Page 4 of Misrule
A few days later, the sound of Knox’s voice caught Roxy off-guard. They’d just witnessed vow renewals between Outlaw and Meggie. Once Outlaw grabbed Meggie’s hand and walked from where they’d stood at the DJ’s booth, Roxy had turned away to find food. Now, Knox had recaptured everyone’s attention with his greeting.
“Roxanne, if I can have a moment of your time?” he asked politely, lasering her with a smoldering gaze.
Swallowing, Roxy grinned as everybody’s focus turned her way. She didn’t want to get all googly-eyed and jump to conclusions…but, fuck it, she was getting all fucking googly-eyed and jumping to conclusions that Knox was about to propose to her.
Her heart hammering, she sashayed her way to where her man stood, so extraordinarily handsome, tall, and fine looking in his tuxedo. The moment she reached him, he bent and brushed his lips over hers.
“From the moment we met, you’ve captivated me,” he said gruffly into the microphone.
She opened her mouth to respond, but he placed a finger over her lips.
“You bring excitement and passion to my life. You mean the world to me. I love you with all my heart and soul.” He dropped down on one knee.
Roxy’s hands flew to her mouth, and she felt light-headed. She’d been married three fucking times and not one of her previous husbands ever got down on one knee. To her, that was a romantic dream that happened to other women.
Knox dug into his jacket pocket and produced a princess cut diamond engagement ring.
Tears rushed to Roxy’s eyes. Her hands dropped from her mouth; one fluttered to her chest.
“Will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?”
She released a sob-laugh and nodded. “Yes,” she said in a low, watery voice.
“She said yes, everyone,” Knox spoke into the microphone.
Amidst cheers and whoops, he laid the microphone on the floor, took Roxy’s hand into his own and held the ring up.
“This was my father’s great-grandmother’s ring,” he told her. “I picked it up just yesterday after having it adjusted for you. My great-great-grandparents had a happy, long-lasting marriage, so wearing this ring will bring us nothing but happiness.”
He raised the ring for onlookers to view. The light hitting the diamond made it gleam and revealed the culet underneath.
A premonition of doom hit Roxy, speeding her heartbeat up. His words were based in lore and myth, she knew, but she had a few of her own that seemed to prick her with unease.
He’d picked up her ring on a Friday. Strike one against their future union. Fuck Friday the 13th. For whatever reason—probably a fucked up one where a bride and her wedding party had been slaughtered—purchasing a ring on a Friday was bad luck.
“Do you like it?” he asked with uncertainty as she stood in silence, staring at the ring.
“I love it, Knox,” she told him, the truth. Yet, somewhere, she’d read or heard that having such a prominent culet invited evil spirits to enter the ring and put a curse on the wearer.
Logic told her it was just old New Orleans legend, where voodoo queens and ghost legends featured as prominently in the city’s history as real people. But each of Roxy’s previous marriages had failed and she’d prefer not to invite catastrophe into her union with Knox.
She loved him so very much.
“Sweetheart, if you would prefer your own ring…”
The swift kiss she pressed against his lips interrupted him. “No, Knox. It is beautiful. I’m honored to wear it.” He still held her hand, so she pulled free from his grasp, to hold her hand up.
Taking the hint, Knox offered his heart-stopping smile and slid the beautiful ring onto her finger. He stood, and Roxy stepped into his embrace.
“I love you, Knox,” she said, shaking from all the emotion flowing through her. Despite her overwhelming happiness, she couldn’t shake her sense of foreboding.
He kissed her temple. “And I love you, sweetheart.”
“Oh my God, Momma!” Bailey squealed as she rushed up to Roxy. “Let me see the ring.”
Mortician held his hand out to Knox. “About time you make an honest woman out my momma-in-law.”
Roxy had no choice but to step out of Knox’s hold. “We’ll celebrate later,” she whispered with a wink.
