Page 76 of Under His Rule
“Yup.”
I hummed. “I’ll remember that for the honeymoon.”
He playfully smacked me, and we separated to get dressed for dinner with my family. It was an interesting thing. I still got urges to kill—I didn’t believe that would ever go away. I didn’t care either way; at least, I never used to in the past. What I did care about was how Wynn looked at me. What he thought of me.
He’d promised not too long ago he’d help me. He understood that I only killed bad people, or, as he’d said, questionable people. I was sure if the compulsion to kill became too much and I said something to him, he’d do everything he could to help me. He told me that Ridgeway had found witnesses to a man taking people, and that some had even sworn they’d heard my voice. I’d make sure to destroy that getup and either get a voice modulator or keep my mouth shut. It was just one way Wynn was already helping me.
I loved Wynn…well, what I understood about it. For me it was a deep obsession, one that in my heart I knew would never go away, and that was fine by me. Everything was better with Wynn, quieter.
A few days ago I’d been feeling that itch beneath my skin, sure I was going to have to do something, but then I’d seen Wynn smile in the garden. He’d called me to join him, and it haddiminished. He was in love with the peonies, and had needed to show me. I’d walked right over to him, bypassed the flowers, and held on to him like a lifeline.
Part of him had to have known what was going on in my head, because he’d whispered that he was here and whatever I needed he would help. That was the first time the urge had ever dissipated without me actually taking a life. Was Wynn some sort of cure? I wasn’t sure, but I’d spend forever finding out.
EPILOGUE
Wynn
Wedding Day
My mother adored Julian.She called him words like angel, sweetheart, dear. I had a good laugh with Grace over them, but I let her believe it all. Everyone was thrilled that we were getting married, including me.
I loved Julian. I was stupidly in love with the psychopath, and that was fine with me. I was truly at peace with my choices. It’s a good thing too, because a royal wedding was a test of that love. It wasn’t like what I was used to. No. It was parades, interviews, dinners, more interviews. It was a lot. It all came to an end with the wedding day…which, thankfully, was today.
“You look so handsome.” I turned and saw Hannah, Seth, and Mark in the doorway.
“It’s too fancy, though, right?” I stared at my reflection. I was in a fitted navy-blue suit that had layers and scarves and who the fuck knew. I did look good, but it was a lot.
“It’s just right for marrying a prince.” Seth smiled and adjusted my tie. “It’s time, however, so no more questioning anything. Let’s move.”
I chuckled as I followed him out. It was a grand affair with a ton of traditions. My family didn’t really have any of those, so I was happy to keep with the Davaros’s.
Both parents walked me down the aisle toward my prince. Apparently, your gender didn’t matter—when someone was being “offered” to royalty, you were walked over to them. Traditions.
Julian was a wet dream in his black suit, covered in medallions and all sorts of things I didn’t understand. I wanted to whisk him away, just the two of us together. But I had to get hitched first; then it was two whole weeks honeymooning. I couldn’t wait.
It was a long ceremony with vows, four types of candles to light, three speeches, singing, and finally we got to kiss. By far my favorite part of the ceremony.
Once they announced us, and I held his hand down the aisle, something I didn’t realize that was missing slid into place. I was married, to a prince…who, yes, was a killer but hey, a prince. More importantly, I was wed to Julian. A man I would never have chosen for myself and maybe that was why our paths had crossed.
Maybe Julian and I were always supposed to be together. The yin and the yang. The bread and butter, the moon and the sun. I loved that thought, and as I danced with him—our first as husband and husband—I let the happiness wash over me.
Our love story was going to be legendary. While a lot would be omitted, I couldn’t wait to tell our children of the love we had and how against all odds we made it to the altar and into forever.
“I love you, Wynn Davaros.”
I peered into his eyes. “Word on the street is that I’m a prince now.”
“Hmm…a prince consort, actually.”
“Still a prince.” I chuckled and pressed my face to his chest. “I can’t believe I’m married.”
“A good disbelief?”
I nodded. “The best.”
Eventually, Julian would be king, and he’d be in charge of all of the Lamdera Islands. I, as his husband, would stand, sit, and walk beside him, supporting him completely. I believed he’d be an amazing ruler, and I believed any horrible person that wandered onto his islands that did wrong things, or residents who broke the law and wasn’t handled justly, would discover that under his rule, they’d be dealt with, and I’d make sure to love him through it and tame the beast within.
The song ended, and I looked up at him. “I love you, Julian.”
I was rewarded with a rare smile, one only for me…and yeah, I wasn’t going anywhere.
