Chapter 36
Chapter Thirty-Six
Brielle
Caden sat on the edge of the table, and I held his hands.
“I was praying you wouldn’t come home,” he said. “The minute the elevator doors opened, he hit me over the head. I had no idea it was him.”
“How could I not come home? You didn’t show up to dinner, and I kept trying to call you. I’m so sorry. This is all my fault.”
“Stop it. Don’t say that. None of this is your fault. He’s a deranged lunatic, but I’m happy you chose not to kill him.” He brought his hand up to my cheek.
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want you living with someone’s death on your hands for the rest of your life.”
The doctor walked in, and I tightly held Caden’s hand while he stitched up his head.
Once the elevator doors opened, we stepped into the foyer and the living room, where a puddle of blood stained the large area rug on the floor. We both stood there, hand in hand and stared at it.
“I never liked that rug anyway,” he spoke.
“It was okay, but I totally would have picked something different.”
“Shall we go shopping tomorrow for a new one?” he asked.
“Yeah. I think we should.” I smiled.
We slowly walked up the stairs together, changed out of our clothes, and climbed into bed, holding on to each other as if our lives depended on it.
“How will we explain to Stella the hole in the wall where the bullet from Daniel’s gun hit it?” I asked.
“We’re not. We’ll pack a bag tomorrow morning and stay at the Plaza Hotel for a couple of days while it’s being fixed. I’ll get a crew out here first thing. We’ll make a special day of it. Just the three of us.”
“I like that idea.” I smiled as I kissed his lips.
“Listen,” he spoke as he stroked my cheek. “It’s okay to break down. I know you’re feeling the effects of what happened tonight, and I don’t want you to hold it in.”
I stared into his eyes and swallowed hard as the tears started to fall. He tightened his arm around me as I lay my head on his chest and sobbed.
Five Months Later
I stood in the room at the church as Sasha fixed my veil.
“There. Now you’re ready.” She smiled.
“You look so beautiful, Mommy.”
“Thank you, sunshine.”
The last five months were extremely busy planning the wedding, filing the adoption papers, running my business, court dates, and trying to put what happened behind us. The best was yet to come, and I couldn’t wait to become Mrs. Caden Chamberlain.
“Are you ready? Your groom is waiting for you at the altar.” Sasha smiled as she handed me my bouquet.
I met Ben at the back of the church and hooked my arm around his. The music began to play. Sasha walked down first, and then Stella followed, throwing rose petals down as she made her way to Caden.
“Are you ready?” Ben smiled at me.
“I’m more than ready.”
We slowly walked down the white runner, and I couldn’t take my eyes off Caden as he stared at me with a smile. When I reached him, Ben took my hand and placed it in his.
“You are absolutely stunning,” Caden spoke with a tear in his eye.
“So are you.”
Our ceremony lasted about thirty minutes, and after I slipped the ring on Caden’s finger, the minister pronounced us husband and wife.
“By the power invested in me, I give you Mr. and Mrs. Caden Chamberlain. You may kiss your bride, Caden.”
The smile on his face grew wide as he leaned in, and we shared a passionate kiss.
Everyone started clapping as Stella ran over to us, and Caden bent down and picked her up. The three of us walked up the aisle together as a family. Once we reached the church doors and stepped outside, Stella placed her small hand on Caden’s face.
“I love you, Daddy.”
“I love you too, my beautiful daughter,” he spoke as he hugged her tight.
Our reception was held at the Waldorf Astoria, where approximately four hundred guests attended and celebrated our special day. It was elegant and the type of wedding I’d always dreamed of. It was even more special when Stella composed a song for us for our first dance as husband and wife. She and Caden arranged the entire thing and kept it a secret from me until he took my hand and led me to the dance floor. I was in awe of this once-damaged man who opened his heart and let us inside. I loved him more with every day that passed, and I made sure I told him.
“I love you so much,” I softly kissed his lips as we danced.
“I love you too, and I always will.” He smiled.
For our honeymoon, we spent one week alone in Aruba, and then Caden flew my mom, Steven, and Stella to Hawaii, where we spent another week together.
One Month Later
Caden was still at the office when Kyle and Mercedes dropped off their baby, Zachary. I agreed to watch him so they could have a date night. It had been a long time since I watched a baby, and I was pretty excited about it. I was in the kitchen preparing a bottle for him as I held him when Caden walked in.
“Hi, darling,” he spoke as he kissed my cheek. “Hey there, Zach.” He smiled.
“How was work today?” I asked him.
“It was good. Very productive.”
I took the bottle and Zachary and sat down on the couch to feed him. Caden sat beside me and stared down at him as he sucked his bottle.
“You look really sexy holding that tiny human,” he spoke. “Maybe we should have one of our own.”
“Really?” I smiled at him. “You want to have a tiny human?”
“Yeah. I do. We never talked about having kids, and I think we should. How many do you want? I mean, in addition to the one we already have.”
“Maybe one more? I think two is a nice number. But I’m not ready to have one just yet.”
“Oh. Well, me, either. I was throwing it out there and letting you know I’m all for having another tiny human running around the house.”
“Maybe in a year or two?” I spoke.
“Sounds good to me.” He leaned over and kissed my lips.
After Zachary finished his bottle, I burped him, and he started screaming. I walked around with him and patted his back, but he wouldn’t settle down.
“What’s wrong with him?” Caden asked.
“I don’t know. He ate, and he’s been changed. I guess he’s just fussy.”
“Here, let me see if I can get him to quiet down.”
I handed him to Caden, and he still screamed his head off.
“He hates me,” he spoke.
“No, he doesn’t. He’s just fussy.”
“What’s Zachary crying about?” Stella asked as she walked into the living room.
“We’re not sure, sweetheart,” Caden replied.
“What’s wrong, tiny human?” Stella softly spoke as she took hold of his hand.
Instantly, he stopped. Caden and I looked at each other. Then he started wailing again.
“I think I know what he wants,” Stella said as she walked over to the piano and started playing. The moment he heard the music, he settled down.
“Get his bouncy chair, quick,” Caden spoke.
I grabbed his chair and set it next to the piano. Caden put him in it, and as Stella played, he fell asleep.
Caden hooked his arm around me.
“We’ll have it made when we have our own tiny human.” He kissed the side of my head.