A Little Bit Married

Shotgun Wedding

I took a step back, my lips parting, my chest heaving. I felt my palms immediately go sweaty, my forehead trickling with beads of perspiration. He looked slowly down at his fingers, then smiled and folded them again.

"I guess you don't like to shake?"

I swallowed hard, trying hard to find the words to say. The most rational thing would have been to run away, to at least try, but my legs wouldn't cooperate. I stood there, watching him, knowing I was doomed.

He smiled again, a small dimple appearing on his right cheek. If I hadn't just helped his bride escape, I would have thought of that smile to be kind.

"I came here, spent so much in order to get married. Only for some stranger to help my bride leave me. Breaks my heart, you see."

I swallowed. "I can ex..."

"No, you can not, sweetheart," he said, cutting me off. His smile faltered a little as he straightened, then moved, making space. Space for what?

"After you," he said, gesturing back into the villa.

"I... I am not coming with you."

He smiled. "I must have made a mistake, then."

My brows furrowed, bedore suddenly, two guards came behind me, restricting my movement. Gray gave a smile, then slowly walked up to me, his eyes fixed on mine.

Once he got to me, his smile immediately dropped. He was towering above me, his eyes cold, so cold they reminded me of grey marbles.

"Come with me," he said again, then grabbed my hand.

Before I could even resist, he pulled me towards him, then turned back to the house, dragging me behind him.

"Please, please just... I am sorry. But she was desperate, I swear, I never meant to! I swear. Please! Please! I would do anything. Just don't hurt me. Please, I beg of you." My voice was scorched and slightly muffled, but he obviously did not care.

We got back into the villa through the main entrance, and he pulled me through the long line of elegantly dressed people.

I gulped, tears rushing down my cheeks, my chest heaving hard. Maybe I should have minded my business. Maybe this was not so worth it after all.

We finally got to the large hall, and the door opened on his command. I gasped. It was arranged for the wedding, the long aisle laced with petals dancing above a waterway. How they did it, I wasn't so sure, but it was breathtaking. Even for someone like me who was in deep, deep trouble.

"Please," I said again, looking up to him, my hand trying to push his off mine, and release my hand from his deathly grip. If he could hear me, it wasn't so obvious because he immediately pulled me through.

Most of the guests were sitting on the elegant seats, and they watched, without a single word of resistance. He pulled me forward until we got to the very front, right in front of the officiating priest.

The man's lips parted as Gray let go of me suddenly, causing me to tumble down, my wyes wide. I looked up, scanning around for one person who would intervene for me. No one seemed to be that person.

The older woman from earlier slowly stood up, her brows furrowed as she looked at me.

"I knew you were suspicious."

I swallowed hard. "I am sorry, I was..."

"Samantha is gone," said Gray, his voice low, but he didn't seem like he cared much.

"What now?" The woman asked, turning to me.

Gray turned to me, his eyes darkening. "I got another bride."

My eyes widened as I turned to him, my lips parting. The old woman turned to me, her face immediately turning into a sneer.

"She?"

"She," Gray confirmed. "That is how I intend to punish her."

"You can't do this!" I yelled, standing up, my chest heaving. "I have a fiancée, I am going to get married! You can't do this to me!"

"You really should have thought of that before letting that little hypocritical vixen escape!"

"Escape?" I yelled, my chest heaving. "Is that how to refer to a bride? If she needs to escape, does that not make her a prisoner? If she needs to..."

"Silence!" She yelled, her eyes wide. "You don't get to dictate how anyone is treated in my family. Gray wants a wedding today, and here, and now, and so will it be."

"No!" I yelled back, my eyes wide. I had forgotten the initial fear, my hands shaking slightly. "No. You can dictate for your family, but not for me. I am not your slave, and I will never succumb to your occult..."

She suddenly raised a hand, her eyes wide, with full intent to slap me. I closed my eyes, awaiting the impact, my chest heaving. It never came, and I slowly opened my eyes.

Gray was holding her back, his eyes cold as he slowly came in front of me.

I saw the grandmother move back, and with slow steps, he came right in front of me.

My chest tightened as I lifted my eyes to him, my body lightly trembling. He gave a cold, humourless smile.

"Start the ceremony."

"You can't..." My voice, my argument, my confidence, my stubbornness died in my throat, as he moved, then brought a gun to the right corner of my lip.

"One more word."

The entire hall went silent, so silent I could hear the thump of my own heart.

"Start the ceremony, priest."

Tears filled my eyes, my chest heaving. The cold round barrel of the gun stayed right on the side of my lip as the priest started to read out the sermons.

"Do you, Gray Gavin, take..." He turned to me, and Gray raised a brow.

I swallowed hard and said nothing, tears running down my cheeks. f**k, I should never have gotten myself involved.

"Your name, sweetheart."

I swallowed. "E...Evangeline. Evangeline... Hendricks."

"Do you, Gray Gavin take Evangeline Hendricks to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love, to cherish, in wealth and in poverty, in sickness and in health, till death do you apart?"

Gray met my eyes. He was the perfect psycho, I swear.

"Yes," he answered, almost like he was taunting me. "I do."

My lips parted, the gun cold against my skin. "Please," I said again, trying my luck.

"Do you, Evangeline Hendricks, take Gray Gavin to be your lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health, in poverty and in wealth, till death do you apart? "

I swallowed, my eyes pleading, my chest heaving hard. Gray took a step forward, the gun pressing further against my skin.

"Answer," he said, his voice low and threatening, the same manic smile lifting his lips. "Now."

I turned to the priest, who gave a small sigh, then turned away.

"Do you, Evangeline Hendricks, take Gray Gavin to be your lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health, in poverty and wealth, till death do you apart?"

Gray tilted his head slightly forward, then moved the gun. He suddenly shot a blank upwards, causing me to shriek, my eyes wide. He brought back the gun, this time to my forehead, his eyes set in stone.

"Do you?" He asked, his voice low.

"Yes," I said, knowing I had no way out. "Yes, I do."