Epilogue
JORDAN
Two and a Half Months Later
For the second time in my life, I was getting married, and this one wasn’t going to turn out anything like the first one. Being with Vail and Hartley felt nothing like it did when I was with my wife. While I loved her, our marriage felt more like it was what we should do.
Get married.
Have a child.
Building an illegal empire wasn’t part of it, but I was who I was. Once I started down that road, I couldn’t stop.
This was different. They were different. And I couldn’t wait to pledge my life to them in front of our friends and family. Rather, their friends and my acquaintances. No matter how many times Vail and Hartley said I had friends, I didn’t think the same. Friends meant attachment. I was only attached to my men, my son, Romeo, and now Ava.
They could argue Dexen was a friend. He was there for me anytime I asked him to be .
Barry could be a friend and while he’d proven himself time and again, I tried not to get too attached.
Attachment meant hurt when shit went sideways. That was why I didn’t want to fall for Vail or Hartley.
And yet…
“Well, look at my handsome man,” Hartley said as he entered the room. He was in a pair of slacks that kind of reminded me of the color of grass. Not vibrant green but softer, muted. He had a white button-down under a vest of the same green. They were perfectly formed to his body since he designed them as he did all our suits. Ava and Tristan helped, which they were more than happy to do.
“I could say the same to you.”
He walked toward me, that confident gait of his on full display. If he’d been a peacock, he would have fluffed his feathers. Hartley hummed as he ran his fingers over my vest. I was in a similar look but mine was a light tan, the color of a beautiful beach, or so he’d said. “Fuck, I make you look good.”
My arm went around his waist to hold him close. “You being near me makes me look that way. The clothes have nothing to do with it.”
Hartley peered up at me with those brown eyes I loved getting lost in. “We both know you in a suit equals a powerful man.”
“It doesn’t hurt.”
He pressed a chaste kiss to my lips.
“We have the rest of our lives to do that,” Vail said, joining us. “Especially tonight. We don’t want to wrinkle our clothes.”
“I don’t give a fuck if I’m wrinkled in front of everyone,” I told him. “You’re the only two who matter.”
“And as such, we’d like to have nice photos to remember today by. Stop wrinkling your clothes before Irene fusses over you with the steamer again.” Shit, he was right. She’d already steamed the creases out of my clothes once. It wasn’t my fault they were more visible in this color than if I’d had black on. Hartley didn’t want that though. He wanted our suits to be vibrant like our lives. What was full of color had been my existence since they came into it.
Vail’s suit was a heathered light blue. The white button down stretched across his arms while the vest spanned his broad chest. Damn, my men were beautiful.
As if on cue, Irene hollered from downstairs, “You better not be wrinkling those suits.”
I sighed and reached for my jacket.
“I don’t think we should wear them,” Hartley said. “I like the look without them.”
“But you made them. They should be shown off.”
“Wear it another time. These suits aren’t going to waste when they look this good.”
“Tan isn’t my power color.”
He patted my chest with a smile. “Sure, it isn’t.”
A knock on the doorframe pulled our attention toward it. Ava stood in the doorway in a lilac gown that flowed to her feet. It was made specially for her by a designer Hartley knew. It was light and airy. She looked like a princess in it. “Are you ready?” The smile she wore could light up a thousand suns. After all she’d been through, she nestled into our lives and stole all our hearts.
“Are you?” Vail asked.
“Yes.”
We weren’t having a traditional ceremony in some respects. In others, we wanted those who mattered up there with us.
My son would stand there for me. Ava would for Vail since Cat was officiating. Forest would for Hartley. Even Tahoe had a part. Vail thought it would be adorable if he and Latte carried our rings down the aisle. I thought it was a recipe for disaster. When the two dogs got together, it was mayhem, like they hadn’t seen each other in years and were being reunited. That was why we got them together this morning so they could work out some of their energy. Plus, Romeo got excited when I mentioned it after Vail suggested having them in the wedding. After all, Latte was here the first night I met Vail and heard his laughter echo throughout my home.
“Let’s go!” Cat called. I should have figured she’d want everything to go right.
Cat was still healing from being kidnapped along with her children, but she was making big strides. Having her help with our ceremony gave her new purpose and lightened her greatly, or so Dana said. All I saw was a woman who liked ordering me around, even though I growled at her whenever she did it. She’d laugh or tell me to knock it the hell off, which only made me growl at her more.
The three of us descended the stairs with Ava and made our way to the roof of the building, where the sun was still shining, though it was later in the day and not as hot as earlier. The moment Hartley hit the open air; he started laughing.
“I should have known better. I was up here earlier and thought how beautiful it was. Now, it’s like you’re waiting for an all-out assault on us.”
“Did you think I’d have you both out here, as well as my son, Romeo, and Ava, for an extended period of time without ensuring your safety?”
“No, but shit, Jordan, this is a lot.”
I scanned the area, noting the white-and-gray swatches of fabric decorating the white chairs and the arbor that was set up at the end of the aisle. There were flowers in shades of white, gray, and a very soft pink because Hartley and Vail said we needed some color. I disagreed but then again, this wasn’t my specialty. My area of expertise was the security.
My men were armed and on every part of the roof’s border, looking outward, waiting for someone to come for us. We didn’t tell anyone outside of those we invited about our plans, but we weren’t na?ve enough to think it wouldn’t accidentally be leaked. So far so good.
The people of my city had more reason to celebrate due to the hefty donation I’d made thanks to Lane. He’d come through as did I. Many would benefit from it. I’d also gotten Hartley to agree to pay off the balance of his grandfather’s home with it. This was a way to make things right all around.
Dash appeared out of nowhere and slapped me on the back. “Way to go, Jordy. Nice ambience you have here. Very mafia boss wedding chic.” He laughed before Romeo pulled him away. Romeo didn’t bother apologizing for his partner. What would be the point? I was glad to have Romeo here. He meant a great deal to me. I didn’t miss the way he stayed close to his men. Romeo wanted to be here for me. Being around so many people was difficult for him.
The entire Ruined & Relinquished crew was here and their partners. They were performing for the party after, which would be inside in one of the large, open rooms in the building. It was enough to house everyone here and then some. I didn’t want the band playing on the roof and people on the ground wondering what was going on when they heard the music. This was a private affair.
Vail scanned those in attendance, a somber look in his eyes .
I turned his chin gently toward me. “It’s their loss.”
“I was hoping they’d come.”
Vail had sent an invitation to his parents. We didn’t worry about them telling anyone. They didn’t want Vail with me to begin with. They also didn’t RSVP or even call. I hated that they put their son through this. All he asked for was one evening and they couldn’t even do that.
“Fuck them,” Forest said, stepping up alongside Vail. “Don’t let them bring you down, V. We’re all the family you need.”
“You’re right,” Vail replied. “Wishful thinking is all.”
“Think about my dick buried inside you later,” Hartley whispered, but it was loud enough for Forest to turn and scrunch up his nose before leaving the conversation. We’d learned it was easy to get rid of people when we talked about sex, although that wasn’t Hartley’s goal this time. He wanted Vail to smile, which he did.
Cat stopped in front of us and planted her hands on her hips. Her pink hair was swept up and she wore a fitted black dress that went to her knees. “You couldn’t even come out separately and walk down the aisle one at a time, could you?”
“Nope,” Vail said, popping the p.
She groaned. Everything she tried to get us to do in a traditional sense failed. “Whatever, just get the hell up there.” Cat briskly walked up the aisle, smiling at the guests who were seated.
No music played as we made our way toward the front of the group, but I heard the distinctive sound of one of my guards checking to make sure there was a bullet in the chamber of his gun. It was like music to my fucking ears.
Cat started the ceremony, talking about how much she loved her brother and how she remembered Hartley when he was younger. She brought up the first time she met me. I drowned her out while I reveled in the feel of Vail’s and Hartley’s hands in mine and the sweet expressions on their faces. I had one too. I not only felt it but could see their joy at me expressing my emotions this way.
I wasn’t softening anymore. I was already there, but only with them and those who mattered. It was worth it to see the looks on Hartley’s and Vail’s faces while Cat had us recite vows. We didn’t want to write our own, opting for what Cat put together.
They were words of love, devotion, and at the end of the day, remembering why we were together, because we couldn’t bear to have it any other way. We weren’t complete unless we were together. And we each played a role in our relationship.
Vail was the caretaker. He wanted us to be fed, happy, and fulfilled. He wanted those around him to smile. He loved when we were full of his delicious cooking and had people around the table with us who laughed. Vail deserved everything good in life.
Hartley was our light in the dark. No matter what was going on, he found a way to bring levity to situations, even though half the time he didn’t realize he was doing it. He clothed us, would rush to our sides when needed, and hold us through our troubled moments.
And I was their protector. I would lay down my life for them without a second thought. I would do whatever it took to ensure they had everything they wanted in life, even things they hadn’t realized they needed.
Together, we were a dynamic I couldn’t have dreamed up if I’d tried. I never thought I deserved them or any of this, but now that I had them, I wasn’t letting go.
When we slipped rings on each other’s fingers and kissed in front of the people who mattered most, I smiled big and bright. It didn’t feel wrong or like my face was stretching more than it should. It felt perfect, just like they did in my arms.
Thank you for reading Hartley! The series continues in Barrett . If you haven’t already read my other Dremest books, you can start with Three Ties to Bind .