Chapter 55
Chapter Fifty-Five
JASON
Standing beside Christian as the two of them exchange vows has me feeling all kinds of emotions, except the jealousy I was expecting. I thought I would stand here and watch the two of them become man and wife and be envious that our marriage isn’t legal, but I don’t. Even though this part of the ceremony is only for the two of them, Jasmine has also been stealing glances at the three of us. Showing how she really doesn’t have favourites.
I look to Maximus and Sean, who have both been trying to hide the tears that fill their eyes every time they look at our girl, who is absolutely breathtaking. When she started walking towards us, I thought my chest would explode. I couldn’t breathe, and one look at my brothers showed I wasn’t the only one.
“This is the point I would ask you to exchange rings; however, I know you want to save that part for when it’s the five of you in front of me.”
Wait, that wasn’t agreed with us. I frown at Jasmine and Christian as they nod and turn to us, smiling.
“It wouldn’t be the same if it were only the two of us,” Jasmine explains.
“Well, in that case, all that’s left for me to do is announce you as husband and wife. You may finally k-” She doesn’t get to finish as Christian grabs Jasmine, tips her back and kisses her so dramatically that everyone starts laughing and clapping.
Maximus whistles behind me as Sean cheers, both as happy for the two people in front of us as I am.
Glancing around at our friends, most of whom are like family to us, I see nothing but happiness and love on their faces. Christian finally lets Jasmine up for air as he stands her back up straight. The photographer we hired at the last minute rushes around, snapping pictures of them as they stare into each other's eyes lovingly.
Christian is the first to break eye contact as he turns to Lucinda and nods.
“Okay, before Jasmine and Christian sign the register, they would like for the other three grooms to step forward.
We move into position, Christian taking a step to the side as he makes room for Maximus to stand where he had just been. The two of them are now standing on one side of Jasmine, and Sean and I stand on the other. The twins are on either side of her and hold her hands, both placing kisses on her cheek.
“You are too beautiful for words, Shorty.”
“A real princess,” Sean adds as I lean in and kiss her lips.
“I’m loving the veil,” I say, winking as Jasmine giggles.
“So this part is something I haven’t done before.” Lucinda smiles at us and then the small crowd. “So Jasmine, Christian and I sat together and devised a plan. Each of the O’Reillys will say a little something, and yes, that includes you, Jasmine.”
The bridesmaids start cheering loudly, and the rest quickly join in as the five of us laugh.
“God, I love this wedding,” Lucinda laughs. “Anyway …” she says a little louder, and everyone settles back down. “As I was saying, each of you will say a little something, and then you can exchange rings. Afterwards, I will end the ceremony, leaving you all to carry on the celebrations.” She looks around at the five of us smiling, and I suddenly feel more nervous than I have all day.
“Shall we start at one end and go from there?” she asks, and all heads turn to me. “I think that’s a yes,” she laughs as Sean steps back, letting me get to Jasmine.
Stepping forward, I take a deep breath and look at my beautiful girl. My jaw clenches as I take in her radiant smile, realising how close I am to losing it. Taking both of her hands in mine, I take another deep breath before beginning.
“Jazzy, I have sat down every day for six months and tried to work out what I wanted to say, but nothing ever seemed enough, but then nothing in relation to you is. Because I will never get enough of your smile, your laughter, and how your eyes sparkle when you feel mischievous, I will never get enough of how you feel when you are curled up in my arms or how you always make me believe I can take on the world. But most of all, I will never have enough time to tell you how special you are to me.
“You have the biggest heart and have grown so much in our time together.” Lifting her hand, I press a kiss on her knuckles. “You told me once I saved you, but Angel, you saved me too. I was lost before you walked into my life and gave me a purpose. You gave me a future I never thought I would have, so today, in front of everyone, I promise you that I will always love and protect you. I will save you every time you need me to. But most of all, I promise to be more than enough because there is nothing you could ever ask for which I would deny you.” As I look deep into her eyes, I see her lip tremble a little.
“Daddy, you really did save me that night you followed me. You knew that if you demanded I leave the pub and go with you, I would fight and refuse all help. So, instead, you sat there, watching over me and letting me do what I needed to knock down the barriers and admit I needed help. You saved me in more ways than one, and you did it by being patient, loving, and comforting. When I cried, you held me and offered words of reassurance. You showed me that I wasn’t a failure for asking for help. It was what I needed to hear. Every day since, you have showered me in support and told me time and time again that you will always guide me, and you have.
“You have always been more than enough, Daddy, and I know we will spend the rest of our lives saving each other because that’s what we do. We are a team, and nothing or no one will ever come between us. That’s a promise I want to make to you today in front of everyone who matters to us.” A single tear escapes her beautiful bright eyes, so I reach up and wipe it away slowly whilst cupping her cheek.
“I love you, Jazzy,” I whisper, leaning forward and kissing her lips.
“I love you too, Daddy,” she replies just as quietly as my heart swells, and I fall even more in love with my girl.
* * *
Sean
Watching Jason and Jasmine, I realise I’m unsure if I can do this without crying. This amazing woman is here declaring herself as ours, and I don’t deserve it, but I can’t lose her, not now, not ever.
“Sean, would you like to go next?” Lucinda asks as Jason steps back, giving me room to get to Jasmine. My hands shake as I take hers. She smiles while giving my hands a reassuring squeeze, giving me the encouragement I need like she always does.
“Princess, I’ve had my promise written for weeks, but now I’m standing in front of you, like Jason; it doesn’t feel like it's enough.
“From the first time I laid eyes on you, I knew you were the one for me. I stood in that hotel lobby and decided there was nothing I wasn’t willing to do to make you mine. Within a few days of spending time with you, I had our whole future planned out. But when we discovered that all four of us had fallen for you, I never once thought you would choose them over me. Because I knew you had the other part of my soul. Everything with you is easy. Whether it’s talking about absolutely anything until the early hours of the morning or watching you as you interact with my brothers, I never feel like I have to be anything I’m not.
“You told me I taught you to fight, but you taught me there was something worth fighting for. I have always done my own thing and held myself back as I compared myself to others. But you have shown me what I can achieve by fighting for what I believe in and want. Without your encouragement, I would have never had the courage to branch out and start managing fighters. Every time I hit a snag and feel like throwing in the towel, I wonder, what would Jaz do?
“You really are the brains of this family, and I, for one, couldn’t be prouder of how you fight for us and yourself. You are a force to be reckoned with, and I can't wait to be by your side as you take on every challenge that comes your way, cheering you on and encouraging you to fight for what you want.
“Princess, you are my soul mate, my biggest supporter, my rock, my Princess, and now my wife, and I couldn’t be happier and more excited to start this next part of our journey.” Lifting her hands, I kiss her knuckles as she sniffles and takes a hankie that Verity offers her. She dabs under her eyes as everyone giggles around us.
“I’d been doing so well,” she laughs between tears. Taking a deep breath, she slowly lets it out as she retakes my hands and looks deep into my eyes.
“Daddy, you have shown me what it's like to love wholeheartedly, accept what I can’t change, and fight for what I can. You have made me a fighter, whether it’s to protect myself and those I love or if it’s just fighting to be seen and heard. I love you so much and hope you realise how proud I am of you and all you have achieved in your new role.
“I will always be your biggest supporter because I know there isn’t a challenge you could face and not conquer. I have every faith in you and know you can achieve great things. I will always be by your side, pushing you when you need me to, but most importantly, I will be rooting for you.” Leaning forward, I kiss her like I’ve wanted to since she walked into the tent.
“I love you, Princess,” I whisper against her lips as we both attempt to blink back the tears.
“I love you too, Daddy.”
* * *
Maximus
As Sean steps back and nods, signalling for me to step forward, I do what I’ve been longing to do since my girl walked down, looking like the Goddess she is.
Reaching for Jasmine's hand as Sean releases them, I spin her around to face me and kiss her whilst lifting her into my arms. Everyone around us bursts out laughing, including Jasmine, as I lower her to her feet.
“I couldn’t wait any longer, and I’m not sorry,” I smirk as Jasmine laughs, leaning into me, and I’m more than happy to hold her close.
“When have we ever done things the normal way?” she grins, looking even more radiant.
“Never,” I answer, taking a strand of her hair in my finger and playing with it. “It’s one of the reasons I didn’t want to be the one to marry you legally,” I admit as she frowns. Looking deep into her blue eyes, I let the hair slide from my fingers. “I don’t think it is possible to call you anything but Shorty.” Jasmine bursts out laughing as I wink. “That first day we met, I gave you a one-arm hug and immediately noticed how perfectly you fit against my side. Nothing has ever felt as perfect as you did that day and every day since. Even as you grew a few more inches, you still moulded perfectly to me, and I knew I had found the piece of me that had been missing for so long. You always have and always will be my Shorty.” Lifting my hand, I run my knuckles down her cheek, unable to look away from her eyes and how they sparkle just for me in this moment.
“I thought I was your brat?” she teases as I burst out laughing.
“You are most definitely my brat, and I love you for it.” Taking a deep breath, giving myself time to blink back the tears, I take her hand, which is resting on my chest and hold it to me.
“You told me I gave you the strength to finally stand up for yourself and be the real version of you, and I couldn’t be prouder. But you need to know the truth, and I couldn’t have done that without you showing me what it was like to care for someone. Before you, there were just my brothers and me. No one else mattered; all my strength came from the need to impress them. But then you danced your way into my life, and I no longer cared what they thought of me; the only person whose opinion I truly cared about was yours. There is nothing I’m not willing to do to protect you and show you how loved you are.
“I love you, Shorty. Even when you are not in my arms, you are the first thing I think about when I wake up and the last thing before I fall asleep and dream about. I love that I never know what you're going to do next or how you will make me laugh. You make me curse, but most importantly, you make me feel alive; you make me want to be more than the idiot who gets knocked around in the ring, and I want to promise you that I will always be more for you. I will be more than a husband; I will be your best friend, your biggest fan and, one day, the best father I can be to our kids. I may be far from perfect, but I will always do my best for you.”
Jasmine reaches up and cups my cheek, wiping away a single tear that’s slipped down my cheek.
“You are perfect, Daddy. There is not one part of us I would change. I know that no matter what is going on in our lives, you are the one who will help me laugh, with that mouth which has no filter,” she teases as others laugh around us. “Even when all I want to do is cry. When I’ve had a bad day, and I want to escape reality for a while, I find you because, with us, there’s no need to pretend; you accept me, whether it’s the quiet version or the one who throws water over you because I feel like it.” Throwing my head back, a laugh bursts from me, remembering that evening, which feels like a lifetime ago and yesterday, all at the same time. “I never worry that I will make you mad because you understand that side of me and have helped me accept that it's okay to be that version of myself. You’ve given me the strength to accept all parts of me, and for that, I love you beyond words. No matter how much of a brat I am for you, I know your love isn’t something I have to earn. Your love for me is unconditional, no matter what. I love being your Shorty and will always be in your corner when you need me.”
“Bloody brat,” I mumble as I reach into my pocket and pull out a hankie to wipe my eyes and give myself a second to compose myself as Jasmine giggles in my arms.
Shoving the material back in my pocket and unable to hold back any further, I kiss my wife as I hold her body tightly against mine. Keeping her as close as possible without fucking her right here in front of everyone.
* * *
Christian
“Is there anything you would like to add, Christian?” Lucinda asks as everyone turns to me. Jasmine smiles as she turns in Maximus’s arms and looks at me.
“I would like to say something first,” Jasmine declares, smiling.
“Oh, of course,” Lucinda grins.
Jasmine leans back in Maximus’s arms as she reaches for my hand.
“If I don’t say this now, there is a real chance I’ll be too emotional to say it at all.”
Reaching up, I wipe a tear from her cheek.
“I am so proud of you,” she starts, taking me by surprise. “You take on so much and have let others drag you down to protect those you love, and I’m honoured to be one of those who holds your heart. There is nothing you wouldn’t do for your brothers and me, and I can honestly say there is nothing we wouldn’t do for you.
“You have taught me so much by your rules and guidance. Do you remember the bath we had that afternoon after the five of us made love for the first time?” I nod as Lucinda starts coughing beside us. But Jasmine just winks with that mischievous grin she gets before continuing. “You scolded me for not using my words, and I asked you to be patient with me, as I had spent nearly fifteen years being told to sit down and shut up. I could see how much that admission angered you. I saw it wasn’t what you wanted for me, and it made me want to change for you.
“You might all joke that I’m a brat and talk too much and say the wrong thing, but before that afternoon, Daddy, I didn’t use my voice, not in the way you have taught me to. You have shown me it's okay to say what's on my mind. To use my words and speak out. Because those words can make such a difference to not only my life but all of ours; by making me use those words, you have helped me to understand all the feelings I have pushed down all my life, and you have shown me that it's okay to have these emotions, even when they mean becoming a little childish; because my feelings matter too. Because of you, I will ensure I never lose my voice again and that our children are never silenced like I was. But most importantly, I have found my voice and will use it every day for the rest of our lives to tell you how much you are loved and appreciated for everything you do for us. But most importantly, I will be your voice when you lose yours.”
“I am so proud of you,” I whisper, squeezing her hands. Looking into her eyes, I know I have to say what I planned before I break down.
“Standing by and watching my brothers declare their love for you, I can't help but think back to that day when we all realised how special you were to us. There were so many ways things could have gone wrong from that evening, but they didn’t.” Stepping closer to her, Maximus releases her so she can lean into me as I hold her close and look at my brothers.
“You three have always been everything to me. All I cared about was looking out for you and fulfilling the promise I made our mum the night she died. I promised her I would protect you, and although I have failed in many ways, I have always done my best. But there was one thing I wasn’t willing to do, and that was walk away from Jasmine without knowing if she returned my feelings or not.” Kissing the top of her head, I tighten my hold on her.
“Deciding to share her wasn’t an easy decision, but it always felt right. It could have made things so much harder, but we fell into our new dynamic quickly and without too many incidents.” I look at Maximus and smile as he shrugs while trying to hide his grin. “This amazing woman has made us even stronger than we were before, and I know that whatever the future brings, the five of us will face it together. Because as I’ve always said, ‘You hurt one O’Reilly, you hurt us all,’ and now that includes someone who has not only become the brains of the family but, most importantly, the heart.” My brothers nod in agreement as we all turn our attention to Jasmine.
“I love you, Sweetheart. We all do, and I think it's safe to say we all promise to ensure you have the best life, filled with fun and laughter, but most importantly, love. Because you have held all our hearts from the day we met you and deserve to be shown how loved you are every day.”
“I love you all too,” she whispers, turning to the others. “You are my family, and I promise to always have each of your backs. No matter what’s happening, I will be in your corner, cheering you on and being there when you need to breathe. There is nothing that could ever come between us.”
We all turn to Lucinda, who is wiping her eyes with a tissue.
“Here, they made sure I had extras,” Maximus winks, holding a hankie for her as everyone laughs.
“Thank you,” she smiles, dabbing under her eyes. “I think it's time for the rings.” Jasmine steps out of my arms and meets the girls as they step forward, each with a ring box in their hand.
“I’ve got Uncle Jason’s!” Luna calls out, smiling proudly, holding out the box.
“Thank you, Luna. You did such a good job looking after it for me,” Jasmine grins, taking the box from her.
Jasmine opens each box one by one and slides the ring onto the relevant hand as the bridesmaids cry silently, watching their friend. Sean’s is the last of the rings, and I place Jasmine’s ring in his hand for him to present to her. The three of us take a place behind our beautiful bride as Sean holds her left hand.
“Princess, Jazzy, Shorty and Baby girl,” he smirks as we all laugh. “You have made all of us the happiest men in the world, and we can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives showing you how much we love and appreciate you.” He slides the ring onto her finger before pulling her into his arms and kissing her.
Everyone is on their feet as Lucinda shouts over the noise that the ceremony is over, and she presents Mrs O’Reilly and her four husbands.
We each get a few seconds with our girl before the bridesmaids pull her away, and people come over to shake our hands. For a few minutes, there was absolute chaos, and I couldn’t be happier. Everyone is so happy for us, and there have been many tears shed, but the most important factor remains: Jasmine Rose O’Reilly is our wife, and there is nothing we wouldn’t do for her.
“So, that’s it,” Jason smiles, stepping beside me. “We did it.”
“We did,” I nod, watching Maximus pick Jasmine up and spin her around as she tries to hold on to her veil. “I want out.”
Jason's head snaps towards me as I continue to watch our family and friends.
“Define out .”
“Out of the illegal shit. Out of the dark side of our lives. I want our wife and children to be free. No more constant bodyguards, no more lockdowns in our own home. I want to give that woman there the best life she could even dream of and to do that, I will get us out of the shit Tommy dragged us into.”
“Is it possible?” Jason asks. I nod, finally looking away from our bride.
“It won't be easy, but I’m done, Jason. I’m tired of it all, and I just want to breathe again and live the life we deserve.”
Jason nods as he places a hand on my shoulder.
“Then we do it. We return from the honeymoon and do what needs to be done to give our wife the best life.”
Turning around, I pull my brother towards me and hug him. He has had my back all these years, and one word, and he has it again. Stepping back, I place a hand on the back of his head. And lean my forehead against his.
“Let’s get our lives back.”