Chapter 345: Officially Mine

Nathan’s POV

The second we stepped into the building, Kayla slowed down.

Her eyes swept over the polished marble floors, the reception desk, the framed certificates on the wall, the security desk, the people moving around with folders and purpose.

She looked at me slowly.

“Are you sure this isn’t a real office that handles real legal things?”

I kept walking like I didn’t hear the panic sneaking into her voice.

“It looks very real, Nathan.”

“It is real,” I said casually.

She stopped walking.

“What? Didn’t you say you know somebody?”

I turned back, caught her hand again, and tugged her forward.

“The office is real of course. But the certificate won’t be.”

Her eyes narrowed. “That doesn’t make me feel better. Are you trying to pull any stunt?”

“Relax, Kayla. The guy handling it is my friend. I called in a favor.” I squeezed her fingers lightly. “All you need to do is follow my lead and stop overthinking.”

“I am not overthinking.”

“You’re suspiciously overthinking.”

She huffed and looked the other way.

I leaned closer. “Don’t worry about how real it looks, even if they ask you to sign some kind of form. It’s all just for the books.”

That seemed to calm her a little.

A little.

She nodded and let me lead her toward the elevator.

Holly followed behind us humming wedding music under her breath.

“Witness and all,” she said proudly. “Just here to support my friend…don’t mind me,” she added with a stifled chuckle.

Kayla groaned. “Hols… Please stop.”

We stepped into the elevator within minutes.

I stood beside Kayla, close enough to smell the soft scent of her shampoo. She kept glancing at me like I was one wrong answer away from being strangled.

Honestly?

Fair.

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open when we got to the right floor.

And we came face-to-face with a familiar face.

Holly gasped.

“David!”

She rushed out so fast she nearly tripped herself, launching into his arms.

He laughed, caught her easily, then kissed her like they’d been separated for years instead of a few hours.

Kayla pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Can you two cut it down?”

I barely heard her.

Because all I could think was… One day, I wanted that with Kayla.

The casual affection.

The instinctive reach.

The kind of love where she’d run to me without thinking.

Even now, my body was itching to be near her.

So I gave in.

I slid an arm around her waist and pulled her gently against my side as we stepped out of the elevator.

I don’t know…there’s just something about Kayla…that pulls me in. Every inch of her body and her personality is perfect.

She stiffened instantly, but I ignored it beautifully.

David finally looked at us.

Then at Holly.

Then at Kayla.

Then back at me, his brows raised.

“What are you all doing here?” he asked. “I thought you guys were resting today.”

He looked at Holly. “Didn’t you say you wanted to stay with Kayla and catch up on things? That’s why you didn’t come to work.”

Holly laughed awkwardly and dragged a “well…” looking over to Kayla for help.

Kayla stepped in smoothly. “We had to run a quick errand. Unavoidable. That’s why we’re out.”

David nodded slowly.

Then pointed at me. “And what is this captain doing with you two?”

Holly waved both hands.

“Babe, it’s a long story. I’ll tell you later. But we really have to go right now before the office closes.”

“I’m coming with you guys.”

She blinked. “What?”

“I said I’m coming. Is there a problem with that?” He checked his watch. “I only came for a brief meeting and I’m one.”

Holly looked at Kayla for approval and Kayla shrugged.

“Fine. He can come.”

Then she said the sentence like it was normal conversation.

“If you just know, David, I’m going to get a fake marriage certificate with Nathan.”

David turned to me and I smiled politely.

Inside, I sighed.

Sharp man.

Very sharp. He must have figured it out.

Please don’t ruin this for me.

He opened his mouth to say something. But before he could speak, I stepped forward.

“Ladies,” I said smoothly, “why don’t you walk further down the hallway and wait in the first office by the left? We just need to clear something quickly. Between us men.”

Kayla looked instantly suspicious, ready to ask what’s going on.

Holly, bless her chaos-loving soul, grabbed Kayla’s arm and started tugging her forward.

“Come on, Kay. Men and their mysterious nonsense.”

She dragged her away. But Kayla kept looking back at me.

Smart woman.

Then it was just me and David.

He folded his arms. “What are your plans exactly?”

I blinked. “Excuse me?”

“What are you really doing?” He gestured around us. “This isn’t a place where people get fake marriage licenses. Do you think I’m stupid?”

I groaned and ran a hand through my hair.

“I know.”

“Then?”

I exhaled.

“Look man, I can’t lose Kayla.”

He stared.

“What does that even mean?”

So I told him.

Everything.

How I’d seen her last year and fell in love at first sight. How I thought she was married and kept my distance.

How I watched her bakery like a lunatic and only found out the truth later.

How Caleb showing back up made me want violence.

How I wanted to help her.

How I wanted her.

How this fake marriage nonsense was the only chance I had to stay close enough for her to maybe one day let me in.

When I finished, David just stared at me.

Then exhaled slowly.

“Why not tell her the truth upfront?”

I laughed once. “Have you met Kayla?”

He only raised his brow at my question…didn’t say anything.

“If you know Kayla, then you must know that she doesn’t want to hear any of that right now. She just wants her son safe.”

He stayed quiet.

“She’s not in the right place mentally,” I continued. “She’s overwhelmed. Hurt. Defensive. I want to wait for her.”

I looked down the hallway where she’d disappeared.

“But I also don’t want to lose her.”

“And Holly knows all this?”

“She’s in on it. I told her everything…all my plans.”

He rubbed his jaw.

Then sighed again.

“Kayla means a lot to Holly.”

I nodded. “I think I’ve figured that out.”

“And Holly is my life,” he added calmly. “So if you hurt Kayla, you hurt Holly. And if that happens, I’m going to bury you alive. Do you understand?”

I smiled genuinely, relieved that he didn’t drag it further.

“You got it, man.”

Then I clapped his shoulder.

“Honestly, I think your woman would kill me before you got the chance to. She warned me not to even think about messing with Kayla. And she seems kinda scary when she’s serious,” I added.

He laughed too. “You have no idea, man.”

We shook hands and then started walking down to join the women.

An hour later, we walked out of Carter & Mills Civil Registry Office legally married.

As Mr and Mrs Vargas.

Legally.

Completely.

Officially.

Irrevocably.

Kayla, however, believed it was fake… Which was adorable.

My friend Ethan Carter had played his role perfectly.

Thanks to a few whispered words and some favors owed, he’d even arranged for a real priest to bless the marriage.

We told Kayla it was “for formality so it would look convincing.”

She bought it. But not entirely. I could still see those embers of suspicion in her eyes.

Holly and David signed as witnesses.

Kayla and I exchanged rings.

I just happened to already have two with me. Told Kayla it just happened like that.

No one questioned that miracle aside from her. But we managed to have her distracted enough not to pay close attention to the details.

Pictures were taken.

Documents signed.

Stamps hit paper.

And just like that…she was my wife.

We were already heading back down in the elevator when Kayla turned to me and shook my hand sincerely.

“Thank you for doing this, Nathan. It really means a lot to me.”

I smiled.

“No worries.”

Then I tilted my head. “So… are you driving over to my place so I can pack my things and move into yours?”

She blinked, totally caught off.

“Or,” I continued pleasantly, “would you rather move in with me?”

Her mouth fell open.

“Hold on… What?!”