CHAPTER 10: The Wife of a Wanted Man (Betty's POV)
"It is Cooper. For now."
My words hang in the air.
Adrain's hand is still extended. I still do not take it.
He lowers his arm slowly.
"For now," he repeats.
"Yes."
He nods. Then he walks to the couch. He sits down. He leans his head back.
"We leave in an hour," he says.
"Leave? Where?"
"The courthouse."
My stomach drops.
"Tonight?"
"Tonight."
I stare at him.
"You cannot be serious."
"I am always serious."
"I just agreed. You cannot expect me to marry you in an hour."
"Why not?"
"Because—" I stop.
Because I do not have a good reason.
Because I already agreed.
Because running is not an option anymore.
"Fine," I whisper.
He looks at me.
"Get dressed."
I walk to my bedroom. I close the door. I lean against it.
My hands are shaking.
I am marrying a wanted criminal.
In one hour.
I look at my reflection in the mirror. Same face. Same eyes. Same person.
But different.
Something inside me has changed.
I do not know what.
I dress in dark jeans. A simple blouse. Nothing fancy. It is not a real wedding.
There is no white dress. No flowers. No family.
Just a stranger on my couch.
I walk back to the living room.
He is standing by the door. Waiting. He changed his shirt. Clean. Dark. He looks less like a wounded criminal and more like a man.
"Ready?" he asks.
"No."
"Good. Let us go."
We walk out of my apartment. Down the stairs. Into the street.
No one looks at us. No one knows.
We take a cab. He gives an address. The driver does not ask questions.
The courthouse is small. Gray. Empty at this hour.
A man is waiting by the door. Tall. Broad shoulders. Dark hair. His arms are crossed. His face is stone.
He looks dangerous.
Adrain walks up to him. They do not hug. They do not shake hands. They just look at each other.
Then the man looks at me.
"So this is her," he says.
"Luke," Adrain says. "This is Betty."
Luke studies me. His eyes are cold. Unreadable.
"You are sure about this?" he asks.
"Ask her," Adrain says.
Luke looks at me.
"You know who he is?"
"Yes."
"You know what they say about him?"
"Yes."
"And you are still doing this?"
I hold his gaze.
"Yes."
Luke stares at me for a long moment. Then he nods.
"She has guts," he says to Adrain. "I will give her that."
"Luke is my..." Adrain pauses. "He is my family."
Luke snorts. "I am his babysitter."
I almost smile.
Almost.
Luke opens the courthouse door. "Let us get this over with."
We walk inside.
The judge is old. Tired. She has done this a thousand times.
"Names?" she asks.
"Adrain Blake."
"Betty Cooper."
She looks at us. No rings. No smiles. No family.
She knows this is not a love story.
She does not ask questions.
"Sign here."
I pick up the pen.
My hand is shaking.
Adrain's hand covers mine.
"Last chance," he says quietly.
I look at him.
"Sign," I say.
I sign.
He signs.
The judge stamps the paper.
"You are married," she says.
Just like that.
No music. No rice. No kiss.
Just a piece of paper.
We walk out of the courthouse. The air is cold. The sky is dark.
Luke is already in a car. He does not look at us.
"I am sorry," Adrain says.
"For what?"
"For this. For dragging you into my life."
"You did not drag me. I chose."
He looks at me.
"Why?"
I do not answer.
We go back to my apartment.
The door closes. The lock clicks.
We are alone.
Husband and wife.
Strangers.
"I will take the floor," he says.
"The floor?"
"I am not going to make you share a bed with me."
I nod.
I walk to my bedroom. I close the door.
I take the knife from my nightstand. I put it under my pillow.
I lie down.
I stare at the ceiling.
I am married.
To a wanted criminal.
I hear him moving on the floor in the living room. He cannot sleep either.
"Are you awake?" I ask.
"Yes."
Silence.
"I am not doing this for the money," I say.
"I know."
"Then why am I doing this?"
He does not answer.
I hear him stand up. His footsteps. Slow. Heavy.
He stops at my bedroom door.
I hold my breath.
"Because you are braver than you think," he says through the door.
I say nothing.
"Now sleep, Betty. Tomorrow, everything changes."