3 - Be my husband

Alaric's POV

“My name is Cassandra and not ‘Miss Bride-to-Be,’” she said, downing the rest of the mai tai in one brave gulp. I fought to keep a laugh from escaping.

Who was this brave little Miss bride to be?

She slammed the glass on the counter, then shot me a provocative smile, as if finishing once the glass was a great achievement.

"Who is the scared chicken now?" She retorted, keeping up the facade, she was brave and badass, trying to hide the fact that she trembled slightly, and her eyes were lost, almost looking broken.

It wasn't a big deal, but a huge improvement. It wasn't my style to intervene in others' lives, but not every night you run into a bride-to-be looking completely lost like the sash and crown didn't mean anything on a random Friday night.

She probably has a bachelorette party somewhere close by, and it would have been better to let her go back to her friend, but she wasn't the only one who needed company today.

Once again, I was no saint if not the most selfish person I know.

"Definitely not Cassandra," I chimed, playing along, then beckoned the bartender to bring another glass. The bartender immediately placed the glass beside her, he was doing his absolute best to keep a straight face.

A rare sight, it was for the owner to show up at the bar with a woman.

Cassandra blinked, her hazel eyes dazed as the second glass appeared. “I thought it was just one,” she blurted, pouting.

I took a quick sip of my drink, the sweet top note gave way to a clean, sharp burn of the alcohol base that woke my head

"But we are just starting. The night is still young." I replied placing the glass back on the counter while rubbing my finger along the edges of the glass.

Her gaze was fixated on me. Once I glanced at her side, she averted her eyes, scared to hold my gaze.

My gaze lingered on her side profile for a bit, tracing the edges of her face, from her battling lashes to her pouted pink lips.

Her brows were knotted together; deep in thought, like the cocktail was some type of poison. Her naivety was her biggest charm.

"I'm not good at holding my drinks," she finally said. A reluctant sigh escaped my lips, "It's fine then, too bad the night is wasted after spending a fortune on such a handsome gigolo." I said disappointedly. The bartender almost choked on his spit

His face flushed, his awkward laugh was out of place.

Cassandra blinked once more as if letting my words sink in. A rare smirk graced her lips. "You are right, I would not let this opportunity go to waste, and besides, it is meant to be my bachelorette party." She declared, grabbing the glass to down it.

My lips parted and closed, I should have stopped her, warning her she wasn't meant to drink it all up at once, or she might get drunk despite the cocktail being rather sweet…I didn't

I was still on my first and she was done with her second. She slammed the glass on the counter, her eyes were a bit drowsy, the alcohol was slowly kicking in and her confidence got boosted.

"What next ?" Her expectant gaze met mine. I finally finished my mai tai. "Are you up for some shots?" She didn't give a verbal answer and just smiled completely carefree.

The night just started indeed. The bartender started lining up the shots. Cassandra, suddenly fearless, kept downing them one after another like it was a fruit punch.

Her hands stopped trembling with whatever emotions she was hiding, and her laughs were louder like we were the only ones that mattered. "You really didn't," she laughed at a random joke I said to lighten the mood.

"Never knew someone like you could have just an audacity." There seemed to be something in her laugh which made everything seem brighter. She was not the type who rambled on about her life while drunk. No that wasn't Cassandra, it felt like the drink made her forget her troubles for the moment.

"I tricked you out of all your money. Didn't I?" I placed the shot back on the counter. Damn, she was still dead on thinking I was a gigolo, it still baffles me what made her think that way.

Her lips pouted, then she waved off. "I don't care about the money, you can keep it." The song on the speaker changed, and she started humming. It was ‘Did It First’ by Ice Spice.

Her singing was off and I was barely holding back my laugh. She didn't care about my stiffening smile. Cassandra got on from her seat and started dancing and singing out loud.

The onlookers gave her curious glances, and some laughed at her. This wasn't the club downstairs, and she wasn't meant to dance here, but who was going to stop her when I made the rules?

Cassandra kept on spinning and dancing, laughing in between her lyrics. I didn't even realise my lips were curled up. If it wasn't enough to make herself the centre of attention, she rushed towards me to pull me out of my seat.

"You don't plan on making only me dance. Do you?" She asked, pulling me directly to the middle of the room, where she started dancing around me. My brow arched at her.

The laughs grew louder, and she tossed away her sash, reading bride to be before pulling me by the collar to her eye level.

"Stop standing rigid and dance Mr pretty boy. I paid for you, if I start running around naked, you'd better run along. Do you understand?" Someone was now a little boss lady.

"Yes ma'am. Your wish is my command." I agree holding back my laugh. She was the boss, although if she got drunk enough to run around naked, I would throw her over my shoulders. There was no way I would let anyone see her naked.

"Good then," she chimed and started leading the dance, luckily for me, I had a few moves to match her vibe. Song after song she got wilder by the second. I had to signal the guards to send everyone off the floor to give us a bit more privacy.

She owned the floor now. A slow song started playing, but she wasn't any less energetic. She took the initiative, placing my hand on her slender waist, which felt fragile in my grasp. I was a bit reluctant to get too close, scared of my control wavering

She didn't see the signs and leaned on me. Her bosoms pressed against my chest. Her muffled voice teased. "Now who is the chicken?" She taunted having no idea what her soft frame was doing to me or how intoxicating she smelled.

I still kept the grin, ignoring the subtle twitching from my slacks. I dug this pit for myself...

Cassandra laughed once more, she definitely felt my hardness. It was baffling how she found it funny instead of being scared. My lips could only twitch.

Her laugh died. Her gaze flicked away, and she hid her face against my shirt, pain trembling through her. My chest tightened; I pulled her closer, desperate to offer some small comfort.

Her little hand clutched my shirt, her face buried in my dark shirt. We continued dancing in a sombre mood. She didn't laugh again, instead, subtle whimpers escaped from her lips. Everything she was bottling up was now pouring out.

She didn't stop dancing, nor did her cries stop. Each sob was tearing me apart. I didn't have any words to say so I just let her. She wiggled in my hold, then slowly glanced up with those teary eyes, which almost made me weak in the knees.

Her lower lip was between her teeth. Her lips slowly parted. "Am I so boring you could never marry me?" That wasn't a casual question. Her eyes looked like her world depended on the answer.

I shook my head then leaned down. "You are many things but boring. Any man would be privileged to have you." The words came out naturally.

Her eyes glimmered with hope. "Really," she squealed excitedly. I nodded without a second thought. She hopped to grab my collar, pushing me against a nearby wall. Our foreheads were touching. "Would you give me your surname or better take mine then? Will you be the lucky man?" She asked, completely wasted and probably rumbling.

I laughed unable to hold it back any more. Can she get any bolder?

My fingers grazed her cheeks, wiping off her tears, before cupping them in my palms. "If you love my surname so much."

She smiled, and even the tears looked stunning. "You can't back down now, hubby. You just got a wife."

Still pondering on how lovely the word hubby sounded on the tip of her lips, something soft clashed against my lips, throwing every other thought out the window.

Her lips weren't gentle. They were fierce and hungry like the flames of hell consuming completely. She grabbed my hair and hauled me closer.

Fuck it.

I just found my new cravings and obsession I don't think I can ever get enough of.