Love Me (Trust Series #2) (4 page)

“It is, but there has to be some things you want. Don’t you want your parents or your friends to attend?” I don’t know if I should start panicking or not.
Is this too fast?

“I actually want exactly what you do. It sounds perfect. We might need to do some kind of celebratory party afterward to minimize the fallout with the family and friends on my side, but it would be at the time and place of our choosing. Does that sound okay to you?”

This is what I want. This feels right. We’re meant to be together. Forever.

“Yes, of course, that would be fine, more than fine. It’s perfect.”

Oh my gosh, did we basically almost plan our wedding?
I should be so overwhelmed because the wedding will potentially happen sooner rather than later, but I only feel elation. “When do you want to have the wedding?”

“You said tomorrow would be the soonest we could get married, so we will get married tomorrow.”

He is completely glowing, which causes my heart to soar.

We are getting married tomorrow. Wow—just wow!

“Tomorrow, it is. What about the dress, pastor, getting the church? What if—”

He silences me with a kiss. My brain is on overload.

“Alli, I’ll take care of everything. Don’t overwhelm that beautiful head of yours with any worries on the details. Let me give this to you. We’ll probably need to get married in the evening. All you need to do is sit back and enjoy this moment. I will make it perfect for you, baby.”

“You’re too good to me.” I smile from ear to ear as the joy starts to consume me. It’s so surreal. I nudge him playfully, and then I put my head on his shoulder as I look into his eyes. “Are you ready to turn in your bachelor card?”

My hand goes to his chest, and I can feel his steady heartbeat. He’s not nervous about it at all as his heart continues to thud at a normal pace.

He puts his arm around my shoulder and pulls me to him while he’s giving me that are-you-crazy look
.
“I’d turn it in right now if I could get the wedding pulled together with the snap of a finger. I’ve been waiting to make you my wife since our second date. I’ve thought about how I was going to convince you not to make me wait a year.”

He knows me so well.
From memory, I start tracing his tattoo through his shirt. “The whole incident with Martin changed my view on us. We could have lost each other that day, and I don’t ever want to chance losing another moment with you.”

I can feel Damien slightly stiffen as we both recall those horrifying moments when Martin had me at gunpoint in the hotel. Life could be very different right now.

“I feel the same way, baby.”

We sit there for a few silent moments, reflecting, when our situation with the killer crosses my mind again. If Martin is telling the truth, someone is framing him and wants me.

“Hey, Damien?”

“What is it, baby?” He rubs my arm with his hand soothingly.

Hesitantly, I start, “Please don’t misunderstand what I’m about to say. If the same person who killed Rebecca is potentially after me, like Martin said, do you think that this wedding could aggravate the killer?”

“Alli, if that mother—” He abruptly stops, looks toward the altar, and takes a deep breath. “Baby, I’m going to keep you safe. We will figure it out.”

“I know you will.”
I need to change the subject—pronto.
“Wow, we are getting married tomorrow.”

“You know what this means, don’t you?”

Hmm…

I’m trying to filter through everything that has happened so quickly. “That I’m about to have a lot of paperwork to fill out? That is, unless you are thinking of becoming Damien Scott. Then, I guess you would be the one with a lot of paperwork.”

He chuckles beside me as he rubs those ever soothing circles on my arm. “You’re a funny girl, but I think Allison Wales sounds perfect.”

My heart speeds up at the sound of my new name.
My new name. Wow.

“Actually, I was thinking that you will be officially moved in with me.”

“You’re stuck with me forever, Damien.”

“Forever? I don’t think that will be long enough.”

Like they had done a million times before when I used to stay the night, Sam’s parents call from the hallway, “Night, girls.”

“Night,” we both say in unison.

It feels like déjà vu being here in Sam’s bedroom as if we were still in high school.

My poor fiancé got duped this evening as I think about what just happened.

All evening, Damien has been in and out of the room on the phone, talking with who knows whom regarding the wedding. He wants to take care of everything and surprise me.

Looking at the clock, I see it’s almost eleven thirty, and I instantly yawn.

Damien comes back in the room and walks to my side. “We’ve got a big day tomorrow. It’s probably time to go to bed.”

Peaking up at him, I yawn again. “Do you need any help?”

“No, baby, I’ve got it all handled.”

He holds out his hand, and I grab it to stand.

As we are about to say good night to everyone, Chandra clears her throat. “Since it’s tradition for the groom not to see the bride, Alli, do you want to stay with Sam tonight, like you used to as girls?”

Damien brings me closer to him. I can sense the warring emotions as they go through him. He doesn’t want to spend the night apart. With all that he was doing for the wedding, I think he assumed I would be staying in that crazy vehicle he had moved to Sam’s parents’ driveway.

Tilting my head back, I give Damien permission to decide. If he chooses for me to go with him, Sam’s parents will not be happy due to their traditional values.

He tightens his grip on my hip, looking at me, as he answers, “I’ll be right outside if you need anything.”

After changing into our pajamas, Sam and I slide under the covers in near darkness. The only light glowing is from the moon seeping into the room.

Sam asks, “Can you believe you’re getting married tomorrow?”

A smile involuntarily emerges on my face. “No, it’s still surreal. I’m glad your parents understood our reasoning. I like what your dad said tonight at dinner, regarding our decision to get married so quickly.”

I think back to her father’s words.

After all, when you agree to get married, you’ve agreed to be each other’s forever. It doesn’t matter when you get married after you’ve decided to become one. It just matters you both agree on the journey
.

I continue speaking to Sam. “It feels right, but it’s still unbelievable.”

“Dad does have a way with words.” She starts giggling. “You know, when Damien left to go to that motor-home monstrosity thing, I was so hoping he was going to come back all caveman-like and haul you off.” She snorts. “That thing looks hysterical in our front yard. It’s just not like Damien at all.”

She’s almost in tears from laughter when she continues, “For him to have it delivered out to your parents’ place, his P must’ve been overly anxious to get into your V. Shit, that is so funny every time I say it.”

We both start laughing because it is.

I’m practically gasping for breath. “I know. I’ve never seen him in a no-win situation.”

She puts the pillow over her face now, trying to stifle her hysterical giggling. “He looked like he was going to have an aneurysm. It was so damn funny.” Sam’s doubled over, gasping for air as she continues in a muffled voice from the pillow. “I know that shouldn’t be funny, but the look on his face was hilarious.”

I give her arm a light nudge, but at this point, we are both a mess. “You’re terrible, Sam.”

After a few more minutes of laughing, we get our senses about us.

I lean up on my elbow and ask, “Are you going to tell me what Damien has planned?”

“Nope.” She pops her P-sound loud. “He wants it all to be a surprise for you, so just chill.”

My phone beeps from the nightstand. I look over to the clock and notice it’s 11:59. After grabbing my phone, I see a text from Damien.

Damien: This will be the last night you are Allison Scott. Tomorrow, you will be my wife, Allison Wales. I cannot wait for that moment, Alli.

Allison Wales. I can’t believe it.
Before I even have a chance to respond, I receive another text a minute later.

Damien: Today, you become my wife. I’ve been dreaming of this moment since I met you. I just never knew it until you walked into it. Good night, my love. I’ll meet you at the end of the aisle. I’m counting down the seconds until then. I love you.

My whole body is alive and vibrating at those words. I want to run out of the house to where he is and give him a kiss, but I know Sam would tackle me to the ground if I tried.

Me: I cannot wait to become your wife. Thank you for choosing me. Off to bed now. I’ll be the one in white.

Kicking my legs in excitement, I wait for another text, but Sam plucks the phone from my hands. I go to grab it from her.

She says, “Hey, I’m just doing as I’m told. He wants to make sure you get some sleep. The man has no willpower when it comes to you.”

I give my best pouty face to her back.

Without even seeing me, she responds, “Pouting won’t help. He bribed me to listen to him, and no, I can’t tell you what his bribe is.”

My mouth drops open, and I simply turn over.
Traitor
.

“Night, sweetie.”

“You’re a traitor. You’re supposed to be my friend.”

She gives my arm a nudge. “Oh, I can be bought.”

We both start giggling again.

I lie down and try to let my mind rest. Fast and furious don’t even begin to describe how quick this wedding came together. I focus on what my mom used to tell me when my mind would try to overwhelm itself.

Follow your heart, Allison. It will always be your North Star to guide you when you’re lost.

I never knew truer words.

I’m awoken when Chandra brings in a tray with an assortment of pastries and fruit.

“Good morning, girls. Breakfast is served.”

It all comes to my mind in a rush.
I am getting married today.
Holy shit!
Throwing the covers back, I shoot straight up. “I’m getting married! I’m getting married! I’m getting married!” I’m practically bouncing on the bed.

“Oh mercy, Mama. We’ll have to sedate her before the wedding,” Sam says, stretching.

I stick my tongue out to her.

Chandra lays the tray on the bed, and I grab a croissant.

“You know, girls, I can remember when the two of you used to play wedding with our little dog, Dump.”

We both start laughing. I picture that little stray brown dog dressed in a black T-shirt. We’d trained him to sit there stoically through our pretend wedding ceremonies.

At the same time, Sam and I both say, “That poor dog!”

After getting our giggle boxes under control, Sam goes to her nightstand and pulls out a white linen envelope. She hands it to me, and I see my name printed in elegant black script.

I open and read the note.

My heart soars, and I start grinning from ear to ear.

Sam tackles me in a hug. “I’m so happy for you, bestie.” She turns to her mom. “Mama, does Daddy still have any of that moonshine? That might calm her down.”