Authors: Cat Mason
“Yeah, she is.” I agree, because it’s true. “Don’t even think about it fucker.” My eyes never leave her as I grind out my warning. Her fingers stumble on the neck, making her body stiffen, but she recovers quickly. Her voice is smooth with just a little bit of edge. Giving and bending with every chord she plays, flowing seamlessly. I don’t think I have ever been as excited to sing a damn love song as I am right now, knowing that I will be singing with her. I know I should be the bigger man and let her live happily ever after with some fucker like Mitch. But right now, I want nothing more than to run to her. I need to watch those amazing hazel eyes fill with love for me like they did in Tennessee. To be able to tell her that I have never wanted anything as much as I want to make this work with her, that I believe I could do it.
“Yeah, I get it. Just another broad that is a ‘do not open your fly zone’ for me. I gotcha.” Mack replies, bitterly. “One day, you assholes will all be taken. Then there’ll only be me left for all the sexy ladies to play with.”
Ignoring Mack’s bitch fest, I shut the door behind me and walk up the aisle toward Chase. I listen to her voice caress the song, making love to every note. Her fingers curl, sliding along my guitar reminding me how they felt on me every time she touched me. My dick jumps at the thought of driving into her heat again.
Down boy, that’s not happening. Not after the way you dismissed her like she was a worthless piece of ass, thinking you were being noble.
“Hunter.” Chase deadpans, her eyes flutter open pinning me mid-step.
“Tiger Lily,” I whisper, because I really just don’t know what to say.
Her eyes change. Suddenly, they are cold and distant, giving nothing away. “I didn’t change your tuning or anything.” She says standing, before sitting the guitar on the stool. “I just wanted to warm up. Gotta go check on Cam and Daisy. You know, someone has to make sure the borrowed and blue are all tended to.” Turning on her heel, she starts around the pew and up the aisle, away from me.
“Tiger Lily,” I repeat, more insistent this time. Desperate to make her turn and face me.
“Don’t call me that.” She chokes out, stopping in her tracks. Her head droops, the gorgeous crimson hair I dream about veiling around her face, making my heart nearly stop beating. Shaking her head, Chase blows out a shaky breath obviously trying to gather her strength to tell me to go to hell. “Never call me that again. I’m not your Tiger Lily, Hunter. I’m nothing to you.” Her tone goes arctic cold.
“You can’t really believe that, Chase. I’m sorry about Nashville. I never meant to hurt you.”
In three strides I am behind her. My hands itch to touch her, feel her. I want to hold her, make her feel anything other than whatever it is going through her head right now. My fingers skim along her shoulder, pushing hair away, baring her soft skin. Leaning down, I run my lips along the base of her throat, making her shudder. “Please, talk to me.” I whisper against her ear.
Chase sways on her feet a bit. Instinctively, I slide my arm around her waist, steadying her against me. Her breath hitches as I spin her in my arms to face me, desperate to swallow all her doubt with my kiss. Even with the sky high silver heels she has on I am still probably a foot taller than her. My fingers slide along her collarbone, then higher, tipping her chin to meet my eyes. “Say something. Shit, babe, say anything.”
Her lips part and I can feel her body tremble as I wait for her to speak. “Hunter, please” she starts just as the front door to the chapel flies open making us both jump.
“Here Cums the Bride…” Mack sings with Henry, Aiden and Gray following behind him. Chase pulls away from me like I am the plague. Mack stops halfway down the aisle. “Oh, are we interrupting something?” He asks waggling his brows, his gaze drifting between Chase and me.
“No, nothing.” Chase blurts, quickly moving around them and disappearing around a corner.
I glare at them all. “Thanks a lot, assholes. I was trying to make that woman actually talk to me.”
“That’s new, Cunter. Since when do you wanna
talk
to Chase?” Grayson teases, plopping into the front pew.
“This is serious, peen queen.” I growl at Gray. “I don’t want it to end between us the way it did.”
“You had better cap that shit off for now.” Aiden warns. “Luke and Mitch are right behind us. Do not start a damn brawl at my wedding. Cam will remove your balls with a spoon.”
“Daisy and Cam actually said a rusty spoon.” Henry adds. “Pick your battles man, knowing when to fight and when to retreat is the only way to win the war.” He says and I swear to myself if he starts singing ‘
Love Is A Battlefield’
I’ll sell that slab of beef he calls a dick on EBay to someone who deserves it.
“What war is that, Big Man?” Luke asks angrily from the doorway. “I know that he wouldn’t be attempting to fight for my sister.” Mitch comes up behind him, his hands clenching into fists.
“Listen,” Gray starts, holding up his hands. “Nothing is happening here today. This is Cam and Aiden’s wedding and the last thing any of us wants is for this day to be uncomfortable for anyone.”
“Places boys!” A woman shouts, shoving around Luke. “Everyone take your seats, the bride is ready!”
I look to Luke, giving him a nod of peace. His face, however, remains stone. No doubt in my mind he is killing me over and over again in his head and pissing on my ashes. Dropping the issue for now, I walk up to the front and grab my guitar. It’s time to put on that front again, but as Chase walks up the aisle laughing at something Daisy whispers into her ear, I find it harder and harder not to just handle this shit here and now.
Walking up to me, she avoids looking at me at all costs. If she thinks, for one minute, that I believe she doesn’t want me as bad as I want her, then she is crazy.
Guess you’re not ready to let her go then, are ya?
My eyes drift to where Mitch is sitting, smirking at me. My middle finger drags along the frets and I smile when his eyes harden.
Game on motherfucker, game on.
When the doors open I start strumming the chords lightly. Camaron starts her walk down the aisle to Aiden. My eyes glance over at my brother, and I am in awe of the look of love on his face. He sees nothing going on around him, his smile spreads across his face showing how truly happy he is to finally have this moment after all they have been through.
Cam doesn’t even make it halfway down the aisle before Aiden starts toward her. “What the hell are you doing man?” Gray asks. “She’s supposed to come to you.”
Aiden grabs her, the minute she is in reach, slamming his mouth to hers. Cam relaxes against him as he hoists her up into his arms. “That’s the last time I kiss Camaron Allen. From now on, I’ll be kissing my wife.” He explains, carrying her up the aisle to the now laughing Elvis impersonator. “For the record, bedroom titles aside, I will always meet you halfway, baby.” He adds earning him sniffles from Chase and Daisy both, as he wipes the tear from Cam’s cheek once he settles her onto her feet again.
“Damn, that was smooth, man.” Mack says from back pew. “Not even got the ring on and your divin’ face first into the pussy whip.”
“If we can get this started,” Elvis interrupts. “There’s food and an open bar waitin’.” After Aiden and Cam both nod, he continues. “Now, we are gathered here to join Camaron and Aiden in marriage. Though they’ve decided to exchange vows privately later. However, Aiden has something he wants to say, so I’ll go ahead and turn it over to him.”
“Camaron, my bass-line, the beat as constant as my own heart, I love you more than I ever thought possible. You’ve given me so much just by being by my side. I’ll never come close to expressing the depth of what I feel for you, baby, but I’ll spend the rest of my life givin’ it all I got if you’ll let me.” Reaching in his pocket, Aiden pulls out the gift he bought Cam late last night when we were supposed to be out ‘drinking’. When he holds up the choker, Cam’s eyes immediately fill with tears. “Hunter and I spent hours last night looking for just the right piece to symbolize what we are, what we have. The blue stones are you, the black are me.” He explains, “See how we hold each other together baby? How the two of us as one are stronger than we could ever be apart? Take one away from the other and we aren’t whole.”
Cam nods before turning around so that he can put it around her neck. “I’ll never take it off Aiden, I love it.” She chokes out between sobs.
The ceremony continues and I zone out, watching Chase fidget beside me. Nervously, she shifts from foot to foot and I can’t help but wonder why. My hand slides to the small of her back, reassuring her. Everyone is watching the ceremony as Aiden and Cam exchange rings, oblivious to me leaning in to Chase’s ear. It is almost innocent, since we are sharing a mic. Her breathing accelerates, but she continues to stare straight ahead. “Tiger Lily, is it me making you nervous or what we are about to do?”
Her spine straightens, and she bites her lip before answering. “You’re irritating; you don’t make me nervous, Hunter.” She mutters under her breath so only I can hear. I smile against her ear, letting my lip run along the rim.
“Then is it the fact that I’m about to sing a duet with you, or that I’m desperate to take you back to my hotel room and fuck you making you nervous at all?” I ask, making her entire body tremble. “That’s what I plan to do, Tiger Lily. Do you remember how good it is babe?” My hand slides down to her ass, her mouth pressing into a hard line as the blush spreads across her face. “You remember.” I confirm, removing my hand just as Elvis looks over to us.
“I believe you two have a song to perform for the couple, correct?” He asks.
Chase barely manages to nod before I start playing. As I start the first verse of ‘
The Love I Live For’ by Hinder,
I ignore the fact that everyone is watching and give everything I have to the song. Not just for Aiden and Cam, but for this moment with Chase. The more I sing about how thankful a man is for a love he doesn’t deserve, it becomes clear to me how lucky Aiden is. Not to be her first, or even her only, but because Cam wanted him to be her last.
All the others fade away. Nothing matters but what he lives for: her love. Love isn’t about being worthy; it’s about so much more than that. It doesn’t change the fact that I still don’t think it would ever work, but I can’t deny that I feel something for Chase. What’s worse; I am probably selfish enough to binge on her love until I leave her broken inside.
Her voice comes in on the chorus, floating octaves above mine. My eyes lock on hers as we sing. Luckily, my fingers know the chords by heart, because I would screw this whole thing up getting lost in her eyes. Our mouths close enough that the only thing really separating them is the mic and a few inches of air. By the time the song ends, everyone is on their feet clapping. Chase’s eyes, which seconds ago were softened and focused solely on me while we sang, are now quickly shuttered as she turns away and focuses on the ceremony once more.
“I don’t see anyone here objecting to this union.” The Chunk of Burnin’ Love says, hurrying this along so he can hit the bar and buffet. “May I be the first to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Aiden Chesterfield. You may kiss the bride.”
“‘Bout fuckin’ time,” Aiden growls, grinning like a madman. Cam leaps into his arms. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she claims his mouth. While he kisses her, everyone whoops and yells for them to get a room.
“All they really need is a dim hallway, or even better, a bathroom.” I toss out, making Aiden and Cam both flip me off. “You realize that could be the official signal for Shaft right? Batman has the bat signal, we have the Shaft signal.” I laugh, tossing my middle fingers up in the air.
Yanking the guitar strap over my head, I toss it into the case under the pew; looking up just in time to see Chase make a break for the hallway with Mitch hot on her heels. Making my way over, I kiss Cam on the cheek and pat my brother on the back in congratulations. Gray and Henry stand against the wall talking to Daisy, but eye me suspiciously. “Think carefully about the shit you got brewin’ in your head, man.” Henry says in warning.
“I know what I’m doing, mom.” I bite out. “Just stay out of it and give me some room.”
Daisy turns to face me, worry etched all over her face. “You promised me no problems today, Hunter.” She reminds me, “Starting a fight with Chase and Mitch would be a problem.”
“I’m not going to fight with anyone here, okay?” I assure her. “Everything is fine. Now, I’m going to hit the can then it’s time to party.” Walking away, I end the conversation and head into the hallway where I can hear Mitch arguing with Chase.
“I didn’t like it and I don’t want you anywhere near him. Luke nearly removed his vocal chords through his belly button earlier.” He bites out.
“It sounds like you and my brother have a problem, not me. You should know by now that no one tells me what to do, Mitch. If I want to fuck him along with half the city, that’s my business, not yours and definitely not Luke’s.”
No, not half the city, just me.
I think to myself, with a bit too much excitement. The thought of bending her over a piece of furniture in that room and fucking her makes my dick throb.
“You can’t be serious, Ladybug.” He coos to her, making me want to heave and nearly kills my hard on.
“Go get a beer and congratulate my friends, or slip out the back and I’ll make up an excuse for you. I’m not having this conversation with you or anyone for that matter.” Peeking around through the cracked door, I see Mitch pacing the length of the office in front of Chase. The office looks like an episode of ‘Hoarders’. Bookshelves filled with books, papers, and shit along the walls. Big desk, a couple leather wing-back chairs, all set off by a heavy metal door with ‘Alley Access’ painted on it in white letters.
Finally, he throws his hands up, in frustration. Walking around the desk, he shrugs. “Suit yourself then.” He mutters shoving through the door and out into the back alley.
Rage and jealousy pours through my veins. Flinging the door open with a crash, my chest heaves as I attempt to drag air into my lungs. Chase jumps, bumping into an office chair to face me. I close the door behind me, silently letting her know that I will not allow her to get past me until we talk.