002. Sooner or Later

Sierra's POV

"I hereby pronounce you man and wife." The words echoed in my ears, their weight sinking into my bones. I was officially Mrs. Jordan Pierce. A strange mix of disbelief and inevitability wrapped around me like a thick fog, pulling me under. After the ceremony, I tried to find my parents in the crowd, but it was like they’d vanished.

“The bride shouldn’t be wandering around alone.” I spun around, heart pounding, and there he was—Dominic Pierce, Jordan’s younger brother, watching me with a smirk that hinted at annoyance and maybe a bit of sympathy.

“Have you seen my parents?” I asked, my voice thinner than I’d intended, betraying the panic simmering under my skin.

He shrugged, nonchalant. “They left after the vows.” He let that settle in for a moment. “Jordan left too. He asked me to drive you home.”

I stared at him, my disbelief changing into shock and a growing frustration. “Wait—you’re telling me he left our wedding to go to a meeting?”

Dominic’s smirk faded, replaced by something softer, almost pitying. “Big brother’s busy, Sierra. Cartel work isn’t your usual nine-to-five.”

I swallowed the indignation rising in my chest. Somehow, even though I barely knew this man I’d just married, his disregard for me didn’t surprise me at all.

The ride to his mansion was filled with Dominic’s easy chatter, his humor lightening the tension that had been buzzing under my skin since I walked down the aisle. If I could have chosen my own fate, maybe it would have been him—someone kind. But I had no choice.

Later that night, fresh out of the bathroom, I caught a flicker of movement in the shadows of the room. My heart leapt, and I flipped the light switch. There he was—Jordan Pierce himself, lounging in a chair, spinning a pen between his fingers, watching me like I was some kind of curiosity.

“You ever heard of knocking?” I snapped, crossing my arms and trying to tamp down the tangle of feelings his presence stirred up.

He just chuckled, rising from his chair in a slow, deliberate way that made every nerve in my body jump to attention. “And you’re saying a wife needs privacy from her husband?” His tone was mocking, but his eyes held something darker, something that sent my heart leaping.

He stepped forward, his hands slipping to my waist, pulling me closer. The heat radiating off him seeped into me, setting off sparks under my skin. His scent, dark and musky, filled my senses, and for one dangerous second, I wanted nothing more than to lose myself in him.

“Why did you leave me at the wedding?” I demanded, though my voice had softened, the edge melting away against my will.

He just gave me that infuriating half-smile, his fingers brushing along my jaw. “Because business doesn’t stop for Mrs. Jordan Pierce, Sierra. I had a shipment to handle. Urgent.”

I shook my head, frustration blending with something else—something heady and confusing. “And you couldn’t delay? Just for tonight?”

His grip tightened, and his voice dropped, low and rough. “A mafia boss doesn’t delay business, Sierra. And this life comes with… commitments that demand my attention.” He paused, and for just a second, his gaze softened. “But tonight, I’m all yours.”

“Then why did you choose me?” The question escaped before I could bite it back.

For a second, he seemed to hesitate, a hint of something unreadable crossing his face. “I saw you once,” he murmured, his voice softer. “Back at college, when I met with the administrator. I watched you from across the courtyard, and I knew right then I wanted you. And… there’s more. Your father… he owes me his life.”

My stomach twisted, but his lips hovered so close that I could feel his breath, and the feeling washed over everything else. His nose brushed against mine, and then, with a hungry intensity, his mouth claimed mine in a kiss that seared me to my core. I melted against him, my heart hammering as I clutched his shoulders, fingers digging in like he was the only solid thing in my world.

Jordan’s hands moved to my hips, lifting me onto the bed, his mouth trailing along my skin, igniting something inside me I hadn’t known existed. My body arched toward him, every nerve alive with a need that took me by surprise.

But then, as suddenly as it had started, he stopped. He pulled away, his eyes clouded with something like regret.

“Jordan…” I whispered, reaching for him, every inch of me on edge, waiting.

He turned away, shoulders tense. “This isn’t right.”

I slid off the bed, slipping my arms around his waist, pressing a soft kiss to his neck, my voice barely a whisper. “We’re married. This is our life now.”

But he pulled away, grabbing his suit jacket, his face closed off, unreadable. He made for the door, and something in me cracked. Before I knew it, I’d called after him, “I’m not going to wait around forever, Jordan.”

The door clicked shut, leaving me in the silence, a tangled knot of emotions tying me in place. This hold he had over me was maddening, even if I hated how it made me feel—like we were meant to be, even if he didn’t see it. It made no sense at all.

Sinking back onto the bed, I let out a frustrated sigh. Maybe he thought I was some kid straight out of college, but I knew myself. And no matter how he tried to keep me at a distance, I’d get through to Jordan Pierce. Sooner or later, he’d know I wasn’t just going to wait around and let him run from this. After all, I'm now his wife. Mrs. Pierce.