47
LOGAN
T he hotel’s poolside was transformed into something out of a dream Bloom and I never knew we had but that Jamie helped us to realize. Twinkling fairy lights draped across trellises, casting a warm glow over the blue water of the pool. Rows of white chairs, their backs tied with black and gold ribbons, flanked a carpeted aisle leading to a simple but elegant arch adorned with fresh flowers. Soft music played from hidden speakers, a gentle melody that somehow eased and heightened my nerves all at once.
This wasn’t the small, intimate wedding Bloom and I had planned. It was bigger, louder, and filled with far more bikers than I’d ever imagined. Yet somehow, it was perfect. The raw, unapologetic energy of our friends and family made it uniquely ours.
I stood at the front of the aisle, adjusting my cufflinks for what had to be the tenth time in five minutes. My palms were clammy, and my heart thudded. Bloom and I had been talking about this day for what seemed like forever. I never imagined a scenario where I was nervous.
I glanced at my watch. It was time for the ceremony to begin, but knowing those boys and the party they’d had last night, they were likely running late. I had mentally prepared myself to wait.
“Places, everyone!” Jamie’s voice, sharp and commanding, cut through the soft hum of conversation. “We’re ready to begin.”
He strode toward me with a huge grin. “Bloom’s here?” I craned my neck to catch a glimpse of him. Was Jamie yanking my chain?
“Of course he’s here.” Jamie rolled his eyes. “He’s been up since nine, ready to marry you. It’s happening, Logan. Aren’t you excited?”
Excited didn’t nearly describe how I felt. The knot in my chest loosened, and I let out a breath. Of course Bloom was here. I should’ve known. He was always all in when it came to us. Long before me. I smiled, my nerves settling. I had nothing to worry about.
The music shifted, signaling the beginning of the procession. Jamie gave me a quick thumbs-up and darted off to his place in the line. I straightened my tie, inhaling deeply as the pairs began their walk down the aisle.
Fable and Zak came first, their steps perfectly in sync. Next were Miles and Rubble, followed by Cass and Mort. Booker walked with Max, since Crowe would escort Bloom. Grimm and Jamie were our best men. Mort’s daughter had done a beautiful job with the flowers, and the little boy—one of the bikers’ sons—who brought the rings took ages to make it down the aisle, but everyone smiled.
The music changed again. A hush fell over the crowd, and I turned to look down the aisle, desperate for my first glimpse of Bloom.
Crowe appeared, his imposing frame cutting a striking figure in his tailored suit. I’d been surprised at how quickly the bikers had agreed to dress a bit more formally for Bloom’s wedding. They’d been all in as if they wanted him to have the best wedding possible, which knowing them, they did.
Next to Crowe, Bloom walked, looking stunning in a long, flowing black tailcoat tailored to fit his slim build. Beneath the tailcoat, the black vest worn over a black shirt was a corset-inspired piece with damask patterns. A blood-red silk cravat at his neck added the only splash of color in his otherwise black ensemble that contrasted nicely with his pale skin. His beautiful blond hair was left loose in a tumble of curls down his shoulders.
Absolutely breathtaking.
His skin glowed, his lips curved in the softest smile, and his eyes sparkled with a joy that seemed to light up the entire space. I couldn’t take my eyes off him.
Crowe stopped before me, his grip firm on Bloom’s arm. For an agonizing moment, he looked at me, his expression unreadable, then placed Bloom’s hand in mine. “You marry him, you become one of us,” Crowe said.
His warning—or promise—didn’t faze me in the least. I’d already made a commitment to Bloom.
“Thank you,” I said, my voice thick with emotion.
Bloom’s gaze met mine, and everything else faded away. “You’re—you look incredible,” I whispered, barely able to get the words out.
His smile widened. “Jamie wanted to make a big deal.”
“As he should. It’s your wedding.”
“Our wedding.”
Reverend Homer cleared his throat, bringing us back to the moment. Each word he spoke washed over me like a warm tide. I kept sneaking peeks at Bloom. He’d never looked more beautiful than he did on our wedding day.
“The grooms have written their vows,” Reverend Homer said. “We’ll start with you, Logan.”
I turned to face Bloom, taking both his hands in mind. “Bloom, I wrote a long vow that I thought was beautiful and exactly what you deserve. But now that it’s happening, I find nothing I say can ever live up to what you’ve brought into my life.”
“A whole lotta trouble,” Crowe muttered loud enough to prompt laughter from the guests.
“Yeah, there’s that too.” I chuckled. “But I’ll always see you as my greatest pleasure. Today, before your family—our family and friends—I promise to always be yours and yours only. To love you no matter what, to fight for you and stand by you always.”
“Bloom, your vows.”
Bloom inhaled deeply, then let out the breath. “Logan, all my life, I knew I wasn’t normal, and I never expected to enjoy the things normal people do. Then I met you, and I discovered love, though some people call it obsession, and maybe it is, but one thing I know for sure is that you showed me that I didn’t have to be anything other than myself to be loved. You’ve seen the worst parts of me and love me anyway. I didn’t know how much I needed that until you. There are parts of me that come out for no one else, not even for me. Just for you. Because of this, I will always fight to be with you. I will always confront your enemies who want to hurt you. Until my very last breath, I will fucking fight for you. I love you, Logan.”
“I love you too.”
I shuffled closer, my lips puckered.
“We’re not there yet. You still need to exchange rings.”
I snapped upright. “Sorry.”
“Now repeat after me…”
We recited vows and exchanged our matching wedding bands, a symbol of our never-ending love and our vows that would bind us in this lifetime.
“And now the part our grooms have eagerly been waiting for,” Reverend Homer smiled warmly. “Logan and Bloom, by the power vested in me and with the blessing of all gathered here, I now pronounce you husbands. Logan, you may kiss Bloom.”
I didn’t wait. I cupped Bloom’s face gently, and his hands immediately found their place on my waist. The crowd blurred into a distant hum as I leaned in, brushing my lips softly against his.
“I’ve wanted to do this since I saw you walking down the aisle,” I said softly.
“Then what are you waiting for?” Bloom tilted his head and crushed our lips together. Around us thunderous applause, wolf whistles, and shouts erupted. Slowly, reluctantly, I released his lips. Bloom opened his eyes. Oh boy, we weren’t going to make it through the reception.
Reverend Homer gestured to the crowd. “Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to present Logan and Bloom Collier.”
The applause and cheers were deafening as we turned to face our friends and family. We were surrounded by grinning faces. People were genuinely happy for us. Even Crowe was smiling despite all the attempts to stop our wedding before. I took Bloom’s hand, but he didn’t move.
“Sweetheart? Is everything all right?”
He nodded, his eyes full of tears. “It’s hearing it for the first time. Collier. I’m Bloom Collier now. I have a surname, Logan.“
“Of course.” I caught the tear that slipped down his cheek with my thumb. “I promised to give you my name, didn’t I? You’re Bloom Collier—my husband. Everything I have by law is now also yours.”
“Your name is the most valuable thing you’ve given me, Logan. I will cherish it.”
A lump formed in my throat, preventing me from saying anything, so I nodded. I had chosen the name Collier without a thought. In my haste to get rid of the Agosti name, I would have accepted anything, never truly appreciating that Collier symbolized a new beginning for me at the time.
Bloom Collier—now he got to have a new beginning.