Chapter 33 Shep
SHEP
IF SOMEONE HAD told me on the day of Prince Jean’s wedding months ago that I’d be standing in the palace gardens of Monaco in a tux having just gotten married—again—to the most handsome, infuriating prince on the planet, I would’ve assumed they’d been hit in the head one too many times.
But there I was. With Theo’s hand in mine and him smiling at me like he planned to keep me for the next sixty years.
God, he was beautiful. And all mine.
“Well, that wasn’t too terrible,” he said. “Only five hundred pairs of eyes on us and a few hundred mil at home. No big deal.”
I chuckled and brought our joined hands up to my mouth, pressing a kiss across his knuckles. “At least the reception’s not televised. I can’t imagine you’ll be keeping your hands to yourself once the drinks start flowing.”
“Who needs alcohol?” Theo tugged me in close and wrapped his arms around my waist, his mouth so tempting as it brushed against mine. “I can touch my husband anytime I want. Who’s gonna stop me?”
As his hands crept lower, curving over my ass, I groaned and reached behind me to stop him—reluctantly.
“Oh, come on,” he murmured against my lips. “Remember what a good time we had at the last wedding party here?”
How could I forget? Theo had practically forced my hand by getting me into the closet and being such a persistent, provoking ass.
On second thought, that did sound like more fun than having to entertain the masses once we were introduced.
“Anyone ever tell you you’re trouble?”
He grinned and nipped at my lips. “Every day of my life.”
“All right, we’re introducing you two in—” Amaya stopped in her tracks as she rounded one of the immaculate hedges and caught sight of us. “Am I interrupting?”
“Yes,” Theo said. “Go away.”
She rolled her eyes and continued toward us, her ever-present tablet in hand. She scrolled down her checklist and spoke into the small microphone she wore on her lapel. “Bonnie and Clyde located. We can start with the intros.”
“What? Which one of us is Bonnie?” I said, frowning until Theo squeezed my ass.
“It could be worse. We could be”—he paused for dramatic effect—“Twiddlebrats.”
I busted out a laugh at that, not only because that would be worse, but because Twiddlebrat and Twiddlesweet were actually here with King.
Amaya made a few taps on her screen. “I have no problem calling you Twiddle—”
“Bonnie and Clyde is fine,” I said quickly, and though she kept her gaze on her tablet, her mouth quirked.
I heard the announcer begin to instruct everyone to turn their attention toward where we’d be making our entrance into the party, and I let go of Theo only long enough to straighten my tux back out.
“Join me in welcoming our men of the evening, Theodore and Shepard Rinaldi!”
A raucous cheer filled the air, and I took hold of Theo’s hand, smiling at him before we walked through the archway and into our outdoor reception.
It was stunning. String lights were draped over the courtyard, giving the night a romantic feel that was entirely at odds with the formal royal wedding.
Here, champagne flowed like a river, guests drifted around the gardens’ stunning flowers and marble fountains, and our band of brothers all stood, some grinning, some smirking at us from one side of the dance floor.
This was like a royal fairytale, one I’d never imagined I would be a part of or even dreamed of wanting. I’d just happened to fall in love with a prince and made him my husband.
Even though this fairytale prince was a menace, because he kept brushing his fingers along the inside of my wrist like he wanted to drag me into that closet for a repeat.
“How long are we required to be here?” I said under my breath as I smiled at those greeting us.
“I would’ve left five minutes ago if you hadn’t stopped me.”
“Dammit.”
“You’re in it now,” he said, shaking his head as a steady stream of well-wishers surrounded us.
I tried to keep close to him as we shook hands and thanked people for coming, but it wasn’t easy. Then again, these events were never for the couple as much as they were for everyone else. Which was another good reason to run off and elope.
“Damn. You two actually look the part of royals today,” Lachlan said before giving a low whistle as he, our brothers, and their dates all finally joined us.
Alessio shot us a wink. “Some could even say...Kings.”
“The wedding was beautiful,” Lucien said, his arm around Kai’s shoulders. “But this…”
“Resplendent,” King said, smiling proudly at the two of us.
Theo straightened his cuffs. “Yes, we do clean up rather nice when we have to—”
“We just don’t like to have to,” I finished, wondering how long we’d been at this already.
Theo leaned in by my ear and, like he’d read my mind, said, “Only twenty minutes.”
God, that was all? It felt like an hour.
“So, newlyweds…” Lachlan waggled his brows, and that look had me bracing myself. “Did you ever get your first dance?”
“Please tell me it wasn’t to Elvis giving you a private performance in Vegas.” Benoit shuddered.
“You don’t get a first dance when you elope,” I said, and looked at Theo. “What would we have even chosen?”
“About that…” said Lucien, smiling mischievously along with the rest as they began to back away and the soft sounds of a slow song began.
A hush fell over the crowd, who moved off the dance floor, leaving me and Theo alone and with all eyes on us.
“Enjoy your first dance,” the announcer said like he was in cahoots with our brothers.
The lights above the dance floor began to twinkle, and then I heard it. The first line of the song, something about it so familiar though I’d never heard it before.
Or had I?
“Oh my God,” Theo said, grinning broadly as he turned to face me. It took me a second, but then I realized what song it was.
“I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles),” the one I’d chosen for Theo to walk down the aisle to, only this version was something else entirely. Something slow and beautiful and romantic, sung in a heartfelt way that had the words taking on a new meaning.
My throat tightened as I looked past Theo to our brothers and back to my man, and just like that, everyone around us vanished. There was only my husband, as breathtaking as the day he’d married me, and I took his hand, drawing him in close.
His hand slid around my waist, steady and sure, and we began to move.
“How did they know?” I wondered out loud, curious how they’d figured out our song. Miraculously, our wedding video had stayed private, the chapel owner doing his part in honoring the NDA.
“Um, I might’ve let it slip,” Theo said sheepishly. “But dammit, Benoit has a big mouth.”
“Nah, they did us a favor. This is perfect.” I lowered my head beside his, our cheeks pressed together as I slow-danced with my husband. It didn’t matter that we hadn’t practiced; our bodies were so in sync that the moves came naturally.
It was the same with our lives, the way they’d so easily intertwined. Months ago I was chasing him across countries, furious and terrified in equal measure. We were two idiots circling each other, pretending we weren’t attracted and stupidly obsessed.
Before that, I wasn’t even sure what I wanted out of life. I had a legacy I hadn’t asked for, expectations I hadn’t chosen, and a path that was cloaked in shadows and memories from my past.
Theo must’ve felt the shift in me, because he pulled back just enough to look into my eyes. “Where’d you go?”
I shook my head. “Just thinking.”
“About the closet?” he teased, and then pressed a soft kiss to my lips. “Tell me.”
“All of it. Everything we’ve been through. Everything we’ve survived. I was just thinking how different my life turned out to be compared to what I expected.”
Theo leaned in, brushing his nose against mine. “And how did it turn out? Better?”
“So much better. I never could’ve imagined falling in love with such a perfect, sexy, stubborn royal menace.”
He laughed and surprised the hell out of me by spinning me around suddenly, before drawing me back into his arms.
“I knew,” he murmured, his forehead meeting mine. “I knew I’d be your menace.”
My heart squeezed and I tightened my arms around him, feeling the weight and warmth and rightness of him being mine.
No more hiding. No more stolen moments in closets. No more psychopaths hunting us down…
I kissed him again, slowly, taking my sweet time.
Even though there’d been thousands of kisses between us, even though I’d memorized the feel of his lips and tongue, I still couldn’t believe how lucky I was that we had years and decades ahead of us for moments like this.
Of quiet times waking up together, of sexy smirks and food fights and make-up sex.
Of whatever it was we wanted to create together.
“I love you,” I said, my throat tight from holding back the emotion flooding me. “Je t’aime.”
“Moi aussi je t’aime.” He laced our fingers together and brought them down between us, his blue eyes shining up at me. “Ready for forever?”
“With you? Always.”