Hideaway (Devil's Night 2)

My lungs emptied, and I squeezed his hands only because I needed mine to stop shaking.

“Nikova Sarah Banks.” The older man turned to me. “Do you take Kai for your lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?”

I couldn’t believe this was happening.

He squeezed my hands back, signaling it was my turn to talk, and I pulled out of his grasp, shooting him a glare.

“Until death do us part,” I mumbled. “Which shouldn’t be long from now, so yes, I do.”

Kai smiled, laughing quietly at me.

Fuck you, it wasn’t a joke.

“May the Lord in his kindness strengthen the consent…”

The priest carried on with his blessing, and the rest passed in a blur as we exchanged rings, and the priest offered kind words to those in attendance.

The breath I’d been holding expelled, and I dropped my eyes. Shit.

We were married.

I glanced at Kai, both of us facing the priest again, and anger boiled under my skin. I’m going to be the worst fucking wife you ever have.

“Your kiss is your promise to each other,” the cleric said to Kai. “Go in peace to glorify your union, and you may now kiss your bride.”

Kai turned toward me, and my heart jumped into my throat, but…

But he didn’t stop turning.

He spun all the way around and charged off, back down the aisle from where I came, leaving me standing there like an idiot. I blinked long and hard, embarrassment warming my cheeks. Prick.

One by one, Michael, Will, and Rika fell in behind him, every one of his witnesses storming down the aisle and leaving the church. He didn’t look back, but I knew every other eye in the place was on me. The priest didn’t even know what to do. He just fucking stood there.

So, Kai was going to be the worst husband, too, from the looks of it. Slow clap for him. That was vile, and I was actually impressed.

Kai

Present

I reached into the large bowl, snatching up a wad of soba noodles and refilling my dish.

“Fucking hell,” I bit out through my teeth, thinking about the mess I’d gotten myself into. How the hell did everything spiral out of control? What was I even after anymore? What was the end goal?

I wanted to find Damon. That was it. Determine if there was more danger to Rika, Michael, or Will, and find out what he did with the body, so I could handle it and either turn myself in or come to terms with the sick bitch getting exactly what she deserved. And if so, then making sure she was well hidden and dealing with it if she wasn’t.

I didn’t even know what to do in a situation like that. The idea of seeing it all again, even talking about it…I closed my eyes. I didn’t get rid of bodies. Jesus.

A moment. My life was a series of huge mistakes made in sheer moments when I lost control.

Except today. When I looked at her and said those lies—vows I didn’t intend on keeping—but in that moment, I did. How perfect my world would’ve been if I could’ve swallowed my pride and told her I loved her and she let me hold her. No matter what, everything would’ve been okay if I could’ve seen her smile on her wedding day.

Lifting the chopsticks, I closed my mouth around some noodles and vegetables, looking at my phone and noting no other texts rolling in as I chewed. Will had waited for Banks to come out of the church, so he could bring her here. She would’ve argued and fought, but the threat of the cell phone loomed, and she would’ve eventually agreed.

It had been over an hour, though. If she wasn’t here soon, I would go get her.

But just then I heard a click, and I looked up from the dining room table and watched her open the door, slowly stepping into her new home.

She looked around, and I relaxed back in my chair as she closed the door and squared her shoulders. I smiled to myself. What was I going to do with her?