Ball & Chain (Cut & Run 8)

They left the house as it was, the bodies where they’d been lying, save for Burns, who they’d wrapped in canvas and taken with them. Earl had been adamant he wouldn’t leave Burns behind. Luggage was left in the rooms, only the necessities taken with them back to the mainland. Hamish, Fraser, and Frost were all tied down, tied up, and gagged so none of them could speak for the entirety of the two-hour boat ride back to the mainland. Mackie had been left to his cottage and his destroyed dock.

Nick worked on the radio, trying to raise assistance. He finally picked someone up, but they couldn’t understand his accent and he couldn’t understand theirs. He wound up cursing into the radio and giving up on trying to raise anyone else.

Ty stood beside him at the helm, feeling as if they still had so much left to say but not sure where to even start. He was still having trouble pushing past the shock of Richard Burns’s death. He couldn’t imagine going through that loss without Nick to help him.

Nick finally looked him up and down. “You look like hell, Ty, go sit down.”

Ty remained for several more seconds. When Nick glanced at him again, Ty said, “I love you like my own brother. You know that, right?”

Nick stared at him.

“I know you’ve got to be mad at me for a while. But remember that, okay?”

Nick gave him a curt nod, swallowing hard. Ty turned away from him, heading out of the pilothouse. Deuce met him in the doorway, Livi on his arm.

“You two okay?” Ty asked them.

“Today was our wedding day,” Livi said, her voice choked. She covered her mouth, fighting back tears. Then she took a deep breath. “We wanted to thank you for what you did. We were coming to thank Nick.”

Nick still had his back to them, but his head was turned, listening and watching out of his peripheral vision.

Livi moved past Ty and went up to Nick, not saying a word, merely hugging him. He was forced to take one arm off the wheel to return the hug, his big hand gentle on her slim frame.

Livi was crying quietly when she released him. She moved back to Ty and Deuce, tears streaming down her face.

“Are you okay?” Ty asked again, unsure of what to do for them.

She laughed shakily and nodded, wiping at her face. “After everything that happened, I feel so stupid. I just . . . I thought we’d be married when we got back to the mainland. It wasn’t even official, it was just a . . . stupid ceremony on a stupid island!”

Deuce pulled her into a hug, resting his chin on her head. He met Ty’s eyes, smiling weakly.

Ty nodded in understanding. Then an idea hit him. He turned to Nick again, narrowing his eyes.

Nick stiffened when he saw the look. “What?”

“You’re the captain of this ship.”

Nick’s eyes darted from Ty to Deuce and Livi, who were both frowning at Ty in confusion.

“You can marry them.”

Nick stared, his mouth hanging open. “That’s a horrible idea.”

“He can marry us?” Livi asked.

Ty shrugged. “It’s just as official as a ceremony on a stupid island.”

Livi’s blue eyes grew wide and hopeful.

Nick pointed a finger at her. “I’m immune to those looks.”

“Five minutes, Irish, you can marry them.”

“I don’t know how to perform a marriage ceremony, Ty!”

“Please,” Deuce said quietly. “Everyone we love is on this boat. That’s all that matters. Just say man and wife for us in front of our families.”

It seemed like Nick was going to protest, but he finally cursed under his breath and turned to slow the boat.

As soon as he turned back, Livi darted toward him and hugged him around the neck. “Thank you,” she whispered. Then she left the pilothouse to get everyone together.

Deuce gave Nick a smile and a nod before going off after her. Ty couldn’t keep from grinning as Nick glared at him.

“I’ll make you regret this,” Nick warned, walking past.

Fifteen minutes later, they’d gathered everyone, and Nick was at the bow of the ship, Livi and Deuce standing before him. No one was with them, no best man or maid of honor, no father of the bride giving her away. Livi had put her wedding dress on, sans all the accessories, to leave her in a beautiful white sheath gown that spread out in a train behind her. Amelia sat on the train, gnawing on the expensive silk.

Nick took a deep breath. Ty could tell he was nervous. Probably close to just throwing himself overboard rather than doing this. He finally looked at Deuce and Livi and gave them a signature O’Flaherty grin.

“Deacon Grady,” he started. “Do you intend to spend the rest of your life with this woman? Love her, cherish her, let her pick out the curtains, and shield her body from any future bullets?”

Deuce chuckled and gazed at Livi, reaching to take her hand in his. “I do,” he said softly. He slid a ring onto her finger, never taking his eyes off her face.

Nick turned to Livi.

“Olivia Stanton,” he said.

“I do,” she said before he could continue. She wrapped her arms around Deuce’s neck and kissed him. The boat erupted in cheers and applause, and Deuce took Livi in his arms and turned her, dipping her for a kiss. Amelia grabbed onto Livi’s train and slid across the deck as it moved, laughing gleefully.

Nick stood with his hands spread, incredulous. “Why am I even up here?” he demanded.

Livi and Deuce laughed merrily, kissing again before Deuce set her on her feet once more.

“Only other part of this thing I know is ‘you may now kiss the bride!’” Nick told them, clearly offended that he hadn’t been able to at least do that part.

Livi laughed again and stepped forward to give him a kiss on the cheek, and then she and Deuce turned to their family and loved ones and raised their joined hands. Everyone clapped for them, some people giving off whistles and howls. Deuce bent to pick Amelia up, and he wrapped his arm around his wife, walking into the crowd with his family. Ty stood to the side, still clapping, watching his brother with a smile on his face. Zane was next to him, brushing against him as he clapped.

He glanced up at the bow of the boat only to find Nick watching them.

“Anyone else want to get hitched while I’m up here?” Nick asked, staring at Ty and Zane pointedly.

Ty swallowed past the sudden knot in his throat and turned to Zane, warmth spreading through him. Zane’s eyes had widened, his mouth parted but no words coming out. Ty grasped his hand and kissed his fingers. “Will you marry me, Zane?” he whispered.