Page 97 of Raven
Then out loud. “They are not just my rings to cherish. They are ours. Always ours.” She took River and Rowan’s hands across the table, seeking a moment to compose herself.
“They are ours,” she repeated. “I will wear this bracelet today... a happy, momentous day... but you, my sisters, will promise to wear it on your most happy occasions too. Promise.”
“Promise.”
“Promise.”
“Jaysus,” Nan cursed, “and just look at our faces, girls! It will take a miracle to put us to rights. Raven, if you cry again, Bran will think you the most miserably, sad bride to ever say ‘I do.’”
Raven picked up the hand mirror and peeked at her face. “Good Lord! Please tell me you guys can fix,” she made circular motions over her face, “this... and you might want to look at your own faces as well.”
Gasps of horror all around. Exactly. “River, text Pat and tell him we need an extra 20 to 30 minutes. No questions answered.”
Pat toldhim the girls were running late, and Bran went into instant panic mode. Hehadrailroaded Raven with the whole quick wedding idea, but she’d seemed good with it.
Now, she wouldn’t answer his texts.
He paced for all of ten minutes. No, he wasn’t waiting. He wouldnotwait if something was wrong.
He ran up the stairs and banged on her door. “Raven, it’s Bran. Open the door.” He heard an ‘Oh my,’ a ‘Seriously,’ and a ‘Fucking O’Faolains,’ but Raven immediately swung the door open. Her face was red, and she still had tears beading her lashes.
“What the hell, babe?” Bran was crushed. “We don’t have to get married today. We can do it next month or two years from now. I... shouldn’t have pushed.”
When Raven gently moved him out of the doorway so she could step into the hallway with him, his body tensed. She was wearing a long, billowy robe that he swore looked like one of Bébhinn’s.
When she shut the door behind her, leaving them alone, he freaked the fuck out.
“Pretend you’re not seeing your bride before the ceremony,” she said while gently touching two fingers to his cheek. His tension eased moderately. It was a sign of affection she and the girls used for each other.
“Raven.” Bran closed his eyes and breathed deeply. “Haveyou changed your mind?” He wouldn’t be angry or even blame her. He’d put her through hell. Hewouldspend however long it took to win her over until she was sure.
“Never, Bran. When I told you that you were it for me, I meant it.” She started to tear up again before admitting it was missing her parents that had derailed her. Bran wanted to pound his fists into the wall outside her room. Shout to anyone listening that he was an idiot.
Of course, she was missing her parents on a day such as this. Damn it. Why hadn’t he thought of it? He had his father. His mother was gone by choice. She didn’t have either, and by no one’s choosing.
“Oh, babe. I didn’t think. Of course, you want them, miss them. What can I do?” Bran pulled her into his arms and stroked gently down her back. “Would you rather do this at a courthouse? No fuss? Just the two of us?”
She hugged him back tightly before backing out of his embrace and looking up at him. “No. Nan and my sisters got me through it. Truly,” she said when he looked at her askance. “Give me time to... do something with my puffy eyes. I promise I’ll be meeting you downstairs.” She smiled then and touched her ears. “Thank you for these. They’re so beautiful.”
Bran touched one of the earrings before gently tracing his finger against her jawline. His thumb ran over her lips before he replaced it with his mouth, pressed firmly to her own— apromise. Still sharing her breath, Bran whispered, “Thank you, Raven. Thank you so much for never giving up on me. On us.”
“I would never have been whole again without you, Bran,” Raven whispered back against his lips.
Moving back a step, Bran put his hands around her biceps. “You are all I see. Your love is all I’ll ever need. I’ll go downstairs and wait because you’ve promised to meet me, because you said you would, and I trust you... with me... with my heart.” Placing one more gentle kiss on her mouth, he left Raven to finish getting ready.
Forty-five minutes later, Bran watched Raven, arm in arm in arm with her sisters, walk toward him. His dad and Patrick touched his back as they neared, perhaps as moved by the site of the Byrne sisters as he was.
Dad and Patrick stood to his left, River and Rowan to his right, with Raven facing Bran. He took her delicate hands into his much larger ones. As the priest had them recite vows— promises— he was honored... humbled that this woman would be his... that he would be hers. Always.
Bran was married. He had a wife, and Raven had to be the most beautiful bride in the history of brides. They’d cut the cake, made toasts, kissed, hugged, and gotten advice from Gran and Raven’s Nan. Now he held a low ball of Tullamore Dew and watched his wife, River, and Rowan sit with the matriarchs of the family, laughing and probably saying all sorts of unflattering things about Bran. He couldn’t care less. He was the happiest of men, even with the threat of Delton and the security guards looming in the background— the luckiest of men.
Jo was handing a gift box to Raven. They were smiling and laughing as she undid the tan-colored bow, probably beige. He’d heard the name of that color about five hundred times in the past several weeks.
His wife slipped the lid off and set it aside. Pulling the tissue off, Raven glanced at Bran, smiling mischievously as she pulled out a nude-colored, silk... transparent... something... nightgown? He released his wall lean, pulled slowly toward his bride. The thought of his wife wearing see-through anything— magnetic.
Almost where he needed to be, by her side, she stood, still clutching the slip of silk, and turned to... MacGregor? To Bran’s shock, and most assuredly the guard’s, Raven hugged the man whose arms were frozen like pillars at his sides.
“Thank you for the lovely present, Honey Bunny. It’s one of my favorite colors.” MacGregor’s eyes found Jo’s— retribution would be swift. Bran didn’t think the determined Ms. O’Connor cared.
