charming smile at Marie. She smiled in return.
“ I should probably give her a few more minutes … just to make sure she’s decent.”
Marie nodded, and as she turned to walk away she mumbled under her breath, “She’d prefer in decent, McHotty.”
“ McHotty?” Gustav laughed.
“ You breathe one word and I will cram one of those flower arrangements down your throat.”
He slumped down on a pew near the back and dropped his head into his hands.
This was such a bad idea . There was no way he would be able to keep his emotions in check.
Gustav eased down next to him, comfortably leaning toward him. “What in the bloody hell are you doing?”
“ Sitting.”
“ Sulking!” Gustav growled.
Nikolai’s teeth ground together and his hands plowed into his hair, balling into fists around the strands. He tugged as hard as he dared, without leaving bald spots.
“ Niko,” Gustav said quietly.
His only answer was a glare cold enough to freeze fire.
Gustav nodded and put his hands up in surrender. “Fine. Be a dumbass.”
The scent of pine needles wafted in and Niko gripped the bench in preparation. Jayson strode through the arched doorway and made his way up the aisle, wearing a tuxedo and the unmistakable smile of a man ready to marry the most desirable woman in the world. Arrogant eyes met Niko’s. The male winked and flashed a smug grin.
Nikolai’s whole body tightened, every muscle prepared to attack. He closed his eyes. The wood of the bench protested under his hold. He let go, only to have his fingers formed fists. Every molecule urged him to fight for her, to evaporate right into her room and take her somewhere secluded where she would learn to love him over time. Damn! Were these the same thoughts his father had had?
Keep your ass in the chair , his thoughts chanted. Keep your ass in the chair. Keep your ass. In. The. Chair!
Air rushed from his lungs as his side absorbed Gustav’s elbow. His eyes flew open to glare at the cheap-shot throwing bastard.
Gustav grabbed hold of his leg, just above his knee and squeezed. He leaned in to hiss. “Get your ass out of that chair.” Another squeeze. “You have five minutes to fix this, five measly minutes to keep her from making the biggest mistake of your life.”
“ I can’t—”
“ You will . We’re all tired of hearing you whine about her. So, either you get in there or I will.” His eyes narrowed, flashing black. “And if I go in there, there will be no secrets left for you to disclose to your beautiful Gabrielle.”
“ You wouldn’t,” Nikolai snarled.
“ Do you really doubt me, brother? After four hundred years, I thought you knew me better than that.”
Nikolai glanced at Vincent, hoping for support. He lifted one shoulder. “We’ll be right here.”
Nikolai stood and nervously smoothed the wrinkles from his slacks. “What if she doesn’t want me?”
“ Stop stalling!” Gustav snorted. “You’ve already wasted more time than you have. Go claim your female!”
No one had to tell him where to find her. He could sense her and it didn’t take long before he stood in front of a closed door. She was on the other side. He stretched his senses, trying to hear something, anything, to offer a hint of what he’d find on the other side. Only silence greeted him. His hand formed a fist and rose to knock. Just before flesh met wood, he heard a soft whimper. A sigh. A sniffle.
Gabby was crying .
An intense protective streak surged through him. He nearly ripped the door from its hinges trying to get to his heart.
She was standing in front of a full-length mirror. He couldn’t help but notice the birthmark on her right shoulder blade; a small upside down heart. Seeing it caused a smile to spread to his lips as he imagined the same mark adorning his chest.
Their gazes met in the reflection. The sadness in her expression killed his smile. She turned between one blink and the next. Her chest rose and fell with shallow breaths. Her
“ I should probably give her a few more minutes … just to make sure she’s decent.”
Marie nodded, and as she turned to walk away she mumbled under her breath, “She’d prefer in decent, McHotty.”
“ McHotty?” Gustav laughed.
“ You breathe one word and I will cram one of those flower arrangements down your throat.”
He slumped down on a pew near the back and dropped his head into his hands.
This was such a bad idea . There was no way he would be able to keep his emotions in check.
Gustav eased down next to him, comfortably leaning toward him. “What in the bloody hell are you doing?”
“ Sitting.”
“ Sulking!” Gustav growled.
Nikolai’s teeth ground together and his hands plowed into his hair, balling into fists around the strands. He tugged as hard as he dared, without leaving bald spots.
“ Niko,” Gustav said quietly.
His only answer was a glare cold enough to freeze fire.
Gustav nodded and put his hands up in surrender. “Fine. Be a dumbass.”
The scent of pine needles wafted in and Niko gripped the bench in preparation. Jayson strode through the arched doorway and made his way up the aisle, wearing a tuxedo and the unmistakable smile of a man ready to marry the most desirable woman in the world. Arrogant eyes met Niko’s. The male winked and flashed a smug grin.
Nikolai’s whole body tightened, every muscle prepared to attack. He closed his eyes. The wood of the bench protested under his hold. He let go, only to have his fingers formed fists. Every molecule urged him to fight for her, to evaporate right into her room and take her somewhere secluded where she would learn to love him over time. Damn! Were these the same thoughts his father had had?
Keep your ass in the chair , his thoughts chanted. Keep your ass in the chair. Keep your ass. In. The. Chair!
Air rushed from his lungs as his side absorbed Gustav’s elbow. His eyes flew open to glare at the cheap-shot throwing bastard.
Gustav grabbed hold of his leg, just above his knee and squeezed. He leaned in to hiss. “Get your ass out of that chair.” Another squeeze. “You have five minutes to fix this, five measly minutes to keep her from making the biggest mistake of your life.”
“ I can’t—”
“ You will . We’re all tired of hearing you whine about her. So, either you get in there or I will.” His eyes narrowed, flashing black. “And if I go in there, there will be no secrets left for you to disclose to your beautiful Gabrielle.”
“ You wouldn’t,” Nikolai snarled.
“ Do you really doubt me, brother? After four hundred years, I thought you knew me better than that.”
Nikolai glanced at Vincent, hoping for support. He lifted one shoulder. “We’ll be right here.”
Nikolai stood and nervously smoothed the wrinkles from his slacks. “What if she doesn’t want me?”
“ Stop stalling!” Gustav snorted. “You’ve already wasted more time than you have. Go claim your female!”
No one had to tell him where to find her. He could sense her and it didn’t take long before he stood in front of a closed door. She was on the other side. He stretched his senses, trying to hear something, anything, to offer a hint of what he’d find on the other side. Only silence greeted him. His hand formed a fist and rose to knock. Just before flesh met wood, he heard a soft whimper. A sigh. A sniffle.
Gabby was crying .
An intense protective streak surged through him. He nearly ripped the door from its hinges trying to get to his heart.
She was standing in front of a full-length mirror. He couldn’t help but notice the birthmark on her right shoulder blade; a small upside down heart. Seeing it caused a smile to spread to his lips as he imagined the same mark adorning his chest.
Their gazes met in the reflection. The sadness in her expression killed his smile. She turned between one blink and the next. Her chest rose and fell with shallow breaths. Her
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