Forbidden Fate (Crowne Point 3)

Fate had sweetened the air for us. It was softer and quieter. The blizzard was over, and the dovecote was dappled with moonlight. Our worlds were collapsing; we’d have only this night before I’d have to leave, before we’d give in to fate.

I took a deep breath and stepped around the stone.

Into my fate.

Grayson didn’t see me at first. I got to watch him. It was like years ago when I would catch glimpses of Grayson Crowne being Grayson. He rubbed the center of his palm with his thumb, looking up and out one of the windows.

Over and over again he rubbed his palm.

Was he nervous?

I took a step along the small makeshift aisle, and his head jolted up, eyes locking on me.

Oh, wow.

Grayson. His smile. That Grayson smile that lit up his whole face. I just stood there. Feeling warm and perfect. He was in a dark suit. Tall. The cobblestone behind him. His rose gold hair shone in the moonlight, and he was like a true prince out of a fairy tale.

In that moment, I felt like I could stand there for hours and he really would wait for me.

But I didn’t want to wait.

I was so done with waiting.

I ran up the aisle.

I didn’t have a white dress, but I did have the one camel dress I’d picked out. He looked me up and down.

“You are so fucking perfect.”

I tucked the pocket square I’d saved into his suit pocket. His eyes reddened when he saw what it was.

“There’s no use in hiding from how we got here, Grayson.” I adjusted the emerald color. “This day should have been mine.”

He placed a finger beneath my chin, lifting my eyes to his.

Then crushed my lips against his.

“You’re supposed to wait until—” He kissed me again, and again.

“After,” I said against his lips.

“We were supposed to do a lot of things, Snitch.”

He gripped my face, exhaling through his nostrils. “I have so much making up to do.”

I looked around the dovecote. “Don’t we need some kind of priest or…friar?”

“Fate has been our tireless escort, so fate will be our witness now.”

I know this moment between Grayson and me meant nothing in the eyes of the law. He was still married to Lottie; I was still married to West…for now.

But here, underneath the sprinkle of snowflakes falling through the cracks in the stone roof like cold glitter, everything was perfect and right.

“You are my poetry, Story. You gave voice and power to my love, before and without you I am numb and empty. You’re my soulmate. My shard matches your shard. You’re my piece. My puzzle. I bleed with you.”

I pressed my forehead to his. “All my life I needed someone to trust. Someone who wouldn’t betray me. I found that in you. In our darkness and our secrets.”

“As long as I live, Story Hale, these vows will be the only ones that matter. The only ones I honor. The only ones I cherish.”