Closer (A Dark Romance, Book 1): The Closer Trilogy

by M. C. Vann

  I couldn’t help, but smile. There was no doubt in answering his question. “I trust you ... with all that I am.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Only two days remained before our wedding and something didn’t feel right. Every second that passed, the idea of getting married grew more amiss in my mind. The church where my parents married was already booked by another couple. The pastor who directed their wedding was also unavailable. It felt like everything was purposely planned against me.

  Unsettling thoughts ran through my head. What if I was being rash? What if this was happening too fast? What if I was making the biggest mistake of my life by marrying a man I only knew so much about?

  I assumed this was what they called cold feet.

  But the sole reason was because of my brother. I wanted him to be present at my wedding, sitting proudly in the audience and smiling up at me. To see me marry the man of my dreams. To see me truly happy for once. That meant a lot to me. I’d always pictured him there, but I knew that wasn’t going to happen.

  Instead of sulking around about Chris not being able to attend, I decided to visit him. I wanted Henry to come along with me because to have Chris give us his blessing, it would mean the world to me. I attempted to call him, but with his workload and hectic schedule, he didn’t pick up his phone. It went straight to voicemail. Though I was disappointed, I couldn’t blame him. Henry and Chris could always meet each other after our wedding.

  Through the glass, Chris looked thinner from the last time I saw him and it worried me. It always worried me. I scolded him as usual, telling him to stop being such a picky eater, he needed to keep up his strength.

  “Ally, you know, I always tell you that you’re my favorite sister,” he stated seriously. “But I say it only because it’s true. And I know how much I have disappointed you. I’m sorry.”

  “Chris ...”

  “I’m so sorry, Ally,” he told me again. “I wish I could be there to support you on your special day, but you know…”

  “It’s okay,” I assured him with a pressed smile. “As long as you support my decision, and you give us your blessing … That’s enough for me.”

  Chris’s brown eyes fell to the floor before speaking quietly into the phone. “Do you love him?”

  “Yes, I really, really do,” I answered without hesitation. And I realized that this was actually the first time I acknowledged my feelings. “I love him. I do. I love Henry.”

  “Then you have my blessing,” Chris said genuinely. He gave me a smile of approval. The uncomfortable constriction that had been buried deep in my chest this entire week dissipated when he uttered those words.

  “Thank you, Chris. I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  When I got back to the apartment, I noticed that Lily had cooked her specialty dish, spaghetti, for lunch and though I hadn’t eaten anything since this morning, I wasn’t hungry yet. I slumped onto the couch and checked my phone to see a text from Henry. My heart skipped at the sight of his name on the screen. I didn’t think I’ll ever get used to it.

  I couldn’t pick up because of a meeting. I’m dying to see you.

  I bit my bottom lip to resist a wide split grin reading the last sentence.

  That’s okay. I went to go see Chris and I just wanted to see if you wanted to join me. I asked for his blessings. I purposely ended my thought there, hoping to keep him suffering in suspense. While I impishly giggled to myself, my text tone rang.

  That’s great. I have another meeting, so I’ll talk to you tomorrow at the rehearsal.

  I guessed he had important things to tend to. I can always tell him tomorrow. Maybe after the rehearsal, I could tell him.

  As soon as tomorrow came, I got myself ready and headed over to Pearce Hotel before noon for rehearsal. Henry and I were having the wedding there actually. Since our wedding was planned with such short notice and the place I wanted was unfortunately booked already, the hotel was the only viable option.

  This time when I walked into the once-intimidating building, the front desk lady didn’t say anything to me. She only smiled and nodded, clearly knowing who I was and how I was related to her boss. Henry’s secretary directed me to his office since he was in the middle of an important meeting with a foreign partner.

  The city of Chicago greeted me as I walked into the room. I approached his neatly arranged desk and noticed a familiar rectangular box next to the monitor. I wondered if Henry had used it yet. I took the initiative of opening the box, revealing only the empty shape of the pen. Satisfyingly, I plopped myself in Henry’s chair. I spun myself around a few times using the tips of my ballet flats until I saw a blurry figure standing in front of the desk with his arms crossed and a sarcastic grin.

  I stopped myself from spinning, suddenly feeling a little dizzy. “Henry.”

  “Ally,” he greeted. His tone was cold and unfamiliar. His silver eyes, hauntingly dark and intense, peered down at me. The way he looked into my eyes, it was ... petrifying. “What are you doing here?”

  “The rehearsal today, remember?” I asked through a mumble. “Henry, is something wrong?”

  The deafening silence prolonged until he let out an exhausted sigh. The bitter image in his eyes vanished as he turned around and collapsed onto one of the two black leather couches. I shook off the deranged image of him just now and rose from the chair. I walked over and seated myself next to him. He laid his head back onto the headrest of the sofa, keeping his eyes covered with the back of his hand.

  “What is it?” I prodded gently.

  “I’m sorry,” he spoke, remaining in his position. “It’s … I’ve just been really busy and stressed about work.”

  “Do you want to tell me about it?”

  “No, it’s nothing of concern for you. It’s just work-related issues.”

  “We can always move the wedding,” I suggested.

  “No!” Henry protested instantly as he shot up from the sofa.

  My eyes widened in shock at his flustered reaction.

  Henry’s lips formed into a relaxed smile as he sat back down. He took my hands in his and his gaze returned slowly back to normal. Those friendly emerald eyes that always knew how to console me.

  “Ally, you silly girl. That’s the only thing that’s keeping me going right now. Knowing you and I will be husband and wife by this time tomorrow ... I won’t say anything. I’m going to be spoiling my vows at this point.”

  “You wrote vows?” I asked. Henry didn’t seem like the type, I thought.

  “You haven’t?”

  I chuckled nervously. “No, I am. I was going to ask if you wanted to do them or not.”

  “Of course, I do. Let’s go down for rehearsal, shall we?” he asked. He stood up and held his right hand out.

  “Okay,” I nodded, lifting my left hand into his.

  We walked through the hallways hand in hand. While others stared and pointed their fingers discreetly at us, I tried to keep my focus on Henry and the warmth radiating from his palm. It would be wonderful if I could hold onto this hand forever. We had been through so much together.

  After tomorrow, I really could hold him, comfort him, and love him for the rest of our lives.

  —————

  “All done now,” Lily said. My best friend gasped slightly as she took a step back to look at me. “It’s true what they say. Women are the most beautiful on their wedding day. You look amazing, Ally.”

  I turned around to look at myself in the mirror. It was true. The white dress fitted nicely along the curves of my body while my skin glowed from the makeup. I almost didn’t recognize the girl staring back at me. She was beautiful. I was beautiful.

  But it didn’t feel right. I didn’t feel like me. Why would Henry want to marry someone like this … Someone like me?

  “What’s wrong, mi amor?” Lily asked, noticing my mood.

  “Nothing.”

  “You’re not getting col
d feet, are you?”

  I shook my head. “No, I’m just … thinking too hard like I always do.”

  “About what?”

  “Why he picked me.”

  “Ally, stop it,” Lily scolded me. Her hands landed on my shoulders, demanding my attention as we both looked into the large mirror. “Stop doubting yourself. He picked you because he saw something special. He picked you because he couldn’t imagine spending his life with anyone else. He picked you because he fell so unconditionally and ardently in love with you. That’s all there is to it. Okay?”

  I nodded my head, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Okay.”

  Lily always knew the right words to say to make me feel better. I wrapped my arms around her, hugging her tightly. After pulling away, she placed the veil on my hair and spun me around to face her.

  “Now smile for me,” she ordered, and I did as she told. “You look beautiful, Ally. Henry would be insane not to marry you today.”

  “Oh, my Ally! You look so gorgeous, my dear,” my boss Nancy beamed as she walked into the hotel room with my sister Eve at her side.

  “Thank you. So do you, Nancy,” I complimented her as she hugged me. It was nice to see her in something nice and fancy, other than her usual work clothes.

  I turned to Eve, nervous to what she was going to say. She had never been one to express her feelings, but I was stunned when she suddenly broke into tears.

  “My little sister is finally getting married!” Eve hollered zealously. “I just can’t believe it. I know I wasn’t the most supportive person, but after talking to Henry, I realize you were right about him. He’s honest, smart, and kind. He really did handle everything with our situation.” She threw her arms around me. “And I don’t know what better way to repay him than to give him my little sister.”

  I could no longer hold in my tears when Eve embraced me. It was like the gentle twist of a key to open up the floodgates of a dam. Needless to say, the makeup artist wasn’t happy with us. She would have to redo her masterpiece again.

  Half an hour later, I stood on the other side of the closed doors, waiting with my handsome ring bearer and adorable flower girl, Eason and Alexis. Eason wore a light purple suit while Alexis wore a similar colored ball gown dress.

  Although they were at my side cheering me on, I still felt anxious. My knees grew weak. My feet wanted to die from wearing these crystal heels I borrowed from Lily, and my mind raced through all the possible situations that could go wrong.

  And then I remembered Henry’s handsome face. The smile that never failed to make my heart skip a beat. The tender kindness that touched my soul. And those eyes that were already on me before I could even look at him. Just him.

  I inhaled a deep breath and looked down at the bouquet of purple tulips and white roses in my hands. It reminded me of that day when Henry and I first bumped into each other in the fields of tulips. It felt so long ago. Who knew we’d be together right now, right here, getting married under one sky for the world to know.

  From inside, I heard the music playing. My eyes shot up just as the doors began to open. As soon as the doors opened, Alexis and I watched as watched Eason went first. Then Alexis followed, she turned around and gestured me to follow with her hand.

  “See, Auntie Ally. I told you Henry was your prince,” she whispered in my ear. I smiled and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Then she smiled and turned away, happily volleying purple petals of tulips down the long, gold carpet.

  When everyone stood from their seats, it was my turn.

  I looked at everyone in the room as I walked down the aisle, making sure not to trip. My eyes briefly scanned over our small group of friends and family — Lily, Adam, Nancy, Nana, Rick, and Eve. They all looked at me, but I only had eyes for one person in the room.

  Henry. My Henry who was already looking at me. Who was always looking my way.

  The man at the altar looked completely astonishing in his tailored tuxedo with a gray vest and a purple tie. He looked handsome in anything. He stood there so confidently, giving me the assurance I needed with a simple smile and his unfailing certainty. His loving gaze never averted from mine as I reached him at the altar. He offered me his hand and I shyly slid mine into his palm, feeling my heart at ease for the first time today.

  “You look beautiful,” Henry mouthed quietly to me.

  “You too,” I mouthed back, earning a silent chuckle from him.

  “Welcome family and friends. We are gathering here to witness the marriage of Henry Edmund Pearce and Alexandria Olivia Summers. Marriage is a lifetime commitment, combining the hearts and minds of two people as one. This ceremony is meant to show your love and commitment for each other. No matter what obstacles you face, you now face them together. When you fail, you fail together. When you win, you win together. The love between you both now is one. The bride and groom now have a few words to share. Henry,” the priest prompted.

  “Ally,” Henry spoke, his stare fixated on me. “Before I met you, I was a lost man. I was trying to find myself in a strange, cold world. I didn’t know what or who to live for anymore. I’ve lost so much, just to gain so little. I couldn’t figure it out, even though I had all the money to spend and all attention to spare, but I couldn’t figure myself out. And in you, I found that. I found who I was again.”

  His smile widened, relieved that he made it without shedding a tear.

  God, even his vows were perfect. How could I top that? I really should have gone first.

  I cleared my throat and tried to remember the things I had written down last night.

  “Uh, Henry…” I smiled nervously. “We come from such different worlds. When I first entered your world, I felt like I didn’t fit in. But I think that’s what makes us complement each other … that we’re different. How we met in Sunny Valley, it still seems surreal to me. I’d always, always think to myself, asking myself, ‘Why me? Why did he pick me?’ And sometimes the answer isn’t always clear, but today is my answer. And for tomorrow and the rest of our lives, I want to spend each and every moment of it, living with you, holding your hand, laughing with you, trusting you, making you happy, and deeply, loving you … forever.”

  “I love you,” I mumbled breathlessly.

  Henry’s lips broke into a smile at hearing my words. He gently caressed the top of my hands back and forth with the pads of his thumbs, the sensation comforting and thrilling at the same time.

  “Will you, Henry Edmund Pearce, take Alexandria Olivia Summers, to hold and to love, as your beloved wife forever?”

  “I do,” Henry spoke, his voice suddenly wavering.

  “Do you, Alexandria Olivia Summers, take Henry Edmund Pearce, to hold and to love, as your beloved husband forever?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  After the ceremony, Henry and I went upstairs to sign our marriage license. It was only us and a lawyer who were present. There were a few signatures needed from each of us and though the lawyer tried to explain the terms the best he could, some parts were still confusing to me. But since it was Henry who I was marrying, I wasn’t the least bit worried.

  Henry requested the reception to be elegantly decorated with the theme colors of our wedding: gold, gray, purple, and green. The centerpieces on the table had beautiful vases of purple tulips and white roses. The dark purple lighting of the room illuminated the shiny black dance floor in the center of the room. I noticed more people at the reception now. They were probably invited by Henry since I didn’t know many people out of my small circle.

  Henry led me to the dance floor for our first dance as husband and wife. Frank Sinatra’s “Always” came on, the song we first danced to together. As we swayed in each other’s arms, smiling lovingly at one another, I could see other people envying what we had. And I understood. I was like that too. I wouldn’t admit it whenever I saw a couple in love, but in the back of my mind, I wanted to be like them so badly. To have someone to rely on, talk with, and love wholehear
tedly … that was all I ever wanted. And now, I had it.

  The rest of evening went by smoothly and perfectly, better than I could ever have imagined. I never wanted it to end. As the clock ticked towards midnight, I bid goodbye to my family, friends, and the others who came out to bless and celebrate with my husband and me.

  My husband, Henry.

  It felt so unreal saying that.

  “Shall we go up?” Henry whispered in my ear as he assertively took my hand.

  I silently nodded, suddenly nervous. This was natural, I knew. I had never done it before — I had never been in a serious relationship before I met Henry, so I didn’t know what to expect.

  As Henry unlocked the room for us, he led the way in. Without saying a word or glancing at me, he walked into the kitchen. Unsuspectingly, I sat in the middle of the cream L-shaped couch. I fiddled with his mother’s bracelet on my wrist, thinking how nice it would have been if both of our parents were here.

  That reminded me. I hadn’t told Henry of Chris’ blessing. I should tell him!

  I stood up to follow him into the kitchen, but when he came back with a bottle of liquor in his hands, my feet remained put. I studied him quietly as he poured a glass for himself. It was unusual for me to watch him drinking. I never saw Henry drink before. Not even at the night club.

  As he took a second shot of the liquor, he quickly loosened the purple tie around his neck. His green eyes darted toward me. His loving gaze, from the day gone, replaced with a coldness that sent chills right down my spine.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  “Is everything alright?” I asked, trying to act unfazed.

  “Get changed,” he ordered with a sharp, strict tone.

  “Why? Henry, what’s going on?”

  I took a step toward him but flinched when he slammed the shot glass down hard on the counter. I stood there in shock, petrified by the loud sound and his vulgar actions.

  He couldn’t be drunk already. He only took two shots. Why was he angry so suddenly? And on our wedding day?