The Ruby Riot Series: Box Set Part 83

"Why me?"

"Nate's not around."

I splutter at his honesty. "Is she pregnant?" I ask in a low voice.

"That's exactly what I asked! No, she isn't."

"Why are they doing this then?"

"Because this is Jax and Tegan. They do s.h.i.+t like this."

Will laces his fingers through mine, and we walk up to the couple. "You're not supposed to do that until you're married!" He pokes Jax in the side, who lets go of Tegan and wraps an arm around her waist. She rests her head on his shoulder, the happiness radiating from the couple is infectious, and I can't help but smile back.

"Congratulations," I say, unsure exactly what I should say.

"Thanks! Come on!" Tegan grabs my hand and pulls me into the small room, behind the doorway they kissed in. Several rows of chairs line the maroon carpet, dated pictures hang on the dark wood-panelled walls. At the front, an older lady dressed in a blue business suit looks over.

"Just the four of you?" she asks.

"Man, you're gonna regret this," Will mutters to Jax under his breath.

Jax flashes him a look. "I told you not to say that s.h.i.+t in front of Tegan!"

"Jesus, I'm not talking about you two getting married, that's your call." He shakes his head. "I mean, what do you think the big man is gonna do to you when he finds out?"

"If you mean my brother, this has nothing to do with Bryn!" hisses Tegan.

Will backs off and we sit as Jax and Tegan approach the woman.

The small room stifles and my head spins. Yesterday I spent all morning in the library; today I am witness to a rock star's wedding. How the h.e.l.l did that happen? I side-glance Will next to me; his eyes sparkle with amus.e.m.e.nt as he watches Jax and Tegan. The joy of being with him buzzes a forgotten happiness through me, and I touch his cheek. Will turns his head and gives me his heart-encompa.s.sing smile before he places his lips gently on mine.

Will. That's what happened.

I fight back the tears as I watch the ceremony because I'm a wreck at anything emotional, however hard I try not to be, and the last twenty-four hours have been overwhelming enough.

As I sign the marriage certificate, I study the pair. Yes, I agree with Will that the couple are crazy; but what's sane about their life? Very little. The tall beautiful girl and her stunning guy are surrounded by a natural energy I haven't come across before. The times I met them, it was clear how strong their love for each other is, and that it's a barrier against everything thrown at them.

We sign the register while Jax and Tegan resume their pa.s.sionate kissing, until Will smacks Jax across the back of the head again. "I don't think we want to see this!"

Tegan wipes her already smudged lipstick with a finger, and pushes a hand into the back pocket of Jax's trousers. "Thank you for helping out."

"I'll give you a moment," interrupts the registrar as she leaves the room. "I'll organise the certificate for you."

Will sits on one of the upholstered chairs, and slings his arm across the back. "Jesus, man..."

Jax winks at him and opens his mouth, but is interrupted by Tegan nudging him. "Jax, can you call Tony and ask him to drive around the side? I don't want to hang around."

"n.o.body saw us arrive," replies Jax. "Don't stress."

"You want to step out the front and check? Because I don't," replies Tegan.

Jax wrinkles his nose. "Yeah. True. I'll call." He pulls his phone out and wanders toward the door.

Tegan grabs my arm and pulls me away from where Will sits. "Are you two back together?" she whispers.

"We met up again yesterday."

"What are you saying?" asks Will.

"Nothing. Girls stuff," replies Tegan and pulls me out of the door into the hallway. "I'm happy for him. He's had a tough time," she says in a low voice. "What happened really affected Will too. You know how he is."

"He spoke to you?"

Tegan picks at a petal of a red rose in her bouquet. "A couple of times. He's such a sweet guy underneath all that att.i.tude, but you already know that."

"He'd hate you saying that."

"Yeah, but he knows it's true. That's why what he did upset him so much." Tegan's phone beeps and she drags it from the small matching bag she's carrying. "Jaxon!"

He glances over and points at the phone to his ear. She huffs. "Will!"

"Oh, I'm allowed to listen now?" he grumbles and heads over.

"Show her your arm." She gestures at Will's sleeve attempting to catch her new husband's eye.

"No."

Tegan shakes her head and takes Will's hand. She unb.u.t.tons his cuff and pushes the sleeve up his forearm. "Show her!"

The mayhem happening around retreats as I stare at the inside of Will's wrist. This side of his arm wasn't tattooed before, and now a bright blue fleur-de-lys is inked there. I meet his eyes and Will gives me a hesitant smile.

"Will, why did "

Distracted by a pa.s.serby's scrutiny, Tegan drops his hand and steps back. "Jesus, we need to go soon. Jax!"

He covers the mouthpiece. "Tony will be here in five."

"Take those!" Tegan thrusts the bouquet into my hands. "Sorry, I mean, please, can you hold those; I need the Ladies before we go."

The whirlwind continues and I grip the small bouquet, continuing to stare at Will's wrist. "I want to go," I say. "This is mad."

"Good plan. The press will be here and chasing their car any minute and I'm not hanging round for that fun and games." Will grabs my hand and marches us to the front of the building.

A group of photographers hang outside and Will mutters 'too late' under his breath as we take the steps two at time, toward the street.

A camera flashes in my face, and I blink through the bright light.

"Why photograph us?" I ask, as I'm half-dragged down the street by Will.

"f.u.c.k knows. Maybe me and you back together is newsworthy."

"It was them!" calls a girl.

"No, it was Jax and Tegan!" yells another. "Wasn't it?"

"What do they mean..." I'm suddenly aware of the bouquet in my hand. "c.r.a.p! Will!"

"What?"

I shake the flowers at him. "They think it was us!"

"What was us?"

"Getting married."

Will grinds to a halt. "Holy s.h.i.+t!"

I perch on the edge of the bed in Will's large hotel room in the centre of the city. I'm dizzied by the chase halfway across York and at the pictures of us online already. Will, me, a bouquet, and a headline flew across the internet in less than an hour. Jax and Tegan snuck out with Tony, and we haven't managed to contact them since.

"The registry office is confirming it wasn't us married," says Will and sits next to me.

"Good."

He lies back on the king-size bed and props his hands beneath his head. "You have to admit, it was funny though."

I sink down next to him. "Ask me again tomorrow, maybe I'll see the funny side then."

"They're sneaky b.u.g.g.e.rs," he says tipping on one side to look at me. "How did Jax and Tegan arrange all that and n.o.body find out? You can't just walk into a registry office and get married."

"Well, somebody tipped the press off, so they're not as clever as they think."

"Not about Jax and Tegan. Us walking through the front doors tipped people off. I didn't even think about going round the side of the building."

"Of course." I focus on the high ceiling. "I never thought I'd be witness to a rock star wedding when I woke up this morning."

"Nor me."

"You didn't know?"

"We're the only two who do. Or we were."

"But I read that Tegan and Jax split recently."

"Yeah, they do that sometimes, make up a story and it keeps the press on their toes. Tegan and Jax definitely kept them off the scent this time."

If Tegan and Jax were ordinary people, living a normal life, I'd doubt whether this marriage could last. Is this a s.n.a.t.c.h at something normal for them? Taking control over their lives somehow?

"I don't think I'd like their kind of wedding," I say.

"Nah. Me neither. Should be a special day. When I get married, I want the world to know how special the girl is."

"I think if your star keeps rising, you won't have any choice unless you do what Tegan and Jax did." I take his arm and turn his wrist upwards. The blue ink of the fleur-de-lys is more vibrant than the nearby tattoos. "Why did you choose this?"

"Why do you think, Fleur? I told you, you'd always be with me, even when you weren't."

"That's a bit odd, Will."

"You and something historical? Not really. It's kinda cool too, don't you think?" He runs a finger along the tattoo.

"At least, it wasn't my name, I suppose."

"Yeah, that's on my a.r.s.e." He laughs at my widened eyes. "I'm joking. Or am I? Take a look if you like."

I flick his nose. "Only if you're lucky."

He rolls onto me and I'm immobile beneath his weight. "Wanna get naked then?"

"You're so romantic," I say and fight a smile.

"Oh. Right." He hovers his lips close to mine. "Wanna get naked, love of my life?"

I sigh and curl my hand around his neck. "I missed you, crazy boy."

"I b.l.o.o.d.y missed you."

No more words.

We've talked too much since we met again, and our physical need for each other can't be pushed below the surface any longer. Maybe I held off yesterday because I knew giving myself totally to Will would reconnect us in a way I wasn't ready for. The thread connecting us stretched as far as it could but refused to break, and I doubt it ever will.

44.

TWO MONTHS LATER.

FLEUR.

Loving, and being loved by, Will Campbell is living in a world where I'm dazzled. Not by the light of his growing star status, but by the guy who never hides how he feels, and isn't prepared to hide us from anybody else. We don't try to change each other and, as the trust grows, so does our belief we belong.

Will goes away, returns, and leaves again; but there isn't one day I don't hear from him. Sometimes a text, often a phone call, and occasionally, on a drunk night, our Skype sessions become interesting. The time we're together wipes away the loneliness of every day we're apart, and recharges my ability to cope with missing Will. Not once do I doubt Will's commitment to us.