Chapter 8 - The Vow Fulfilled
Three weeks later, the snow had melted, giving way to the crisp, clear air of early spring.
I stood in front of the full-length mirror in the master bedroom of the Kane estate. I was no longer wearing a nineteen-dollar thrift-store dress. Today, I wore an elegant, custom-tailored ivory silk gown that hugged my frame perfectly.
There were no armed men drinking bourbon, no snickering lieutenants, and no fake smiles.
A knock sounded at the door, and Everett walked in. He looked impossibly handsome in his formal black tuxedo, his hair styled, the scar across his eyebrow giving him an edge of dangerous elegance.
"The guests are waiting downstairs," Everett said, leaning against the doorframe, watching me through the mirror. "Are you nervous?"
"Not at all," I replied, turning around to face him. "We already survived the hard part."
He walked over to me, stepping into my personal space, and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small velvet box and opened it. Inside sat a breathtaking platinum ring, encrusted with flawless diamonds that caught the sunlight pouring through the window.
He gently slid off the cheap gold band I had put on his finger during that fake ceremony and replaced it with the new ring. Then, he slipped a matching platinum band onto his own finger.
"The first ceremony was Sterling's farce," Everett said softly, holding my hand tightly in his. "This one is ours."
I looked up into his stormy grey eyes, seeing the man who had laid silent for eight months listening to the world betray him, but who had chosen to trust me when he had nothing left.
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"When I stood in that chapel," I whispered, repeating the words I had spoken to him when he was trapped inside his own body, "I told you I would never betray you."
Everett leaned down, pressing his forehead against mine, his breath warm against my lips. "And I heard every word," he murmured softly. "Now, let's go show Chicago who really rules this city."
