Love In the Red Zone (Connecticut Kings Book 1) (52 page)

“Jade,” Trent murmured, unable to speak and breathe at the same time, his emotions were so flared. Seeing him like this had my face wet with tears, similar to him. It was out of character for him, but I knew it was a reflection of where we’d grown to. “I vow to always conduct myself as a reflection of our love, to care for you and protect you and Kyree. I vow to always be a man you’ll be proud to call your own. You will always be good enough for me.” His head fell toward our touching toes. “You’re perfection in my eyes. No need to be someone else.”

That shit had me blubbering. We were both crying messes. Ezra and his wife had stood quietly since he’d started officiating minutes ago and then asked for our vows. I felt a hand at my back too small to be Trent’s, while my head hung and tears fell. It was Ezra’s wife, Lex, comforting me. Once I was able to gain myself, I looked up at the man I loved and pledged my heart to him.

“Trent, I vow to be in your corner and stay there. There is no mistake that will cause me to shun you. My heart will always see you. My eyes will always light up at your presence and each thought of you. You’re my treasure, Trent; something I will protect until my death and nurture until you blossom. You’re mine and I will be yours forever.”

“Trenton Bailey,” Ezra interjected. “Do you take Jade as your lawfully married wife, to have, provide for, and to serve until death do you part?”

Trent nodded, his eyes pinned to me. “I do.”

“Jade Matthews,” Ezra continued. “Do you take Trent as your lawfully married husband, to protect, cover, and shield until death do you part.”

“I do,” I could only whisper as I was lost in Trent’s eyes.

“By the power vested in me and the covenant made today before God, I pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Trenton Bailey. You may now—”

Trent swallowed my face whole. And I let him. Our soaked faces slipped over one another’s in passionate furry. He took me at the back and instinctively, I lifted from his thick arms and wrapped my legs around his waist.

“Christ, Trent!” I could hear our pastor cry with humor behind me.

Then from the change of the wind now hitting me from behind, I could tell we’d moved. Trent walked us, down the beach, back to the house while swallowing my face. I could hear whistles and handclaps from Ezra and his wife, but refused to open my eyes. I was stuck in a place where I didn’t need to hear or see anything but the man who’d just made me his wife.

Back at the beach house I understood why Trent said I didn’t need underwear. The poor white
Chloé
dress I’d worn for all of twenty minutes was torn off me and seconds after that, his stoney cock shoved deep inside me. I had to remember to thank whomever picked it out and convinced him to buy it. It certainly wasn’t Trent. My husband was too cheap for that call.

The next morning, Trent and I left Macen Beach. We returned to the house together, but he stayed just long enough for me to gather his worn clothes he came home from Connecticut with on Sunday, and pack him a fresh bag of clothes for the week. He was off again for work. But this time it didn’t feel so much like parting. It felt routine. It felt scheduled and temporary. As I thought about the thongs I packed in his bag between his folded boxer briefs, I chuckled to myself on my way to the kitchen.  

I decided not to tell Kyree about the secret wedding. He was too young and I’d already compromised my authority in his life by asking him to not tell people we were without electricity and then that he and I were staying here at the mansion when we first moved in. That was too much to put on a young boy. It was bad enough that his father was incarcerated. Trent coming into our world deflected that absence, but now that Trent was working full time, Kyree missed him similarly to me. It was the end of November and the season was coming to an end. Trent already had a list of things to do with Kyree and I was excited to tag along. Having Trent in bed every night seemed like a dream, taking too long to come true.

I continued on in the week, decorating the house. I resumed with curtains for the dining room. I’d purchased a plush linen fabric and pearls to sew into the drapes I planned to make. I knew I was too young to be so excited about sewing, but it was interior design to style the home of a man I adored. A home that was now mine and Kyree’s. A weight had been lifted from my chest and I was now free to move about settling in the mansion properly. Before Macen Beach, my time feeling comfortable here was pending until we were married. Now that we were, I felt whole and legitimized. What’s crazy is I would have never guessed there was such a thing. I never knew having a man claim you could feel so freeing and complete. But that was the way I was prepared to adjust to this new life I’d been given right at Trent’s side.

The feeling was so strong, so palpable, I didn’t blink twice at the headline I read at my laptop as I went to order vases for the front foyer. I ignored that burning feeling in the pit of my belly at the words “
Trent Bailey Apologize or Else!
” that was apparently from a scorned former lover. Nope. I closed out of that browser and started my shopping in a new one.

It was cool. Actuall
y…
mad cool. I was good, felt nice, and was having a good time when I thought I’d be miserable and feeling out of place. After a few shots with JJ, who I knew was purposely trying to lower my guard, I was a level above tipsy, but not drunk. I wouldn’t go there in public. It wouldn’t be a good look.

We had floor seats to the Brielle concert. I couldn’t help but notice we were within seeing distance of Cole and her girls, who were letting loose in the front row, almost performing with Brielle. They loved her. Most women across the globe loved Brielle. Her performance was always lit with high energy dancing, soul-wrenching singing, and bright and loud costumes. She kept the femininity in her dance by always performing in heels. I had shit to say to her nowadays, but I wasn’t a hater. B earned her stripes over the past thirteen years or so since debuting as a solo artist. She owned the stage and looked good up there. From the top of the show, I was reminded of how much smaller she’d gotten over the years since taking on a vegan diet. I told her back then she didn’t need to slim down; having meat on your bones appealed to real men. She wasn’t as busty or “bootylicious” as Jade. Now,
her
body was perfect. Just thinking about my lady—nah, my wife—had my dick swelling in the arena. Jade’s D cups were a breast-man’s fantasy and her plump as
s…

I gotta get home when I leave her
e
…

I fulfilled JJ’s request to hang out here tonight.
At a female-dominated show
. All because his simple ass couldn’t get enough of Cole. I hoped she could pick up his mad feelings for her, because I sure could. Cole should be lucky. Yeah, Brielle made sure JJ had tickets tonight, but he wasn’t the type of dude that
had
to be at a Brielle concert. It wasn’t our thing, although she bodied each show she did. But JJ had been to enough over the years simply from being my boy, the one who had been secretly serving her the “D” on and off for years. So, after a few drinks, I loosened up and made JJ’s lovesick ass be just as much a part of the show as Brielle. I clowned him all night, even texted Jade some pictures of him looking the part. She responded to leave him alone.

The ladies love J
J
…

Tynisha Lang, Alton Alston’s wife, and her crew of girls were a few seats down from Cole, rocking out just as hard. When I first laid eyes on her tonight, I thought about all the shade she threw Jade the first time they met at the bowling alley. I knew that bad energy came from Ty and Brielle being “besties” as Ty thought. Brielle didn’t have real friends: she wasn’t even real to herself.

The colors glaring from the stage were lit brightly, messing with my buzz. I had to shield my eyes with my hands.

“Don’t sweat it, TB. She’s wrapping it up now,” JJ shouted in my ear.

He still assumed I was miserable. I was good, but happy about the show ending. I knew Jade wanted to come on the low. I had to act like JJ had just one ticket without saying it, because I didn’t want to lie
or
tell her I could cop enough tickets for her and whoever she wanted to bring if I wanted. Nope. Didn’t want that liability. Only needed the idea of leaving this place and going home to my wife. Jade always kept it ready for me.

“Hmmmm
m…
Let’s see,” Brielle hummed into the microphone. “I have so many friends here tonight, showing me love in the Big Apple.” She pretended to comb the hyped crowd with squinted eyes for familiar faces. I reached down for the last of my drink. She didn’t have to look far; all her peoples were up close to her. “Ahhhhh! Here’s one. And somebody I know can put on a show.” I felt JJ nudge me. “In light of the rumors and nasty haters, trying to bring us down, let’s show them the real TB. The same TB we’ve always known!” she shouted over the crowd’s increased shouts and hollers at the mention of my name.