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I glanced at the clock. Time had ceased to move since Ellie came back and assisted with getting my wedding dress on. I paced across the floor with the train trailing after me. It had been a little over an hour since Alex dropped me off, and each passing minute amplified the dread in my soul.
Ellie came into the room. He’s here, she signed and hurried over to me, leading me to the elevated platform in front of the mirrors. She placed me and puffed out the train so it trailed down the step. Facing the mirror is more dramatic, and you in that dress deserve a dramatic reveal.
Thank you, I signed and folded my hands in front of me. Taking a deep breath, I gave a nod, and she went to the door and opened it.
Alex stepped inside, looking as handsome as I had ever seen him in a designer-fitted tuxedo. His dark hair was perfectly styled the way I adored, cropped close on the sides, and tall and thick on top. His shoes shined just as much as his eyes.
“Wow.”
It was as if his voice triggered my ability to move. I turned and smiled.
“You look like an angel.” He held out his hand, and I took it, falling into the hug he offered. “My beautiful angel,” he whispered in my ear.
I love you, I signed when he stepped away.
“Come on. Let’s go get married.” He pulled me towards the door.
I grabbed my pocketbook on the way and gave Ellie a wave as we left the bridal salon.
Alex helped me into the back of the limousine and slid into the seat next to me. He rattled off another address and then glanced at me with that hungry smile.
I waggled my finger at him. Save those thoughts for tonight.
Even though I shut off the idea for the moment, I could feel the heat pool in my core at the promise in his gaze. I reached into my purse and pulled out the second dagger.
Alex glanced at it and pulled the blade from the sheath. He opened his jacket and dropped the blade in the inside breast pocket. I raised my eyebrow at him.
“Large pocket protector for a large pocket,” he whispered and put my palm on his chest over where he stashed the knife.
My gaze dropped to my hand, and I pushed harder. I couldn’t feel the knife.
“I told them it was a tradition for my family and that I needed a jacket that could have an antique letter opener stowed in the pocket in a way that the guests would never know.” He gave me a shrug and patted his chest. “They came through.”
They certainly did. The fact Alex was protected made those internal alarms inside me quell to a quiet blare instead of the relentless roar they had been all morning.
The limousine pulled into the county clerk’s office. I cocked my head.
“Marriage license,” he said and opened the door. He turned and put his hand out to help me from the seat.
I grabbed my wallet out of my purse and then took his hand. Alex had done the paperwork online this morning before I woke and it was all ready for us to pick up. We showed our drivers’ licenses and signed our names where the clerk told us. Then we were off with the document that gave us permission to tie the knot.
When the limousine pulled into the Bellagio again, my hands formed the question, Why?
“Copies,” he whispered and hopped out the door. A few minutes later, he emerged and slid into the back. “Little Church of the West, please,” Alex said to the driver.
“Yes, sir,” the driver replied.
We pulled up to this lovely old chapel surrounded by greenery as if it were something from a mountain town in Montana instead of in the middle of the desert. The quaintness of it tickled me, reminding me of some of the ancient places of worship I had seen long ago in southern California.
Alex and I exchanged a glance, and he put out his hand. I went to place my hand in his, and a smirk crossed his lips.
“The rings,” he said.
My mouth formed a surprised O before I turned and rifled through my purse, pulling the small box out. I handed it to him, and it disappeared into one of his pockets.
“Now you can give me your hand,” he said.
Heat filled my cheeks as I climbed out of the limousine after him. The driver tipped his hat.
“I will be waiting for you in the back parking lot,” he said and nodded towards the hint of asphalt that could be seen beyond the grass.
“Thank you,” Alex said as I signed the same.
He pulled the original wedding certificate out of the inside pocket of his coat and took my hand. I stared at the building, wondering if we were walking towards a new life or our demise.
“Are you okay?”
My gaze moved to his, and I forced a smile.
His eyebrows rose. “That’s kind of a scary smile.”
I rolled my eyes and pulled my hand from his. I’m nervous. It was hard to admit just how unsettled I was, and I couldn’t say for sure if it was the act of marrying him or the fact we could be walking into a trap.
“Nervous?”
I nodded and patted his breast pocket. The one holding the blade.
His features smoothed out, and his soft laugh filled the awkward silence. “You’re worried about the job, not about marrying me?”
I nodded and the tenseness in his muscles eased, although mine were still as taut as a tightly wound string. His hand landed on my lower back and guided me towards the building in a patient but firm manner.
“Relax and enjoy the moment. We’ll deal with the monster later,” he whispered and opened the door for me.
I stepped inside, and my radar went up. Each face I looked at could be the bicorn. I tried to recall how I flushed the last one out. It hadn’t been easy, but I had the luxury of time since I was so near the shore. However, one thing I did remember was the thing had taken on the most stunning female form, almost as beautiful as the goddess Venus herself. As I glanced around the lobby, none of the faces I saw fell into the stunning category. Cute and pretty, yes, but drop-dead beauty wasn’t among them.
Would the thing be that cunning?
My brain grappled with that, though and I finally ruled it out as one of the receptionists turned her attention to us. Run of the mill cute or pretty wouldn’t make a virtuous man crumble.
“Hello,” Alex stated. “I called this morning.”
The receptionist, whose nametag announced her as Karen, glanced at the list in her hand. “Mr. Cervas?”
“That’s correct,” he answered and handed Karen the original marriage certificate we filled out at the town hall.
“Right this way, sir. We are almost set for you two.” She smiled at me and added, “You are stunning in that dress.”
Thank you, I signed with a smile.
Karen led us to the entrance of the small chapel and had us wait to make sure things were ready.
You called?
“Yes. Most places you can’t just walk in and get hitched anymore. So we have reservations, like at a fine restaurant.” He made finger quotes around the word reservations and winked at me.
So who is the newest... I stopped as the doors swung open.
Karen smiled and stepped out of the way as music started. I immediately recognized “Just the Way You Are” by Bruno Mars, which was the song Alex always sang to me whenever I was down. I loved his off-key version. This specific detail made me smile.
He tugged me forward. I fell into step with him as we crossed the distance between the doors and the altar where a pastor waited for us.
Karen handed the pastor the paper and stepped to the side next to a photographer who snapped a picture of us. He lowered the camera as the pastor cleared his throat.
“Dearly beloved, we are here in the sight of God to join Alejandro and Kylee in holy matrimony. Marriage is an honorable estate not to be entered into lightly but thoughtfully and reverently.” He looked at the paper in his hand and then back at Alex. “Alejandro, will you have this woman to be your lawful wedded wife? Will you love her and comfort her, honor and keep her in sickness and in health, and forsake all others as long as you both shall live?”
“I do.”
The pastor turned to me. “Kylee, will you have this man to be your lawful wedded husband? Will you love him and comfort him, honor and keep him in sickness and in health; and forsake all others as long as you both shall live?”
I do, I signed.
He glanced at Karen. She gave him a nod.
“Do you have the rings?”
Alex pulled the box out of his pocket and handed it to the pastor. The pastor opened the box and handed Alex my ring.
“Please repeat after me,” he said.
Alex slid the ring on my finger and recited our vows. “I, Alejandro, take you, Kylee, to be my wife. I promise to be true to you, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, and I will love and honor you as long as we both shall live. Please accept this ring as a token of my love and fidelity.”
I took the ring and slid it on Alex’s finger and followed the pastor’s directions in the form of sign language. I, Kylee, take you, Alejandro, to be my husband. I promise to be true to you, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, and I will love and honor you as long as we both shall live. Please accept this ring as a token of my love and fidelity.
After he received another nod from Karen, he continued, “Those whom God hath joined together, let no man put asunder. We who have come together today have heard the willingness of Alejandro and Kylee to be joined in marriage. You have come of your own free will and in our presence, have declared your love and commitment to each other. You have given and received a ring as a symbol of your promises. Therefore, by the power vested in me by the laws of the state of Nevada, I take great pride and pleasure as I declare you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
Alex leaned in and pressed his lips to mine as the music started again. The magical moment was interrupted by the flash of a camera. Alex pulled away from me and grinned. Another flash captured the moment, and we turned towards the photographer for another handful of pictures as the pastor and Karen signed our certificate. The photographer stopped long enough to sign as our second witness before we were escorted out of the chapel.
Karen led us to the reception desk and handed Alex a card with website directions to access digital copies of the photographs. She made each of us sign the certificate again and then she stamped it with a seal.
“Would you like us to file this for you?”
Alex glanced at me and then nodded. “Yes, please.”
“Your photographs will be ready for viewing in just a moment. You are welcome to have a glass of champagne while you wait.” She waved towards a seating nook with a fresh bottle of champagne and two glasses. A monitor sat just beyond the bubbly.
“Thank you, Karen,” Alex said and led me away. “You were going to ask who was the latest hire?” he whispered in my ear.
I nodded.
“Karen is their newest employee. She’s been here for about a month,” he said as he poured two glasses and handed me one. “To us,” he added and tapped his glass against mine.
I raised my glass and then took a sip. My gaze moved beyond Alex. Karen was busy with paperwork and never glanced our way. Instead, she focused on the next bride and groom who had been waiting for us to finish.
“Do you think it’s her?”
I shook my head. Alex studied me and I shrugged. Think stunning, not mousy cute.
A smirk formed on his lips. “Kind of like you?”
Heat filled my cheeks, but before I could answer, the photographer stepped into our nook.
“Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Cervas,” he said and extended his hand to us. “I’m Mark. Your photographs are available for viewing.” He reached over the table and turned the monitor on. “Your wedding package includes a wedding album with a dozen photos. As we go through them, please let me know which ones to mark. Additional pages cost one hundred dollars each, so keep that in mind.” He smiled and started clicking through the pictures.
I didn’t realize how many he had taken in the short time we were in the chapel and by the time we were done, we had it narrowed down to twenty photos. My favorite was Alex’s grin after he kissed me. The man’s eyes sparkled even on film. We forked over the money for the album and arranged for it to be delivered to the hotel later in the day.
Alex wrapped his arm around my waist and led me out of the chapel to our waiting limousine. When he slid into the seat next to me, he took my face in his hands and planted a lingering kiss.
“Back to the hotel?” the driver asked when Alex pulled away.
“No,” he said and glanced at his watch. “We need to get to the Wee White Wedding Chapel, please.”
The driver’s brow creased.
“We didn’t like what they had to offer here. We’re looking for something a little more... unique,” Alex said. “Besides, we have a reservation at two. If we don’t like that one, then we have one later this evening as well.”
“Yes, sir,” the driver said and pulled out of the parking lot.
A few minutes later, we pulled into the Wee White Wedding Chapel. Alex held his hand out as the driver came around to open the door.
“The ring,” he whispered as he slid his off and dropped it into his pocket.
I took it off at his direction with a little more than a pang in my heart, but we couldn’t exactly walk in wearing the rings and pull off the getting married thing. Not if we truly wanted to catch the bicorn.
My ring disappeared into the same pocket as his, and he pulled out one of the copies of the marriage certificate and took my hand. The moment we stepped inside, I knew the bicorn wouldn’t be party to the chaos inside. There were several chapels and another dozen brides and grooms standing around waiting. The staff rushed from one to the next, and it did not give anyone the time to make an impression. Besides, there was not one stunning woman in the lot.
Still, we waited in line until we stood before the desk.
“Name?” the middle-aged woman at the counter said around a mouthful of chewing gum. She was possibly the most repelling creature I had seen in a while.
“Oh, hell no,” Alex said and turned me around, marching towards the door.
I glanced around one last time before we stepped into the sunshine and oppressive midday heat.
What?
“The receptionist was the newest employee,” he said as we marched to the limousine.
I actually snorted, surprising both of us, but the silent laugh pushed more air through the back of my nose than I expected. Yeah, if the bicorn was hiding in that form, it would be starving by now.
Alex burst out laughing. “No shit.” He opened the door for me and climbed inside after I was situated.
“That leaves us with the Vegas Wedding Experience, but we have the rest of the day to relax. They could only fit us in tonight just before they close.”
I waved at the dress.
“We could go back to the hotel, where we can both get comfortable,” he said with a grin.
“Back to the hotel?” the driver asked.
“Yes, please,” Alex answered. “We will need a ride tonight to the Vegas Wedding Experience though.”
“That’s a nice venue. They offer a limo service as well. Would you like the concierge to arrange it for you?” the driver asked and focused on the road.
Alex glanced at me and I shrugged. “Sure,” he said. “That would be great.”
Do you think the spa could fit me in for a mani-pedi and possibly hair and makeup? I signed and pointed to the driver.
“My w...” Alex faltered and corrected himself. “My fiancé wants to know if the spa at the hotel has a slot for her to get a manicure and pedicure along with her hair before we go to the chapel tonight.”
“Let me check,” the driver said and called into the hotel. “Does a four o’clock appointment work for you, Miss Paradox?”
Four is perfect.
“She said that is perfect.”
I leaned back in the seat and closed my eyes for the remainder of the ride.