Crossed (Never After Series) by Emily McIntire

Author:Emily McIntire [McIntire, Emily]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-07-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 25

Amaya

“WHAT WONDERFUL NEWS.” CADE’S VOICE IS LIKE ice, so smooth and cool it stings as it sprinkles across my skin.

My gaze is locked on my hands, afraid if I stare at him for too long, I’ll snap and do something crazy like reach across the desk and smack him in the face.

“You’re worse than a whore. You’re a witch. Just like your mother said.”

“When is the church available?” Parker asks.

Cade chuckles. “Non, you cannot have it here so soon.”

Now I do look at him, snapping my face up and meeting his gaze head- on.

Parker’s hand tightens on my thigh until I flinch.

“Bishop Lamont assured me it wouldn’t be an issue,” he hisses.

Cade clicks his tongue. “She is not ready for a Catholic marriage.”

My irritation at him intensifies, even as a tendril of unease winds its way around my middle.

“I’m Catholic,” Parker argues. “It wouldn’t be right to have it anywhere else. And Bishop Lamont said she could take courses.”

“It doesn’t matter if you’re Catholic. She is not.” Cade waves his hand toward me dismissively.

“I was raised Catholic,” I defend.

Cade ignores me like I haven’t even spoken, although his next words are aimed toward me. “You haven’t been to a single service since my arrival, and I’m sure if I asked anyone in Festivalé, they’d say you hadn’t attended in years. You’re a sinner, Amaya.”

“Sinning is subjective,” I hiss through clenched teeth.

“It is not,” he snaps back.

Asshole.

“Okay…” I draw out. “So I’ll start to attend with Parker then.”

Cade chuckles, low and dark, and then he finally looks back at me, his stare so intense I feel it deep in my core. “So easy to get you to attend Sunday Mass, is it, Miss Paquette?”

I swallow, my tongue sticking to the roof of my mouth.

“Tell me, Miss Paquette. When was your last confession?”

His head tilts, and I glare at him. He knows damn well when it was.

He doesn’t wait for a reply, moving his attention back to

Parker. “You’ll need baptism certificates.”

Parker nods. “Not a problem.”

My stomach tangles in knots. I’ve never been baptized. But I won’t say that right now, not to Cade. I’ll have Parker take care of it.

Blood presses beneath the surface of my skin, heating my cheeks.

“And as far as…everything else,” Parker continues, his thumb rubbing tight circles on my leg.

Cade zones in on the movement, the muscle in his jaw ticking. Slowly, his eyes move from where Parker’s touching me, up the length of my torso, blazing over my chest and settling on the hollow of my throat.

My heart bangs against my rib cage.

“I will not approve this marriage until I’m sure you’re both ready,” Cade says, his eyes locking with mine. “And yes, I’ll agree to the additional one-on- one sessions with your fiancée.”

My brows shoot to my hairline. “The what?”

Amusement flashes in Cade’s irises, like he knows he has the upper hand. “For someone who claims to be Catholic, you seem to know nothing about the religion, Miss Paquette. Every couple takes a course so we can determine that you’re ready for the sanctity of marriage.

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