Roman's Vow (Riley's Pride #4) - Sandra R Neeley Page 0,9
eyes on you. If you’ll have me, let’s do this. We can have a big fancy ceremony later if you want.”
Talie looked at Roman, and he leaned over pressing his lips to hers chastely. “Will you marry me, Talie? I’ll protect you forever. You’ll never go without, and I’ll always love you and belong to you. Darcie is already my daughter, and this just makes sure nobody can change that.”
“Yes,” Talie said, agreeing without further hesitation.
“Let’s do this,” Patrick said, shuffling papers around and pushing them to the table’s edge in front of Roman and Talie. “Roman sign by the red ‘X’, Talie sign by the blue ‘X’. These are the formal requests from us and the permission granted from the Ohio Department of Corrections.
After they signed, he pushed another set of documents toward them. “This is the marriage license. I pulled Talie’s information from her arrest records, and Roman I got yours after Basilio gave me your full name and mentioned you are a veteran. Check your socials and your names, make sure it’s all right. Then sign,” Patrick said.
Again they signed several copies.
“Ms. Autry, and Mr. Colter, if you could sign as witnesses please.”
“Be happy to,” Riley said, signing his name on the line Patrick indicated.
When they were done, Patrick gathered up the papers and placed them in a folder. “Let’s get this done. We have a lot to go over today.”
Roman stood and Talie stood beside him.
“Let’s go over to the window,” Raymond said, as he moved across the room with Roman and Talie following him.
Riley jumped up and rushed to stand at Roman’s side, and Ms. Autry did the same for Talie.
“Roman Lyakhov, do you take this woman, Talie Davis to be your wife, from this day forward, in sickness in health, for richer or poorer, ‘til death do you part?” Raymond asked.
“I do,” Roman said emphatically.
“Talie Davis, do you take this man, Roman Lyakhov to be your husband, from this day forward, in sickness in health, for richer or poorer, ‘til death do you part?” Raymond asked.
“I do,” Talie said, looking at Roman with hope filling her eyes.
“I pronounce you man and wife. Mr. Lyakhov, you may kiss your bride.”
Roman swept Talie into his arms, kissing her passionately, but gently. “I love you, Talie. You’ll never be sorry,” he promised.
“I don’t know what to say, Roman,” she confessed.
“Say you believe me,” he suggested.
“I believe you,” she said. “And as soon as I’m able, I’ll do everything I can to be sure you’re happy.”
“I believe you, too,” Roman said and kissed her again.
“Congratulations!” Riley said, patting Roman on the back. “You’ve got your woman.”
“Thank you,” Roman said, grinning ear-to-ear. “Now we just need to get her home.”
“Congratulations,” Ms. Autry said, hugging Talie.
“Thank you,” Talie said. “Thank you so much.”
“This — was all Mr. Rooney. I had no idea what he had in mind,” Ms. Autry admitted. “But it certainly puts up a wall that nobody can bring down. Darcie is protected.”
“Thank you for bringing him in as part of the team, then,” Talie said.
“I didn’t. Roman did,” Ms. Autry said.
Talie looked at Roman. “I’m speechless,” she admitted.
“I’ll do anything I can to be sure you come home to Darcie and me,” Roman said.
“Now, not to be a killjoy, but we have business to see to. Let’s have a seat and get to it,” Patrick said.
Roman sat quietly, holding Talie’s hands as she answered all of the questions the attorneys threw at her. She patiently went through her explanation of what had transpired ending with the death of a man who lived near the house she was staying in with Darcie and Frederick. Her story was the same all three times, no matter how they posed their questions, no matter how they questioned her trying to throw her off track, her story never wavered. She’d come home to find the man lying on the floor in the living room gasping for breath as he stared at the ceiling above. He’d pulled the knife from his chest and it lay beside him. Blood bubbled from his mouth as he struggled to breathe. As she watched, he stopped breathing. She’d run to him, dropped to her knees and begun to try to administer CPR. She’d just gotten back from waiting for the school bus one block over with Darcie, and thankfully so. She didn’t want Darcie to see any of this.
The man wasn’t breathing on his own. She wanted to rush back to her purse and call for help,