“Brad’s here. And he and Charles are getting into it.”
Looking around the bedroom, Jayla couldn’t hide her confusion. “How in the world do you know that?”
“I just got a Twitter update.” She raised her phone for Jayla to see.
#TeamBrad #GoAwayCharles #ItsAboutToGoDown @Gmya
HEARING CHARLES TELL him Jayla was getting ready for the ceremony had Brad seeing red. Without even thinking, he cocked his fist back and punched Charles, connecting with his chin. Charles went down hard.
A collective gasp went through the wedding guests as they froze for about five seconds, stunned by Brad’s knockout blow. Then chaos erupted. Brad had never seen so many cell phones pulled out of pockets and purses at the same time. Flashes went off all around him as half of the guests took pictures of a knocked-out Charles. The other half were furiously typing into their phones or making phone calls. Brad felt a hand on his shoulder, and Pastor Jim leaned across his body, taking a picture with his cell phone.
“I’m going to put this on my Facebook page,” someone in the crowd yelled.
Jayla came storming out of the house and straight down the aisle toward Brad with her cell phone in hand. This prompted a very old and very confused Great-Aunt Ernesta, who was sitting and waiting at the piano, to begin playing the “Wedding March.”
Brad swallowed hard as Jayla stomped down the aisle. Her white strapless dress clung to her curves. Her hair was pinned up high on her head, showcasing the slender column of her neck. Her stern mouth, glaring eyes, and clenched fists almost brought tears to his eyes.
When Jayla reached Brad, Great-Aunt Ernesta stopped playing the piano. A very pissed-off Jayla placed a hand on her hip and pushed a finger into his chest.
“Brad, what are you doing?”
“I’m speaking now without forever holding my peace.”
“Good one, Brad,” one of the wedding-party members yelled out.
“Way to go, Brad,” someone else whooped.
“’Bout time you got here,” a voice that sounded very much like Jayla’s father hollered.
Jayla ignored Brad’s cheering section and focused on him. “Did you think of the line on the way over?” she bit out, narrowing her eyes at him.
“Yeah, actually, I did.”
Looking down at her vibrating phone, she turned to glower at her cousin. “Ray, can you stop tweeting the play-by-play of the goings-on of the wedding? The world doesn’t need to know Charles got knocked out.”
“It was awesome. I wish I could have videotaped it,” someone Brad hadn’t met yet added, looking disappointed.
“I got it, man,” Ray proclaimed. “I already uploaded it to YouTube. I posted a link on my Facebook page. It’s gotten thirty-six hits already.”
Brad could hear the pecks of their pack’s fingers typing into their phones.
Reaching for Jayla’s shoulders, he tried to recapture her attention. “I have to talk to you.”
“Let me guess: the urge hit ya in the middle of working out?”
Brad looked down at his sneakers, shorts, and tank top. He grimaced. The thought of changing never crossed his mind. He’d been in such a panic to get to her, he’d never considered his appearance.
“I came as soon as I found out what was happening.”
“How wonderful for you.” She turned, pulling away from him.
“Please. You can’t marry him.”
Jayla spun around to face him again. “What?”
“I won’t allow it.”
“Won’t allow? Don’t you dare come barging in here barking orders at me.” Once again her statement ended on a squeaky high-pitched note.
“Like hell I won’t.”
Jayla finally looked down at Charles, still lying limp on the ground. “Why the hell did you knock him out…again?”
“Because I don’t like him. And I’ll keep knocking his ass out until…”
“Until what?”
“Until you listen to me.”
“You gave up your speaking rights when you walked out on me.”
“I didn’t walk out on you.”
“Oh, no?”
“Jayla, please. I want to be with you.”
She froze, staring into his eyes. The void look on her face almost caused Brad to repeat his words. Then she snapped out of her daze.
“So what? Your wolf wants to fuck me.”
Another collective gasp went through the crowd.
“Jayla Lavette Stanton.” Her shoulders rose as she cringed at her mother’s scolding tone. “Shame on you, using language unbefitting of a young lady.”
Brad reached for Jayla’s shoulders, getting her attention again. “It’s not just my wolf, Jayla.”
“Yes, it is, Brad.”
“No, it’s not. I want you. The man I am and the wolf I am, all of me wants you.”
“You don’t.” She turned away from him again and walked down the aisle back toward the house.
“Damn it, woman. Look at me. I’ve never been more serious or sure of anything in my life.” He grasped her arm, spinning her back toward him.
Jayla shook her head as tears rolled down her face. “Please don’t do this to me. Don’t say this to me, Brad. I know you. I know how much of a jealous ass you are. And right now you’ll do and say anything to make sure I stay away from Charles.”
“You’re right. I’m a jealous ass, and the thought of you marrying him has me going insane. But it’s more than that. I always thought it was my wolf that would never be tamed. Didn’t want to be tamed. But I was wrong. You came along, and you changed everything. Not just because you’re my mate.”
Another collective gasp went through the crowd, and words that didn’t belong at a wedding filled the air.
“Son…of…a…bitch.”
Brad was sure it was Jayla’s mother who’d cursed. It was his turn to cringe, lifting his shoulders in shame in the process.
It left Brad no choice but to address his audience, to quiet them down so he could continue to hash things out with Jayla.
“Yes. Jayla is my mate.”
“Shameful. How could you, Brad. You shunned your mate. I find that very suspicious. I just unfriended you on Facebook.” Grandma Maya shook her cell phone in the air, waving it in Brad’s direction.
Turning toward Grandma Maya, Brad mouthed the words, I’m sorry.
Scanning the crowd until he found Jayla’s parents, Brad knew he needed to address them.
“Mr. and Mrs. Stanton. I’m sorry. We were both confused and scared and blindsided by everything happening. I ask for you to please forgive me. I hope one day I can earn your trust back.”
The Stantons looked at each other, then turned back to Brad. They both offered him a brief nod, indicating for the moment his words were enough.
Brad turned from the crowd to face Jayla once again, and his heart constricted at the sadness on her face. “Jayla, baby, please.”
“Please what, Brad? Please don’t end our sexcapades?”
“Jayla…”
“You did it. You proved you could tame your wolf. You were able to walk away from me.”
“I walked away because I realized I love you. It scared the shit out of me. I fled like a coward. I’ve never loved anyone before. I’ve never wanted to love anyone. I’ve never wanted to give someone the power to hurt me. But since then I’ve realized finding a mate isn’t about taming your wolf. You didn’t tame my wolf. You tamed my heart. That makes you mine. Always mine. Forever, Jayla.”
She began to sob uncontrollably, covering her face with her hands. Brad gently pulled her delicate fingers from her eyes, and with the pads of his thumbs he tenderly brushed her tears away. His mouth sought hers, and he kissed her.
“Marry me.” He whispered his request against her lips.
“Brad…”
Touching his forehead against hers, Brad closed his eyes and listened to her heartbeat. He found solace in the rhythm of her pulse. It was the only thing that meant a damn.
“Jayla. I love you.” His voice cracked with emotion as tears formed in his eyes. “I don’t want to be alone anymore. I don’t want to be without you. I can’t go back to a life without you a part of it. I choose you. I choose you as my mate, my lover, my partner, the woman I’ll always love. I’m sorry it took me so long to admit it.”
She shut her eyes tight. “Brad,” she whispered.
“Please. I’m begging you. Don’t leave me. I need you. Please. Please marry me.”
Kissing her again, he stared into her face, searching for an answer.
“Please, Jayla.”
Opening her eyes, she gave him a dazzling smile as she nodded. “I love you, Brad. I choose you. Of course I’ll marry you.”
The whole wedding party erupted in cheers as Brad and Jayla wrapped their arms around each other. Brad held Jayla until her sobs subsided, and he kissed all her tears away. Once her breathing returned to normal, he looked into her eyes.
He jerked his head in Charles’s direction. “Can we throw his ass out?”
“Brad. I’m not getting married. This isn’t my wedding.”
“What? But I got a phone call saying you were marrying Charles.”
Both Brad and Jayla missed when Grandma Maya turned and winked at Cousin Ray.
“No. Aunt Camille and Uncle Drew are renewing their vows. It was a last-minute surprise anniversary gift.”
“Oh, shit. But Charles was standing by the pastor when I got here.”
“Poor thing was just making small talk.”
Epilogue
Exactly one year later, Brad waited for Jayla to walk down the aisle. They both wanted a small, intimate wedding, but of course Jayla’s clan was so pleased they were indeed mates that it became the event of the century. Grandma Maya refriended Brad on Facebook and chose to sit on his side of the church as a show of love and support for him. The couple banned cell phones from their wedding.
Jayla still resigned from Graybar and Associates, choosing instead to take a little time off and figure out what she wanted to do next. She found herself loving her new life. She gave up her apartment, and she and Brad moved in together. She loved playing house.
As the two kissed, cementing their vow of commitment toward each other, a cheer went through the guests.
Brad reached into his pocket, pulled Jayla to him, and took a picture of the two of them.
“I gotta put this on my Facebook page.”
“You are in so much trouble. We banned cell phones. How does it look if the only people not abiding by the rules are the rule implementers?”
Chaos erupted as every single wedding guest pulled a cell phone out of either a purse or a pocket and began taking pictures, tweeting, Facebooking, and uploading videos to YouTube.
Brad looked around at the members of his clan, his pack, his family. Pride filled his soul as he watched the crazy, chaotic scene before him. Yes, this group of shifters was certifiably crazy, but he wouldn’t want them any other way. Tightening his grip around his bride’s waist, he couldn’t help the huge smile that spread across his face. Brad was happy. He felt complete, and all it took was the love of one feisty little wolf and her crazy clan.
His Wolf's Desire Page 17