
“Yuh nasty.” Jo stuck out a tongue.
“Aren’t you coming too?” Jewel asked, noticing the way Jo lounged on the bed. “Sun Gi will ask for you.”
“I’ll stay here with the bride.” Jo moved over to Sky and studied her face. “Someone needs to redo this makeup. All that sweating and stressing wrecked your eyeliner, babe.”
Jewel sighed. The last thing she wanted to do was face Finn with only a one-woman backup, especially now that Sky expected her to walk down the aisle with him.
She couldn’t believe her boss had tricked her like that. So much for understanding her situation and not forcing her to do anything uncomfortable. Sky was lucky Jewel loved her so much or she’d be outta here.
Gritting her teeth, Jewel headed down the stairs. It was a slow, painful process. Unlike Carrie, who wore stilettos like a second skin, she was dying in these flimsy deathtraps.
Carrie paused and swung her wavy black hair over her shoulder. “Jewel? How you holding up?”
“Okay,” she said on a shaky breath.
Carrie bounded up the stairs. “Hold onto me. It’ll help.”
“Thanks.” Jewel squeezed Carrie’s shoulder and together they waddled down the rest of the steps.
The men were striding through the door when they entered the foyer.
Every woman in the near vicinity dropped what she was doing to stare. Jewel could hear the gasps and murmurs of appreciation ripple through the room like a swelling tide.
Joon Gi, Sun Gi, and Benson were handsome enough when they wore regular clothes and had messy hair. Today, the men looked dashing in tailored suits with their hair slicked back and their individual swagger on display.
Finn fit right in.
Jewel tried not to look at him and glanced at Carrie instead.
Her friend’s stare lingered on Benson. “Damn, I’m a lucky woman.”
The way Benson was ogling Carrie, Jewel figured he was thinking the same thing.
The men neared them.
Benson scurried straight to Carrie and slid his arms around her waist. Carrie gave him a quick kiss.
“Hey, babe.” Benson nuzzled his girlfriend’s ear.
“What happened?” Carrie murmured, smoothing her hands along Benson’s collar. “Sky was worried.”
“How is she?” Joon Gi strode forward. His face held a pinkish hue as if he’d stood in the sun for ten hours straight. His almond-shaped eyes were ringed with worry lines and his thick black hair was mussed.
Jewel motioned to the stairs. “Sky’s reapplying her makeup now. She wanted you to know that she’s ready to marry you.”
“Thanks.” Joon Gi smiled at her with brotherly affection.
At first, she’d been wary and shy around him, but Joon had been patient and respectful of her space. Although she’d grown used to Benson and Sun Gi, Joon would always be the one she felt the most comfortable with.
“We owe your date for bailing us out.” Sun Gi slapped Finn’s back. “If it wasn’t for him, we’d still be stranded out there waiting for a tow.”
“It was no problem.” Finn winked at her.
Jewel frowned and looked away.
“Is the shuttle ready?” Joon Gi asked.
Carrie nodded and pulled her cell phone from the pocket Sky had designed into their bridesmaid’s dresses. “Your driver is ready and waiting. Finn, was it?”
Finn nodded.
“You can ride with the guys. The shuttle will take you straight to the ferry. We’ll follow with Sky in the second vehicle.”
“Okay.” Joon blew out a breath and jumped in place. “I’m ready.”
Jewel caught Finn staring at her. For some reason, her chest started pounding even harder.
Joon Gi might be ready for this, but she definitely wasn’t.
8
Finn chuckled with the guys as they travelled away from the hotel where Sky was getting ready. Benson, Sun Gi and Joon seemed cool. They’d bonded in the space of a car ride. Felt like he’d known them for years.
Except when they peppered their speech with Korean.
He didn’t get a lick of that.
“We’re almost there,” Finn said. The Belize River glistened in the sunlight. A large ferry bobbed in the water.
They all climbed out since the only person allowed in the car during the ferry ride was the driver.
Finn kept a steady hand on the boat’s rails and a close eye on the van that was breathing down his neck. The driver still had the engine on and he didn’t want his foot to get flattened like a pancake.
The river that looked emerald green from afar seemed darker now. Just across the bank, thick trees dotted the hills and overlooked a dirt path that led to the site.
The ferry stopped across the river. Mechanical parts whirred and creaked as it lowered the ramp so they could drive off.
They returned to the van.
Joon wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. “It’s starting to get real, man.”
“It’s just a ceremony,” Sun Gi said calmly. “What matters is how you spend the rest of your life.”
Benson nodded.
Finn kept quiet. Personally, he thought marriage was a waste of time, but he truly wished Joon Gi and Sky the best. Maybe they’d be a couple that would make it.
The van rolled to a stop in the parking lot behind the site. Finn saw the majestic pyramids in the distance and sucked in an awe-filled breath. He definitely wasn’t in Kansas anymore.
The guys tumbled out of the van and headed to a small booth where they paid for a ticket to gain admittance. The rest of the groomsmen completed the task quickly, but Finn got stuck at the teller.
Thanks to the US hundred-dollar bills in his wallet, the clerk had to scramble for change. By the time Finn had returned to the other guys huddled near the entrance of the park, he noticed Joon Gi was missing.
“Where’d the groom go?” he asked, folding his ticket and putting it away.
“He headed inside to greet the guests and the pastor,” Sun Gi explained. “We’re waiting here for the ladies to arrive.”
“Ah.”
Sun Gi’s eyes landed on Finn and narrowed. “So how do you know Jewel?”
Finn casually returned Sun Gi’s stare. He was surprised that the question hadn’t been brought up before now. “We met recently.”
Benson ran a hand through his hair. “Jewel is extremely shy.”
Sun Gi folded his arms over his chest, gaze darkening. “We think of her like a little sister, so don’t do anything stupid.”
Finn nodded. Of the three of them, Sun Gi resonated with him the most. He was a man of few words and those he did let loose were clipped and stern. Despite his cold exterior, Benson had seen enough on the ride up to know that Sun Gi was just as good-hearted as the rest.
“She’s safe with me,” Finn promised. For the most part.
Sun Gi grunted.
A phone chirped, shattering the silence.
“It’s mine.” Benson pulled out the device and brushed his thumb across the screen. “Carrie says they’re almost here.”
On cue, tires crunched in the distance. Finn swung and saw the girls’ white van pulling up to the ticket booth. The engine shuddered and went quiet.
Jewel was the first to jump out. Finn watched her intently, noticing the way she turned back around
to help the bride.
Sky was a vision in white. The satin contrasted her light brown skin and dark eyes. Her hair had been coiffed into an up-do with tendrils that fell to her naked shoulders.
Joon Gi was a lucky man.
But, after that initial sweep, his eyes glided to Jewel and stayed there.
She was by far the most stunning girl he’d ever seen.
Slim, black brows arched delicately over alluring brown eyes. Dark as melted chocolate and tipped with long, fluttering lashes. Lips too luscious for any man’s sanity. Her high cheekbones appeared to have been sculpted out of stone. Her hair was long and black, teased to tight spirals. Her dark brown skin absorbed sunlight and shot it back into the air.
Gorgeous.
Jewel’s eyes slid over to him. She caught him watching and her lips tightened.
He smiled.
Annoyance flared in her gaze. He got the sense she didn’t like it when he stared at her. Finn wondered how he was supposed to do anything else.
Jewel was a beautiful woman, even when she tried to disguise it in sweats and baggy jeans. But she was even more jaw-dropping today in that blue dress that hugged every curve.
“Finn!” Sky dashed toward him. Benson’s girlfriend, Carrie, ran behind, scrambling to keep her extravagant train out of the dirt.
“Hey.” He nodded to the ticket booth. “Your groom’s already in place.”
“I hope everything goes smoothly.” Sky wrung her hands.
Sun Gi tipped his head at the nervous bride. “You look beautiful, Sky.”
“Stunning.” Benson agreed.
Finn nodded in solidarity.
“Thank you, guys.” Sky fluttered her glove-covered hands. “Butterflies are rushing in my stomach, but I’m excited.”
“Then let’s get this over with,” a woman with almond-shaped eyes and smooth brown skin announced. “Remember, no linking of arms.”
“Why not?” Sun Gi asked, adjusting his collar.
Sky, Carrie and Jo whipped their heads around, looking at everything but Jewel.
Sky cleared her throat. “We’ve decided it’ll look better than way.”
“Whatever you want.” Benson shrugged.
Finn fixed his eyes on Jewel and strode forward. She stared at the ground. He imagined she was fighting the urge to run away, but he didn’t let her cower.
Not linking arms was ridiculous. Besides, this was a perfect opportunity to break through those walls and get her to trust him.
Finn reached out to her. “All you have to do is put your palm on mine.”
Sky sucked in a breath.
The fiery, dark-skinned woman he’d met in the foyer planted both hands on her hips. “Hey! What are you doing?”
Finn ignored everyone else and spoke for Jewel’s ears only. “There’s fight in you. I can see it.” Finn heard her sharp inhale and pressed. “I won’t do anything more than hold your hand.” He raised his fingers higher. “May I have the honor?”
Jewel’s eyes skittered to his and dove away.
Finn held his breath.
“We said it’s fine,” Sky snapped. “We’re not linking arms.”
Finn steadied his eyes on Jewel and waited.
Slowly, Jewel raised her hand and latched onto his like a child holding onto the bicycle bars when first learning to ride. Her fingernails dug into his skin, but he smiled through the pain.
When he turned around, the bride and her friends were gawking at them.
Sky broke out of the stunned trance first. Shaking her head, she forced a trembling smile. “Okay then. Let’s do this.”
Finn stepped forward and got in line. Jewel stumbled beside him. He could feel her shaking, could feel every nerve in her body tightening up, but she held on for dear life and stared straight ahead.
Finn guided her hand to his elbow. “Hey.”
Frightened brown eyes flitted to his.
“Should we do a dance as we walk in?” He broke away from her and did a move that his sister had taught him before she died. “Spice things up?”
Her lips quirked. “No.”
“You sure?”
Jewel nodded.
When he guided her hands back into the crook of his elbow, she’d lost the rollercoaster-death-trap grip. Instead she was watching him intently. He acknowledged her with a nod. “What?”
“Thank you.”
As the music played, he clenched his jaw and tried to ignore the way his heart was tightening. She wouldn’t thank him if she knew why he was really here.
Then you’ll just have to make sure she never finds out.
9
Jewel held her breath as Finn guided her down the aisle. His arm brushed against her side, sending flares of panic through her body.
It had been so long since a man had touched her. The nerves in her brain were going crazy. Mayhem. And all because of the burly man who’d invaded her world in the blink of an eye.
Her breath thickened. The guests all stared at her, picking her apart with their dark eyes. She felt exposed, powerless.
Could they see past the makeup and the fancy dress to her scars?
Could they feel her fear? Sense the guilt that had been a constant presence since she was sixteen?
Jewel fought for control, sensing that she was on the losing side of the battle.
Keep it together.
Sky’s wedding was too important. She’d spent a year building her confidence back, nurturing her strength and will beneath the watchful eye of her friends.
She could handle a simple elbow tuck. Right?
Her heart pounded in her chest.
Instead of looking up at Finn, Jewel focused on the scenery. Emerald green grass. White-draped chairs. The sun ducked behind a cloud and a strong breeze rustled her skirt. Majestic Mayan pyramids cast extravagant shadows on the lawn.
Getting permission to marry at a Mayan site had been a complicated mess. She’d seen Sky on the verge of tearing her hair out on several occasions when dealing with the paperwork and the park directors.
But she’d persevered and now they were here.
Xunantunich.
The towering structures had been restored to their former glory. The size and mass of the temples took her breath away.
The Mayas still lived in Belize, but she could only imagine how things would have been back in the day when the Mayan empire was in power.
A rushing sound of applause intruded on her daydream.
Jewel felt a sudden loss of warmth and looked down. Finn had slipped his hand away from hers. Now, her scrawny arm bounced listlessly back to the material of her dress.
Her gaze shot up to his.
Hazel eyes simmering, he mouthed, “You did it.”
Jewel blinked, feeling dazed and slightly off-kilter. She stumbled to her mark before the beautiful arch Joon had commissioned for Sky and gripped her bouquet tighter.
She’d held a man’s hand and hadn’t crumpled into a sobbing, devastated mess.
It didn’t even make sense.
As Carrie and Jo waltzed down the aisle and joined her, Jewel’s gaze slid back to Finn. He’d encouraged her to take the plunge. Had tried his best to make her laugh and feel at ease before they’d walked out here.
Could she trust him, trust this feeling brewing in her chest?
You barely know anything about him.
Valid point.
But that was easy enough to rectify. If she wanted to.
Jewel stiffened when Finn’s gaze connected with hers. He’d noticed her watching him. Heat barreled its way up her chest and settled in her dark cheeks. Jewel wanted to look away, but his stare was magnetic.
It was different from the way Kross made her feel when he used to watch her. She wasn’t scared for her life, stripped of her choice or petered with guilt.
Curious. That’s what she was.
Finn had appeared suddenly, like a lightning bolt, and yet he was touching her hand and making her smile and charming all her friends.
Jewel did a lazy perusal of his face, trying to observe him objectively. And failing.
Badly.
He was too handsome, too manly. She could stare at him for days and find new things to admire.
Thick, brown hair that defied the wind. A broad forehead. Piercing eyes. His stunning face was all angles, sharp lines and chiseled cheekbones that glinted in the sunlight like spears. Stubble covered his square jaw and surrounded firm lips.
He was looking back at her. Studying. Admiring.
She tore her gaze away, conflicting sensations rampant in her chest. She didn’t want to get involved with anyone, but Jewel had never felt such a pull to figure someone out before.
Especially not a man.
The music changed. The violinist stood sober and regal as she placed her instrument against her cheek and swayed to the rhythm of her song. Chairs creaked as the guests rose and looked past the pyramids to the lone woman gliding toward them in white.
Carrie smacked her lips together. “She’s so beautiful.”
“I’m not crying.” Jo swiped away a tear and sniffed. “You’re crying.”
Jewel sighed happily, too emotional for words. Sky was her knight-in-shining armor. That day a year ago, she’d charged into the market and rescued her from a life on the streets.
If anyone in this world deserved a happy ending, it was Sky.
Jewel hoped all her dreams came true.
Sky’s train slid across the grass, bobbing gently like a white raft on a green wave. The sun glinted off her light brown skin and over the curve of her slim shoulders. Jewel could see her beaming smile behind the veil.
As she passed them, Sky winked.
Jewel smiled, her heart expanding with pride.
“You may be seated,” the pastor announced when Sky finally joined Joon Gi. The couple faced each other.
Sky’s back was to her, but Jewel noticed the tears glistening in Joon Gi’s eyes. It touched her heart and made her sad all at the same time.
Jewel had limited experience when it came to love. Abuse and sadistic obsession? She’d had that in spades.
But having gone through everything she had wasn’t a total loss. Being exposed to the undersides of humanity had taught her what love was not.
