70

Eva.
I twirl my fingers through my hair, gazing at my reflection in the mirror, struggling to believe I’m going to walk down the aisle today and marry the principal of my school.
Professor Daniels will attend the ceremony, which seems a little weird, but apparently, he’s Oak’s closest friend.
It’s insane. I can’t even imagine what Natalya, Azira, and Adrianna will say when I tell them the news at the start of next semester.
A woman clears her throat behind me, forcing me to turn. “Are you ready?” she asks. I think she’s the florist as she’s clutching a bouquet of white roses.
I nod in reply, and she enters the small changing room next to the school chapel. “These are for you.”
I smile. “Thank you.”
She nods, and then her brow furrows. “Where are your parents?”
I narrow my eyes at her. “They couldn’t make it,” I lie.
“I’m sorry to hear that.” She turns to leave. “Good luck.”
I don’t reply, glancing at myself again in the mirror. Marriage isn’t something I ever thought about, and now I’m getting married. Many girls dream of their wedding as some grand and magical event, but I can’t think of anything worse. A small wedding with only the man I love and one witness in attendance sounds like heaven.
I turn around and exit the changing rooms, heading toward the half-open doors into the chapel.
The priest is waiting outside, and he smiles when he sees me. “Miss Carmichael, I assume?”
“Yes, father.”
He signals for the music to play. “I shall go inside now. Wait one minute, and then you can enter.” He nods his head toward the clock on the wall.
“Of course,” I say in response, watching as he disappears into the chapel. My heart is pounding hard as I glance into the chapel, spotting Oak standing to one side with Professor Daniels next to him.
My palms feel sweaty as I watch the man I’m about to marry. There is no way I’d ever have believed it if someone told me I’d get married at eighteen years old. I glance at the clock, noticing it’s been one minute since the priest stepped through those doors.
I slide through the doors, and the single violinist switches to the wedding march, drawing Oak’s attention to the end of the aisle.
He smiles the moment he sees me, and any pre-wedding jitters disappear. The moment he looks at me, everything feels right. I quicken my footsteps, rushing to get to his side as the priest waits by the altar.
Once he’s in reaching distance, he holds out his hand to me, and I take it, feeling all of my nerves disappear from the moment his skin is against mine.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man, Oakley Byrne, and this woman, Eva Carmichael, in holy matrimony.” He glances at the empty pews, brow furrowing. “If anyone has any objections to this union, speak now or forever hold your peace.”
Of course, silence follows, and the priest clears his throat. “Now, Oakley, please say your vows, and Archer, please bring the rings forward.”
Oak pulls a card out of his pocket, and my stomach twists. “Eva, since the first day I met you, I knew my life had changed as I knew it. You’re the epitome of all that is good in this world, a girl so untouched by the darkness of this world I wondered if you were an angel.”
My cheeks heat at his words.
“I fell in love with you the moment I saw you, and I vow to love, protect, and cherish you for the rest of my life. As long as I have breath in my lungs and a beat in my chest, I will be by your side until I die.” He grabs the ring off Archer and slides it onto my ring finger.
A tear trickles down my cheek as the emotion in his voice overwhelms me.
“And, Eva. You may say your vows now.”
I nod and speak the words I recited in my head. “Oak, I was never interested in romance. It all seemed a little trivial until I met you. The moment our eyes met, something inside of me shifted.” I smile at him. “You made me feel safe for the first time in my life and Blye somewhere to belong.” I shake my head. “You listened to my dreams and understand how much they mean to me. I love you so much it hurts, and I know I will spend the rest of my life loving you.” I slide his ring over his finger, struggling to believe that this isn’t all one crazy dream.
The priest nods in satisfaction and then says. “I now pronounce you man and wife.” He glances at Oak. “You may kiss the bride.”
Oak grabs my waist and kisses me deeply, his tongue sliding through my lips.
I don’t mind, as there aren’t many people around. If it was a big wedding, I might have been embarrassed.
However, Professor Daniels quickly breaks us apart before we get too carried away. “Easy, you two.” He claps Oak on the shoulder and gives him a wink. “Save it for the wedding night.”
Oak glares at him, but nods. “You going to join us for a celebratory drink at the cottage?”
Archer nods. “Sure, just give me twenty minutes to change out of this fucking thing.” He signals to the tux, which he looks rather handsome in. I’m so used to seeing him in gym gear since he teaches Physical Education and Combat Training.
“Okay, see you then,” Oak steers me the opposite way toward the external exit of the chapel. “Let’s get back to the cottage.”
I smile at him, clasping his hand. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy before.”
“Neither have I.”
We walk back to the cottage in comfortable silence, but something feels off as we approach the archway.
I know Oak feels it, too, as the smile on his face disappears. “Someone has broken in,” he murmurs, eyes fixed on the busted lock on the front door.
My stomach swirls with unease as I clutch tighter to my husband, wondering who would have broken into Oak’s home. And then I notice the car parked two hundred yards up the road. “My parents,” I mutter, nodding to it.
It’s their car. A black range rover with black wheels and a Georgian state registration plate.
“Shit,” Oak breathes, muscles tensing. “How did they find out?”
“No idea.” I shake my head. “They haven’t even called me over the Christmas break.”
He grabs my hand and squeezes. “Stay behind me, alright?”
I swallow hard, knowing that I don’t want Oak to have to face my parents, not after everything they did to him. They are monsters and won’t listen to reason. “We shouldn’t go in there. It’s too dangerous.”
“Everything will be okay, I promise.” He drops my hand. “Now, stay behind me.”
I watch him as he walks toward the busted door of the cottage, his powerful shoulders full of tension. My heart is racing like galloping horses charging across a field as I stay close to him, lacing my fingers in the fabric of his dress shirt.
Oak leads the way into the cottage, but we’re met by my father glaring at us hatefully as he aims his gun right at my husband’s heart.
I swallow hard, knowing my father is an excellent shot. He never misses. Suddenly, I’m staring my worst nightmare right in the face, knowing that the appearance of my parents has ruined the blissful happiness of marrying my soul mate. The fantasy has been shattered by the two people who should support me no matter what.